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BX 9211 .A9 3 V3 1900 1 
 
 Van Devanter, James Nichols' 
 
 1857- 
 History of the Augusta I 
 
 church ' 
 
 ^. 
 
^lo 
 
'^ 
 
 ::^ 
 
rHISTORY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 AUGUSTA CHURCH, 
 
 FROM 
 
 1737 to 1900II 
 
 / 
 
 BY 
 
 Rev. J. N. VAN DEVANTER, 
 
 Pastor of the Church. 
 
 ^ 
 
 STAUNTON, VA.: 
 
 The Ross Printing Company. 
 
 1900. 
 
CoPYRKiHTED, IQOO, 
 BY 
 
 Rev. J. N. VAN DEVANTER. 
 
 {All rig his reseri'ed.') 
 
TO 
 
 my Congregation, 
 
 WHICH HAS BEEN SO CONSIDERATE OF ME 
 
 FOR NEARLY NINE YEARS, 
 
 I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE 
 
 THIS VOLUME. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The present volume is the outgrowth of an attempt to prepare a sketch 
 of this Church. The material multiplied till the dimensions had grown beyond 
 the limits of a sketch, and hence it was determined to put this material in 
 permanent book form, rather than in a pamphlet, that it might be the better 
 preserved. 
 
 The engravings have been added at a considerable cost, that the history 
 might be made more real. The authorities carefully studied and quoted from 
 were Foote's Sketches of Virginia, first and second series; JVaddeU's Annals 
 of Augusta County; The Minutes of Lexington Presbytery, and the Sessional 
 Records of this Church. 
 
 I have gathered the facts and endeavored to present them as faithfully as 
 possible. 
 
 In giving the history of the last period of twenty years I have departed 
 from the manner in which I dealt with former periods, because the th'-ee who 
 ministered here during this time are still living, and the third one is writing 
 the history. For this reason it was treated in a perfectly general way. 
 
 May the Lord bless this effort to the glory of His name and to the stirring 
 up of the minds and hearts of our people to true Christian patriotism. 
 
 J. N. Van DevAxNtter. 
 
 Fort Defiance, V k.. Jatitiary /, igoo. 
 
History of Augusta Church. 
 
 THIS Church is a result. It results from principles which had been in 
 existence a long time, which had operated in Germany, France, Switzer- 
 land, the Netherlands, and the British Isles, which caused those who became its 
 members and supporters, or their ancestors, to seek homes in this new and 
 unsettled country. From being an effect, it in turn becomes a cause, a link in 
 the chain of cause and effect, which has transmitted to us the blessings which 
 we now enjoy. 
 
 The present is so abundant in its blessings and advantages which we have 
 as compared with those of our forefathers, that we are apt to forget the giver 
 in the enjoyment of the gift. 
 
 Whatever we enjoy of civil and religious liberty has not always been so, 
 but has evolved out of the abuses of the rights and privileges which God gave 
 to man. These abuses were the taking away from man the truth, and denying 
 to him the liberty of conscience. 
 
 With the dawn of the Reformation, the revival of the study of the Word 
 of God, came the exercise of the liberty of conscience, and the change from 
 darkness to light, from bondage to liberty. 
 
 The doctrines of Calvinism, and the sturdy independence which these 
 doctrines beget in the minds and hearts of all who receive them, recoenizine 
 as they do God's absolute sovereignty, man's total depravity, and Jesus 
 Christ the only mediator between God and man, had more to do with, and 
 entered more largely into, the forming and fashioning of our country and its 
 Government than anything else. 
 
 These stern convictions of duty and responsibility to God provoked the 
 troubles which caused large numbers to seek homes here, where the authority 
 
jQ HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 of neither Church nor State would prevent them from worshipping and serving 
 God according to the dictates of 'their own consciences. 
 
 Fohowing the history of this spirit, born of the Truth and the Holy 
 Spirit, will account for the large numbers of oppressed and persecuted people 
 who escaped from Scotland to the North of Ireland. 
 
 When they were no longer secure there they came to this country, 
 braving the dangers of voyage, as it was in those times, when it took months 
 instead of days to cross the ocean, and facing the dangers incident to settling 
 in a strange country inhabited by Indians. 
 
 They were willing to endure all this rather than to give up this principle. 
 These Scotch-Irish came to Pennsylvania, and from there to this beautiful 
 valley. That part of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge had been settled long 
 before this. This valley was the frontier. It was one of the favorite hunting 
 grounds of the Red Man. 
 
 The Governor of the colony encouraged all to settle here that he could, 
 especially these brave people, mainly because he wanted to build up protection 
 for the East side. By having this valley filled with people between himself and 
 the Indians of the West and Northwest, they could not so easily reach him 
 and his people. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 Rev. John Craig, D. D. 
 
 THE history of this Church extends ahiiost to the first settlement in this 
 part of the valley. So far as is known, the county was entered for the first 
 time by white men in 1716, when Governor Spotswood and some of his staff 
 crossed the Blue Ridge and formally "took possession for King George the 
 First of England". Mr. Waddell (author of Annals of Augusta County) 
 concludes from many accounts that John Lewis was the first white settler in 
 what is now Augusta county in the summer of 1732, near the twin mountains 
 Betsy Bell and Mary Gray. From this time the population increased very 
 rapidly, many coming up the \'alley from Pennsylvania. There were enough 
 people here to organize this territory into a county. October 30, 1745, 
 Governor Gooch issued the commission, and December 9, 1745, the county was 
 duly organized. In 1738, November i, however, the General Assembly of 
 the colony of Virginia passed an act establishing the counties of Frederick and 
 Augusta, but they were not organized until 1745. 
 
 The county of Augusta then covered all the territory embraced in the 
 States of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and nearly all of West Virginia. 
 In 1745 what is now Staunton was called "Beverly's Mill Place." 
 
 This country was visited frequently by the Indians. It was wild indeed, 
 but was rapidly filled by this sturdy liberty-loving people. We are told that 
 "they were generally profoundly religious, bringing their Bibles with them, 
 whatever else they had to leave behind." The earliest recorded movement 
 upon the part of these people for organized church work was in 1737. 
 
 "A supplication from the people of Beverly Manor, in the back parts of 
 Virginia, was laid before the Presbytery of Donegal, Pennsylvania, September 
 2, 1737, recjuesting ministerial supplies." This recjuest was denied at the time, 
 but tlie following year Rev. James Anderson was sent. Mr. Anderson 
 preached the first regular sermon ever delivered in this section of the country. 
 
 "In 1739 they applied for the services of Rev. Mr. Thompson, who came 
 
12 
 
 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 and preached for a time." In both of these instances, in the "suppHcation" 
 for Mr. Anderson in 1737, and ]\ir. Thompson in 1739, we have evidence that 
 there was an organization here earher than 1740. It is perfectly clear that 
 there was concerted action upon their part. 
 
 "In 1740, Robert Doak and Daniel Dennison from Virginia declared, in 
 the name of the congregation of Shenandoah, their adherence to the call 
 formerly presented to Mr. Craig'. 
 
 Dr. Craig came in 1740, and his coming was really upon being called the 
 second time. This is a third instance which gives weight to the supposition 
 that there was an organization here earlier than 1740. 
 
 Rev. John Craig, who was called to this Church, was born in the parish of 
 Donagor, County Antrim, Ireland, August 17, 1709. He was born of pious 
 parents, who took great pains in "instructing him in the principles of religion." 
 He was very early affected by these teachings, and at the age of five or six was 
 compelled "to fly to God with prayers and tears in secret for pardon, peace, 
 guidance and direction." 
 
 About the age of fourteen or fifteen he made a profession of religion, 
 "being admitted, after examination, to the Lord's table by Rev. Alexander 
 Brown, who baptized him." 
 
 He devoted himself to study so faithfully that he says, "I never received 
 one stroke or so much as a sharp rebuke from all the masters I was with." 
 
 In 1732 he attained to the degree of M. A. in the College of Edinburgh. 
 At this time he was much in doubt as to what calling he should choose, but 
 after a "long and dangerous illness" he was pretty well settled upon the min- 
 istry. He says : "America was then much in my mind, accompanied with the 
 argument that service would be most pleasing and acceptable where most need- 
 ful and wanting, which raised in me a strong desire to see that part of the 
 world. 
 
 "At that time I had a dream or vision representing to me, as it were, in 
 miniature the whole that has happened to me of any importance these thirty- 
 five years; yea, the very place I have been settled in these thirty-five years. 
 I knew it at first sight, and have done here what was represented to me then." 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. I3 
 
 This was a wonderful experience indeed, but is surpassed by that which fol- 
 lows. He embarked at Larne, June 10, 1734, and w^as landed at Newcastle, 
 on the Delaware, the 17th of the succeeding- August. "I escaped a very immi- 
 nent danger without any means but the kind hand of Providence, being acci- 
 dentally cast overboard in a dark and tempestuous night. I lay as on a bed of 
 down on my back, on the raging wave which tossed me back on the ship's side, 
 where I found hold and sprung aboard, and none aboard knew of it." In 
 September he attended the Synod of Philadelphia and presented his letters of 
 introduction. After looking for some time for a suitable home and position, 
 he w^as employed as teacher in the family of Rev. John Thompson. He 
 taught school one year, and read two more. He "entered on trials and was 
 licensed by the Presbytery of Donegal 1737," and was sent to the congrega- 
 tions of the valley, which he visited. He was ordained in S'eptember, 1740. 
 His ordination sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Sankey, from the text 
 Jer. iii : 15: 'T will give you pastors after mine own heart, which shall feed 
 you with knowledge and understanding." 
 
 After his ordination, he came to this field of labor, "purchased a plantation 
 and began to improve upon it, and June 11, 1744, married a young gentle- 
 woman of a good family and character .... daughter of Mr. George 
 Russel, by whom I had nine children." 
 
 The period covered by the pastorate of Dr. Craig was a most interesting 
 one. It was a formative one, when the future was as unmarked as the forests 
 and lands to which they had come. There were no roads except the occa- 
 sional trail of the Indian. They had nothing to guide them save the compass, 
 the stars, and the moss upon the trees. So with their future. They had their 
 Bibles, their reason and their consciences, untrammelled by Church or State, 
 to guide them. They were free to worship as they thought right, and their 
 duties to fellow-man and to the State would be determined by this. 
 
 This principle was what led them to this country; now we find it guiding 
 them in afl^airs of Church and State. 
 
 These liberty-loving and God-fearing people were moving into the valley 
 rapidly. This section. Tinkling Spring, and about Staunton, must have 
 
j^ HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 reached hundreds, for there were enough people here in 1738, six years from 
 the date of the first settlement, to justify the action of the General Assemhly of 
 the colony of Virginia, to pass an order to organize this section into a county. 
 This was not carried out till 1745- 
 
 This Church was organized not later than 1740 ; which makes it five years 
 older than the county of Augusta, and older than the city of Staunton. In 
 this period, and for a long time afterwards, "money was counted in pounds, 
 shillings and pence: One pound, Virginia currency, being $3.33 1-3; sugar 
 was .16 2-3 per lb. ; 2 nutmegs, .22 ; ^ lb. powder, .33 1-3 ; ^ lb. lead, .19^, 
 and one ounce of Indigo, .25." 
 
 "Rates for ordinaries fixed by the court 1746: "Hot diet, .I2>4; cold 
 ditto, .08 1-3; lodging, with clean sheets, .o^Yi; stabling and fodder for a 
 night, .08 1-3." 
 
 It is difficult for us, living in this age with every modern improvement, 
 to imagine the real state of things in those days. We have fine roads, railroads, 
 the telegraph and telephone, making our mode of travel as rapid and com- 
 fortable as possible, and the means of communication almost perfect. 
 
 They were without any of these things. The absence of them made the 
 difficulties in the way of transacting business, and the meeting for social and 
 religious purposes, as great as possible. 
 
 They did not find homes ready for their families, nor the land ready for 
 cultivation, but they had to fell the trees, build their houses, and clear and 
 cultivate the land. Suiting themselves in a location, selecting according to 
 their tastes, whether for farming or grazing, gradually the settlement grew. 
 
 The church grew under the ministrations of Dr. Craig. Some idea of 
 the growth of the church and the settlement may be had from this entry in 
 Dr. Craig's diary : "The year being ended, the whole number baptized by 
 me is one hundred and thirty-three." "Robert, son of Robert Young, was 
 baptized January 22, 1742," and Mr. Craig notes that he was "born with teeth." 
 
 In the second year of his pastorate he baptized eighty-two. This is the 
 record of infant baptisms, and indicates a large population, considering the 
 short time since the first settler came to this part of the valley. 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 1 5 
 
 They worshipped first in a log building situated near where the "old 
 cemetery" now is ; or perhaps it was in one corner of this enclosure. The loca- 
 tion of this log building may account for the location of the "old cemetery" 
 being so far from the present church building. 
 
 We have no way of determining how long they were in building the 
 present house of worship; but it must have required much longer than it 
 would to build a structure of the same kind now. In the minutes of session 
 January 2, 1848, mention is made of the session meeting in "the new session 
 house." 
 
 "It was built in 1847, the hundredth year since the building of the church." 
 Th.is must evidently mean since the commencement of building the church, 
 for we have, from Dr. Craig himself, the date, January 22, 1749, on which they 
 held their first service in this building. If this supposition be true, it gives 
 us some idea of the length of time it took for them to build the church. If it 
 be not true, then this statement makes the church hvo years older than it is 
 generally thought to be, and leaves us to wonder why (if finished in '47) 
 they should wait until '49 before worshipping in it. 
 
 These people did not have the improved implements for quarrying the 
 stone, nor wagons for hauling them. Evidently they could not work con- 
 tinuously, because of the demands upon their time for providing for and pro- 
 tecting their families. It might almost be said of them, as it was said of 
 God's people of old, "every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, 
 and with the other hand held a weapon." 
 
 The stone was brought on "drags" or "lizards." Tradition says that 
 the sand for the mortar was brought from North River, several miles dis- 
 tant. It was chosen because of its superior quality. The women are said 
 to have brought this sand on " pack-horses." The securing of a sufficient 
 amount of it for a building of this size, from the most convenient location, 
 and with the best of wagons and plenty of hands, would now be considered 
 a big undertaking. Whether many or few formed themselves into bands 
 for bringing the sand, and how many weary trips they made over these 
 rugged hills, and what dangers they encountered and escapes they made. 
 
j5 history of AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 eternity alone can now reveal. The character of these people is seen in the 
 kind of work they did. They btiilded not only for present needs, but pro- 
 vided for the future. The mortar which cements these stones, it is said, 
 cannot be duplicated by our workmen, it being almost as hard as the limestone 
 which it holds. This building was dedicated January 22, 1749. At this 
 time there was no Presbytery in Virginia. The Valley was the missionary 
 ground of Donegal Presbytery in Pennsylvania. From the time work was 
 begun here until 1758, the pastor of this Church and his elder had to travel 
 the distance of "near three hundred miles" to attend the meetings of Presb}^- 
 tery. 
 
 The people of this section were granted much liberty, religiously, in order 
 to induce immigrants to settle here, that they might form a wall of protection 
 against the Indians, for those who lived in East and Southside Virginia. 
 They were never subjected to the severe trials which fell to the lot of 
 Makemie, Davies and others in that part of Virginia where the Church of 
 England was the established church. 
 
 The period from 1753 to 1756 was a most trying one for the people of the 
 Valley. The Indians and the French were causing a great deal of trouble on 
 the frontier. This section felt the strain also, because they were called upon 
 to furnish troops to resist this combined force. The defeat and death of Gen. 
 Braddock in 1755, caused great fear to take hold of all this country, because 
 they felt that without this protection their country was thrown open to the 
 enemy. Many who had money, which they could take with them, "were for 
 flying to a safer pl-ace of the country." They came to Dr. Craig for advice, 
 which he gave with unflinching fidelity, "opposing that scheme as a scandal 
 to our nation, falling below our brave ancestors, making ourselves a reproach 
 among Virginians, a dishonor to our friends at home, an evidence of 
 cowardice, want of faith and a noble Christian dependence on God as able 
 to save and deliver from the heathen; it would be a lasting blot to our pos- 
 terity." 
 
 After thus roundly scoring them, he advises them to build forts sufficient 
 to hold twenty or thirty families, in the different parts of the settlement con- 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 1 7 
 
 veiiient to these groups. One of these forts was to be built around this 
 Church. 'They required me to go before them," says Dr. Craig, "in the 
 work, which I did cheerfuhy, though it cost me fully one-third of my estate. 
 The people very readily followed, and my congregation in less than two 
 months was well fortified." In the rear of the Church, and on part of one side, 
 a ridge may still be seen which marks the foundation and shows the size of 
 the old fort. 
 
 When Hanover Presbytery was formed in 1755, by order of the Synod 
 of New York, there was a division in the church, of which Whitefield was the 
 occasion. The parties were known as the ''New Side" and the "Old Side." 
 
 Whitefield was very earnest and zealous; his work was attended with 
 great revivals. The more conservative regarded these revivals with sus- 
 picion, fearing the consequence of so much excitement, but the New Side 
 endorsed him. 
 
 It was not till 1758, when these two factions came together, that Dr. 
 Craig became a member of Hanover Presbytery, for this body had been 
 formed of New Side ministers. So far as I can learn, this Church remained a 
 part of Hanover Presbytery, until Lexington Presbytery was organized in 
 1786. 
 
 In 1760 Hanover Presbytery met in this Church, at which time Mr. James 
 W^addell, who afterwards became so famous, was taken under the care of 
 Presbytery. 
 
 Many have been the hallowed associations clustering around this old 
 building. Dr. Foote says in his Sketches of V^irginia, "Let us walk around 
 this house, and enjoy the beauty of the prospect. These remains of the forti- 
 fications in Indian wars, wasting away by the constant tread of the assembling 
 congregations, are eloquent memorials of the early ages of Augusta county. 
 This old house has seen generations pass ; it has heard the sermons of the 
 Synod of Virginia in its youthful days. Could these walls re-echo the sen- 
 tences which have been uttered here, what a series of sermons ! Its three 
 pastors, for about one hundred years, taught from the same pulpit. Here the 
 venerated Hoge was licensed in 1781, and here the Rev. Archibald Alexander 
 
J 8 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 passed some of his trials in preparation for the ministry. In no other house 
 in Virginia can such recollections^ be cherished as rise up around us here." 
 
 Dr. Craig says that his congregation was twenty miles wide, and thirty 
 miles long. Who can estimate the influences which have radiated from this 
 Church as a centre ! Within the scope of country once occupied and ministered 
 to by Dr. Craig there are at least one hundred churches of different denomina- 
 tions. Two main reasons may be given why so many other denominations 
 came into what was once exclusively Presbyterian territory. First, After the 
 country was made habitable by these Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, people came 
 here from many parts of the world who were not of this type and training. 
 Second, The utterly impossible task of one man being able to come in contact 
 with all of these, and to attract them to this Church and hold them under his 
 influence. 
 
 In those days the court not only attended to affairs of State, but under- 
 took to regulate the home and the individual. Mr. Waddell says: "In 1751 
 we find an order from the court for making a 'ducking stool.' This was the 
 punishment of women convicted as 'common scolds.' There is no record of 
 this having been used, not because they lacked scolding women, but more 
 likely because of a lack of water enough near the courthouse to duck the 
 offender." 
 
 The whipping-post was also used for both men and women. 
 
 The question of the comparative antiquity of this Church and that of 
 Opequon, it seems to me, is settled by Foote in his Sketches of Virginia. He 
 says that Rev. John Hoge was the first pastor of Opequon Church. He gives 
 the date of his graduation from Nassau Hall as 1748. After this he prepared 
 for the ministry under the care of Newcastle Presbytery. The dates of 
 licensure and ordination are not certainly known, the records of the Presbytery 
 lor that period being lost, but he appears upon the roll of Synod in 1755 for 
 the first time. 
 
 Dr. Foote further says, that this church was organized by him. In 1748, 
 the first mention of Mr. Hoge, he w^as only a graduate from college. He 
 must have had at least three years, if not more, in preparation for the min- 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 19 
 
 istry, which would make it 1751 or 1752 when he had finished and was ready 
 to take charge of the Church. . The probable time of the organization was 
 b.etween 1751, when it is supposed that he completed his preparation, and 
 1755, when his name first appears upon the roll of Synod; while the Augusta 
 Church was organized not later than 1740, and probably as early as 1738. 
 Dr. Foote says of Augusta Church, "This is the oldest house of worship in the 
 Valley of Virginia." 
 
 In the colonies there was a spirit of unrest, owing to the tyranny of the 
 liome government, mutterings of the storm which was soon to burst on this 
 fair land. We can well imagine the spirit which was aroused in these Scotch- 
 Irish to throw off the yoke of oppression. Not only was the State preparing 
 for the revolution, but the Church was preparing to free herself from the 
 tyranny of the Church of England, which was the established. Church in this 
 section. This oppression had become simply intolerable, hence we find the 
 energy, nerve, and piety of the time, contriving plans for religious liberty. 
 This Church had its part in the work. 
 
 Dr. Craig was one of those present in 1773, when his "Presbytery took 
 the bill of toleration into consideration." This was Hanover Presbytery, to 
 which this Church belonged. The ministers who were present upon this 
 occasion were Craig, Brown, Leak and Irwin. In this age, when perfect 
 freedom is the right of all, we can scarcely appreciate the condition of things 
 when this was not the case. The "Bill of Toleration," above referred to, had 
 reference not only to allowing ministers who were not in the established 
 Church to preach the Gospel unmolested, but that they be allowed to perform 
 marriage ceremonies. According to the laws then governing these people, no 
 one was regarded as legally married, who had not been married by one of 
 the ministers of the established Church. All other ministers were prohibited 
 from this. 
 
 The inconvenience and hardship caused by this law was very great. 
 Every one desiring to marry, was compelled to go to one of the ministers of 
 this Church, or pay him whatever he might demand, to come to them. The 
 Presbytery of Hanover labored unceasingly, sending one petition after an- 
 
20 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 other to the General Assembly of Virginia, until, step by step, religious freedom 
 was secured. The Augusta Church was more than an interested spectator. In 
 1785 we find that her session sent to Presbytery a petition asking that it 
 define the meaning of the word "liberal, as used in the Presbytery's memorial 
 of last fall." This shows the careful oversight and anxious solicitude of our 
 Church, in all that was agitating the public mind. They did not seek preference 
 in this matter, but desired that all denominations should be upon a level in 
 the eyes of the law. Thus we have some idea of the disturbed condition of 
 this period, both in Church and State. 
 
 The firmness of character, and the singleness of purpose of Dr. Craig, may 
 be seen in the way he stood the assaults made upon him by the New Side 
 ministers and their sympathizers. Many of these came into his bounds 
 preaching their doctrines and calling him "poor, blind, carnal, hypocritical, 
 damned wretch." "But Providence so ordered that affair, that they gained 
 none of my people that I knew of; my moral character stood clear and even 
 among them." 
 
 The Lord permitted him to lead his people through the conflicts and trials 
 of this period until summoned into His presence, when he laid down his armour 
 as a soldier of the cross, having fought a good fight, and having kept the 
 faith. 
 
 Dr. Craig died April 21, 1774. The following is the inscription upon 
 his tomb : 
 
 Erected by G. C, Son to J. C. 
 
 In Memory Of 
 
 The Revd JOHN CRAIG, D. D., 
 
 COMMENCER : 
 
 OF The PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERIAL SERVICE, 
 
 In this PLACE, 
 
 Ano Domini, 1740, 
 
 And Faithfully Discharged His Duty In the Same. 
 
 To April The 2i^t^ Ano Domini, 1774, 
 
 Then Departed This Life With Fifteen Hours Affliction: 
 
 From The Hand of The GREAT CREATOR. 
 
 Aged 63 Years And 4 Months. 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 21 
 
 Near the foot of the large slab which covers his grave is the following : 
 
 The Church of Augusta in expression of their Gratitude 
 TO the Memory of their late beloved Pastor (having obtained 
 liberty of G. C.) paid the expense of this Monument, 179S. 
 
 In both of the foregoing I have faithfully preserved the spelling and all, 
 just as it is on the tomb, using capital letters just as they are used there. 
 
 The Church was vacant from 1774, until Rev. William Wilson was 
 ordained and installed pastor in November, 1780. 
 
CHAPTER IT. 
 Rev. William Wilson. 
 
 MR. WILSON was born in Pennsylvania, August i, 175 1. "His father, 
 James Wilson, an emigrant from Ireland, in his youth was a hearer of 
 Mr. Whitefield, in Philadelphia, and became in consequence, a hopeful 
 convert to Christ. When about forty years of age he removed to Virginia, 
 and settled about twelve miles east of Lexington, and became a member of 
 New Providence Church. His devoted piety in his family, and his intercourse 
 with his fellow-men, were remarked by people among whom professors of 
 religion were common." 
 
 Mr. William Wilson was the eldest of thirteen children, ten boys and 
 three girls. Early he became a professor of religion, and joined the Presby- 
 terian Church. At the age of eighteen, he entered upon a "course of liberal 
 education," becoming a student of "Mount Pleasant, that germ of Washing- 
 ton College." "He soon became so much delighted with his studies, that 
 hardly anything could have prevailed on him to relinquish an object so dear 
 to his heart. He prosecuted his education with unusual ardor, diligence, per- 
 severance and success, and soon became a tutor in the school in which he 
 learned the rudiments of Latin. The classics and mathematics were his favorite 
 studies during his academical course. In these branches his proficiency was 
 rapid and thorough, and he retained his early partiality for them through life. 
 Having completed his academical studies, he entered on the study of Theology 
 under the care and direction of the Rev. William Graham, an eminently 
 gifted divine. He was received as a candidate (under the care of Presbytery) 
 April, 1779, and in the fall of the same year, October 28, was licensed in 
 Prince Edward county. He received and accepted a call to the pastoral charge 
 of Augusta Church, and on the last Wednesday of November, 1780, was or- 
 dained and installed. The Church prospered under his ministry, and was 
 occasionally blessed with precious seasons of revival. His judgment was 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 23 
 
 sound, his memory retentive, copious and prompt. He spoke with sufficient 
 fluency; but the modulation of his voice was not happy. Few pubhc speakers 
 indeed, either in or out of the pulpit, possess the faculty of giving to the 
 voice a gratifying variety in its modulations. A soporific monotony, the 
 bane of an agreeable and impressive delivery, exists to a deplorable extent." 
 
 This extract was taken from Dr. Wilson's obituary in the SontJiern 
 Religious (Telegraph, published January i, 1836. 
 
 Whatever may have been the objections raised to the average public 
 speaker in those days, I do not think these faults could have been prominent 
 in Dr. Wilson, for in later years he was sought more frequently than any one 
 else to preach before Presbytery. If the above were true of him, the Presby- 
 tery would not have punished itself so frequently. Any one familiar with the 
 customs of Presbytery, could not help being impressed in reading its Minutes, 
 with the esteem in which he was held by this body. The positions given him, 
 upon the committees of Presbytery, show the estimate which his brethren 
 placed upon his scholarship. 
 
 Men rarely excel in more than one department of learning. Mr. Wilson 
 ^vas a theologian, but especially proficient in the classics and mathematics. 
 Indirectly we gain, from Minutes of Presbytery, that he was a man of fine 
 judgment, not only in things ecclesiastical, but of human nature, because he 
 was appointed by Presbytery to adjust differences arising in some of the 
 churches. This is a most difficult task, requiring rare gifts. The reports of 
 Presbytery show that he was very successful. For many years he was a man 
 of great endurance, and was filled with the home missionary spirit. The 
 records show -that in 1788, he was sent to the Tygart's Valley River, in what 
 is now Randolph county, W. Va. The distance from Staunton to Huttons- 
 ville, on the Tygart's Valley River — where evidently he preached — by the 
 Staunton and Parkersburg Pike, is ninety-three miles. This road crosses ten 
 ranges of mountains, two of which, the Cheat and the Alleghany, are each 
 eighteen miles across. AVe must bear in mind, in estimating these labors, that 
 he did not have this fine road. He was probably one of the first to carry the 
 Gospel to this beautiful but newly-settled country. 
 
24 
 
 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 He would spend from two to four Sabbaths in these fields when he was 
 sent on such tours. Many times he was sent to what is now Bath county, and 
 to Greenbrier, and as far as the city of Charleston, W. Va. These facts show 
 not only the nature, and consecration, and fortitude of Dr. Wilson, but also the 
 widening- influence of this Church, of which he was pastor. It was their 
 contribution to home missionary work, for he was their representative. Almost 
 all of Lexington Presbytery's work in West Virginia, has radiated from the 
 work done by Dr. Wilson and others of Lexington Presbytery on the Tygart's 
 Valley River. 
 
 Through the influence and labors of the pastor of Augusta Church, she 
 has stretched another hand to Greenbrier, and even to Kanawha Valley. I do 
 not say that she was the sole instrument in this work, but she was one of the 
 main contributors. If Virginia was called the "mother of statesmen," truly 
 may we say that Augusta Church is the mother of churches. Her influence 
 was felt in Kentucky, where many of her members went in the early history of 
 this country. Near Pendleton, S. C, there is an "Old Stone Church," evi- 
 dently named for the "Old Augusta Stone Church," for "among its builders 
 M'ere Capt. James and Col. Robert Anderson," who went to South Carolina 
 from this Church. Both of these gentlemen were officers in the Revolutionary 
 army. To the many names of the famous sons of this Church I may add one 
 more, that of Capt. Robert Gamble, "who led one of the assailing parties at 
 the storming of Stony Point. He, with his men, mounted the wall in the 
 immediate vicinity of a cannon, and seeing the match about to be applied, 
 barely had time to lower his head, and order his men to fall flat, before the 
 gun was discharged. He was, however, permanently deafened by the con- 
 cussion." 
 
 Eternity alone will reveal the full influence which has radiated from this 
 old Church, both in Church and State. From the organization of Lexington 
 Presbytery in 1786, we begin to find mention of the names of the elders of this 
 Church. The reason that the records of Presbytery have been so carefully 
 studied to obtain facts about this Church is, that the j\Iinutes of Session for a 
 period of about one hundred years were destroyed by fire. Some of the names 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 25 
 
 mentioned in records of Presbytery were elders while Dr. Craig was pastor. 
 We ha^T evidence of one, who was one of the charter members of the Church, 
 and who at that time was elected elder. This was Dr. Robert Curry, who 
 was a native of Londonderry, Ireland, and came here with the pioneers,, and 
 settled about six miles northwest of the Church, where he, and his son Samuel, 
 and grandson Robert A. all lived. Dr. Curry was succeeded in the eldership 
 by Samuel, and Samuel was succeeded by Robert, thus making a continuous 
 line in the eldership from the organization of the Church, in one family, until 
 the death of Mr. Robert Addison Curry, in February, 1898, he having served 
 the Church for fifty-three years. 
 
 There appears upon the Minutes of Presbytery, as delegates from this 
 Church, the names of James Allen, in 1788, John Campbell, 1790; Joseph Bell, 
 1802; Jacob Van Lear, 1804. The Minutes show that this Church was repre- 
 sented in the General Assembly in 1791, by Rev. Wm. Wilson and Elder 
 John Campbell, and in 1804 by Elder William Bell; John Dennison's name 
 appears in 1809. 
 
 Dr. Wilson's health became impaired, caused by erysipelas in the head. 
 At some times during this sickness he in great measure "lost the memory of 
 his mother tongue. He could not give the name of anything he wanted in 
 English, but could readily give it in Greek or Latin." 
 
 In 1 8 10, Dr. Wilson requested Presbytery to dissolve his pastoral relation 
 with this Church. His health being so much affected by this disease, he did 
 not feel that he could perform the duties of the office. From 18 10, until 1813, 
 the Church was without a pastor, but was supplied in 181 1 and 1812 by Rev. 
 Jehab Graham. Dr. Wilson lived upon the hill south of the Church. His 
 house stood near where the residence of Mr. T. A. Jordan now stands. Dr. 
 Wilson has many descendants, some of whom are members of this Church, and 
 one, Mr. Edward ]\IcKim McCue, a great-grandson, is now an elder. 
 
 While Dr. Wilson was not able to perform the full duties of the pastor, 
 frequent reference is made to his being- appointed to fill vacancies, and to do 
 some missionary work. His life was extended through nearly the whole of 
 Dr. Speece's pastorate ; frequently during this time, he preached for the people 
 of his old charge, and always with great acceptance. 
 
26 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 Dr. Speece, in preaching his funeral, "spoke of the last discourse which 
 he heard him preach at eighty-four, as not inferior either in vigor of thought, 
 methodical arrangement, or animation of manner, to any that he ever heard 
 him preach. Also, with evident emotion, he spoke of the prudent, courteous 
 and affectionate deportment of his predecessor towards himself, and said he 
 would cherish a grateful remembrance of it whilst he breathed." Dr. Wilson 
 died December i, 1835, and was buried in the old cemetery. The folio wing- 
 is the inscription upon his tomb : 
 
 Sacred to the Memory of 
 Rev. WM. WILSON, 
 
 Second Pastor of Augusta Church. 
 He was a man of native talent, 
 Of attainments not inconsiderable; 
 Of conciliatory manners: 
 Of pure morals : 
 
 And an Orthodox, Able, Minister 
 of the New Testament. 
 
 Born Aug. ist, 1751. 
 
 Died Dec. ist, 1835. 
 
 Aged 84 Yrs., 4 Mos. 
 
''jA-'-\v- ■-:■'' ' / I: ',■ -'-■■- .iiB.J;>i*/'-Jj;!'.5' >i:*iK>;*^-r^-£^Xf,'sJi 
 
 
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 ^ 
 
 
 1 
 
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 i 
 
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 WHBF^' - ^^^ ^- am 
 
 
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 ^^H^^ 
 
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 li9|Uj^W;.<e:^rVt n<* -Hm^.^* 
 
 REV. CONRAU SPEECE, D. D. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 Rev. Conrad Speece, D. D. 
 
 REV. CONRAD SPEECE was called to the pastorate of AugTista Church 
 October i, 1813. Mr. Alexander Nelson represented this Church in 
 Presbytery when this call was placed in his hands. He was installed 
 October 16, 18 13, by Revs. Wm. Wilson, Wni. Calhoun, Jno. McCue and Geo. 
 Brown, a committee of Lexington Presbytery. 
 
 Dr. Speece was "of German origin, though entirely English in his edu- 
 cation. He used frequently to call himself 'the old Dutchman.' " "My father's 
 name was Conrad Speece, son of Conrad Speece, who emigrated to this country 
 from Germany. My mother's maiden name was Ann Catherine Turner. I 
 was born in New London, Va., November 7, 1776. My parents were poor, 
 but honest and industrious people. My parents sent me several years, in my 
 childhood, to a common school, where I learned reading, writing and arith- 
 metic. They also instructed me early in religion." "Samuel Brown, after- 
 wards pastor of New Providence, was one of his early teachers. Having 
 formed a high estimate of the boy's capacity, he wrote to his father, urging 
 him to send his son Conrad to the grammar school near New London. This 
 request, declined by the father on account of his narrow circumstances, made 
 an impression of lasting influence on the boy. Some months afterwards Mr. 
 Edward Graham, the teacher of the grammar school, 'offered to give me 
 tuition for four years, on condition of my assisting him in teaching as soon 
 as I should become capable, and until the end of that period. My grandmother 
 Speece, in New London, offered to furnish my boarding on moderate terms. 
 On this plan, I entered the school in November, 1792. At first the Latin lan- 
 guage was very irksome to me, but soon became easy.' He committed the 
 grammar with great readiness, but as a matter of memory. There was no 
 pleasure in the effort to apply the forms and rules to the examples of the first 
 
30 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 Latin book. Mr. Graham encouraged him, and comphmented the progress 
 he was making. One day, while looking- over the forms in the grammar, and 
 getting almost weary of his occupation, the whole matter seemed to open to 
 him in a twinkling, like the drawing of a curtain, or awaking out of sleep; 
 and he saw at once the meaning of the forms, and the design of the rules he 
 had been storing in his retentive memory. After that, the acquisition of Latin 
 was a delightful exercise. For a time his teachers knew not what to think 
 of young Speece. On went his recitations, rapid without pausing, sentence 
 after sentence, with the same cheerfulness and ease he had followed the plow 
 unwearied, from rising to setting sun." 
 
 "Li February, 1795, my excellent mother died. This caused me to re- 
 solve that I would seek religion." He found many difficulties in his way, and 
 at one time was on the verge of infidelity, when some one placed in his hands 
 Jenyn's Internal Evidences and Bcattic's Evidences. ''These," he says, "fully 
 convinced me of the truth of Christianity." He attended Liberty Hall, spend- 
 ing his leisure hours in the study of the law. The delight in his studies, and 
 the influence of light ungodly companions turned him, for a time, from his 
 purpose of becoming a Christian. "At length, in the course of the autumn 
 of 1795' I was enabled to cast myself, with mingled joy and trembling, by 
 faith, on the rich mercy of God in Christ for salvation, and to devote myself 
 to His service. In the ensuing winter I resolved to engage, God willing, in 
 the ministry of the Gospel. In April, 1796, I was received into the commu- 
 nion of the Presbyterian Church of New Monmouth." In September, 1796, 
 he was received under the care of Lexington Presbytery as a candidate for the 
 ministry, and was assigned his trial pieces. In October he received his degree 
 B. A. at Liberty Hall. In the spring of 1797 he passed his trials for licensure, 
 and the trials for ordination were given him. He studied Theology with Rev. 
 Wm. Graham. While preparing for ordination he became troubled about 
 infant baptism. He studied the question carefully, but nothing relieved his 
 mind of doubts. Fie says, "In April, 1798, the Presbytery, after accepting 
 my pieces of trial, desired of me an account of my difficulties on baptism. 
 They treated me in a friendly manner, and desired me to attend their next 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 31 
 
 meeting. In the meantime my licensure was necessarily suspended." He gave 
 up his position as tutor at Liberty Hall, and went home to work on his father's 
 farm. In this way he regained his health. 
 
 In 1799 Rev. Archibald Alexander, president of Hampden-Sidney Col- 
 lege, called to see him for the purpose of securing him as tutor in college. 
 "He found him engaged in the hardest of farming work, running a ditch to 
 drain a portion of his father's farm." His studies in baptism during this 
 period resulted in his being immersed. He immediately began the preaching 
 of the Gospel. He remained in this connection just one year. In the mean- 
 time, all of his doubts as to the scriptural mode of baptism being by pouring 
 or sprinkling, and not by immersion, were removed, and he became a veritable 
 champion of the mode which he had once opposed. In April, 1801, he re- 
 turned to the Presbyterian Church, and became a member of Hanover Pres- 
 bytery. "Having read before the Presbytery a discourse on baptism by way 
 of trial, they licensed me to preach the Gospel." Thus, you see, he not only 
 satisfied his own mind, but also the mind of the Presbytery, because they 
 licensed him at once. He seems to have been utterly unconcerned about public 
 criticism. It is said of him while teaching at Hampden-Sidney, that "often, 
 in his room, he might have been seen without coat, vest, shoes or stockings 
 engaged at his books, attired as for hay-making," and he would often start 
 to his class-room in this plight, when the bell would ring. The hints which 
 he has given us of his own life, are sufiicient to show us the traits of character 
 which made him the great man he afterwards became. He was perfectly 
 honest with himself, simple in manner, sincere, and a lover of the truth. The 
 account of the installation given in the Minutes of Presbytery, does not agree 
 with that in Footc's Sketches. Dr. Foote does not mention the name of Rev. 
 Wm. Wilson, as having anything to do with it. The omission in the 
 "Sketches" is evidently wrong. 
 
 From 1 80 1, when he gave up his work as tutor in college, until he was 
 called to this Church in 18 13, Dr. Speece was preaching in Virginia and 
 Maryland. He rose rapidly in the esteem of his brethren. He was many 
 times moderator of Presbytery, and moderator of the Synod of Virginia in 
 
22 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 the years 1810, 1813, 1817, 1825 and 1835. I do not suppose this can be 
 said of any other man, for it is an honor conferred upon but few, and seldom 
 but once. He frequently represented the Presbytery in the General Assembly. 
 From this time, the Minutes of Presbytery begin to show the membership of 
 the churches, and the amounts the churches gave to the different causes. 
 
 In 1816, Augusta Church reported 180 members. At the same time 
 Staunton reported 51, and was joined with Brown's Meeting House, now 
 Hebron, in one pastoral charge; Bethel reported 136. In 1817, Union Church 
 was organized with a membership of 44. At the same meeting, Augusta 
 reported 165. The falling off is evidently, mainly accounted for in the organi- 
 zation of Union Church, which was once a part of Augusta. In those days it 
 did not require a Commission of Presbytery to organize a church. Some one 
 would organize it, and then it would ask to be admitted into the Pres- 
 bytery. Owing to this fact, and to the way the Minutes were kept, we have 
 no way of telling accurately, how largely this Church was drawn upon in the 
 organization of those churches which have grown within the territory once 
 occupied by it. 
 
 In 1820 Mossy Creek reported 100 members. In 1824 Augusta 204, 
 and in 1825 she reported 214. Tinkling Spring, 139. This old Church not 
 only claims priority in age, but that under the leadership of such men as 
 Craig, Wilson and Speece, she stood in the front rank in point of numbers, 
 and in all the advance movements of those days. Her influence was felt in 
 the establishment of Union Theological Seminary. Frequent mention is made 
 in the INIinutes of Presbytery of her gifts to this cause. 
 
 It is not difficult to imagine the interest which Dr. Speece took in this 
 institution. He was born in the same county with, and about one year before, 
 Dr. John Holt Rice, who founded Union Theological Seminary in 1824. 
 Both of them were poor, and both had to struggle hard for their education. 
 "They were associated as tutors in college, and maintained for each other a 
 warm friendship through life." In 1832 Augusta Church gave to the Semi- 
 nary $144. 
 
 There are many amusing things told about Dr. Speece. He was a very 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 33 
 
 large man, and upon one occasion went to a tailor to have some clothes made. 
 The tailor said that he thought he could fit him. Dr. Speece said that was 
 just what he did not want. He wore his coat so loose, that he could take two 
 children within its spacious belt, and then have some to spare. One of these 
 little ones, who was thus taken within the compass of his coat while Dr. 
 Speece was in it, is now an honored professor in one of our Universities. 
 Where Dr. Speece boarded, he would not allow^ any noise during the fore- 
 noon, but after dinner he was ready for a romp with the children, often run- 
 ning with a child clinging around each leg. He was a great reader. Often he 
 would be found sitting on his horse, absorbed in reading, oblivious of the fact 
 that his horse was grazing by the roadside. He gave the name "Hill country 
 of Judea." to that portion of his field west of the Valley Pike, and it will 
 always be known by that name. The picture given by Dr. Foote of Dr. 
 Speece's installation will give a good idea of the gatherings in those 
 clays. 
 
 The installation was to be on Saturday, and the communion on Sunday. 
 It was their custom upon communion occasions to have preaching on Friday 
 and Saturday preceding-, and Monday and Tuesday succeeding communion 
 Sunday. Business was suspended, and their time and attention was given to 
 this one thing. They did not think that, too much time to spend in these sacred 
 services. The description given by Dr. Foote is as follows : 
 
 "The public services began, as usual, on Friday at the old grove- 
 embowered Church fort. The pastor-elect preached from Heb. xii. 1 5 : 'Look- 
 ing diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitter- 
 ness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be deceived.' On Saturday 
 came the installation services. 
 
 "The pastor of Tinkling Spring, Rev. John jNIcCue, many of whose charge 
 were accustomed to worship here in former days, came along to preach on the 
 Sabbath; also Wm. Calhoun, the minister of Staunton and Brown's Meeting 
 House, whose charge embraced a portion of those on Lewis' Creek, and those 
 in Staunton that once made part of the 'Triple Forks,' and still in their 
 affection clung to the Stone Church. From Mossy Creek and Jenning's 
 
24 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 Gap, the scene in succeeding years of the labors of Hendron, and from the 
 South River down towards Port RepubHc, with their minister, Georg-e Bourne, 
 the talented and the erring, the people came as in the times when their fathers 
 and themselves, when children, fled to the fort for safety, and came on Sabbath 
 to worship. The hill was full of horses and people ; not a carriage there. You 
 could see the people coming from every direction, as the highways were not 
 fenced in as at this day, in groups of smaller or larger companies; here a 
 family all on horseback, the father with a child behind him and one in his 
 arms, and the mother equally balanced, moving slowly along; another with 
 his wife upon a pillion, and a child on the pommel of his saddle ; and then some 
 young people that had met accidentally on the road, or had, perhaps, gone a 
 little out of their way on some pretence, came riding up in the unpretending 
 gallantry of independent mountaineers. The congregation retired, some to 
 their homes, and visitors with their friends to pass the night. On communion 
 seasons, and particularly on this, all houses were opened for friends, and all 
 common business suspended, and all families gave themselves up to hospitality 
 and devotion. People felt free to talk on religious subjects, and review the 
 dealings of the Lord with them, and to inquire for the right way. Often on 
 such occasions the anxious soul, for the first time, spoke of its fears and its 
 desires after salvation. On Sabbath morning at an earlier hour the families 
 assembled. What a sight of beauty and solemnity all around ! the mountains 
 and hills and forest-covered plains, all in the gorgeous dress of frosty yet 
 mild October; and the old fort hill thickening with men and women coming 
 to worship God. The voice of singing and of prayer is heard from the old 
 Church echoing among the trees. Had a warm-hearted inhabitant from the 
 North of Ireland been brought, like Ezekiel in vision, to stand upon the hill, 
 he would have recognized the cadence and the melody of his ancestors, and 
 joined in the sacred old tune he had so often sung; he would never have 
 asked if this were a sacrament, but have looked around for the ministers, and 
 for the tables, whether they were in the Church or at the tent in the church- 
 yard. And there, in the capacious seats around the pulpit and the reading 
 desk, were the ministers for the occasion; and the elders of the Church; 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 35 
 
 Wilson, the retired pastor, tall, spare, erect, warm in feeling, earnest in de- 
 livery, lifting np his voice like a trumpet, in his excitement; McCue, short, 
 full set, of a ruddy countenance, pleasant and earnest in his services; and 
 Calhoun, of middle size, spare, with high cheek l^ones, in appearance and 
 manner, and delivery of his message, much resembling John B. Smith, of 
 Hampden-Sidney, under whose ministry he came into the church ; and the 
 newly-installed pastor, tall, scpiare-shouldered, athletic, as mild in his de- 
 meanor as strong in his manhood. First, the sermon on the death of Christ, 
 and its blessed fruits in the salvation of sinners through faith. Then the 
 fencing of the tables, warning the unprepared, the impenitent and faithless to 
 keep back from the table of the Lord, and not to touch the holy emblems. 
 Then the consecrating prayer, and the hymn and the serving of the first table 
 with the bread and wine, and an address on some exciting subject of the Gospel 
 hope or faith. And after the elements have been passed down the long table3, 
 extending to the right and left of the pulpit, the length of the house, covered 
 with white linen, and seated on either side with communicants, and the guests 
 have been indulged in meditation and devotion, another hymn ; and then 
 another company of guests came out of the crowd to take the place of those 
 retiring from the tables, served by the new pastor. Another minister waits 
 on these with the elements ; and an address, and with singing, these retire for 
 others; and thus table after table is served till all in the large assembly who 
 have on Saturday or Sabbath morning, or some previous time received from 
 the officers of the Church a token of admission, have received the communion. 
 The passing hours are not carefully noted ; the solemn devotions of God's 
 people must not be disturbed or hurried, or the decencies of religious habits 
 and belief shocked by the rushing to the commnnion from sudden impulse, or 
 coming burdened with unworthiness that could not meet the eye of the elder 
 and minister. Then came the closing hymn, and the prayer and giving thanks, 
 and the solemn address to those who had not approached the Lord in penitence 
 and faith. On Monday the pastor preached, as usual, on such occasions, a 
 sermon calculated to cherish the impressions made on the minds of the people 
 by the services of the preceding days." 
 
36 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 It is well for lis who live in the whirl and bustle of this advanced age, to 
 dwell upon scenes such as Dr. poote has described and take our bearings. 
 The reader will gain a better idea of the descriptions of these services if he 
 will refer to the cut of the interior of the Church. As you stand in the right 
 aisle facing the pulpit as it now is, the old high pulpit, with sounding board 
 above it, was almost immediately behind the stove on the right. The reading 
 desk was in front of the old pulpit. The right aisle is the one referred to by 
 Dr. Foote as running the length of the building, and in which the long tables 
 were placed. Standing with your back to the old pulpit and facing south, you 
 will notice an odd-looking window on the opposite side from you. This 
 formed part of a double door, which used to be the niain entrance. From this 
 double door in the south, running to the old pulpit in the north, and inter- 
 secting the long aisle, tradition says, that they placed a table in this aisle also, 
 and they divided the communion set into three ecjual parts, a pitcher, plate 
 and goblets, with their stands for each, of the three divisions of the tables, 
 viz., to the right, left and front of the old pulpit. 
 
 The "token" which was used at this time, was a small piece of copper with 
 the letters "J. C, A. C," evidently being the initial letters of "Jo^^^i Craig, 
 Augusta Church." It was necessary for those who wanted to commune, cer- 
 tainly the members of this Church, to get one of these tokens. The conditions 
 under which they secured this permit, indicate the careful oversight which the 
 pastor and elders had of the members. They held these, to be given to those 
 who were, in their judgment, worthy to commune. To pass judgment upon 
 this question they must have had a very intimate acquaintance with each one. 
 How strange would it seem to this generation to witness this now ! Dr. 
 Speece was pastor of this Church for more than twenty-two years. He had 
 some warnings of his approaching end and of its nature, having had symptoms 
 of apoplexy. He died from this cause at the home of Mr. Allen, where Mr. 
 Frank Bell now lives. He was buried by the Nelsons in the old cemetery. 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 37 
 
 Sacred 
 
 To THE MEMORY OF THE 
 
 Rev. CONRAD SPEECE, D. D., 
 
 For MORE THAN 22 YRS. PaSTOR 
 
 OF Augusta Church. 
 Born Nov. 7TH, 1776. Died Feb. 15, 1S36. 
 He consecrated a mind 
 Rich in genious and Learing 
 To the service of his Savior 
 In the great work of the sacred 
 Ministry. And here sleeps 
 with his people till they 
 Shall all stand before the judgment 
 of Christ. 
 
 Reader ! 
 If in his life he tried to save 
 Hear him at last, O ! hear him 
 from the grave. 
 
 This stone is erected in token 
 
 of affection that can know no end. 
 
 Nearly one century of the history of this Church was made under the pas- 
 toral care of three of God's servants. The principles which led to the establish- 
 ing of this Church have steadily moved on, while one generation after another 
 has come upon the scene, been influenced by them, and have passed away, the 
 principles living and influencing all who come under their sway. Thus we find 
 the Church of God is never dependent upon any one man for its success. 
 
CHAPTER TV. 
 Dr. William Brown. 
 
 DR. WILLIAM BROWN was the next pastor of Augusta Church, being 
 installed in October, 1836. "He was descended from brave and pious 
 ancestors, one of whom, on the maternal side, was an emigrant from the North 
 of Ireland, a settler in the county of Rockbridge, an officer in the Revolutionary 
 war, and subsequently slain by the Indians. His wife and two daughters 
 were carried in captivity as far north as Canada, and those who have read The 
 Captives of Abb's Valley have been thrilled by the narrative of the tragic death 
 of the mother and one daughter, and of the rescue and return of the other to 
 Virginia. This was Mary Moore, who became the wife of Rev. Samuel 
 Brown, and the mother of Dr. William Brown. Of the six sons of these 
 parents four became ministers of the Gospel in the Presbyterian Church. Dr. 
 William Brown, the fourth of these sons, was born in the county of Rock- 
 bridge, September 11, 181 1, and was received into the church of which his 
 father was pastor, when he was ten 3^ears of age. He graduated at Washington 
 College in April, 1830. In 1832 he went to Princeton Theological Seminary. 
 In 1835 he was licensed by Lexington Presbyterv and spent the winter fol- 
 lowing at Union Seminary, in Prince Edward county." The occasion upon 
 which Dr. Brown was ordained was remarkable from the fact that two other 
 men were ordained at the same time and place. The ordination of these 
 brethren took place at Augusta Church. Dr. Brown was ordained and 
 installed pastor of this Church, and Mr. Joseph Brown and Mr. Alexander 
 B. McCorkle were ordained evangelists. In those days Presbytery often ad- 
 journed its sessions in the Church to meet at some private residence. On this 
 occasion, during their meeting, they adjourned from the Church to meet at 
 the residence of Mr. James Allen, an elder of this Church. The house of Mr. 
 Allen is now owned and occupied by Mr. Frank R. Bell. It was in this house 
 
REV. WILLIAM BROWN, D. D. 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 4I 
 
 that Rev. Mr. McCorkle stood his examination for ordination. Dr. Brown 
 entered upon his ministry here in Octoher, 1836. The Church had heen 
 vacant since February 15th. the date of Dr. Speece's death. 
 
 It was the custom to have morning and afternoon service at the Church. 
 The people coming long distances would bring their dinners and spend most 
 of the day, as their fathers had done. Frecjuent mention is made of meetings 
 of the session during the interval between morning and afternoon service. 
 The session house was built upon the north side of the Church, immediately 
 back of where the old high pulpit used to be. There was an entrance from 
 this into the Church at, or near, the pulpit. The design in putting it this way 
 was, that thev might use it as a kitchen if the fort should be besieged by the 
 Indians. Doubtless, also, it was for the convenience of the pastor, that he 
 might pass immediately from the session house to the pulpit. If the pastor 
 did not return to his home during the intermission between the services, 
 which was not likely in the case of Drs. Craig and Speece, who lived at least 
 five miles from here, it was necessary that he have some place of seclusion to 
 prepare for the service of the afternoon. It is probable, then, that the session 
 house was built against the church, and at this particular place, for the pastor's 
 convenience as a study, as well as for the purpose above mentioned. 
 
 This house was removed from its time-honored position to its present 
 location in 1847. ^^^ the Minutes of Session for January 2, 1848, mention is 
 made of session meeting in session house and being able to have fire. Records 
 of meetings in the open air and at the Church door were made several times 
 prior to this, which was evidently during the time of tearing away of the old 
 and building of the "new session house." Just here, before mentioning the 
 subsequent change made in the Church building, it will be well to introduce 
 an extract from the ]\Iinutes which will give us an insight into their mode of 
 worship and the spirit of the times : 
 
 "Augusta ClnircJi, Max 16, 1844. — Session met by a call from the pastor, 
 and was opened with prayer. Present, the pastor and elders Allen, Van 
 Lear, Gamble, Craig and Nelson. A petition having been presented to the 
 session signed by some members of the congregation and soiuc others, having 
 
42 HISTORY 'OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 a reference to the position of the clerk, and to introduction of n-czu tunes, 
 urging the propriety of the clerk's standing in front of the pulpit, and com- 
 plaining of so many new tunes." 
 
 This matter was put into the hands of a committee composed of the pastor 
 and elders Van Lear and Allen, who were to consider the request made, to 
 formulate an answer and report to the session. Tradition says it was the duty 
 of the clerk to announce the hymns, reading two lines and then singing them 
 before reading any more, thus the whole hymn would be sung. 
 
 The session met May 19, 1844, to receive and to act upon the report of the 
 committee. They "presented the following statement, wdiich, on motion, was 
 unanimously adopted and ordered to be placed upon our Minutes, and to be 
 read to the congregation : 
 
 "A respectful petition has been presented to the session of this Church 
 signed by a considerable number of the congregation, which the session has 
 had under consideration, and respecting which they have come unanimously 
 to the views and conclusion now about to be stated, as, on the whole, in their 
 judgment, most advisable in the case. The petition has reference to two 
 points: The one is in regard to the position of the clerk; the other to the 
 introduction of nczv tunes. As to the first of these — the position of the clerk — 
 we acknowledge that there may be individual preferences, and those prefer- 
 ences, honestly entertained, ought always to be treated with due respect; so, 
 on the other hand, the congregation should bear in mind that the services of 
 a clerk are entirely gratuitous ; that the office is to most persons, at best, irk- 
 some and onerous, and that, therefore, unless the position of the clerk be very 
 objectionable, from its remoteness and inconvenience, there should be all 
 reasonable indulgence conceded to Jiis decided preferences. At all events, we 
 cannot regard this matter, though only of individual preference, as being 
 among those things which are at all essential. 
 
 "The praises of God, Ave think, may be sung with about equal acceptance, 
 and near about equal convenience to most, whether our clerk be immediately 
 vnder the pulpit, or in his seat immediately in front of it, as is the case in 
 many, if not most of the churches in our land. It is a consideration, too, of no 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 43 
 
 small weight, if not absolutely decisive in the case, that while the ample quali- 
 fications of our present clerk are acknowledged in the congregation and out of 
 it, we know of no one else of acceptable qualifications who would, under 
 present circumstances, be willing to act as our clerk in ajiy position. The 
 practice of the clerk standing in front of the pulpit originated chiefly from 
 the fact that in former ages the people generally were not able to read, or to 
 provide themselves conveniently with books. The circumstances having 
 changed, the necessity or importance of continuing the practice, except on 
 particular occasions, is not the same it once was. In addition to all this, it is 
 proper to state that some of the petitioners themselves, as we are assured, 
 regard this as a thing respecting which they have no pcrsoihil preference or 
 wish. 
 
 "As to the introduction of new tnncs, we must take it for granted that 
 no one can wish that none such should be brought into use in our Church, 
 because such an objection, if valid, would have prevented in former years the 
 introduction of those which are now old. It must be granted, indeed, by all, 
 that new tunes ought not to be brought in too fast, but the congregation 
 should have sufficient time to learn in some degree, by proper efforts, one or 
 more that may be on hand, before they are called upon to learn others. Here, 
 however, we must say that we do not think there has been such an excess 
 of these tunes in our congregation as to be justly oppressive to any one, since, 
 upon careful inquiry, we are not able to ascertain that more than about seven 
 have been brought into use during the last seven years. A good proportion of 
 our tunes are those long familiar to the people. Some of the others, though 
 new here, are really about as old as the existence of our mother, the Presby- 
 terian Church in Scotland. Most of the tunes we use here, are considered and 
 used by the church at large as among the choicest specimens of music. Our 
 variety is yet quite limited. Let it ever be remembered that in any number 
 of tunes that may be introduced, every favorite of every person in the congre- 
 gation cannot, in the nature of the case, be included, \\diilst the singing in 
 our congregation is superior to that in most, we are aware it is not what it 
 might be, and the session of this Church would rejoice to co-operate in all 
 
44 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 suitable ways for its improvement ; and as one means to promote it would 
 herel\v recommend and urge upon all the propriety of furnishing themselves 
 with our excellent new Hymn Book, that they may join with us in this 
 delightful part of the services of the sanctuary. We shall be happy to find 
 that this matter here ends, as we think it surely ought. Let us follow the 
 things which we think will make for peace, things wherewith one may edify 
 another. Let us remember the excellent maxim of one of the earlv fathers 
 of the Christian Church, 'Li things essential, unity; in things not essential, 
 liberty; in all things, charity/ " 
 
 Li 1855 another very radical change was made. Both the exterior and 
 interior of the building were changed. If those not familiar with the place 
 \\n\\ refer to the cuts of the Church, they will understand these changes better. 
 The building faces the east, as you see it there. Originally, there w^as but one 
 double door in the east, the one on the right hand as you face the Church. Just 
 opposite to this door there was a double one in the west end ; between these two 
 doors was the aisle running the length of the building. The main entrance was 
 on the south side, which also had a double door. From this entrance on the 
 south, there was another double aisle running to the north side, intersecting the 
 aisle from east to w^est in front of the pulpit. The whole interior of the building 
 was changed. The pulpit was placed in the west, the double door on the 
 south was closed, the aisle running from it to the north was removed. A 
 single door was made of the double one in the west, and a new double door 
 was made in the front on the left side corresponding to the one on the right 
 side. A double aisle running from this left-hand door the length of the 
 building, corresponding to the one on the right. The old square box pews, 
 which were very high and faced the old pulpit in the north, were replaced by 
 more modern ones, which were made to face the new pulpit in the west. The 
 Church remains substantially as it was changed at that time. 
 
 From 1836 to i860 Dr. Brown was pastor of this Church. At that 
 time he was invited by the stockholders of the Central Presbyterian to take 
 charge of that paper. *Tn consequence of the failure of his sight, he gave up 
 his editorial labors in 1879. and removed to Fredericksburg, Va. T(^ obtain 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 47 
 
 the benefit of a residence in a warmer climate, he removed to Florida, where 
 he had purchased property in the vicinity of Bay View, and where he spent 
 the remainder of his days in a quiet and happy home, yet able to minister to 
 the little church near his residence, where, after the total failure of his sight, 
 he could repeat from memory the hymns to be sung and the portions of 
 scripture appropriate to the service. On the morning of April 22, 1894, he 
 gently passed away from the darkened earth to the inheritance of the saints 
 in light. As an ecclesiastic he was universally recognized as an authority 
 in the courts of the Church, so familiar was he with rules of order, so 
 well acquainted with precedents, so thoroughly posted in deliverances and 
 decisions as to be a living Digest. He had an eminently judicial mind, united 
 with an understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, and 
 what Israel ought not to do, a discernment often lacking but always useful. 
 He was thus instrumental in directing the policy of the Church in safe chan- 
 nels, and in restraining it from needless or hurtful legislation. A devout 
 student of God's Word, a man of prayer, regulating all of life by what he 
 believed to be right in the sight of God, devoid of all pretence, free from 
 cant and religious mannerism, humble and sincere, he illustrated in his life 
 the Truth which he preached, blessing those about him by the quiet, uncon- 
 scious influence of a blameless and consistent walk. It was a peculiarly trying 
 providence which brought blindness upon one who took peculiar pleasure in 
 all the aspects of the natural world; in the changing seasons of the year; in 
 the starry heavens; in the faces of children, and in the works of Art. And 
 herein is the grace of God illustrated, for blindness, in his experience, was 
 but the shadow of God's wing. It brought him into the secret place of the 
 Tabernacle of the Most High, into the pavilion of the Divine Presence; and 
 a failure of natural vision only made the eye of faith more clear to visions of 
 beauty transcending the brightest scenes of earth. 
 
 "Dr. Brown's old age was like the vestibule of the Temple, in which he 
 waited reverentially and patiently until the time arrived, when by a single 
 step he passed within the veil to see the King in His beauty, and to behold 
 the land no longer afar off, but a present inheritance, an eternal and satis- 
 fying possession." 
 
48 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 Dr. Brown's strong attachment to this old Churcli, his only pastoral 
 charge, and his deep interest in her welfare were very marked. One of the 
 last acts of his life was to give his large liljrary, of many hundred volumes, 
 to Augusta Church for the use of the pastor and his successors. The memory 
 of Dr. Brown is cherished most tenderly in this congregation by all who 
 knew him. 
 
REV. FRANCIS H. BOWMAN. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 Rev. Francis H. Bowman. 
 
 REV. FRANCIS H. BOWMAN succeeded Dr. Brown as pastor of this 
 Church, in 1861. He was the son of Rev. F. and Harriet B. Bowman. 
 He was born in Charlottesvihe, July 9, 1833. 
 
 ''He gave evidence of piety in early life and became a communicant in 
 the Presbyterian Church at Greensboro, Ga., of which his father was pastor. 
 He was fourteen years of age when he joined the church. He entered Ogle- 
 thorpe University in the year 1848. He graduated at that institution in 1850. 
 He taught for one year after this in Mt. Zion Academy, from which place 
 he went to the University of Virginia, where he spent two years. In the 
 prosecution of his theological course he was one year at Union Seminary and 
 one at Princeton. He left Princeton in the spring of 1856, and was licensed 
 by the Presbytery of Hopewell. Soon after this he was ordained and installed 
 co-pastor of a church in Liberty county, Ga. Later he became pastor of 
 the church at Greensboro, Ala., but his health failing, he remained there only 
 a short time. From Greensboro he came to the Augusta Church. His pas- 
 torate extended through the very trying period of the civil war. Mr. Bow- 
 man was a man of varied attainments. He was capable of filling any position, 
 socially or in the courts of the Church, with credit to himself and with honor 
 to his Church. He possessed a personal magnetism, and an ideal pulpit manner 
 or delivery, which gave him wonderful power over all who came in touch 
 with him." 
 
 One who is qualified to speak says that "he was the finest pulpiteer he 
 had ever seen." He was the possessor of an unusually fine form and said to 
 be very handsome. His pulpit ministrations were a model of gracefulness 
 and dignity. He took a deep hold upon this people, and all who remember 
 him hold him in the highest esteem. Mr. Bowman may justly be called the 
 
52 
 
 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 martyr pastor of this Church. He moved from here to Memphis. After he 
 became pastor of the church there, yellow fever became epidemic in that city. 
 Mr. Bowman felt it to be his duty to stay at his post. He did not spare him- 
 self by fleeing from this disease, but faithfully ministered to his afflicted flock. 
 When he left his home to visit one who was ill, he bade his family good-bye, 
 making them promise him that if he contracted this terrible disease, they 
 would not come near him. This was the last time he saw his family. He 
 was brought home ill and soon died. During the pastorate of Mr. Bowman 
 here, there were no marked changes in the congregation." 
 
REV. I. W. K. HANDY, D. D. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 Rev. I. W. K. Handy, D. D. 
 
 FROM the time that Mr. Bowman's pastoral relation with this Church was 
 dissolved in October, 1868, Rev. W. G. Campbell supplied this pulpit 
 until Dr. Handy came. Dr. Handy was called unanimously by Augusta 
 Church, January 30, 1870. He was installed pastor in May. 
 
 Dr. Handy was born in Washington, D. C, December 14, 181 5. He 
 received his theological education at Princeton Seminary, and was licensed 
 by the Presbytery of Washington in 1838. For some time he was a home 
 missionary in Missouri. This work did not agree with his health, however, 
 and he returned to the East, settling in Delaware. From this Church he 
 went to the First Presbyterian Church, in Portsmouth. He had not been in 
 that city long when yellow fever became epidemic in Norfolk and Portsmouth. 
 Like his predecessor in this Church, Dr. Handy "remained at his post and 
 cared faithfully for the sick and the dead of all denominations." The posi- 
 tions which Dr. Handy held, evidence the fact that he was a man of unusual 
 literary attainments and an indefatigable worker. Fie was a member of the 
 Presbyterian Historical Society, the Maryland Historical Society, and of 
 the American Scientific Association. "He was esteemed for his laborious 
 and accurate historical researches." "His pastoral work in the bounds of 
 this Church and congregation 'was richly favored by tokens of Divine ap- 
 proval and endearing him to the whole people.' " Dr. Handy was impris- 
 oned in Fort Delaware for fifteen months. "He held daily religious exer- 
 cises in organized Bible classes. The result of his ministerial labors in prison 
 was a remarkable revival of religion ; and not a few Confederate officers 
 afterwards became ministers of the Gospel. His largest published work, 
 United States Bonds, portrays his life and labors in prison." He was a 
 wonderfully fascinating man and a fine preacher. He died in Philadelphia on 
 
56 
 
 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 the 14th of June, 1878, in the sixty-third year of his age. ''His remains 
 were brought from Philadelphia< and interred near the old Augusta Church. 
 He was warmly endeared to a large circle of friends and kindred; and his 
 memory is embalmed in the hearts of his brethren in the ministry of the Gos- 
 pel." From June 14, 1878, the date of Dr. Handy 's death, till the 4th of July, 
 1879, the Church was without a pastor, but it was supplied. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE remainder of the history of this Church to the present will be treated 
 as one period. During this period, from 1879 to 1900, this Church 
 has been ministered to b}^ three pastors, whose autobiographical sketches in the 
 order of their pastorates, will follow the account of the whole field for this 
 length of time. 
 
 The bounds of this congregation have changed since Dr. Craig gave its 
 dimensions as thirty miles long and twenty wide. It embraces a territory 
 now about twelve miles by fourteen. This diminution of territory is due 
 mainly to the organization of churches around the borders and within the 
 limits of this Church, many of whose members, or their parents, once attended 
 here. She has been strengthening her position by establishing out-posts at 
 the following places, which will be named in the order of their establishment : 
 Bezetha Chapel, at Burketown; Spring Hill, Roman and New Hope. The 
 ministrations of the Gospel at these points have been blessed of the Lord in 
 bringing into the Church a large number, who have contributed spiritual and 
 financial strength to the Church. Perhaps no period of equal length in the 
 history of this Church has felt more keenly the drainage upon her strength 
 than this one. This is due mainly to three causes: (i) Deaths and removals; 
 (2) the wave of financial depression which swept over her, causing (3) 
 financial embarrassment to many. Notwithstanding all this she has braved 
 every storm, and has fair prospects, under the blessing of God, of great 
 usefulness in the future. The Church as constituted has six elders : Dr. Wil- 
 liam Bell, clerk of session, William H. Moorman, Peter H. See, E. McK. 
 McCue, Chas. Edward Crawford and Frank R. Bell. The deacons are 
 Samuel Byers, John A. Brown, Frank McCue. James T. Kerr and G. Craw- 
 ford Miller. She has at this time two hundred and fourteen members. 
 
REV. ALEXANDER SPRUNT, D. D. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 Rev. Alexander Sprunt, D. D. 
 
 THE first part of this period of twenty years this Church was ministered 
 to by Dr. Alexander Sprunt. "Alexander Sprunt was born in Glas- 
 gow, Scotland, July lo, 1852. His parents were Alexander and Jane Dalziel 
 Sprunt, and he is the fifth child of a family of nine children, five sons and 
 four daughters. His father was British Vice-Consul for North Carolina. 
 About the year 1854, his father moved to Wilming-ton, N. C, and continued 
 there until his death, during the pastorate of the son in this Church. The early 
 part of Dr. Sprunt's life was therefore spent in Wilmington, where the mem- 
 bers of his father's family, with two exceptions, still reside. He was edu- 
 cated in Wilmington ; at Upper Canada College, in Toronto, Canada ; at 
 Davidson College, N. C, where he graduated in 1875 with the degree of 
 Bachelor of Arts, and at Union Theological Seminary, Hampden-Sidney, 
 Va., graduating in 1878. 
 
 "In April, 1878, he was licensed bv \\"ilmington Presbytery to preach the 
 Gospel as a probationer. His first work in the ministry was as assistant 
 to Rev. H. M. White, D. D., pastor of Loudoun Street Church, Winchester, 
 Va. He was ordained to the full work of the ministry by Winchester Pres- 
 bytery in November, 1878. In June, 1879, he was called to the pastorate of 
 Augusta Church, and on July 4, 1879, he arrived in the bounds of the con- 
 gregation to undertake the work of this pastorate. Just six weeks before 
 this he had been united in marriage to INIiss Ellen Richardson, the second 
 daughter of the late Rev. Thomas E. Peck, D. D., LL. D., of Union Theo- 
 logical Seminary. Dr. Sprunt's pastorate continued from July, 1879, to 
 March, 1885, ^vhen he accepted a call to the Church at Henderson, N. C, 
 where he continued until called by the Committee of Evangelistic Labor in his 
 Synod, to undertake the superintendency of this aggressive work of the 
 Synod. He continued in this position for about a year, and shortly after 
 his resignation, he accepted a call to the pastorate of the First Church, Rock 
 Hill, S. C, where he now labors." 
 
REV. GEORGE L. BITZER. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 Rev. Geo. L. Bitzer. 
 
 THE eighth pastor of Augusta Church, was born in Clark county, Va., 
 December 21, i860. A baptized child of the church, he came to a 
 saving knowledge of Jesus at some time during his thirteenth year (the time 
 indefinite). Confessed Christ in the Second Presbyterian Church of Alex- 
 andria, Va., January 4, 1874, under the ministry of Rev. J. J. Bullock, D. D., 
 graduate of St. John's Academy, Alexandria, in 1877; spent three years in 
 teaching; then, being called to the ministry, five years were given to prepa- 
 ration for the work of preaching, at Washington and Lee University, Union 
 Theological Seminary, and elsewhere. During one session, i884-'85, he 
 taught Hebrew in the School of Theology at Austin, Texas; was licensed as 
 a probationer for the ministry by Winchester Presbytery, September 11, 1884; 
 ordained by Lexington Presbytery in an adjourned meeting held at Augusta 
 Church, October 9, 1885; labored at Augusta Church from June 13, 1885, to 
 September 25, 1889; at Portland Avenue, Louisville, Ky., from October i, 
 1889, to May 15, 1892; at Leesburg, Va., May 15, 1892, to April i, 1898; 
 from April i, 1898, to the present at Huntsville, Alabama. 
 
REV. J. N. VAN DEVANTER. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 Rev. J. N. Van Devanter. 
 
 REV. J. N. VAN DEVANTER was born near Waterford, Loudoun 
 county, Va., August 20, 1857. His parents were Armistead M. and Pa- 
 tience Taylor Van Devanter. When nearly twelve years of age he united with 
 the Catoctin Presbyterian Church, under the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Lupton, 
 D. D. His preparatory training was in Waterford, and his Collegiate and 
 Theological, was at Hampden-Sidney College and Union Theological Semi- 
 nary. He was licensed to preach by Lexington Presbytery at an adjourned 
 meeting held in Staunton, June, 1883, at which time he accepted calls to the 
 home mission field of Lexington Presbytery in West Virginia. He was called 
 to the pastorate of the Church at Philippi, Barbour county, and as stated supply 
 to Leading Creek Church (now Elkins) and to Holly Meadows Church, in 
 Tucker county. This pastorate continued for three years and six months. 
 During this time he was united in marriage to Lelia O., eldest daughter of D. C. 
 and Woodie McDowell Tabb. 
 
 January i, 1887, he entered upon the pastorate of Beverly and Leading 
 Creek Churches, in Randolph county, for the whole of his time. He remained 
 for four years and two months. He was called to Augusta Church in 1891, and 
 entered upon his work here the first Sunday of March. This pastorate of 
 nearly nine years has been a most pleasant one. The results of which will 
 have to be written by the next historian. This Church has a Bible Society, 
 which is older than the Virginia Bible Society. Its annual meetings are 
 held in May, and its contributions are sent to the Virginia Society. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of Augusta Church. 
 
 ACCORDING to Dr. Craig's account, the building was used for the first 
 time January 22, 1749. The date for this anniversary, of course, 
 was January 22, 1899; but it was not deemed advisable to attempt anything 
 on this scale in midwinter, with such weather as we naturally expected at 
 this time of the year, for it would have been impossible to have made a 
 large crowd comfortable at that time. We did, however, have communion 
 service on January 22d, and had with us Rev. L. H. Paul, pastor of the 
 Mossy Creek Church. This Church is the oldest daughter of Augusta Church. 
 October was the month and the i8th and 19th the days chosen on which 
 to hold the celebration. The Presbytery of Lexington was invited to hold 
 its fall meeting here at that time, and to participate with us in the pleasures 
 of the occasion. Presbytery met on Tuesday, October 17th, and was opened 
 with a sermon by Rev. Thornton Whaling, D. D., of Lexington, Va. On 
 Wednesday, 10 a. m., the Hon. Joseph Addison Waddell, LL. D., author of 
 Annals of Augusta Conuty, gave a most interesting historical address under 
 the title, "Reminiscences." Surely, no one was better prepared to make this 
 address than he, and it was listened to with excellent attention. At 11 a. m. 
 Rev. G. B. Strickler, D. D., LL. D., of Union Seminary, spoke from the sub- 
 ject, "Divine Origin of the Scriptures." In this discourse Dr. Strickler 
 stated with perfect fairness the objections made to the Scriptures, and then, 
 with that invincible logic which he wields so easily and so naturally, he 
 swept away all obstacles, causing the Bible to stand forth unimpeached, not- 
 withstanding the long-continued efforts of its enemies. He made his audi- 
 ence feel that it is the JJ^ord of God, stirring in the heart of the believer a 
 new delight in his Bible. Following this at 2 :30 p. m. was an address by that 
 gifted speaker and orator, Rev. G. W. Finley, D. D., of Tinkling Spring 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 65 
 
 Church, on "The Open Bible in the Hands of the People." The design in 
 this, which he admirably carried out, was to show the effects which the 
 "Open Bible" had produced, even the great Reformation, and the blessings 
 and benefits which have come down to us from it. Thus the history of this 
 Church leads us back to the Reformation before we find an adequate cause 
 to account for its existence. It was at this time that the power of the open 
 Bible began to be felt. Thus this Church owed its origin and history to the 
 Reformation, and she was indebted to the Bible, and the Bible was the Word 
 of God. Thursday, 19th, 11 a. m.. Rev. W. W. Moore, D. D., LL. D., of 
 Union Seminary, spoke on the subject, "Presbyterianism and Education." In 
 a masterly and irrefutable manner he showed the elevating and cultivating 
 influence of Presbyterianism upon the mind and heart of the recipient, broad- 
 ening and deepening his mind, teaching not only self-respect, but respect for 
 authority and, above all, reverence for God. The effects produced by Presby- 
 terianism on the history of the world were abundantly testified to by distin- 
 guished scholars of other denominations, whose names and opinions Dr. 
 Moore gave, to show that Presbyterianism was not an invention of man any 
 more so than the complex being, man himself, who is soul and body. The Doc- 
 trine is the soul of Presbyterianism, and the Form of Government is the body 
 of Presbyterianism. 
 
 Dr. Whaling followed, proving that the body was of divine origin, 
 formed and fashioned by God Himself, as well as the soul (the doctrine) 
 which He gave to dwell within it. And, further, that this soul demands a 
 body like this to dwell in, as best suited for glorifying God who gave it. So 
 both Doctrine and Form of Government owe their origin to Him, and He is 
 shown to be their direct Author just as really and just as truly as man owes his 
 origin to Him, when He created his body from the ground and breathed into 
 his nostrils the breath of life. Dr. Whaling's subject was "Divine Origin 
 of Presbyterian Church Polity;" i. c, that the Presbyterian Form of Govern- 
 ment is the Bible form, and the Bible has been shown to be God's revealed 
 will to man. The presentation of this subject was the most scholarly and 
 conclusive that I have ever seen or heard. We were celebrating the Anni- 
 
66 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 versary of a Presbyterian Church. Its Government and Doctrine make it 
 Presbyterian, and these are derived from the open Bible. While revelling 
 in the luxurious presentation of the two sides of Presbyterianism — the divine 
 origin of its Doctrine and Government, neither the memory of the fathers 
 who so bravely contended for the Faith once delivered to the saints, and 
 who transmitted it to us, was forgotten, nor their last resting place neglected. 
 On Friday, immediately after the dinner hour, and before the time for the 
 afternoon session of Presbytery, a large number of the Presbytery and crowds 
 of visitors marched to the "old cemetery." After the graves had been looked 
 upon the two speakers, Drs. Finley and Whaling, chosen but a few moments 
 before, took their position on a mound on the gently sloping hillside a little way 
 north of Dr. Craig's tomb; the crowd was called to order; a company of 
 Cadets of the Augusta Military Academy were drawn up in line on one side of 
 the crowd, all contributed to make a most imposing and touching scene. Be- 
 neath tlrat sod lay ministers, elders, wives, mothers and daughters, soldiers and 
 statesmen. Above them stood or sat the crowd, representing all ages and 
 classes. To these Drs. Finley and Whaling spoke. Their effort was im- 
 promptu, and yet it is doubtful if these brethren ever acquitted themselves 
 more handsomely, as they paid their tributes to the dead, to the Christian 
 and to the patriot, and appealed to those who had entered this goodly heritage 
 to live lives worthy of their ancestors, whose memory we are commemorating. 
 The experiences of this short hour will never be forgotten by many who were 
 present that day. 
 
 The crowd of people who attended this "anniversary" was estimated to 
 be at least i,6oo on Wednesday, and not less than 2,000 on Thursday. In 
 the large grove there were said to be from 400 to 500 vehicles. How different 
 from the scene described by Dr. Foote when he says, there was not one vehicle 
 of any kind to be seen, but that the grove was filled with horses and people. 
 The following is taken from the Staunton Spectator and Jlndicator: 
 
 "But the surprise and wonder of it all was the ease and sumptuous 
 manner in which all this multitude was fed, verily feasted, by the hospitable 
 people of the community. Upon a big hollow square of tables under the 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 67 
 
 oaks was spread the greatest profusion of every substantial and delicacy that 
 the country and city markets can afford, and though the people ate with an 
 appetite sharpened by the worry of travel, the fatigue of sitting and the 
 bracing October air, there was every day, after all had finished, a plenty tor 
 many more. Then, again, at night the visitors by hundreds found the hos- 
 pitable doors of the many homes for miles around wide open, and to the sur- 
 prise of strangers unaccjuainted with the resources of our Valley people, 
 every one was comfortably quartered, and there was not heard a complaint 
 from any one on account of himself or his beast." 
 
 The following "Ode to the Old Stone Church" was written by Rev. 
 R. M. Tuttle, of Collierstown, and was read on this anniversary. By per- 
 mission it is added to the account of those services. 
 
 ODE TO THE OLD STONE CHURCH. 
 
 One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 
 
 Hail ! Old Building — roof and rafters, 
 
 Cornice, casings, sills and beams, 
 Floor and walls, and deep foundations, 
 
 Pew and pulpit, joint and seams! 
 We are here to do you honor, 
 
 And the day most fitting seems. 
 
 Time, whose tooth is ever grinding. 
 
 Turning marble into mould, 
 Leaves but little trace upon thee, 
 
 Telling us that thou art old. 
 And, indeed, the years but render 
 
 Thee more prized than gems untold. 
 
 Thou hast past through Revolutions, 
 
 And hast echoed back the yells 
 Of the savages in hiding, 
 
 Or when traversing the dells. 
 And thy secrets, could we know them, 
 
 Would enchant, like charmer's spells. 
 
58 HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 
 
 In the haze that gathers 'round thee, 
 In the mist of vanished years, 
 
 Shades of lu&ty men and women. 
 So to Fancy it appears, 
 
 Are in groups, and bands, and bevies. 
 Working in the midst of fears. 
 
 Fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters, 
 All are busy, all are here ; 
 
 Some at quarry, some a-building, 
 With the trusty rifle near. 
 
 And with sand-bags from the river 
 Women in the scene appear. 
 
 Thus it was, thou stony temple, 
 That thy walls did nobly rise; 
 
 Faith and Hope, and Resolution, 
 Under God's beholding eyes, 
 
 Moved the builders, holy heroes, 
 In the truly grand emprise. 
 
 In yon well-kept ancient acre. 
 For at least a hundred years. 
 
 Those old worthies have been sleeping 
 In their narrow sepulchres ; 
 
 Precious dust ! by angels guarded, 
 Till the Trump of God it hears. 
 
 In the pulpit, cleric figures, 
 Greet us in a moving scene, — 
 
 Craig and Speece, and Brown and others, 
 Holding up the Nazarene, 
 
 And each pastor to the present 
 Is in the procession seen. 
 
 Yet another scene's before us ! 
 
 It is a Communion day, 
 And the pews and aisles are peopled. 
 
 Awed and sombre in array. 
 By those living in the distance 
 
 Three-times fifty years away. 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. 6q 
 
 Pastor Craig has preached the sermon, 
 
 And the table white is spread, 
 And communicants are sitting 
 
 'Round the board with bowed head, 
 While the elders pass the emblems. 
 
 And appropriate words are said. 
 
 Such the scenes and recollections. 
 
 And inspiring, too, they are. 
 Which do here in the devotions 
 
 Mingle with the praise and prayer. 
 And they send us forth to duty, — 
 
 For the Lord to do and dare. 
 
 Grove-embowered church and fortress. 
 
 Reared for worship and defence ! 
 Border tales, and songs, and sermons 
 
 Charged with old-time eloquence. 
 Linger here, like mountain echoes. 
 
 Or like some rare redolence. 
 
 Like thy solid walls, Old Building, 
 
 Is the faith thy people preach. 
 And enduring as the mountains 
 
 Every doctrine that they teach. 
 And their hopes, bound to the Saviour, 
 
 To the higliest heavens reach. 
 
 Now upon thee, softly falling. 
 
 Like the dew upon the rose. 
 We would lay our benedictions 
 
 At this solemn moment's close. 
 And we pray that God would keep thee 
 
 From disintegrating foes. 
 
 Lord, to by-gone generations 
 
 Thou didst here reveal Thy Name, 
 And Thy Love upon the altar 
 
 Here has burned a constant flame. 
 
 And to future congregations. 
 
 Fount of Blessing, grant the same ! 
 October, 1899. Quirinus. 
 
The One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the 
 Old Stone Church, 
 
 By Mrs. Elizabeth McCue, 
 
 Granddaughter of the Second Pastor ^ Rev. William Wilson, D. D. 
 
 One hundred and fifty years ago, 
 
 These sacred walls were reared; 
 
 By sturdy men of pious zeal 
 
 With courage great that never feared, 
 
 When the red man lurked around, 
 
 And they by Britain's laws were bound, 
 
 Unstintingly of work they gave, 
 
 And of their need that they had saved, 
 
 Laid a foundation firm. 
 
 To keep the walls of this old church 
 
 Unmoved by time as years roll on ; 
 
 No sculptured marble floor was laid. 
 
 But legend says, the first of stone was made. 
 
 No spire from its drooping roof 
 
 Turns round with glittering sheen, 
 
 That shelters here these old grey walls 
 
 From many storms that've been. 
 
 God's book, the lamp that brightly shines, 
 
 Is laid upon the pulpit near, 
 
 To guide the Protestant divines, 
 
 Men of long and learned line. 
 
 Above is reared a marble slab, 
 
 Deep letters on it carved. 
 
 The names of all the reverend men 
 
 Who've labored here with love and fame. 
 
HISTORY OF AUGUSTA CHURCH. y^ 
 
 Oh! could we call the many back 
 
 Who've worshipped here in days of yore ; 
 
 Whose silent feet have walked these aisles, 
 
 We'll never meet them more; 
 
 And see the old high pulpit stand, 
 
 Beside the long north wall ; 
 
 And the sounding board that hung above 
 
 The chancel near at hand; 
 
 As now we see the grand old beam across. 
 
 That spans beneath the dome to-day. 
 
 Dear to us all is this old stone church, 
 As we meet to-day within its walls 
 And look behind and think of those 
 Who for their part their Saviour chose; 
 And when the echoes of cycling years 
 Stir our hearts with grief and pain, 
 Come, kneel within its loved old walls, 
 And hear the word of God again. 
 
 And may the echoes of these years 
 
 Rest on this old stone church. 
 
 And every stone a monument 
 
 To those who built this house. 
 
 As we to-day commemorate 
 
 Our Saviour's dying love. 
 
 All glory unto Him ascribe. 
 
 And open wide the doors and let His glory in, 
 
 The holy gospel of the Lord, who gave His life for sin. 
 
 And honor those who sleep in sight. 
 
 Beneath the shadow of these years; 
 
 Whose names on many a slab were carved. 
 
 Now crumbled into dust; 
 
 But God, He will remember and number with the just. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 The Old Communion Service. 
 
 THIS old service has attracted a good deal of attention, and has been 
 very much admired. There is practically no doubt as to the facts 
 stated in regard to this service. Its history is called "traditionary" because 
 we have not gained these facts from records written or printed. They have 
 been handed down from one generation to another, but in such a way that 
 the facts can scarcely be questioned. At an early period in the history of 
 this Church this congregation sent to England for this service. It was 
 "before Philadelphia was a shipping port." The vessel which brought this 
 service landed at Newcastle, Delaware. There being no railroads at that 
 time, it was necessary to bring the service by land, in the way they transported 
 their goods in those days. When it arrived, and the price of it was known, 
 the congregation met at the Church to decide what to do — whether to accept 
 or to return it. The matter was discussed, and the conclusion almost reached 
 to return it, because they did not feel able to pay for it. A letter was read 
 from an absent member, advising them to keep the service, that they could 
 pay for it. One of the noble wives of the congregation, willing to make any 
 sacrifice on her part for the glory of God and the good of His cause, said that 
 she had been saving her mites for a long time, that she might purchase a set 
 of silver spoons for licr table, but that the Lord's table must be furnished 
 before hers ; that she would give this money which she had been saving so 
 long to gratify the desire of her heart. This simple statement reversed the 
 whole tide of feeling. Her example of self-denial was contagious; there 
 was one after another of those present who followed her example, until they 
 not only decided to keep the service, but readily paid for it. This service has 
 been in continuous use here since that time. 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 Dear Brethren and Members of the "Old Augusta Stone ChureJi" of ipoo: 
 
 Your historian has faithfully, without sparing time and labor, gathered 
 and woven into one continuous story the facts concerning the organization of 
 this Church and the old building. He has endeavored to show you what you 
 have received from the past, with its hallowed memories and associations. This 
 precious heritage descends to you in trust. It is not a gift that yon may dis- 
 pose of at will, but as it was held by the fathers that you might receive the 
 blessings of which it is a means, so to you this day comes the responsibility 
 of making it a means of blessing to the future. Its future depends upon you. 
 
 May the memories of the past — the self-sacrifice, devotion to duty, zeal in 
 the Lord's cause, and soundness in the faith, inspire every heart. When you 
 look upon this old building hoary with age, think of the thousands upon 
 thousands whom God has met here and blessed, as they worshipped in His 
 Temple, and who have passed into that Temple not made with hands to be 
 forever with the Lord. When you look upon that service remember the 
 throngs who have used it reverently, and who remembering with godly sorrow 
 the sins which caused His death, looked with joy to the time when He should 
 come. These are now in the presence of their Lord. 
 
 Remember that the usefulness of the Church in the future depends upon 
 the faithfulness with which you do your part. May He add His blessing to 
 your every effort, and grant that His peace may abide with you forever. 
 
^limmm,Jh9!°^'c^l Sem 
 
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