Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-01-14
A carefully prepaTed

Cnurcn, was sent IN Dy Matthew Pils0n.
Mr.. C. J. Bell reported many interesting
particulars about the Mt. Carmel Church.
Mr.. Charles McCorkle furnished an inter-
esting sketch of Bensalem congregation.
Mr.. and Mrs. William Montgomery and
Rev. NJ. D. Dunlap communicated much
that was used in the paper on Rocky Spring
Church.
By such a service the names of these per-
sons deserve to be gratefully remembered
long as their Churches will be known in the
history of Scottish Virginia Presbyterian
ism. May there be many more of those
whose pleasure it will be to walk about
Zion and goround about her, telling the
towers thereof and duly needing these
words: mark ye well her bulwarks, con-
slider her palaces, that ye may tell 1t to the
generations following"
Secular history, says an eminent writer,
is the unfolding Of the book of Providence,
which, rightly read, jnstifes the ways of
God to man. No more stimulating study
can the minister or intelligent layman en-.
gage in, than as the critic of past anu cur
rent events, noting the evidence of the di-
vine breath, which creates the varying spirit
of the ages, and with its manifold adapta.
! tions, ever 'smakes for righteousness and
faith.'
Then how much more would it be to q
useful purpose for our people to study rel-
gious history? The history of the Church
imparts precious instruction, next to in
spiration itself in Importance. Paul, in his
Second Epistle to the Corinthians, says
"Forasmuch as ye aressmanifsstly declared
to be the epistle Of Christ, ministered by us,
written not with ink, but with the spirit of
the living God, not in tables of stone, but
| in f1eshly tablets of the heart" II Cor,
3: 3. Now, if the founders of the Churches
and our predecessors in the same, were truly
Christians, their lives and deeds in every
period of the Church, considered all togeth-
er, manifest San epistle Of Christi A pro-
per study of this epistle qualities US for in
terpreting Christ's will, for discerning the
needs of the times, and prepares us for
reaching an intelligent decision as to what
should be done in the way of fully meeting
the duties nearest us, and required at our
hands.
Your committee would call attention to
few of the many lessons to be learned.
| The history of Mt. Carmel illustrates
how wise it is to supply outposts and meet
the wants of people not convenient to some
established church. Had it been overlook
ed, rival denominations would have secur-
ed local habitation and built up -four
ishing society.
Rocky Spring points most useful mora:
The pastor tecame infirm in her service.
Instead of surning him off, the people re-
garded this lack of pastoral service as i
provdential call upon them for more pray
er and consecrated individual effort
| The result was there were more frequent
revivals than in other churches for series
of years, and most remarkably efficient
session and membership.
Beulah illustrates how most inviting
field of effort may be overlooked for years,
in obedience to sentiment right in itself,
and yet not expedient to adopt in the pres
ent status of denominational comfy. A
ruling elder discouraged all effort their for
the reason it was pre-occupied by others
for fifty years. Presbytery excused one of
the members from meeting an appointment
there, on the excuse there was no organi-
zation or Presby terlan house of worship
The Warm Springs shows what may be
accomplished by seminary students in va
cation. In 1856 a seminary student spent
his vacation there. The field had been
virtually abandoned for ten years. A spas
modic effort to build Presbyterian church
was about to collapse, and the discouraged
friends of Presbyterianism seemed just on
the eve of selling out to our Methodist
friends, The seminary student was told if
he would promise to come back and be tie
preacher, the friends Of Presbyterisnism
would hold on and see what could be done.
He promised to do So He told them
that g country good enough for one to be
born in was good enough to live and die in.
lie came back; the church was finished
and paid for. The field he SKINNED over,
| 10 uoW OSCupiou W hNO VI CuUICueb,
and ministers enough for a presbytery.
| The second church, Staunton, demon
strates the good policy of colonizipg. Par
ties that were supernumeraries in the pa
rent church, became active and efficient
workers in the new church. Others that
would have been lost to US have been re-
tanned, and are happy and satisfied, as
Presbyterians.
The Philippa church has a signifcalst
history, showing what useful results maA
be traced to the fidelity Of one person.
For years there was but one Presbyterian
member in that interesting town. She was
so attached to Presbyterian usages that,
Twi33 she would worship With others, and
aid in tie sss,n,nport of the ministry, she
never would idenii.i t.HTsef with them,
and thus be lost to the Press, DID.
At her request, Presby yteriar
visited her family, preached j
house, and so matters went on