The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1917-05-25

7.
Interesting circumstances to. note that
Iamong the Elders OF this church in its
learly period, Mr. Alexander had three
sons who entered the ministry, Mr..
} McConnell, one son, Mr.. Curry, one
son, and Mr.. Joseph Mitchell, one son.
! All of these young men were sons OF
, Elders of this church.
1t is likewise fact worthy of COM
! Iment that this church has always beeu
, a warm advocate and supporter of for
eign missions. One Of the sons of Mr.
[ Alexander went as a missionary to the
Sandwich Islands in 1881, when the in
habitants were still savages and were
addicted to the practice of cannibal.
ism. So great was his work among
those people that in the year 1869,
thirty-eight years after Mr.. Alexander
went to the Sandwich Islands, it is
{ recorded that his church in those
, Islands contributed more to the cause
, of foreign missions than all of the
| churches in the Synod of Kentucky
/ combined, that year.
In the spring of 1872 Mrs. Annie
Edgar Randolph, member of this
church, went as missionary to
, China, and after having conducted
most successfully school for girls in
Hangchow, China, she removed to
Nagoya, Japan, in 1888, and for four
years she labored most efficiently and
successfully i'm the establishment OF
an institution for the education of Jap
, anese women, when, her health having
failed, after an absence of twenty
years, she returned to her native land.
To 10 n hQ MI
work that was accomplished by this
, devoted woman, while most interest
ing and instructive, would occupy
more time than we can command at
this time.
!, 1t is sometimes we'll for individuals,
,, churches and other organizations to
take a retrospect and to recall some
thing of their past, not only for the
purpose of understanding the condi-
: tions which exist at the time, but to
learn something of the influences and
the forces which have contributed to
the conditions at the time of such
retrospection. And so / would briefly
refer, in the history of this church, to
the character of those people who
came from Virginia to Kentucky at
time when Kentucky was an unbroken
still wilder men, roamed its vast for
ests.
From the valley of Virginia there
came these families: The Alexanders,
the Breckinridges, the Kenneys, the
Kerrs, the Cunninghams, the McCar-
neys, the McClintocks, the McKees.
the McDowells, the Lyles, the Irvines,
the Walkers, and the Wrights, who l
may say were really the founders and
pioneers. of Presbyterianism in Ken
lucky They we're Ct Scotch-Irish an
cestry, and doubt not that among
these early pioneers there may have
been some who had emigrated directly
from Ireland and Scotland to the valley
OF Virginia, and thence to Kentucky.
J 1t was of these people that Wash
ington is quoted as having said, dur
ing the darkest days of the Revolu-
ton, that if all his plans were crushed
and il he was left with but a single
standard, he would plant that stand
ard upon the Blue Ridge mountains, !
and with these mountains as barrier. |
, aided and supported by these loyal
patriots of the valley of Virginia, he
would found new republic in the |
West.
/ These families from the valley of |
Virginia were the descendants and the !
representatives to large extent, of |
the old Covenanters who. as an eve
dence OF their devotion TO their rel
ligion 5ad to preserve II in its purity, |
signed N their own s4ood what is |
known as the Solemn League and |
Covenant IN Grayfriars' Csssrchyard in
Edinburgh, Scotland.
About the same period Ifiist this en-
fgration frora the valley OF Virginia !
took lace, tbisre cane also rom the
Piedmont section or Virginia TO this |
section such ssuSifies as these: The
BreNts, the Buc{nsrs, the Betfords,
the CIays. the If8i9s, the Nichoiss, the
Rogers, the HaN IS the Todds, nices. Il
Todds and WoOdfGnGs. These families
we're largely dividsd, as best l can
ssarn, between the Presbyterians and
eae BaNfsts, the Baptist Church BENG
likewise pioneer church in Hem
tlssity, although preceded In this place
by the Presbyteriansi
Representatives OF these familfsSsl
from the valley of Virginia and froasa
the Piedutom section have been equal
LIZ sS prozHiuent as tksir Scotch-IriskI
both in the history of this
church and In the history OF the State
and the, nation, and have been identi-
fled I'M some way, or connected in
some way al members II this church
from Is very organization down to the
present time These families, togeth-
er with those from the 7alIey of Vir-
ginia, made the wilderness of Ken
lucky TO blossom and tIsom as the
rose.
Surely with such an ancestry, so de- |.
voted tm the principles of civil and re-
lfgious liberty, who have ever
been willing TO attest their devotion
and their love for their church and the
State, By enduring the greatest sacri-
fees and suffering, and have even laid
down their lives in atteststion of their
faith, there comes to US to-day, with
all the privileges and advantages of
III md rolf in