The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1921-12-14
CHURCHES OF BIG STONE CAP
By JULIET KNIGHT
Presbyterian Church

ssof the "boom" OF Big Stone Gap,
sls9O. Rev. Jno. e. Wool, II
s;natiye of Petersburg, Va, was
ysthe first pastor of the congrega-
:Stion. First Presbyterian minis
Ster to preach in the Gap was
sRev. Isaac S. Anderson, D. d.. +,
Spow of Rose Hill, Va. 1t is an
Interesting historical fact to note
/ that the Rev. Anderson, the first
white baby to be born in the city
\ of Bristol, Tenn, came to the
Duff home at the head of Wallen
Creek in Lee county, in the
spring of 1877, and during that
summer he rode horseback acsoss
Powell's Mountain ana up the
Wild Cat Valley to the present.
site of Big Stone Gap, and
preached his first sermon in this
section under the large beach
tree on Imboden Hill, which still
stands in the yard of Mr.. j. ii.
Mathews. DR.. Anderson also
preached at the Seminary in
Turkey Cove regularly beginning
in the summer OF 1877. He re-
turned to his headquarters on
Wallen Creek via Pennington
Gap, Rose Hill and Jonesville,
preaching all through Lee coun
iy. lie now lives at Rose Hill,
and has been IN continuous ser
vice in the ministry of the Pres
byterian church in Lee, Wise and
Scott counties for the past forty
four years.
Mr.. William McElwee was for
many years the leading layman
in The congregation, and superin-
tendent in the Sunday school.
A vacant store building which
stood on the corner where Hisel's
Meat Market is now located was
fitted out for preaching and Sun
day school when the latter moved
TO Lexington, Va.
Rev. James Smith was assigned
to tins church at the request of
the congregation, by the Presby-
terry of Abingdon, June 1912.
For several years services were
in Christ Episcopal
church through the Kindness of
the officers Of that church.
The present church building is
the first one that the congrega-
ton erected. 1t was dedicated
June I, 1914. The manse was
erected in 1910. The church
conducts one Sunday school in
the town church and one in the
Big Spring church in Powell's
Mr.. w. j. Smith is the
superintendent of the town school
and Mr.. A. X. Gordon is the
superintendent of The Big Spring
school. The church assists eight
in maintaining
preaching services at regular
times. The church owns and
three automobiles for
Christian work exclusively. The
church supports four native
preachers in the Presbyterian
Mission in the Belgian Congo,
Africa.
The Woman's Auxiliary is
taking an active part in the work
of the church. 1t is well organ
lied with three circles. Mrs. j.
D. Rogers is president. Miss
Kate Guthrie is the leader of the
young peoples work. She has
oversight of five Christian En-
deavor societies, teaches in two
Sunday schools, has charge Of the
course in Bible Study in the Lew
iscot Presbyterian school in Hoot
Owl Hollow, and does relief work
among the needy and sick throu-
out large area in this section.
The Christian Endeavor society
is doing wonderful work. They
meet in the church every Sunday
evening. j. z. Wolfe, Jr., is
president with forty-two mem
bers on roll.
The Appalachian church which
was organized November 7, 1920,
is n T. pracanf ora,,naJ u,;fh tbn