The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-10-20
FoR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
DAYS of LATE SUMMER in the VALLEY

Golfers Creet-Boods on the TaratiOn Sys-
teuq--HlmterS Observation-Disclosures
Churches and Cemeteries.
A pleasant ride brought me through the
picturesque and pretty valley of Golfers
Creek. From its pOpulOusness or some other
cause it has always borne the urban name of
Colherstown." And the writer of this can
remember when in former days, the "COl-
icreens" were wont to come pouring into
Lexington on Court days, and to make them
selves rather conspicuous, many of them, in
drinking and fighting "rOws." Now there
is hardly any part of the country which can
boast a population among whom the princi-
pies of temperance and religion exert a
greater power. After passing neat Meth
odist church, out of which saw some Sun
day School children coming, on Sabbath
morning, the route that l pursued leads to
a larger and very neat church building, also
of brick, where the Presbyterian cOngrega-
ton worship, and where they enjoy the sta
ted minisuations of the Rev. Daniel Blain,
son of Rev. S. W. Blain, and grandson of
the well known minister after whom he is
named and who once ministered, for time,
at Oxford, where the people of this valley
were then accustomed to go. l cannot but
hope that the faithful labors of this young
brother are scattering good seed.
Another excursion led me through lower
ROckbridge into the heart of Augusta, and
I took different routes, going and returning,
in order to see the country and once familiar
places.
ROekbridge can shew a complement of
county roads equal to those of almost any
county in the State. This is owing to the
fact that, many years before the war, under
the provisions of one of our State laws,
graded roads were made through the differ
ent parts of the county,-taxes being laid
for that purpose by the county Court. 1t
required an effort at first, to do this; but no
doubt the people there have found themselves
well recompensed in the end. The people
of any county would, l believe, find it
great gain to their pecuniary and material
interests, to do the same.
On the "Brownsburg road" to Staunton,
a few miles below Lexington, one sees a spot
which has some melancholy associations. It
is where young Confederate in the late war,
shot one of Hunters men, as they were adj
vancing up the Valley. They professed to
regard it as bush-whacking, pursued him,
found him at his own house near Lexington,
where he had imprudently fingered, dragged
him back to the spot where the man had been
shot, and there murdered him. This was
one of the samples of superior civilization,
out of the great book-full that Hunters most
gallant, humane and splendid career in the
Valley would supply to history. Mr. "POrte
Crayon" himself as I have understood, &C
companied Hunter in that march; and it
might be suggested that he should write the
book His imagination would not have to
be greatly taxed, or his pencil be in danger
of oyer-drawing, to make out a volume not
to be surpassed in strong incident aud strik-
ing illustrations.
The little village of Brownsburg-like
some of the other little interior ones along
my routes down and back, looked very un,
changed from forty years ago. 1 thought
could make out the house and the room in it |
where, in the days of my early boyhood, |
had attended a night service during Sa-
meeting. Two miles below, where
the road makes bend up little valley, one
comes in sight of New Providence church, |
with its burying- ground just by, and the neat,
manse across the road. But, owing
to a change of the road, together with the
erection of a new and more imposing edi6ce,
[ should have failed to recognize the spot,
f had not known that 1 was approaching
it. The name, New Providence, has distin-
guished this spot and the church worshipping
IN it for more than hundred years. 1t is
we'll known as one of the Oldest and one of
he largest Presbyterian organizations in
upper Virginia. The venerable old "Parson
Houston" used to tell me of the time when
he people here we're accustomed to bring
heir rifles with them to church, for fear of
he Indians. The Rev. E. D. Junkin is now
he minister of this important charge. After
look from the gallery over the spacious
Interior of the church building, which would
eem to provide for almost mammoth
congregation, walked through the now ex-
ensive burying- ground and saw there, on
he monuments, amongst many names of
ihich had known something, those of the
Rev. Samuel Brown, and of his partner, so
rell known for her captivity in early life
mong the Indians, recorded by one of her
ons in the little book, "Captives of Abs
ALLEY" could not but think, as stood
y those graves, how quickly all the scenes
f the most eventful and important life,-
hose irradiated by prosperity and those
arkened by adversely, alike pass away, as '
reams of night, or rapidly shifting scenes {
{ drama that is over in an hour, But T
he impress of a holy life may, in some way, I
emain through all time. 1t is certainly to '
e felt through the "foreyer" beyond the /
rave Q