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cently received into this church on
certificate. It is now in a healthy
conditions and is facing its fall work
with interest.
TEXAS.
Synod of Texas will meet at Mar
lin, Texas, Tuesday, October 10. 7:30
P. M., 1922. The clerks will be in
tho church in the afternoon of the
tenth to enroll the members of Synod.
Stonewall J. McMurray.
Permanent Clerk;
J. D. Leslie,
Stated Clerk.
?Westminster Presbyterian Encamp
ment has experienced the greatest co
ordination of the three-fold purpose,
inspiration, recreation and entertain
ment of the summer convention of
Texas Presbyterians that has ever been
shown before in the sixteen consecu
tive annual sessions of the institu
tion.
The success of the inspirational
side, which consisted of an elaborate
program on Church Life and Work,
seemed to pave the way for a thor
ough functioning of the other phases
of encampment life. A strong faculty
of leaders and a keen Interest and co
operation by the several hundred rep
resenting the camp population were
the factors that made this past week's
conference such an outstanding one
among the seven church conferences
this summer.
Dr. B. I. Dickey of Corpus Christ!,
Dr. J. L. Hardy of Houston, Dr. W.
R. Mlnter of Austin, Dr. P. B. Hill
of San Antonio and Rev. L. (H. Whar
ton of Austin composed the corps of
inspirational leaders on the confer
ence program.
Dr. Dickey directed the schedule of
evening addresses and morning discus
sions. Dr. Hill was perhaps the most
important figure in the forenoon meet
ings of the conference. He is one of
the foremost men in the Southern
Presbyterian Church along the line
of church efficiency. In his lectures
he emphasized the importance of one
program for the whole Church, mak
ing every department corollative and
co-ordinative. Dr. Hill pointed out in
his series of business-like morning ad
dresses that the essentials of a work
ing program were spirituality, vision,
unity and deflnitenesB.
Dr. Hardy, pastor of the First
church of Houston, delivered two stir
ring addresses. His subjects were:
"The Personal Appeal" and "The
Citadel of Christianity." Both of
these sermons were filled with one
divine purpose: the power and majesty
of the Kingdom of God. In the lat
ter address he stressed the importance
of the Christian Home as the strong
hold of Christianity, and emphasized
(he Family Altar as a necessity in
modern home life.
Dr. Minter spoke on "The Steward
ship of Life" and "The Principles of
Stewardship," and "The Life Abund
ant." Rev. L. H. Wharton, in his
Bible Study hours, revealed the por
traits of Jesus Christ as brought out
in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
In spite of the fact that the great
influx of Presbyterians here within
the past few days, which is only na
tural because of the near-end of the
summer'i session, has been mostly
mature people, the recreational and
entertainment features were increased
1" tension and interest. Miss Mary
Louise Woodson of Dallas, recrea
tional leader, brought her summer's
program of entertainment to a re
markable climax. Serenading parties,
tociala, "breakfast mountain hikes and
?ther wholesome activities, made the
days and nights pass In rapid eucces
H,on. a "stunt" program of * purely
amusing nature will be given at the
tabernacle. i
Swimming is participated in every
afternoon by both sexes of every age.
Dr. Vinson and Dr. Reavis created
daily amusement in the dining hall
with their competitive "fish stories."
Tennis and swimming tournaments
and indoor baseball made the week a
treasure of Interest to the young
sters.
As one passes through the encamp
ment grounds, not only the beautiful
scenery and the numberless cottages
arranged in city-like order attracts his
attention, but the individual titles on
the campus dwellings draws the eye
of e'very passerby. Each cottage seem*
to vye with one another in original
insignias abovb their doors. The din
ing hall is appropriately termed "Let
tuce Inn." Among the prominent cot
tage inscriptions are the following.
"Linger Longer," "Tumble Inn," "Real
More," "Fall Inn," "Shady Nook,*'
"Knight's Rest," "Alamo Lodge,"
"Sunshine Inn," "Camp Idle Ease."
"Bide-a-While," "Mary Ha-Ha," "Cozy
Nook." "Highland View," "Eagle's
Nest," "Sunny Shine," "Setting Sun,"
and "Cedar Lodge."
The Home Mission Conference will
wind up this year's program when it
adjourns next Wednesday. Home
Mission workers from Oklahoma, Ar
kansaa, Louisiana and Texas are ex
pected at the opening session tomor
row. Dr. Homer McMillan of Atlanta,
Ga., will preside over this final con
ference.
C. H. Wilson,
Encampment Publicity Agent.
WKST VIRGINIA.
Spring Creek Church: Rev. James
L. Fowle of Washington, N. C., and
Rev. Martel Tremain of Wilmington,
N. C., held services daily in this
church for two weeks. Mr. Tremain
was the pianist and conducted the
daily cottage prayer meetings, and
his talks were very helpful and of a
very high order. Mr. Fowle led the
singing, sang solos, and did the
preaching, which attracted great
crowds. The visible results were 30
professions of faith, 14 were bap
tized, and 250 reconsecrated them
selves to Christ. It was indeed a won
derful meeting. The Spring Creek
church is the central church with sev
eral outpost missions and the whole
field is prospering under the efficient
ministry of Rev. J. T. Pharr.
HEBRON CHURCH, AUGUSTA
COUNTY, VA.
On July 23rd, this church observed
"Home Coming Day," with 500 peo
ple present. Rev. John R. Rosebro,
the pastor, preached a historical ser
mon, the substance of which is given
below, and Rev. T. K. Young of Lex
ington, also preached in the after
noon:
"The original church under the
name of North Mountain was organ
ized in 1764." Augusta and Tinkling
Spring churches had been organized
and at that time had a pastor, the
first in the Valley. According to the
Hand-Book of Lexington Presbytery
recently issued, Hebron snares with
New Monmouth the coveted honor o
being the next churches organized,
both in the same year. The North
Mountain Meeting House was on what
is now known as the Middlebrook Pikf
and was located on the farm where
Mr. P. A. May is living, about ninr
miles from Staunton. "No trace of
the former use of the spot remains at
this day except the old burying
ground." Its tombstones bear
names of many well-known families
in the county.
The Nortl^ Mountain organization
never had a settled pastor but de
pended during most of its existence
on supplies and the labor* of neigh
boring pastors. Before the organi
zation was formed, there had been
services held there. The pastor of
Augusta-Tinkling Spring, Rev. John
Craig, records in his diary that in
June, 1743, he baptized several chil
dren there.
The first Presbytery in Virginia,
Hanover Fresbytery, was formed i
1755. The name of North Mountain
does not appear on its records, though
this congregation was a member of
the Presbytery. Instead, the name
"Brown's" appears. This name was
used because a new meeting house
had been erected by that part of the
congregation living north and west of
the old North Mountain meeting
house. It was known as "Brown's."
It was on the present site of Hebron'
church and just in front of the pres
ent building.
In 1776 the Rev. Charles Cummings
accepted a call from "the congrega
tions belonging to Major Brown's
meeting house in Augusta." After
six years he resigned because of the
inability of the congregation to sup
port him. During his pastorate, the
first property of the congregation was
acquired. A deed from John Brown
and wife dated in 1767 conveyed two
acres of land to John Trimble and
others representing the congregation
worshipping in the stone meeting
house known as Brown's.
Rev. Archibald Scott became pastor
in 1778. He was ordained to the min
istry by Hanover Presbytery in ses
sion at Brown's meeting house and
was installed as pastor of the congre
nations in connection with it. There
has been a growing desire on the part
of the people living in the southeast
ern part of the congregations to move
from the North Mountain house and
build a new houso of worship further
from Brown's and more accessible to
them. This was opposed by the
families living nearer to Brown's and
by some of those still worshipping at
North Mountain. The matter was
broughtT to a decision in the first year
of Mr. Scott's pastorate by a sudden
movement under the leadership of a
Col. Doak. "The church building
was completed and called Bethel, and
the dispute was heard of no more."
It is probale that after this, the old
North Mountain building was not
used. Mr. Scott remained as pastor
of Brown's and Bethel until his death.
Our church records do not show
when the name was changed to Hob
ron. We have the session minutes
from 1816, but they are often very
brief and are incomplete. The name
"Hebron" first appears there In 1834.
Hut it appears on the records of Pres
bytery earlier, as early as 1823, pos
sibly previous to that date. Lexing
ton Presbytery was organized in 178o
and met at "Brown's" in October,
1790, and at five other times between
that date and April 1809. In October,
1828, it met at "Hebron." In a
manuscript left by Mr. Wm. M. Tate,
the date is given as "about 1825."
In 1804 a church was organized in
Staunton, and the next year Rev. Wm.
Calhoun became pastor of Hebron
and Staunton. In April, 1826, the
pastoral relation with Staunton was
dissolved and Mr. Calhoun gave his
whole time to Hebron until his death
in 1834. Even since 1826, for nearly
one hundred years, Hebron has had a
pastor for his full time.
This period of Mr. Calhoun's was
marked by a decided progress In the
history of the church. - He became a
man well known in the State and
wielding a strong Influence. Tradi
tions about him are still told in th*>
congregation. The first written reo
ords we have were begun during his
pastorate. A list of communicants
in the year 1816 is given. There are
98 white and six black persons named.
Then follows a note that ono person
is under prosecution, two have ab
sented themselves from the com
munion, and one has withdrawn;
leaving 94 white and six black, or 100
in all who are in full communion.
Among these names are many family
names still on the rolls of Hebron:
Prown, Trimble, Thompson, Bell,
Christian, Chawford, Tate, Wilson,
Brownlee. During the Communion
period at the close of the year 1833,
72 white and 16 "people of colour
were added to the church, making 300
members, "total In communion *
During his pastorate the brick build
ing was erected that burned in 1900.
From 1834 until after the Civil War
was an unsettled period in the lift
of the congregation. A reference to
the list of pastors and to the list o'
elders will help in understanding it.
In 1843 there were 12 elders in the
Session, with about 150 members of
the church. In 1869 there were seven
elders and a membership of 96. The
losses of the Civil War will account
partly for this setback in the church.
Xlso there had been dissension in th ?
congregation, and dissension in the
Session. Loch Willow church was or
ganized in 1866 and drew away two
or three elders and their families.
with the coming of ltev. F. H.
Gaines to the pastorate in 187S, there
began a steady development in tho
service of the church and as a result
a steady increase in membership. The
foundation was laid for the steady
growth that followed under his suc
cessors in the pastorate. A church
that seeks to serve the people will
grow in number and in influence.
Self-centering is fatal. The Sunday
school began to receive more atten
tion. - It doubled in attendance. Gifts
to benevolent causes more than
doubled. In 1884 there were 10 el
ders with membership of 205. The
church began to feel more its obliga
tion to the community; the chapel at
Swoope was built. Up to this time,
there had never been any deacons in
the church. In 1883, the Session
recommended to the congregation the
election of five deacons. If elected,
iliey were never ordained, so far as
the sessional records show. In 1S8C
live were elected and ordained. One
of those is living, Mr. J. E. Trimnle.
Mr. John M. Brown, after a service
of 34 years as officer, passed recently
to the church above.
The manse was bought in 1870. It
was put in good condition, and the
pastor moved in. Since that date two
additions have been made to the orig
inal building, and both of brick. It
has nine rooms, large and well
lighted. Very few churches own a
bettor manse. The land bought with
the manse was nineteen acres.
The following is copied from the
manuscript of Mr. Wm. M. Tate re
ferred to above: "The present church
building is the third which has been
erected by this congregation. The
first was of logs, but when built I
have no means of ascertaining. The
next was of stone, stood Just in front
of where the present house stands, but
somewhat nearer the graveyard. As
I remember. It was narrow In propor
tion to its length, the pulpit on the
north side, octagonal in shape and
entered through an opening at eaih
side near the wall. Over the pulpit
hung a 'sounding board,' which as
well as the pulpit, seemed to my
Juvenile eyes to be finished in quite
ornamental style. This TSuilding was
removed about 1825 or 1826 and the
present houso erected."
The foundation fit the stone build
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