Of  the  four  congregations  formed  by  John  Blair  on  his  visit  tO
Virginia  in  1746,  with  their  appropriate  elders,  embracing  the  whole
width  of  the  Valley  from  a  little  above  Staunton  to  some  distance
beyond  Lexington,  south-westwardly.  Forks  of  James,  Timbet
Ridge,  New  Providence,  and  North  Mountain ;  the  first  of  the  last
have  disappeared  from  the  records  of  the  church.  In  the  place  of
the  first  name,  Hall's  meeting-house,  New  Monmouth,  New  Mon-
mouth and  Lexington  were  in  common  use.  In  place  of  the  foarth.
Brown's  meeting-house  embracing  one  end  of  the  congregation
became  the  leading  name  on  the  records  —  then  Brown's  meeting-  ^
house  and  North  Mountain ;  and  now  Hebron  and  Bethel.  The  old
North  Mountain  meeting-house  stood  near  the  grave-yard  eight  or
nine  miles  from  Staunton,  on  the  Middlebrook  road.  Brown**
meeting-house  accommodated  one  part  of  the  extended  congregation,
better  than  the  North  Mountain  did  the  other.  After  much  consul-
tation a  new  church  called  Bethel  was  reared,  principally  by  the
agency  of  Col.  Doak,  a  few  steps  from  the  site  of  the  present  brick
church,  in  a  retired  but  pleasant  and  central  spot,  about  ten  miles
south  of  Staunton,  and  about  midway  between  the  Greenville  and
Middlebrook  roads,  from  Staunton  to  Lexington.     To  this  place  m

S eater  part  of  those  families  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  North
ountain  meeting-house  have  come,  and  with  them  were  united
some  from  New  Providence,  and  some  from  Tinkling  Spring,  and
formed  the  large  and  flourishing  congregation  of  Bethel.
