Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-01-21

doing good scrvc- As they rode toge;he
along the Riyanua river, returning from the
I General Meeting of Correspondence. they dis
l'cusSed the subject aud agreed upon plan. Ii
1922. at The lst Baptist Church, Richmond
tie Constitution OF The General Association waI
reported; aud 10 1923, jus. so years next June
it was adopted and the b)dy organized under
it.
Within so years the Baptists hal grown from
60 churches 40 ministers and 3 900 communi
caats, 10 800 churches, 200 ministers, and 40.
QUO c)mDun;cants
Here vas growth and progress.
The past fifty years haYe been even more
fruitful
There were, however, still troubles. Among
these were The opposition o: the Is ack Rock
or anti mission party, and tile Cam pbelilte con-
'roversy and hsu The First OF these has
been so far ove:c bIne that waie there are sill
onl'ssiOnd1y & ipii>!s Il Baptist churches, there
Is NJ agDwed dntt-mission element Ia our c)m-
muniou; and the secediug, anti mission party
has dsiDd ed cay almost to utter ext!Gcti,a.
it Is an laStiu;;lve and Impressive Tact thar 10
this very Valley Of Virgioia some OF the fist
Baptist churches were organized, but owing tO
the anti mission Influence, Baptists and Blp-
list princlpios almost utterly disappeared fr0ui
that region, SO tGat in ipore reeaot eifJFtS to
datlon had to be laid b. not afraid then that
your pastor will injare the church here by pres
sing too earnestly the claims OF q petishing
world. Churches are never ipjursd-they new
er die ia thar way. Il history teaches any
thing 1t is that he very liie-b!0od OF church
Is a srge-hearted, practical yDpalhy for the
cause OF Jesus over The whole earth.
FIr nothing have Virginia Baptists been
more distinguished during the past fifty years
than the zeal with which hey have prosecuted
missionary operations and specially STATE evan
geization; and the recaris Of moderu missions
do roe present greater success than have crown
ed the labors OF their missionaries. All West
Va. is dotted with sei-sustaning churches, the
fruit OF the labors Of those devoted men
And tho leaders aud managers OF this enter.
prise Luther Rice, Ro B Semple, Eli Bal,
thc Broad uses, ;lason. the Wits, jeter, Tay-
los and others. were ever !ittiUg up their eyes
and surveying the vast and iagisiog field, and
attem piiug great things lor God |: MAY be
inerasing 10 Us 10 know that long years before
Baptist church was actually planted 10 " auG-
ten, repeated ttf1rts were made By he General
Association 10 that direc'iou La 1884, Stauc-
toa is mentioned 10 the aonn2i rep)rt as D ola;
that aust be occupied, and James 3. Tai lor
vas appointed chairman Of committee to Sc
cure sui able man Ia 1861, Elder Z.uas
freeman iron the North wa sent to Sjauuton
aud vicinity. Z der Freeman did good york
and ei q fragrant name III Va ne>blrO; buf
alter ;raachi0g a few times In the Presby
and Methodist churches IN Staunson, reported
that under the circumstances aud Tihoas a
aonsa OF Worship, nothing could lhen be done
In Stauntou.
I'nis is a digrcs.ion, though interesting. !
resume my narrative.
The Cam ptei;ilo controversy and sohism,
lS3O-40. very painful at the time, made no ap-
oreciloi3 arrest If the pf ,gTe5s OF 0ur people
In fact good, cn the whole, @as The result. -
Certaio abuses Ia oGr cwn dea0mlua i01 were
sbated and j. disc0rdant element was removed
and at this day the Disciples haviog receded
from NEST OF the extreme views proclaimed by
Mr. Campbell. are approzinating TO the Bap-
ilsts and Will ultimately return TO them.
The great Temperance RsfOrmation Of the
present century originated, So far as Virginia
IS concerned, with the Bap,ists Ii was ali
Simultaneous with the movement occurring il
North. To Abaer.W Clopton, tho chief houoI
is due, though about the same time with him.
other ministers were reaching similar couc!u-
sion and they with many more gladly c1-ape-
rated with him. But it wa' pre-emineniy q
Biptist movement. Iodeed, at irst few 9th
ers paisicipated, and many opposed and revied
It. But Ci0pt0n and his c}-adJutors perse-
vered and great Reform was fe;ted over
the entire State. fhe caston, so prevalent. 50
universal before of otf3ring and u>ine ardent
spirits as beVerags was gradually trough, In
10 dI>repute and Comparative dl>use; m4ny
we're saved from bee ming victims to intemp per-
ance. anu 1 Iu bloc Was wiped from the es.
GU cheon OF Cn.l5JlIa!ty. Ant this Is 10 be
added to the Achievements OF Va BApiis's
May othsr matters Of interest might b. I'D
] j J n
the B4piis1s were by far the ncst ac,i9e of a.!
the denominations lii the eVa0ge!lz alien OF the
large armies gathered from tn. ellige s ,uth
opnn Virginia soil. When the History Of Re
iIgl0G IN Gen. Lees army i; written, as lt vii
De-, large mention must be made OF the abors
OF Baptist chaplaas, colp p)rtecs ante7aageliSts
and aany scenes and acideats Of an Interest
ing character IN CONNECTION with those Ia50rS
Will be handel Gown 70 pcsIeglty.
During The past 80 years, Va. Baptlsts. IN
cludlng W. Va, have Increased - l 33;
churches, TAT ministers and $50 000 members uI
oue iG 9 os the p1pua n, an lucrease OF 8 told
While The population of the State has scarcell
| lacreasej !; aud thousands have gone 10 the s
| and >. W. TO propagate Baptist prlnei0ies, anG
| Thousands more have gone nome to heaven tG
swell the song OF redee ,Dlog love Aad 10 eth
er ge1pec 8, quite as much as i'll heir mum
p-renced aud progress Is manifest last year
our State IN 'ssiDu Board ha 42 missionaries il
their employ and ouF ed dca,io Board som
40 caud Idaes Tor the ministry under thell
patronage IBe Churches a. large are IN fu
and active sympathy Wl,h the iTeuegai Assoc a
| tion. systematic benz lance IS beginning 10 be
prac iced. a warm D'0thery love, and spin
OF tsprit de corps co tiaue 10 prevail auonG
nur ministry, aud indeed our en- ire brother
hood.
Is it not fitting. under such circumstances
| that Baptists pause t. see what God hail
grought through them, and FIR shcaa?
| BeIIeVIng this, the last meeting of tn
| t3aneral Ass> ration held 10 Siauaton (ia thi
very roou) decided to celebrated the mex
| cory; uol Tor self go!ifoa'ion, but 10 incIe
has been effeo;ed TIE records OF he past hav
been . red over aud t,,i listers and pea pie knog
mo than hey ever di.i before what he B4 is
are, and what they have suffered aud done fol
the Cause OF Christ, for truth, tor ihc world.
| But 1t was deemed not Wise that our enthuSi
asm sh0all ey pend Itself in mere words; but tia
on the contrary, this season should bo made TIL
occasion Tor acrs Of beneicence, and the startin;
| pOlht OF new progress towards hat future tha
awaits u as denomination, ii we are bul iai h
fol Acc Jr iingiy it was decided to raise sum TO
| Richmond College, which, 10 the way Of buiid
ings aud neediul appliances and endowment
should be thank of.ring aud perpetual me
mortal
Moaements il this direction are not new will
Virginia BaplisIs
la 1883 steps were taken to originate & Col
yCl y ma b,tf no obi