Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-22
THE rRrsnYrERY OF ROANOKE.
An Interesting Meeting-nuch Busi'
ness D disposed OF.

An Interesting MeetiDg-Much Busi-
ness disposed or.
Reported for the Dispstch.l
The Presbytery of Roanoke met at
New Concord church on the l4,h Of
April. This is one Of the three Con-
cords-Concord in Charlotte, Old Con-
cord in Appomattox, aud New Con-
cord in Campbell county-composing
the pastoral charge Of Rev. j. U. Dim
widdie. Mr.. Dinwiddie is in the midst
Of kindred and friends Of his youth,
the parsonage which he occupies, within
the bounds Of the New-Concord con-
gregation, having been the place OF his
birth and the home Of his youthful
days. When, some years ago, he be-
came the pastor of the church, the old
homestead was purchased by the coDgre-
CATION for a parsonage. They have
since devised other liberal things, and
have put up and finished, to the
minutest detail, the handsomest and
most commodious country church, inside
and out, we have seen in Virginia. 1t
is most creditable to whosoeyer planned
it and to the congregation that has pro-
yided the means. The new church is
about two miles from the site Of the
old one, at a point more convenient to
the larger portion of the congregation.
Twelve ministers, members Of the
body, were present, and we had the
pleasure Of inviting to seats as CORE
spending members Rev. j. IL. Hanna,
formerly pastor Of New Concord, now
Of Sterling, Kansas; Rev. j. l.. Reed,
of South Alabama Presbytery, and Rev.
Messrs. Rawlings and Crews, Of Lynch
burg, Of Montgomery Presbytery. Rev.
W. g. Lumpkin, of the Methodist
Church, was also welcomed TO seat
as visiting brother" Only thir-
teen Of the thirty-four churches Of the
Presby terry we're represented by ruling
elders. Among the items Of business
Of general interest were these:
A petition was received from a num-
Der of Presbyterians and others resi-
dent in North Danville for the organi-
cation Of Presby terrain church, aud
committee, consisting ofRev. DR.. Alex
arder Martin, Messrs. l.. a. Mclean
ard W. II. Matthews, ald Ruling-Elders
W. NJ. Tredway and P. G. Venable,
was appointed to attend to this busi-
ness.
Mr.. A. A. Little, a licentiate Of the
PIesbytery, returned his letter Of dis
mission to he care of the Presbytery Of
Central Texas and received instead
dismissiOn to the care Of the Presbytery
of West Hanover, with view to &C
cepting calls from Gordonsville and
Orange Courthouse churches.
The reports showed that about 500
had been contributed during the past
year TO foreign missions by twenty
eight of the thirty-four churches. In
view Of the urgent wants of this work.
and to carry out the plan Of the Gene
raj Assembly for increasing the contri-
buttons Of the churches, the sum Of
81, 600 was fixed upon as the proper
tionate share to be contributed by this
Presbytery the coming year Of the
$1,000 needed, and the Committee of
Foreign Missions (Rev. j. Ii. Davis
was directed to apportion this amount
among the churches, and to inform
each church, previous to the col
lection in May, of the sum which
it thus falls to its lot to contri-
butte. This is not Of the nature Of an
assessment or requisition upon the
churches, but to afford a reasonable
and proportionate standard of attain
ment. The pastors and stated supplies
or, in the absence of these, the sessions
Of the churches-are directed to present
the cause before the people and to urge
them to do all they can to secure the
amounts asked for. And the ladies'
aid societies and Sabbath schools are
requested to give liberal aid, what they
give to 60 to make up the apportion-
ments named by the committee. 1t is
further urged that ladies' aid societies
be organized in all the churches.
The " Presbyterial collection y on
Saturday was appropriated to help dis
charge the debt that is embarrassing
the sustentation treasury, for the pay
ment of which special appeal has been
made to the $4,000 elders and deacons
of the Southern Presbyterian Church.
About $4,000 of the debt has been
paid, but nearly $4,000 Of it yet re.
mains. Besides contributing as liber-
ally as possible on the spot, those pre-
sent were exhorted to endeayor upon
their return home to obtain contribu-
tons also, if possible, from all their
brethren.
Rev. j. A. McMurray, the Presbyte-
rial evangelist, made an interesting
statement Of his work for the nine
months IN which he had been engaged
in it. This was followed by others,
partic ilarly by stirring address from
DR.. II. @. Alexander, and it was re.
solved to continue the work. The
committee having it in charge were
directed to take steps to provide the
means.
Rev. j. II. Davis and Ruling. Elder
Thomas 4. Barksdale are the commits
sioners to the General Assembly, to
meet in Augusta, Ga, in May.
All the overtures from the last Gen.
eral Assembly proposing amendments
to the Form Of Government and Rules
of Discipline are answered in the az
firmative, excepting that in regard to
the powers Of evapgelists in the foreign
field.
GAINESVILLE was selected as the place
for the next stated meeting the Sth
of September.
At noon Saturday, after cordial
vote Of thanks to the people of New
Concord for their abundant and gene
rous Inequalities, the Presbytery ad-
journed. II. A. b.