Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1908-02-14
AN EARNEST CALL

The statement is made i'm your pa
per of last week, that Rev. Geo.
Stuart will be here early in next
month TO lecture. The particulars,
as TO nature of the lecture, object,
etc, are not given.
1t will be recalled that about Is
years ago, if my memory serves me
correctly, this gentleman was here i'm
great revival meeting, held i'm the
Methodist church. A large number
of people, old and young, made pro-
feSsions of religion, and united with
the churches of the town. That year
WAS a year of reViVals i'm the town.
Mr.. NJ. B. Williams. was also here,
with his tent, pitched on the lot now
partially occupied by the District
parsonage, at the head of Tmewell
avenue. These were greas meetings,
and moved the town, and commune
ty for miles around. The churches of
the town all had pastors-Strong
men, who preached To large congrega-
tions. Vance Price ut the Methodist,
Mr.. Simmons, at the Baptist, Mr..
Dogget, ut the Presbyterian, Mr..
Ferguson, ut the Christian, and Mr..
Savage, at the Episcopal church. All
these men were scholarly and enthuS-
iastic, andhad good congregations, and
the churcheSit seems 10 ne were more
Jealous than now. At that time the
churches, all of them, were stronger
than they are now, perhaps one or
two excepted. The older members
have dropped out by death or re-
mONal (sOme have backslid), and
their sons haven't come forward to
fill their places. n glance around on
any ordinary Sunday service dis !
covers wOeful and sad lack of
members in the Amen" corners. !
Some Of the leading families i'm the |
churches of twenty years ago are al
most entirely missing, and il looks |
now rs If they would become entire !
ly extinct. The parents are dead, or
disabled by age, the children are
taking little or no interest i'm the J
churches of their fathers. MANY of
them nave moved away, and the
congregations of today are made up
OF people we Older folks do not
know.
The churches need sadly another
great revival. The Episcopal and
Baptist churches are without pastors,
and have been for n long time. The
Christian church has dropped down
10 one Sunday month-occasionaI
ly, and ii is common talk that the
churches generally are living ut n
poor dying rate. - Now, why not
get Mr.. Stuart To remain after his
lecture and conduct Il revival?
The town does not need specially.
lecture, however interesting il NAV
be. The Methodist church does not
generally need Il lecture, unless il be
OF certain kind. We all need lectur-
ing, but not the kind usually given
on such occasions so much as we do
few earnest burning, arousing ser
mons. Would il not be Il good thing
Tor all the churches To have Mr..
Stuart return, after nearly 20 years,
and stir this town and community
into large religious life? The
churches would all unite. of course,
In the work. Our resident pastors,
could perhaps, do the work them
selVes-they say not-but they seem
SLOW 10 undertake il. We of the pew
can make no excuse for our cold, in
active inefficient lives-only state
Facts and express desires. What do
the pastors think of this suggestion?
This writer knows that the senti-
ments and wishes of large portion
OF the members of the different
chuches are expressed in this sugges
ton.
Tazewell, Va, Feb. II.