The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-04-21
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
Narrative of the State of Religion in the
Bounds of the Presbytery of West Hanover,
Synod of Virginia, April, 1853.


The Presbytery would report to the General AS
sembly, that on the whole, the state OF the
churches under its care presents no marked
change; but gives cause for hope and encourage
ment. All of our organized churches except two
are supplied with some Of the means OF grace by
the ministry, for part or the whole of their time.
The ordinances of public worship have been indus
triously maintained by all our ministers, and the
stated contributions for the evangestic operations
represented by the Assembly',s Committees, have
been nearly universally raised except in our vacant
churches.
Nearly all our churches, except these, also report
that they have adopted the plan of Sabbath con-
tributions, whenever they meet on that day Tor
public worship, as it has been recommended by the
Assembly; and in every case with marked good
effects While the contributions of the people are
usually small, being given out of their deep pow
erty, the aggregates are all increased and in most
cases doubled or tripled over the former amounts.
The support of the ministry, while often scanty,
and insufficient to relieve them of worldly cares
and avocatons, is attended to with increasing
punctuality and our people generally evince a
gratifying disposition to sustain the gospel in this
way. Their peounary distresses are, in most in
stances, no less than they have been for the last
three years; the only relief which the people have
experienced in this respect being that they have
begun to accustom and adjust themselves to their
poverty. But it is manifest that, Notwithstanding
these discouraging causes, by virtue of an i'm
proved sentiment and more efficient organization,
the pecuniary strength Of our churches may be ex-
pected to increase slowly and gradually.
None of the churches report revivals Of religion ;
but in three of them there have been seasons of
refreshing, which have resulted in tie quickening
of the zeal of Christians, and the ingathering of
souls The whole number of accessons on eSami-
nation within the year has been, as far reported
eighty-one.
In our town and village churches prayer meet
ings are uniformly sustained, but attended usually
by the minor part of the members. In our country
churches, the scattered state of the population
makes the attendance upon weekday meetings so
difficult that they are not sustained except in the
summer.
Nearly all our churches report Sabbath Schools
for white children, and one of them school for
blacks. While in few of our smaller churches,
the schools are union schools; in all of them the
Shorter Catechism is taught to large part of the
pupils, and in most of our schools to alp
Our churches are usually small in numbers, and
the Presbyterian population sparse; whence it re-
suits that the attendance of children and youth
upon the Sabbath Schools is necessarily Sx1&
The Presbytery, at its last semi-annual meSsAg
took measures to commend a system of pastoral
catechetical instruction in all churches. This
has been carried out in few Of the congregations,
but we hope to report more general attention to
it at subsequent meetings.
From all our churches there is now reported but
one Sabbath School for the blacks and none of
our pastors maintain separate religious services for
them strictly. At the churches of the whites &C
commodations are still always literally provided for
them These privileges are now used by small
but somewhat increasing number of this popula
ton. This deplorable restitution doubtless dis
closes derection of duty on the part Of our peo-
pie and church officers, in that they have yielded
too much to the discouragements arising out of the
exceedingly adverse and hostile influences now APP
piled to the blacks; but the evils are, in large part
beyond our control, and iusuperabe by any means
n our power.
Two important literary institutions are included
within our bounds, Hampden Sidney College and
the State University Of Virginia; the former with
about 90 students, and the latter with $50. Hamp-
den Sidney is under distinctive Presbyterian inhu-
ences, under the presidency of clerical member
of this Presbytery; the State University is, of
course, without UNCONVENTIONAL bias; but by its
chaplain and many Christian teachers, is kept
under active and wholesome influences of evangeli-
cal Christianity In the latter institution the major
part of the students enjoy Bible-cass instruction
from the voluntary abors of their professors or of
their christian Association. In Hampden
Sidney all are required to study the Bible weekly.
The state of morals in both is, relatively to other
times and places, exceedingly hopeful; many
pious young men exert the influence Of active
Christian laborers; and many candidates for the
ministry are in training.