Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-10-21
PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD OF VIRGINIA

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD OF VIRGINIA
ONE HUNDRED AND THIRD SESSION.
The Presbyterian Synod of Virginia mel
Wednesday evening October Ash, in the
First Presbyterian Church of Roanoke, Va.
Of which the Rev. DR.. W. G. Campbell il
pastor. The opening sermon was preach
ed by the Rev. DR.. M. L. Lacy. the mocer
ator of the Synod last year in staunton.
This Synod embraces all the churches oil
the Southern General Assembly in Virgin
la, Maryland, West Virginia and tbs Dis
trict of Columbia, and comprises 10 Pres
byteries, 1913 ministers, IS licentiates, 50
candidates, and 391 churches with 33,779
communicates
At the close of DR.. Lacy's sermon Dr..
Hoge, of Richmond, closed the devotional
exercises with an earnest prayer, after
which DR.. Lacy took his seat as moderator
and announced that the first business be
fore the meeting would be the calling OF
tho roll.
DR.. James P. Smith then called the roll
of those who hsd registered and took the
names of those who came in later. There
were 1872 present.
1t was announced that the next business
would be the election of moderator, and
Judge Christina, of Richmond, nominated
DR.. Rosebro, of Petersburg. There being
no further nominations he was elected by
reclamation and coming forward was given
cordial reception. He thanked the Synod
for the honor conferred, in pleasing mani
ner, and announced that nominations for
temporary clerks would be in order.
Rsvs. J. I. Vance, of Norfolk, and P. G.
Clark, of Fincastle, we're nominated and
unanimously elected.
Rev. DR.. W. G. Campbell, chairman of
the committee of arrangements, reported
the order of exercises for each day. The
Synod then adjoined to o'clock next
morning.
Thursday-SecOnd Cay.
The Synod met at O'Clock Thursday
morning in the First P Presbyterian Church,
Rev. DR.. Rosebro, the moderator, presid.
ing.
After devotional exercises the clerk read
the minutes of the organization, after which
additional enrollments were made.
The Moderator then announced the
Committees.
Rev. Mr.. Pitzer read a Communication
recommending changes in the boundary of
the Chesapeake Presbytery and changing
the name to Alexandria Presbytery.
The report of the treasurer was received,
showing the total receipts for the year to
be $314.H with $159.3S in the treasury.
The report was referred to the finance com.
mittee.
Records of the different Presbyteries
we're received aud placed on file, after
which statistical reports we're handed in.
Narratives of the different presbyteries
were then read. The reports showed a
marked improvement, except in few coun-
try churches. Nearly all the churches
showed marked increases, and the spiritual
good. Some churches had lost in
financial strength. The religious instruo
ton of the colored people was extremely
limited, but work in this line had been be-
gun, and was being pushed. The official
fidelity of the ministers and attendance at
religious worship was good, except in a
few instances.
The Report of the Board Of Directors of
the Union Theological Seminary was next
read. It showed the condition of that in.
to be good and that there is no
room for additional students. An effort
was being made to increase tie facilities
and some changes were recomm ended. The
report was referred to committee on the
Union Theological Seminary, Raw. R. 81.
Fleming, chairman.
Rev. DR.. Craig, of the Synod Of Georgia,
was introduced and invited to Participate
in the deliberations of the Synod.
The next business in order was the re-
port of the committee on systematic beuef-
iceuce, Rev. J. B. Brown, chairman. In
the absence of the chairman. Rev. DR.. Parr
presented the report. It was listened to
with much interest and was compiled with
great care. 1t took up all the contribu-
lions for various purposes made by the
church during the year, and detailed the
interest in various benevolent purposes in
Presbytery and locality.
The report covering the statistics is as
follows:
ssThe Synod of Virginia has under it's
care 10 presbyteries, 391 churches, and 3d.
ITO members. The churches made offer
ings to the minor causes as follows: 46
churches to 9 objects, rs to 8, So to z, 81 to
6, "a to 5, "a to 4, IS to 8, % to 2, Is to 1,
and SO to no object. 239 churches gave to
sustentation, SIS. 1874; 27S to evangelistic
work, $12, sos; 2S4 to the invalid fund, s.
1872; 28S to foreign missions, 1874, 521; 255
to education, SIS, 438; 1923 to publication,
1854; 1913 to church erection, $7.476; 70
to bible cause, $S15. The total amount
given to nine causes during the year was
PsOS ssO5 VI esu oEOAo6o Va PS-o1 w Ooou
member"
This report gave rise to considerable dis.
cussion. 1t was recommended that a call
be made for S., 600 to aid the work, and
that collection be taken up on the third
Sunday in November for that purpose.
On motion the report was received aud
approved.
The Evangelists then made reports of
the work they had done, when, on motion,
the continuance Of the reports On evangel-
istic work was referred to the following
committees: Rev. DR.. Richardson, Rev. Mr..
VIM and Rev. G. R. Morton.
The synod then took recess for dinner.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON SESSION,
After considerable speaking, On motion
of Rev. NJ. Morton the question of adopting
the report of the committee on evangelistic
work was taken up seriatim.
The first resolution is to raise $4,000
next year to prosecute the work 10 the
weak and destitute districts of the Synod,
and where there are no organizations.
DIR. Parr opposed this resolution, saying
it would effect work already allotted 10
some of these districts, but being assured
RI nf inf r;tl, u