Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-01-08
ABOUT THE PASTORS,
THE NEW PASTOR OF TINKLING

THE NEW PASTOR OF TINKLING
SPRING.
Rev. DR.. Geo. w. Finley of Romney, w
Va, who has accepted the call OF the LINK
ling Spring Presbyterian church IN Till
county, is an ex-Confederate soldier, ane
was in the famous charge of Pickett's Di
vision at Cemetery Heights at Gettysburg
He is son of Augustus G. Finley OF Rock
bridge, and was born while his father resi-
ded at Gainesville, Mecklenburg county
Va, where his father held the position O.
cashier of branch of the old Exchang
Bank of Virginia. Dr.. Finley's early edu
cation was at Gainesville, going from Their
to Hampden Sidney College, and from Their
to Washington College at Lexington, wher'
he was graduated. At his fathers dealt
he took charge of his business affairs. LII
1859, he married Miss Margaret E. Booker
a sister of Rev. J. E. Booker of Hebron
church, in this county. In 1861 he entered
the 18th Virginia infantry, Armlstead
brigade, and served with it as Captain ant
Adjutant until November, 1852, when he re
signed and went home to attend to some bus
mess put upon HIM by the civil courts. III
returned to the service in the Spring OF Thu
following year as Lieutenant of Co. *, 56tf
Va. regiment, Col. w. d. Stuart, GARRETT
brigade. He was captured July 3D., or
Cemetery Heights at Gettysburg, and was
held as prisoner in various Federal prls
ons from Johnson's Island on Lake Erie tt
Fort Pu R1 on Savannah river, unit
released i'd May, 1865, from Fort Delaware
He entered Union Theological Seminary
in July, 1866, as a candidate for the minis
try under the care Of Orange Preybytery
North Carolina, and was licensed by thai
Presbytery in October, 1867. He was dis
missed in 1868 to Winchester Presbytery
and as a llcentiate took charge OF The
churches Of Gerrardstown, Bunker Hill an(
Smithield. He was ordained i'll October
1869, at Woodstock. Called to the paste
rate Of Romney and Springfield churches il
Hampshire Co., W. Va, he accepted an(
was installed there in May, 1870. Two
years ago his Alma Mater, now Washington
& Lee University, conferred upon him The
degree Of D. D., and the following year ht
was chosen to deliver the Alumni addres:
there. He has been for nearly twenty years
a member OF the Board of Trustees Of
Hampden Sidney College.
DR.. Finley was among the first ministers
called to the evangelical work by the Vir
GINA Synod in 1890. He accepted, but
the Presbytery OF Winchester, declined tt
release him from his pastorate. In con
Guiding this sketch, the writer who knew
him III the army as well as later, may say
that socially he is one of the most loveabl'
of men, and we congratulate the congrega
ton Of Thinking Spring on their success il
getting him.
THE NEW PASTOR OF THE BAPTIST
CHURCH.
Rev. W. J. e. Cox the new pastor of tht
Baptist church, has made an excellent i'm
preston On our people, beginning at thu
meeting for welcoming him Friday night
and strengthened by his pulpit efforts Sun
day. At the welcome meeting Friday night
the programme as published was carried
out, except that Rev. Henry Grady Fer
guson of Waynesboro. was not present
Rev. c. G. Merryman, Rev. G. L. Wilson
Rev. John FL. Taylor and Rev. B. H. De
ment, were the ministers Of his own de
participating in the welcome
service, and ReY. J. L. Williams Of the
Methodist church extended a welcome Oh
behalf of the other denominations.
Mr.. Cox and his wife and children, who
on their arrival Thursday, became guests
Of Mrs. J. L. Massey at Sherwood, on Mon
day moved into the Baptist parsonage OIL
Frederick street, their furniture having ar
rived on the Chesapeake & Ohio road from
Kentucky. The congregation had been al
the parsonage before them, and they found
the pantry stocked with provisions, includ
ing three barrels of flour, a dozen hams. sew
eral hundred pounds of sugar, and many
other things.
MI Cox looks to be about thirty-five
years of age. He has slender figure, a
gray moustache, and to those who remem.
semblance to him. He has strong, cleal
well modulated voice, a distinct pronunci.
alton and a most engaging style of delivery
His Sundays preaching made a strong i'm.
preston on our people, and the expressions
OF opinion about the new minister would
have been very gratifying to him if he
could have heard them.
MI. Cox made his first prayer meeting
talk to his church Wednesday night. His
subject was, ''HoW can members of the
church help the pastor?' The text was
taken from Paul letter to the Romans
Rom. 16. 8: ''GTeet Priscilla and Aquila
my helpers in Christ Jesus" He named
three ways in which his members
could help him in his work. 1. By regular
upon all church services, Sun.
day morning and evening. prayer meetings,
and Sunday school, 2. BY doing cheerful
ly the work assigned to them, such as serv.
ing upon committees, etc. 3. By assisting
him in visiting, and informing him of cases
of sickness, strangers, sc. After thu
prayer meeting, Mr.. Cox made very in
terestiDg address to the teachers OF the Sun
day school.
DIR. MCFARLAND.
On Thursday night, after holding his
New Y ear eve reception in the lecture
room of his church, Rev. Dr.. Mcfarland
pastor of the First Presbyterian church
was taken quite i'll. A physician was sem
for and remained with him, as did mum
Der of his friends, until near dawn. Heha'
rallied from the attack and is much better