The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-05-18

ctous milk In the world. Tneh every
one wore home spun clothes. but thir-
'ty years had made wonderful changes
in their wants and their fashions.
The old SUN bonnet had served its
day and the young ancestress OF some
now living, according to Miss Fly.
fashioned her Sunday bonnet out OF
eating and ribbon and wire. fhink
Of 1t, this was the minister's wife,
guilty of such doings. But women
will be women, just as much In 1874
as In 1910. Think of q good woman
carrying her parasol to church In one
of the good old days and perststing in
holding II open above her head during
worship and the preacher descending
from the pulpit and quietly saving
to her: Let me put this down for
YOU" DIR. McElhenney had good
sense enough to make him equal to
any emergency. 1t L. questionable II
even the redeubtabie DR., MeElhenney
would be equal to the parasols and
umbrellas now worn on the heads OF
some of his hearers.
In those days the sounding board
WAS spread ON above the pulpit. the
gallery for the colored people was
reached by steps ascending from the
outside of the church. Around the
church was the graveyard where the
carnations OF the dead lie buried.
Pastor over HQAH lGht1Nts
In 1858 Dr. McElhenney preached
the sermon on his fiftietb anniver-
sary. He was then rs years of age.
AS the venerable white-haired patrt-
arch stood In the pulpit that day he
said: "On tomorrow at IL O'Clock II
will be fifty years since l preached
my first sermon in this house AFTER
-easHe-ta- take charge os-the- united
CONGREGATIONS of Lewisburg and Union.
Where In the audience to whom that
discourse was addressed? The most
of them have long since gone into eter-
nifty. There cannot be in this house
to-day more than three or four per-
sons who were present on that occa-
sion. There is now but one person
living In this place who was married
and living here in 1908. There is but
one couple In this congregation VINO
were married and living In II at that
time. At the date to which ! nave
referred there were eleven graves IN
the burying ground. and the greater
number of them were OF children. now
IL liz difficult to find room for another
grave. have attended the funerals OF
az many as eight members OF the
same family. There are comparatively
few families In this congregation
whose forefathers I have not followed
70 the grave. The simple fact that
have delivered this discourse is in
itself a high encomium on this con-
gregation. 1t shows firinness and sta
bility. not only on the part OF those
who now compose IL. bat also Of the
part of those who have composed II
for the last fifty years. In this day
there IL much anxiety for novelty IN
matters of religion, and such ten
dency to innovate on the good old ways
....fx at he NJ
ness of the people who have retained
the same pastor for fifty years, hut
1t shows also that they have h.en
tnoer the practical Influence of retiS-
ion; that the love OF God and desire
to- promote the interests of Cmists
kingdom have been The ruling infiu-
ences that have gurlea you Thai
have grown old IN the service OF our
common Master mas iitt been regarded
by you as "A reason for setering fela-
ton which we have sustained 80 iors,
have gratifying evidence that you
are ready to cheer lna IN what remains
of the down-hill of life by ycur re-
speet, your sympathy, and whatever
may be needful for my comfort
DIR. McElhenney died at the ripe age
of SIS years, having been for stxty-two
years the beloved pastor of the Lewis
burg church. IL was indeed COM
riimeut to both church and people.
work OF the Body.
IL is in this old church, under the
gentle influences Of the memory of this
man of God. that the General Assem-
bly, of the Southern Presbyterian
Church convenes. The Rev. DIR. W. T..
Boggs, secretary OF the committee ON
schools and colleges, win preach the
opening sermon. A new moderator
VIII then be elected. Probably the
first work will be the election of the
stated clerk to take the place OF DR..
Alexander, now dead. The General AS
sernhly should give this honor to a
member OF the Synod OF Virginia. that
IT may be represented among those
who hold the offices in the Assembly
The Rev Eugene Daniel, pastor of the
Lewisburg church, will be the host OF
the Assembly. II IL safe to say the
delegates viii be royalty entertained.
and the preachers and elders from the
far South should get some good. real
red blood into their veins as well as
some of the rich blue blood that the
air from the tops of the Aileghanies
and the limestone pastures win AFFORD
them.