The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-13
VIRGINIA NEWS.
LETTER FROM ROANOKE.
FINE CROPs-MEETING OF THE STRAW
BERRY ASSOCIATION-INTRO
SERMON -ORGANIZATION, &C.
Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.

CORRESPONDENCE of the Richmond Dispatch.
BLUE RIDGE CHURCH,
ROANOKE COUNTY, August 0, 1870. )
A buggy-ride from Lexington to this
place is pleasure which one who has been
long shut up in town or city would enjoy
not q little. The scenery along the route is
of course very fine, as it is for the whole
length of this beautiful "Valley OF lir-
ginia." But we were especially grained at
the evidences of the abundant crops That
the farmers are this year gathering. Inc
wheat and oat crops were very fine, and
the hav abundant but we have never seen
such splendid crops of corn as are growing
now through Rockbridge, Botetourt, and
Roanoke. The recent rains will fully make
the growing crops. and bread will be abun-
dant in the land.
We have come with others to attend the
annual meeting of the Strawberry Baptist
Association, which is composed of churches
lying in Bedford. Franklin, and Roanoke
counties.
This venerable body begun to-day its one
hundred and third session, at the Blue
Ridge church. Roanoke county. In the
absence of both principal and alternate, the
Introductory sermon was (by request of the
Associatiou] preached by Rev. Dr.. A. M.
PoindeXter from I. Timothy I'LL, lib.
The theme The Church the Conseryator
and Propagator Of the Truth, WAS discus
sed with the usual ability and earnestness of
this distinguished divine. The congrcga-
ton was large and attentive 81 II iEh the in
preston seaQ8el dinner hour, but the people
brought an abundance of good things, and
under many difficulties the crowd was fed.
In the afternoon the letters OF the churches
were read and the Association organized.
Twenty-seven churches report 262 baptisms
Il n IF ro
port % Sunday schools, with go officers and
teachers and 1860 scholars. The Associa-
ton was organized by the election of the
following officers Moderator, Rev. j. A.
Davis; clerk, William A. Miller; treasurer,
S. w. Hensley.
Rev. C. c. Biting made some most inte-
resting statements in reference to the past
history of the Strawberry Association. 1t
is, next to the old Ketocton, the oldest AS
ISOLATION in the State, and has eXerted a
wide influence upon the denomination at
large,in the State. From it have gone out
six Associations, number of churches,
and very large number of the most useful
preachers of the denomination. From one
single church has been formed forty new
from which have gone out 140
preachers. Mr.. Biting spoke eloquently
and feelingly of the labOrs of the pioneers
of the Association, and the grand results
that have followed. He presented statisti-
cal tables which he had prepared, showing
the history of the Association from its Or
ganization down to the present time.
The Association returned thanks to Mr..
Biting for his valuable labor in preparing
these tables, which were ordered to be pub
lished in the minutes.
We note among the visiting brethren
Rev. DR.. PoindeXter, Rev. DR.. j. l.. M.
Curry, Rev. DR.. r. H. Bagby, associate
secretary of the Virginia
Baptist General Association Rev. DR.. W.
f. Broaddus, Rev. G.. Gray, Rev. j. r. Har-
rison, Professor &. L. Cooke, and others.
VIAToR.