Greenbrier County, West Virginia - 160th Anniversary Booklet - Part 7 *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. *********************************************************************** Historical Booklet - Greenbrier County 160th Anniversary - 1778-1938 Published 1938 Transcribed by Lori Samples LATER CHURCHES IN GREENBRIER COUNTY One of the early church organizations in this region was Old Lebanon Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, which stood between Organ Cave and Sinks Grove in Monroe County. This church was organized in the early 1780's, possibly in 1780, and may have been the first church organization in this region. The old church was burned many years ago and New Lebanon, situated on Route 219, near Pickaway, was built. This church is mentioned frequently by early historians. Dr. John McInhenney wrote that when he came to the Greenbrier country, in 1808, there was a Lutheran Church in this county, "which was visited occasionally by ministers of that denomination." Also, he says, "there was a small society of Mennonites, which still (1858) exists." These churches were discontinued many years ago. Early records of the first services of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Greenbrier do not exist. There were occasional services by visiting missionaries and by the Bishops of Virginia. Mention is made of services in 1831, by Rev. Frederick D. Goodwin; in 1835, by Bishop Meade; in 1847, by Bishop Johns. After the latter date services were held fairly regularly at White Sulphur Springs and less frequently at Lewisburg until 1860. After the War, the Rev. R. H. Mason, first living at Warm Springs in Virginia, and after 1875 at Union, took charge of the work in Greenbrier County, and also in Pocahontas County. In 1878, Bishop Peterkin became Bishop of West Virginia and after that date services were held regularly. In 1883 Greenbrier Parish was organized, with Rev. Dr. T. H. Lacy in charge, and churches were built at Lewisburg and Ronceverte. About the same time a church was built at White Sulphur Springs, and in 1909 a church was built at Oakhurst, three miles from the White. The church of the Incarnation, Ronceverte; St. James Church and Rectory, Lewisburg; St. Thomas Church, White Sulphur Springs, and Emmanuel Chapel, Oakhurst, are the Protestant Episcopal Churches in Greenbrier today. The first Christian Church in this county was organized in Ronceverte in 1885. Charter members were: Col. and Mrs. Elery C. Best, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Mason, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph King, Mr. and Mrs. John C. Hunter, Mr. and Mrs. John W. Graves, Mr. and Mrs. Silas Davenport. Able ministers have served this church, especially the founder, Dr. John L. Brandt, and his successor, Rev. E. B. Bagby, both of whom rose to places of eminence in the Christian Church. Two other Christian Churches have been organized in this region: one at Sinks Grove (discontinued) and one at Keenan in Monroe County. The first priest of the Catholic Church to labor in this region was Rev. John H. Walters. As a result of his labors St. Catherines Parish was organized in Lewisburg in 1853. During the early years services were conducted in the homes of the parish. In 1858 a building, which stood on the corner of the present Greenbrier College campus, was acquired,. Later, St. Catherine's Parish was moved to Ronceverte, where the present building was erected in 1916. Other Catholic churches in this region are: St. Patrick's, at Hinton, and St. Charles' at White Sulphur Springs. RELIGIOUS ENCAMPMENTS IN THE FORESTS In the early days west of the Alleghenies, where roads were crude or did not exist, encampments for religious worship were built in the forests. Such were the tabernacles of the Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians. The buildings occupied three sides of a square, each side about 150 feet in length. Each road was divided into six to eight cabins, with partitions, the roof sloping to the outer side of the enclosure. Each cabin had a door opening on the enclosed area, and each was provided with a squat chimney on the outer side. At the open end of the enclosure was a shed, probably about 30 by 50 feet, covering a rude pulpit and log seats. In the enclosure a few trees were left standing for shade, and numerous stumps provided seats. In such places our pioneer fathers gathered for seasons of worship lasting many days, usually about three weeks, bringing provisions and with their families occupying the cabins. "The groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave, And spread the roof above them,...ere he framed The lofty vault, to gather and roll back The sound of Anthems; in the darkling wood, Amid the cool and silence, he knelt down And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks And supplication." "Camp Meetings" were especially popular with the Methodists, but were used by other denominations as well. Dr. John McIlhenney, early pastor of the Old Stone church, wrote: "Much of the preaching was done in the groves. A stand was put up and seats were prepared in the groves, and there I always preached, when the weather was favorable, for years. Some of our most interesting meetings were held in the beautiful sugar-tree groves around Union. ....meetings which made an impression on my mind so deep they can never be forgotten." The late Marcellus Zimmerman lists the better known camp-grounds in the order in which they were built: Muddy Creek Mountain, Benson's Camp Ground, Culverson's Creek, Foot of Muddy Creek Mountain, Brushy Ridge, Droop Mountain. In Monroe County there were campgrounds at Cook's Mill, Centerville, Cross Roads. Campmeetings were also held several times in the buildings at Salt Sulphur Springs. The last camp-ground in Greenbrier was "Old Brushy Ridge Camp Meeting," at the junction of the present Alta-Alderson road and U.S. Route 60. This old camp was destroyed by fire several years ago and was not rebuilt. NEXT: "SIXTY-TWO YEARS...GOING HIS FULL LENGTH FOR GOD" On Rev. John McIlhenney....