The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-01
,TAMEs RIVER AsSOCIATIoN.

| HOSPITALITY OF THE CUMBERLAND PEO-
pLE-INTRoDUcToRY sERM oN-sUNDAY-
| SCHOOL Observation-Disclosures SUP
| PoRT-SERyICES AT THE ARBOR-vARIoUS
| REPORTS.
| Correspondence Of tho Richmond Dlspatch.l
CUMBERLAND CO., VA, July %, 1876.
The fortr-fourth annual session OF the
James River Association met at C,lmber
land sometimes called Jenkins's) church, in
! this county, on the 25th and adjourned yes
terday evening. The moderator was Rev.
j. II. McRae, the clerk Mr.. Thomas j.
Thornhill, and the treasurer DIR. William
Fuqua. I have seldom seen moderator
and clerk conduct the business OF one Of
these Baptist associations W it'll more case and
| efficiency.
The Association is composed OF the Bap-
| fist churches in Cumberland and Bucking-
ham counties and OF some OF those in APP
pomattoX and Fluvanna. The total number
Of the churches is 90; the total number of
members about 1920; the number OF pas
tors, 10. 1t must not be supposed, however,
| that these pastors devote their whole time
| to the service OF these churches; they also
serve churches in the adjoining sections,
and do not remember that more than one
OF the churches OF this Association holds
stated worship oftener than on one Sunday,
and "Saturday preceding" in the month.
! I suppose it was the wcl-known hospi-
| tally OF the Cumberland people that caused
many visitors to attend this Association.
| Amongst them l noted Rev. DR.. Dickinson,
| Professor Harrison, Rev. S. j. Atkins, Rev.
0. Ellyson, Rev. II. W. Cridlin, Rev. J. r.
| Baghy, Mr.. T.. r. Rice, Mr.. r. J. Starke,
| Professor y. Penick. Professor ]. T. Ave
| rctt.
| Rev. DR.. Dickinson was invited to preach
the Introductory sermon in place OF Rev.
! l.. r. Thornhil. the minister appointed, who
was absent, and Of Rev. Thomas \. John
son. who was present but was unwcll The
! subject OF the discourse was the amounting
| Of the head Of Jesus. Twas notable to hear
the sermon. but heard it spoken OF frequent
! " as an admirable one for the occasion.
! SECOND DAY.
| The first business OF the second day was
! the holding OF Sunday-school masS-lncct-
ing. over which Rev. J. c. Perkins presided.
! The exercises were begun with prayer, and
consisted Of songs, and short speeches
made by parties called upon without pre-
yious appointment. The speakers were
Professor Harrison, Rev. Mr.. Cridlin, Rev.
| Mr.. Elyson, and Professor Ayerctt.
Captain J. =. Phillips presented the re-
port on systematic benciiccnce and minis
| tcrial support.
Rev. Mr.. Atkins stated that there was Il
| general and wcll-foundcd complaint
throughout the country that salaries OF the
ministers were not paid, and that the causes
OF the evil were the poverty OF the people,
| the parsimony OF the people. and the i@no-
rance OF the people as TO the teachings OF
| the gospel on the subject.
| Mr. Moderator McCrae read an essay Oh
ministerial support, which was listened to
with profound attention, and now and then
| drew tears from many OF the audience.
But the essay will be published, and must
not do it the I'M Justice OF M imperfect re-
port.
! Professor Aycrctt remarked that the agree
mcnt with the pastor was Il contract by
which the members OF q church were Jointly
and Scvcrally bound, and that steps OF some
! kind ought TO be taken to ascertain what
portion OF the salary was to be paid by the
members respectively; but he did not think
there was really any disposition in the
members Of the churches TO refuse to do
what was aSccrtained 70 be their duty in
| the matter.
Mr.. f. T. Rice asked attention to the fact
that the pastor could not labor efficiently
when there were parties in his congregation
who could ut any time charge him with
| failure to meet his pecuniary engagements.
| For his part, If he were pastor he would take
! his seat whenevera man entered his church
door to whom he was indebted, and he
would let the church know the reason why
and he would not have Il cheap preacher.
The Association did Professor Harrison
the honor OF adiourning when it was an
nounced that he would preach ut the arbor.
The text was this :" lie that is not with Me
is against me. and he that gathereth not
with me scattereth Abroad The purpose
of the preacher was to define what it is to
be with Jesus, what to be against Him, and
in doing this nothing was said which should
have been left unSaid; nothing left unSald
which should have been said. An Old dea-
con remarked that the sermon was chock
full OF the Gospel.
REPORTS.
Mr.. Thomas j. Thornhil submitted the
report on the ministers relief fund. Mr..
II. J. Starkc. the treasurer OF the corpora
tors. stated that the amount on hand was
about $4,000. and al OF it was safely invest
ed. Speeches were made by Rev. Mr..
Fisher, Professor Harrison, Rev. }. X.
Barby, Rev. Mr.. Atkins, and Judge j. y.
REYNOLDS. But while these speeches were
interesting. because they were mostly about
the sutlcrings and sacrifices OF many aged
ministers and their families, whose names
were given, for that reason, perhaps, no re-
port ought to hn made. Judge Reynolds re-
marked iorcibly that we ought not to
charge all OF losses against the amount to be
contributed for Gods cause. 4 collection
was taken, which amounted to thirty dol
lars.
Judge J. O. Reynolds presented the re-
port on education. The report favored 4
system Of intermediate schools. Professor
Harrison spoke for the Education Board
and Richmond College. Rev. DR.. Dickln-
son explained the dollar-roll system, and
distributed many OF the books.
Mr.. w. c. Hall offered the report on State
missions. Remarks by Rev. Mr.. Fisher,
Rev. Mr.. johnson, Rev. Mr.. Perkins, Rev.
@. Ellvson, Rev. DR.. Dickinson, and Mr.. u.
r. Rice. There has been no missionary at
work in the limits Of the Association on the
account OF the State Mission Board OF the
Association during the last year, and there
was no disposition, as / thought, to commit
the Association to any engagement for i
missionary with the Board; but Dr.. Dlckin-
son and Rev. Mr.. Ellyson pressed for Il col
lection, and received in cash and pledges
about 500.
But cannot ask you to let me report FUR
ther. although / would like to tell about the
discussion on temperance, on the state OF
religion in the Church, on Sunday schools
and colportage, and also about the courtesy OF
the Association in agreeing unanimously TO
resume the consideration OF the report on
education, and give the teachers present an
opportunitv to make remarks about thell