Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-04-13
The PRESBY7ERIANS.
SPRING SESSION OF LEXINGTON
PRESB AT TINKLING
SPRTNG

81 HINT.
DR. HALVES, OF STANTON, MODERATOR
REV. W. E. BAKER ASKS FOR DIsMIs-
! SION FROM LEXINGTON PREsBYTERY-
THE FALL SESSION TO BE HELD AT
! BEVERLEY, w. VA.
&C.. &C., &c.
Reported for the Suaunton VINDIeAToR.l
TINKLING SPRING. AUGUSTA COUNTY,
VA, April 1.-THE lines have fallen to
Lexington Presbytery in pleasant places
this Spring. The large number of members
who came down on the morning train,
Tuesday, were met at Fishersville by the
Thinking Spring people with conveyances,
who seemed to bring their hearts in their
hands also, and even before their guests
had reached their homes they felt at home,
and when they did get there, they felt as
if they had been there all their lives.
There are present thirty-two ministers and
twenty-five elders. Staunton Presbyterians are
represented by DR.. D. K. Mcfarland, DIR. Fl.
H. Hawes J. A. Waddell, and T. G. Morton.
There is good deal of business before the
body, which meets every morning at $50, and
takes a recess at 11.3O for preaching. After
services, the members of Presbytery and con-
gregation gather around the bountitul tables
spread in the grove around the church, and
spend an hour in eating and chatting, mostly
eating, and even then justiceis not done to the
varied and abundant viands which are fur
| nlshed. The large, comfortable church has
been recently painted and looks fresh and
| handsome. 1t is we'll filled, too, by an atten
| tive audience, Notwithstanding we are in the
| country and meeting on week days.
! The opening sermon was preached by a
promising young Augusta minister, Rev. L. H.
| Paul, the Moderator, now of Franklin, Pen
| dleton county, W. Va. He made fine i'm
preston.
| ELECTION OF Observation-Disclosures OF
| LAYMEN.
| The body organized by electing Rev. DIR. Ell.
H. Halves Moderator, and Rev. J. W. Latter
ty of Union church, and L. G. Morton, Staun-
ton, Clerks.
Before the election of Moderator, Maj. VIM.
| NJ Tate of Hebron church, was nominated by
Rev. DR.. Murray, who stated .that as the
church had decided that Ruling Elders were
eligible to the Moderatorship of church courts,
| he would like to see Lexington Presbytery
presided over by layman he considered SO
competent as Maj. T.
| Maj. Tate said that he used to think eld-
ers eligible, but since the question had been
! decided that they were, he was not sure that
i the decision was right and he insisted on his
nomination being withdrawn. DR.. Murray
| then withdrew the nomination. DR.. Halves
also asked that his name be withdrawn. but
Presbytery declined to do so and elected him
| by reclamation.
| REV. VIM. E. BAKER.
A letter was received from Rev. VIM. E.
! Baker, former pastor OF the First church of
Staunton, stating that as he had permanent
, home now within the bounds of Cherokee
Presbytery, Synod of Georgia, he thought it
would no longer be. proper for him to retain
his connection with Lexington Presbytery.
and therefore asked a letter of dismission.
! He would however, always feel an interest in
the work here and pray for its prosperity.
In presenting this letter and asking the dis
missal of Bro. Baker, Rev. r. G. Walker the
Stated Clerk, made some very feeling re-
marks in expressing his regret that Mr.. Baker
asked for final separation from the Presby-
terry Rev. Dr. Murray, Rev. J. A. Preston
| and Rev. P. Fletcher, followed in the same
strain. Mr.. Baker was spoken of as a most
earnest and devoted minister and one who
had always been ready to answer all calls for
assistance on the part of his brethren, and had
| done more missionary work than any other
pastor in the Presbytery, Mr.. Fletcher espec-
tally, referred to meeting held in his church
| in Ciarksburg, when Mr.. Baker had preached
/ two of the most powerful sermons he had ever
heard and accomplished great good. The
| letter was then granted.
PLACE OF HOLDING THE FALL SESSION.
Beverley, W. Va, was chosen for the hold
ing of the Fall session. A proposition to hold
! 1t in Stanton at the Second church, was the
| competing one.
| Permission was granted Rev. DR.. Sparks of
| Montgomery Presbytery, to laboe in Licking
| ton Presbytery bounds. Rev. L. B. Johnston
| of Harrisonburg, introduced an overture re-
| garding foreign evangelists.
INTER- TESTING "REMINISCENCES OF TINKL1NG
| SPRING CHURCH.
In the afternoon, before the regular bust
ness OF Presbytery was resumed, kuling Elder
| Mathew Pilson of Thinking Spring church,
! who is SO years old and among the oldest men
| in Augusta county, upon the invitation of the
| Moderator gave some interesting reminis-
cences connected with the history of Presby-
terianism at Thinking Spring church and in
Augusta county. Among them he spoke of a
sermon he had heard preached by Rev. John
MeCue at Thinking Spring, i'll the old church,
83 years ago. He spoke of the high pulpit
and the old-fashioned heavy sounding board
which he was afraid all during the sermon
would fall on Mr.. McCue and crush him. Ter
years afterwards, the congregation had assem-
bled on Sunday morning to hear Mr.. McCue
preach. The appointed hour had passed and
Mr.. McCue not putting in his appearance, the
congregation grew very restless and his sons,
John and Franklin, became much alarmed,
when finally one of Mr.. McCue's negro boys
galloped up and reported that ''old marster
had been thrown from his horse and killed
There was great CONSERVATION and nearly the
whole congregation hurried to his home,
which was then about three miles distant
where Dr. David Hanger now lives, and found
the intelligence was too true. On the follow
ing Tuesday afternoon, Rev. Conrad Specie
preached the funeral sermon to an immense