USA > New York > History of the Presbytery of Redstone : organized by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1781, and under its care till 1788 : a part of the Synod of Virginia, 1788-1802 : of the Synod of Pittsburg, 1802-1881 : and now of the Synod of Pennsylvania, 1881-1889 > Part 3
USA > Pennsylvania > Philadelphia County > Philadelphia > History of the Presbytery of Redstone : organized by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, Sept. 10, 1781, and under its care till 1788 : a part of the Synod of Virginia, 1788-1802 : of the Synod of Pittsburg, 1802-1881 : and now of the Synod of Pennsylvania, 1881-1889 > Part 3
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The four Presbyteries in Ohio have 126 ministers, 4 licen- tiates, 18 candidates, 162 churches, 24,047 members, 24,312 Sab- bath School members, and gave to Home Missions, $25,279; to Foreign Missions, $24,641; Freedmen, $2,756; Sustentation, $706; Aid for Colleges, $4,845; General Assembly, $2,188.10; Congregational, $2,035.01 ; Miscellaneous, $27,975. In 1888 Presbytery reported 26 ministers, 34 churches, I licentiate, 5 can- didates; members, 4,239; Sabbath School members, 3,989; Home Missions, $2,359.00; Foreign Missions, $3,809.00; Educational, $325.00; Sabbath School work, $456.06; Church Erection, $1,- 094; Relief Fund, $3,353.00; Freedmen, $717.00; Sustentation, $282.00; Aid for Colleges, $656.00; Congregational, $47,172.00; Miscellaneous, $1,281.00. Total, 466 ministers, 36 licentiates, 76 candidates, 615 churches, 91,346 members, 88,494 Sabbath School members, and gave to Home Missions, $82,606.00; to Foreign Missions, $99,295.00; Freedmen, $18,184.00; Sustenta- tion, $4,477; Aid to Colleges, $13,516.00; General Assembly, $758,619.00; Congregational, $778,187.00; Miscellaneous, $52,- 975.00.
Compare all this with the little band that was organized in 1781, or that stood on the picket line west of the Alleghenies in 1788, and we can only exclaim, "Lo what hath God wrought." To his name be all the praise.
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
HISTORY OF CHURCHES.
DUNLAP'S CREEK.
BY REV. H. H. M'MASTER.
Dunlap's Creek Presbyterian Church was organized in the year 1774, nearly two years previous to the Declaration of Amer- ican Independence, by Rev. James Power, D. D. The only record known of its organization is that Dr. Power said he or- ganized it in September, A. D., 1774. It comprised sixty-one members and the following ruling elders, viz .: Charles Mc- Clean, Andrew Frazer, Robert Baird, John Parker, Samuel Tor- ence, David Reeder, Ebenezer Finley and William Frame.
The few Presbyterian families who had emigrated from East- ern Pennsylvania and Old Virginia and settled in this vicinity were visited in 1765 by Mr. Finley, a member of New Castle Presbytery. He was one of the first ministers of the Gospel who crossed the Allegheny mountains in quest of a western field of missionary labor. He first blew the Gospel trumpet in this then unbroken wilderness. He finally settled at Rehoboth and Round Hill, where he enjoyed a long and successful pastorate. He left three sons who became ruling elders in Rehoboth-Jo- seph, William and Michael; the eldest, Ebenezer, became a ruling elder in Dunlap's Creek. The Rev. Drs. James Power and John McMillan, among the earliest and noblest pioneers of the Presbyterian Church, visited and preached the Gospel here. Dr. Power brought his family here in the fall of 1776 and preach- ed as stated supply for some time, but finally settled at Mount Pleasant and Pleasant Unity. The first installed pastor of Dun-
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
lap's Creek was Rev. James Dunlap, who was installed, October 15th, 1782, and continued pastor seven years, when he resigned this branch and gave all his time to Laurel Hill. After a short period of supplies from Presbytery, the Rev. Jacob Jen- nings, M. D., of the Dutch Reformed Church of New York and New Jersey, was called and installed as the second pastor in 1792, continuing to preach here and at Little Redstone until 1811, when, on account of age and infirmity, he resigned the charge, but continued to preach occasionally until February 17th, 1813, when he was called to the eternal rest and reward promised by the Chief Shepherd to the faithful pastor. He was a practical physician and did good service in both his professions. His ashes now rest in the adjoining cemetery.
The ruling elders during Dr. Jennings' pastorate were Hon. Charles Porter, Ebenezer Finley, Sr., Robert Baird, Enoch French and George Gallaher.
The third pastor of Dunlap's Creek was Rev. William John- ston, whose charge embraced also the Presbyterian Church of Brownsville. He became co-pastor with Dr. Jennings in 1812 and in 1813 Dr. Jennings died and Mr. Johnston assumed the pastorate, continuing in that relation until October or November, 1839, making a pastorate of over twenty-six years. He was called to his reward, December 3Ist, 1841. His dust, with that of his wife and eight children, rests in the old Dunlap's Creek cemetery.
Rev. Samuel Wilson, D. D., was invited to occupy the pul- pit from January Ist, 1840, and was installed pastor by the Pres- bytery of Redstone, November 17th, of the same year. He continued pastor of the church until May Ist, 1869; from that time he supplied the pulpits of Dunlap's Creek, New Salem and McClellandtown, until June 20th, 1869, when he removed to Illi- nois. For nearly thirty years he enjoyed a prosperous pastorate in this charge and left many warm friends behind.
The ruling elders in 1840 were Ebenezer Finley, Sr., Hon. Charles Porter, Aaron Baird, George Chalfant, Moses B. Porter, Cephas Porter and Ebenezer Finley, Jr. Others were added during Dr. Wilson's pastorate, viz .: Samuel Linn, Finley Chal-
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
fant, James Ewing, and at another time, Ebenezer T. Gallaher and Joshua V. Gibbons; of these Ebenezer Finley, Finley Chal- fant and E. T. Gallaher, still remain the wise and beloved coun- sellors of this congregation.
The Rev. James P. Fulton received and accepted a call from this congregation on November 3d, 1869, (McClellandtown was still included in the charge) and he continued pastor until Octo- ber, 1878. During the pastorate of Mr. Fulton there were added to the Board of Elders on October 31st, 1875, Messrs. Johnston Vankirk and E. Hayden Baird. When Dr. Wilson resigned in 1 869, there were 183 members in the church and during Mr. Ful- ton's pastorate of nine years there were added to the member- ship 157.
On the IIth of December, 1878, the congregation of Dun- lap's Creek made a call for the services of Rev. W. G. Nevin, and on March IIth, 1879, he was installed pastor of said church and continued in that office until April 17th, 1883. There were added to the membership during his pastorate thirty-two. It was a prosperous and pleasant pastorate but not long. Ill health disabled him for the work in so large a field, which he resigned for a less extended one.
The present pastor was called to the field on May 14th, 1883, and installed August 16th, of the same year. Of the work of the past four years we have but little to say. During that time there were added to the eldership in 1885, Messrs. H. W. Finley, John E. Finley and Clark B. Campbell, and during these four years past of the present pastorate there have been added to the membership eighty-seven, of whom seventy-two were by pro- fession and fifteen by letter.
The house of worship still occupied by the congregation of Dunlap's Creek was built of stone in 1814 and took the place of the old log church which was erected a short time after the or- ganization of the congregation. The old stone church has un- dergone many changes in the past seventy-three years, having been several times repaired and remodeled, but like all things earthly it began to show marks of decay. The tooth of time
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
had gnawed much of the pointing out of the wall and weakened the roof structure until it was no longer safe.
In the spring of 1887 the people concluded to honor the Lord by making the dear old church almost new, leaving the old walls standing as they were erected in 1814, only adding a little more to them by raising the gables higher and thus giving a more modern appearance to the roof. They put up a new frame ceiling, renewed the doors and windows, repainted the walls and replaced nearly all the old with new and substantial material, so that now we have practically a new house of worship, and yet it is the Old Stone Church of Dunlap's Creek, re-dedicated on the 25th of August, 1887.
But the history of Dunlap's Creek would not be complete were we to make no mention of her eldest and only daughter, the church of New Salem. Many years ago one of the good and brave elders of this Church, Ebenezer Finley, Sr., planted a Sab- bath School in the little village of New Salem, which, by the blessing of God, has became an important ally of the old church. A commodious and substantial brick church was erected, which was dedicated in February, 1853. The New Salem branch has for years been a prosperous and promising field and takes hon- est and commendable pride in bearing half of the financial bur- den of the Dunlap's Creek charge. This congregation, however, has not furnished her quota of ministers to the actual work of the Lord. We can only find a record of six from this large congre- gation in more than a hundred years. To the work of those six the congregation may look with humble pride and congratula- tion.
It gives us pleasure to record that one of our brave and no- ble daughters, Miss Maggie Baird, some three years ago laid her life and talents upon the altar of God's service and with a holy consecration of all to her Redeemer, went out to labor for His glory and the salvation of perishing souls in our mission field in Canton, China. Thus we have recorded a few of the historical facts connected with the rise and progress of the Lord's work in this part of his vineyard during the past 113 years. May the next century by the blessing of God be more fruitful of good,
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
more honoring to God and more blessed in winning souls into His kingdom is the prayer of your unworthy historian.
[The pastorate of Rev. H. H. McMaster ended on the last of September, 1888, by his resignation and removal to Iowa, to enter on a field of labor in the bounds of Ft. Dodge Presbytery.]
SEWICKLEY.
BY REV. A. W. EMMONS.
Sewickley Presbyterian Church was organized by the Rev. James Power in the year 1776-probably in November-soon after the arrival of himself and family in Western Pennsylvania, or what was then called the "back woods." Two years before, in the summer of 1774, he had spent three months in this new country engaged in missionary work among the settlers. At that time he frequently preached where the first Sewickley church building was erected, "one mile and a half north of the present structure." In the spring of 1779 he became the regu- lar pastor of Sewickley and Mt. Pleasant congregations. He continued the pastor of these united congregations until August 22d, 1787, when he was dismissed from Sewickley Church. Of the faithfulness of this servant of Christ there can be no ques- tion. Many who knew him during their lives testified of his earnest, intelligent presentation of gospel truth both in the pul- pit and the family circle. At his regular visits the children were examined in the Shorter Catechism, "and the young people and heads of families were examined as to their understanding of the doctrines taught in the Catechism and the Scripture Proofs" and "the whole was closed with an address suited to the occasion and with prayer."
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
After the retirement of Dr. Power from this church, the pulpit remained vacant for six years and two months, but on October 16th, 1793, the Rev. Wm. Swan was installed pastor of the united congregations of Sewickley and Long Run, and la- bored for twenty-five years, until October 18th, 1818, when he resigned his pastoral charge.
"In the year 1804 and for some years afterwards this con- gregation was visited with special outpourings of the Spirit of God" and considerable numbers were added to the church.
After the dismissal of Mr. Swan the church was dependent for preaching upon supplies for two years and a half; but this state of things was happily terminated in the spring of 1821, by the ordination and installation of Mr. A. O. Patterson, who on the 18th day of April began his labors as pastor of the united congregations of this church and Mt. Pleasant. This connec- tion was a pleasant and a profitable one, and continued until Oc- tober 8th, 1834, when it was severed by the resignation of Dr. Patterson, because both churches had grown so much that each felt able to support a pastor.
In April, 1836, Sewickley gave a call to Rev. Wm. Annan, who was installed in the following June; but owing to the "weak and debilitated state of his health" he was compelled to resign in April, 1838. The vacancy this time was short, as in Decem- ber of the same year Rev. J. B. McKee was installed pastor; he remained in this position for three years and six months. Dur- ing his stay several members in the south-eastern part of the congregation obtained their certificates. Mr. McKee went with them and organized the Harmony Church, at Reagantown, seven miles south-east of Sewickley church building. His successor in Sewickley was the Rev. Richard Graham, who was installed probably in the spring of 1845, and was dismissed some time in the year 1850. Mr. Graham, although a man of some eccen- tricities of character, was a fine scholar and an able preacher, and was generally successful in his labors. He went from here to the State of Ohio, where he died not long after leaving Sewickley.
After Mr. Graham left, Rev. Watson Hughes supplied the pulpit for a time. During his stay several members secured cer-
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
tificates from the church to organize a church at West Newton, which was done, January 8th, 1851. Mr. Hughes retired with them and became the pastor of the new organization.
In 1852, Rev. Cyrus Riggs became the pastor and faithfully preached the Gospel and taught from house to house the doc- trines of the Bible until the tenth day of April, 1861, when ex- pediency required him to make a change in his field of labor.
It was two and one-half years before another minister was secured; at the end of that time, November 7th, 1863, the Rev. Wm. L. Boyd was installed, but only remained pastor until April 4th, 1867, because the congregation having been weakened by the withdrawal of several members felt unable to continue the payment of his salary.
The vacancy of the pulpit this time lasted a year and five months and was terminated October 3d, 1868, by the installation of Rev. J. K. Andrews as pastor; but this connection only lasted until April 26th, 1871, when Mr. Andrews severed his connec- tion with the church. It was during his stay that the organ was introduced into the church.
Now occurred a longer vacancy, succeeded by a shorter pastorate than any which had taken place in the history of this church. For six years and seven months this congregation was without the ministrations of a regular pastor, dependent upon supplies for preaching ; the most of these supplies were good and able men who performed their duties faithfully. Among them may be mentioned Rev. J. H. Stevenson, who, it is safe to say, never neglected a known duty. Mr. Stevenson supplied the pul- pit for about one year. During his stay he received about thirty members, more than had been received by any minister of this congregation in the same length of time. Rev. Geo. K. Scott also labored for a time and received a call to become pastor, but, some differences arising in the congregation, the Presbytery, on meeting to install him, deemed it best not to do so and the va- cancy continued.
Rev. W. G. Nevin, then of the U. P. Church, was called. He accepted and was installed pastor, December 17th, 1877, but he only remained one year, being dismissed, December 24th,
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
1878, to accept a call to the Dunlap's Creek Church. Mr. Nevin is now pastor of the church in Sharon, Pa., and is favorably re- membered by the members of Redstone Presbytery. His suc- cessor was Jacob Ruble, a licentiate, who was ordained and in- stalled pastor in 1880. He preached faithfully, meeting with much apparent success in bringing souls to Christ, until October, 1881, when he was suspended from the Gospel Ministry and from membership in the church by the Presbytery. Another va- cancy of two years now occurred, during which the church suf- ered much from removals and death.
On the IIth of October, 1883, the Rev. J. D. Owens be- came the pastor of the church, but for reasons satisfactory to himself he resigned, and was dismissed April 29th, 1885. It was during his short stay of one year and seven months that the parsonage was built. It is a frame building, containing six rooms, a pantry and closets, and is well arranged for a small family. It stands on a lot of about one and a half acres adjoin- ing the church lot.
After the departure of Mr. Owens a vacancy of two years and one month occurred. During this time the church was rare- ly supplied up to the month of July, 1886, when Mr. A. W. Em- mons, the Presbyterial Missionary, a licentiate, was engaged to preach every other Sabbath, which he continued to do until April Ist, 1887, when he began preaching regularly every Sab- bath, and was ordained and installed pastor, May 26th, 1887.
While the church has experienced many severe trials, which have brought it very low at times, God has graciously brought it safely through them all, and has given it many manifestations of his favor, so that at the present time there is good promise of a future career of usefulness.
The present membership, as reported, is one hundred and five, but these figures will have to be reduced some because of the removal of several members. The Sabbath School has sixty members and seems to be doing a good work among the child- ren and young people. A prayer meeting was established in May of the present year and is regularly attended by from fifteen to forty persons. The present session is composed of five mem-
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
bers, as follows: David Hunter, John Martin, Jacob Edward Robertson, Thomas L. Robertson and David D. Bair; the four last named were installed, June 26th, 1881. The congregation has had three buildings since its organization. The first one is thus described in "Old Redstone:" "Constructed entirely with the axe, no saw, or plane, or even a hammer to drive a nail were used, for nails or iron in any shape were not employed The roof was clap-boards, kept in their places by logs laid upon them and the doors were of the same kind, fastened together with wooden pins. The windows were small openings cut in adjacent logs and glazed with paper or white linen, oiled with hog's lard or bear's grease. The seats were logs, cleft in the middle and raised a suitable height on blocks. Such was the original house in which Dr. Power preached in Sewickley congregation. It stood about one mile and a half north of the present place of public worship, on the road leading from Markle's mill toward Pittsburgh, about half way between the big and little Sewick- lies."
This continued to be the place of worship until 1787 or af- ter. During that year the south side of the congregation de- cided, as they had a large majority of the congregation and many of them many miles to go, to build a house on the south side of the creek; this being opposed by the members on the north side, much trouble arose and was the cause of Dr. Power resigning his care of the congregation. A compromise between the two sides was finally effected by the south side promising to build a bridge at what is now known as Bell's mill.
The second building was built of logs and was about sixty feet in length by thirty in width. There the congregation met and worshiped until 1832, when the present building was erected. This being of stone, sixty feet long by forty feet wide and thirty feet to top of roof, and having a wall twenty-four inches in thick- ness, was a work of great magnitude in those days, and required the labors of many men for several months. In the meantime the congregation worshiped in the adjoining lot, some sitting in a temporary board tent, in which the pulpit stood and others resting on the ground beneath the shade of large oak trees.
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
The present building is in good condition and bids fair to remain a comfortable place of worship for many years to come. At one time, before the bridge was built, in the early spring, a heavy rain so raised the water that the creek could not be forded on the Sabbath. Dr. Patterson, who was then pastor, mounted a stump, the people seated themselves on saddles, logs and stones, sung God's praise and listened to the sermon delivered by the faithful ambassador of Christ.
MOUNT PLEASANT.
BY REV. GEO. P. DONEHOO.
In a paper of this nature, which must necessarily be very brief, it is a difficult matter to know what to omit. Only those events which serve as mile-stones shall be pointed out. In 1774, James Power, a minister of twenty-nine years, "crossed the Allegheny mountains and spent three months in what are now Westmoreland, Allegheny, Washington, Fayette and Greene counties, Pennsylvania." In 1776, probably, Dr. Power moved with his family to Dunlap's Creek, near what is now Browns- ville. During his residence at this place he occupied himself with missionary labors, preaching in the various settlements about him and in organizing new churches. At this time he probably organized the church of Mount Pleasant. In 1779 he became the regular pastor of the Mount Pleasant and Sewickley congregations. It was at this time that the settlement of various other ministers in the then "west," led to the formation of the "Redstone" Presbytery, which was organized at Pigeon Creek, September 19th, 1781. The pastorate of Dr. Power continued until 1817, when he resigned on account of infirmity brought on by old age. He remained among the people of his charge until his death in 1830.
The two congregations of Mount Pleasant and Sewickley were united in one pastorate under Rev. Andrew O. Patterson.
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
He was ordained and installed, April 18th, 1821. He was a great worker among the young people of his charge. The mem- bership of the united congregations in 1829 was about 300. In the year in which he resigned it was over 400. While he was pastor of these churches, houses of worship were built in the towns of Mount Pleasant and Pleasant Unity and the old Mid- dle church was re-built. In 1834 Dr. Patterson resigned his charge to labor in the interests of the Board of Home Missions.
Rev. Samuel Montgomery succeeded Dr. Patterson in 1835. In 1840, after the division of the General Assembly took place, the church of Mount Pleasant became divided into the Old and the New School branches. About two-thirds of the congrega- tion followed Mr. Montgomery into the New School branch. This left about sixty members and six elders who remained in the Presbytery of Redstone and the Old School branch. The New School branch was very prosperous during this time. Mr. Montgomery remained its pastor until 1844 or '45. The Old School congregations of Mount Pleasant and Greensburg united in one charge and called Mr. James I. Brownson in 1841. He continued pastor until December, 1848, when he resigned to take charge of the Presbyterian Church of Washington, Pa. The other pastors of the New School branch during the division were Rev. Messrs. Porter, Cochrane and Sparks. We have no means of finding out the exact time when these men were at Mt. Pleasant. Rev. John M. Barnett took charge of the Old School branch of the congregation, April Ist, 1862 and resigned October 6th, 1869. The membership at the beginning of his pastorate was 121 ; fifty- three were received on profession of faith, thirty-nine by letter, sixty-three were dismissed and twenty died. The first pastor after the reunion in 1869 was Rev. John McMillan, D. D., who became pastor in April, 1870. His charge consisted of the re-united churches of Mt. Pleasant and Pleasant Unity. On June 16th, 1870, the corner-stone of the new church in Mt. Pleasant town was laid. This building was completed on September Ist, 1872. Dr. McMillan was at this time released from the charge of the church of Pleasant Unity and preached at the Reunion and the Mt. Pleasant churches on alternate Sundays. April 25th, Pres-
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
bytery in session at Mt. Pleasant, divided Mt. Pleasant church and organized Mt. Pleasant Reunion church, by setting over 170 members, and William B. Neel, William Giffen and John D. Mc- Caleb, ruling elders-Alexander H. Strickler and Absalom Schall were elected deacons. Shortly after this time the church of Mt. Pleasant requested that Dr. McMillan give them the whole of his time, as did also the Reunion church. In 1873 Pres- bytery dissolved the pastoral relation existing between Dr. Mc- Millan and the church of Mt. Pleasant and left him pastor of the Reunion church. At the beginning of his labors in the Mt. Pleasant church in 1870 it had 241 members. Of these 107 be- longed to the Old School branch and 134 to the New School. During his pastorate 126 were received into the communion of the church. At the time of his dismissal, there remained 160. Rev. W. F. Ewing was ordained and installed pastor of this church on June 4th, 1874. "On the 9th of October, 1874, the Presbyterian church of Mt. Pleasant held a Centennial celebra- tion commemorative of the first Presbyterian preaching in the church and neighborhood. The adjoining congregations of Pleasant Unity and the Reunion Memorial church-both daugh- ters of the Mt. Pleasant church-were present by invitation and participated in the celebration." Addresses were made by Rev. J. I. Brownson, D. D., Rev. J. M. Barnett, Rev. John McMillan, D. D., and others. Rev. W. F. Ewing resigned in the spring of 1884 to travel for the benefit of his health. Rev. M. H. Bradley was installed pastor of the church, October 7th, 1884, and re- signed in the spring of 1886. The present pastor, Rev. George P. Donehoo, was ordained and installed October 6th, 1886.
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