Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-10-17
Old Stone Presbyterian Churc h
at Timber Ridge

Old Stone Presbyterian Churc h
at Timber Ridge
The following editorial letter by
DIR. James P. Smith appeared in a
recent issue of the Central Pres
byterian, and will be read with
interest at this time on account
of the celebration of the 150th
anniversary of the old church, to
be held next Sunday, October
21st:
Before your month in Rock
bridge comes to an end you must
be sure to go to Timber Ridge
church. But we counsel you not
to go as we did, in the face of a
great rain. storm. 1t was Monday
afternoon, August 9th, and many
in this county will remember how
heavy the clouds that came, and,
meeting, poured out torrents of
water, and parting, returned
after the rain," and poured out
again, until it was marvel that
clouds could carry in the air such
seas of water
At the manse we did not find
the pastor, the Rev. j. A. Trostle,
but we did find the half that is
better, with the happy child of the
manse thrown in. The pastor was
looking after his focks on the hills,
and the pastors wife took us to the
OLD stone church 1t is one hundred
and fifty years old, for high in the
front gable is cut the date 1855.
We did not have the keys, so we
could only "walk about Zion and
go round about her." The old
stone building has been several
times cut and changed, and two
years ago it was enlarged with an
extension in transepts, making it
A stone vestibule with
arches was made to cover the
the windows were curved
at the tops and filled with diamond
shaped glass.
One of the unique things about
the venerable church is that as
result of various changes in the
nave, or old part, there are three
windows On one side and four on
the other. 1t adds to the antique
of the whole. When
the old church was builded, the
men brought the stone on sleds and
built the walls with their own
hands, and the women packed the
sand on horses from the river six
or eight miles away. In the vesti-
bule wall is tablet of white
marble, with the inscription:
To the Mem DRY of
THE NOBLE WOMEN,
Who with Their Own Hands
Helped to build this Church.
1855.
Erected by their Descendants,
1904.
This tablet was erected by the
vice and grateful care of some of
he scattered descendants through
Mrs. E. P. Mcdowell Wolf, a
of Governor James Nc
)owell, and direct descendant of
he pioneer Epbriam Mcdowell,
Who rests in the family burying
ground at Cherry Grove, near
Fairfield.
The Rev. John Brown was the
irst pastor, having Timber Ridge
md New Providence under his
ARE. He came to this extended
,harge in 1853, three years before
he old church was erected. The
ali from the two churches, which
g preserved to this day, bears the
James of one hundred and fifty
,ersons, the pioneer ancestors of
g many families, that to-day cover
sockbridge. and have gone far
way over the West and South. Mr.
'rown married Margaret, the
laughter of John Preston, one of the
ioneers of Thinking Spring, and the
atriarch of a distinguished family. |
If his daughters marriage Mr..
'reston is said to have remarked
hat Che thanked God he had a
Presbyterian minister connected 3
nth his family" There, you 9
athers in-law of the Presbyterian !
lergy, pause and reflect on the t
onor conferred on you
At the right of the pulpit there
J fixed in the wall marble tablet, {
living the succession of pastors,
18th the years of their ministry
ere, names remembered and
onored in the churches to this I
ay. Many ola stones, moss. d
rown and stained, are in the q
hurch-yard.
The Presbytery of Lexington 7
ill meet at Timber Ridge October .
9th and unite with the Rock \
ridge people in celebrating the
50th anniversary of the old !
hurch. 1t will be great day :
mong the descendants of as brave .
nd loyal fathers and mothers as i
lose great blue mountains ever r
ok down upon. II
Other churches have grown out a
the old stock. Buena Vista,
HIGH has longer roll than Timber