The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-10-29
PRESBYTERIAN
CENTENNIAL
Mr.. hOwiSOn, DR.. Smith. DR.. Dur
away and Mr.. ROsebrO Speak.
MANY CONGRATULATIONS RECEIVED

very large congregation filled the
Presty teFi1n church Tuesday night AZ
the centennial C. Iteration aud the occa-
sion proved most delightful. II Wa
especially a treat 20 the Older members
oil thr church add citizens of the town
whose memories carried them back to
the old days prior e. the Civn War. aud
40 the times that tritd m+n's slul- curing
aud Immediately after that -,ason Of
conflict and lesolation.
The pastor Rev. J II llend- Rite. pre-
sided aud led the congregati n Ia the
opening prayer I'm the words If the S4th
tsa'm. hHvid'- beAu'i'ul hymn of praise
Tor the earthly cOurt- &c the i.uid aud
H. c'v"'i Rutsd presence. The choir iol.
lowed Win Palmer's line auths "a. "Fath-
or, Oh Hear 4"
Alter some words OF welcome by the
pastoe - the people 81 the town. the
paste r and ne niher- of the local churches
and the visitors who are here L. pb rtici-
pate m ia c i"bratipn, a sketch 81 the
church ffOm he time Of it's Org lnization
70 the prr-rnt was read by Dr. = q
howisOn. the clerk oi session 81 the
church Very many int sre-ting f,cts IN
the church's history were ,kifully
brought out e, Mr.. HOwison cOuc,rn-
Ing the conditions existing in Fredericks
burg one hun dred years ago. AT tho time
= IN Rev S.muvl h. Wilson. the fuuud-
or of the chuich. c4iue into these parts.
and Ia connection With the subs. quent
He ind works ui the church Among
the names read OF former officers and
members ~ tie churchinits ear iest days
are many well known aud hOnOred t.
day, those who have taken veIy i'm
pOrtent part in the history of the town.
The next speaker was the Rev James
Power Smith. ID ID, who was pastor o.
the church for twenty-five years. b.
reason OF his loving pastoral DIR. Smith
is peculiarly fitted to his them Per
soual "reminiscences OF the Church, and
made IA bright and interest ~ tslk His
characterization Of the former pastors
Drs. Wilson. McPhail, Hodge and Gilner,
was specially happy. There nre some
who cah remember DR.. McPbt -. pastor
from 1912 to 1854. DIR. Hodge wa the
son of Princeton's seat thsoloG .Cp.
Charles Hodge. and afterwards succeeded
his father ~ professor OF theology in
that institution. He was scholar Of
large attainments and his Outlines OF
TheOlogy" have N used a. "a xt book
in many institutions IN this and other
countries. Mr.. Giimer was pastor from
1896 TO the time OF his sudden death IN
1863, and did a great work and was
greatly beloved. He was the son Of Gov
Gilmer. The eloquent DR.. Beverley Tuck
or Lacy was IN charge Of the church from
| 1861 until he ent red the Southern army
as chaplain
Dr. Smith recalled the great sermons
that had been preached snt special
meetings held 10y distinguished ministers
OF the Presby terrain church; Stuart Rob
I a.. I N "a
John Holt Rice. X. Z. Kerr, aud many
Others.
After hymn had been sung by tn.
congregation, the Rev. Thos. :. DON
away, ID. d., wasintroduced a. the best
known and most hOnored citiz n 81 Fred
ericksburg' Dr. DunaWay brought
| words OF greeting and congratulations
from the ministers and churches oi th.
city. This venerable father spoke with
remarkable force and yigor for one OF bis
advanced age and bodily 'nirmity, and
bis words were benediction upon the
congregation, as he lovingly referred 10
the former pastors Of the church with
whom he had been associated Messrs
Gilmer, Smith, Saunders. Mebane and
RosebrC-and whom he had loved o.
brothers. DR.. Dunaway clored with
eloquent words of Rppry citation Of the
| MOtk vi Tue lfNUN AtTlfAu flilftn ana lis
splendid opportunity Tor future service
Two former pastors, Rev b. W
Mebane. now Of North Carolina, and DR.
j. W RosebrO, professor Of theology in
the South western Presby terrain Univer.
sity at GAINESVILLE, Tenn, were unable 20
be present and participate in the exer-
cises. The Rev. Jno Il Rosebro, acting
president of the Frederick sburg College,
made "a short and pleasing talk on the
college and Its relation To the church.
! This school, which has done such a good
work In this town and this section Of the
State. was founded In connection with
the Prosby teri0n church, though now
having no official relation thereto, aud
Mr. ROsebro spoke OF the good service
rendered by the Fredcrlcs sburg Presby-
terrain church. as well as by the other
churches OF tue town, to the college.
Before the close Of the exercises Rev. j.
n. Henderlite, the pastor, ackno wledged
| the receipt of numerous letters OF con-
graduation and good wishes from friends
OF the church. The Mayor OF the city,
Fredericksburg Lodge No. 1, A. F. & A.
N; President W. W. Moore, OF Union
Theological Seminary; DR.. J. Calvin
Stewart, al Richmond. and from chill
dren aud grandchildren Of the church
who are now in the ministry. Among
these latter are Rev Thornton Wilson,
OF the Central Presbyterian; Dr. +. T..
Wexford, Newport News; DR.. Il B. Grin
nan, OF Hendersonv'lle. n. C; DR.. J..
Horace Lacy. Of Winchester; Rev. Gas
ton Boyle, Rev. JAS. =. Smith. Jr,
Herndon, Va. aud Rev. VIM. T. Camp.
bell. OF Richmond.
After the singing oiDr. Dwight's grand
old hymn, 81 Love Thy Kingdom.
Lord" the benediction was pronounced
by the Rev. Calvin X. Cumming, OF
Japan.