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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01267 9038
GENEALOGY 976.1 H142F
ALABAMA SYNOD
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HISTORICAL CONTRIBUTIONS, NO. 2. The Rev. James H. B. Hall, Synodical Historian
THE FORMATION
OF
THE ALABAMA SYNOD BY
THE REV. JAMES H. B. HALL
[From " THE FIELDVIEW," March, 1906, Brownsville, Penn., The Rev. T. M. Hurst, Editor. ]
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
1906
17
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
THE FIELDVIEW
Jno. 4.35.
VOL. IV. BROWNSVILLE, PA., MARCH, 1906. No. 3.
THE C. P. MANSE, MONTGOMERY, ALA.
PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN THE INTEREST OF THE WORK OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
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THE FIELDVIEW
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Jno.4.35.
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VOL. IV.
BROWNSVILLE, PA., MARCH, 1906.
=
SACRED
to
THE MEMORY
of
THE REV. ROBERT BELL.
Mr. Bell was the first man that ever labored inside the present Alabama lines under any kind of official Cumberland Presbyterian authority. It was in 1807, and by the authority of "The Coun- cil." No picture of him exists.
THE REV. ROBERT DONNELL.
He was the third authorized laborer, 1809. He was in this field when the church was formally . organized, February 4, 1810.
FORMATION OF THE ALABAMA SYNOD OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBY- TERIAN CHURCH.
BY THE REV. JAMES H. B. HALL.
The entrance of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church into Alabama dates back to the begin-
ning of the nineteenth century. There was a very remarkable revival of religion in all the then Southwest. Out of this wide religious move- ment gradually arose the Cumberland Presbyte- rian Church-at first, a minor matter; finally, a new denomination. The causes leading to the formal evolution of the new denomination lie not within the province of this paper.
The formal organization did not occur unti! February 4, 1810. Some years prior to this date, some members of the new creed had penetrated the Indian Territory-afterward to become, first. the Mississippi, then the Alabama Territory; and finally, the State of Alabama. Who first came as adherents of the new faith-both laity and clergy-is not known. Such items-so interest-
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THE FIELDVIEW.
THE REV. W. M. CRAWFORD, PASTOR, Montgomery, Ala.
ing to the historian of to-day-were not then esteemed as of any very great significance. The makers of history, as a rule, live and act un- consciously of the fact.
The first written record of any man's work in this broad field dates back to 1807. Prior to this, many men had come and acted on their own motion. At this date the work had so far ad- vanced as to demand formal recognition. By order of "The Council"-the incipient new church -Mr. Robert Bell, of Tennessee, operated herein. Huntsville-then a town not even on paper, the mere cabin-home of one John Hunt-was the radiating point, the geographical center of oper- ations. From this Mr. Bell worked in all direc- tions wherever population sufficient existed to demand or justify it. The next year, 1808, in December of which Madison, the second formed county of the present state was created, "The Council" directed Mr. Thomas Calhoun, then only a candidate for the ministry, into these newly ceded lands-hardly a part of the Missis- sippi territory. Mr. Calhoun, it is presumed, held the ground won by Mr. Bell and endeavored to develop it, likewise to spot and to man all new nuclei of settlement. The work was, of necessity, irregular and crude-it was, in strict- est truth, pioneer. It was, nevertheless, done
THE FIRST C. P. CHURCH, Montgomery, Ala.
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THE FIELDVIEW.
after the best style of the times. In 1809, Mr. Robert Donnell, but a licentiate, was sent into this steadily opening and promising field. Here he was laboring when the new church was formed by the organization of the Cumberland Presby- tery. Here, in this splendid valley of the Ten- nessee, he lived and labored for all his after years, making it, in no mean sense, his own and his church's. Few men in that land of great men more deeply and happily impressed them- selves upon its history than did he. He was, beyond doubt, the first minister of the Cumber- land persuasion to permanently settle within the state limits. His ashes repose beneath a hand- some monument in beautiful Athens, Alabama.
At the breaking up of the constantly enlarg- ing Cumberland Presbytery, in 1813, preparatory to the formation of a synod, the Alabama frac- tion lay in the lap of the then Elk Presbytery. Her sittings were the usual semi-annual, spring and fall, and the occasional or intermediate. The first presbyterial meeting ever held in Alabama, and whose records I have seen, convened at Meridian, now Meridianville, Madison County. This was an extraordinary or intermediate ses- sion of the Elk Presbytery. It occurred in Janu- ary, 1818. Here, January II, Mr. James B.
THE REV. L. A. REAGOR, PASTOR, Ensley, Ala.
THE REV. LUTHER B. CROSS, PASTOR, Gastonburg, Ala. Stated Clerk and Treasurer of the Birmingham Presbytery.
THE FIRST C. P. CHURCH,
Ensley, Ala.
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THE FIELDVIEW.
Stewart was ordained. It was for this specific purpose that the meeting was held. Mr. Stewart has the honor of heading the long list of men inducted into the ministry in the splendid com- monwealth of Alabama.
The Alabama Presbytery (original), and the Tennessee were formed provisionally by the synod, 1821. The first became deferred in a year or two after its actual organization. In 1824, the Cumberland Synod renewed it, and, at the same time, erected the "Bigby"-the Tombigbee -Presbytery. The latter lay largely in Missis- sippi. The old or general synod never honored the state by meeting upon her soil. The Colum- bia Synod, born at the birth of the General As-
sembly in 1829, frequently met within Alabama confines, her maiden meeting having been held at Huntsville, October 27 et seq, 1829. Of course these meetings were restricted to North Alabama. In 1832 the Elyton Presbytery was erected. By act of the General Assembly of 1832 the Missis- sippi Synod was formed. Its initial meeting was held in the town of Cahaba-the erstwhile capital of the state-in Dallas county, at the Cahaba's mouth some twelve miles west of the present fair Selma. The formal organization occurred in November, 1832. The Talladega Presbytery, formed by the Mississippi Synod in session at Columbus, Mississippi, November 12, 1835, met in its primal session at White Plains, Benton, now
THE REV. J. R. M'MULLEN, PASTOR,
Gadsden, Ala.
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THE FIELDVIEW.
THE FIRST C. P. CHURCH, Gadsden, Ala.
Calhoun county, March 25 and 26, 1836. In Oc- tober, 1836, the Union Synod, stricken by order of the General Assembly of 1836 from the Mississippi Synod, held her first session in the town of Elyton, now Birmingham. Her con- stituents were the Alabama, the Elyton, and the Talladega presbyteries. This gives the rise and the date of the first synod whose home was fixed within Alabama lines. She held her annual ses- sions regularly until 1867, when her name was changed to Alabama. In 1889, the synodic lines were so modified as to conform to those of the state. By courtesy of the General Assembly of 1889, the state of Florida is a part of the Ala- bama Synod.
I have thus briefly traced the rise and growth of the Alabama Synod organically. I regret that I am not able to list the earliest congregations in the order of their formation. Very many of these, especially the earliest, have ceased to exist. Their history has, in many instances, been de- stroyed or lost. The earliest houses of worship have not been preserved in any sort of picture. Usually those primitive houses were built of large hewn logs, having one large door in front, one on each side near the pulpit, and windows having wooden shutters. Adjacent to most of these was a large wooden shed used in warm weather, and in camp meetings, and on special occasions. It would surely be interesting to have a peep at those old houses, sheds, and camps that made our early days so famous. It would form a most interesting chapter in the evolution of the modern church. An equally desirable feature would be the photographs of those grand
old men, in homespuns, with Bible, hymn-book, saddle bags, and horse. How suggestive! How instructive. This, our honored vanguard. "De- spise not the day of small things," said one of the olden days. Ever and forever in the world's history does it find demonstration.
CENTER CHURCH.
MISS SADIE KEENER.
The church is located one mile south of Slate- lick, Pennsylvania.
Our records are incomplete as a part of them have been lost, and I regret that we are unable to furnish THE FIELDVIEW a list of the charter members, or a more detailed statement of the history of the congregation with the total num- ber of members who have been enrolled during the sixty-four years of its existence.
The church house was built by Jacob and John H. Keener on land given for that purpose by the Keener heirs, the Board of Trustees then being Abraham Frantz, John H. Keener and Henry Shoup. The church was built in 1841.
The first pastor was David J. Law, who was married at Canton, Ill., October 28, 1841, to Mary
THE REV. J. W. CHESHIER, PASTOR, Rocky Ridge, Ala.
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THE FIELDVIEW.
Jane Freeman, returning with his bride to Scrub- grass, Pa., later removing to Slippery Rock. He was appointed by presbytery to fill appointments at Scrubgrass, Rockland township, Harlands- burg, Centerville, Center and Treeport in Arm- strong county. This necessitated extensive travel- ing, and during the winter of 1843 he contracted a severe cold which resulted in his death, Febru-
Means was called as pastor, then followed James Garvin, Samuel Garvin, Ralph C. Byers, J. B. Miller, R. L. Biddle, F. A. Shape, N. L. New, E. M. Kennison, C. C. Badger, J. R. Morris and R. L. Biddle.
The elders front the beginning have been John H. Keener, Jacob Frantz, John McCormick, James Rea. George Swisher, John Hesselgesser,
THE REV. WM. ALONZO OVERTON, PASTOR, Green Pond, Alabama.
ary 5, 1844. Mrs. Law is still living at her old home in Canton, Ill. Rev. Mr. Law was suc- ceeded by Isaac Hague. Then followed in order Rev. Mr. Murphy, Rev. Wm. Campbell, Rev. Carl Moore, Rev. Samuel Bowman, Rev. J. C. T. McClelland, Rev. J. N. Norris, Rev. J. R. Mc- Quown and Rev. Azel Freeman. In 1880-81 the church was supplied by Messrs. E. W. Day and Neale W. Johnston. March 12, 1881, Rev. J. I.
Matthew Beckett, J. C. Edwards, John R. Keener, Wm. Frantz and Matthew Frantz.
From this church James S. Keener has gone out as a minister. Rev. K. C. Hays was also a member of Center Church. We regret that the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is to be blotted out. We know not what our future may be, but God has always cared for his church and will still care for it.
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THE FIELDVIEW.
OUR UNWRITTEN CHURCHES.
Anita, Ayers, Clay Lick, Cranberry, Eleanor, Harmony (Union Presbytery), Irwin, McKees- port, Millsboro, Monmouth Junction, Oak Grove, Plainsboro, Pleasant Grove, Pleasant Unity,
Plea sant Valley (Pennsylvania Presbytery), Pleasant Valley (Allegheny Presbytery), Punxsu- tawney, Rossiter, Roscoe, Salem, Shiloh, Union, Zion (Allegheny Presbytery), and Zion (Penn- sylvania Presbytery).
Repeated efforts have been made to get
spicuous by the fact that they are not given in the historic record of the churches in the synod. The work has been tedious and onerous, but it has been gladly given, and even if closed to-day the bound volume will be a valuable reference book for the future hisortian of our church. It will contain between 500 and 600 pictures with a great deal of interesting and important read- ing matter. Parties who care anything about this matter should write the paper at once in or- der to secure a place in the record before the work is closed.
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THE GREEN POND C. P. CHURCH, ONCE BETHANY,
Green Pond, Alabama.
sketches from each of these congregations, but, as a rule, for some unknown cause the persons who have been written on the subject have failed to answer, and the presumption suggests that they prefer to refrain from co-operating with the committee appointed by the synod for the pur- pose of gathering up and publishing the history of our denominational work in the state. It is hoped that some one in each of these congrega- tions may yet furnish historic sketches, even if they are unable to furnish cuts, and there is no doubt some of them that will send in their local history, but such as are waiting to be im- portuned further will soon find themselves con-
If a man say I love God and hateth his brother, he is a liar; (I John 4: 20) and all liars shall have part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (Rev. 21: 8). Therefore, it is better to love one another, (John 15: 17), be- cause love worketh no evil (Romans 13: 10) and it covereth all sins ( Proverbs 10: 12) and so we are commanded to let brotherly love con- tinue (Hebrews 13: I), not only to those who love us but to our enemies also (Luke 6: 27).
The Lord gives grace and the school teacher imparts knowledge, but unless a man has com- mon sense and honesty he is of small importance.
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THE FIELDVIEW.
The Fieldpiem.
Published monthly, under the direction of a committee, appointed by the Pennsylvania Synod, composed of Rev. C. R. Harmon, Chair- man, Rev. F. M. Moore and Rev. N. W. Clark, Brownsville, Pa.
Subscriptions: 50 cents a year.
Extra Copies. Five cents each or six for 25 cents. Churches, Church Societies or individ- uals may have extra copies of any issue made at the rate of $2.50 per hundred to be sent by ex- press, by notifying the editor not later than the twentieth of the month before the publication date of the issue desired.
Contributions intended for publication sent at any time will appear in the next number.
All communications go to Rev. T. M. Hurst, who is the editor.
Entered February 3, 1903, at Brownsville, Pa., as second- class matter, under act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
Help! Murder! The delinquent subscriber has got THE FIELDVIEW by the throat and is chok- ing it to death.
Unapplied Christianity is worthless.
To-day is ours. To-morrow is God's.
In the line of duty every man is at his best. *
A name on a church roster is no proof of vital godliness.
What we call life is but the opening chapter of an endless serial.
When all the parties get to be crooked how can a fellow vote the "straight ticket?"
*
There is a wide difference between doing good to be seen and being seen to do good.
The member who refuses to meet his obliga- tions to the church never tries to dodge the bank.
Probe the man who "don't like the preacher" deep enough, and you will always find some darling sin in his life.
The American people have their rum and re- ligion so badly mixed that it is sometimes diffi- cult to find the religion.
As a rule, the tougher the character of the church member the greater his demand for holi- ness in the preacher and other people.
It has been said that the religion of Moham- med advances with the sword in one hand and the Koran in the other; while the Christian re- ligion advances with an open jug in one hand and a closed Bible in the other.
Elders who manipulate elections by the use of money at the polls and who raise drunken boys ought to make their church prayers a little short- er and their home prayers a little longer, for the good of the cause.
Seth and Enoch and Jared were great names without a record but the little maid in Naaman's home; the lad with two small fishes and the man who led the beast of burden for the tri- umphal entry made great records without a name.
Christian Europe and America send about ten million gallons of rum a year to help "Chris- tianize Africa." Our sympathy for the "nigger" is wonderfully strong-that is, if the nigger has the money to pay for all the "bug juice" he wants.
No talent, no self-denial, no brains, no char- acter, is required to set a man up in the fault- finding business-any unprincipled ignoramus can find fault, but it takes a man with brains and integrity and moral courage to stand in the face of the criticism of such Jaspers.
It may be true that history repeats itself in some places but it often takes a long time to do it. For instance, Russia has not been re-Peted, since the, days of Peter the great, and taking the present Czar as a sample of her effort in that direction, she seems further from re-Peting herself than at any former period of her history, since the death of the original Peter.
The life of this paper is in the hands of men and women who have been reading it for months without paying for it. They can kill and they can make alive and unless they pay up before the end of two months the paper will die. How would it do to print a list of the people who choked the paper to death and let them go into the record as "heroes" for the future historian to consider?
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THE FIELDVIEW.
THE REV. MARTIN G. MILLIGAN, SR., PASTOR, Choccolocco, Ala.
FEBRUARY STATEMENT.
RECEIPTS.
S. Duff, Smock. $ 1.00
Mrs. J. D. Wiggins, Uniontown. .50
Mrs. Lydia Phillips, Beallsville. .50
Mrs. James Donaldson. .50
Mrs. Harriett S. Altman, Masontown .50
Mrs. S. A. Horn, Washington. 1.00
S. S. Bayard, Carmichaels. 1.00
Effie Hewitt, Carmichaels. .50
Rev. James Hamilton, Carmichaels .50
Frank Lopp, California. 1.00
Mrs. Walter Pangburn, Lock 4. .50
Rev. G. G. Kerr, Charleroi. .50
Rev. P. M. Sims, St. Jo, Mo. 1.00
Mrs. Agnes Beckett, Boggsville. .50
Mrs. Margret Bricker, Boggsville. .50 Benton Shape, West Union. .50
Advertising. 12.00
Rev. G. D. Mullendore, West Union. .50
Stella Guthrie, Coal Center. .50
F. M. Fleming, Mercer. 5.05
Rev. L. W. Lewellen, Tarentum 5.50
J. D. Hackney, East Millsboro. .50
Isaac Connett, Prosperity. 1.00
J. F. King, McClellandtown .50
Mrs. Lizzie B. Read, Fayetteville. 1.60
G. B. Crider, Smithfield. . .50
Sadie Keener, Freeport. . .50
Rev. W. S. Danley, D.D. 1.00
Ellsworth Marsh, Windridge. 1.00
Rev. R. B. Wilson, Coal Center 4.00
Levi Kelly, East Millsboro .50
IO
THE FIELDVIEW.
Geo. L. Moore, Brownsville ... .50
Mary Newcomer, Masontown. . .50
Mrs. W. K. Coatsworth, California .. ... 3.00
Total. $49.15
DISBURSED.
Paid Publishing House. .. $41.00
Express.
2.45
Postage. . 5.62
Sent Land and Book, for 1.00
M'rs. Lizzie B. Read.
Total. $50.07
The item of postage is just twice as much each month as it ought to be simply because peo- ple who read the paper wait to be dunned for the pitiful price of the subscription. The actual status of the paper at the close of February is as follows: It owes;
The Publishing House for printing. .$ 91.47
T. M. Hurst, for money advanced ... 29.14
Total. .. .$120.61
Against this stands in round numbers 300 peo- ple who have read the paper more than a year without paying for it. These people can choke the paper to death or they can continue it until its work is completed. The Publishing House is not willing to carry this indebtedness and the editor is neither willing nor able. The paper was started by the synod and the work of the editor is given gratuitously, and gladly and it certainly seems that the paper should be sup- ported until its work is completed. If these delinquents actually deadbeat the paper out of the mites they owe, then there is but one other chance and that is for people who are interested in the work the paper is doing and who are able to help, to send such sums as they feel will- ing as a donation to the work. The editor sim- ply cannot carry the paper and the Publishing House it not going to be urged to do it by him. The present year will easily complete the work, but the paper must have help or die. This is in no sense a personal matter, and the obliga- tion is not recognized as a personal matter.
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God does not promise the pilgrim an easy journey, but he does promise him a magnificent home at the end of the journey.
Judas found fault with Jesus but John did not.
THE RURAL PRAYER MEETING.
BY AMICUS.
When we begin to examine the reasons for and against the prayer meeting we find that a "want of interest" is chief against it. And we may grant that there are many good people who rare- ly, if ever, attend the prayer meeting, either in city or country, who are not willing to confess that a "want of interest" is their reason and who feel that the charge of indifference is an unjust charge. Well, granting this, let us see if we can find any good reason to justify the constant neg- lect of prayer meeting, winter and summer-not
THE REV. GEORGE W. MITCHELL, D.D.
only on the part of church members but church officials, too.
Sickness we may admit is a "good and suffi- cient reason" for anyone to remain away, and this reason holds good in city and country alike.
Distance in city or country may be regarded as a sufficient reason, especially when extreme weather prevails, but not a reason to justify the neglect of this means of grace constantly year after year. The country member says, if I lived in the city where I could step on a car and for five cents ride to the church door, then I'd at -. tend the prayer meeting all the time. But only a few good people who live in the city, compara- tively speaking, attend the prayer meeting, hence we see that the car alone has but little to do with the matter. A mind to do his will is neces- sary, both in country and city.
Dull prayer meetings may be urged as a rea-
THE FIELDVIEW.
son why so few attend, but what makes a meet- ing of that kind? Nothing but lack of interest ! A musician may be never so enthusiastic himself and yet be absolutely powerless to create in oth- ers that interest unless they are willing to sub- mit to the laws of musical growth, so we must likewise yield to the law which our blessed Savior designed should bring to us joy and strength for his service, in order to create in- terest in the prayer meeting.
Let us return quickly to the Rev. James Mc- Gready's methods i.e., organize prayer bands or schools composed of a man's band, a woman's band, and a girl's and a boy's band all pledging them- selves to pray as he did morning, noon and night at set times for a baptism of the Holy Spirit;
THE REV. B. G. MITCHELL, D.D., PASTOR, Huntsville, Ala.
for a deeper work of grace in our own hearts, for each other, and each one for the salvation of some soul, and then let each band meet in a prayer school each week and monthly all meet at the church.
We have methods, plans and organizations galore, but few prayer schools. Why not have schools of prayer and tarry with the Lord as did those of old who received the Holy Ghost?
We believe the sooner we go to the Lord more in prayer and quit our stressing other things so hard, the better and more glorious results we will witness. See I Jno. 3: 22 and 5: 15.
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