Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-05-06
sTAUNToN SPECTATOR AND 7yINDICAToR.

blue letter day. as that color largely pr
dominated. Nearly every delegate an
kmany of the visitors. wore blue ribbo
knotted in the button hole, badge in blu
or miniature blue stocking pinned on tn
lapel of the coat. In many instances al
three were room. The day dawned clea
and cold and in spite of the heavy thunde
storm that ragged the night before, flooding
the streams and miring the roads, there wa
an outpouring of the Presbyterians from al
over the county. AS previously announces
the Presbyterian churches of the county anf
city were closed and the great congregation
surged into Columbian Hall filling it will
more than 1000 souls long before the hour
appointed for morning service. At eleven
o'clock the exercises began with singing ant
was followed with prayer by Rr. Moses u
Hoge. of Richmond. A pleasant feature Of
the exercises was the singing of the double
male Quartette from the two Presbyterian
churches Of this city. The visiting minis
tiers who took part were Reverends }. u
Pinter, Thornton Whaling, DID,, X. A.
Lapsley, A. q. Hamilton and Fl. A. Loving
Rev. e. B. Stricken, DID,, LII. D., Of Union
Theological Seminary, preached the sermon
subject: Presbyterian Doctrines" from
the text ''Give attendance to doctrine
Timothy iv: 10. The speaker is man OF
commanding appearance, kindly face, and
with unusual pulpit eloquence. His ad-
dress was, perhaps, one of the most power
full and convincing presentations of Pres
byterian doctrine ever delivered before
Staunton audience. The subjects discussed
were plenary inspiration, divine sovereign
ty. human freedom, predestina ton. election,
the universal offer of salvation. total de-
pravity, the inability of man, and justiica-
tion by faith. These were principally the
subjects that marked the great sermon and
held spell bound the vast assembly for more
than an hour and fifteen minutes.
Afternoon Services.
The afternoon services were joint meet
ing OF the Presbyterian Sunday Schools OF
Augusta county. over which Rev. J. u.
Booker presided.
Here the Sunday School worker was truly
in his element, and probably never looked
into the faces Of so many children at one
time before. The various schools from over
the county were grouped in blocks around
the speakers stand and back of these sat the
visitors. Mr.. Booker's own church sent the
largest out of town delegation, almost an
entire congregation, the solid appearance
of which created much favorable comment.
The hymns selected were familiar and were
sung with will. OF course the feature OF
the evening was the address to the children
by Rev. Jas. p Smith, DID,, editor of the
Central Presbyterian, and the distribution
by him of 1900 certificates. These certi-
ficates we're presented through the Sunday
School Superintendent to every one in
their congregations who had at any time re-
cited perfectly the shorter catechism. Con
siderable amusement was occasioned by the
personal presentation of certificates to Ad-
Olson Waddell, Sam'l q. Wilson, ST., and
DR.. Fraser, as m odel good boys, and to lit
tie Dora Shanholtzer, of the Second Church
Sunday school, aged years.
Evening Service.
At o'clock the hall was again crowded
to hear the closing address of the series. AS
DR.. hoge said, 'the Presbyterian structure
had been builded by the other speakers that
preceded him, brick by brick and now all
that remained for him was to place the cap
stone" And so he did most ably, with the
subject-"The Ethical Results of Belief
in Calvinism as shown in the character of
men and communities" DIR. Hoge's sermon
was an able prese NATION of the subject and
fitting cap stone to the great monument OF
faith and doctrine the Presbyterian divines
had builded. And SO the great Westmins-
ter Celebration ended, success in the truest
sense of the word, a strength to the faith
of its own people and benediction to the
community.
The rendition Of several quartettes by
members of the First Church choir and the
solo by Mrs. II. Jordan. of the Second
Church, added much to the enjoyment of the
closing services.
1t is remarked, that Columbian Hall had
never held SO many people in one day. There
were three services and the aggregate at
tendance at them is estimated at over 5000
persons.