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4 THE PRESBYTERIAI
THE SYNOD OF VIRGINIA.
In its one hundred and twenty-second session the
Synod of Virginia, on Thursday night, October 14,
T909, met in the Davis Memorial Church, Elkins, West
Virginia. Quite remote from the center of the terri
tory, and somewhat circuitous in its routes of access,
it was to be expected that the atetndance would not
he full, but one hundred and twenty were enrolled,
and do not regret their coming to this new city in
Tygart Valley in the mountains of the northwest of
Virginia. But it is not farthest point reached by the
Synod, for in the year 1800 the Synod, then including
old Redbone Presbytery in its bounds, met in the
town of Washington, Pennsylvania, and the fathers
must have gone on horseback far over the Allcghanies,
and across the Monongahela Valley.
The opening sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr.
j\. m. Eraser, ot Staunton, Va., by request of the
Moderator, Rev. J. E. Booker. The Rev. Dr. George
L. Petrie, of Charlottesville, was elected Moderator,
and the clerks were the Rev. J. B. Massev and the
Rev. T. YV. Hooper, Jr.
The institutions having relations to the Synod were
ably and fully presented. Union Theological Seminary
by the President, Dr. W. W. Moore, and the
Field Agent, Rev. R. F. Kirkpatrick; Hampden-Sydney
College by the President, Rev. H. Tucker Graham
; the Assembly's Home and School by the Rev.
J. H. Henderlite, of Fredericksburg, and the Synod's
Home for Orphans at Lynchburg by the Superintendent,
Dr. R. H. Fleming. All are dong good work for
the Lord and His cause and people, and all were com
mended to the sympathy and cordial support of our
churches and people.
The Assembly's Executive Committees were represented
by their secretaries, and were given a good
hearing by the large assemblies. The Rev. H. H.
Sweets spoke for Ministerial Education and Ministerial
Relief; the Rev. Dr. Wm. E. Boggs for the new
Committee on Schools and Colleges; the Rev. J. O.
Reavis for Foreign Missions, and Rev. J. G. Snedecor
for the Evangelization of the Colored People. One
evening was given to an address of great power and
earnestness by former Governor Glenn, of North Carolina,
in behalf of Missions in the Home Field. His
subject was the perils that confront our civilization
and the character of our people, naming especially the
desecration of the Sabbath, the wickedness of great
cities, and thp Hpstrnrtinn foitli J^? ?Vin 13.'Kt? T'U^
, ~ r?w?a V* 1U1 Lit Alt kllV. JJlUIt. X IIC:
Synod responded in a strong paper commending the
work of Governor Glenn.
Sermons by the Moderator, Dr. Petrie, by Dr. Kirk,
of Baltimore, Dr. W. W. Moore, of Union Seminary,
and by Dr. Ernest Thompson, of Charleston, West
Virginia, were heard by large congregations, and were
impressive and profitable. The communion service on
Sunday night was conducted by the Rev. C. S. Lingamfelter,
the former pastor, assisted by Dr. A. C.
Hopkins, and was marked by brevity and simplicity.
There were appropriate addresses on the Bible cause
by the Rev. M. B. Porter, and the Laymen's Movement
by Mr. Ostrom and Mr. R. M. Friend. Twelve
or more churches in a wide radius from Elkins were
supplied on the Sabbath, and the day being fair, large
congregations heard the message of the Gospel from
i OF THE SOUTH. October 27, 1?G9.
ministers of the Synod. On Saturday afternoon a very
handsome reception was given to members of the
Synod, the ladies with them and the congregation, at
the mansion of Senator Elkins, and the social entertainment
was greatly enjoyed.
The Synod adjourned on Monday night, October 18,
after a very interesting and pleasant meeting. At
the closing service memorials were read of two bretb
ren, Dr. George W. Finley and the Rev. John Ruff,
who have passed away during the year part.
Next year the Synod of Virginia will meet in Charlottesville.
Virginia. The last meeting there was in
1883.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE
LIQUOR TRADE.
A strong, movement is on foot, at this present tiiue,
to secure a change in the laws of the United States
in reference to the interstate sale and delivery of intoxicants.
The Federal Government is nullifying the
laws of the several States in a way that is utterly inexcusable.
An illustration is found at Chattanooga, on the bor
der between Georgia and Tennessee. Both States
have prohibited the sale of liquors as a beverage. But
the sale is going on, none the less, at this point under
the patronage of Interstate Commerce. The dealer
in Chattanooga sells his liquors to some one who is
to receive them at Chickamauga, or some other point
just a few miles across the Georgia line. It is then
interstate commerce and the officials of Georgia, under
the decisions of the United States courts are powerless
to restrain it. Then the recipient takes the same
liquors and carries them back to the real purchasers
in Chattanooga. Under this color of law prohibition
is nullified.
At the present there is a bill in the United States
Senate providing that immediately on the arrival of
any intoxicant within the bounds of anv \t shall
become subject to the laws of that State, and that it
may not be sold or delivered in violaion of such law.
Also that when the laws of any State forbid the dealing
in intoxicants, the Federal Government shall not
give encouragement to such sales by issuing a Federal
license.
The bill is exactly just in its purport. We feel
that it is only right that one branch of our government
should fully sustain every other branch. It
can not be right for the one authority to weaken
the hands of the other.
This bill will come up for consideration in the approaching
session of Congress. It is well for every
citizen to bethink himself what he can do to promote
the passage of a law which will put a stop to these
violations of our prohibitory enactments.
It is an "old story," which we have heard many a
time, arid ever since we were a child, but it comes
again: A most intelligent, earnest and charitable "layman"
said to us the other day, speaking of his preacher,
"Oh, how I do wish some one would endow a chair
in each of the Seminaries to teach the ministers how
to read!" His pastor's reading of the Scriptures and /
the hymns troubled him greatly. /