Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-08-14
Presbyterians Gathered Monday st
Wilson's Springs

az Wilson's Springs last Monday.
August 18th, the occasion being a
conference held under the auspices
OF the Presbyterian Minister'S As.
ISOLATION ct Rockbridge with special
reference to the influence of elders
and deacons in church work.
Notwithstanding the dear ladies'
declared Monday to be ''wash-day"
in the family. a choice number of
them were present to illustrate the
TACT that the church cannot get
along without them.
Two sessions of the conference
were held, participated in by Pres
byterians and Associate Reformed
Presbyterians of Rockbridge, one
held in the morning on the east
side OF the lawn in the shadow of
the cabins, converting at 10
o'clock and closing for dinner at
about 1890. At this meeting the
principal speaker was our new Col
lege president, DIR. Henry Louis
Smith OF Washington and Lee Uni.
versity, and the subject assigned
him was, The Eldership in the
Spirituality OF the Church." l am
sure all present were enthused with
the manner in which be handled his
subject, and the universal wish was
that we would like to hear more
from him on this subject or any
other he might chose to speak Oh.
The profound silence with which he
was heard should be gratifying and
complimentary to any man. He GER
tainly maintained his reputation of
being one OF the best speakers
among the laymen of the Southern
Presbyterian Church, and put us
under the obligation OF expecting
great things from him in his new
position.
The impromptu choir was all tina,
could be desired, and in leaving we
telt that we shall not soon forget
the songs or the singers.
lnterspersed among the proceed
lngs were prayers by pastors and
elders and the songs of the sweetest
singers OF the ages.
At 2 p. M, when the conference
res ssembled, the scene was shifted
10 the west side OF the lawn, under
,he magnificent oak, under whose
shadows doubtless were spoken
ifty years ago the words that
olighted many couple present.
After the preliminary devotional
DR.. Jas. Lewis Howe OF
and Lee University.
vas presented to speak on the as
signed subject, How can the AS.
Plan Utilize the Elder and
DeaconP" l am not good enough
Presbyterian to tell you what the
'lan is. The speaker made one
hing plain: it had to do with the
finances of the church. and that
We we're all very remiss in putting
Up our equivalent. He made a good |
ugges ton, that we change the |
'hraseolcgy and call it making an
'ffering in place of taking a collec-
ION. After DR.. Howe had conclud-
ID his most admirable address, the
'arious deacons representing the
nany churches present were called
n for their varied experiences, and |
nany responded, giving us all they
new and probs bly, something they
id not know. I hope they did not
reate the impression that the diaco-
ate was the most important branch
I the church, that the ministers
nd elders we're not in it, but they
'ere 1T"
Among the laymen to respond
'ere Messls. ]. Med. Adair, j. w.
lcClung, w. p. Irwin, Prof. D. C.
humphreys and Col. w. T. Poague of
One OF the most pleasant impress
ions left on US was the manner
18th which Dr-Emmett w, McCor-
lie presided over the deliberations
the meeting. The tact he dis
layed in getting out the best each
peaker had in him and from the
umber of questions be asked we