Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-09-29

Saturday, the 25th, was designated as Inc day
for the centennial ceremonies. The Pfesbytefy
was in session early in the morning, conduct
Ing routine proceedings, after which DIR. Mar
tin had % minutes only to present the cause OF
the Theological Seminary. During the time
great multitude of people had arrived from all
the surrounding country and from more dis
tant sections. and the church was literally
pack ed with anxious hearers and abservors.
and for many yards all around the throng
pressed towards the doors and opened windows
eager 10 catch all they could of what was trans
piriug within the old sanctuary.
The Centennial Discourse
AT eleven A. M. Rev. Geo. d. Armstrong,
DID,, LII D., of Norfolk. assembled the pulpit
accompanied by DR.. Preston. DIR. Armstrong
when Professor at Washington College, more
than forty years ago. was for sometime also
Pastor at Timberrdge, and was chosen by the
Presbytery to denver the discourse on this
casion and DR.. Preston made an announcement
to that effect.
The services commenced by DIR. Preston, with
the singing of the 10th Psalm, 2nd part, then
reading 52nd chapter of Isaiah, followed by
Prayer, deeply solemn and impressive, and
then singing the 56ith Hymn. Professor Nell
aon' VI Gnu Hoo leu
W. ; 49, ~. - 'ne on.,,e
re . - "-'n
~ - l, 80 - we
~ Voc ..,.,'
WIN un', GU " rs - Gnu
LIS NV" - l,, Wv -, s1.-, -
sil' n"'i 70 $50 60 ie'"'no ~
wi one " Us 'o go, Is. oe"a, '
""' w., LIS
V'ioe Is a i1''lo On" "o .i'nes "u's
sio"'oi IN p $50 A-9 us i,ie w
- -. 70 80. ,...., 49, ms
Wv. w., 49, a.s PC az
~ - ~ ,,t ,,e r ~ 'uo i,''
So - no
one nun 1reo years ago to-oay' an Assembly
vi Mlnlsters' Huiins Iioers' anu Chriseian peo-
pie assembled IN tnis mousse ior the organlza-
tlon oi Lexington fresoy'oiy- 1haI assembly
was DOUBT not' very mucn ike that gathered
mere Io-oay-Prooaoiy quite as large, Ior
though the country was not then tnlckly SET
Iled us ho"' Inc pe"pie were accustomed 10 at
teno upon reilgious meetings rom mucn
greater oistahce' certainty DIS oeeply Interested
IN what was 10 oe oohe DIS VIZ are ior Cne fres-
byterlan church was 10 them as 10 us not only
tnelr churcn' Out the church Oh thelr lathers
aiso
From Inc organization OF hanover Presoy-
lery IN IIoo' lor perloo ot thirty years up 10
i'oo' all Inc Presbyterian churcnes III virginia
had been embraced IN that one frespytery. In
100. Abingdon fresoytery was organized I'm
pracing the churches IN southwestern virgin
Ia beyond new River togetner Win such as
thus existed III hehtucKy anu tennessee
When, lew year later. the southern PfesDy-
terles were grouped into Synods, Abingdon
Presbytery, together with the Presoyteries OF
Orange and South Carolina, constituted the
synod Of the Carolinas. In this connection,
Abingdon remained until 1903. when, by act of
the General Assembly, II was transferred to the
Synod OF Virginia.
In 17s6, Turnover Presbytery was again divid-
ed. and Its churches west of the Blue ridge
mountains organized into new Presbytery
under the name of Lexington. In the subse-
quent grouping into Synods. which took place
two years later. the Synod of Virginia was
made up of the Presbyteres of Hanover. Lex
ington and Redstone-the territory covered by
the last mentioned lying principally in Penn
sylvania. AT Its organization, Lexington Pres
bytery consisted Of the following eleven minis
tiers. viz, John Brown, of New Providence
William Graham, James Mcconnell, Archibald
Scout OF Bethel, John Montgomery. OF Win
nam wilson, oI AUGUSTA moses hoge' Iohn
Naoo"e, vi oooo hope' anu 9ahiuea hah-
non 'lVe Vi .hese iieiiioers appear lrohi Inc
'iihu'es as Without cnarges' mol because Ihey
were noe resui"r ensaseu IN preaching Inc
Hoepe,' p"' my "oio NJ. az 'no 'iii1 ies
so'''eo as pa''ois' anu 'ie pastoral feia'ion
70 churcn was the on,y one noticed IN the
uinu.es vi 'iif'' uay' FROM o.her sources 'lih
.ne iiiilii'.s "o hno" 'iit'' nioses noso was
'nen preaos .os'e,S on 'no oou.n r1,,',
y, 'i.o oO'-"o III Ai"'oS oo"n'S, anu ".ii"'
i"n"n, was e..pioSo Oh ~ =, eaonins anu 'o''on-
's '' M anu ,1"i i'o'ins nouso
Ho I'M - =" mo-, III '"o iH"'o'
"' p"''o' y, 80" ~ .-"'V NV 70 ooH
.o1er W. 'N ,"oo ine0 pos
~. " ~" ~ 'NoDoo :. - s. "1o'
sno - y. -. LOS So ~
| 49,, ~ 49, =" ~ -o1 y, w
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49,. ~. -. to,ss ..os.o :, ~. -.
da,,oo o,,,,uoh l., ,7Ee - - ~ ,,,..t,.,,
aeI n.aaS CIV o. o ,-
no;ntn,a7,t rn. 49,, -, vet 49,.
- -, -. - ~.
-, 80 ~ We nls
$50, 'Ae o'N''' VI 'Ne
vi the eleven ministers embraced ID Lexlng-
Ton frespytery at The tiihe ol iIs iormaIlon,
three subsequently, serVeo Ine churcn WIN
| such success that Dr. Armstrong. continuing
made particular mention OF them. Ihey were
William Graham, Archibald Scott, and Moses
Hoge. The distinguishing FEATURES OF the career
OF each were dwelt upon AT lengIn, concluding
with au Illustration as 1oiloWs:-"Ihis house
IN whlcn we are assembled To-Day, quilt In
LOO, furnishes at once sympol ana an Illus
trat1on OF the kind OF work they iabored to do
Tor GOD. Its massive stone-walls nave With
stood the storms OF one hundred ana thirty
years and yet stand as nrm as the DAY they were
nrst pul1ded. AS precious heritage, IL mas
descehoed from Iather 10 sou through al tnese
years until IN the memory OF SAINTS In HeaV-
On as well as saints on earth IL Is known as
place IN winch doo mas sho"n hiihseil ever
willing TO meet Win MS people ana oiess 'hen'