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 4
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 4
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The members of the Church Session, of whom any record remains, are the following: John Vance, for thirty-two years a ruling elder; died, April 15th, 1845. William T. Nicholls, died 1842. John Giffin, an elder for fifty years; died, October 6th, 1854. His father was one of the original elders of the church; his son also is an elder. John Giffen, ordained in 1850. John Hunter, served twenty-four years as ruling elder ; died in 1854. Nathaniel Hurst, son-in-law of Dr. Power, was for fifty-five years an elder in the church; died 1861. Hugh Wilson, an elder for
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PRESBYTERY OF REDSTONE.
fifty-two years; died 1869. Samuel Neel, an elder for sixteen years; died in 1862. He was a son-in-law of one of the original elders of the church. James P. Hurst, ordained in 1850; re- moved from the church in 1863. Robert C. McClain, ordained in 1854; died in 1867. Jesse Hunter, ordained and installed, May Ioth, 1862. William B. Neel, ordained and installed, May Ioth, 1862. Joseph Jamison, ordained and installed, May 10th, 1862. William Giffen, ordained and installed, May 10th, 1862. Jesse Hunter and William B. Neel are now elders in the Re- union Church of Mt. Pleasant; Joseph Jamison and William Gif- fen are elders at Pleasant Unity. John Sherrick, ordained in 1840; removed from the congregation in 1886. James Newell, ordained, December 1843. He is now an active member of the session. Joshua Evans, ordained, November 1858; died, Sep- tember 1871. Samuel Hissem, ordained, September 1867; died, January 30th, 1882. These three were elders in the New School branch before the reunion. Reuben K. Hissem, ordained, 1882; now a member of the session. Wilson Shields, William H. Evans and Abram S. Loucks, were ordained and installed, March 20th, 1887.
The session, at present, is composed of the following mem- bers, viz: R. K. Hissem, Wilson Shields, William H. Evans, Abram S. Loucks and James Newell. There have been four church buildings. The first was made of logs, the second was a frame structure and the last two have been of brick. The pres- ent membership of the church is 181.
LAUREL HILL.
FROM A HISTORICAL SERMON BY REV. JOEL STONEROAD AND BROUGHT DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME BY THE LATE PASTOR, REV. S. S. BERGEN.
From the most reliable sources of information accessible to us, the first pastor of Laurel Hill, was Rev. James Dunlap, D.
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D., a native of Chester county, Pa. He was a graduate of Prince- ton College and studied Divinity with Rev. James Finley, of East Nottingham; was licensed by the Presbytery of Donegal somewhere between 1776 and 1781, and was settled in 1782 as first pastor of Laurel Hill and Dunlap's Creek. (See "Old Red- stone," pages 301-2-3). As to facts and dates no man was more likely to be correct than the author of "Old Redstone."
The same authority informs us that the pastoral relation of Dr. Dunlap to Laurel Hill was dissolved in 1803, when he was elected to the Presidency of Jefferson College. He held this re- sponsible position until 1811, when he moved again into the Presbytery of Redstone, shortly after which he was dismissed, at his own request, to the Presbytery of Philadelphia, with which his son (Rev. Wm. Dunlap) was connected, as pastor of the church of Abingdon, Pa. With him he lived until his death in 1818, at the age of seventy-five years.
Tradition, as well as concurrent history, accord to Dr. Dun- lap the character of a very good man and superior scholarship, especially in the classics. It is said he could hear long recita- tions in Virgil and Homer without book and then thoroughly drill the reciting class in the words and sentences, while walking to and fro with his hands behind his back. Tradition, moreover, says that a very difficult sentence from one of the Latin or Greek classics had passed round some half dozen American colleges, challenging translation, when Dr. Dunlap took hold of it and promptly disposed of it to the entire satisfaction of every one competent to pass judgment in the premises.
It is also said that this excellent and learned man was occa- sionally subject, as many others have been, to periods of great despondency. Take the following case: Soon after his settle- ยท ment at Dunlap's Creek, at the close of the forenoon service, af- ter announcing a second service, with the usual intermission and pronouncing the benediction, he withdrew, under dejection of spirit, to his own house, some half mile away from the church, where some of the elders traced him and with great difficulty and much persuasion succeeded in bringing him back to the church, when he preached with more than usual liberty.
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We have no authentic record as to the general state of the church during his pastorate, though tradition says his pastorate was, in the main, a successful one. The great revival of 1800-1- 2-3, attended with what was generally called "the falling work" and which visited so many parts of the western country, was felt, more or less, in the churches of Dunlap's Creek and Laurel Hill.
The church of Laurel Hill was probably organized by Dr. Power in the year 1776. Such is the testimony of "Old Red- stone." There is not on record, so far as known to the writer, a single shred of positive testimony giving the exact year of its or- ganization. And where "Old Redstone" speaks with hesitation, it ill becomes us to be positive. But in a case of this sort, un- contradicted tradition ought to be satisfactory, if not entirely conclusive. Admitting the chronological correctness of the fore- going statement, this year, 1876, is literally and truly our Cen- tennial year.
Laurel Hill just 100 years old! This reminds us of a re- mark made by the great Dr. R. J. Breckinridge, in the Assembly of 1866, at St. Louis, that "one of the hardest things in the world to kill is an Old School Presbyterian Church." Had not the Devil been sufficiently chained he would have crushed old Laurel Hill beneath his feet long, long ago. But thanks to kind Heaven, the Devil is chained by the power and Providence of God; and, like Bunyan's roaring lion, can but reach to the end of his chain.
The question might as well be mooted here as anywhere, viz .: Why was Laurel Hill given as the name of the church ? Though we have no positive evidence as to the reason of the name, yet, we doubt not, 'tis found in the well known fact that this church 100 years ago was the only church near the great mountain range of that name lying to the east-much nearer than any other Presbyterian church. The churches of Union- town and Connellsville had no existence then, nor for more than half a century after that. Laurel Hill and Dunlap's Creek then may be regarded as the mother of Presbyterian churches in Fay- ette county, Pa., and have now some fifteen ecclesiastical daughters.
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This is swarming pretty successfully, for which we would thank God and take courage.
The first house of worship at Laurel Hill was erected in 1772-a very plain, rather small log structure. Subsequently it was considerably enlarged with a frame addition. And then in 1852, in the second year of the writer's administration, Rev. Joel Stoneroad, the congregation erected the present very creditable structure in which to worship the God of our fathers.
Dr. Power, who organized the church of Laurel Hill, came from the Presbytery of New Castle and preached as a licentiate for a short season to the congregations of Laurel Hill, Dunlap's Creek and others in the western country. In December, 1776, he moved his family into the bounds of this Presbytery and in the same year organized this church.
The earliest records of the church, if they had any, being lost, we have no sessional records running back farther than 1833.' Yet, unofficial testimony says, that, at the time of Dr. Dunlap's settlement at Laurel Hill, in 1782, the elders were John Travis and James Finley. We know nothing of them save the names. The first election of elders, after Dr. Dunlap's settle- ment at Laurel Hill, resulted in the choice of James McLean, Samuel McLean, Daniel McLean, John Allen, James Wilkin and John Maxwell. The next accession to the eldership were James Parker and Joseph Morrison-the exact time of their election not being given.
Though we know but little of these men-of some nothing -they were doubtless men possessing the confidence of those by whom they were elected. James Parker, grand-father to Messrs. James and W. H. Henshaw, as also to the first consort of the present pastor (Rev. J. Stoneroad), comes down thus en- dorsed by tradition, as a faithful servant of Christ and His church.
It may as well be noted here that it was under Dr. Dunlap that the division on Psalmody occurred in this congregation. The exact time of this is not on record so far as known to us. On the introduction of Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns, fully one- third of the congregation, if not more, immediately withdrew.
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And to this day, after the lapse of near a century, proportions remain much the same-save that the Presbyterian church has grown into some fifteen churches-while the seceding portion (now U. P.) has made no advance whatever in the number of its churches in Fayette county. [Eds .- We think one or two U. P. churches have recently been organized. A church has been organized in Connellsville within a few years.]
Whatever may be said of Dr. Dunlap's piety, ability and learning, tradition does not give him much credit for prudence and forecast in this matter of division. Kindly and prudently managed, this unhappy division could and should have been avoided. To thrust Watts upon the congregation without con- sulting the views and sentiments of those opposed to the meas- ure was, to say the least, inexpedient, impolitic and unwise. We have a number of churches in our communion, which, to this day, continue to use Rouse's version. And, in doing so, they have the endorsement of our General Assembly, which long ago, authorised the use of Rouse's version in all our churches that preferred to use it-and this endorsement the General Assembly has never withdrawn. It seems a great pity that so small a mat- ter should have kindled so great a fire. United, they could readi- ly furnish a living salary ; divided, the salary in both congrega- tions, is necessarily kept, as nearly as possible, at starvation point. In one way or other, God has doubtless accomplished some good by this division-how or what we cannot say. But assuredly the cause of division is too weak and slender to stand the full blaze of millennial glory, and long ere that period, doubtless, "Fuit Ilium" (Troy has been), will be written under- neath it and then consigned to the tomb of the Capulets.
Dr. Dunlap having become President of Jefferson College in 1803, on the 18th of April, 1804, a call from the congregations of Laurel Hill and Tyrone for the ministerial services of Rev. James Guthrie was lodged in the hands of Presbytery.
Mr. Guthrie was a native of Westmoreland county, Pa., a child of the covenant, early renewed by the Spirit and carefully instructed in the doctrine and duties of religion. His mind be- ing biased in favor of the ministry, he entered Dickinson Col-
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lege, Carlisle, Pa., of which Charles Nesbit, D. D., was the illus- trious President and graduated with the last class from Dickin- son College during Nesbit's administration. Mr. Guthrie studied Theology with one of the pastors of Redstone Presbytery, whose name we have not been able to learn. There were no Theologi- cal Seminaries in those days.
The above named call being put into the hands of Mr. Guth- rie, after holding it some six months, he accepted it and was or- dained and installed, April 17th, 1805. Rev. George Hill preach- ed the sermon and Rev. Mr. Henderson presided.
The elders composing the session of Laurel Hill when Mr. Guthrie settled here were Samuel Finley, Samuel McLean, James Holliday, James McCormick and John Morrison. The first el- ders ordained and installed by Mr. Guthrie were Joseph Tor- rence, James Allen and Enoch French. The second addition to the session, under his pastorate, were Patrick Watson, Andrew Wylie and John Clark.
In 1826, D. A. C. Sherrard, Esq. and John Larrimer, were ordained and installed ruling elders. In 1833, Thomas Grier, John Morrison, Esq., Samuel A. Russel, Robert Davies, A. C. Byers and Matthew Byers, were also ordained and installed by Mr. Guthrie. Also in November 22d, 1844, by the same, Thom- as McMillan, having been previously elected by the congrega- tion, was duly ordained and installed.
Some five or six months before his death, Mr. Guthrie, feel- ing the infirmities of age creeping upon him, suggested to the session to make out a call for the ministerial services of Rev. Joel Stoneroad, then pastor of Cross Roads Church, Presbytery of Washington, Pa., to become co-pastor with Mr. Guthrie. To this proposition Mr. Stoneroad acceded, a relation both pleasant and cordial, but of very short duration, as Mr. Stoneroad was in- stalled co-pastor, June 6th, 1850, and Mr. Guthrie departed this life, August 24th, 1850, thus making the co-pastorate not quite three months duration. Mr. Guthrie died as he lived and enter- ed into rest.
Mr. Stoneroad continued to be pastor of the two congrega- tions of Laurel Hill and Tyrone until 1861, when, owing to the
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extensive territory of the combined charge, the difficulty of crossing a river without a bridge and the fact that Laurel Hill proposed to take the whole of the pastor's time, paying the sal- ary of both congregations, Mr. Stoneroad, with consent of Pres- bytery, relinquished his charge of Tyrone and gave all his time to Laurel Hill.
During Mr. Stoneroad's first year as pastor of both congre- gations, the additions on examination, at Laurel Hill, were twen- ty-six-not at one time, but at two or three communion seasons. The next year there were ten on examination, the next ten and the next fifteen. We cannot say what were the additions in the same period at Tyrone, as we have not the records before us,' though the presumption is that it would nearly equal that of Laurel Hill. After the first four years the additions varied con- siderably, but were generally less up to the year 1870, when twenty-four were added on examination at one time. In 1851 the membership was about 136 and shortly after rose to 150; but owing to fewer additions for some years past, with at least the usual number of deaths and dismissions, the membership does not now probably exceed 140.
The first election for elders under Mr. Stoneroad's pastorate occurred in April, 1851, which resulted in the choice of James Stewart, John Clark, Wm. H. Haslett and James Allen, who were ordained and installed by the pastor, April, 1851. The next addition to the session took place in the fall of 1866, when the following persons were elected, viz .: Wm. Bryson, Robert H. Smith, James Curry, Sr., James Henshaw, Thomas G. Sherrard and Samuel Watson. The two last named refused to serve; the other four were ordained and installed ruling elders by the pas- tor in the church of Laurel Hill.
We have thus endeavored to give a brief history of the church of Laurel Hill from the beginning, chiefly statistical, of course, and on that account dry. The general character of its membership was of the type impressed on the Presbyterianism of Western Pennsylvania, viz .: Solid, intellectual, evangelical. True, indeed, this general rule has many exceptions, yet con- trasted in these particulars with other denominations, the Presby-
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terian church need not hang her head. Yet we have no reason to boast (God forbid), but the strongest reason for self-abasement and humiliation. And whatever has been auspicious in the gen- eral character of our educational and religious institutions in Western Pennsylvania, has been largely influenced by the Pres- byterian element pervading our population. This is emphatically true in the matter of education, scientific, linguistic or theologi- cal. The war-whoop of the savage had scarcely died away along the banks of the Chartiers, when McMillan began to lay the foundations of Jefferson College and taught its pupils to sing: "Tityre, tu patulae recubans subtegumine fagi."
Having thus briefly noticed Dr. Dunlap, the first pastor of Laurel Hill, with some of his excellencies and eccentricities, we pass to notice in a similar way the second pastor, Rev. James Guthrie. As the name indicates, he, too, was of Scotch-Irish ori- gin and inherited its usual characteristics, marked, perhaps, with an occasional exuberance of spirits, enabling him to enjoy a good joke and a hearty laugh. His social qualities were rather re- markable, making him quite acceptable to any society in which duty called him to move.
Mr. Guthrie was four times married. His first wife was a daughter of Joseph Torrence, one of the first elders installed by him and of whom we have already spoken, by whom he had but one son, long since deceased. His second wife was Miss Gal- lagher, of Dunlap's Creek, with an issue of five children, two sons and three daughters, who have all long since deceased, save one, who was long since a member of Laurel Hill, but recently on the score of proximity, of Dunbar, Pa. His third wife was the widow Hunter, of Mt. Pleasant, Pa., who lived a very short time and died without issue. His fourth wife was the widow Beeson, of Uniontown, at that time a member of the writer's charge and whose marriage with Mr. Guthrie he solemnized of course. When a widower the third time and manifestly in search of a fourth wife, the writer told him he knew a lady in his charge (Uniontown) that would suit him well, but doubted if he could get her and on hearing the name he remarked he might try. He did try and succeeded. And as evidence of his fondness for a
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joke, as soon as the ceremony was over he reached out the usual fee to the officiating minister, which, of course, was promptly re- fused, when, with a hearty laugh, he said: "Dog don't eat dog." And when twitted, as he occasionally was, with having his fourth wife, he would promptly answer: "If I should lose the fourth I would seek a fifth." And personal acquaintance with one of them, as well as tradition, agree in saying his wives were all pru- dent, pious, excellent women.
One of the first elders, as we have seen, that Mr. Guthrie or- dained and installed was Joseph Torrence, a man of mark in his day, and for many years clerk of session. Mr. Torrence reared a large and respectable family, one of whom became Judge Tor- rence, of Cincinnati, whose descendants there are numerous, in- telligent, wealthy and greatly respected, many of them being connected with the church of their fathers. The same is, in a measure, true of his posterity in the line of the Millers and Tor- rences, of Allegheny and Fayette counties, Pa. Want of space forbids any special notice of many excellent men in the eldership during the Centennial past. Those elders, with many others, like those of Hebrews II, "all obtained a good report" when living, died the death of the righteous, and entered the Gen- eral Assembly of Heaven. There can be nothing invidious in the statement that of the class of elders ordained in 1833 he held a most prominent position for usefulness as an officer of the church. A gentleman by nature, of unequivocal piety, portly presence and strong common sense, he was emphatically a pillar in the church and his loss was most deeply felt.
And still there lingers with us one elected, ordained and in- stalled in 1826, completing this year his semi-centennial of fifty years in the eldership of Laurel Hill, a venerable patriarch of ninety years, calmly waiting an invitation to go up higher. I mean D. A. C. Sherrard, Esq.,-having lived through three gen- erations-himself the only relic of his own generation left among us. May his last be his best days and in the time ap- pointed may he rest in peace. I must here be permitted to say that having been some forty-six years in the ministry and of course somewhat largely acquainted with the eldership of the
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Presbyterian church, they constitute as a class, one of the purest, most intelligent and conscientious body of men to be found on the globe and that their influence in church and state is most fa- vorably and widely felt. (Elder D. A. C. Sherrard died June 3d, 1880, in the ninety-fourth year of his age and fifty-fourth year as elder of Laurel Hill S. S. B.)
We have thus given a brief history of the Presbyterian church of Laurel Hill, the best we can do from the material ac- cessible to us. The sessional records run back to 1833, previous to which no minutes of session seem to have been kept, or if kept are now utterly lost. In November, 1840, session thought it high time to prepare a brief history of the church and from the sources of information accessible to them compiled substantially the his- tory you have just read relative to the first pastor, Dr. Dunlap, and the first elders, John Travis and Samuel Finley, and thence down to 1833, from which time to the present we have the regu- lar minutes of the session. In the foregoing history there is, we acknowledge, a comparative dearth of incident, which is charac- teristic of the great majority of real congregations. But our business now is not to make history but to write it.
A fact here I prefer not to write, but which, if omitted, would leave the history of the congregation imperfect, is this: that though the salary twenty-six years ago was the usual sum of $500, this congregation did not, as was generally done, raise the salary as the price of living rose. This would have been clearly just, and because just and not done, may not God have had a controversy with the congregation, withholding His Spirit be- cause they bring not "the tithes into the store house?" But the opposite course : bringing "the tithes into the store house," that is fully supporting the Gospel, "will open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it." True, indeed, occasional showers and frequent mercy drops from Heaven have in times past visited the congregation, but not those copious outpourings of the Spirit that sometimes descend upon more liberal congregations. "The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be water-
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ed also himself." Fidelity to truth and history requires that this statement, however unpleasant, be recorded.
It is not out of place here to say, what can be said of but few congregations 100 years old, that we have had but three pastors averaging thirty-three and a half years each. Whether more frequent changes in the pastorate would have proven beneficial or otherwise, must, of course be left to individual decision.
(Prepared by Rev. Joel Stoneroad in the year 1876, the centennial of Laurel Hill's existence as a church.)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE HISTORY OF LAUREL HILL CHURCH, BY REV. S. S. BERGEN, OCTOBER, 1887.
Rev. Joel Stoneroad, author of the previous part of this his- tory, was ordained as pastor of Laurel Hill Church in June, 1850, and continued to hold this position until near the close of the year 1878, a little over twenty-eight years. He resigned in the spring of that year, but was still acting as Moderator of the session late in the fall. Feeling the infirmities of age creeping upon him, he resigned his charge and spent the few remaining years of his life in his home, near the village of Dunbar, quietly waiting the summons to come up higher. It was hard for him to give up the active duties of the ministry and spend so many years in apparent idleness, but such seems to have been the Lord's will. I am well satisfied it would have been a great re- lief to his mind and satisfactory to a large majority of the con- gregation, if he had had a co-pastor and had been permitted to preach whenever he felt able. But for some two or three years before his death he was too feeble for any public effort, though not confined to his bed. He died August 11th, 1884, and was followed to his final resting place in Laurel Hill grave- yard, mourned by the whole congregation and hosts of other friends. His memory is still precious in every household in Laurel Hill congregation. Truly, "he being dead, yet speaketh."
Mr. Stoneroad was of German descent and was born near Lewistown, Mifflin county, Pa., January 2d, 1806. He graduated
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at Jefferson College, Pa., in 1827 and studied theology in the Theological department or Seminary of Princeton College, New Jersey, taking the full three years' course and receiving a diplo- ma. His ministry covered a period of nearly fifty years. After a short service under commission from the Board of Domestic Missions, he was pastor of the church in Uniontown, Fayette county, Pa., for eleven years and afterward of the Cross Roads Church, Florence, Washington County, Pa., for eight years and then of Laurel Hill for twenty-eight years. He was a devout student of God's word. As Rev. L. Y. Graham, who was for many years intimately associated with him, testified at his funeral, he was eminently Pauline in his theology and was exceedingly conscientious in his ministrations in the pulpit and out of it. The weather was never severe enough to keep him from his ap- pointments or to prevent him from visiting the sick and dying. On one occasion one-third of his congregation was converted as the result of his preaching, but only three persons were present. As one of the resolutions passed by the congregation at the time of his resignation declares, he literally wore himself out in the service of the Master.
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