Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-05-03
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FRIDAY NORM NC. MAY 81, 1873.
Local
DEDICATION AT WAYNEsBORO.

LOYAL
DEDICATION AT WAYNEsBORO.
THE NEW PRESBYTERIAN. CHURCH-IN-
TEREsTING SKETCH OF ITS PREDECEs
sOR-THE FORMER PASTORS PRESENT
DESCRIPTION OF THE BUILDING,
&C., &C., sc.
Reported for the Staunton WIND ICAToR]
Despite the unfavorable appearance of
the weather on Sunday last and an occa-
sional shower, at an early hour the streets
Of Waynesboro were alive with visitors.
arriving in buggies, carriages and on
horseback, for the purpose of attending
the dedicatory. services of the new Presby-
terrain Church. Long before the hour ap-
pointed for the services. the church was
almost packed with people representing
nearly every quarter of this county, to-.
gether with numerous persons from the
adjoining counties, and doubtless hundreds
of others DESTROYS of attending on this oc-
casion were debarred by the Threatening
appearance of the day, but for which TACT
many would have had to submit to disap
pointment in gaining admission to the
church. Owing, however, to the efforts
of energetic ushers nearly four hundred
people were seated.
SKETCH OF THE OLD CHURCH.
This is but the thirty-second year in the
history of the Waynesboro church, as
separate and distinct organization. 1t has,
however, in connection with Thinking
Spring, history reaching considerably
further into the past. About the year
1898, the year in which the town of Way
nesboro was laid off, the principal part of
the ground now occupied as a cemetery
was given TO the town by Mr.. Jas. Flack
as site for church and burial ground.
Upon this ground an humble frame struc
ture was soon erected to be used as union
church. This union church stood until
1924, when it gave place to the brick struc-
ture recently removed, which was built by,
and for the accommodation of, that part
of Thinking Spring Church embraced
within the bounds of Waynesboro and
vicinity. After the erection of this house
in 1924, the church previously known as
Thinking Spring was known by the name
of Thinking Spring and Waynesboro
Church. The church was served by one
pastor who ministered at both places,
generally two sabbaths at Thinking Spring
and one at Waynesboro. The first supply
of Thinking Spring and Waynesboro
church was the Rev. Jas. G. Wilson, whose
death occurred in 1889. He was succeed
ed by the Rev. 3. M. Smith, whose pastor
Stanton. About this time, and mainly
through the instrumentality of Mr.. Smith,
the relation between Thinking Spring and
Waynes3oro was closed. Upon his recon-
| mendation and through his advocacy that
part of the Thinking Spring and Waynes-
boro church embraced within the bounds
| of Waynesboro and vicinity was organized
| into separate church to be known as the
Waynesboro Church. This organization,
by order Of Presbytery, took place on the
9th OF May, 1916, when the Waynesboro
Church was constituted with 4s members,
| who had been dismissed from the Thinking
Spring and Waynesboro Church by certifi-
| cate. The infant church thus set off from
| the mother church had three elders, viz:
Messrs. Chas Patrick, Dan i Fishburn and
VIM. w. King. These three were elected to
discharge the functions Of their office i'll
the new church. At the same time two
others were duly elected and ordained
Messrs. John Wayt and Jas. M. Brooks.
Of these five elders, with which Waynes
borO Church began its separate existence,
none now remain-all, through faith, hav
ing obtained a good report, have gone to
join the elders around the throne. OF the
40 members at first constituting the church,
only 10 are now alive, and of these 10 but
nine are still in connection with this
church, the remaining ten having been
dismissed to other Presbyterian churches.
The first pastor of this church as a sep
arate church was the Rev. VIM. II. Rich
ardson, who began his labors in August
1916 but was not ordained or installed un-
til April 1S47. Mr.. r. S Passionate contin-
ued % years when it was broken by his re-
moval to Warrenton church. He.was sue
ceeded by the Rev. S, J. Baird, D. D., who
was elected pastor on the 18th March
1870, and installed On the 4th Sabbath of
the May following. The relations subsist-
ing between DR.. B., and the Waynesboro
church was dissolved by Presbytery at its
Spring session 1873. In March 1878, the
present pastor was elected, who, though
entering at once upon his work as licen-
tiate of Lexington Presbytery, was not Or
dained and installed till May 1874. After the
various changes that have taken place the
following is a statement of it's present Or
ganization and numerical strength. Pas
tor-Rev. Frank McCutchan; Elders
Messrs. VIM. Withrow, Jr., G. A. Bruce,
J. S. Wallace, H. W. Henry and Freder-
lex Burns Deacons-Messrs. T. II. An
trim, Chas. r. Haines, j. A. Patterson,
Chas. W. Brooks Members 112.
A meeting of this church and con grega-
ton was held on February LIST, 1874 to take
into considera ton the erection of a new
church. Among other resolutions the
following was adopted, viz: That whenev-
er the sum of $1,000 shall have been pied
ged to this work erection of church,
the committee to be appointed for that
purpose shall go forward, secure the lot,
and invite proposals for the building upon
such plan and such site as may be secured.
The following building committee
was appointed. viz: G.. A. Bruce,
T. H, Antrim, I. W. Lambert, Dr.. J. st.
P. Gibson and S. A. Bell.
THE NEW CHURCH.
The church is handsome brick building.
enclosed by a neat fence, situated on the
Southside of Main street near the centre