Greenbrier Presbytery was organized in 1839 primarily through the extensive missionary efforts of the father of the Presbyterian Church in West Virginian, John McElhenney. In the publication available for PDF download via the button at the end of this introduction, Historical Sketch of Greenbrier Presbytery by William L. Price, Rev. McElhenney’s ministry supplying pulpits and planting churches is often mentioned. Historical Sketch of Greenbrier includes a lecture by Price on the presbytery’s history and some information regarding Presbyterianism in greater West Virginia. Most of the publication is taken up wiith Price’s historical lecture given during Greenbrier’s semi-centennial celebration held in conjunction with the fiftieth meeting of presbytery. Other lectures delivered but not included in the book are “A Discourse on Presbyterianism in History,” by M. L. Lacy; “Presbyterianism as an Evangelistic Agency,” by J. C. Brown; “Apostolic Features of the Presbyterian Church Polity”; and “New Testament Characteristics of Presbyterian Doctrine.” A list of ministers beginning with McElhenney and concluding with those pastoring in the year of publication is provided along with brief histories of each of the churches within the presbytery. Other names of note discussed by Price which have articles about them on Presbyterians of the Past include John Witherspoon, Stuart Robinson, John Calvin, William S. Plumer, and T. V. Moore. The PDF has been transcribed from a scan of an original held by the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) Historical Center in St. Louis, Missouri, Wayne Sparkman, director.
Barry Waugh