Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-05-14
LEXINGTON PRESBYTERY.

AT CLARKsBURG, w, vA.-NEW CHURCHE
ESTABLISHED-AMENDM AND ADOPTION
OF THE NEW BOOK OF CHURCH oRDER-RE
PORTS OF CoMMITTEEs-GENERAL BUSINESS
&C., &C.
reported for the Staunton Spectator.
Lexington Presbytery met on last Wednes
day, at II o'clock, in the new Presbyterian
church at Waynesboro' with large attendanc
OF delegates, clerical and lay.
The opening sermon was preached by Rev
G. l.. Brown, the moderator of last Presbytery
from Titus LIST chapter End verse, after which
Presbytery was organized by the election o
Rev. r. P. Fletcher, moderator, and Revs. A
H. Hamilton and A. S. Moffett, clerks. Th
roll was called and thirty-one ministers ant
twenty-four elders were found present. Severa
additional ministers and elders arrived during
the session, making this the largest meeting o
Presbytery that has been held for a number 0
years.
CORRESPONDING MEMBERS.
During the session Rev. Henry Brown, ofth
Presbytery of Florida, Rev. r. B. White, O
Chesapeake Presbytery, Rev. Frank Gaines, o
Ebenezer Presbytery, Kentucky, DIR. William
Brown, of East Hanover Presbytery, Rev. T.
Preston, of East Hanover, Rev. A. B. McCorkle
Messrs. Jones and Graybill of the Methods
church, Revs Luther Fox and Beard, OF tn
Lutheran church. Rev. H. r. Smith, of Abing
don Presbytery, Rev. Mr.. Whitescraver of tn
Baptist church, and DR.. Smith, of Union I
Seminary, were invited to sit as correspondent!
members.
MINISTER'S RECEIVED.
The letters ofdismission ofRev. Henry Brown
from the Presbytery of Florida, and Rev. Hen
ry r. Smith, of Abingdon Presbytery, wer'
read. and their examination by the Moderato
on the doctrines of the Presbyterian church
proving satisfactory, they were received a
members of Lexington Presbytery.
LICENTIATES.
During the meeting of Presbytery, Messrs. e
w. McCorkle and Jno. A. Preston, OF Rock
bridge preached their trial sermons, which
were much complimented, and having success
fully passed the other examinations, were
licensed by the Presbytery.
SALE OF ARDENT SPIRITS
An overture to the General Assembly was a
dopted, asking for a deliverance on the duties
Of church sessions towards church members en-
gagged in the sale Of ardent spirits.
DANCING.
The ministers were called upon to stat,
whether or not they had complied with the or
der of Presbytery to read to their congregation
the deliverance of the General Assembly on thu
subject of dancing, and it was found that sew
eral had not done so. A motion by Rev. Mr.
Brown again enjoining the ministers to reat
the deliverance of the Assembly and report a
next meeting OF Presbytery if they had done SO
and if not, why not, caused lively and spirit
ed discussion. Rev. d. C. IRWIN maintained
that minister was alone responsible to Goo
for the spiritual training of his congregation
and that Presbytery had no right to compe
him to read paper to his congregation of which
his conscience did not approve. Rev. J. r
Bowman insisted that minister's ordination
vows required his obedience to the orders o
Presbytery.
DIR. Mullaly opposed the motion on thu
ground that Presbytery should not legislate fo
individual churches that belonging of right tt
the sessions.
DR.. Junkin moved to lay the motion on thu
table and was seconded by Col. ]. T. L. Preston
| as the subject of dancing would probably come
up before the Assembly at Knoxville, and an
other deliverance be made. The motion wal
tabled.
TREASURER'S REPORT.
The Treasurer, Rev. W. E. Baker made his re
port to April 1st 1873, which was examined by
a committee and approved as correct, as fol
lows:
Evangelistic Fund.- S44,S6, Sustentation S47 ,76
Foreign Missions Sl23, So, Education SS5,l3, Pub
LEGATION S4l,l7, Disabled Ministers S54,04, Pres
byter.al Fund 1870. 5O-Total $751; This is b,
no means the sum total contributed by thu
churches to the causes named, as most of thu
churches remit direct to the secretaries ani
| treasurers Of the respective boards.
SECOND DAY.
CANDIDATES..
Mr.. VIM. J, Laird, q member of Monmouth
Church, Rockbridge, was taken under the care
of Presbytery a candidate for the ministry.
DIR. kirkpatrick reported that Mr.. Jos. Fl
Smith, of Lexington, a candidate for the minis
| try under care ofthis Presbytery, had passed 6
satisfactory examination on the literary par1
| of his course.
DELEGATES TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Revs. Z. D. Junkin, c. S. NJ. See, and Ruling
Elders, VIM. H. OFT, of Rockbridge, anG
Ephraim Geeding of Augusta, were elected
delegates to the General Assembly at Knoxville
which meets the 10th inst
CHANGE OF NAME.
The name of Rehobeth church was changed t.
Beulah.
ADMISSION OF CENTRAL CHURCH, cLARKsRURG
w. VA.
The Commissioners, DR.. A. NJ. Austin and
Hon. John j. Davis presented petition from
81 YnSsabers of the Central church at Clarksburg
w. Va, praying admission into Lexington
Presbytery. The Central church was organized
in 1929, and was, until dnring the war, connect
ed with Lexington Presbytery. According tc
the statement of Mr.. Davis this church has beer
the people not being in sympathy with those
who are sent to minister to them, and the pros
perty of Presbyterianism in that populous ant
wealthy section of country depends upon the
success of the movement he came to promote
1t was the earnest desire of a majority of thu
congregation to be reinstated in their old place
| in Lexington Presbytery, and to have man o
the right sort, who would not be invisible OF
six days of the week and incomprehensible OF
the seventh, sent to them to build them up
The church would not be selfsustaining a
once, but he could pledge 800 towards pastor
support, and doubtless good deal more Goplt
be secured. A lot had been presented to then
/ ada considerable sum of money subscribed to
wards the erection of a new church. Ate
further remarks by the commissioners, Rev
Mr.. Brown moved that tho petition be granted
and a committee be appointed te visit Clarks
| burg and organize there church,
Interesting remarks were made on tins mo
| ton by the Moderator and DR.. Ewing, both O
whom had visited the church, also by Rev. MI
Thomas, DIR. Junkin and Elder Geeding, all O
| whom spoke in favor of the motion and dwell
on the Importance of the location for church
| ClarlysbUr having population of 5000 with
church membership including all denomina
tons of only $50 or AS, being virtually mission
airy ground. The determined but proper Chris
| tan spirit in which the people had moved il
this matter, was especially commented upol
by Messrs. Ewing and Fletcher, who had beel
| a good deal among them.
Revs. DR.. Ewing, r. P. Fletcher, G. B. Strickle
and Elders Morrell and Harper were appointe'
a committee to organize church at Clarksbur
at their earliest convenience
CHURCH AT BRIDGEWATER.
The oIen.titce appointed at last Presbyter.
to visit the members Of Messy Creek church
who had petitioned for the organization Of
separate church at Bridgewater, reported favor
ably. After some discussion the petition wa
granted and Revs. J. r. Bowman, S. w. Wat
kins, 7. Boyd, and Elders r. Black and Switzer
were appointed a committee to organize tn
church at Bridgewater
HOLLY MEADOWS.
| Rev Patterson Fletcher choi rn,on of n NON,