USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > Centennial volume of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh, PA., 1784-1884 > Part 2
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No application seems to have been made to Presbytery in April or June, 1785. This probably occurred because of the presence in Pittsburgh of that afterward eminent man, (of whom more is to be said at another point in the exercises) Alexander Addison. He appears in Presbytery in December, 1785, and opens its sessions with a sermon. Not fully received to its mem- bership, but permitted to preach, he began his labors in Wash- ington, Pa., temporarily, and received a like permission again in April, 1786. But finally, differences of opinion between the Presbytery and Mr. Addison gave the law and the Bench their greatest ornament in Western Pennsylvania of the last century.
In October, 1785, the Rev. Samuel Barr, licentiate of London- derry Presbytery, Ireland, appeared in the Presbytery of Red- stone, having had his attention directed to Pittsburgh as a field, by merchants who met him at the house of his father-in-law, at New Castle. There was not complete satisfaction on the part of the Presbytery at first, but Mr. Barr's work began and went for- ward without formal installation. The church of Pitts Township, (now Beulah Church) united with the First Church in the call to Mr. Barr.
Where the church at first worshiped, no scrap of record remains to inform us. There had been a bent fixed toward a certain prop- erty by the burial there of certain soldiers and officers of the earliest days, and a faint tradition exists (coming through the descendants of Col. Scott, one of the original trustees) that worship was held under the trees which shaded that spot. The church, however, had no legal title to it until later.
It was on the 4th of December, 1786, that a bill was intro- duced into the Legislative Assembly at Philadelphia, asking, by an amendment, that "lots for a church and burying ground" should be added to a proposed new laying out of things. "For what church ?" was asked. "There is but one church there," an- swered Hugh Henry Brackenridge, the representative, "all go to that." The bill was printed for consideration. But it seems also that earlier than this Mr. Brackenridge had " drawn up a peti- tion" on which another bill had been " founded," asking incorpo- ration of a "Religious Society in Pittsburgh." This bill had been presented to the Assembly of 1785, before Mr. Brackenridge had become a member of that body. When presented, it proved to be a bill to incorporate a " Presbyterian Congregation in Pitts-
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burgh, at this time under the care of the Rev. Samuel Barr." This bill was called up in the Assembly on December 12, 1786. During the discussion on it, Mr. Brackenridge expressed more fully the same sentiments, that there was but one religion in Pittsburgh, and that they wanted but one church. He urged that to incorporate a Presbyterian Society would be to divide the people and to make probable the loss of the church they had, which loss would be "great," he said, "because religion was use- ful to keep up order and enforce the practice of morality." Find- ing the bill out of order, because coming over from the former House, after once reading, Mr. Brackenridge withdrew it, amended it by inserting the words, "Religious Christian Society, under the care of the Rev. Samuel Barr," and presented it again. On Thurs- day, 14th of December, it was called up, read a second time, and lebated by paragraphs, ordered transcribed and printed. Thus it rested nearly a year, during which time we were, as far as leg- islative power could make us, a specimen of that church of the future for which some are still striving. But when the bill was again called up in September, 1787, it was amended, upon motion of Mr. Findley, to read "Presbyterian Congregation," etc. So it was ordered to be engrossed and passed finally in that shape on the 29th day of September, 1787. This narrow escape from the unionism of that day may have been hastened by Mr. Barr's mission East, to obtain money for building and a grant of land. In the latter office he was successful in a more important way than in the first, and shortly before the Assembly had acted, (i. e. on the 24th of September, 1787,) the Penn heirs had deeded 22 lots of the ground already designated, for the nominal "consideration of five shillings, as well as of the laudable inelination they have for encouraging and promoting morality, piety and religion in general, and more especially in the town of Pittsburgh." [Language of the document.] This deed was executed to eleven trustees, whose names often appear in our subsequent history. It is on parch- ment and still in our possession. On the ground thus secured, the church proceeded to erect (some think had already begun to erect) their first house of worship-a structure of " mod erate dimensions, and squared timber." Another lot was purchased with foresight and private means, by the Rev. Mr. Barr, and came later into the hands of the trustees (1802.) Happily, we have lately obtained the manuscripts which contain the words probably
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used when the people of Pittsburgh were called together to con- tribute (and possibly used also in the mission eastward, to gain help in building,) and those which were spoken on the day when the house was first occupied. Let him, being dead, still speak, who first ministered on this spot, while I read his very words from these time-stained pages written by his own hand:
My audience, you have heard the encouragement given in my text to be generous and useful as God in the wisdom of His providence has en- abled us, and we ought to be influenced and regulated in our practice thereby. The nature and design of the bequest which is now humbly re- quested, you are perhaps already acquainted with, but let that be as it may, you will permit me just to remind you that it is for the purpose of erecting a house of public worship in the town of Pittsburgh, a place where the like has never before been attempted, and were I to describe the state of the place not long ago it would excite your astonishment to think that so short a time could effect such an amazing reformation; to think that a number of people who had been bred up to different per- suasions should unite in love and harmony to promote the gospel of Christ. An instance of the like kind is rarely to be found in the annals of modern history. How pleasing to reflect that in this place, the very spot of the Western country which was most noted for vice and immorality, should bid the fairest for piety and godliness. My audience, to reflect that this place, where not long ago the wigwam and tomahawk were erected, (wielded,) and nothing but the yell and screech of the savage was heard; how pleasing, I say, in place of infidels and their idols to behold then the temple of God and his devout worshipers assembled to cele- brate His praise and using every means to establish religion and support His cause. Surely, my audience, their laudable efforts deserve our warmest encouragement. Undoubtedly our efforts in this instance will be pleasing to our feelings, and if done with proper views be acceptable to God. How pleasing it will be at a future time to reflect that we have been the instruments in the hands of the Most High for promoting this most laud- able purpose.
,
It was a joyful day when the house was completed, as is set forth in another sermon by Mr. Barr, an extract of which I will read :
He has not only made the world for our accommodation, but also pre- serves our peace and liberty by His blessing and goodness. They are in- gredients without which life cannot possibly be comfortable and happy. They are blessings which we at present enjoy in this land of peace and liberty. Like spreading trees they are flourishing, and our inhabitants, under the sacred shade, are now fed on their choicest fruits. But why ? To what cause can this public happiness be ascribed ? By what hand are the fair plants watered and encouraged to grow ? By the providence of God and by His merey from generation to generation.
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God has not only granted us social powers but He has established His church in this world, where the devout worshipers may assemble and bless His name together; where they may behold and admire His truth, which endureth to all generations. This day affords us a pleasing in- stance of the divine faithfulness ; to ns His benignity hath reached. Look around you, my brethren ; behold these walls a standing monument of di- vine immortality. This is the place, this is the hallowed ground which God hath chosen for His own, and while we behold the gift gratitude de- mands a tear of thankfulness ; a tear poured forth in the abundance of our hearts to the bountiful giver of so rich a blessing.
* * * The church is the sacred place where the Lord delights to dwell ! He hath promised to maintain her dignity against the efforts of the wicked and the malice of infernal spirits. She may be brought low, she may be dishonored and despised by Satan and his servants, ungrateful men, but the gates of hell shall not totally prevail against her. She is founded on a rock, and that rock is Christ. * *
* She is ye pleasure of ye Captain of our Salvation, and therefore she shall endure from generation to generation.
Prophetic words of simple faith ! How bright they seem, read at the end of a century's experience of their truth on this spot !
Closing, the feelings of the occasion seem to reach their strongest expression.
My andience, let me call forth your gratitude and thankfulness for the distinguishing blessings of the Almighty !
In this place we have wandered long, alas! too, too long, in the wide field of folly and dissipation ! It is now high time that we should return to our father's house ! I blush to mention it, the time is long since this place was first inhabited by numbers who had been taught the glorious system of Christianity. On the 25th of November, 1758, Gen'l Forbes erected the British flag on Fort Duquesne. Astonishing to reflect! that 29 years should be squandered away in carelessness and ingratitude for the protection and favors of the great Jehovah ! And has IIe been kind to you ? Has He brought you through perils and dangers and preserved you in safety, notwithstanding your thoughtlessness and unthankfulness for His blessings? Oh, how should every principle within you be kindled up! Borne on the wings of gratitude, how should your spirits soar in blessing and in magnifying His holy name !
But, my audience, however disagreeable a reflection on the past may be, blessed be God, the dark clouds of folly seem now to be passing by. The sun of righteousness deigns to lift his healing wings and a ray of gospel light has appeared unto us, by the blessing of heaven. Some small attempts have been made to cherish and foster it. Witness this dome ! where the servants of the Most High may assemble to bless His name. Happy refor- mation ! pleasing prospect ! Oh, how comfortable to reflect that the place where not long since the wigwam and the tomahawk were erected, and
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where nothing but the screeches and eries of savages were heard; how pleasing, I say, in the place of infidels and their idols, to behold the temple of God and His devout worshipers assembled to bless and praise His name ! Oh, how happy to reflect that we have been the instruments in the hand of God to establish His church and support His cause ! Such a prospect must swell our hearts with joy and gladness for the present and inspire sublime satisfaction in the latest pages of our memory! And if done through proper views, I have no doubt it will be acceptable to God. How ecstatic the joy which at some future period shall spring up to the mind, that we have been the instruments of rescuing some whose minds are pregnant with inveterate habits; and still more of rescuing their yet in- nocent and helpless children from the vices and crimes of their fore- fathers! This is a work which claims the attention of every Christian- to instruct the ignorant and propagate the knowledge of Jesus and of his religion. To this we are excited by every consideration of the public benefit and by all the motives of the gospel of Jesus, for it has the promise of happiness in this life and in that which is to come.
Thus was the first house (as the very last was) dedicated to the work as well as the worship of God, and especially to the salvation of children.
The house of worship thus erected was among the earlier, though not among the earliest in our whole region. [The author of that invaluable book, Ok Redstone, says, (p. 44) : " I believe that no churches or houses of worship were erected in the country until 1790. Even in winter the meetings were held in the open air." But this statement is so far modified by the important contribu- tion of Judge Veech to the "Secular History of Western Penn- sylvania Presbyterianism "-Mem. vol. p. 324-that the assertion of the text may be regarded as correct.]
But in the building of the spiritual house worse than frontier difficulties were experienced. The church beside Fort Pitt had less to fear from the Indians than the more exposed, outlying districts ; but its moral foes were more vigorous and subtle than the sons of the soil with all their forest-craft. Liquor was a prominent factor in everything, social life included. Cards and dancing (now so largely banished by Christian common-sense and bitter experience of their unspiritualizing effects) went with the whiskey as adjutants. Social ties were often irregular. The years intervening to the close of the century were years of con- stant trial and difficulty. A history of the times asserts that the church was not "remarkable, early, for exemplary piety. Many
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of them were gay, fashionable, worldly people, conforming to the customs and manners of the times." (Old Redstone, p. 377.)
Mr. Barr's ministry closed in 1789 amid charges and counter- charges, the Synod finally acquitting Mr. Barr, and the Presby- tery finally relieving the accused members without any grave penalty. Whatever misunderstandings of Mr. Barr's position and relations appear in opinions expressed within the last quarter of a century, disappear under more careful investigation. His record is clear, both before and after his pastorate here, and even while here in the other half of his pastoral charge [Pitts Township, now Beulah], as witness the following documents, which I found in possession of his family, and copied in Washington, D. C. :
" LONDONDERRY, May 18, 1784.
That the Rev. Mr. Samuel Barr, after having passed through a regular course of classical learning, and finished his academica! studies, was entered upon trials in our Presbytery, in the different parts of which he acquitted himself very much to our satisfac- tion. Since licensed, he has preached the gospel within our bounds, and elsewhere, with very great acceptance ; and in the whole of his moral character has behaved altogether unexcep- tionably ; maintaining a life and preserving a conversation suit- able to his profession. And as he now intends to visit the United States of America, we do earnestly recommend him to the care of any Presbytery to which he may apply.
Signed in the name and by the order of the Presbytery of Londonderry:
DAVID YOUNG, Moderator."
Immediately upon his arrival in this country he was admitted to the Presbytery thus :
" These are to certify that the bearer hereof, the Rev. Mr. Samuel Barr, having produced to us from the Presbytery of Derry. in Ireland, testimonials of his good standing as a licensed can- didate for the gospel ministry, and this Presbytery, as usual in such cases, having conversed with him (to satisfaction) upon the principles of religion, was received under our care and employed for nine months to preach to the congregations in our bounds, which he did to good acceptance, obtaining from the people among whom he labored, a character as well for abilities as for 3
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religion and morals. Having also passed through the usual trials for ordination before us, with approbation, and declared his acceptance of the Westminster Confession of Faith and Cate- chisms and their directory for worship, discipline and govern- ment as the same are received in this church, he was this day, by this Presbytery, agreeable to a permission granted by Synod, solemnly set apart to the work of the gospel ministry, sine titulo.
And as he signifieth to us his inclination to visit our Western and Southern churches, we concur with his desire, and do hereby recommend him to the conduct of divine providence and the kind notice of the churches to whom he may come, as a worthy minister of Christ.
Signed in the name and by order of the Presbytery of New Castle, convened at New London, June 15th, 1785.
PER ROBERT SMITH, Presbytery's Clerk."
Mr. Barr's connection with the other part of his charge seems to have been a happy and useful one. A minute book is still in existence, covering almost the whole period of his pastorate. It is a very minnte book, to be sure, but it is the only serap of record which either church possesses of the history of either in the last century; and it still testifies to labors and success. [A full copy of its record has been made for our archives.] I have here also, (by the kindness of a daughter of Mr. Barr) the word of satisfac- tion and commendation written by the Session of Pitts Township, as Mr. Barr left them.
"This is to certify that the bearer hereof, Rev. Samuel Barr, has been our minister several years, that he fulfilled the duties of his office, in all respects, to our satisfaction, and ministered to us both by his precept and example as became a worthy minister of the Gospel.
Given by the unanimous approbation of the people and Session at Pitts Township.
May 3g, 1790.
JOHN JOHNSTON, S. C."
Mr. Barr appears to have made a visit to Pitts Township in 1795, but we have no record of his having been present in the First Church at that time. He was subsequently installed as pastor at Christiana Bridge and New Castle (Del.) August 9th, 1791,
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where he died on the 31st of May, 1818. He was born near Londonderry, Ireland, and educated in literature and theology at the University of Glasgow. [Of his family of twelve children, two were born in Pittsburgh, one of whom died at the close of 1876. But two now survive, and the dead are nearly all buried beside their father, in the cemetery at New Castle.
We do not know the salary offered to the pastor, and it must have been difficult to fix any values, while the continental eur- rency fluctuated so violently. [In 1781, a congregation of Dau- phin county called a pastor on a promised salary of "600 bushels of wheat, or a sum of hard money equivalent thereto."] We do know that the collection of the salary was not always prompt, since Mr. Barr reports to Presbytery, on April 18th, 1788, that the Pittsburgh church was indebted to him in the sum of £17. 12s. 9d., and Pitts Township in the larger sum of £28 9s. 8d.
It is now impossible to sum up accurately the whole case and determine the just dnes of all the parties to the only great trouble internal, which our century has witnessed. There was evidently room for difficulty in the entrance of a stranger entering the pas- torate of a church rather lax in some matters of deportment and discipline, under the care of a Presbytery noted for the severity of its views and its rigid adherence to them. It is possible that Mr. Barr did say: "narrow-hearted McMillanites" of the Presby- tery, and that its members thought him, in turn, responsible for the type of piety in the church which was unsatisfactory to them. It is possible that had he been firmer, those who needed discipline might have been less aggressive. This much, however, is clear, that the church and community might well feel a larger sense of obligation to and interest in the first pastor. Mr. Brack- enridge said of him in the Assembly: "We have but one clergy- man, a gentleman of reputation and a good preacher." He brought hither a full measure, for the time, of culture and of talent. He came with a true missionary spirit, and at personal sacrifice, from an excellent position at the East. He secured the necessary conditions of church permanency and growth by im- mediate personal effort, and gained it a right of way (so to speak) by wise and energetic movements. He was a public-spirited and useful citizen. His preaching (judging from a small number of sermons in my possession, ) was evangelical and earnest, and his private life irreproachable. Difficulties might perhaps have been
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adjusted, had not, as at least her daughter supposes, the fears of her mother and her inexperience in the trials of Western life hastened finally his return to the East .*
To go on : From June, 1789, to November, 1792, there were only supplies, Mr. Robert Findley being the principal one. From No- vember, 1792, to October, 1793, Mr. Samuel Mahon (a licentiate of Carlisle Presbytery, ) preached and received a call. The Presbytery conversed with him on "his acquaintance with experimental re- ligion, and proposed to him several cases of conscience, but did not receive such satisfaction as would induce them to proceed to his ordination. Therefore he requested a dismission, which was accordingly granted him." [Min. p. 113.] Mr. Mahon had graduated at Dickinson College in 1789-the third graduating class of that college. When a student, young Mahon was re- garded as " very talented." Because of the obstacle that inter- vened and prevented his becoming the settled pastor of the First Church, he retired from the ministry, studied law and practised it in Natchez. He became a member of the Legislature, and finally died in Mississippi.
Afterward came Mr. Cunningham Samiple, who preached as supply some time during the year 1794. He also became a law- yer. Little else is known of him. He baptized that lady of so remarkable a memory, so recently deceased, (Mrs. Eichbaum) who
* The whole matter gives rise to such an exhibition of faets as this :
1. It is plain there was eard-playing and drinking, sometimes to excess,
2. That the pastor had been misunderstood or had not been sufficiently explicit in his testimony against these things.
3. That he seemed not to have any settled practice as to the baptism of infants of parents not members of the church.
4. That there was no dishonesty on either side.
5. That there was early catechiizing of children and youth, and that it was highly esteemed, and that the germ of the then future Sabbath School was present in Mr. Barr's custom of appointing "the children to meet him at the meeting-house, there to be enteehized," which "practice was followed for the most part every summer since, (1785) on the Sabbath evenings."
6. That Mr. Barr differed from the Presbytery more in feeling than in substance.
7. That the Presbytery was faithful in its counsel, as witness the following minute : (p. 58.) The Presbytery expresses " its disapprobation of eard-playing, night reveling, and using any expressions leading to immodest ideas, as practices very unbecoming in any professor of religion, and such as would lay a just foundation for exclusion from Christian privileges in any congregation where discipline is duly exercised; and that, therefore, such of the elders of the church of Pittsburgh as have appeared before us to be guilty of such things, ought to be and are hereby admonished to abstain from such practices for the future, and be informed that without a re formation they ought to be further dealt with."
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told me that an old friend, in view of Mr. Sample's later life, had suggested she should be "baptized over again."
The situation was still far from satisfactory. Indeed the church was passing through the deepest shadows which ever gathered within its century. There seems to have been little life in itself, and it was out of relation to its Presbytery, the sole source of supply. The evidence of a sort of chronic irritation between the First Church and the Presbytery of Redstone which is apparent in various ways in the records, seems to find confirma- tion in a recently discovered fact. In taking up the records of the General Assembly of 1794,'we find a petition sent by the " congregation of Pittsburgh, requesting to be separated from the Presbytery of Redstone, and to be annexed to the Presbytery of Carlisle." It was " moved that the prayer of the petition be granted," but decided in the negative .. Messrs. Smith and Hall were appointed a committee to write a letter to the congregation of Pittsburgh " relative to the decision on their petition ;" said committee reported, and the letter was ordered to be transcribed, signed by the Moderator and transmitted to the congregation as soon as convenient. [Min. of G. A. of 1794, p. 413.]
From October, 1793, to October, 1800, is almost a blank. There are no Sessional records (as there are none, indeed, until 1818), and the church does not appear in Presbytery, in any form, except in April, 1795, to ask supplies, and then again in June, 1799. No meetings of Presbytery are held here. Time of declension is mourned by the Presbytery, and fast day appointed in January, 1796, for "prevailing infidelity, vice, immorality and spiritual sloth." The first Tuesday afternoon of each quarter is set apart in October, 1797, as a " time of prayer for a revival of religion." Then the Assembly appoints the fourth Thursday of August, 1798, as a day of fasting and prayer ; and the windows of heaven are opened. Great revivals follow in the country, but the city is as the heath of the desert. The First Church is asleep in the midst of a harvest. This period witnessed the " Whiskey Insurrection," and the only thing we know favorable in the church's history is that her leading members and attend- ants, many of whom were high in local office and of wide influence, were altogether true and largely helpful to the govern- ment. Especially may this be said of the noble Judge Addison, whose charge is still a model of faithfulness, ability and courage.
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