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 29
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Dr. J. B. Hill (History of K. C. Pres.) has well said: "The variors controversies that have agitated and split the Presby- terian bodies of this country are well known. * *
* None of the great dividing questions originated in Missouri; but unfor- tunately, in all matters of church and state Misouri has been on the border line. Its first impulse has ever been to maintain the old relations unchanged even at the expense of unsatisfactory compromise."
The Old and New School churches in the State were ready and eager for union before it occurred. The so-called Northern and Southern Synods can hardly wait for the union of the two assemblies. The Presbyterian . and the Presbyterian element, which was the real strength of the church in the Cumberland body, have come together in a harmony beautiful to behold. As to whether the Cumberland Presbyterians reciprocated the tender regards expresed behind their backs, alluded to on a previous page, I cannot say. The circumstances of their birth naturally required them to give a reason for their being, and the struggle
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for existence generally calls for weapons of attack as well as de- fense. The early growth of the Cumberland Church in Southwest Missouri was decidedly more rapid than that of the Presbyterian Church. This is explained in part by the fact that the first set- tlers were largely from the vicinage of the birth place of the Cumberland Church. The Cumberlands were by no means the only Presbyterians to utilize camp grounds and itinerating meth- ods; but it must be admitted they far ontstripped the other branches of the family in utilizing the strength-untutored but effective in pioneer work-of the young men of the church. The ordained ministers were frequently outnumbered by both licen- tiates and candidates. The present generation of Presbyterians could teach their grandfathers two or three lessons in adaptation. Meanwhile it might be remarked that the element in the C. P. Church that opposed the union retarded the recent growth of that body by clinging to pioneer necessities when pioneer days had given place to modern.
Like most men I pride myself on my judicial temperament which qualifies me to look on both sides of a question calmly and dispassionately ! Of the three causes that led to the separation of the Cumberland from the Presbyterian Church I find that some of my warm friends emphasize the doctrinal whilst I had been taught to emphasize the educational one. It may be admitted that the Presbyterian Church has always had some members who were hyper-Calvinists; that the nineteenth century dawned on many places where there was lukewarmness and spiritual lethargy, and that some were too slow to recognize the agency of the Spirit of God in the awakenings of their generation. To this real lukewarmness was added the imaginary. In the heat of con- troversy the parties misunderstood each other. That which was temporary and probably local was taken to be essential, universal and permanent. Two generations of rural Cumberland Presby- terians in Southwest Missouri have thought of the Presbyterian Church as cold, formal and largely devoid of experimental re- ligion. Before the agitation for union they dwelt upon the un- fortunate phraseology of the Unrevised Confession and failed to note that the causes that led to the separation were largely local and temporary, and that the great body of the church moved on in its evangelical, missionary and beneficent march. Not unfre- quently have they been heard to confess: "Before I saw yon I thought the Presbyterian Church was formal and did not believe in conversion." The early Cumberland Presbyterians in this sec- tion may have heard too much about none-elect infants and the fatalism of the Presbyterian Church, but I have evidence that some of their pulpits reverberated with what I would call pretty stiff Calvinistic preaching. And it was doubtless received, as it
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generally is when not labelled, with marked approval.
On the practical question of the education of the ministry, it might have been better for all concerned if a "middle ground" could have been found between the practices of the two bodies. The Cumberland Church had some men of strong minds as well as hearts and their poorly compensated toils, their efforts to train the people, and to establish facilities for better education are worthy our highest praise. Back of them was no strong mission- ary board and their pecuniary compensation did not compare with that of the Presbyterian ministers in this section. Howbeit this was due to the necessities of the situation and not to a dis- paragement of the salaried minister. These fathers of the Cum- berland Church in Southwest Missouri, according to the Presby- terial record, must have preached more on the duty of supporting the ministry, and must have said a great deal more about it in their Presbyterial meetings, than did the Presbyterians. Instead of boasting over the fact that they toiled for far less remuneration than some others received, these pioneer ministers and elders in Presbytery assembled bemoaned the fact that the people were not aroused to their duty and privilege in supporting the gospel ade- quately. Nor is there any evidence in the records of what may be termed the pride of ignorance. The hills of Southwest Missouri have reverberated sometimes with sneers at salaried and college- bred ministers. But these fathers of the Cumberland Church were not afraid of salaries or colleges. The early records are unusually full of the reports of committees on the examination of candi- dates and licentiates. These reports reveal the facts that most of the candidates and licentiates were more proficient in "divinity" than in English grammar and kindred branches, and that there was an urgent demand for better educational facilities for these candidates and licentiates as well as for the young in general.
In the minutes of October 5, 1843, is this entry :
"Ozark Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, feeling the great importance of education for our rising'genera- tion ; and knowing that there is not an academy in all this south- western portion of our State in which anything like a liberal edu- cation can be obtained; and deeply deploring the fact that our young men who feel thmselves called of God to preach cannot get an opportunity to acquire those branches of even an English edu- cation which are so indispensable to a minister of the Gospel, and anxiously wishing to see the children of our own portion of the State growing up in wisdom and virtue, resolve to do what God in His Providence may enable us to do for the formation of this laudable object by establishing a permanent school.
"And for this purpose do hereby appoint Josiah F. Danforth of Greene county, William Keer of Barry county, Matthew H.
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Ritchey of Newton county, Samuel Weir of Dade county, and James White of Polk county, to be a board of commissioners (any three of whom shall be a quorum to transact business) to select a snitable and eligible situation for the location of an academy ; who shall meet at Sarcoxie on the third Wednesday in November, and in case they fail to meet on that day, they shall meet on such day as they may agree upon as soon thereafter as practicable and, organizing, proceed to the discharge of their duty. Said commis- sioners shall have dne regard to health, society and offers of dona- tions, and make said location at Sarcoxie, Greenfield, Bolivar, Springfield or in the territory within these points. Said commis- sioners shall solicit donations for said institution and may adjourn from time to time and receive and consider proposals that may be made and report to the next stated session of Ozark Presbytery. The academy when located shall be the property of the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church, under care of the Ozark Presbytery."
Then follows an order for the appointment of trustees and in- structons as to their duties.
The commissioners thus appointed failed to locate the acad- emy, but April 3, 1844, the Presbytery accepted the tender of grounds and buildings and located the institution at Oakland meeting house in Dade county. This locality is now included in Lawrence county and was a few miles north of Bower's Mill.
The board of trustees elected by the Presbytery consisted of Thomas Keer, H. T. McCune, William Parish, A. A. Young, Sam Weir, Josiah Boyd and M. H. Ritchey. This board was empowered to name the institution, fix the price of tuition, arrange for the opening of the school and employ a teacher, who "shall be a good English scholar." The trustees named the school Spring River Academy. The community contributed enough to erect a suitable building, Rev. T. M. Johnston was appointed a general agent to solicit funds for the farther interests of the school and commis- sioners to the General Assembly in April, 1845, were instructed "to use all necessary means to procure the services of a person who is qualified to take charge of the department of Theology and Ancient Languages." In April, 1846, the Presbyterial committee reported that the institution was closing its third term with flat- tering prospects. that the building was about completed and that "the institution, we learn, is entirely untrammeled, owing noth- ing and having no funds on hand."
This school accepted by the Presbytery was founded by Har- vey T. McCune and his brother-in-law, Thomas Keer. They both came from Pike county in 1840. Mr. Keer employed a Cumber- land Presbyterian minister to teach in one room of his home. As their means increased they built the Academy. The front of the building was made of brick and the west end was frame and was
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used as a department for boys. The library was in the center of the building. The ruins of this building are still standing. The boarding department was conducted at first by Dr. Bingham. In the spring of 1848 Rev. W. H. Duff took charge of this depart- ment and, having no rent to pay, boarded pupils at 50 cents each per week. McDonald's history says: "Spring River Academy was doubtless the first high school ever opened in Southwestern Missouri. It was founded by Ozark Presbytery and went into. operation under the superintendency of Rev. J. B. Logan in No- vember, 1844." (P. 563).
In the autumn of 1846 Rev. Robert McGee King, of Cincinnati, Ohio, became president. His wife, Amelia Judd King, was prin- cipal of the girl's department. The first year of their incumbency abont fifty pupils were enrolled. The report for this year, made to the Presbytery April, 1847, indicates that the State Legislature had granted the institution a charter, that Josiah F. Danforth had contributed "valnable philosophical and astronomical instru- ments," and that through the efforts of Rev. J. B. Logan and President King a library of about 130 volumes had been secured. The Oakland congregation had constituted itself an educational society and the trustees requested that the other churches take similar action. The next year sixty-eight pupils were enrolled, the library was increased and the prospects were inviting.
This condition of affairs prevailed a few years. The report in the spring of 1852 stated that the president resigned at the close of the last term. About this time an institution sprang up at Greenfield. For several years the Presbytery attempted either to merge the two or to transfer the equipment of the Spring River Academy to the Greenfield school. This was probably done, though as late as 1855 the former institution had a nominal ex- istence, as seen by this entry of April 30, 1855 :
"On motion it was unanimously resolved that Ozark Presby- tery will for the present take no further action relative to the property of Spring River Academy, hereby repealing all resoln- tions requesting or ordering the board of trustees to do or act in relation to the same, also requesting the Oakland congregation to use and take care of said property until the Presbytery shall otherwise order."
Thus passed the first of similar institutions in Southwest Missouri of large promises and restricted though valuable fulfill- ments.
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CHAPTER II.
AMICABLE DIVISIONS -INCIDENT TO ENLARGEMENT.
On the 5th of October. 1846, it was "Resolved, That the Presbytery do hereby petition the Arkansas Synod to divide the same according to the following designated lines, viz .: Com- mencing at the State line dividing Missouri and Arkansas, where Barry and Taney counties corner on State line; thence running north with the line dividing said counties, yet so as to leave Crane Creek congregation west of said line; continuing due north to the northeast corner of Dade county ; thence due west to *Sock river: thence with the main channel of said river to its mouth." This petition was granted and that portion of the Presbytery lying east and north of said line was erected into a new Presbytery, desig- nated the Presbytery of Springfield. The relative strength of the two Presbyteries is suggested by the statistical reports given at the spring meetings, April, 1847 :
Minis- Licen- Candi- Con- ters
Communi- cants
tiates dates grega tions
Springfield Pres.
3
9
4
13
472 in 8 congregations
Ozark Pres.
7
6
3
9
429
Undivided Pres., Fall 1846
9
14
8
23
1400
It is expressly stated that only eight of the thirteen congre- gations in the Springfield Presbytery reported at this first meeting, and it is highly probable that the report of the Ozark Presbytery is also incomplete. This would account for the falling off in mem- bership.
OZARK PRESBYTERY.
The Presbytery of Ozark at its first session after the division .of its territory recognized the transition that was all but effected
*This is the orthography of the resolution .- E. L. S.
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in the attitude of the church toward the pastoral office. Dr. Mc- Donald is authority for the assertions that conditions in new set- tlements gave rise to loose views about the pastoral office, and pas- toral salaries; that the opposition to the pastoral office reached its zenith in 1830; that by 1836 the church went on record in an un- equivocal declaration in favor of the pastoral office; but that as late' as 1849 in the largest Synod in the church there was stil! un- compromising opposition to the pastorate. It is worthy of note that in this Presbytery the virtual fathers of the church-them- selves men of evangelistie fervor-were among the first installed pastors. The Presbytery arranged to install Rev. A. A. Young pastor of Spring River congregation (one-half time), May 1. 1847; Rev. R. M. King, pastor of Oakland congregation (one-half time), May 8th, and Rev. J. D. Montgomery, pastor of Greenfield congre- gation, May 15th.
In April, 1848, the statistical report was as follows:
"Ordained ministers, 6; licentiates, 7; congregations, 12; mem- bers as follows: Cedar (congregation), 37; Greenfield, 50; Oak- land, 38; Center Creek, 62; Shoal Creek, 50; New Salem, 30; Shi- loh, 16; Washburn's Prairie, 96; Mount Vernon, 48; Spring River, 51; Crane Creek, 7; Pennsylvania, 15; total, 500. Professions, 9; accessions, 12; infant baptisms, 2; adult baptisms, 16 ; excommuni- cation, 1."
From this report it will be seen that the progress of the Presbytery was at a low ebb-a condition that lasted for several years. Two years later the report stated that "clouds and gloom seem to hover over the moral horizon." The statistics were: "Or- dained ministers, 8; licentiates, 6; candidates, 3; congregations, 11; accessions, 8; dismissions, 14; adult baptisms, 4; infant, 2; suspensions, 1 ; deaths, 1; whole number of communicants, 492."
No doubt these ministers and licentiates were compelled at this time to devote most of their attention to secular employments, for the report of this same year includes this significant statement : "Your committee deeply regret that their ministerial reports show that they have been poorly sustained. The whole amount received by both licensed and ordained ministers for six months would scarcely have sustained one moderately sized family."
The subject of baptism seems to have received little attention at the time of the planting of the church in this country. Min- isters were apparently indifferent as to what mode the applicant preferred. The beginnings of a change are marked in this entry made in the minutes of April, 1851 :
"On motion the following preamble and resolutions were passed :
"Whereas, There is a doctrine inculcated in this country in relation to water baptism that is calculated to mislead and eter-
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nally ruin thousands, the Presbytery is of opinion that all Chris- tians should unite in invoking the interposition of God to overrule the damning error for His glory and the good of mankind. The Presbytery is further of the opinion that this a time that calls for united and energetic action upon the part of the friends of truth.
"First-Therefore be it resolved, That it shall be the duty of each ordained minister in the bounds of his operations to explain the scriptural mode, nature and design of water baptism.
"Second-Be it further resolved, That immersion is unneces- sary to constitute a valid baptism, and that baptism is rightly per- formed by pouring or sprinkling. Therefore no minister shall im- merse until he shall have explained baptism to the applicant."
These drastic resolutions appear to have had little effect-or at least only a temporary effect-on the practices of the church. Some years after the civil war the church in Southwest Missouri was aroused on this subject by veritable Anakim. The biographer of Rev. A. A. Young says: "In the year 1875 Rev. G. W. Browne * moved into the bounds of Ozark Presbytery. It was cus- tomary, with a few exceptions in this Presbytery, for the min- isters to allow the applicant for church membership to choose the mode of baptism, and the minister would comply with the request of the person applying for membership, baptizing them after the mode taught by the person who was to be baptized, thus changing the great commission-instead of the minister going and teaching the people, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, the minister would go and be taught by the people, and then after the people would tell him what to do, he would obey them, and baptize them according to their instructions. This had been the custom with Mr. Young in all his work, and I want to publish to the world, through this book, that he entirely renounced immersion as a mode of baptism. In his trouble with Mr. he told the writer that he was sorry that he had ever immersed, because it was causing more trouble than anything else in the church."
The writer then tells of a series of lectures which Mr. Browne delivered at Aurora on the "Design and Mode of Baptism." Mr. Young had expressed the opinion that these lectures would do no good. Nevertheless the pastor, Rev. A. L. Dunlap, induced the church to secure the services of Mr. Browne, and the lectures were delivered in July, 1878. At the conclusion of these lectures Mr. Yonng said in conversation with Messrs. Dunlap, Rinker and others: "This is the best time I ever saw in the town of Aurora to hold a revival meeting. I feel greatly revived. I have been a student of the Bible for many years, but I must confess that Brother Browne has developed more light and found more Serip- tures on the subject of baptism than I thought was in the Bible."
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This incident is inserted here as an illustration of the way in which the practices of the Cumberland Church in this section were gradually conformed to that of other branches of Presbyterianism. On the 11th of October, 1851, it was "Resolved, That this Presbytery petition Arkansas Synod, and they do hereby petition that hody to divide Ozark Presbytery by a line beginning where the State line crosses Spring river on the west and running with said river to its source and thence in a direct line east to the boundary of Springfield Presbytery, yet so as to include all the members of Spring River. Mount Vernon and Oakland congrega- tions in the northern division, and that portion thus stricken off to be organized into a new Presbytery to be known by the name of Neosho Presbytery, embracing all the ministers, congregations and members thus separated."
This division was made with a view to the organization of a new Synod. In 1852 the Assembly's committee on overtures pre- sented the following, which was adopted :
"Your committee would report that they have had under con- sideration a petition from Arkansas Synod, praying this body to constitute a new Synod out of that part of her territory lying in Missouri, composed of Neosho, Ozark and Springfield Presbyteries, and that its first session be held at Pleasant Retreat Academy, Polk county, Missouri, commencing on the third Thursday in October, 1852, and that A. A. Young be the first moderator, and in case of his failure T. M. Johnston preside. Your committee would also recommend that the name of the new Synod be called Ozark."
Th statistics of Ozark Presbytery for April, 1852, are 6 min- isters, 3 licentiates, 2 candidates and "5 congregations entitled to representation." What this last clause means I am at a loss to state, for communicants are reported in seven churches, as follows : Mount Vernon, 80: Oakland, 41: Cedar. 96; Spring River, 64; Greeenfield, 135; Dry Wood, 15; Clear Creek, 10; total, 441.
Of the pioneer churches Center Creek, Washburn Prairie and New Salem evidently fell to the new Presbytery. The name of the latter had been changed to Neosho. The new Presbytery never gained much strength prior to the civil war. In 1856 Ozark Presbytery "loaned" Mr. Young-to use his own language-to Neosho Presbytery evidently in order that that Presbytery might retain a quorum, and whilst Ozark Presbytery reported 1,026 com- municants in 1860 the Presbytery of Neosho reported but 307 in 1859, the last report available.
Allusion has been made to the transfer of the educational in- terests of the Presbytery to Greenfield. On the 2d of April, 1852, the Presbytery resolved to found a literary institution in said town, and a committee consisting of J. D. Montgomery, A. A. Young. H. IT. Lacy and J. Williams purchased a building and grounds from
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"the Educational Company and Masonic Fraternity of the town of Greenfield." In the fall of 1852 the institution was opened under favorable auspices with Rev. Robert Waters as principal of the male department and Miss E. F. Sproule principal of the female department. Subsequently we find a Mr. Hardy in charge of the school and an enrollment of 90 pupils. But the Presbytery failed to liquidate the debt hanging over the institution and in Septem- ber, 1857, the board of trustees were authorized to convey the in- terests of Presbytery in the institution to "the Educational Com- pany."
At length the tide of religious interest, which had been at a low ebh for half a decade or more, began to turn. In September, 1853, the committee on the state of religion declared: "Your min- isters are generally engaged in presenting and enforcing the simple story of the cross. One thing is lacking yet to make their labors efficient as instrumantalities in the hand of God to the triumph of the Gospel, and that is that they be cut loose from the cares and anxieties of the world, or in other words, the wants of their families supplied by the church that they might devote their time, talents and energies to the work of the ministry. The church is, however, coming up to her duty more fully than she has done in preceding years."
The next spring the report said: "The great Head of the church is still with His people by His spiritual presence in con- verting sinners and comforting His people. Your ministers are generally engaged in preaching the Gospel to the perishing multi- tudes. Your committee would respectfully nrge the importance and necessity of your churches adopting a more efficient system of operations by which your ministers could be liberated from secular engagements and be wholly devoted to the ministry of the word. The Bible has ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. There is no duty in the Bible more plain than the support of the Gospel, which duty cannot be too prom- inently enjoined upon this Presbytery."
These earnest words doubtless had their effect. The tide flowed in. In September, 1859, this jubilant note was sounded: "All our hearts as a Presbytery should be truly humbled as well as rejoiced to know that the good Lord has been with us, more powerfully awakening sinners to behold the dire consequences of sin and bringing them to the knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus than in any previous year in the history of our Presbytery, as may be seen by the statistics. Truly this is a great age in which to live. We have only to look to the North, South, East or West to behold the wonder-working power of God upon the hearts of the great mass of the people. The signs of the times speak a lan- guage that cannot be misunderstood."
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