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CENTENNIAL VOLUME
OF THE
First Presbyterian Church,
FROM THE LIBRARY OF
REV. LOUIS FITZGERALD BENSON, D. D.
BEQUEATHED BY HIM TO
THE LIBRARY OF
PRINCETON THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
SCC 10176
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2
from his sister
Oct. 16-84
Francis Herron
BRARY OF PRING E JAN 20 1932 THE
N
HOAL
CENTENNIAL VOLUME
OF THE
First Presbyterian Church
OF PITTSBURGH, PA.
1784-1884.
PITTSBURGH : Wu. G. JOHNSTON & CO., PRINTERS, 711 LIBERTY STREET. 1884.
INDEX.
- Page.
PREFACE.
5
HISTORICAL SERMONS
9
Period
I
15
II
31
Link between Periods II and III.
15
Period III
48
Characteristics.
67
Closing Words.
92
Dr. Speer's Sabbath School History
99
Dr. Paxton's Sermon. 118
The Church and the City 129
Historical Fragments.
149
Plan of Pews in Old Log Church. 155
Missionary History. 161
Woman's Work in the First Church. 171
Dr. Paxton's Address.
187
Characteristics and Incidents, by R. Lea.
189
SOME EMINENT ELDERS OF THE FIRST CHURCH :-
John M. Snowden 200
Harmar Denny. 203
207
Francis Bailey
Supplementary Statement Concerning the Eldership 210
Reminiscences of Dr. Lea 223
List of Elders, with Date of Election
Reminiscences.
227
237
APPENDIX-Brief History of the First Pastorate.
Letter of Redick McKee, Esq. 241 “ " John Rea. 244
Invitation to Anniversary Exercises. 245
Dr. Herron's Testimony .. 246
Dr. Lea's Address at Communion.
247
Copy of Grant of Property by Penn Heirs
253
Church Organization.
255
PREFACE.
Little would seem to be needed as preface, in addition to what is given as introductory to the Historical Discourses; yet it is a privilege here anew to record the church's profound gratitude to God for His goodness, as exhibited in its entire history, and in permitting so satisfactory a celebration of its first century, and in bringing into embalming print this commemorative volume. "One generation shall praise Thy name to another." [Ps. cxlv:4.] "That the generation to come might know [the praises of the Lord, and His strength, and His wonderful works that He hath done] *
* * who should arise and declare them to their children : That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments." [Ps.Ixxviii: 6,7.]
Here is afforded an opportunity also to express sincerest thanks to the collaborators in this volume, not now immediately con- neeted with the church, without whose co-operation its materials could not have been gathered and shaped.
The volume will have some claims to be read even by those who attended the commemoration, because of the new material introduced in the paper on "The Church and the City," and in a careful re-writing and enlargement of "Woman's Work," of the "Historical Discourses," of the "Historical Fragments," and of the "Supplementary Statement concerning the Eldership," and in the Appendix.
The whole material has been as carefully edited as seemed necessary for explanation and for the narrative of the centennial celebration, while the editor has not been careful to erase all repetitions. Some have been allowed to remain either as testi- monies to the same facts from independent sources, or as improvement of the same incidents in different moral relations.
Indulgence is yet to be craved of the many interested, in view of omissions or imperfections, or possibly some inaccuracies which
6
PREFACE.
may be discovered. It may be said of all those who have helped to make the volume, that new duties or pressing ones elsewhere, forbade that entire consecration of time on the part of any one of us which would have been necessary to make a faultless book. It has taken no small amount of time and patient attention to make it as good as it is. If, however, that which has been the experience of the writers shall be the experience of the readers, viz : thinking more than ever of the old church, the result will indicate the book's right to be, despite its imperfections and the time and expense incident to its publication.
Some things may possibly commend the volume to a wider circle of readers than those locally interested. The position of Pittsburgh in the early history of our country makes all that relates to its inner life significant. We have here one of the developments of Scotch-Irish immigration-a most notable factor in our national character. The formation of our Synod and its declarations on matters of church polity may awaken the interest of those who care to discover the earliest enunciations of the principles of our denominational life. The relation of the Church to the Seminary may make its history interesting to a widely extended ministerial eircle.
AAbove all, may the book be useful in its chief end and aim, as a stimulus to yet nobler doing and grander living for the time to come. Earl Russell quoted to men who were eulogizing the distinguished :
"They who on noble ancestry enlarge,
Proclaim their debt, instead of their discharge."
In the deep sense of the debt, and claiming no discharge, the First Church now commits to its mission, whether wider or nar- rower, this memorial of a century earnest in endeavor and rich in benediction, and to God, who, sitting "within the shadows,", " keepeth watch" over the results of the lives of "His own," as certainly as He puts their tears in His " bottle," and treasures their prayers in the "vials full of odors."
SYLVESTER F. SCOVEL.
The University of Wooster, September, 1884,
SABBATH MORNING. April 13th, 1884.
The congregation of the First Church had been anticipating this day for at least a decade, with an interest deepening as the period of the first century of church life approached its close. It was a happy coincidence that the Sabbath day was the very same day of the month as that on which the original " supplica- tion for supplies" was made to the Presbytery. There was Easter morning gladness in the hearts of many worshipers, younger and older, as they went together to the house of the Lord. The thoughts of the past seemed to make dearer the spot where hal- lowed associations had been so long accumulating. "I love Thy kingdom, Lord, the house of Thine abode," came involuntarily to many memories. The occasion began auspiciously and continued deepening in interest to those most concerned, to its very close. The notice of the Commercial Gazette (about contemporary in age with the church) is as follows:
The centennial anniversary of the First Presbyterian Church was in- augurated yesterday morning. A congregation of 1,000 people filled the magnificent temple, including not only the church members, but persons connected with other Presbyterian churches and many aged ladies and gentlemen from a distance, who in years past had a membership here. The auditorium looked cheerful and bright since its recent renovation and improvement. The polished chestnut ceiling, re-varnished seats and galleries, new cushions and carpets, have relieved the sanctuary of the sombre gloom with which many people thought it formerly marked, and the morning sunlight streaming in through the stained glass windows im- parted much of Nature's Easter glory and freshness to the interior. The special music selected for the occasion was imposing. The grand swell of the organ in Mr. C. C. Mellor's opening voluntary rolled from choir
8
SABBATH MORNING.
loft to pulpit, from pews to the arched roof above, in the sublimest chords. A choir of thirty voices, under the direction of Prof. Amos Whiting, sang "Hallelujah" as a voluntary, and subsequently rendered the anthem, "Gloria in Excelsis," by Wilson.
Three ministers occupied seats in the pulpit. They were the Rev. William M. Paxton, D. D., who was pastor of the church from 1851 to 1865 ; Rev. S. F. Seovel, pastor from 1866 to 1884; Rev. S. II. Kellogg, the present stated supply. The latter divine announced and read the . hymns, Dr. Paxton offered prayer, and Rev. Mr. Scovel delivered an historical discourse.
HISTORICAL SERMONS,
Ex. xx : 5, 6.
"For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me : and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments."
There can be no sunlight in nature without shadow ; and there can be no love in God without jealousy. The great retributive and rewarding movements of God equally demand generations for their visible accomplishment. Every occasion in which the generations are brought to view, reminds us of this great law of the generations. Down through them all goes the vital weaving. The thread of retribution and reward appear with unerring certainty.
But we have reason to be profoundly thankful that evil is short and runs its course in three or four generations, while good is indefinitely long: The "eternal years of God" are represented in the "thousands" of generations to which God's "mercy" extends. Our review-occasion will be of profit to us if it teaches us the lessons of the consideration annexed to the second con- mandment ! And it ought to teach us that some evil descends, but much more good.
The importance of the influences which have been so largely molding for a body of communicants constantly depleted and constantly renewed, reaching THREE THOUSAND souls since 1818, is evident. And then consider the influence which these souls have exerted in their turn upon . all around them! And add still the direct influence of the place itself upon the whole sur- rounding. No one can rightly estimate these things. If the problem of one man's influence is insolvable, what shall be said
10
HISTORICAL SERMONS.
of such bewildering complexities as a century's history of a church like this brings into account ? But we can study and learn where we cannot fully comprehend.
The motives for such a review are as weighty and honorable as they are numerous.
(1.) The present reaps the fruits of the past.
(2.) The present is the product of the past.
(3.) The noble men of other days were the friends of some of us and relatives to others.
(4.) The heritage of Christian character and life is the Church's true glory-the proof of the power of her Lord, her Head, the Vine of which each Christian is a branch.
(5.) The knowledge of early struggles nerves us to effort, and the victories of their faith become the victories of our faith.
(6.) The complex elements of our life of to-day need to look face to face upon the more simple life of the past.
(7.) How shall we better honor God than by remembering what He has done through men ? Let us help to keep the good men of the past from being forgotten ! Their example, their heroism, their loyalty to Christ, their graces, their sorrows borne and labors accomplished : these all are full of interest and use to us. Keep their memories fresh ! Church traditions are as useful as those of the family or the nation !
Allow, also, a few preliminary cautions.
(1.) He wrestles with a giant, and must needs repeat Joshua's miracle, who strives to put a century into an hour. A detailed history is manifestly impossible ; and yet merely general history is the least interesting, and perhaps least valuable on such an occasion. There must therefore be selections made as to the periods on which most attention can be bestowed.
(2.) The principle of selection is, evidently, that we are rather here to celebrate beginnings-the struggles and cares of the pioneers in our church's life ; and since we can speak more freely of the dead than of the living, the main attention must be given to the first two periods. Moreover, these are the less well known to the present generation, and there is more need of setting them forth carefully, that their just relation to our present and their instruction for our future may not be lost.
(3.) There must be the same omissions in regard to individuals. To call the roll of the officers whose faithfulness suggested their
11
HISTORICAL SERMONS.
responsible positions, and who adorned their station, would leave only an indistinguishable whirl of names, and for special mention but few can be selected.
(4.) And it is to be remembered that by the distribution visible in the programme much that might properly have been mentioned in the first contribution to the history, belongs to subsequent papers ; and omissions must not be considered final until the whole exercises have been concluded. [Though, even then, some which would have been gladly avoided will prove inevitable.]
(5.) Moreover, as there could not be (and probably ought not to have been) any consultation among the writers and speakers of the occasion, there may be now and then a slightly discrepant date, or a divergent judgment, or a different estimate of character or movement. These will only serve to show (after final correc- tions), that there never was (and by the nature of the case never ean nor ought to be) a Presbyterian Church history a century long, in which the evidence that Presbyterians are "Independents" in everything but church government, does not somewhere appear.
(6.) Nor is it to be expected that all the interest or profit of the occasion will be found in the more formal papers. In our united worship by song and prayers, in greetings and reminiscences, we come somewhat closer to the heart-throbs of real spiritual life. May God vouchsafe His guidance and blessing upon all that shall be sung, said and done.
THE HISTORY.
PERIODS I -III.
15
HISTORICAL SERMONS.
PERIOD I.
The First Church is older than the General Assembly. There had been formed a Synod on the seaboard. Its creative act for Redstone Presbytery, reads thus : "At a meeting of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, held in Philadelphia the 16th of May, 1781, the Rev. Messrs. Joseph Smith, John MeMillan, James Power and Thaddeus Dodd having requested to be erected into a separate Presbytery, to be known by the name of the Presbytery of Redstone, the Synod grant their request, and appoint their first meeting to be held at Laurel Hill Church, the third Wednes- day of September next, at 11 o'clock A. M."
This is the entire minute. No bounds. No designated churches. A point of organized force in a vast wilderness (like a portable saw mill set down in an unsurveyed forest). This was the first Presbytery formed west of the Allegheny Mountains.
That Presbytery met "according to the appointment of the Reverend Synod of New York and Philadelphia, at Pigeon C'reck, as the circumstances of some of the members, by reason of the incursions of the savages, rendered it impracticable for them to attend at Laurel Hill. U. P. P. S. the Rev. Messrs. John McMillan, James Power and Thaddeus Dodd. Ellers, John Neil, Dennis Lindley and Patrick Scott. Absent, the Rev. Joseph Smith."*
The next stated meeting, appointed for April, 1782, was abandoned, because of these "incursions of the savages," and in October, 1782, they met at Delap's Creek. This record and that of Pigeon Creek, March, 1783, and that of Mount Pleasant, October, 1783, are searched in vain for any notice of Pittsburgh ;
* Incursions were not feared at the place of meeting but at their own homes, west of the Monongahela. Mr. Power living on the east side, was present at Pigeon Creek .- [Veech's Secular History, Centenary Memorial. Note to p. 348.]
16
HISTORICAL SERMONS.
but in the fifth meeting, "Buffalo, April the 13th, 1784," it is recorded, that along with supplications for supplies from the congregations of Muddy Creek and the South Fork, and a vacant congregation near Robinson's Run, came in an "application for supplies from Pittsburgh."
That is our first infant cry ! On the next day (April 14th, 1784,) the Presbytery acknowledged the infant by taking it up in arms (Chinese fashion), and appointed Mr. Smith to "preach at Pittsburgh the fourth Sabbath of August."
That was all. Not any imposing coming out of a great eccle- siastical body and laying formal hands on any spot in the wilder- hess ; but just a cry of a few Christian men and women, and the answer of a single supply ; even the name of "Smith " has nothing remarkable about it. There is no gratification for pride of circumstance in such an origin, however gladly we celebrate to-day the fact that the cry was uttered and the answer made.
The circumstance is the more peculiar, because neither in any record of the Presbytery nor in any contemporary record is there preserved any mention of who signed the petition or presented it, or to whose care the minister came. And thus again our existence at the point of origin seems to come very near to a disembodied condition, and to be like John the Baptist-a voice in the wilderness : but like him also, a herald of the Christ.
Something must have happened at Pittsburgh. Hitherto nothing has come from the inhabitants gathered about the old fort ; and very little has come to them. Romish chaplains had baptized and buried, and administered the sacraments. Beatty had been heard, and Duffield on a single visit. Once, perhaps, McMillan had thundered his message. Somebody must have come to town now, or this supplication for supplies would never have been sent. Fortunately (and as an encouragement to all who would do good to destitute neighborhoods, such as this now well-evangelized community then was,) we know something about what had happened and who had arrived.
Mr. John Wilkins' account, a kind of autobiography written for his family in 1809, and kindly furnished me by his descend- ants, is an illumination at this point.
"'In the middle of October, 1783, I left Carlisle and set out in the wagon with a light gun in my hand, and arrived in Pittsburgh November 10.
17
HISTORICAL SERMONS.
"'When I first came here I found the place filled with old officers and soldiers, followers of the army, mixed with a few families of credit. All sorts of wickedness were carried on to exeess, and there was no appearance of morality or regular order. As I have already remarked, when I first came to this town there appeared to be no signs of religion among the people, and it seemed to me that the Presbyterian ministers were afraid to come to the place lest they should be moeked or mistreated. I often hinted to the creditable part of the people that something ought to be done toward establishing a Presbyterian church in this place and encouraging it. After some time a Rev. Samuel Barr came to town and preached a few sermons. We seemed pleased with him and made him an offer, which he accepted, and was ordained in what is now called the First Presbyterian con- gregation in Pittsburgh. We labored mueh among' the people to join us before we amounted to what appeared a small congre- gation. Shortly after Mr. Barr's establishment we authorized him to go to Philadelphia to beg for us and to apply to Presby- tery for lots for a graveyard, and also to the Legislature to incorporate us as a congregation, in all of which he succeeded. We then began to take in subscriptions to build a house of worship.
"'Mr. Wallace and myself were appointed to take subscriptions and superintend the building. Mr. Wallace paid little attention and the whole business devolved on me. I myself worked at the building with my own hands and chunked and daubed it with the assistance of attendants. At a settlement with the trustees the 20th day of October, 1793, the congregation remained in my debt for money advanced over the subscription £4 38. 5d., which sum is not yet settled. After some time Mr. Barr got in a dispute with the congregation, was reduced by the Presbytery and left us. Since then we have had several ministers.
"'We have now where the old church stood an elegant new church, and our congregation has beeome large and respectable and is daily increasing. At the first establishment of the church I was ordained as an elder, and still hold that position.'"
(It is also stated on excellent authority that Major Isaac Craig, one of the six officers of the revolutionary army among the eleven original trustees, was on the building committee of this and of the 1804 church edifice also.)
18
IHISTORICAL SERMONS.
Religion seems to have been invisible to at least one early observer .- Arthur Lee, a Virginian, visited Pittsburgh in 1783, and wrote thus : " It is inhabited almost entirely by Scots and Irish, who live in paltry log houses and are as dirty as in the north of Ireland, or even Scotland. * * There are in town four attorneys, two doctors, and not a priest of any persuasion, nor church nor chapel, so that they are likely to be damned without benefit of clergy."
But Arthur Lee had no ear for the echoes of Beatty and Duffield's preaching in 1758 and 1766, of MeClure's in 1772, of McMillan's in 1775, besides that of the garrison pastors, and of the faithful German (Webber) since 1782. Nor did he see that the First Church had already arrived in John Wilkins, who, though he found "some sort of a town" and only "a few families of credit," and traders with Indians as unprincipled as any of our own day, and found, too, that "Presbyterian ministers seemed to avoid the place lest they should be ill-treated," labored "much" and finally succeeded.
The First Church was thus born of the people. It gave itself the first sign of life in applying to the Presbytery of Redstone for supplies on the 13th of April, 1784. The Rev. Joseph Smith was appointed to preach in August. No other notice of organi- zation is made in the Presbyterial records. This year of 1784 was a year of favor. It marked the close of the controversy about boundary between Pennsylvania and Virginia which had been hindering everything good, and a clerical member of the Mason and Dixon's line commission brought 160 Bibles to be distributed. The treaty with the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix settled many conflicts con- cerning Indian titles. This year Wesley ordained Coke as American bishop, to bring hither his heart of flame which was more than his consecration. This year the first Episcopalian bishop for America, Sam'l Seabury, was consecrated by non-juring bishops in Aberdeen. This was the year of the last effort to make a general civil assessment to support the established religion in Virginia. This year interest was kindled in property in Pitts- burgh by the large purchase of Bayard and Craig, followed by Wood's plan of the city made for the proprietaries. In fact all : was ready except the restless Red Men, who were not finally quieted until 1794.
19
HISTORICAL SERMONS.
No record of the preaching of the Rev. Mr. Smith on the fourth Sabbath of August, 1784, has been preserved, even in tradition. The people were not, probably, absent at Cresson and the sea shore, and there were no church-doors to elose in the summer solstice. No doubt there were faithful souls rejoiced to hear the precious truths, and join in the songs of Zion, familiar elsewhere. And we know something of the preacher himself, though so little of the audience. The Rev. Joseph Smith was the fourth in order of the early ministers of our region. He came west in 1779, and was pastor at Buffalo and Cross Creek. He is described as " like the others, a graduate of Princeton. In per- sonal appearance, he was tall and slender, of fair complexion, well featured, and had eyes that were fairly brilliant. His preaching was energetie and full of convincing force. In fidelity to his work, in depth and fervor of piety, and in zeal to promote religion and education, he was not inferior to any of his associ- ates." [Hamilton Redstone Centennial, pp. 32, 33.]
Pittsburgh came again to Presbytery at Chartiers, the same year, [October 19th, 1784,] with "supplication for supplies," and her name was at least as euphonious as those of "Pike Run," "Horseshoe Bottom" and "Bullock Pens," which appear beside hers in such petitions. Mr. Power was appointed to "supply at Fort Pitt," (they scarcely knew our name then in Presbytery) for "ye fifth Sabbath of October," and Mr. Smith "at Pittsburgh -one day, at discretion." It seems a small amount of preaching to exist upon for six months, even for that day. The Rev. James Power is described as "the oldest" of the three ministers who formed Redstone Presbytery in 1781. He is thirty-eight, of fair complexion, medium height, erect and rather slender in person, noticeably neat though plain in dress, courteous in his manners, but not lacking gravity. He came to the region in 1776, with his family, himself, a wife and four young daughters, all mounted on three horses, and enough room left for the luggage. He died August 5th, 1830, aged 85. (U. S. pp. 20, 21.)*
* Mr. Power was born in Chester county, Pa., in 1746, and in 1776 was ordained sine titulo to go to the "western part of this province." He was a dignified and graceful speaker, with a distinct yet sweet voice, and a fine memory of faces and names. His written and committed sermons were not vehement as Me Millan's, nor so pungent and alarming as Joseph Smith's, but were judicious and instructive and blessed to the edlification of Christians. His communion was interrupted at Hannastown. (July, 1782,) when that place was attacked and burned. (O. R. p. 242.)
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