The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-05-25
FOR THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
GREAT RELIGIOUS INTEREST AT PAR
ADISE, KENTUCKY.

AS friend has suggested that an account
of the glorious work of grace which we have
lately witnessed at Paradise, KY, might be
profitable to the Church, we send you a
brief history of the work that has been re-
Gently accomplished there. About the year
1856, number of Scotch emigrants came
from their father-land and settled at Para
disc, little mining town on Green river, in
Mecklenburg county, Ky. The object of this
settlement was to develop the rich coal and
iron mines in the vicinity. Some of these
emigrants were communicates in the Free
and Established Churches of Scotland. But
when they came to Kentucky they found
that they were completely removed from
Presbyterian influences, and with the ex-
ception of an occasional sermon from the
pastors of the Presbyterian church at Green
vile, 16 miles distant, this people had not
enjoyed the advantages of Presbyterian
worship for some IA years, and some of them
had not entered church for that ledgth of
time. Several families united with the
Methodist church at Paradise, as there was
no Presbyter ian organization in the place.
Within few months past the Evangelist
of Muhlenburg Presbytery, now resident at
Greenville, visited Paradise and preached
with such encouraging results that he de-
termined (in compliance with the request of
some of the people to hold protracted
meeting at that point with the hope of or
ganizing Presbyterian church, Before
commencing the succession of services, the
Evangelist crossed Green river and visite d
Ohio county, where he found several Scotch
families who had retired from mining and
we're engaged in farming. The head of one
of these families with little sympathy for,
and perhaps some prejudice against other
denominations, had not been to church more
than twice for dozen years. But like
"Burns Cotter," had gathered his family
together, and bringing out the guide book,
had worshipped God in the plain humble
manner of the Old Kirk. This person was
selected as a candidate for the eldership in
the prospective church, and having been in
formed of the meeting, he brought his family
six miles to Paradise to attend the SER
vices. Preaching commenced on the 18th
of April. But until Sunday, the 17th,
there had been but one profession, and the
congregations we're comparatively SMALL
After this the Spirit of God was poured out
in great power. At night numbers request
ed the prayers of the people of God, and in
the morning the enquiry meetings were
thronged with earnest enquirers whose sad
faces would oft and again be lit up with a
radiant hope as they received the word of
truth, and rested upon Jesus as their ground
of salvation. During this and the next
week the Presbyterian minister was kindly
assisted by the Baptist, and especially the
Methodist brethren. The religious interest
still increased, and erelong the church
building was insufficient to accommodate the
crowds who came to hear the word preached.
On April the 24th there had been 80 pro-
fessions of faith in Christ and on that day
the infant church was organized by the
Evangelist with As members; Of this num-
Der Al were received on examination. The
people still thirsted for the word, and after
the election and ordination of the church
officers another week of services commenced.
At its termination sixty had protessed their
faith in Jesus, and the church had received
25 accessions, making total aggregate Of
70 members, large proportion OF whom are
heads of families. The church is now in 9
Aourishing condition, and parents are anx'
ious to teach their children the Shorter
Catechism and organize Sabbath school
If it will not be trespaSsing upon your col
umns, your correspondent would here like tC
mention some noticeable features in thi
awakening, which may be profitable to th'
readers of your paper.
1. We observed that the Scotch peopl
seemed to believe more readily than tn
Americans. We attributed this in grea
measure to the faithful religious training
which, as children, they had received in tn