Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1854-10-05
NO. SO
FAREwELL TO rHE OLD onuacu.

~ n 3 OA4D 0kAuHCHs
Just It the opening Of Sleepy Hollow, made
siass'r y Ene pen Of Irving, whose Legend
ono OF tne nreside tales wherever TIE En-
gnsn tongue Is spoken, Is the Old Dutch
SnSsen oflwhlea be writes IT stands on d
knoll surrounded by locust trees ana loftv
eims,' from among which its decent White.
washed walls shine modestly forth. Ike
Christian purity, besming through the shades
Of retirement A gentle slope descend
from il to i silver sheet Of water. borderaa
by high trees, between which, peeps nav be
caughtof the blue hills Of the Hudson on
one side Of the church extends wide.
woody dell, along which raves large brook
among broken rocks and trunks Of fallen
trees
The old church stands there ret, and
few sabbaths since We woEshipped III it, with
the congregation, who then took leave Of Il
TO enter, on the next Lord S day, into their
new house, just erected nearer 10 the Village
Of TarrytoWn f
The date of this building is somewhat I'M
certain. On tablet over the front door.
the names Of the founders are inscribed,
with the year 1909, but the bell in. the Gu.
| pola has motto in Latin, If the Lord be
for US, who Gan be against us n with the date
1865. The records Of the church are pre-
served from period long anterior to the
American revolution, and tho names Of the Z
members who belonged to it seventeen years
after its foundation, seventy four in number,
are still in the book Its mother church.
in whose bosom have been nursed three OF
four others, and many have received large
aecessions Of strength from this, which il
still vigorous and extending its cords in its
old age.
The last Sabbath exercises in such 4 church
could not DO otherwise than deeply interest.
ing, and as We we're spending a few DAYS ia
the neighborhood, We determined 10 enjoy
the occasion. Mistaking the hour for morn,
ing service We were early there, and sat
down on the wooden door steps and enjoyed
the delightful air and scepe which bright
Sabbath in June in the country presents.
when the people are gathering to the house
of God Some came on horseback I; some in
open wagons some on foot some in cover
ed carriages land beside the regular congre-
CATION, there were some from the city who
spend the summer at their country seats on
the banks Of the Hudson, in this charming
neighboriioodi The house was full The
Rev Mr. Stewart, the pastor, after appro.
pirate introductory services, read the names
of four men who had been elected to the Of
fees of elder and of deacon in the church,
and calling on them to stand forth, he pro.
ceeded to ordain them to their respective
offices according to the order of the Reform
ed Dutch Church.
The service was brief and solemn, and
was not uniting to the day, as the pastor
strove to keep prominent the idea that the
church IS TO carry all her spiritual clements
with her into the new building. Ne then
preached an excellent discourse on the words
Of Moses {. IfthY presence. 70 not with us.
history of the congregation, |and showed that
the Lord had been present with the people
in all ages, adding largely to their numbers,
more than thousand persons having been
for the FIRST time brought into the church
within those walls and then he uttered the
earnest desire that even now, when the new
Eouse is completed and dedicated chat they
might not be allowed to go up, unless tho
Lord Meuld sd up with them and dwcllwith
them there
Many of the congregation, especially tho
older people, we're deeply affected BIT tho al
lusions to the past, and by tho thought Of
leaving the spot where they had been bap-
tized, ard for SO many years blessed with
the sweet influences Of the Gospel Now and
then sob would DO heard but it was speed
lily suppressed, and the feeling Of the assem-.
bly, was one off gratitude that God had led
them on to the necessity and given thdm
the ability Of building larger and moro
convenient place of worshipi We we're glad
to learn that il il not intended to abandon
this venerable house Of prayer 1t will be O.
pened at least once month for Sabbath SER
vice, and as the old burying ground and tho
new cemetery lie long side oft, it will often
be Used for funerals, and we have not doubt
that in few years, the new house will be 50
full that a pastor will besettled again with
| in the walls of tie Old Dutch, and another
congregation gathered here The building
is good fora century to com e. 1t Was orig
inslly built Of stone, and the doors and win
dows cased with small yellow brick brought
from Holland r-Nc1o York O6scrrer.
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