Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-13
AN ANCIENT CHURCH
HISTORY OF AN EDlFiCE tINKEDW''H
THAT OF THE NATION.
Its Lutheran Records Written In German
Worship and War within u" "aie-
Antique Communion Service.

fcoyrcsno,dcnce OF the Richmond Dispntch.1
M.prsoy COURTHOUSE. Va. October "a
Two miles north of hero, nestled among
the spurs Of the Blue Ridge. not tar from
the silver waters Of the Robertson. 10 On
old and quaintly-constructed building
which was erected in 1870. 1t IL an Evan
cellcal Lutheran church. the history OF
which il linked not only with that OF tins
county and State but also with that OF the
nation.
About 1892 Governor Alexander Spots.
wood invited from Germany several iami..
l,os of Utzes. Hoifmans. Carpenters. ana
Blankenbekers. They lett tho fathcr-
landu and became OveTsecrs ana laOoIcr3
Tor Tho old Governor upon his largo estate
around Germana now IN orange county.
They were an industrious ana thrifty pee
ple. and in about two years SIT Alexander
Iecarne 40 doeply indebted to them that
he Granted them lands along the Robert
son. in this county. IN order 10 saI4hiy
their claims.
TIE FIRST PASTOR.
Tho church records. which are still we'll
preserved, date back 20 1875. 1t was then
hat The settlers organized their church
under the leadership OF Rev. Augustus
Stoever. Their first place Of worship was
n log building erected near the present
site deep down in tho forest where tho
foot Of tho "palefaco y had rarely trOd.
Tho records, which were written IN Ger
man az late as 1910. show that two guards
stood nthe doOrwavs of the hrst building
with their trusty rifles to ward on the
savage and bloodthirsty Indian. while the
sturIy farmers and their good wives Joined
in the divine worship. Iae guards, IA
well as the first pastors. were pad Tor
their services ia that old Virginia staple
| tobacco.
SUCCESSFUL.
About 1899 party was sent TO Germany
| TO solicit funds for o new and more COM
Portable building. The effort was moro
than successful. A new church was not
only built, but the trustees had enough
surplus funds 10 purchase 200 acres Of
land and number of slaves. In. latter
were held until about lSi0 while the land
was retained until abOut 1896.
COMMUNION SERVICE.
The church has very antique silver
communion service which WAS presented
by friends from across the water. But
what attracts more attention than nny-
thing else Is the swcet-toned pipe organ
which was sent over from thc Father
land" about one hundred years ago. 1t
was landed at Philadelphia and was hauled
from that point to this county III x-wagons,
which incident will recall the removal Of
the ARK Of the cOuvcnant' IL the days
Of David.
MADISON MN.
Tradition says that James Madison upon
one occasion addressed his countrymen
from The east door OF this church. The
mountains and the sea-" saws history,
"have ever been the most potent factors
in molding the intellectual character Of
people.n Az Madison thought OF this
sentiment and then looked out upon hrs
etalwart and patriotic hearers. around
whom the peaks OF the blue mountains
had ever stood "a n body guard. he knew
that the principles which he vas advocating
would ever have true and earnest sup
portors.
OTHER GEBMANs.
Besides the Blanhenbekers. Carpenters,
UoAmans, and ltZes. who came up from
Germana. are found upon the old German
church roll the names Of tho treys and
CrIglers. one who attends this "aIcieu:
church." around which the Indian no
longer turks on the quiet Sabbath days,
has the pleasure Of meeting many de-
scendants Of each one of those families
which settled here l57 years ago. Their
larders are filed with the choicest yiands
their orchards bend with ia. most luscious
fruit Their fields produce the richest
yied IN wheat aul corn. and IN their
homes Is shown that hospitality which
cannot be SURPASSED. They axe stlllanOng
the most prominent people Of the count.
Hon. John G. UtZ. lone of the descend
ants" Will represent Madison and Greene
in the Legislature DUNG the coming
term,