Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-04-18

Of West Hanover, being present, was invited tie sit
ns II CORE sponding member.
the Rev Mr.. Snyder. from the Commi ter
languages and Sciences, reported that they had
examined Mr. Mnscly on Hebrew, and that the
same wns satisfactory.
The appointment Of Commissioners to the Gen
eral Assembly being the second order of the day
was called up. The Rev II. A. Brown. Ministe-
rial. and DIR. j. ID. Spru,gins Elder. were chosen,
md Rev. 5. }. Price. Ministerial, AMI Aonzo
Cooke, Elder. altcrnates
Leave of absence was granted to Hon. William
NJ. Tredway.
On motion, the reading Of the narrative of the
state of religion within the bounds Of Presbytery
was then heard The report follows:
Narrative IF tie state Of religion IN the Pr21y
terry Of Roanoke.
We have listened with lnourntul interest rs the
brethren have rccitcd, one by one, the history Of
Gods dealings with our churches get, in some
cases. our has been turned into joy. God
has not left himself without witness. He has
still proved to that lie is the God in whom our
fathers trusted. and were not ashamed; the God of
the Covenant of Promise Jehovah, God, mcrcinl
and gracious, long suffering and abundant in
goodness and truth
1t has been especially painful to hear ST. fire.
.puently, the expressions. I'VE have nothing special
to report" nothing of any interest" and in some
cases complaints Of "unusual spiritual dcadncss.'
\ whole year in the life Of an ambassador of our
King. prorlaiminG the Gospel OF reconciliation aud
salvation to an Il, ostalc world aided too, lay an
organized church, with its elders, dcacons and
brethren, and nothing of any interest to report
How different was that free conversation on the
state of religion" when the seventy returned with
low and rcpuriel to their Lord the results of their
mission Six of our churches report a tatal
of four souls brought to Christ, the fruit Of II
vear's labor, and taking a survey of the whole
Prcsbytery. it appears that about twenty sermons
have been preached for every conversion. But as
Ia
So few cases proved the of life it is awful Ia
reflect how often it has been sent on mission Of
wrath, and has proved the SAVIOR of death unto
death.
We feel these things more deeply, because in
many parts Of our country it has been year of
almost unexampled spiritual activity: year illus
tra;ive of ''the Power Of PRAYER" and the faith
fnlness of our God. Come from the four viii is
o! Breath. and breathe upon these slain. that
they may live"
In the Village Church; in Lynchburg and in
the Bethesda Church, we rejoice. to say TINT
much larger number Of con,s sions are reported.
We have reason to believe that there is n wide
spread and melancholy neglect IF Family Roii-
zion. That must ever be ho foundation Of our
public religion. If parents do not command their
households after them. if they do not exercise
wholesome discipline, if they do not gather their
children and servants for daily worship; if they
do not thoroughly train them in the knowledge ut
the Holy Scriptures, ard the Cacchism: if they do
not remember their covenant vows, to pray with
and for them; il they do not honor Gods covenant
with them and their children signifed and sealed
in Infant Baptism, we must expect vicious orii-
nances and shameful apos'aces
1t is from this cause doubtless that so few If
our Churches report any candidates for the Minis
try Dr. Alexander said that any church which
had no candidate for the Ministry. ought immedi-
atcly to appoint day of fasting, humiliation and
prayer But in the whole Presbytsry of West
Hanover, before the division. and this reference is
proper since our separate organic existence dates
from the first Of April ony) out of 4G churches,
there had been but 10 candidates in IL years:
that is, 36 churche. had suffered II years to
away without furnishing one candidate among
them all But where has been the humiliation
and mourning and Importantly! Must we not
fear the continued frown of God, till we repent
and initiate, in our furnishing OF men for the
ministry of the Gospel, the example of the Apos-
tolc church,? Nor may screen our lamcnahIc
neglect of our co'ored people. In many cases it
seems to be flrcgone conclusion that zee eau do
nothing for them. that they will he Baptsts or
Methodists, at any rate. God be praised ior the
zeal of these churches in their behalf But we
NAV not shirk our responsibility: they must
swer to God for their manner Of doing this work.
and we for ours. How rarely are our servants
gathered in any number at family worship? How
little persevering, self-denyng instruction IF them
by masters and mistresscs? How lightly does
the souls of their owners whilst multitudcs
suffered to live and die in deep ignorance Of the
things that belong to their peace no less than ours,
for time and eternity. They are heather, whom
in vast numbers God has brought to our very
doors They till our land, they stand at our TIA
los, ihev >crve our persons i'll health and sick
ess-but VIC may not hide it from ourselves that
multiudes of them 60 from the shadows If our
churches from the glow of our fire sides and our
affairs, to the Bar of God, covered with the dark
,"<s q pollution of heathensm, and thus their
g..,t aggravated ty the neglected light which is
springing all around them.
To this dark picture there cheering
contrasts. Some precious scenes have been wit
messed lately at the Church of Roanoke, where
they number lob colored communicates, and
where they assemble in encouraging numbers to
hear our preaching Surely this church in its pas,
the miserable libel that Presbyteranism is Eut
adapted to them, and that they must be resi- gned
to the care of other Denominations. If our doe
trile and discipline and worship are not adapted
for the conviction, conversion and sanctfcation,
by the grace of God, to these and all other classes
and conditions of the elect of God then they are
,croag and should accept the consequence.
At Charlotte C. H., Briery', Lynchburg, Bethle-
hem, and some other places also, there are cheer
ing signs of an awakening in our churches to our
immense responsibility for these people. The
Presbytery would earnestly enjoin all its Min
listers and Elders and on oil the private members
in fellowshi to lay this cause to heart, and
by preaching, by public and private instruction,
especially in that cheap, that accessible that nd
mirable, that much blessed, that much neglected
bookprcpared expressly for the colored people,
hy one who thoroughly knows them, and has SO
efficiently labored for thom--Jones' Catechism-
20 strive to roll off this heavy reproach
III conclusion, we would mention, as an appro-
pirate part Of II narrative On the state of religion
among us, the deep satisfaction feel in this our