Richmond  Antebellum Period M. E. Church South Bible Positioned in the R, F & P Railroad Station on Broad Street

Richmond  Antebellum Period M. E. Church South Bible Positioned in the R, F & P Railroad Station on Broad Street – This large, leather bound, institutional size Bible, with its printing dating to 1855, exhibits gold embossed lettering on the exterior of the front board that states:

“M.E. CHURCH SOUTH

BROAD STREET STATION.

RICHMOND, VA.”

The Bible was among the effects of the L.T. Christian family; this family came from Charles City County, Virginia to Richmond, in the 1850s. L.T. Christian would establish a successful funeral business in the 1880s; Christian’s Funeral business would officiate over many Confederate veterans’ funerals, from the late 19^th century into the early 20^th century. The Methodist Episcopal Church, enumerated on the front board of the Bible, was a pro-slavery, anti-abolition entity that broke with the national Methodist Church over the slavery issue.

During the Civil War, the main M.E. Church South (Methodist Episcopal Church, South) in Richmond was likely Centenary Methodist Church, which located on Grace Street near 5th Street, within a few short blocks from the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad depot (precursor to Broad Street Station). It served as a prominent church during the during the war. Also during the war, the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad (RF&P) operated a station at 8th and Broad Streets. The tracks ran directly down the center of Broad Street, with trains traveling from this location northwest, out of the city. This depot served as a critical, yet often congested, transportation hub. Although no longer standing, the station and shops were pivotal locations for the transportation of troops and supplies on this line. Based on the location of the station, Centenary Methodist was the most prominent M.E. Church South in that immediate vicinity. This Bible, which contains both the Old and New Testaments, was printed in 1855 and apparently, via the courtesy of the M.E. Church South, available for review and consultation in the Broad Street Depot. As this depot was a significant departure point to the front, many Confederate soldiers may have sought solace and comfort by reading this very Bible. The Bible remains in overall very good condition, with some scuffing to the leather boards and spine; the two testaments are complete and not missing any pages; some of the latter are slightly loose, although still bound to the spine.

Measurements: H – 18.5”; W – 12”; D – 3.5”