The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-07-23
Dover Association.
For the Dispatch.

On Tuesday, 10Th, the Dover Association
of the Virginia Baptist Churches met in
the county of Goochland, with church
once called Nuckols's," but now Goocli-
land church.
The Dover is the oldest Baptist organiza,,
ton in Virginia, having been constltuteo
ci"hty-seyen years ago. About forty years
since the body was divided for local conVe-
niences, and new Association was orsa-
niZed under the name of Rappahannock,
embracing most of the churches III hlng
GeorSe Westmoreland, Lancaster, Nor
thumberland, King ald Queen, Essex, Mid
dleseX. and Gloucester counties, with few
Churches on the border OF adjacent coun-
ties. The territory of the Dover, however,
is still very large, extending from Gooch-
land county to the lower end OF the "Pe-
ninsrla" at Hampton. Local convenience
will probably lead Gre long to another di-
vision.
The number present on this occasion IS
not so large as usual. The place Of meeting
is far away from railroad travel, and not
quite near enough to the Water-line west
ward" to make that line so much ayaila-
horseback, or in such conveyances Us the
| fortunes of war have left in these regions.
Now and then an ambulance" called by
some avalanche" might be seen moving
| among other vehicles, loaded not with sick
or wounded soldiers, but with youth of both
sexes, all life and animation at the return of
the annual session of the sod Dover"
The writer has been for nearly half q GEN.
| fury accustomed to attend the meetings of
/ this body, and finds himself calling to mind
| the "former days." when A., Rroaddus,
ST., and II. b. Semple, and John Kerr, and
A. W. Clopton, and Others, giants OF their
day, were in the midst OF their labors.
These have passed to their recompons0 IN
the better land. We dare not wish them
here at the expense OF even moments
absence from their blessed home. But what
shall we say to the absence of j. B. Jeter,
and J. B. Taylor, ST., and A. E, Dickinson,
and A. III. Sands, and George F. Adams, and
others Of the ministers OF the Association,
who, unless they have grown old more ra-
piily than the writer ofthis would like to do,
are none of them too infrm to have made
this excursion, involving not more than
twenty miles of travel into the country
1t is pleasant to contrast with their alb
sence the presence Of q brother minister
who, far from being as young as he was In
the days Of his youth, and by no means
rich, paid six dollars for one days ride in a
buggy rather than miss meeting with his
brethren.
Inc C0mmunlcatlOnS from Cne cnurcneS,
while none of them report very large addi-
tions to their number, nevertheless con-
tain such accounts Of their progress as to
encourage the belief that prosperity is the
general Condition of these churches.
The people of this neighborhood receive
the strangers attending this meeting with
old,fashioned Virginia hospitality, emitting
nothing that could be needful for our per
Sonal comfort. t !,
1t is delightful to see how rapidly, under
the smiles Of n kind Providence, the people
in this part OF tho State are recovering from
the prOstration which several SUCCESSIVE
failures in the crops have brought on MS all,
The statistics Of the Association show 4lo
persons baptized during the year, and to-
tal membership in the IS churches of SOFA,
with COZ Sunday school officers and teachers
land 1891 scholars. +
The statistics Of the Richmond Baptis,
/ churches are as follows = 49, rs