Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-01-17


finally routed. 1t was on this occasion that Mr.
Madison drew up his famous Memorial for re-
ligious freedom which reflected the views of the
Baptists, as people. 1t was in this matter that
the Presby terian clergy presented the singular
spectacle of a ministry separated from Its people.
| While the Presbyterians were petitionlng Con
vention aeain st the General assessment, and one
of the strongest papers in opposition to it came
from the Presbyterans of the Valley of Virginia,
their clergy generally favored it and brought
on themselves scathing rebuke from Mr. Madi-
| son for their conduct.
| THEIR NATIONAL LABoRs.
1t was the Virginia Baptist Committee who,
through Mr. Madison, instituted steps, which,
being seconded by the Baptists of Massachusetts,
New York and Rhode Island, resulted in an
amendment to the Federal constitution guaran-
teeing religious liberty.
The Speaker alluded briefly to the fact that in
l774, the General Association of Va, sset apart
Samuel Harris to the Office Of Apostle on the
south side of James River, and Elijah Craig and
| John Waller, Apostles for the north side. They
were to fill the office of Bishop, but the arrange
ment died in the first year, and was never re.
vived He also passed in review the schislns
| which have taken place which, except the
| Complexities have been healed.
| THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN STANTON
| Long before a Baptist church was actually
| planted in Staunton, repeated efforts were made
| by the General Association in that direction
| In 1854, Staunton is mentioned as ia point thai
| must be occupied" and James B. Taylor was
| appointed chairman of committee to secure a
suitable man. In 1867, Elder Zenos Freeman
was sent to Staunton and vicinity. He did good
work in Waynesboro, but after preaching few
times in the Presbyterian and Methodist churches
Of Stanton, reported that under the circum-
stances and without house of worship nothin e
| could then be done here.
| THE PRESENT GENERAL ASSOCIATION
was agreed upon by Thornton Stringfellow, Ed
Baptist, and James Fife, the last still doing ser
| vice in Albemarle, Though an octogenarian
while riding home from General Meeting of
Correspondence" and was organized at the End
Baptist church tn Richmond, in 1923, and num-
bered 800 churches, 200 ministers. &C, 900 com
munieants, and now, fifty years from that time,
the Baptists in Virginia and West Virginia num-
Der 10000. with TAT ministers and 1888
churches.
WHAT THE BAPTIsTs HAVE DONE.
The great Temperance Reform of the century
originated, as far as Virginia is concerned, with
the Baptist. During the war the Baptists were
by far the most active of all the denominations
in the evangelization Of the large armies gsth-
cred in Virginia from the South.
THE PRESENT MEMORIAL MOVEMENT
In view of this history, the reverend speaker
thought it was fit that the Baptists should have
memorial, and it had been decided that fund
for Richmond College, should constitute that
perpetual memorial. In 1880, Rev. J. B. Tay-
lor and j. B. Jeter, riding from the Northern
Neck to Richmanl, to attend the General asso-
citation, determined to attempt something more
in the way of education, and laid their plans &C
| cordingly. The result was the formation of the
Va. Baptist Educational Association, then the
Va. Baptist Seminary, and then the Richmond
College. The project now was to make that Col
lege rank, in all things, with the first in the
world. Nowhere should this object be better
appreciated than here where there are among
our leading men distinguished master of Arts
of the University of Va, president Hart of the
| Female Seminary and the eminent ex Presi-
dent of Brown University, R. l., Or. Sears OF
the Peabody FUND.- Its proposed also to raise
on the College grounds memorial shaft on
| which shall be inscribed the names of those ear.
| ly Virginia Baptsts whose sufferings for relig-
ious freedom have made their names worthy to
be inscribed on the enduring marble. 1t is in
the memory of such men as these that we are
called on to aid in this fund. God does not ask
US to go to Jail as they did, but be does ask US
to take the cause committed to US, and by our la
bors and money and prayers carry it to still
higher triumphs
| Mr.. Taylor's sermon was an hour in delivery
and of course the reporter has not given full
| report of his remarks, but he has carefully fol-
lowed the thread of his discourse, and strung
upon it the larger part of his facts, most of which
will be new to the public.