USA > Pennsylvania > Indiana County > Blairsville > A history of the churches in Blairsville [Pa.] presbytery, prepared at its request and read before it in Blairsville, January 28th, 1874 > Part 3
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
very seriously for some years past from emigration, and has now become much weakened in members and in strength. But it is hoped that it will yet be sus- tained and strengthened by the King of Zion. It is memorable for some precious revivals in its earlier history." So writes its elder, JOHN BARNETT, Esq., the man who ought to have written all this history. "A due measure of the Spirit's influence is the principal thing needed to make Salem "renew her youth, and mount up with wings." The following have been its elders : ROBERT TAYLOR, death not recorded ; ANDREW KINCAID, death not recorded ; PETER WALLACE, died February 12th, 1839; JOHN BARNETT, Esq., Sr., died July 5th, 1825; JONATHAN
DOTY, went to Methodists. Additions : ABRAHAM
FULTON, died May, 1835; WM. M'QUISTON, death not recorded ; SAMUEL MOORHEAD, ceased to act about 1820; WM. BELL, died in 1829 ; JAMES LONG, died in 1864. Ordained Sept. 1828 :- WM. BARNETT, died June, 1862; ROBERT M'CONAUGHY, moved to Northfield, Ohio; THOS. CHAPMAN, moved to Illi- nois. Ordained October 2d, 1835 :- JAS. GUTHRIE, died November 12th, 1855; JAS. WALLACE, dismis- sed to New Alexandria ; ROBT. FULTON, died January 23d, 1865. Ordained October 19th, 1851 :- ANDREW LONG; ALEX. CRAIG, died Sept. 9th, 1869; JOHN BARNETT, Esq., Jr. Ordained December, 1862: - ROBERT STERLING and SAMUEL EBBERT. Installed Dec. 1862 : - JOSEPH HENDERSON, dismissed to Blairsville. Dec. 16th, 1866 : -- JAMES FULTON in- stalled, and OLIVER FULTON ordained. February
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IN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY.
17th, 1867 : - JOHN J. DOUGLASS ordained-the last three dismissed to Latrobe. Ordained August 17th, 1870: - WILLIAM STERLING, ARCHIBALD DUNLAP, and LEWIS MECHESNEY.
Additions to the church during Father DAVIS'S single pastorate, on examination 236, by certificate 67. During the co-pastorate, on examination 58, and on certificate 22, which, with the 103 previously on the roll, makes the whole number 486. But dis- missions unrecorded reduce the number much below this. The additions in the present pastorate have been on examination 32, on certificate 19.
This church has had two stated supplies and eight pastors. Its ministerial sons have been, Revs. JOHN, ABRAHAM, JAMES and BENJAMIN BOYD, four brothers, and WILLIAM MOORHEAD in the pastorate of Mr. M'PHERRIN ; and in that of Father DAVIS, his son JAS. DAVIS, JAS. W. KNOTT and JOHN M. BARNETT. Since which time this once prolific mother has ceased bearing. Has she no other in prospect to whom she can give the name "Gad," prophetic of a coming "troop ?" She originally deserved the name of Salem. If, at the close of the first pastorate, her title to it was somewhat weakened, she has, in later days, firmly established it. So we may all devoutly greet her, "Peace ! Peace be unto thee ! And peace be to thy helpers ! For thy God helpeth thee ! "
Blairsville, under the name "Forks of Blacklick," had been supplied by Dr. HERRON, April 19th,
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
1820, and probably at the request of the people he gave it such organization as was customary at that time. Mr. THOS. DAVIS preached at the "Forks of Conemaugh," March 7th, 1822, twenty days after his licensure; but the name, West Union, had been assumed when he was called, October 13th, of that year. As Blairsville increased in size and enter- prize, the practical eye of the pastor saw that the location of the church, a mile and a half from it, in the country, was a serious blunder. To mitigate the difficulty as much as possible, he began, at an early date, to give an extra service in Blairsville, on the evening of the day belonging to West Union. Their house of worship at West Union, being of moderate size, and for a considerable time incom- plete-a carpenter's bench being used for a pulpit -he generously purchased the building, to reconcile the country people to change the place of worship to the town. After ten years spent in this unsettled way, he obtained a decision of Presbytery, October 2d, 1832, ratifying this procedure, and making Blairsville the name of the church. Thus the con- gregation came into legal possession of this veritable old structure, in which we are now assembled, which then had been awaiting them for an indefinite period -longer, by years, than their present pastor told them in his anniversary discourse, thirty-one months ago. Still the fancy would be rather absurd which might regard it as a section from the upper story of Noah's Ark, for the material is not " gopher wood." And, that it is not one of the out-buildings of the
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IN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY.
Tower of Babel, the writer, at least, feels confident. For by a stretching, straining exercise of memory, away backward into the teens of his own life, and the twenties of this century, he recalls a conversa- tion with old Father WALLACE, in his mill, who de- tailed the progress of this building, and a partial sale of the pews. Will it extend through the mil- lennium ? Here, as in Salem, brother HILL began to preach occasionally in 1840; in 1841 regularly. Being called, he was here ordained and installed as co-pastor with Father DAVIS, December 4th, 1841. The text of his trial sermon was 2 Cor., 5:17. Rev. S. M'FARREN preached the ordination sermon from 1 Cor., 3: 6. Father DAVIS presided, pro- posed the constitutional questions and made the ordaining prayer; S. SWAN charged the pastor, and W. HUGHES the people. Having resigned his charge of Salem, October 3d, 1848, he has since then given his whole time to Blairsville. Twice has his salary been raised, to correspond with the enhanced cost of living.
Modestly, energetically and successfully, in the Spring of 1850, he originated a much needed Female Seminary, secured the erection of the main building, and gained for the Institution considerable eclat. He did not intend to oppress himself long with such burdensome cares and toils, in addition to the re- sponsibilities of a pastoral charge. So, as soon as it was prosperously under way, with greater wis- dom than a certain other personage of whom we wot too well, he gracefully rolled it off, so that it fell
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
upon the willing and sustaining shoulders of Rev. S. H. SHEPLEY and his most accomplished lady. When they seemed to have borne it long enough, Rev. J. R. HUGHES, of spirit, social, sweet, subdued, carried it on, and did it well until sore domestic trials rendered it too burdensome for him alone, and, in 1867, he obtained relief from it. Since then, fairly poised upon the Atlantean shoulders of Rev. J. JEWETT PARKS, happily aided by a most worthy matron, Mrs. HOMENS, it still has great attractive power, and many dear girls-not nearly so many, however, as is desirable-are attracted to it, kept by attraction in it, and become themselves very at- tractive; then, in due time, go away with power to attract any single swain susceptible of such sweet magnetic influence. Rev. S. H. SHEPLEY was prin- cipal and proprietor from the fall of 1852 till June, 1865. During this period conversions occured · among the pupils every session-often many in a session. Of the graduates, during this period, num- bering nearly one hundred, all, with a single excep- tion, were professed disciples of Christ. Rev. J. R. HUGHES was principal and proprietor for two years. Rev. J. J. PARKS has been principal since 1867. It is firmly believed that no other institution, with so little pomp and parade, has done greater good. The original projector still, on the holy Sabbath, gives the weight of his influence over the pupils, to mould their souls in a pious pattern ; for their dwelling is "hard by the Synagogue."
The Church of Blairsville originated with thirty-
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IN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY.
three members, of whom Mr. HENRY BARNES alone remains a member in it. The only other of the thirty-three, known to be alive, is Mrs. MARTHA MOORHEAD, of Greensburg, mother of the pastor there. The original elders were MICHAEL CAMPBELL, DANIEL SMITH and JOHN CUNNINGHAM. To these the first ac- cessions were JOHN MCCREA, WM. T. SMITH, SAMUEL MATTHEWS and MATTHIAS LICHTENTHALER; the second, JAS. SPEER, H. A. THOMPSON and MATTHEW GEORGE ; the third, JAS. H. FAIR, JOSEPH MOOR - HEAD, JACOB ZIMMERS and J. M. TURNER; and finally, JOSEPH HENDERSON and JESSE CUNNINGHAM. The deaconate in this church began in 1855. JAS. BAIRD, DAVID LINTNER, J. H. FAIR, SAMUEL KEN- NEDY, W. A. LOUGHRY, THOS. CAMPBELL and JACOB ZIMMERS, were the first board. The accessions have been JAS. ALEXANDER, E. G. STITT, THOS. HOTHAM, ' S. M. BELL, SAMUEL BARR, M. H. HOSACK and WM. LINTNER. With no supply and but two pastors, this church has sent forth as ministers, Revs. JESSE M. JAMIESON, D. D., SAMUEL PETTIGREW, W. C. and NELSON H. SMITH, WM. CUNNINGHAM, W. WALLACE MOORHEAD and S. S. GILSON. Favored as this church has been, above almost any other, with many devoted elders, special mention should be made of DANIEL SMITH, JOHN MCCREA, Capt. W. T. SMITH ; but, above all, of Judge JOHN CUNNINGHAM. To
him none of us has ever seen a superior or even an equal specimen of cheerfulness, geniality and devo- tion. These graces were the prime colors of a blessed bow, so interblended with all the varying
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
hues of kindred virtues, that we may pardonably use Virgil's hyperbole, and style the blessed bril- liance, " Mille varios colores !" In 1870 our kind old " Alma Mater " annexed to the name of the pastor of this church two D.'s, that it might better correspond with the length of the "HILL" which it designates. Well might a church so favored, so prospered, so blest, hold, as it did, a trentennial anniversary. Well might it be the place for holding a meeting such as this. What sacred associations are connected with it! What hallowed memories flit and cluster around it ! "I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire around about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her." [Here was sung with spirit, and standing, the hymn commencing, " Glorious things of thee are spoken." ]
Fairfield, another of the five reported to the first Assembly, first obtained supplies October 7th, 1786, and subsequently, with Donegal and Wheatfield, called, but did not obtain, Mr. JAMES HUGHES, April 21st, 1787. As in the case of Salem, the first place of worship was a tent, and near it a round log cabin, where the congregation might crowd in, on wet or cold days, and enjoy the benefit of fire in an outside chimney. This was afterwards designated as "the study-house." Both these structures remained till about 1825. As early, perhaps, as 1790, was erected a neat oblong house of hewed logs, three in length, with the centre division projecting three feet out- ward on each side. A tall pulpit of unpainted pop-
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İN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY.
lar, seven steps high in the preacher's division, and five steps in the narrower one in front, for the pre- center, or "clark," as he was called, occupied the back projection, and was surrounded on three sides by a panneled quadrangle called " the square." Along the front of it passed the communion aisle, extending between the two end doors, and a short aisle led from the square to the front door in the opposite projection. For a long time the seats were such as each family chose to make for itself, and many of them of hewed timber. About 1815 a few families in three of the corners and in the front. projection, got panneled poplar unpainted pews. About 1832 the house was weather-boarded, painted and pewed more regularly. Thus it remained : a cherished memorial of "the olden time," the last of its kind .in all this region, till 1867.
Fairfield, with Donegal and Wheatfield, called Mr. GEORGE HILL, grandfather of the present pastor of Blairsville church, April 17th, 1792, four months after he had been licensed. He was ordained and installed at Fairfield, November 13th, of that year. Rev. SAMUEL PORTER preached, and J. POWER gave the charge. Wheatfield ought also to have been reported to the first Assembly. It was situated in what is now Indiana county, midway, perhaps, be- tween Roger's Mill, on the Conemaugh river, and Armagh. Probably it never had a house of worship. If any, it was doubtless an humble one. It was twelve miles distant from the pastor's residence. To reach it, he sometimes swam his horse across the
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
river, preached and returned home in his wet clothes. Doubtless, exposure like this had much to do with the premature breaking down of his mighty consti- tution. From this branch he was released April 11, 1798, and gave afterwards two-thirds of his time to Fairfield. For about twenty years Wheatfield was vacant, receiving occasional supplies. After 1818, supplies were sent nearly alternately there and to Armagh, and a few years later always to Armagh. This church, phoenix-like, chanting its own dirge, "I shall die in my nest"-JOB 29: 48-expires. After months of decline and intense suffering, Mr. HILL died, June 9th, 1822. He was a man of large frame and mind; also peculiarly solemn, both in cast of his countenance and in the tones of his voice. His truly reverend visage even now looms up in the vivid mnemographic portraiture of one. who only saw him in childhood and boyhood. His voice, " like David's harp of solemn sound," in thoughtful seasons, still rings as an undying echo, and wakes anew the sweetest impressions and emotions of early days. One never-to-be-forgotten occurrence seems sacred above all others. In the chamber of his suf- ferings, four days before his death, one hand pressed the head of a lad under fourteen years of age, while the other grasped him by the hand-both quivering with an agony of pain, when he devoutly exclaimed, "God bless the son of my dear faithful friend ! May the God of his father be his own covenant- keeping God, and make him a minister of Jesus, as the father once desired to be !"
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For twenty months after his decease the charge was supplied partly by candidates for settlement. Thus, in March, 1824, came Mr. SAMUEL SWAN, a licentiate then under care of Huntingdon Presbyte- ry. After preaching fourteen sermons, in as many days, in the bounds of Fairfield, Ligonier and Don- egal, he was unanimously called as pastor at the April meeting of Presbytery. With a view to his ordination and installation, an adjourned meeting was appointed at Fairfield for June 16th. By the churches it was observed as a day of fasting and
prayer. Only Rev. ROBERT JOHNSTON and A. O. PATTERSON came to the meeting. They felt_com- pelled to act with some degree of irregularity. Though not a quorum of Presbytery, they heard the trial sermon, on Hebrews 10: 38. Then a messen -- ger was sent across the Chestnut Ridge, who brought over, on the 17th, Rev. THOS. DAVIS, to whom, with the others, the written sermon was submitted, and approved by them, and the ordination and installa- tion followed. Rev. A. O. PATTERSON preached, and Rev. R. JOHNSTON gave the charge. How great is the evil when Presbyters needlessly absent themselves from adjourned meetings ! Mr. SWAN was a most devoted, self-denying, self-sacrificing pastor. His custom was to visit the families in. Fairfield one year, and hold district examinations in the other two; and then reverse the order the year following. He taught a large Bible-class on the Sabbath, either in the morning or between the ser- mons. Few pastors have the happiness to retain
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· HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
the unbroken, unimpaired confidence and esteem of three congregations as did he, for seventeen and a half years. Becoming seriously crippled, by a limb terribly shivered, and unfitted for the duties of a charge so extended, some change seemed imperative. So it was determined to divide Fairfield into two churches, to constitute one charge, and leave the other two to form another-expecting that the pas- tor would take his choice. Just at this juncture he went to Johnstown, to assist in communion exercises, and found the pastor there cold in death. Having performed the funeral solemnities and administered the communion, a unanimous call from that church, for his whole services, was soon made out. Similar calls were made out by both divisions of his own charge. As it would have been very difficult for him to decide between the latter two, he submitted the the whole question to Presbytery. Because Johns- town was a much more compact charge than either of the others, he was advised to choose it. October 5th, 1841, he resigned his Valley charge, declined the calls from its two divisions, and accepted that of Johnstown. At the preceding meeting of Presby- tery, authority had been given for organizing, in the village of West Fairfield, four miles from the old church, a new church-to be called Union ; and, at this meeting, it was reported as done. This, with the mother church, called Rev. JOHN FLEMING, who had previously been a missionary among the Wea Indians. He was installed July 17th, 1843. Rev. DAVID LEWIS preached, S. SWAN charged the pas-
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IN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY,
tor, and P. HASSINGER the people. He was released April 15th, 1846. May 4th, 1847, Mr. O. H. MIL- LER, his successor, was ordained and installed. Rev. GEORGE MORTON preached, A. B. CLARK charged the pastor, and S. M. M'CLUNG the people. He was released October 4th, 1848. July 2d, 1849, his successor, Rev. WILLIAM COLLEDGE, was installed. Rev. S. SWAN preached, N. H. GILLETT charged the pastor, and A. B. CLARK the people. From Fair- field he was dismissed April 13th, 1852. December 13th, 1853, he was succeeded by Mr. J. W. WALKER. At his ordination and installation, Rev. REUBEN LEWIS preached, S. SWAN made the ordaining prayer, R. STEVENSON charged the pastor, and A. B. CLARK the people. During this pastorate the old venerable log house gave way to a neat new brick structure, facing it across the way ; which, with very interest- ing exercises, in which the writer being shut up by drifted snow in the Laurel Hill, was not permitted to engage, Jan. 17th, 1867, was dedicated to the worship of the Triune God. Mr. WALKER, with weakened health, resigned the charge April 28th, 1869, and shortly afterwards removed to West Virginia. The present warm-hearted, feeble-bodied pastor, Rev. WM. CUNNINGHAM, was installed Feb. 15th, 1871. Rev. S. M. DAVIS preached, D. W. TOWNSEND charged the pastor, and Dr. HILL the people. He
sorely taxes his constitution that he may do the Master's work. He pleases and instructs by teach- ing the whole congregation, including visitors, in a general Bible-class. God speed the day when a
.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
practice like this shall pervade all our churches. "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers."
The elders of this church, so far as remembered, have been JAMES POLLOCK, Esq., JAMES M'CURDY, JAMES STEELE, JAMES GAGEBY, JAMES WILSON, JOHN CALDWELL, ROBERT PIPER, THOS. POLLOCK, JOSEPH OGDEN, JOHN OGDEN, HENRY HARTMAN, JOHN GILMORE, JOHN PHIPPS, WILLIAM ROBB, JOHN LOVE, JOSEPH MENCHER and THOS. P. M'COY. By far the most noted and most note-worthy of them, was Judge THOS. POLLOCK, a man of clear, sound, well-balanced mind, of unquestioned, unas- suming piety, to whom, at the public table in Greens- burg, Hon. JNO. YOUNG, the President Judge, courte- ously yielded the precedence, that he might " duly grace the board of bounty." " His children rose up and called him blessed."
One locality in this congregation seems entitled to a passing notice. A brook, beginning with the spring of elder JAMES GAGEBY, and emptying into Hendrick's Creek, two miles distant, was early called " Hypocrite Run," because that every man living on it, with one exception, and he not a Presbyterian, maintained family worship, and took an active part in social prayer, or, "society," as it was called then and there. Every young man, also, in that part of the congregation, took part in these exercises as soon as he joined the communion of the church. The " society," on Thursday evenings passed around from house to house, but, on the vacant Sabbaths, it
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IN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY.
was uniformly held at headquarters, in the Irish elder's house-a spot sacred to hallowed memories, although not a vestige of the house now remains. Depth of emotion, and fervor of devotion, such as is seldom seen beyond the duration of a few months, varied but little there, " for full forty years," the term of one good* man's residence there. Old JOHN MARTIN, of Loyalhanna fame, still weeps, as he de- scribes the happiest experience of his life, on the evening of a communion Sabbath, at "society," in the house of that same good man, during the first decade of this century. This church has had no
* BLAIRSVILLE, PA., January 29th, 1874.
Rev. A. DONALDSON, D. D.
Dear Sir : In your interesting His- tory of the Churches in Blairsville Presbytery, read before that body yesterday, you very properly mention the prayer-meeting, kept up for so many years, on " Hypocrite Run."- A pardonable modesty, no doubt, led you, however, to omit from that notice the name of the man who, above all others, is entitled to be held in tender and lasting remembrance, as the originator and perpet- uator of that prayer-meeting. I mean the name of your own honored father, JAMES DONALDSON.
As pastor for many years of the church of Fairfield, I can testify that to him, pre-eminently, is that honor due. By the steady flame of his ardent piety, was the fire on that altar of prayer kindled ; and by it, also, was it kept aglow. It is a fact, the knowledge of which is worth perpetuating, that, uniformly, within a month after any young man in that neighborhood made a profession of religion, JAMES DONALDSON visited him, and kindly and faithfully urged upon him the duty of taking a public part in social prayer. It is believed that, in this matter, his efforts were always successful.
It should be on record, also, that in the work of promoting religion by the prayer-meeting, and other means, your father had a faithful and efficient coadjutor in the person of his excellent brother-in-law, JAMES WILSON : a man largely of kindred spirit with himself.
Faithfully, yours,
SAMUEL SWAN.
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCHES
stated supply, but seven pastors. Her ministerial sons are Revs. ELISHA M'CURDY, ABRAHAM D. POL- LOCK, JAS. WILSON, ALEX. DONALDSON, GEO. HILL, W. W. WOODEND, W. M. DONALDSON, and JOHN P. KENNEDY-all, except the first, in the pastorate of Father SWAN. Since his day, she seems as barren and as hopeless as good Naomi of old.
Donegal, the last of the primitive five, obtained, April 25th, 1785, Rev. JAS. POWER to supply one day. With Fairfield and Wheatfield, April 21st, 1787, it called, unsuccessfully, Rev. JAS. HUGHES. Rev. GEO. HILL, as stated in the case of Fairfield, became its first pastor, April 17th, 1792, giving it, for six years, one-fourth of his time, and then one- third, till October 22d, 1817. At this time, without authority from Presbytery, he ceased his labors there. Of this the church complained to Presby- tery, which declared, emphatically, that he ought not to have done so. He then tendered his resigna- tion, and was released-giving afterwards to Ligo- nier the portion of time thus disengaged. For over six years Donegal had occasional supplies, until June 17th, 1824, as already stated, it obtained Rev. SWAN-than whom no other man ever held so high a place in their confidence, esteem, and tender love. October 5th, 1841, he resigned. From this time, with Ligonier, it became a separate charge, and received, as pastor, Mr. A. B. CLARK, who was there ordained and installed, January 26th, 1842. Rev. GEO. HILL preached, A. DONALDSON charged
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* IN BLAIRSVILLE PRESBYTERY.
the pastor, and P. HASSINGER, the people. This acceptable pastor. was released October 22d, 1851. May 31st, 1853, his successor, Rev. D. HARBISON, was installed, Rev. GEO. HILL again preached, S. SWAN charged the pastor, and R. LEWIS the people. He, too, was acceptable and useful, but resigned October 3d, 1855. June 3d, 1856, his successor, Mr. JNO. ALLEN BROWN, was ordained and installed. Rev. S. H. SHEPLEY preached, N. H. GILLETT charged the pastor, and R. STEVENSON the people. Acceptable as his predecessors, he resigned October 21st, 1859. June 8th, 1860, he was succeeded by Rev. R. STEVENSON. At the installation, Rev. S. H. SHEPLEY again preached, Dr. SMITH charged the pastor, and J. W. WALKER the people. Donegal township being divided, and this church being in the new organization, changed its name, by leave of Presbytery, to Pleasant Grove in this pastorate. The labors of Brother STEVENSON here were blessed, but he resigned the charge, October 18th, 1871. Octo- ber 29th, 1872, the present pastor, Mr. E. G. M'KINLEY, was ordained and installed, at Ligonier. Rev. D. W. TOWNSEND preached, W. CUNNINGHAM charged the pastor, and T. R. EWING the people. This church has had no stated supply, seven pastors, but never produced a minister. Among all its elders, one noble, old, godly man, Father ROBERT CAMP- BELL; was greatly pre-eminent. He attended all the communions in the charge ; frequently, also, in sur- rounding charges, even when, as he once said, in order to do so, he had to " fight with the devil, and
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