Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-11-01
SYNOD OF VIRGINIA.
Summary of Proceedings Of This Venerable
Body-Other Church Notes.

We are indebted to Rev. Charles
Ghiselin for the following excellent
report of the proceedings of the Pres
byterian Synod of Virginia:
The Synod of Virginia held its annual
meeting last week in the First Presby-
terrain Church of Danville, Va. The
meeting began Tuesday night, October
gard, and continued till Saturday noon
The opening sermon was preached by
Rev. R. P. Kerr, D. D., of Richmond, on
the timely topic, "The reverence due to
the constituted authorities" Rev. r. II
Fleming, of Lynchburg, was elected
moderator, and Rev. Frank McFaden
and Elder Howison, temporary clerks.
The attendance was larger than usual /;
I2s ministers and S. elders were present.
There were present also four of the sec
retaries Of the General Assembly to pre-
sent the various causes of Publication,
Education and Home and Foreign Mis-
sions. At the home missionary meeting
| ten brief, bright addresses were made by
as many speakers. Three evangelists
are employed by the Synod, and as the
results of their labors three new church
es were organized, 6Io members were
added, and $1,000 raised. The foreign
missionary meeting was made interest
ing by the presence of DR.. Chester, the
Assembly's secretary of foreign mis-
sions, DIR. Painter, missionary to China,
and Rev. Mr.. Grinnan, missionary to
Japau. all of whom made addresses.
The memorials Of eight ministers, Who
had died during the past year, were
read. Wednesday night the synodical
communion was celebrated. Thursday
night DR.. NJ D. Hoge preached, and
DR.. MARYLAND, of Baltimore, preached
Friday night. Rev. A. p. Saunders, OF
Fredericksburg, Va, made an earnest
address, presenting the cause of the AS
sembly's home and school at that place
for the children of deceased missionaries
and ministers.
Greenbrier Presbytery was divided
and new presbytery erected, named
Kanawha. Churches are allowed to
form young peoples societies to be called
westminster Guilds" Two subjects
excited unusual interest: One was the
re
proposed removal Of the Union Theolog-
ical Seminary from Hampden- Sidney to
some CITY. There were some fine speech
es on both sides of the question. DR.. w.
W. Moore, one of the seminary profess
ors, made a speech that electrified the
synod with its rhetoric and eloquence,
and made the staid and digniied body
burst into delighted applause. The 9TH
er matter that engaged the attention OF
synod most deeply was the preaching IN
our churches Of unlicensed persons.
After a long and heated discussion
which lasted till after midnight, strong
paper, offered by DIR. Kerr, was adopted
which "enjoins upon presbyteries to for
bid the employment by their churches,
for the purpose Of conducting public, or
protracted, meetings, of unlicensed per
sons such as are commonly called lay
evangelists, who usurp the recognized
preaching functions of the regular Cos
pei ministry" DR.. Hall, of Lynchburg,
and DR.. Hopkins showed so clearly that
the employment of lay evangellsts by
our churches was contrary to the constr
tuition as laid down i'll chapter 3 of the
Book of Church Order and to the law as
interpreted by the assembly in judicial
case that came up from the Synod OF
Texas, that the vote stood SO to g. No
body wished to appear to favor law
breaking in the church.
Danville is a thriving city of some
fifteen thousand inhabitants situated on
the Dan river, about four miles from the
North Carolina line. 1t is i'll the yellow
wrapper tobacco region, and the fine
new residences and churches attest the
wealth and prosperity of the people, who
were profuse in their hospitality III en-
pertaining the members of Synod. The
weather was warm and bright, and the
meeting was enjoyed more than any fol-
wears. The next meeting will be held
October IS, 1895, i'll Charleston, w. Va
The Synod of Virginia covers the
whole of the State of Virginia, most o.
West Virginia and part OF Maryland
It contains IL presbyteries, nearly 3oc
ministers, more than 400 churches, 3S,oo(
communicates, and $1,000 Sunday schoo
teachers and scholars, and contributed
last year to all objects $35S,ooo.
Three synods met at the same time on
the same line of railroad, the Southern
Railroad-the Synod of Virginia in Dan
villa, Va, the Synod of North Caroline
in Greensboro n. c., forty-eight miles
off, and the Synod of South Carolina IL
Greenville, S. {.
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