Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-05-17
DEDICATION OF BETHEL CHURCH.

DEDICATION OF BETHEL CHURCH.
, Bethel church and congregation, of whicl
J we published a full and interesting history
last week, from information kindly give1
by the venerable Mathew Pilson, it's oldest
officer and member, though it is accustom
ed to large audiences, had all it could do tC
accommodate that Of last Sunday. 1t was
the day set apart for the dedication of the
new church building, and at 1:30, the houl
for the service to commence, there could
not have been less than a thousand people
there. The handsome church accommOda-
ted about seven hundred of them. The
gathering represented all portions of the
county, and the city of Staunton. Among
those present from Staunton were Prof.
John Murray OF the Augusta Female Sem
mary, a brother of the pastor of Bethel,
MI. J. I. Lightner, Dr.. N. Wayt and wife,
Hon. II. st. Geo. Tucker, Maj. P. Fl.
Woodward, County Treasurer j. n. Nc
Farland, son of the distinguished Dr.. Fran
els Mcfarland, who was pastor of Bethel
for forty-three years, Col. J. G. Shields,
Mrs. G. S. Crawford, w. B. McChesney, A.
A. EslTidge, James Bumgardner, Jr., Prof.
}. l.. Massey and others. Among the noted
members of the congregation in their
seats were the venerable Mathew Pilson,
Miss Peggie McCutchan, who who was the
first person baptised in the old church
which the new one replaces, and Mrs Al
genbright mother of n. Argenbright,
Clerk of the Hastings Court who Witness
ed the dedication Of the old church.
The dedication services were after the
Presbyterian manner, plain and simple.
Elder A. A. Sproul, Chairman of the Build
ing Committee, rose and in a few words
presented the new building to the church,
and it was received by Rev. James Murray,
D. D., the pastor. The dedicatory hymn used
by the Presbyterians was then given
out by Rev. S. II. Shuford of the Re-
formed church and sung by the large con-
gregation, Miss Clara Palmer of Green
vile, the organist, playing the accompani-
ent. Dr.. Murray then read the 9th chap
ter of I'd Chronicles. After prayer by Rev.
J. e. Wolfe of the M. e. Church South,
Rev. Dr.. Murray preached sermon from
the text found in l Kings, Sth chap. 2Sth
and 29th verses
"Yet have thou respect unto the prayer Of
thy servant, and to his supplication, o Lord
my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the
prayer, which thy servant prayeth before
thee to-day:
''That thine eyes may be open toward this
nj nd dor I'd ,1ao
of which thou hast said, My name shall be
there; that thou mayest hearken unto the
prayer which thy servant shall make toward
this place.
The pastor, before delivering his sermon,
expressed the deep regret which was gen
orally felt that Rev. D. K. Mcfarland, D.
D., of the First Presbyterian church of
Staunton, who was to have preached the
dedicatory sermon was prevented from SO
doing by sickness.
DR.. Murray's sermon was followed by
prayer, and the benediction which closed
the services.
The new church is of brick, Gothic in
style and slightly larger than the old one.
The seating capacity is for 700. The wood
work of the interior is of hard wood with
a fine finish. The pews are arranged in the
modern amphitheatre mode which gives a
good view of the pulpit from all parts of
the auditorium. The building cost S. 100.
The stone and brick work was done by
Lowman & Shrum Of Rockingham, and the
woodwork by the Lexington Manufactur-
ing company.
There are two memorial windows in the
church. One is put in by the congregation
and bears the inscription, I'm memory of
QUIZ Pastor Rev. Francis Mcfarland, DID,,
died October TO- 1871, and of his wife, Mary
A. Mcfarland, died January /, 1871" The
other is put in by Hon. Samuel A. Merritt
of Utah, and Miss Lizzie Merritt of Au-
gusta, and bears the inscription ''In memo
riam, John Merritt, born April 81, 1871,
died September IS, 1888, and his wife,
Elizabeth Merritt, born March %, 1893,
died May 2, 1902
The Building Committee of the church,
which carried to the present successful re-
suit the erection of the new edifce, is COM
posed of A. A. Sproul, chairman; J. W.
GilkesOn, VIM. HI. Cochran, Mathew Pill
son, r. T. Larew, III. j. Williams and W.
F. Smith. MI. G. G. Bruce was the
architect.