The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-11
SYMBOLS COMING SESSION
is OF UNUSUAL INTEREST
Virginia Body Of Southern Presbyte-
rian Church Meets This Month
at Lynchburg.
LOSES PART OF TERRITORY
Portion VIII BE Transferred to New
Synod of West Virginia, Which
Will BE Organized at Lewisburg
on October 81.
Especial to The Times Dispatch. !

Especial to The Times Dispatch.l
LYNCHBURG. VA. October 1o.-The
coming session OF the Synod OF Vir.
ginia. of the Southern Presbyterian
Church. which will convene In the
First Presbyterian Church at Lynch
burg, on Tuesday evening. October 20.
and which will be the l26th an
nual session of that body, will be "a
session OF far more than usual inter-
est, especially In view OF the fact that
THIS VIII be the last meeting of the Sy-
nod of Virginia before a part of Its
territory is transferred i'm order that Il
new synod may be erected--the Synod
oil West Virginia.
The erection and organization of the
new synod Will take place on October
II. at Lewisburg, w. Va. in the Old
stone Church. During the session of
the Synod of Virginia of 1913. the spe-
cial committee appointed to consider
ara report upon certain ovcrtures ask
ing Tor the erection of a new synod to
be composed of the Presbyteries OF
Greenbrier. kanawha and Tygart's VAL
Icy unanimously recommended that
these overturcs he answered in the af-
hrmative and recommended further
That the synod of Virginia overture the
general assembly to erect this new sy-
hCd. This course was followed. and the
CITY In May of the present year an
swered the overture from the Synod of
Virginia in the affirmative and ordered
the erection of the new synod, to be
known as the Synod Of West Virginia,
at the time and place above named.
VIRGINIA IN FIRST PLACE
IN NUMBER OF MINISTER'S
The Synod of Virginia at present con-
tains In Its territory twelve presby-
terles. located In Virginia, West Vir-
glnia, Maryland and the District of CO.
lumbia. with total of 322 ministers.
9i' churches, and n church membership
ot o5,3lI. The transfer of three pres
byteries from this synod to the Synod
OF West Virginia will remove to the
new synod forty-three ministers. eigh.
tN-seven churches and S,644 members of
the church In the number of minis
ters ana members of the church the
synod OF Virginia is the strongest of
any OF the fourteen synods in the gen
eral assembly and when the Synod of
West Virginia has been erected, the Sy-
hod OF Virginia will continue to hold
hrst place In the number of ministers.
and 1t will come close second to the
Synod of North Carolina in point OF
strength of church membership, 4e.43s
being the number of church members in
the latter synod. Should as many as
5000 additions to the membership of
the church during the year just clos
ing be reported to the session of the
Synod of Virginia at Lynchburg. this
synod would continue to lead all or tba
synods OF the general assembly In point
or strength of church membership
me number of churches In the Synod
or Virginia at present is III; number
or elders. 1880: number OF deacons.
1885: number added to the church
Der added on certificate, 1,779; number
OF adults baptized. 1899: number of
Infants baptized, 1890 Total ENROLL
nent In Sunday schools. 565ls
The Synod of Virginia contributed
to the causes of the general assem-
missions. s92,665 to assembiy's home
missions. S2l.107 to local home mis-
sions. s59,S52: to Christian education
and ministerial relief. s47,5S0: to Sun
day-school extension and publication,
S13,5oT; TO Bible cause. s1.s97: to or
pastors. sa33,637; to incidental cx-
penses. s2S3,94S; to miscellaneous
causes. S54.975.
VIRGINIA SYNOD FIRST
TO ACT ON BIBLE CAUSE
Among the forward steps of special
Significance taken by the Synod of
Virginia in recent years was that of
last year by which the Bible cause
was ordered placed on the annual
docket; and II was ordered, further,
that specific time be set apart Mt
each annual session of the synod for
the consideration of this Important
branch of the work of the church.
This action was taken after the pre-
sentation of figures showing that last
year the amount given by the synod
TO the Bible cause was equal to only
Ia cents for each communicate and
equal to only $500 for each church
i'm the synod, and the further fact that
more than one-half of the churches of
the synod gave nothing for this cause
The Synod of Virginia is the first. or
is certainly among the first, of the
denominational bodies to take this ac-
ton regarding the Bible cause, as in
most instances the funds for this cause
are raised by voluntary contribution
only, with no obligation for special
amount resting upon pastors and
churches, and at the annual denomi-
national gatherings no special time
Is set apart for the consideration of
this cause. The action of the Synod
of Virginia in this connection will be-
come effective for the first time dur
ing the coming session of the synod.
Rev. Ernest Thompson. D. D., OF
Charleston. w. Va. is retiring moder-
ator of the synod of Virginia. and
Rev. James Power Smith, d. D., of
Richmond, is stated clerk.
INMATE NlIIInHu ntiII n,Mn