Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-06-20
lFrom the Marshal (No.l Herald.
Tie Old hrgnsta fi!nrci,,

writer Of this communication bad oeeagion
to ys!1 his native County ard State; and
although his business Aera se4sired that
he should remain only few days; ne could
not resist an inclination 70 see. onte more,
this celebrated Church aud It's adiae5n nj
Graveyard In the one, he first heard tue
Gospel preached, in the ottee, refa9c The
remains, Of brothers parents, grand parents
sad friends, who, have long since gone to
that undiscovered country. from whose
bourne no traveller returns. Between
them stood The old School House, where he
received the rudiments, and tie greater
part of his education where day after day.
week after week. year after year, he studied
he sported while in the aatlqaa}e II
building, whose name heads this article uu
the Sabbath, he worshipped.
These places, so endeared TO him b iii
mate associations, had to be abandonded, f9f
the realities of chequercd life.-They were
left with many lingering regrets and we're
for years occasionally visited and now,
after long years of absence, revisited for
the last time.
It is not the intention of the writer to at
tempt to describe his feelings upon this &C.
casion. They can be better imagined than
described. Nor will he lecture upon the
transformers of all sublunary things; for
this would be superllnous But it is to give
a mere sketch Of the history of a Church
built under extraordinary circumstances, !,
Church that has fostared, and sent forth
many, very many, that are now worthy
citizens Of the great Mississippi Valley ;
and to many of the readers Of the BeFa1j.
he has cause to know, what he writes IN re-
lation to it, will prove acceptable.
= these times when fashionable preach
ers, preach, and fashionable christians wor-
ship, and fashionable workings lool; on, il
IS comparatively an easy matter "a rlise
the funds, and erect neat and comfortable
places for worship. But had W. in the
present dan &c face tlfs dangers, endure the
tolls and surmounj tie difficulties which
owl i;orefa,hers e,coYGte9ed mere tllaa eHo
hundred ycars 80. "a order to obtain the
privilege of vorshippiug their Creator IN
public, and according 70 the dictates q f.3eIr
eonsciences----how many churches would
now be built, how many deyoat worshppef@
would be found bowling at tho foetsto5l a.
mercy? 4 glance q she history ef tie
e0ld Stone Church III Augusta eaaa5 =,
IA. viii show the reader what .iHa 9.
peol lie lived in those DAYS.
So long ago as 1740, whom all tie terri
tory west Of the present limits ef Aeeusta
county, was one vast wilderness tderc
was organized Presbyterian Church i.
a.. AZ, 81, II IL 1 -
Pastor i few years subsequently,. whep
there was not a Wagon in the Valley d
VI bearer than Niaehestef 8hea then
nly means II conveyance. were pack horses
sleds and hani-barrows-H While numerous
hostile Indiars lurled in the Hei s1barileod
ever watching opportunities to do their work
Of horrid butchery they determined 10
build house in which they might worship
more securely, and at the same time BE-
more comfortable 4 stocAade WIS first
built around the site Of the intended house,
aud every tree hush and shrub was cut ava
within three hundred yards, SO that the IN
dams might not surprise them. These done
the work of getting the building material
on the ground, was commenced. The stone
which compose the thick and substantial
walls were principally carried on hand- bur
rows, about one mile. The lime aud sand
were packed on horses, the latter about liee
mi,ds Armed escorts were necessary to
protect the carriers s;'1 i'ackcrs a&atast In
dian attacks. The saving was done With
tac old fashioned Whip Saw With ihese
seemingly inadequate means did they con-
'mence and prosecute to completion, Under
the most discouraging aud hazardous cir.
eumstances work, which now, afytr the
lapse of more than IA century, standa aud
will long stand s. monument of their perse-
yerance and devotion. During these irving
timea, every mau ma,ls his rifle a constant
teolai ion; IN the iicid at hil daily toll as
he iourneyed from settlement to settlement:
or in his chamber with his family; or al
the place of worship his rifle Wa with lila
Nj Craig continued to discharge lis duty
as Pastor, until l774, when he died
On dark Stone Slab in the Graveyard
IS this snse- ption--
REV JOHN CRAIG
"CommenceR the PrlSIWeriaa ministerial
Seqice, limo Doae5a l740, and 6titA-
i faliy tiischorged his duty 10 4. n 177s4 .
The death of Mr. Craig happened in a
gloomy nesiod Of the Colonial history -Tho
causes of dsaiEection that had beon operat-
ing for the last ten years, were about To re-
suit in an open rupture with he parent
country In such contest, fro'a tho pre-
yious habits of the people of this Church il
canpot for moment be supposed that they
fagoreci the cause Of Royalty In the long,
and arduous, and unequal contest that en-
sued, they were with their countfy-for
freedom; and the AGstssa ehefeh had
several worthy actors IN the great closing
DRAMA of the Revelation, Il Yorktown IN
October fYSI
Rev Nvm Wilson slieeeetiel Mr. Geaia