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VOL. III. RICHMOND,
THE SYNi
WHEF
The first Presbytery in America was the
Presbytery of Philadelphia, organized in 1705,
which grew into the Synod of Philadelphia in
1716. This became the Synod of New York
anu l'miacieipma 111 no?, and in lifciy tins single
Synod was cut into four Synods, and these
constituted our first General Assembly in the
United States. The Synod of New York and
Philadelphia organized the Presbytery of
Transylvania in 178G. In the beginning this
Presbytery embraced all the district of Kentucky,
including the Cumberland river set
ltements, with a large country, extending
through what are now the States of Tennessee
and Mississippi, and then subsequently
reaching north into Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois. Churches and congregations
grew rapidly; and its ministers soon increased
to the number of 26, belonging now
to the Synod of Virginia. In 1802 the Presbytery
was divided into three Presbyteries,
Transylvania, West Lexington and Washington.
and thus makiner the Svnod of Ken
tueky. The new Synod had on its rolls the
names of 37 ministers. The first meeting
was held in Lexington and was presided
over by the Rev. David Rice. The most
memorable and important act of this Synod
was the erection of a new Presbytery to be
known as Cumberland Presbytery. For
"grave and sufficient, reasons" in 1806 this
action was revoked, dissolving the Presbytery.
The Synod has met in Lexington
eighteen times, in Danville sixteen times, in
Louisville eight times. Twice it met in
Nashville, Tennessee. Twenty ex-Moderators
are still living, ?he oldest h rhe Rev
Robert L. Breck, D. D., LL. D., now of California
wlin was Mnflaratnr 111 1 Thi>
Synod now lias on its rolls one hundred and
fifteen ministers, of whom eighty-one are
pastors, nine are fort ign missionaries, five
are teachers, eight are evangelists, five are
secretaries, one an editor and six without
charge. The Synod has one hundred and
seventy-nine churches, and last year received
on profession of faith into the Church
-p-v eight hundred and eighty-seven persons, and
six hundred and seventy-three by letter. The
9>lO I total membership of the Church in the Synod
""PHOS' *s twenty thousand seven hundred and ninety.
The churches of the Synod contributed for all
V ' ^ causes last year $296,122.
flO-H! The approaching meeting of Synod will be
interesting for a number of reasons. It meets
in an historic church, the First Presbyterian
church of Bowling Green. It will be opened by
the retiring Moderator, a distinguished ruling
elder. The venerable stated clerk, who is now
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SM.S~
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NEW ORLEANS, ATLANTA, OCTOBI
OD OFKE
\E IT MEETS THIS '
serving his thirty-seventh year iu tliis capacity,
was moderator of the Synod when it met in this
fllilri-li t liil'tv-t.wn vpovb u irn Tlio linn
? v' j -> "e"1 ? ...... 0 v.iuvi
who will represent the First church in the Synod
is the venerable Judge Robert Rodes, who
was ordained an elder in this church in 1857,
having served as deacon for five years previously.
His alternate is Dr. J. E. Younglove
>
First Presbyterian Church, Bowling Green, Ky.
who was made an elder in 1876, he also having
served as a deason, having been elected to the
diaconate in I860. No two men have had more
to do with the progress and advancement of the
Church than these two men, and perhaps few
men have sat in the Synod oftcner than .Judge
Rodes. Both are now over eighty years of age,
but vigorous and active and who rarely miss
the services of the church. Among the men
who have been ruling elders in this year are a
number of names prominent in the affairs of the
Church in the Synod. Men like Judge Asher
Graham, Prof. D. M. Gaines, Hon. James A.
' ^
WESTERN P&ESBYTEfP/Ap,
al presbyterian <y~
rhern Presbyter/an
?R II, 1911. ' NO. 41.
1NTUCKY
YEAR
Mitchell, Major Jus. Geddes, Dr. J. F. MeElroy
and Judge Joliu E. DuBose.
The church where iSynod meets this year is
one of tlie historic churches of Kentucky. It
was organized in 18111 by the Kev. Joseph
Lapsley with only 27 members. 13ut before the
organization of the church such men as Gideon
Blackburn. William liice. David Rice Mc.fllmrd
Kobert Wilson and a number of other pioneer
Presbyterian ministers had preaehed
and frequently held revival serviees in the
town. Among the charter members were
the McDowells, the McPheeters, the Wardlaws,
the llalls, the Garrisons, the Marshall
and the Henrys, all prominent in
the affairs of this city. Mr. Lapsley was
the iirst pastor of the church, serving until
his death in 1823. He was buried in the old
cemetery on College street, and his grave is
just under where the pulpit which he occupied
stood. The church was moved in 1833
to its present site, and the new church was
lour years in building. It is one of the oldest
and most historic buildings in the city.
Here the first school in the city was organized
and maintained. The mothers and
fathers of many prominent people in Bowling
Green were educated in the Academy
which was conducted in the basement of
this church by Mr. and Mrs. Jones. The
pulpit in the lecture room of the church is
made from wood taken from the first jail
ever built in Warren county. After Dr.
Dapsley's death the church was served by
llevs. 1). II. Philips and S. B. Robertson. Dr.
Samuel Calvert was called as pastor in
18*11. When he came the church had 4ff
members. We find an entry in one of the
J ~i.i J i?? < - > * ...
!imi rct-oru uuuks wnore me pasior eauea
the session together and discussed the approaching
mooting of Presbytery in this
church, and appointed a day of fasting and
prayer lhat. the meeting might result in a
groat spiritual gain for the church. Tho
result of tho meeting of Presbytery was a
great revival during which 112 persons made
profession of religion and thirty-one united
with the Presbyterian church. Today if our
church courts could be made the means of such
spiritual unlift for the community where the
court meets what a great blessing all our meetings
of Presbyteries and Svnods would hr> Wo
cannot but contrast this incident, with the meetings
of our courts today where the sermons are
few, the business is rushed, and the hurry of
commissioners to got away makes the meeting
almost a farce so far as spiritual gain to the
community is concerned. Following Dr. Calvert
as pastor came Kev. J. M. Clark and Dr. A.