Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-05-13
New Monmouth Session Reports
on Spiritual Condition

on Spiritual Condition
The following report on tn
spiritual condition of the churcl
was read to the congregation o
New Monmouth Presbyterian
church, Rockbridge county, at tn
Roll Call" services held Sunday
May 10th, 1908:
Dearly Beloved Brethren of tn
Lord.
As your servants 1t has been GU
privilege to labor with and foI
you in the upbuilding of thu
Kingdom of Christ in this com
munity. Today we stand upor
the walls of Zion and looking
about. see much to encourage vi
as a church. These things we de-
sire to bring before you for your
comfort. Nor do we fail to note
with sorrow much that is moi
what we would desire, and these
things we would call to your at.
tention that by timely warning
and admonition we may stir you
up to renewed zeal and added
achievements in the Lords work.
l. We are profoundly CRATE
full for the long and faithful pas
torate OF our beloved minister, DR..
d. A. Penick, which has so recent
ly come to an end. His presence
with us still is constant blessing
and benediction. This gathering
today is In peculiar sense a
"Harvest Home" for his labors.
2. We note with gratitude that
we have 261 communicates on our
roll and, as a promise and hope
for the future, 81 baptized chill
dren of the covenant in our homes.
We have s elders in the Session
and 5 deacons in charge Of the
temporal affairs of the church.
8. Our Sabbath schools are an
other reason for profound graft
tude to our Heavenly Father. They
are three in number. At the home
church we have row on the roll
16 teachers and 1876 scholars, with
an average attendance of IL teach
ers and 100 scholars. This school
has just been added to the list of
evergreen schools, and proposes
now to continue it's sessions all
the year. Recently large Adult
Bible Class has been organized
with our pastor as teacher, ant
the establishment of Cradle Roll
and a Home Department will fol
low IN the near future.
The school at Union has been III
operation since before the Civil
War. 1t is just beginning its sum-
mer sessions under most encOrrag-
ing circumstances. The school at
Chestnut Grove has been bless
ing to that neighborhood for over
80 years, and will in a short time
resume it's work for the summer.
We feel that none of these
school has yet rec ched the limit OF
its usefulness, and We affectionate-
ly urge upon our people more yea
and interest in this great depart
ment OF Christian activity. The
ideal we would set before our
chuch is to have every memb Der of
every family in our congregation
enrolled and at work either as
teacher or scholar in the Sabbath
school.
4. The Young Peoples Society
of Christian Endeayor is a recent
development of great promise and
we see the results of she
training thus secured by our young
people. The young men are be-
ginning to lead in public prayer
and in other ways to taBe an active
part in the work of the church.
5. To large extent the ladies
ant children of our church are
enrolled and at work In the several !
missionary societies, which are &C
great things for the !
Master and deserve the highest t
Under the efficient d
leadership of Mrs. NJ, A. Morrison t
these societies are planning more '
work for the Lord in the days to
core. '
Rev. Jas. H. McCOwn is tine re. c
preventative Of both the Laymen's a
and Forward Movements in our t
congregation, and both Of these t
departments of effort show evil
lence of the faithful work he is h
giving. C
In conclusion we would earnestly
,nd affectionately urge the heads
If families in our congregation to
,rect and maintain a family altar
n each home. We have noted with
orrow the growing indifference to e
his great means of gracein our Z
and cannot too d
trongly urge Improvement in this "
natter. y v
We would call attention to the W
Ieglect on the part Of some to pre- VI
ent their children to the Lord in N
'aptism, and trust that an early "a
opportunity will be taken to bring SC
II the children of our church into ~
ovenant relations with the Lord, fr
When Ellen Ri. Stone. an Amer 70
,an missionary in Turkey, was de
aptured by brigands in Septem-
or. 1901, people in all walks of in