Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-01-31

him. Mr.. White was before the con.
gregati0n at the same time Mr.. br0wI
was and declined. Both being be
fore the congregation ct the SAM
time was the main cause OF gettlDg mel
ther. Mr.. White declined by letter Il
Session dated January 10th. 1887. Tit
Session then invited the Rev. Jamel
Wood, agent for the Board OF Educa
ton, to visit the congregation with thu
view Of settlement as pastor. He also
declined, by letter dated March 10th
1887. On the 10th of April. 1887, thu
Session invited Rev. A. B. McCorkle tc
visit Bethel, and on the 24th OF same
month unanimous call was made ou1
and presented to him at Presbytery q
Union on the 26th of April; and
through the same channel, was accepted
on the 10Th and regularly installed or
the 24th Of August, 1887.
He resigned his pastoral relation or
the End day of August, 1840, and II WA
dissolved on the 3rd of October, 1910, by
Presbytery. Mr.. McCorkle was prom
issd 500 salary.
t3ha Session, with the appreciation o1
the congregation, invited Rev. William
Scott as q supply for one year. He also
declined. Owing to not receiving tha
fret letter sent him, and some reports
through an unknown channel. ht
thought the congregation was moi
united.
The mind of the Session and the peo-
pie were then turned to DIR. Mcfarland,
their former pastor:
HOn the 23rd of January, 1841, DR.. B. M
Smith presiding, he was unanimously
elected pastor of Bethel. He COM
menced his ministerial duties on the
22nd Of August, 1841, and was installed
oD the 10Th of October, 184l. Rev. VIM.
Calhoun supplied the pulpit. several
months from the time Rev. A. B. Nc
Corkle resigned till DR.. Mcfarland came
in August, 1841.
DR. Mcfarland, in the years 1852 and
1853, or considerable portion of those
years, was not able to preach or perform
the duties as pastor. Rev. William q.
Campbell and Rev. VIM. B. Brown
supplied the pulpit alternately. Mr..
Brown, being the Principal of the Au-
gusta Female Seminary at Stanton,
found 1t inconvenient for him to preach
any longer. Rev. VIM. w. Trimble
took his place.
DR.. Mcfarland again resumed his
duties as Pastor In September. 1858, and
continued to preach most Of the time
not able to perform much pastoral work.
Rev. w. w. Houston supplied the pull
pit some three months.
At q meeting of the congregation on
October 21st, 1865, they invited Rev. p.
P. Flournoy to supply the pulpit and
assist DR.. Mcfarland in his pastoral
work. He remained about thirteen
months. There was meeting called
to ascertain whether the congregation
was prepared to call Rev. p. p. Flour
noy as q co-pastor. 1t being ascertained
that the call would not be unanimous,
the meeting adjourned without taking
any action on the subject
September Goth, 1867, Session instruct
ed Matthew PilsOn to see Rev. Mr.. Nc
Elwee, of the Associate Reformed
church, residing at Lexington, Va, and
learn from him whether he would con-
meet himself with Lexington Presby-
terry, provided they gave him q call to
Bethel. Mr.. Pils0n reported to Ses-
sion that he had performed the duty
assigned to him, and Mr.. McElwee
was in Ohio The Session then in
structed Mr.. Prison to write at once
to him, with the hearty concurrence of
Dr. Mcfarland. He wrote immediate.
ly, but owing to his letter being di-
rected to the wrong postoff1ce, it wss
some tisae before he received it. He
asking some farther information, his
second letter was not received till In
November declining to come.
DIR. Mcfarland invited Rev. James
Murray to visit the congregation and
preach few Sundays. He arrived on
the 9Th of December, and after preach
ing to the congregation, q notice was
given for congregational meeting on
the End day of January, 1868. for the
purpose of calling pastor. Rev. J. l..
Preston, by invitation, preached ser.
mon on that day, and then moderated
the meeting. Rev. James Murray was
unanimously elected. A call was made
out, and accepted by Mr.. Murray, to act
as co-pastor. He commenced preaching
on the 26th of January, 1868 He was
received into Lexington PIesbytery,
from East Hanover, on the 14th of May,
1858 Installed by committee of Pres
bytery on the 9th of June, 1868. Rev.
VIM. e. Baker presided and preached
the sermon. Rev. Thos. i. Preston
gave the charge to the pastor. add Rev.
VIM. T. Richardson the charge to the
people. Rev. James Murray became
pastor at the death of DIR. Mcfarland,
October 10th, 1871, and remains as such
this 26th of January, 1882 DR.. Nc
FarIand came to Bethel June 18th, 1923,
and died on the 10th of October, 1871.
He was the active pastor for about SO
years. The sdditions to the church
during that period were about $40. Near
the last tine he was able to be at Bethel.
be made few remarks, and stated that
during his long pastorate he had never
received an unkind word from any
member of his Session.
The following is list of the names OF
the Elders of North Mountain and
Bethel since their organization in 1747, as
far as have been able to ascertain: VIM.
Thompson, John Wilson, James Mitch.
ell, (these were all the Elders in North
Mountain when Bethel was first organ
ized about 1777,) John Christian, John
Tate, VIM. McCutchan, Samuel Nc
Cutchan, Robert Doak. Samuel Doak,
John Berry. Robert Tate, John Braw-
ford. Robert McPheeters, John Logan.
these were all Elders of Bethel, but no
record Of when they were elected or Or
dained,) John Sproul, Samuel Hum
HuT0y6s w IL. 4xAs ! 0tCs OCoI&o duUSOus .
(these were ordained September 18th,
1881, Matthew Wilson, ST., (ordained
May 3Oth, 1s24,) Morris Austin, Tor.
dsined March l7th. 1927, John A. Doug
las, elected June Gath, 1831-had been
ordained before,) John B. Christian,
John X. Moore, Charles L. Peyton,
Ordained December 14th. 1834,) Mat.
thew Wilson, Jr., Ordained March
18th, 1885, Samuel Patterson, elected
April oath, 1S37-ordained at New Prov.
idence,) McClung Patton. (ordained in
1888, John Pilson, elected July 4th,
1847-ordained in West Hanover,) Mat
thew Pilson, David Blackwood, Tor
dained March 18th. 1S48 John Merritt,
Aaron Finley Humphreys, Samuel
HAYS. Alexander Brownlee, (ordained
July 18th, 1S50,) A. A. Sproul, James
M. Hays. Benz. F. McClung, (ordained
August 4th, 1867 John NJ. Lambert,
James w. Wallace. James E. Beard,
(ordalned November LIST, 1897 M. w.
D. Hogshead, Samuel F. Prison, (or.
dained August, 1871
John Christian was the first Clerk o1
Session. His records all burnt.
DR.. r. Fl. Chapman kept the record
| from 1877 to 1921.