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January 13, igog. T] VIRGINIA. Collierstown: The Sunday School of (his church, had an enjoyable entertainment on Wednesday afternoon, December 30, marking the beginning of the work of their genial new pastor. Rev. G. B. Hanrahan. There was a pleasant program of exercises, a Christmas tree and unlimited Christmas bounty of good things. Elder Harry L. Morrison is superintendent of the school. Newport News: The series of evening sermons which were delivered during the fall months and closed December 27, were very largely attended. The evening congregation was frequently miirh lnrcpr than tho mnmlnc A* tVio earnest request of many members of the church another series was arranged and the first sermon delivered Sunday night, January 3. A large audience was present in the morning but a much larger at night. The gen ral subject ot this series is "The Footprints of God Upon the Highways of the Nations." Second Church: Rev. Dr. J. E. Thacker entered Sunday upon the tenth *year of his pastorate with the Second Presbyterian church and the services were highly appropriate to the occasion. The reports of the nine years' work of the pastor showed a marvelous growth along all lines of Christian endeavor and evidence the lovaltv of the church to tneir pastor. The total amount raised during this period is $87,000. Total number of members received into the church during the nine years, 424, while there are on the roll only 427. In addition to the regular work at the Second church the congregation conducts a Chinese Sunday school in the afternoon, also a Sunday school at the Fair grounds, a preaching service there at 3 p. m. Sundays and a prayer meeting every Thursday at 8 p. m. at the same place. This church has a representative in both the foreign and home mission fields and also provides for the support of a number, of children in the State Presbyterian Orphans' Home. This wonderful advance in the work of the Second Presbyterian church is due in a large measure to the earnest zeal and indefatigable labors of Dr. Thacker, who is "instant in season, out of season." The Charlottesville Presbyterian Sunday school celebrated Christmas in a unique and enjoyable way. They determined to make Christmas an occasion for giving rather than for receiving. A service was held Sunday afternoon, December 27. After the exercises of worship. an important part of which consisted of singing and Scripture recitation by the school, an offering was made for the Synodical Orphanage at Lynchburg. Each class brought its contribution of good things for the orphans. These gifts filled two large boxes and a barrel, beside an amount of money. After llnnlkn. *1 - auiig, me seiioui inaue an offering in money to purchase a steel boat icr the Samuel N. Lapsley Mlssion' ary boat on the Congo River in Africa. This school had helped to build the first Lapsley boat, and then again to build the second Lapsley. Mr. Vass' letter in The Missionary, telling of the great need of a smaller boat to attend the l^apsley, got hold on the heart of the Sunday school, and they resolved to do what they could to provide the boat. Dr. 3E PRESBYTERIAN OF THE SOUT Chester wrote, in answer to inquiry, that the boat would cost, in its make and its transportation, about six hundred dollars. The Sunday school offering was seventy-seven dollars and fifty-two cents. Tazewell: We make an extract from a pastoral letter of this cnarge of New Year's day, which is go: d leaning for all. Only by united efforts can we successfully advance the Master's cause. The hands of one held baca will retard the work. While it is true, that under the leadership of the determined Nehemiah, the ruined wall around Jerusalem was restored, yet much of the credit for the success of the enterprise was due to those who willinelv follnwpil htm "Tho people had a mind to work." They said. "Let us rise up and build." "Every one wrought in the work." It is what you yourself consider the weak points in our church that I want you to use your abilities in correcting. More people should attend the preached word. But the pew as well as the pulpit must draw. "Count on your pastor's abilities as his chance; count on his inabilities as your chance." Does the Sunday school lag? That is your chance. Is the prayer meeting dull? 'mat is your chance. Is there apparent lack of sympathy among the brethren? Is there need of more house-to-house visitation? Is there need of more personal work? Whatever you see in our ehurcn that needs to be remedied gives you a blessed opportunity for personal effort. With God's help we have made some progress in church work; but the future beckons us to heights not yet attained, to victories not yet achieved. May this year witness larger and better results in our church life. The past is the earnest of what we may accomplish during the coming year. "The best is yet to be." "And the very God of peace sanctiiy you wnouy; ana l pray Uod your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." I am affectionately, your pastor, S. O. Hall. Richmond: The evangelistic campaign, under the direction of Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman and Mr. Chas. Alexander, began on Wednesday night, January 6. Ministers and people of sixty-seven churches in the city and vicinity have united heartily and the campaign is thoroughly well organized. On the first night Dr. Chapman preached to an assembly of about 5,000 in the City Auditorium, and simultaneous meetings were held in six targe churches, and all were filled. Thursday and Friday mornings Dr. Chapman preached to full houses in the Centeneray Methodist church, in the center of the city. All the Protestant ministers, including the Episcopal rectors of the city, were active in the work of this meeting. It is hoped a great blessing will come upon all the peQple. Certainly the brotherly love and affiliation is iiself a blessing. Bay View: The occupants of Holmes church manse desire, through your columns, to express their appreciation for the many acts of kindness shown them by the members of the congregation since (heir arrival here last June. They were also most generously remembered at the Christmas season. Among the gifts received was a handsome broadcloth suit for the pastor and many good things for the "inner man." The New Year was :h. 23 ushered in by the congregation giving us a surprise party. Almost every family in the congregation was represented. The older people of this church and the young people all came and overflowed the manse. All spent a jolly, happy evening together, and they left the pantry well stocked for days to come. The New Year also opened brightly for the work of the church, as we had the pleasure cf receiving two of our young people into the communion of the church. And there are others who expect to unite with us in the near future. W. C. F. WEST VIRGINIA. Lewisburg: The Week of Prayer was observed by the churches in a joint meeting in the Methodist Enisconal church. South, Dr. Daniel, Dr. M. L. Lacy and Dr. R. L. Telford are taking their part in the preaching. Charleston: The Bream Memorial church of this city, Rev. Chas. F. Myers, pastor, publishes a montnly paper called "The Covenanter." The church is now well organized, with a Sunday school of four hundred and fifty or more, a Covenanter Band of fifty-five, an effective ijrotherhood, a Indies' Aid Society, a Indies' Missionary Society and a Girls' Society. The congregation has so grown that steps have been taken to enlarge the church building. In December there was an addition of fifty-six members. This church and its great work are the outgrowth of a mission begun twentyfive years ago, by the Rev. Dr. J. C. Barr of the First Presbyterian church of this city. PERSONALS. Rev. J. Walter Cobb changes his street address from 1872 Chester to 2420 Izard Street, Little Rock, Ark. Rev. T. P. Cleveland changes his address from Atlanta, Ga., to Roswell, Ga. Dr. Grenfell delivered at Princeton last week a course of lectures on missions and went thence to the University of Virginia and Johns Hopkins at Baltimore. The doors of the colleges as well as of the churches ar? swin?Hnor " IUOIJ for him. His new book, "A Man and His Faith," is this week published by the' Pilgrim Press. President H. L. Smith delivered an address in Charlotte on Sunday, January 10, before the Y. M. C. A. of the city, and on Friday, January 15, he is to lecture at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Mrs. Thos. E. Peck, we learn, has sustained serious injury from a fall at the ? home of her son-in-law, Dr. Alexander Sprunt, in Charleston, S. C., She is the widow of Dr. Peck, so widely known and highly esteemed as Professor of Church History in Union Seminary for many years. There is little hope of her recovery from this accident as she has now reached the age of eighty-nine. Mrs. Ponlr Koo ? wU* ? -- * * .iao a. muc ai-t|uaiuiaiice ana a nost of friends in different parts of the South. The Address of Rev. Dr. Alfred Jones is changed from Fredericksburg, Va., to Montgomery, W. Va. His family will continue to reside for the present at Fredericksburg.