Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1869-09-07
To the Ministers, Elders, Deacons, and all
the Members in the Churches of the Lex
lngton PreshvterY.

ington Presbytery.
The Presbytery of Lexington, at its last
meeting directed the Committee Of Domestic
Missions to prepare circular to the Churches
under its care, setting forth: |. The nature
and extent of the Missionary fields in our
bounds. 2 The amount of funds required for
| the work. g. Together with some estimate OF
the sum which each congregation may be ex-
pected to give In order to secure the amount.
In compliance with this order we send you
these statements, and express the hope that all
the people in every congregation may be made
acquainted with them.
]. Ut the 40 Churches now in connection
with the Presbytery, 18 either have or are able
to have Pastors to labor their whole time, and
minister every Sabbath to the same congrega-
ton. Some of these Pastors, however, supple
ment their support by other means than the
ministry Of the word.
g. There are others, grouped in pairs, Tor
may be) and thus have each half the time OF
minister, and preaching every alternate Sab
bath, without receiving aid from the Presby-
terry.
g. There are IA others, which cannot either
alone or by forming unions sustain settled
ministry without aid. These with some fields
In which we have no organized churches, con-
stitute our missionary ground.
4. We have never, even with the aid OF the
Domestic Missionary fund, supplied all of these
at one time. At present we have for this work
an evangelist, Rev. T. D. Bell, who is expected
to supply all the vacant and feeble churches,
and missionary fields not otherwise provided
for, SO far as he can, and three missionaries,
Messrs. R. Scott, W. I. Price and j. H. Fl.
Winfree, who together supply 10 churches and
have about l3 preaching places
s. There are consequently four feeble
churches, and number of important stations,
which we ought to occupy, unprovided for. ex-
cept by occasional supplies or the labors of the
evangelist which however cannot be wholly
given to these.
6. Mr.. Scott supplies the five churches in
Randolph and Barbour counties, West Va,
and has very large and important field, which
ought to be divided at once, into at least two,
and ultimately into more. These churches pay
Mr.. Scott $500 per annum and he receives in
addition 5000 from our committee.
Mr.. Winfree supplies two churches -four
places of preaching) in the borders OF Bath
and Highland counties, which pay him $500
per annum, and he receives $3.50 from the
committee.
Mr.. Price supplies three churches (tour
places of preaching) in Highland county, from
which he receives $500, and the committee pay
him 800. He employs part of his time in
teaching. 1t is expected that he will soon re-
move from this field but another minister will
at once take his place.
The salary Of the evangelist is $1,000, so that
the aggregate amount for the ensuing year
commencing Sept. l, 1869, if we continue
our present arrangements will be ST, 1,55O.-
There will be deficit from the present year Of
about 5000. We have, also, applications to aid
in church building from Stony Run Church,
Bath county, for 500, and from Belington,
Barbour county, for $3.50, which ought to be
granted and which will make total for the
ensuing year of So, 100.
7. We append an estimate as fair as we are
able to make of what We think may be expec
ted from each church to supply the amount,
viz Lexington, $500; Bethel, $ll0; Rocky
Spring 500; New Monmouth, $lO0; Cooks
Greek, $50; Waynesboro, $45; Mt. Carmel,
$50; Messy Creek, $1]O Oxford, $25 Loch
Willow. $40; Tygart's Valley, including Bev-
Bethesda, $40; Tim berridge, $40; Staunton,
5000 New Providence, $780, Tnkling Spring,
$l35; Union, $45 Harrisonburg. $75; Au-
gusta. $75; Central Union, SIS; Pisgah, $40;
Goshen, s.; Lebanon, $50; Hebron, $75;
Mt. Horeb, $50; Warm Springs. 500; Windy
Cove, $25; Collierstown, $40; Fairfield, $50;
Shemeriah, 500; Ben Salem, SIS New Beth
any, $40; Stony Run, $40; Massanutton. $40;
Phillippi $40; and Kerr's Creek, S.. Total,
$2,155.
g. IF we divide the field now occupied by
Mr.. Scott, and furnish aid to Pendleton and
Massanutton, which we purpose doing as soon
as the men for them can be found, it will in
crease the aggregate amount about 20 or %
per cent, and of course in the same proportion
the estimated quota of each church.
Brethren it is great and pressing work.
We have never done our duty in regard to it.
Are we not able to do all that it is now pro-
posed to do in the next year? and can we be
content to do less?
The Presbytery has recommended that col
lections be taken up for this object in this
month (Sept. J. but it is not necessary that the
whole amount required be paid so soon. 1t
will be all needed during the year ending Sep
tember, 1870.
w. T. RICHARDSON,
Chairman of Com. of Dom. Missions.