Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-09-24
The Synod.

here in the Old Stone Church Tuesday
evening at 100 o'clock and the opening
sermon was preached by Rey. Geo. w.
Finley, DID,, of Augusta county, from
Ps. cXlY, 7, to crowded house.
After the sermon the Synod was or
gained by the election of ReY. w. &.
Campbell, DID,, of Roanoke, as Mod
orator. James Withrow, Esq, for so
many years Ruling Elder in the Lew
isburg church, was placed in nomina-
tion for this high office by Rey. DR..
Henry NJ. White, of Winchester, in a
very pleasing and complimentary
speech in which he said, among other
things, that any one who had success
fully moderated church choir fer 46
years, as Mr.. Withrow had done, could
moderate anything. Mr.. Withrow,
however, declined to allow the use of
his name, stating that the enfeebled
condition Of his health would not JUS
tify him in undertaking the duties of
the chair. Rev. j. M. Holiday, Of
Blacksburg, was elected recording
clerk, and Rev. John b. Bittenger, of
Randolph county, and Elder A. NJ. Nc
Cue, of the Old Stone Church in Au-
gusta county, reading clerks.
Yesterday morning reports from the
Presbyteries were heard, and Rev. J.
f. Booker, of Augusta county, sub
mitted lengthy report from the COM
mittee Oh Synodical CHARACTERIZATION,
which, with its recommendations was
received and adopted.
Yesterday afternoon Rev. Charles
Ghiselin submitted a report on Home
Missions, or which subject Rev. DR.. J.
n. Craig spoke st length. The night
session was taken up in the main with
a report on Foreign Missions by Rev.
DR.. E. NJ. McCOrkle, with an address
by Rev. Jas. 1. Vance, DID,, of Nash
vile.
To-day the Synod will celebrate the
Centennial of the Old Stone Church.
An Historical Sketch will be read by
Hon. John w. Arbuckle, clerk of the
Session; an address on the Influences
of Presbyterianism will be delivered by
Hon. George K. Price, of Charleston :;
Rev. DIR. M. l.. Lacy will speak on the
Church in its relation to Education :;
and at night Rev. DIR. G. B. Stricken,
of Union Theological Seminary, will
preach.
Up to noon yesterday 103 ministers
and 43 Elders were reported present.
Many distinguished men of the Synod
are present, and the session promises
to be one of much pleasure and inter-
est to all.
This is the third meeting of the Synod
of Virginia held in the Old Stone
Church. From the Central Presbyterian
of last week we clip the following brief
account of the two meetings formerly
held here:
1.-THE first was in 1S43, October 18th.
The Rev. James M. Brown, of Charles
ton, was the Moderator, DR.. VIM. S.
Plumer the Stated Clerk and Messrs.
Jesse S. Armistead and p. J. Sparrow,
temporary clerks. The records are in
the beautiful writing of DR.. Plumer.
The Synod had five Presbyteries then.
Fifty-three ministers were present and
twenty-three elders. OF the ministers
DR.. McElhenney, DR.. Francis McFar-
land, DR.. Armistead, DIR. Graham and
DR.. FOOte were among the older ones,
and Stuart Robinson and the Browns,
b. M. Smith, Theodorick Pryor and G..
w. McPhail were there. We do not
| find the name of one now living. Of
the ruling elders, A. G. McIlwaine,
| VIM. S. Morton, Nicholas E. Read and
Francis r. Watkins were present. DR..
Mcfarland preached the opening SER
mon from Hebrews, xix II, Obey them
that have the rule over you and submit
yourselves, &c. That was fifty-three
years ago Are there any living in Lew
isburg who remember that meetingp
The Synod met again in Lewisburg,
September End, 1867. DIR. McGuffey
preached the opening sermon from Ro-
| llldllo, MI bCoCCSh gou
brethren by the mercies of God, &C.
The Rey. Michael Osborne was the Mod
orator, DR.. Mcfarland, the Stated
Clerk, and James NJ. Wilson and John
S. Grasty, temporary clerks. There
were five Presbyteries. FOrty-nine min.
listers were present and twenty-tworul-
ing elders. The older men have entered
into rest.
OF those present at this meeting of
Greenbrler, the Rey. M. ii. Bittenger
is the surviving minister of Lexing'
ton, Rev. g. S. M. See, DR.. w. FL
Ruffner and DR.. j. II. Wilson, are liy.
ing of West HANOVER, Dr.J IL. Smith
and DR.. G. r. Vaughn of East Han
oyer, DR.. NJ. ID. Hoge and OF Mont
gomery, DR.. b. Il. Lacy and DR.. w. F
Junkin. OF the ruling elders we rec
ognize as living VIM. A. Glasgow and
John L. Marye. DR.. A. A. Hodge then
of Fredericksburg, was there, and Dab
new Carr Harrison and DR.. L. v. Moore
MANY in Greenbrier to-day remember
well this meeting.
The SYNOD comes back to Lewisburg
in it's one hundred and ninth annual
session, to celebrate the centennial Of
the Old Stone Church"