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 5
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 5
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Mr. Stoneroad was twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married, September 1 Ith, 1832, was Miss Rebecca, daugh- ter of David Veech, of Greene county, Pa., by whom he had two daughters, the elder being the wife of Rev. T. P. Speer, of Woos- ter, Ohio, and the younger, Miss Sarah Louisa Stoneroad, who resides with her sister. His second wife, to whom he was mar- ried, June 27th, 1854, was Miss Hannah, daughter of Col. James Paull, of Fayette county, Pa. Of this union are four children- James Paull, now in New Mexico; Thomas Lewis, a graduate of LaFayette College, accidentally drowned a few years ago; Miss Mary Belle, at home and Joel T. M., lately attending Wooster University, Ohio. Mrs. Stoneroad, sometime after Mr. S.'s death, moved to Wooster, Ohio, where she still resides.
For the first few months of the year 1879, Rev. J. P. Ful- ton, for eleven years pastor of Dunlap's Creek and McClelland- town, acted as supply. During his ministration, as the result of a series of meetings held in the Laurel Hill church and lasting
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for several weeks, quite a number were added to the church and the church members were very much revived. The minutes show that during his short stay with the church over thirty were added on examination. After supplying the church for a few months against the wish of the congregation, he moved west, to Kansas, where is still living and serving the Master. The report comes back that he has become wealthy, but we are sure that it is not by preaching.
For a few months after Mr. Fulton left, the congregation made the mistake, so often made by congregations in these days, of listening to various candidates. In September, 1879, becom- ing tired of this and being well satisfied with his ministerial qual- ifications, &c., the congregation called to the pastorate Rev. R. R. Gailey, then and for several years before, pastor of Little Redstone Church, in the same Presbytery. According to the records he was installed, September 12th, 1879, and remained pastor until April Ist, 1882. Then, at his own request, he was dismissed to the Steubenville Presbytery, within the bounds of which he still lives and labors.
Before the fires went out in the house now occupied as a parsonage, the present pastor (Rev. S. S. Bergen), invited by the congregation to supply the pulpit for a few months, moved in. After preaching for some two months as supply, he was called to the pastorate and installed, August 12th, 1882.
Of the elders ordained and installed in 1866, Messrs. Wm. Bryson, Robert H. Smith and James Curry, Sr., were still living and serving at the time Mr. Stoneroad resigned in 1878. Also, Mr. John Wright, formerly an elder in the Presbyterian church of Monongahela City, was received into the church of Laurel ·Hill and elected a ruling elder in July, 1864. James Henshaw, ordained and installed in 1866, died October 22d, 1878. He was a godly man, having the confidence of the whole congregation and died as he lived. He was a great sufferer, dying with can- cer, but bore it with Christian fortitude. Two of his children, a son and daughter, still serve the Master in the old church. James Curry, Sr., died March 2d, 1883, during the present pas- torate. He was permitted to serve in the eldership the Master
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whom he loved for seventeen years. Five children, two sons and three daughters survive him, two of whom, a son and daughter, still serve the Master in the old church. One daughter lives in New Haven, Pa., and the other two are in the far west. Wm. Bryson, Robert H. Smith and John Wright are still acting ruling elders at Laurel Hill.
On April 13th, 1878, Messrs. Joseph Reiner, George Yeag- ley, and T. H. Smith were ordained and installed as elders. On November Ist, 1885, Messrs. Jesse A. Oglevie and John John- son, having been previously chosen by the congregation as ruling elders, were ordained and installed. August 15th, 1886, Mr. Henry Cook, formerly an elder in the Little Redstone church, was installed at Laurel Hill. In January, 1881, Mr. Joseph Reiner was dismissed to the Presbyterian church of Morgan- town, West Va., where he still lives and serves his Master as an elder.
During the latter years of Mr. Stoneroad's pastorate, in 1877, preaching having been kept up in a school house near the foot of the mountains for many years, a house, 30x40, was built and named Bethel Chapel. In this house there has been regular service nearly every other Sabbath afternoon or evening since. This chapel is some four miles from the church. In August, 1885, during the present pastorate, another chapel, some six or seven miles on the opposite side of Laurel Hill, size 30x44, was dedi- cated and named Stoneroad Chapel, in honor of Rev. Joel Stone- road, so long pastor of Laurel Hill. Here services are kept up regularly on alternate Sabbath afternoons or evenings. In the year before Stoneroad Chapel was built, 1884, Laurel Hill Church was repaired at an expense of about $500. Bethel Chapel was also repaired in the same year.
The church of Laurel Hill, in all her history, extending over a period of about III years, has never had a home for her pas- tor. Fathers Guthrie and Stoneroad owned homes of their own. Since that the pastor has been compelled to live in a rented house, which would be a smaller matter if it were near the church. In the estimation of the writer and of many others both in and out of the congregation, a parsonage, convenient to the church, is the
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one thing needed, so far as material things are concerned, to add to the comfort and efficiency of the pastor and to make Laurel Hill Church a very desirable charge to one who is not afraid of hard work in the Master's service. In the language of one of her elders, now waiting the summons of the Master: "With a congregation scattered over a territory ten by fourteen miles, with over a hundred families to shepherd, with three places of preaching, involving a ride of from ten to fourteen miles every Sabbath, it is as little as the congregation can do to thus (by erection of parsonage) make the work as light for the pastor as possible."
The first statistical record of number of members that we have been able to find is in April, 1881, when the number given is 153. At the time Mr. Fulton ceased his labors it probably numbered as many as 160, but during Mr. Gailey's pastorate a number of families sold out and moved away, as the result of the coal excitement. By this means the church was very much weakened. Since that there has been a gradual increase, the membership last April being 187. A goodly proportion of this increase is due to the comparatively new work at Stoneroad Chapel, though the additions at Laurel Hill from year to year have been gratifying. There has been no revival since the begin- ning of the present pastorate, and yet few communion seasons have passed without additions, for which we are devoutly thank- ful.
While the church has been growing in numbers it has also been growing in liberality. During Mr. Gailey's and the present pastorate, the complaint made, and no doubt justly, in the previ- ous part of this history, on the question of salary, would not hold good. The salary has been nearer what it ought to be and every year it is paid with increasing promptness. But in the benevolent work of the church the result is especially gratifying. The year closing April, 1881, the whole amount contributed to the benevolent work of the church was $221. Year by year there has been a gratifying increase until last year it became $385. And still there is great room for improvement. A part of this increase in benevolent contributions, is due to the Wo-
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man's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, which last year gave some $50 to Home and Foreign Missions, and, besides, made up a box for a family under the care of the Board of Ministerial Relicf worth $25, and to the Sabbath School, which gave $50 to Home and Foreign Missions. When we reach the measure of our abil- ity and thus the measure of the Lord's requirement, in that de- gree will the Lord, I believe, open the windows of Heaven and pour out to us of every spiritual blessing. The Lord loves a cheer- ful giver, and whom he loves he will certainly bless. There is a reflex influence in giving, that, while it should not be the only motive, should not be overlooked.
May the Lord add many centuries, if He delay His coming so long, to the history of old Laurel Hill Church, and gather hundreds through her that will shine as stars forever and ever.
TYRONE.
BY REV. JOSEPH L. HUNTER.
The first settlers of Tyrone township were Scotch-Irish. In the midst of these the Tyrone Presbyterian Church was organ- ized. In the year 1774 Rev. James Power visited this region and all available records point to the fact that he organized this church about that time. In October, 1776, he moved from the East to Dunlap's Creek and from that time on preached frequent- ly at Tyrone. Barnett Cunningham and James Torrence were ordained elders by him, not later than 1776 and probably two years earlier. In the year 1784 he preached one-fourth part of his time at Tyrone. The next record we have is, that in 1793 Tyrone was vacant. All the pastoral care this church received
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for the first twenty-eight or thirty years was given it by Dr. Pow- er. The next minister was Dr. James Dunlap, who was Stated Supply for an unknown period, prior to 1803.
Rev. James Guthrie was the first installed pastor. He was a native of Westmoreland county, small of stature and of a ner- vous temperament. He divided his time between Tyrone and Laurel Hill, where he was ordained, April 17th, 1805. He was four times married, twice to daughters of his elders. He was pastor of three churches a little over fifty years. On the 5th of June, 1850, Rev. Joel Stoneroad was installed as co-pastor over the two churches. Mr. Guthrie died within three months after this and Mr. Stoneroad became sole pastor until 1864, when he resigned his pastoral charge over Tyrone and gave his whole time to Laurel Hill. About this time the church enjoyed for a short time the ministerial services of Rev. George Paull, a licen- tiate under appointment as a Foreign Missionary. On the Ist Monday of June, 1864, Rev. W. L. Boyd, then pastor of Sewick- ley Church, was installed over Tyrone for one-third of his time. Rev. Joel Stoneroad preached the sermon, Rev. W. F. Hamilton presided and charged the pastor and Rev. N. H. G. Fife charged the people. This pastorate was a period of growth in the con- gregation and continued for three years.
From 1867 to 1871 another vacancy occurred, during which time the church had occasional supplies. On the 27th of July, 1871, Rev. Thos. S. Parke was installed over Tyrone and Har- mony, a relation which lasted until 1875. When Mr. Parke left, Rev. J. H. Stevenson became pastor and continued to exercise the duties of his office among us until the fall of 1883. It was during the time of his pastorate that the church of Dawson was dissolved and the membership added to Tyrone.
From 1883 to 1885, Rev. N. G. White acted as Stated Sup- ply. The next two years the church was almost entirely with- out supplies, having had but four days' preaching in all that time. As might be supposed, there was very little spiritual life remain- ing at the end of that time. But during the "week of prayer," commencing on the first Sabbath of January, 1888, there was a gracious awakening. Mr. Wm. F. Gault, the only elder left in
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the church began a series of meetings which lasted twenty-four days and resulted in the conversion of twenty-four souls. One peculiarity of the meetings was that they were conducted mainly by Mr. Gault himself, without any ministerial assistance ; they were brought to a close only when this faithful elder was worn out and all within reach had been brought into the fold of Christ. Such is the power of God's Spirit if man will only do his part. The church now revived and awakened, determined to call a pas- tor. Accordingly on May 8th, 1888, Mr. Joseph L. Hunter was ordained and installed pastor over the united churches of Tyrone and Dawson. The meeting which ordained Mr. Hunter was the first meeting of Presbytery ever held at Tyrone. Mr. Wm. Lint was elected a ruling elder and installed on the 24th of the follow- ing June. The church at that time had two elders, viz .: Mr. Gault and Mr. Lint; a membership of seventy-one and a Sab- bath School in a flourishing condition. Of the different houses of worship, something, perhaps, ought to be said. The first two houses were made of logs, the last being an improvement on the first in being constructed of hewn logs. On the 4th of June, 1852, a brick house was erected and dedicated to the worship of God, but on account of a bad foundation the congregation did not enjoy it long. This building soon gave way and on the 4th of May, 1873, the present substantial brick structure was dedi- cated and set apart for religious worship. The church has had in all twenty-five elders, viz .: Barnett Cunningham and James Torrence, the original elders of the organization; the first died, September 13th, 1808; the latter died, May 12th, 1826, having served in the eldership for fifty years. The next in order are Robert Smith, James Goudy, John Cummings, John Cooly, Wm. Huston, son of Col. Joseph Huston ; Frank Vance, Wm. Smith, Joseph H. Cunningham, Hugh Torrence, oldest son of James; Alex. Johnston, Cunningham Torrence, Nathaniel Hurst, John Stouffer, Joseph Gault, who served the church forty-four years; Barnett Cunningham, a grandson of the original Barnett, who served the church thirty-four years; Wm. V. Hurst, Henry C. Boyd, Wm. F. Gault, Jonathan Merritt, T. R. De Yarman and Wm. Lint. Tyrone has had on an average not more than one-
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third of a pastor's time during her existence, yet how blessed the results. This was one of the first churches in all this region of country. In early days many came to the Sabbath services from Indian Creek, fifteen miles distant, and some came from beyond Jacob's Creek. Tyrone is the mother of the churches of Con- nellsville, Dunbar, Scottdale, Dawson, Indian Creek and Har- mony; the last two dissolved. It is impossible to sum up all the results of the preaching of the Gospel here. The average salary paid by Tyrone to her pastors for the service rendered has been about $200 per year. Had a more liberal policy been pursued and the church better supplied with preaching, possibly Tyrone to-day would be self-supporting.
ROUND HILL.
BY REV. B. T. DEWITT.
The early history of Round Hill is derived entirely from tradition. The Rev. James Finley visited this region and preach- ed to the scattered white inhabitants about 1772. From this . time till 1783, he occasionally returned to nurture and confirm what he had begun. During one of these visits he organized the churches of Rehoboth and Round Hill on the same day. This was probably in 1778. During this period the inhabitants were in great fear on account of hostile Indians. These churches be- gan their existence in a time of great peril and distress. The alarms of war between the United States and the Indians re- sounded throughout this entire region. That must have been a period of distress when flour sold for sixteen dollars a barrel and bacon for one dollar a pound.
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In 1784, Round Hill and Rehoboth regularly settled as pas- tor, Rev. Jas. Finley, his services being equally divided between them. Round Hill included at this time an extensive territory, embracing the present parishes of Mt. Vernon and West Eliza- beth and a part of Mckeesport, Lebanon and Monongahela City, and on Sabbath days a very large congregation gathered here from all this region. By the death of Rev. James Finley, Janu- ary 6th, 1795, these churches became vacant and continued so for two years or more, when the Rev. David Smith was installed over them. He continued their pastor till his death, August 24th, 1803. During the last year of his ministry these churches were visited with a gracious revival of religion, accompanied with remarkable manifestations called at that time "the falling down work."
Mr. Smith was succeeded in this pastorate by Rev. Wm. Wylie, D. D., in 1805. There were then about 130 communi- cants in the two churches together. Mr. Wylie continued pas- tor until the spring of 1817, when he was dismissed at his own request.
In the following June, the Rev. Robt. Johnston became their pastor. This relation was dissolved as respects Round Hill in October, 1831.
In July, 1833, Rev. N. H. Gillett became the Stated Supply of these two churches until December, 1834, when he was in- stalled pastor. In 1841 he was dismissed from Round Hill at his own request, Rehoboth having given him a call for the whole of his services. Thus ended the union of Rehoboth and Round Hill in one pastorate. Round Hill then had 108 communicants.
Round Hill called and settled as pastor, Rev. Wm. Eaton, in 1841. He remained their pastor until April, 1844, when at his own request he was dismissed. During his pastorate twenty- six were received to membership on examination and three by certificate.
In 1845 Rev. Adley Calhoun was ordained and installed pastor of Round Hill. He was removed by death in the spring of 1848. During his brief ministry there were added to the church forty-five on examination and thirteen by certificate.
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The church was very prosperous at this time both temporally and spiritually.
The congregation of Round Hill was supplied by licentiates until the spring of 1851, when Rev. Joseph Smith, D. D., was called to be their pastor. He was installed, June 10th, 1851. He resigned and was dismissed in 1855. During his pastorate thirty were received into church membership on examination and thirty-eight by letter. In 1851 Round Hill congregation built in the town of Elizabeth a large and commodious brick edifice. From that time until the present they have worshiped alternately in the two edifices. In 1854 Round Hill contained 140 commu- nicants.
Rev. James Martin became pastor of this church in 1857. His pastoral relation was dissolved in June, 1863. During his pastorate fifty-three were received to church membership on ex- amination and eighteen by certificate.
Rev. J. Logan Sample was called in September, 1863. He was ordained and installed, June 14th, 1864. The pastoral re- lation was dissolved in 1866. During his pastorate 105 were re- ceived to membership on examination and eleven by certificate. While he was pastor a great revival occurred.
In May, 1867, Rev. W. L. Boyd was installed pastor. He was released from this relation in October, 1870. During his pastorate nineteen were added on examination and twenty-six by certificate.
In June, 1872, Rev. J. B. Dickey, was installed pastor. He was released from this relation in June, 1877. During the first year of his ministry the congregation built in Elizabeth a large and beautiful brick parsonage. During his pastorate eighty-four were received to membership on examination and forty six by certificate.
After Mr. Dickey's dismissal the church was supplied for about a year by a licentiate.
On January 20th, 1880, Rev. J. D. Shanks was installed pas- tor. In December, 1883, he was dismissed at his own request.
In June, 1885, the present pastor, Rev. B. T. DeWitt, was installed. Additions since, twenty; whole number of communi- cants, 174.
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REHOBOTH.
BY REV. S. F. FARMER, D. D.
The Presbyterian church of Rehoboth was organized about the year 1778, by Rev. James Finley, a member of the Presby- tery of New Castle, who had been doing occasional missionary work in the neighborhood for some two years.
In the year 1784, Mr. Finley became pastor of this church, in connection with Round Hill, in the then lately organized Pres- bytery of Redstone. Mr. Finley continued pastor of these churches till the time of his death, January 6th, 1795. His abil- ity and faithfulness as a minister of the Gospel greatly endeared him to the people of his charge. His work was evidently of the kind that abides. He was the father of a church whose good in- fluence has lived and grown for a century. His memory is held in reverence, not only by the church, but the neighborhood. "He rests from his labors and his works do follow him."
After the death of Mr. Finley the church remained vacant about two years, when Rev. David Smith became its pastor. The pastorate of Mr. Smith continued about six years. The last of those years was made memorable by a very remarkable out- pouring of the Spirit of God upon the church of Rehoboth, as also upon most of the neighboring churches. The preaching of the word was accompanied by a power, under which many per- sons fell prostrate and others cried aloud under a sense of guilt. At that memorable period, while in the vigor of his manhood and in the midst of his usefulness, the minister was called from his earthly labors to that "rest which remaineth for the people of God." He died, August 24th, 1803.
Mr. Smith was succeeded by Rev. William Wylie, who was installed in 1805 and continued pastor of the church about twelve years. At that time the two churches, Rehoboth and Round Hill, numbered about 130 members. During the pastor- ate of Mr. Wylie the church did not increase, but rather dimin- ished in numbers, although Mr. Wylie was a man of more than
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ordinary ability ; brilliant as an orator and diligent as a pastor. The reason of the lack of increase no doubt was, that during those years many of the people moved west. Mr. Wylie was, at his own request, released in the spring of 1817.
In June, of the same year, Rev. Robert Johnston became pastor of the churches of Rehoboth and Round Hill. The records of session show that the church of Rehoboth had at that time sixty-six members and Round Hill fifty-three. During the pastorate of Mr. Johnston, a period of fifteen years, several revivals occurred and the membership of these churches was nearly doubled. Mr. Johnston was released from the pastoral charge of the church of Round Hill in October, 1831, and of Rehoboth in December, 1832.
Rev. N. H. Gillet began to preach as supply in July, 1833, and was installed as pastor in December, 1834. Several seasons of revival were enjoyed during the pastorate of Mr. Gillett. At one communion thirty persons were added to the church by ex- amination. In 1841 Mr. Gillett was released from the pastoral charge of the Round Hill Church and accepted a call from Re- hoboth for the whole of his time and in 1848 he was, at his own request, released from the pastoral charge of the church of Re- hoboth. In 1849 Rev. James R. Hughes was installed pastor of the church of Rehoboth. During the pastorate of Mr. Hughes 157 persons were added to the membership of the church. He was dismissed at his own request and removed from Rehoboth in 1865, to take charge of a female seminary at Blairsville, Pa.
Mr. Hughes was succeeded by Rev. Loyal Young Graham, who was installed as pastor of Rehoboth Church, October 1Ith, 1865. After a pastorate of six years, Mr. Graham was dismissed at his own request, to accept a call to the Olivet Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia.
Mr. Graham was succeeded by Rev. G. M. Hair, whose in- stallation took place, December 20th, 1872. During the minis- try of Mr. Hair, which continued one year and five months, for- ty-eight persons were added to the church.
The next pastor was Rev. Marcus Wishart, who was in- stalled, October 28th, 1874, and continued pastor of the church
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until April 24th, 1877, when he was dismissed at his own request.
The church remained vacant only till August 30th, of the same year, when Rev. A. F. Boyd, having received and accepted a call, was installed as its pastor. At a called meeting of the Presbytery, held at West Newton, December 11th, 1883, at the request of Mr. Boyd, the pastoral relation between him and the church was dissolved, his pastorate having continued six years and five months.
After remaining vacant some nine months, the church ex- tended a call to Rev. W. G. Nevin. Mr. Nevin accepted the call and was installed, October 28th, 1884. Mr. Nevin's pastorate continued two years and three months, at the expiration of which time, February Ist, 1887, he was, at his own request, dismissed to accept a call to the Presbyterian church of Sharon, Pa., where he is now laboring.
The present pastor, Rev. S. F. Farmer, D. D., was called unanimously by the church of Rehoboth, April 30th, 1887, and his installation took place, June 30th, of the same year.
LONG RUN.
BY REV. C. P. CHEESEMAN.
History, the accurate record of the past, is an interesting study, whether it relates to church or state. From small begin- nings, our nation has grown to vast proportions. And the same is true of the Presbyterian church in America, and yet it is a fact, in some respects sad, that many of the churches numerically strong in the early days, have weakened, with advancing years, until to-day they are scarcely self-supporting. But when we re- member the good done, the swarms that have gone out from the
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