Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-08-20
CORRESPONDENTS.
The Mission Presbyterian
Church at StauntOM.
CHURCHVILLE, August 17th.

EDITOR VINDICATOR: M
A paragraph in your local columns OF
last week cannot fail to attract unusual
atteL lion and excite surprise in the mind
of every one who knows anything connect
ed with the subject allude to the move
meEt of a part of the Presbyterian congre-
cation of Staunton to erectanother church.
Now, as to whether it would be prudent
for them, with heavy debt hanging over
them to build another place OF worship,
when they ''already own the largest and
handsomest church edifice in the Valley"
1 do not pretend to decide; but the avowed
intention which you publish, that in ase
this church be built they intend to tex
tend call to Rev. Mr.. Simpson, OF Chrch-
vile, to fill the pulpit" strikes me rs un-
usually unneighborly and selfish, and to
call for Il reply. f-e- i
Your correspondent asks only the right
to view this subject from IL distance and
does not claim to be fully acquainted with
all the circumstances in the case, 6ut
what say know to be truth.
The condition of the Presbyterian COL
gregation at Churchvil.e has been peculiar.
Eight OF nine years ago this church was
organized with but few members and no
house of its own to worship inkdid not
own a foot of ground upon which to build.
Six or seven years of unanimity and
peace brought it a neat. comfortable and
well furnished church, large, brick
manse, with four acres of land around it,
and membership of more than a hundred.
| SO that it now has excellent churca prop
erty with only q nominal, if any, debt ull-
paid. But the day that dawned SO bright
ly Oh this young yet vigorous church was
destined to grow dark.
! The oneness that characterized its ef-
forts to provide for its wants, became
parties and the church grew weaker until
it was unable to support it's pastor More
| thai, year ago the Rev. Mr.. Fletcher, to
whose untiring energy and devotion to its
| interests the congregation owes for So
MANY of the privileges it now enjoys, re-
/ signed his charge as pastor; and at the
| SAM time all the ruling elders ceased to
act bv their own consent. leaving the
| church disorganiZed and divided by strong
party feelings. During the last year the
| Rev. w. L. Richardson filed the pulpit DIS
often as possible, and labored zealously to
unite the congregation and produce con-
ciliatory feelings among them-;llWays
trying to find some one upon whom they
could unite and accept as pastor. Upon
the arrival in Staunton of the Rev. Nc
| Duff Simpson, he took him to the church
and thus it was that Mr.. Simpson preached
| his first sermon, in this Presbytery, at
| Churchville. But [ have told an old
| story The condition of this church is
generally known throughout the presby
| terry so that every member of the nelg'bor-
ing church at Stalnton must know OF It,
OF turned q deaf ear to its pitiable story
Can it be that while these people have
been so much in need Of Divine aid and
fit subjects for the prayers Of every Chris
| tian, that their divisions and dissenslons
might be healed and unanimity and pros
perity be restored, that the brethren at
| Staunton have not known their want
Can it be that while so many of God s
| people have offered so many heartfelt petit
lions ut the throne Of grace in behalf OF
| this distressed and PROSTATE church, that
| none have assembled from the part OF the
i Presbyterian Church at Staunton, which
now covets their intended pastor? 1t must
be so or these people would feel the injus
tice that would be done by thus robbine
them.
have heard il said that one with the
ability and general adapteqness OF Mr.
Simpson should net be placed over 4
country church. To that theory | reply
| that the field here is wide and much work
must be done quickly, or Presbyterianisn
4aat.st- suffer, he the choice of ties
church and has succeeded in bringing
them together in unexpected harmony, 1t
can do more for The Christian cause thar
any one else, and far more, perhaps, than
could be accomplished at IL mission
Church at misunderstanding there, the
duty of dirMilag IL congregation and here
| that of auaitinq one But be that us il
may, he and our Presbytery are the parties
to determine whether he should become
the pastor of Loeb Willow, and common
courtesy demands silence until they decide
ut otherwise.
| OF all the churches [ know there are
none so ulablr to do without Il pastor AS
! that at Churchyille, and rs there ARE many
able minist ers, not retained $" urgently
| there IS. no necessity for taking one from
| it.
Having taken my pen in behalf of !.
cause worthy of stronger defence than l
can offer, my only prayer is that these
Christian brethren at StauntOn may be led
to see and feel the error OF their purpose
before they go too far. Anl in appealing
to them in behalf o. their sister ut Church
vile plead not only at mercy'S tribunal
but in the court where sits
JUSTICE A JUDGE.