Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-10-25
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THE BAPTIST ANNIVERSARY.


ANNIVERSARY OF TIL EBAPTIsTC HuRcA
DIR. JETER, DR.. CURRY AND OTHER
MINISTER'S PRrsENT-THE BUILDING
cRowpED-HIGuLY INTERESTING AD-
DRESSES AND LETTERS,
&C., &C., w.
The Baptist Church in Staunton IS gu
brick building, located ON Main street
with steeple brightly timed. which gll1-
ters in the sun, vestibule supported py
large pillars, and a han lsome approach ny
broad steps. The building is rallied III Will
iron. Inside. the main audience room is
a handsome one, lately repainted WIN
taste, and with the galleries containing
seats for some six hundred pers' MS one
of the galleries is set apart for the use Oh
colored members and such others OF that
race that may wish to attend. Around tne
corner from the church is hapds"me re-
sidsnce for the pastor, which belongs 10
the church. The cong egation 'ttendlng
at this place of worship numbers TOUR hum
dred and fifty five, and includes among IFS
members business meu, professional men,
farmers, mechanics, Numbers OF the city
gOvernment-men and women constituting
the best of a city's population. These facts
are not unusual about ID religious congre-
cation, but they are noticeable when we
recollect that twenty-five years ago the
ground on which the church Is erected was
vacant lot, and that there were not seven
men and women of the Baptist faith III the
city of Staunton. 1t was to mark the
rapid progress made, and to more publicly
exhibit their gratitud, to the Almighty
that this congregation engaged on Satur-
day and Sunday last i'll the celebration OF
the Quarto- centennial Of their church.
WHO WERE THERE.
A very remarkable CUP of men was
brought together by the celebration. Rev.
j. l.. NJ. Curry, d. d. ii Professor Of Rich
.nond College, who preached on Saturday
and Sunday nights, is one Of the most IA
has many. He was Il representative IN
the U. s. Congress from Alabama before
the war, and during hostilities repre- sented
that State in the Confederate Congress.
He is one of the few public men who in
public life made his public engagements
20 hand in hand with those of his
religion, and it is said of him that while
attending to his duties as representative
in Washington he almost added to them
the work of missionary. He is stout
heavy built man of fifty. wears a full
beard, and eYe-g lasses, mas low forehead
and has face that mIsrepresentS him in
asmuch as it is not DIT I'LL the ideal intel
lectual face. He is a man OF great learn
ing and adds to this m 'st :narkable pow
ers Of orat Dry. Rev. j. b. .Jeter, ID. D., is
divine whose name i'll known wherever
the Baptist church has footing i'll this
country. He is a man of commanding
personal appearance, over six feet i'll height,
with line face and graceful pulpit ad-
dress. His voice has striking but, after
a few minutes, not un. leasant popularity.
Though seventy-six years OF age he would
not appear over fifty were 1T not for his
white hair. In the pull pit he stfikingly re-
sembles the Hon. Jam IS Lyons who in
old Wing days was the model orator OF
that party. DR.. Jeter is one OF the editors
OF the "Relgious Herald" of Richmond,
paper that has no rival i'll the South in
its denomination. R " Samuel B. Rice,
of Comorn, King George CO., is the VEN
cradle first pastor Of tue Staunton church.
He is seventy eight years of age, tall, thin
angular, and has the ok Of a man who
had worn himself away with work. The
hi ff,r ri hale
century ago he Was already prominent as
one of the foremost workers in his den nm
ination. He is the faJher-in-law OF the
famous Virginian, Roger A. Pryor, now
of New York. He re ired from the active
work of the ministery two years ago ON
er. Among the other minister's present
we're Rev. Samuel Harris of LOUISE, Rev.
VIM. H. Williams of Charlottesville, also
former pastor, Rev. 5. 2. Huff, VI Abe
mare, Rev. VIM. A. WhitescMver of
Waynesboro, Rev. Mr.. Kemper, Of Hari-
sonDurg, and Rev Geo. B. Eager, of Lex.
ington, Rev. Jas. E. Booker of the I'd Pres
byterian church and Rev. J. I. Niller, Luz
theran, were among the audience. The
services Sunday we're prefaced by sermon
by Rev. W. H. Williams Saturday morning
and one that night by isev. DR.. Curry.
THE THANK OFFERING.
Sunday morning the church was packed,
additional seats having been placed in the
aisles, to accommodate the crowd. Among
the visitors weremlny members other de-
nominations. The sermon of the occasion
was preached by Rev. DIR. Jeter, his subject
being the first church organized at Jerusa-
lem. He spoke, in conclusion, of the church
he was now addressing 1t had been star
ted under many difficulties for the ground
had been thoroughly pleoccupied. 1t had
been preoccupied by people who had
done good work and he rejoiced in the
good they had done and were still doing.
but 1t was necessary that the principles
held by the Baptist church sh uld be
known throughout the world. The church
as it stands to day had been organized af-
ter the plan of the church at Jerusalem
with the same doctrines and with the same
discipline and the same purpose, and from
what he heard of it it was doing good
work. He urged the members to continue
in we'll doing for they lad the same pros
pect, if they did so. tha5 the church OF Je-
rusalem had, of which i, was said that "the
Lord added to it daily such as should be
saved
At the close of Dr. letters sermon the
collection was taken up for the thank-of-
ferins, by the congregation, and the sum
Of $3.50 in money, was contributed.
THE ANNIVERSARY SERVICE.
This, the most interesting, of the servi-
ces took place on Sunday afternoon at
s'cluck, the church being again crowded