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VOL. III. RICHMONC
The Presbytei
^M"S1iliFiSBYTERIANISM in winchester
pwSa 'It | antedates the organization of the
Church by many years. When the
cpgsffilEgSp town was incorporated, in 1752, a
large Scotch-Irish element was already
here. These, of course, were Presbyterians,
whose membership was in the Opequon Church,
th ree miles from town, which they regularly attended.
lint true to their traditions, they very
early handed themselves together for worship at
home; and as frequently as possible
secured preaching by the 4'Sup- jj388P?p]
plies" sent to the Valley. When
they were first able to provide such
service statedly, is not known; hut
as early jis 1771) they had become
such an important appendage of
OOOOOMII - !? to lli> ;l?<iw.iafrwl it-lfK If
by name in a call for the pastoral
services of Rev. John Montgomery;
and during his ministry of about
ten years he had a stated appointment
in the town. When the Rev
* I
Nasi) Legrand succeeded him, in
1700, these regular services were continued.
The growth of the membership,
however, and the inconvenience
to many of attending worship in the
flog*-;
country, suggested the importance of
a separate organization 111 the town;
and for several years supplies were p
engaged with a view to settlement
as pastor. But they failed to agree
-l 111 . . i Ih*. k?
ujmjii any uiil' inai couki i)c oDtaincu.
until in 17!)!), the Rev. Win. Hill.
then at Charlestown, Va., accepted
their call, and in 1800 began his long
and eventful ministry of thirty-four
years in Winchester.
The church in Winchester was on
ganizcd September 7, 1800, with four
ruling elders and over thirty members.
Under the able and faithful '
ministry of I)r. Hill (who was early recognized as
a distinguished leader in the Presbyterian Church
of America, and in 1821 was chosen moderator of
its General Assembly), the new church grew
rapidly in numbers and strength. But unfortunately,
after many years of perfect harmony,
differences arose in the session on questions of
church policy, producing dissention in the congregation,
and issuing, in 1826, in a division of
Vio\ the church. An influential minority, including
of the nine Elders, withdrew, organized an,'
other church, built a house of worship and settled
sj 0\ Rev. David II. Riddle as pastor. This unhappy
division was of brief duration. Early
in 1832 the two churches came together again
with Drs. Hill and Riddle as co-pastors. This
speedy reconciliation was brought about largely
through the influence of that wonderful revival
? \t\ j mti ^LN/KAL
The South,
>, NEW ORLEANS, ATLANTA, OCTOBE
rian Church, W
*
which J ul lowed the meeting of Synod in Winchester,
in 1830, and the fruits of which were
richly shared by both churches.
The year following this reunion Dr. liiddle \
was called to Pittsbure. and resierned Oct,. 22
1833. The next year, April 2(i, 1834, Dr. Hill's
resignation was accepted, and he removed to
Prince Edward county. The Rev. J. J. Royall I
was installed over the vacant church Nov. 8, I
1834. Under his ministry the church enjoyed
flH j .
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, WINCHESTER, VA.
great prosperity. But this was a perjucTTTl! u?i|?
troversy and strife in the ehurch at lawpvau^ on
the eve of the great Disruption Mr/iKoya^ Resigned
, April 4, 1838. That Disruption seriously
affected the congregation in WirJchesteC ALA
minority of the members sympathizing .witft tiie
New School, and including all thnZ-Eldera then
. . ' ? -e
living, withdrew from the old church, and at
once established themselves as a separate organization.
i
Following first the history of this, the New
School branch of the divided church, we find that
very soon a house of worship was erected on S.
Loundoun street, and the pastoral services of
Rev. Moses H. Hunter were secured. After two
years Mr. ITunter entered the ministry of the
Episcopal Church: and on Mav 4. 1842. Rev
A. IT. H. Boyd, D. D., began his distinguished
mum
?s ternpresb ytef?/aflt\
: Presbyter/an <r"~
f-r/v Presbyter/a n
,R 25, 1911. NO. 43.
inchester, V a.
pastorate of nearly twenty-four years, ending
with his death, Dec. 16, 1865. For the next
eighteen months the church was served, as stated
supply, by the late Rev. Dr. J \V. Lupton. lie
was succeeded by the Rev. G. L. Ley burn, D D.,
who served as pastor from Dec. 13, 1867 to Jan.
10, 1875, when he resigned to join his parents in
missionary work in Greece. The next pastor of
this church, and its last as a distinct organization,
was the late Rev. Ilenry M. White, D. D., who
was installed December 11, 1875, and
(released, because of failing health.
November 21, 1899.
The history of the Old School
Branch can be told more briefly. The
Rev. Win. M. Atkinson, D. D., who
had been installed February 2, 1839,
before the division of the local church
which occurred the following June,
H continued his wise and conciliatory
ministry until April 4, 1847. Ilis
successor, Licentiate Beverly T. Lacy,
afterward the well known Confederate
chaplain, was ordained and installed
June 19, 1847, and resigned,
in impaired health, April 18, 1851.
11.> vacant church then called Licen'.
'j tiate J. R. Graham, who was ordained
and installed October 9, 1851.
Soon after the resignation of Dr.
11. M. White negotiations were begun
fill* hi'iiliiur lli<? Ki-mw.li 1....1 ?
.........0 u.v wivav,n tWUUll llttU ?si#
long existed as a grief to many in
each church, and on May 20, 1900,
ihis was happily accomplished. The
two organizations, which, from the
respective location of their churches
were popularly designated as the
"Kent Street church" and the "Loudoun
Street church," and which
stood apart since 1829, were merged
in one, to be known thereafter by
the name given at the organization,
in 1800, as "The Presbyterian Church of
Winchester." In accordance with the terms
of the merger, six Elders and six Deacons were
Vt*nr*? fKo 3
xium inv' !>??*./ im inci UUll^ITgailUIIS, <111(1
tin; pastor of the former Kent St. Church was
retained with the title of pastor emeritus of the
re-united shurch. In a short time the Rev.
Julian S. Sibley was called as pastor, and installed
Sept. f>, 1000. He resigned July 12, 1904,
and after a protracted vacancy the Rev. J. Horace
Lacy, D. I)., the present pastor, was called, and
entered upon his ministry Sept. 25, 1005.
Tn the former reunion of the separated churches
(in 1832), it was for soma time a question,
which of the two buildings should he used as the
permanent place of worship. The one on Kent
St. was at length chosen as the more accessible.
In the recent reunion, hy unanimous agreement,