Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-09-14
Winchester Presbytery.

Winchester Presbytery met at DAVIS,
w. Va, Wednesday, September 9th,
at S p. IN, and was opened with
sermon by Rev. A. c. Hopkins, Jr..
the last Moderator present.
The meeting was constituted with
prayer and organized by the election
of Rev. Vivian Grey Smith as Modera-
tor and Rev. A. C. Hopkins, Jr., and
ruling elder NJ. w. Gamble as tempo
rary clerks.
Nineteen ministers and fourteen rul-
ing elders were present in all. Two
new churches were reported organized
and were enrolled, one at Thomas, ".
Va, and the other at Lost City, W.
Va. This brings up the number OF
churches to fifty.
Rev. Albert C. Wood, a member of
the Moorefeld church, was received
under care of Presbytery as a candl-
date for the Gospel ministry.
Messrs J. A. Trostle and D. II.
Seaman, after passing satisfactory ex-
aminations on their literary and theo-
logical studies, were licensed to preach
as practitioners for the Gospel minis
try. They will return TO Richmond
Va IN October to finish the last year
of their course at Union Theological
Seminary. Rev. W. S. Friend was
dismissed to East Hanover Presby-
terry.
Winchester Prssbytery has now on
its roll thirty ministers, three hcen-
tiates and one candidate. Reports
from the churches on the state of reli-
gion were generally encouraging.
The John Stephenson Seminary, of
Charlestown, and its principal, DR.. c.
n. Campbell and its board Of directors,
were highly commended for the good
work in furtherance Of Christian edu-
cation, but their request that Presby-
terv appoint board of visitors was
declined. The Home Missions reports
showed that the churches Of Presby-
terry gave to this cause last year over
81 100, and that all the churches and
home missionary fields are supplied,
except Burlington.
Ia accordance with the recommen-
dation Of the General Assembly a
Committee on Church and Christian
Education was appointed, consisting
of Rev. f. D. Washburn, D. D., Rev.
Charles Ghiselin aud Ruling Elder W.
r. Williams
The basis Of the Presbyterial as
sessment was changed from ten cents
per member to two and a-half per
cent of the pastors salary promised
by each church.
Rev. J. A. Thomas offered his res
ignation of his charge in Hampshire
county, to accept a call to Beverly
church, and his churches were cited to
show cause why his resignation should
not be accepted, at an adjourned meet
ing to be held in the Loudoun Street
church, Winchester September 20, at
y N.
Presbytery adjourned Saturday
afternoon. The next stated meeting
will be held at Dufields, W. Va,
Tuesday before the full moon in April,
1900.
Davis is situated 317O feet above
the level of the sea, on the crest Of the
Allegheny Mountains. 1t has pop
ulation of 300, and with its tam
merry, pulp mill and two saw mills,
employing a thousand men, is the me-
tropolis of that recently opened and
rapidly developing region along the
line of the West Virginia Central
Railroad, so rich in It's resources Of
lumber and coal.
The Blackwater Falls is a most
wonderful piece of natural scenery, in
which the whole volume of the river
falls sixty feet perpendicularly over
the rock in the midst Of the wild vir-
gin forest. Friday afternoon a wagon
party of twenty-three ladies and their
friends of the Presbytery visited the
falls and enjoyed the added romantic
feature of an electric storm in which
they sought shelter from the rain by
hiding in rocky caves and under the
thick hemlock and spruce.
The beautiful house of worship new
ly renovated and brilliant with cleo
trio lights, the excellent music by the
choir, the good preaching each night,
the diligent and fraternal spirit of
Presbytery, the elegant homes, and
the cordial hospitality OF the people
and of their aggressive pastor, Rev.
R. w. Carter, made this meeting of
Presbytery one long to be remembered
with pleasure.