USA > Missouri > Presbyterianism in the Ozarks : a history of the work of the various branches of the Presbyterian Church in Southwest Missouri, 1834-1907 > Part 28
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BOOK II.
The Cumberland and other Branches of the Church
APPENDIX
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
CHAPTER I.
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIANISM IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI.
THE FIRST PRESBYTERY.
The author of "Makers of Our Republic" somewhere asserts that scant justice has been meted out to the South in our United States histories because the Yankee has written our histories and with characteristic modesty has put himself in them. I have en- deavored to find some one to write this part of this volume, who by lineage and predilection belonged to the Cumberland branch of the church. Failing in this I greatly fear that scant justice will be given to this branch of the church. It was originally intended that this history should be ready for publication about the time the union was consummated. And the writing of this part of the book was assigned to my esteemed friend, Rev. J. T. Bacon. His multiple duties have deterred him from the undertaking. And no one else could be found to take his place. The task has been slower in the doing than I anticipated. The time has passed when the volume was due, so I enter upon this unexpected part thereof hampered by time and by an unfamiliarity with the scenes and actors. The investigations I have been able to make have deep- ened the conviction that our united church inherits the history and traditions of both branches thereof. We can each say of the other the history of their toils and sacrifices is our history ; the renown of their achievements is our renown ; the weaknesses and asperities they would bury we would bury; the examples they would emulate we would emulate. Pioneer Cumberland Presby- terianism in Southwest Missouri was much larger than Pioneer Presbyterianism. The struggles of the '60s did not mean to it just what they meant to the Old and New School churches, and val- nable early records are more accessible. Mayhap this circum- scribed sketch will inspire some son to the manor born to chron- icle the deeds of her grandeur and glory.
A. A. YOUNG
W. J. GARRETT
W. H. RITCHEY
DAVID E. GIBSON
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
The first Cumberland Presbytery of Southwest Missouri was christened Neosho. It was the offspring of the Presbytery of Ar- kansas, as the following minutes will show :
State of Arkansas, Pulaski County.
February 15th, A. D. 1837.
"On motion resolved that a new Presbytery be stricken off from Arkansas Presbytery to embrace all that portion of said Pres- bytery in the State of Missori," to be called and known by the name of Neosho Presbytery and to be composed of the following members, viz .: Brothers John W. McCord. Greenfield Buchanan, Jonathan Blair and Andrew Buchanan: that Greenfield Buchanan be the first Moderator, and in case of his failure John W. Mc- Cord, and that the first meeting be holden at the dwelling house of Alfred Moor, Barry county, State of Missori, on the fourth Tuesday in March next.
Signed by order of Synod the date above written.
JAMES H. BLACK, Mod.
J. A. CONNWALL, Clk.
"Neosho Presbytery met agreeable to the above resolution at the dwelling house of Alfred Moor in Barry county, State of Missori, on the fourth Tuesday in March, 1837, and was opened by a sermon delivered by Brother A. Buchanan from St. Luke, 22nd chapter and 29-30th verses. Constituted with prayer. Mem- bers present : Brothers J. W. McCord, G. Buchanan, J. Blair and A. Buchanan, ministers; representative, Brother John Williams from Center Creek congregation."-Minutes, Page 1.
The only other congregation mentioned in the min- utes of this first session was the Kickapoo congregation, whose sessional records were referred to a committee. The name of the Kickapoo Church was subsequently changed to Mount Comfort, and under this name it exists to this day. On the 22nd of July,. 1853, the Clerk of the session, S. G. Headlee, began making entries in a new sessional record. The preface in this book says: "It appears from examination of the old church book of Kickapoo congregation that there are so many omissions in history, and there being so many names marked transferred from this congre- gation to other congregations. also the change of name from Kickapoo to that of Mount Comfort congregation, we in our judg- ment have thought best, and by consent and with the advice of some of the brethren. have made out the list or amount of stand-
*I use the spelling of the records.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
ing members in our bounds, and have made out as true a history of the doings of the different church sessions from the years 1838, 1839 and 1840 up to the present time as far as practicable and the names before us show."
The roll of the church, the account of its organization and the minutes of the session prior to this date are transcribed in this volume, which closes with the sessional record of October 15th, 1860. On the tenth page begins this entry :
Kickapoo Prairie, Greene County, Mo.
27th July, 1835.
"In the dispensation of God's providence our lots have been east in the above-named section of county, where we can associate together and worship the living and true God without any to molest or make us afraid. We wish to enjoy that privilige and mutually agreed to constitute ourselves into a congregation to be known by the name of the Kickapoo congregation of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church.
"First-We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- ment to be the word of God.
"Second-We believe the Cumberland Presbyterian confes- sion of faith embraces the doctrines of the Christian religon as they are taught in the Bible, and we agree to adopt it as the rule of our faith and practice.
"Third-We look to the Arkansas Presbytery for ministers, protection, and the ordinances of God's house.
"Fourth-We promise to dwell together in the bonds of Christian affection and to use all our influence either personal or relative to promote the peace and harmony and prosperity of our congregation and the cause of God in general. In testimony whereof we hereunto subscribe our several names on the day and date above written.
WILLIAM DYSART. ANN DYSART. MARY A. DYSART. ROBERT W. DYSART. MARTHA MAXWELL. THOMAS ELLESON. NANCY ELLESON. ANN SAY. HANNAH MONTGOMERY. SILVY WHITLOCK. WILLIAM A. ALLEN. JANE ALLEN. ELIZABETH ODOM.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
THOMAS J. WHITLOCK. ELIZABETH WHITLOCK. MALINA BLAIR. JANE MARTIN. RICHARD WHITLOCK. MARGARET WHITLOCK. STERLIN ALLEN."
After having satisfactory evidences of the Christian conduct of the above-named persons, they were regularly organized into a congregation by the Rev. Andrew Buchanan and proceeded to elect William A. Allen, William Dysart and Thomas J. Whitlock for their ruling elders.
The method of organizing churches by defining their boun- daries is so unique that I will quote from the minutes of this first session of the Presbytery :
"Resolved, That there be a new congregation stricken off from Center Creek congregation to be known by the name of the New Salem congregation, bounded on the west by the west boundary line, on the south by the State line, on the east by Brown's line, yet so as to include all the head waters of Indian creek, and on the north by the main divide between Shoal creek and Center creek, and that Brother J. W. McCord attend to the organization of it.
"Resolved, That there be a new congregation stricken off from Center Creek congregation to be known by the name of Washburn's Prairie congregation, bounded on the west by New Salem congregation, on the south by the State line, on the east by Taney county and on the north by a line commencing on Brown's line in Oliver's prairie, running east in such a direction as to embrace all the settlements on Oliver's fork of Shoal creek above Oliver's and Flat creek, and that Brother G. Buchanan at- tend to the organization of it."
It should be remembered that the confines of the counties in this early day were not co-terminous with those with which we are familiar. At its organization, January 2, 1833, Greene county embraced that vast parallelogram 75x100 miles in area lying in the southwest corner of the State. Barry county was organized January 5th, 1835, Polk March 13th of the same year and Taney January 6th, 1837. At least Barry and Greene were much larger than at present. The churches enumerated above were probably in the present confines as follows :
Center Creek-Jasper county (though covering a larger ex- tent of territory at first).
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
Kickapoo-Greene. New Salem-Newton.
Washburn's Prairie-Barry.
The name of the Shilo congregation appears in the minutes of September, 1837, with William A. Allen as delegates. He is probably the same Allen who was a charter elder in the Kickapoo Church. The minutes of that church fail to mention his name after the organization. According to the history of Polk county this church was organized July 15, 1837, "By the election of William A. Allen and J. P. Alsup, elders; Rev. Jonathan Blair being moderator, and William Allen, clerk. John Buns and Rob- ert L. Fullerton were ordained ruling elders by Rev. F. M. John- son, who became pastor in charge August 3, 1837, and at the same time John Buns was made clerk." About 1840 the name was changed to Pomme de Terre, and in 1885 it was changed to Pleas- ant Hope. Under this name the church continues to this day. No doubt Rev. F. M. Johnson, the first pastor, is a misprint for Rev. T. M. Johnston. Such, at least, is the name in the records of Presbytery and in the "Life and Labors of A. A. Young." In September, 1837, the committee of Presbytery appointed to re- port on the state of religion said, among other things: "The number of conversions, baptisms, etc., is as follows since last Presbytery: Conversions, 51; adult baptisms, 11 *; infant do., 2; accessions, 20; whole number of communicants, 171."
The advanced position taken by this Presbytery on the sub- ject of temperance is worthy of remark. At its first session this action was placed on record :
"Resolved unanimously that this Presbytery believes the vending or use of ardent spirits in any way except as medicine to be a heinous sin in the sight of God and exceedingly injurious to the church. * *
"Whereas, In the opinion of this Presbytery the vending or use of ardent spirits in any way except as medicine is a heinous sin in the sight of God, and exceedingly injurious to the church. Therefore
"Resolved, That the congregation be and they are hereby advised to elect no man as ruling elder in the church who is known to be either a vender or habitual user of ardent spirits."
In December, 1841, this action was taken :
"Whereas, It hath been represented to this Presbytery that some members of our church in various parts of our bounds do still indulge in the sinful practice of drinking ardent spirits. whereby great reproach hath been brought upon the cause of re- ligion. Therefore
#I am not certain whether this is 11, 14 or 16; figures are indistinct.
ʻ
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
"Resolved unanimously, That the church session be and they are hereby recommended to take into consideration the propriety of urging it upon the members of our church generally the im- propriety and the sin of indulging in the use of ardent spirits as a drink.
"Resolved unanimously, That the members of this Presby- tery and they are hereby required to preach once in every six months on the subject of total abstinence in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and report to Presbytery."
The clerk was required to notify the absent members of this action, and the ministers were required to furnish the church ses- sions a copy of the resolutions.
There were probably no church buildings at this time. The Presbytery met from time to time in dwelling houses and occa- sionally at camp grounds, and for a time alternated between Barry and Greene counties. The first mention of a church build- ing is in the following terms:
"Presbytery adjourned to meet at New Bethel meeting house, Dade county, State of Missouri, on the first Tuesday in April, 1843."
At the second meeting of the Presbytery, September 27th, 1837, in the house of Josiah Danforth." the New Providence Church was organized by "striking off" a congregation from the Kickapoo congregation. Rev. J. W. McCord was appointed to "attend to the organization of it," which he apparently did dur- ing the session of the Presbytery.
When, as was frequently the case, a quorum failed to attend Presbytery, those who were assembled together constituted them- selves a committee and apparently transacted any business that it was competent for the Presbytery to transact. The earliest rec- ords number the minutes of the Presbytery and number sep- arately the minutes of the committee, socalled. Thus after the heading of "Minutes of Presbytery No. 2" we find, "Minutes of Committee No. 1."
The supervision over the preachers and licentiates was more minute than at the present time. Thus we find frequent entries like the following :
"Presbytery examined the reports of Brothers J. W. Mc- Cord. J. Blair and G. Buchanan, and gave it as their opinion that they have been industriously engaged in preaching and in various ways striving to promote the interests of Christ's kingdom since last Presbytery so far as their circumstances would justify." *
"Resolved, That each preacher ordained and licensed he and they are hereby required to attend all the camp meetings in the bounds of Neosho Presbytery. Ordered that the clerk be, and he
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is hereby required to send Brother John W. MeCord a copy of the above resolution."
This last was the action of the "committee" when a quorum failed to appear.
October 3, 1838, the statistics of the Presbytery were: "Seven congregations, 55 conversions during the last year, 97 ac- cessions. 16 adult baptisms. 11 infant baptisms and 272 communi- cants. Of the number of communicants 4 are ordained preachers. 2 licentiates and 2 candidates."
This meeting of the committee was held at Spring River camp ground, and at the next meeting of the Preshytery arrange- ments were made to "strike off" that congregation from the Cen- ter Creek congregation.
The name of the Presbytery was changed to Ozark in accord- ance with the following :
"Ozark Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church (the name having been changd by resolution of Arkansas Synod) met pursuant to adjournment in Newton county, Missouri, on Thursday the 24th day of October, A. D. 1839."-Minutes, Page 20.
The accessions to the church, the net increase from year to year and the number of young men who were offering themselves as candidates for the ministry were remarkable in comparison with the statistics of either the Presbyterian or Cumberland Presbyterian Presbyteries in Southwest Missouri, say during the last decade of the nineteenth century. For a time the increase in communicants was from 30 per cent. to 60 per cent. annually. True it is easier to have a large per cent increase in a small body than in a large one; but when a Presbytery of six or eight small churches shows an actual accession and an actual increase as large as a Presbytery of five times that many churches and ten times the communicant strength, and this showing is repeated frequently enough to show that it is not abnormal, we must com- mend the aggressive and evangelistie spirit of the earlier times. And here I shall insert one report in full because it breathes the spirit of the times and mentions the obstacles as well as the en- couragements :
"Your committee on the state of religion and statistics of the church, beg leave respectfully to report that from the infor- mation before them you have abundant reason to adore the good- ness of God for the wonderful displays of His grace in the salva- tion of sinners. Your committee rejoice to report that the last Presbyterial year has been marked with more signal displays of the wonder-working power of God in the conversion of souls than
*Yet the actual increase in communicants was not as large as the year before .- Ed.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
any former year." The labors of your ministers have been abundantly blessed, and they have been standing at their posts, zealously contending for the faith once delivered to the saints, . closely adhering to your excellent standards and rules of gov- ernment and striving to build again the waste places of Zion. But while they have administered in holy things, your committee regret to say their temporal wants have been almost entirely neg- leted by the church. Your committee would recommend deep humility and self-abasement, both with preachers and people, and pray God to send more laborers into His vineyard, for the cry is daily heard for ministerial labor from your body. From the in- formation before your committee the statistics of the church are as follows, viz .:
Professions 102
Accessions 97
8
- 29
17
Ord. Mins. 6
Licentiates
Candidates 3
Total Amount of Communicar ts 317
In conclusion your committee would earnestly recommend that you endeavor speedily to adopt some efficient means to awaken the members of the church to the discharge of their duty in supporting the Gospel and forming a union with some min- ister as their- [Here a word is obviously omitted.] Let both preachers and people awake to double diligence in the service of God and pray the great Head of the church to continre His good- ness with us. All which is respectfully submitted.
"A. A. YOUNG, Chm."
Minutes October, 1839.
To this report I will here add the statistics for a period of years, which illustrate more fully the growth, and especially the large number of licentiates and candidates and infant baptisms :
Year
Churches Ord. Licen- Mins tiates
dates Candi- Profes- sions 310 4
Acces- sions
Adults Infants
Bar.
Total Com.
1841
11
6
8
1842
16
10
10
10
268 200
69
68
865
1843
17
8
10
10
880
(Spring)
1843
17
10
9
10
211
143
48
35
1023
(Fall)
1845
23
9
15
10
143
116
45
52
1122
1846
23
9
14
8
225
85
30
40
1400
That these ministers and licentiates toiled faithfully on an utterly inadequate support is abundantly attested. Presbytery by resolution required the ministers to preach annually on the support of the Gospel and examined the ministers as to their
Bap.
50
26
661
2
Congregations Adults Bap. Infants Bap.
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PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE OZARKS
fidelity to this trust. No subject occupied a more prominent place in the deliberations of the Presbytery, and when a minister was sent on a special mission to some circuit he was frequently en- joined to present to the congregation the claims of the circuit rider to a support. That the preaching of an annual sermon was not always a perfunctory performance is attested by the extracts from what was probably one of these sermons, delivered by Rev. Valentine Pentzer, and found on a previous page of this book.
The minutes of April, 1840, contain these items:
"Brothers C. C. Porter and J. D. Montgomery reported that. they had complied with the request of last Presbytery to ride as missionaries. Whereas were made by the different congrega- tions to Brothers Porter and Montgomery to append to their pecuniary aid certain sums. On motion.
Resolved, That Brothers Danforth and Witherspoon be a committee to confer with the representatives now present, receive the pledges, settle with the missionaries and report to Presby- tery. *
The committee appointed to settle with Brothers Porter and Montgomery report that the pledges made at the last session of Presbytery have all been redeemed, except that of Kickapoo con- gregation, which we are assured will be redeemd. We find that with what they have received personally, together with the amount of pledges, including that of Kickapoo (which they agree to receive as cash), amount to $64.62 cents each, making a total of $129.25 cents which they have received for their ministerial labors since last session of Presbytery."
The historical materials that have fallen into my hands have revealed the fact that the bars between Pioneer Presbyterianism and Cumberland Presbyterianism in Southwest Missouri were not as high as I had supposed they were. The correspondence of the New School Presbyterian ministers in the Home Missionary, so far as it has come under my observation, is uniformly appre- ciative of the work of the Cumberland Church. And this is the more worthy of consideration when we remember that this corre- spondence bristles with criticism of some of "the sects," and was. written for a denominational organ that doubtless was seldom or never seen by those commended. Take as an illustration this from the pen of Rev. Amasa Jones, and contained in the Home Missionary September, 1845:
"I have just returned from a meeting of our Cumberland Presbyterian brethren .There can be no doubt that they are the devoted followers of Jesus Christ, and are filling an important place in His church. They have probably done as much for this section of the West as any other denomination whatever. They labor under many embarrassments-enough to discourage the
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cold-hearted and lukewarm-but notwithstanding they urge their way forward, counting all things loss for Jesus' sake. Many of their preachers are not only men of ardent piety, but prepared to preach with great acceptance to any pious and devoted congre- gation. They are generally poor, and besides preaching have to sustain their families by labors of their own hands. Under all their embarrassments, their labors have been blest in the salva- tion of multitudes of precious souls. My intercourse with them was sweet and refreshing to my soul. I cannot but hope and be- lieve, that the Lord is about to bring His own dear people of dif- ferent evangelical denominations nearer together, in order that a more united effort may be made to prevent the overflowing scourge of error from sweeping over the land and laying waste the heritage of God. The time is certainly coming when God's watchmen will see eye to eye, and seek more earnestly the glory of God in the salvation of souls; yes, when the whole army of the redeemed will stand shoulder to shoulder and spread out one broad front, to oppose the common enemy of God and man. Un- der these circumstances, led forth by the great Captain of our Salvation, the shout of victory will soon be heard from the East to the West, and from the North to the South, until the note of triumph-complete triumph-shall reach the heavens and be re- echoed back to earth. 'Allelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.' 'The fruits of the Spirit are peace.' Oh, for more of these fruits."
Camp meetings were a prominent feature in the work of the church and the ministers were expected to attend all of them, until in 1843 a division was made and certain ministers were as- signed to certain camp meetings. By this time there were some eight or ten of these camp meeting grounds in the bounds of the Presbytery. At this same session the "cirenits" for the "circuit riders" were divided by metes and bounds. Their names and ter- ritory are thus laid down :
"Division 1st-Newton and Barry counties, to be called Neosho Circuit.
Division 2nd-Dade and Jasper counties, to be called Green- field Circuit.
Division 3d-Tarey and Ozark counties, to be called White River Circuit.
Division 4th-Greene and Wright counties, to be called Springfield Circuit.
Division 5th-Polk and Niangua counties, to be called Bolivar. Circuit.
Division 6th-Benton and St. Clair counties, to be called Osceola Circuit."
Niangua was the early name of Dallas county. At this date
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McDonald, Lawrence, Stone, Christian, Douglas and Webster counties were not organized. It is evident the circuits above in- cluded the territory of these counties, and if the "riders" rode them well, as we have reason to believe they did, it is certain that they had plenty of outdoor exercise.
We commend to twentieth century Presbyterianism these ef- forts to indoctrinate the sessions and members of the churches :
"Ordered that the ordained ministers examine the church sessions in the bounds of their operations on the discipline and government of our church."-Minutes, March 10th, 1841.
"Resolved, That it shall be the duty of every minister under the care of this Presbytery having the pastoral care of one or more congregations to examine the members on the doctrines of the church as set forth in the Shorter Catechism at least twice in the year and report the same at each session of Presbytery." -- Minutes, October 5, 1843.
"Ordered that each church session in the bounds of this Presbytery undergo an examination on our book of discipline between this and the session of Presbytery, and that said examina- tion be conducted by some preacher thereunto called by the ses- sion. and that they report the same by their next representatives to Presbytery."-Minutes, October 6, 1846.
In the first decade of the existence of the Presbytery the prominent questions before the body were ministerial support, camp meetings and education. It is well known that the Cumber- land Church owed its origin to differences of opinion as to certain doctrinal statements, as to revival methods, and as to the educa- tional requirements for the ministry.
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