The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-28

with the organization OF class OF
seventeen members. Rev. James r.
Armstrong organized this class In tho
Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Clack
G. Campbell. q local preacher. was ap-
pointed class leader. The community
In which the church in which this class
was organized was known as "Old
! Lick" and In 1886 Big Lick" Circuit
was organized. with fvo appointments
rho first pastor appointed to this cir
cult wns Rev I. ". Cantor. and Rey.
J. S. Gardner was the hest presiding
elder. The salary OF tho pastor was
fixed at $c25, and that of tho presiding
| elder at $40, and neither was paid IN
full
The first Sunday school on this cir
cult consisted of six teachers and
nfty-eiEht scholars. When the re-
port OF tho circuit was submitted to
the conference a tho close 81 the hrst
year. nothing had been contributed to
missions and nothing to any other be.
nevolent cause. Tho name Roanoke
Circuit was not adopted until the year
1873 and ton years later the Big Lick
appointment became station a neat
frame chapel had been erected which
would scat ESQ people. this having re-
placed the small wooden building in
which the congregation worshiped Tor
several years.
me baltimore conference met in
Salem In 1885, and Rev l.. r Greene
was appointed to Roanoke station. tho
city having been chartered in 1884
The membe rship OF the church had
grown so rapidly that a larger church
became a necessity. and the founda-
ton OF the new building was laid in
1855, Rev. ]. II. Boyd being pastor.
Mr.. Greene having died tho year be-
fore, after having been Instrumental
hA mt
the new church. The new church was
erected At Il cost of $4,000 and was
called Greene Memorial in honor o,
the first pastor.
This building was located at the
corner of Campbell Avenue and Roa-
hoke street, After Il few years this
church building was exchanged for
that OF the congregation of the l,uth-
Gran Church. tho latter being a costly
stone cdlce on the corner of Church
Avenue and Commerce Street and
that became the home of the mother
Church of Methodism in Roanoke.
Rev. Samuel I. Senter is the present
pastor OF this church. and the mem
bership now is about LOO. The
church owns a handsome parsonage
valued at $500 and pays a salary of
s2,5oo to the pastor.
Trinity Church and Grace Church
were organized as independent pas
toral charges at the same time by |
m embers of Greene Memorial Church.
Both are now churches OF strong mem |
bership
little later few members of
Greene Memorial became the char ter |!
members of Belmont Church, the seat |
Of tho present session OF the confer |
cncc. The handsome church building, |
OF light brick, is located at the corner |
of Jamison Avenue and Ninth Street.
Rev. ]. II. Bean has been the pastor |
OF this church for the past four !
years. The present church building |
was erected during his rastorate, and |
under his leadership this congreGa-
ton has experienced marked develop |
ment.
The other Methodist churches Of |
Roanoke and suburbs ane st. James, |
West End and MI Olivet
The church at Salem and that az
vinton are included also In the Roa
noke family, although the history of !
these two churches covers more than !
n century Tho membership OF both |
churches Is strong, and the men and |
women who constitute tho same are |
among the best.