USA > Pennsylvania > Fayette County > Uniontown > Exercises commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Great Bethel Baptist Church, Uniontown, Pa., November 9th and 10th, 1895 > Part 1
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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02833 0261
Gc 974.802 Un3e
Exercises commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Bethel Baptist Church
1770
6447
Mayflower
James
125th ANNIVERSARY,
Great Bethel Baptist Church,
UNIONTOWN, PA.
1895
GEN
1770.
1895.
EXERCISES COMMEMORATING
THE 125th ANNIVERSARY
-OF THE-
GREAT BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH,
UNIONTOWN, PA.
NOVEMBER 9th AND 10th, 1895.
News Standard Print, Uniontown, Pa. 1895.
Allen County Public Library 900 Webster Street PO Box 2270 Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270
COMMITTEE OF ARRANGEMENTS,
REV. H. F. KING, D. D., Pastor. ANDREW B. BRYSON, Senior Deacon. D. M. HERTZOG, Church Clerk. J. Q. VAN SWEARINGEN, Esq. O. J. STURGIS.
SATURDAY, NOV. 9, 1895.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Services commemorative of the 125th anniversary of the constitution of the Great Bethel Baptist church of Uniontown, Pa., began in the church at 2 o'clock p. m. Rev. W. W. Hickman of Flatwoods, Pa., was to have conducted the opening devotional services, but by reason of ill- ness was unable to be present and his part was taken by Pastor H. F. King. After these exercises, at 2:15 the address of welcome was deliv- ered by Col. John Collins, who said in part :
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Mr. Moderator, brothers and sisters and friends of Great Bethel Baptist church of Uniontown, here assembled, having come together to celebrate the one hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of its existence : As the moderator of this meeting has informed you that I, a member of this church, was selected to make the opening address of welcome, &c., in conformity therewith, I will briefly bring into review its organiza- tion and some of its teachings. In age it antedates the Declaration of American Independence. Its records clearly prove that on the 7th of November, 1770, it was organized and recognized as a regular Baptist church under the name of Great Bethel Baptist Church of Uniontown. Isaac Sutton was its first pastor, some of whose descendants or relatives are with us here today to rejoice with us that "God has kept this church as the apple of his eye." All of the original fourteen persons who con- stituted this church have long since passed to the great beyond ; but from its founding to the present, it has held and taught the doctrine of one faith and one Lord and one baptism, as laid down by the Apostle Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians. It is catholic in this, that its members hold and teach, with Methodists, Presbyterians, Episco- palians, Congregationalists and many other christian denominations, the great fundamental truth of the Gospel, that "Jesus Christ is the Son of
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THE 125th ANNIVERSARY
the Living God." Great Bethel is the oldest Baptist church west of the Allegheny mountains and is the mother of a large number of Baptist churches. We may say the fourteen have grown to many thousands. And now by and in behalf of this church, I extend to each and all a cor- dial welcome and christian greeting to the end that we shall have a great and glorious spiritual love feast during this anniversary meet- ing, so that all may redound to the honor and glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
RESPONSE BY REV. J. E. DARBY, D. D.
Rev J. E. Darby, D. D., of Mt. Pleasant made the first response in behalf of the Monongahela Association, of which body he is the present moderator. He said in part :
The duty assigned me is a very pleasant one. Great Bethel church is to be congratulated on having reached her 125th anniversary and the present members are to be congratulated on the happy method of cele- brating the event. My early associations with your Sunday school su- perintendent and several other members, my attachment to Col. Collins, a friend of my youth, and the ties of friendship existing between myself and the present pastor and members make it difficult to resist the temp- tation to speak from a personal point of view. Moreover, Mt. Moriah church is spoken of as "A Child of Great Bethel," and as I am a child of Mt. Moriah, I must therefore he a grandchild of Great Bethel ; and cer- tainly it is a pleasure to congratulate one's grandmother on having reached her 125th mile-stone, with her eye not dim nor her natural force abated. But as I speak not for myself but for the Monongahela Associa- tion, I shall speak of our associated work.
None of us live unto ourselves. To give ourselves to the Lord is to give ourselves unto each other in associated effort. The highest end of our existence cannot be attained by isolation. The old feudal system of Europe never could have produced the civilization and enterprise of today. The war of the crusades was needed to turn isolation into asso- ciation and pent up, lordly supremacy into common nationality. Asso- ciation is essential in religious progress as well as in the march of civili- zation. We may exist in isolation, but we live in association.
The basis of association is two-fold : There must be agreement as to the end sought. This with churches evidently is to do the will of God. In this we all agree. But there must also be agreement as to the methods pursued in accomplishing this end. Here opinions differ in the various denominations. Association is individuality in cooperation. Our Baptist Association are the churches of a certain locality united for the purpose of mutual help and counsel, for gathering statistics and furthering missionary work, first within their own boundaries and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. The Monongahela Baptist Asso-
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GREAT BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH.
ciation was organized in 1832. Great Bethel church is now twice as old as this Association. There is no record of the first two asso- ciational meetings, but later minutes show that the organization very early embraced churches in Maryland, Virginia, (now W. Va.) and the counties of Greene, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland. As churches multiplied new associations were formed and our territory was cut off until Uniontown has become the geographical center.
Meetings of the Association have been held with this church as fol- lows : 1857, D. B. Purinton, preacher; J. K. Cramer, moderator ; W. W. Hickman, clerk. 1863, W. W. Hickman, preacher ; J. M. Purinton, moderator ; O. P. Hargrave, clerk. 1874, Leroy Stephens, preacher ; D. Williams, moderator; N. B. Critchfield. clerk. 1881, J. A. J. Light- burr, preacher of doctrinal sermon ; N. L. Reynolds, moderator ; D. M. Hertzog, clerk. 1889, Ross Ward, preacher and clerk ; H. J. Hamilton, moderator ; J. Q. Van Swearingen of this church was asistant clerk and has served as assistant or clerk since then.
This church has rendered valuable service to the Association during the whole course of its history. In 1890 it was incorporated and since then the board of trustees has had its headquarters at Uniontown and has been guided very largely by members of this church. For a number of years the pastor of this church has been chairman of our missionary committee and the efficiency of that body is due very largely to the un- tiring efforts of Dr. King. The pastors of this church have been valued helpers and counsellors in our work. They have been true to the Asso- ciation in sunshine and shadow. Bro. La Barrer will be kindly remem- bered for having stood by the Association in its dark hours, when it cost something to be loyal. The Association as a body is greatly indebted to Great Bethel church. She has been a bright star in our galaxy and we are happy to extend congratulations today.
The 50 years' existence of the Sunday school and the 125 years' exis- tence of the church, have given you a momentum that enables you to grapple with the problems of today. May you ever drink of the foun- tain of perpetual youth and never grow feeble ; may you constantly be strengthened by Him who loves the church and gave Himself for it; may the sun of righteousness ever shine upon you and the light that you shed upon the world never grow dim.
RESPONSE BY REV. H. C. BIRD.
Rev. H. C. Bird, pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, had been selected by the Ministers' Conference to respond in behalf of the other denominations of town. He said in part :
My brethren, a wise man who wrote some of the words of a good book said, "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way
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THE 125th ANNIVERSARY
of righteousness." This is a poetic way of saying that it is honorable to be old if you are good. Because you are old and good the churches who are your neighbors in this community have delegated me to bring to you their congratulations.
You are interesting to us because you are old, but chiefly because of your associations. The Washington elm at Cambridge would be worth notice because of its age, but it attracts the traveler because of its asso- ciation with the man who stood under it when he took command of the . armies of the colonies. You are venerable because of your association with God in his work of redemption. For one hundred and twenty-five years you have gathered men to teach them that salvation is only of God through His crucified Son. You are the oldest witness in this commu- nity to the presence of God among men. It has been a part of your min- istry to move men to serve God, and to direct them in their efforts to do His will. You have been the medium through which God has given comfort and hope to generations of longing hearts. You have been es- sentially and intimately associated with the festivities and sorrows of the children of God since they set up their first Bethel in this place. You went to their homes to sanctify the marriage feast, to purify their pleasures, and to console them in their afflictions. We honor you be- cause of this crown of privilege that God has kept upon you longer than upon any of your local associates.
Your festival is our delight because of what you are today. Your relations with us are such as to cause us to think well of you. We have not only no grievances against you, but we have pleasure in you in those things in which churches of different denominations have parts in com- mon. You have been good neighbors, and have been high-minded in matters that are often the occasion of ecclesiastical trespass. This is notably true of your pastor. I count a fact of this kind a considerable item in reckoning the grounds of regard between churches of different orders.
Two general characteristics of Baptist churches are orthodoxy and denominationalism. Strong denominationalism is necessary and health- ful. We respect you for this characteristic. It is not hostile to the true fellowship and unity that should prevail among the people of God. In our age religious prosperity and activity can hardly exist apart from sin- cere devotion to the cause of our Lord as represented by some one of the denominations. The vigorous denominationalism of the Baptist church- es is a mark of efficiency.
It is a glory to have gone one-hundred and twenty-five years toward the maturity and power of the life that is in Christ. The years of a church in which he dwells are not "funeral marches to the grave," but are strides toward an immortality of increasing usefulness and strength.
May you celebrate your one thousandth anniversary, and receive the congratulations of all the churches I represent today.
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GREAT BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH.
"THE WITNESSING CHURCH."
ABSTRACT OF SERMON BY REV. J. V. STRATTON, PASTOR OF THE SCOTT- DALE BAPTIST CHURCH.
That ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9.
To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. Ephesians 3:10.
The church is represented in these passages to be a witnessing church. This is one of its distinctive characteristics. Whether it be the invisible church of all times and of two worlds, or the universal church, composed of every living believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, or the local church, set in city, town, or hamlet, its essential New Testa- ment character is that of a witnessing church. Moreover, it is all one if the testimony it bears is shut within some narrow valley, or makes itself known throughout a continent, or breaks forth in the whole world, or even fills the intelligent universe.
I. The significance of this witnessing.
God has many witnesses that testify of Him.
The works of creation are such a witness; the heavens where the sun runs its course by day, and the moon walks by night, the heavens, glittering with stars.
"In reason's ear they all rejoice, And utter forth a glorious voice, Forever singing as they shine, The hand that made us is divine."
The constant operations of providence are such a witness. God "left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness."
The Bible is a witness for God. If God is known through his works, much more is he known through his word. They address the senses. This speaks directly to the soul. They reveal the glory of God's wis- dom and power. This reveals the glory of his love.
The christian is a witness for God. By reason of what God has done for him the christian has important witness to bear. By reason of the character of the work, he witnesses to none but God as its author.
The church of Christ is a witness for God. The witness of the church and the witness of the christian is the same. But the voice of the church is an aggregate of voices in which each voice confirms and strengthens every other voice. The christian is a witness for God to his own generation, with which he lives and with which he passes away, but the church is a witness to many generations through decades and cen- turies of time, for the years of its life have no appointed limit. The wit- ness of the church is not less important than that of the revealed word of God, for, nourished by that word, the church transforms its principles
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THE 125th ANNIVERSARY
into spiritual life, character and action. The witness of the church is the same as that of the Holy Spirit ; for does not the Holy Spirit abide in the church ? and is not its life the forth flowing life of the spirit ?
1I. The contents of this witnessing.
It is the authority of God. The world has tried to get rid of the re- cognition of this authority, to cast off the authority of God. But the au- thority of God is reinstated in his people, his church. His dominion is reestablished there. Love has rebuilt his throne. Love comes into allegiance. Love presents its homage. Love waits upon his com- mands.
It is the truth. Sadly has the thinking of the world, since it went astray from God, been erroneous and false. Especially has this been the case in respect to the most important themes. Therefore the church, as a witness for God, is commissioned to bear witness to the truth. She is to lift up her voice in assertion of the truth asto the nature and char- acter of God, the divinity and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, the personality, divinity, and operations of the Holy Spirit, the possibility and necessity of the new birth, the greatness and attainableness of sal- vation, the necessity of holy obedience, the reality and glory of eternal life for the righteous, and the certainty of eternal death for the wicked.
III. The manner of this witnessing.
It is in the fact of the existence and life of the church of Christ. Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of the great cathedral of St. Paul, Lon- don, lies buried in that building His tomb bears the inscription, "Si monumentum requiris, circumspice." "If you ask for his monument, look around you." The church of Christ, a spiritual body, composed of spir- itual people, living its own spiritual life, a life which expresses itself in acts of worship, as such, is bearing witness for God.
It is through the utterances of its pulpit. The pulpit of a church, in the meaning of the word as employed here, is its characteristic utter- ances or proclamation of the message committed to it of God. It is not the utterances of the pastor only, or of the succession of pastors. The consent and support which a church gives to what its pastors speak makes it the voice of the church which speaks in its pulpit. The fore- runner of our Savior sunk his personality out of sight, and was satisfied to be a voice, a voice crying in the wilderness, and burdened with one imperative demand, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." The church of Christ cannot put its testimony too emphatically into the voice of its pulpit, preaching repentance towards God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is through the godly lives of its members. As the evidence, in the direct examination of witnesses in courts of justice, is that of the life of the church and the utterances of the pulpit. As the evidence, in cross examination in courts of justice, is that of the lives of professing christians. It is of paramount importance that one should be consistent
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GREAT BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH.
with the other and thus that the whole should be one strong voice of testimony.
IV. The value of this witnessing.
In the sight of God it is the tribute which the love of his people brings to him.
To the people of God themselves. It is one form in which they ex- ercise themselves into godliness. The exercise in godliness gives in- crease in godliness.
To those before whom the witness is borne. It is an inspiring thought that this witnessing gives increase of satisfying knowledge and accession of joy to the happy inhabitants of the heavenly world. Then it keeps the knowledge of God alive in this world of ours. It speaks to the heart of the world, so full of bitterness against God, so full of dis- trust of him, and it gives assurance, out of personal experience, that God loves the world and that he is at infinite pains to save it.
The Great Bethel Baptist church, in a history of one hundred and twenty-five years, has stood as a witnessing church. In its formation planted on the outposts of civilization, it has seen great changes. The surrounding wilderness became in turn a region of cultivated farms, the site of numerous towns and villages. The solitude of the forest has changed to the rush and roar of mining, manufacture, and commerce. The colonial weakness and dependence of that day has passed away to give place to national independence and greatness. Amid all these changes, through the lapse of a century and a quarter, while men have come and men have gone, this church has maintained its first distinc- tive character. In nothing weakened, in everything become stronger by the years of its life, there is in the future a career of still greater honor for it as it shall long bear faithful witness for its Lord.
EVENING SESSION.
Devotional exercises were conducted by Rev. Joseph M. Collins, a licentiate of the church (1859), after which the following paper was read on
"A CHILD OF GREAT BETHEL."
BY REV. J. W. HAYS, PASTOR OF THE MOUNT MORIAH BAPTIST CHURCH, SMITHFIELD, PENNA.
The minutes of the Great Bethel Baptist Church for Sept. 18th, 1784, contain the following resolution, viz : "Resolved by an unanimous vote, that there be a new Constitution at the meeting house at near George's Creek."
At the business meeting held a month later at Great Bethel the fol- lowing entry was made, yiz : Oct. 16, 1784. Met and entered on busi- ness. First was a proposition from George's Creek. Resolved that they
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THE 125th ANNIVERSARY
be dismissed and to be constituted the 30th of this instant, and Brethren Isaac Sutton and James Sutton to constitute them into a Gospel Church." On the title page of the first record or minute book of the Mount Moriah church is inscribed the following : "Georges Township, Favette County, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Book for the use of the Church of Christ, constituted in the above named township, upon the thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four, 1784, named Mount Moriah."
From the above record we gather the facts that Mount Moriah Church is an offspring of Great Bethel, and that it was constituted Octo- ber 30th, 1784, and is consequently one hundred and eleven years of age, and lacking only fourteen years of being as old as the parent church.
There appears to have been no "meeting house at near George's Creek" at this period, notwithstanding the reference made to such in the Great Bethel records. The first mention made of a place of meeting is at Owen Davis's on "November ye 12th, 1785," at a point some three miles south of Smithfield; the property being row owned by Brother John Davis, a deacon in the Mount Moriah Church, and a grandson of the Owen Davis here mentioned. On November 8, 1788, it was "Resolved that meetings be held at Brother John Griffith's this winter season."
The first mention of a meeting house is on September 9th, 1786, as follows : "Resolved, that the Saturday after the association, that Brer'n Morgan, Wm. Wells, Richard Reed, Jeremiah Beck, Charles Griffin, Philip Jenkins, Joseph Brown and John Taylor to meet at Wm. Archer's, each one bringing a horse in order to draw logs to the saw mill to make seats for the meeting house."
The meeting house here referred to was made of logs, was some 30x40 feet in size, was located in Smithfield in the north corner of what has since been known as "the Bowers addition" to the cemetery grounds. But as late as October, 1789, the house was still far from being complet- ed, and a committee was appointed to secure carpenters and joiners, and also to get the house plastered ; and as late as February, 1791, monthly business meetings were held at Owen Davis's.
Twenty-seven years later, or in February, 1816, a committee was ap- pointed to secure a lot and arrange for a new building; and this, a brick structure some 40x50 feet in size, was erected in 1822, and finished at a later date. It stood on the the eastern corner of the present cemetery grounds in Smithfield. A gallery occupied the two ends and one side of the building, and large audiences assembled within its walls. Unfortu- nately one corner of the building rested on an insecure foundation, and the giving way of this corner caused the walls to crack, necessitated re- pairs, and made the building ever after unsafe.
The present church edifice is a substantial brick structure, and is prominently located in the village cf Smithfield. The audience room was originally 50x70 feet in size, with a gallery across one end. It was
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GREAT BETHEL BAPTIST CHURCH.
erected in the year 1862. In 1887 the building was modernized, the au- dience room reduced to 50x55 feet in size, the gallery torn out, and two rooms were formed at the rear out of the portion cut off, and a baptistery was at that time added.
A list of the original or constituent members of the church is given on the first page of the minute book, introduced as follows, viz: "Names of those that was constituted in Mount Moriah Church, the 30th of October, 1784." The names are here given: Wm. Wells, Rebecca Wells, James Thomas, Jane Jenkins, Owen Davis, Hannah Davis, Jas. Brown, Abigail Brown, Robert Hanna, David Morgan, Ann Griffin, Jeremiah Beeks, Dinah Beeks, Thomas Bowell, Ann Bowell, Richard Reed, Sarah Reed, Ann Coombs, Eliz. Carr, Elizabeth Ashcroft, Sarah Hardin, Jonathan Pane, Beltshazzar Daago, Margaret Wood, Phillip Jenkins, Jesse Coombs, Abram Hardin and his wife. These twenty- eight souls constituted at that time the membership of Old Mount Mo- riah, and from out that organization has gone influences the extent and importance of which no human being can form an estimate. Since that time the church has been continuously engaged in more or less active work for the Master, and has at times been on the mount of glory, and at other times down amidst the shadows of the valley. Business meetings were held monthly, but the record given is almost exclusively with ref- erence to the discipline exercised over the membership. Misdemeanors of every kind were reported to the church and were promptly dealt with, and the offending brother or sister was either reclaimed or "excommu- nicated." Did a brother or sister absent him or herself from two or three meetings of the church, a committee was appointed to cite them before the church to give reasons why they neglected the duty of meet- ing with the brethren. If any member persisted in wrong-doing the "Recorder" was directed to write out the form of "excommunication," and this was publicly read to the Sunday morning congregation.
Various questions came up for discussion and settlement as the years passed by. The first covenant adopted was on October 12th, 1811, and articles of faith were adopted on the same day. On April 12th, 1823, permission was given to members to exhort at prayer and social meet- ings. January 8, 1825, permission was given to members to keep the seventh instead of the first day of the week, but on the 13th of the fol- lowing March this action was rescinded. February 10, 1827, Presby- terians, Methodists and Episcopalians were given privilege to preach in the meeting house.
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