USA > Pennsylvania > Bucks County > Warwick in Bucks County > History of Neshaminy Presbyterian Church of Warwick, Hartsville, Bucks County, Pa., 1726-1876 > Part 4
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HERE LYETH THE BODY OF THE REV. SAMUEL BLAIR, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 5TH DAY OF JULY, 1751, AGED 39 YEARS AND 21 DAYS.
In yonder sacred house I spent my breath, Now silent, mouldering, here I lie in death ; These lips shall wake again, and yet declare A dread amen to truths they published here.
Rev. John Blair, a younger brother of Samuel Blair, was also a pupil at Log College. He was born (in Ire- land probably, like his brother), in the year 1720, and came to America when quite young. At what time he was licensed and ordained is not definitely known, but he was a member of the Synod of New York at its first meeting in 1745, being then 25 years of age. He is said to have been ordained as early as 1742 over three congre- tions in Cumberland Co., Pa., one of which was Big Spring, now Newville. After being there twelve or
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fourteen years, his home was rendered unsafe by the hos- tilities of the savages, who in the French and Indian war were aroused against the frontier settlements that were exposed to their attacks. He was compelled on that account to retire from this field of labor, but in 1757 he received and accepted a call to the church at Fagg's Manor, which had become vacant by the death of his brother Samuel. While there he superintended the school which had been under the care of his predecessor, and prepared many young men for the ministry by in- structing them in the languages, philosophy, and theology. He remained in that congregation about nine years, and when Dr. Finley, President of Princeton College, died, he was chosen Professor of Divinity. He regarded this as a summons by the Head of the Church to a wider field of usefulness, of a similar character to that in which he had lately been employed, and entered upon it with zeal and energy. He was also chosen Vice-President of the Insti- tution, and discharged all the duties of President until the arrival of Dr. Witherspoon, the President-elect. But as the endowment of Nassau Hall was at that time very limited, and insufficient to support a Professor of The- ology distinct from the President, and as Dr. Witherspoon was an eminent divine, and abundantly qualified to meet the responsibilities of both offices, Mr. Blair resigned, and accepted an invitation to be Pastor at Wallkill, Orange Co., N. Y. Here he remained about three years, when he was called away from the labors of earth by death, De- cember 8, 1771, in the 52d year of his age. He was a sound and learned theologian, and though less eloquent in the pulpit than his brother Samuel, yet he was an
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able and convincing preacher, and the instrument of the conversion of many souls. He made high attainments in scholarship, and at the same time labored much in the pulpit, for the most part using, not a fully written manu- script, but brief notes. His end was peaceful, and he calmly contemplated death when near at hand, uttering counsels for his congregation and friends. A few days before his death he exclaimed : "Directly I am going to glory ; my Master calls me, I must be gone."
It is stated in the History of Log College, that " Mr. John Blair left behind him a treatise on Regeneration, which is ably written and entirely orthodox. He also published a treatise on the Scriptural terms of admission to the Lord's Supper, in which he maintains that minis- ters and church officers have no more authority to debar from the Lord's table those who desire to attend, than from any other duty of God's worship. This piece the late Rev. J. P. Wilson, D. D., Pastor of the First Pres- byterian Church of Philadelphia, had republished in a small selection of treatises on the Lord's Supper, from which it may be inferred that he approved the sentiments which it contains."
The following is the inscription on his tomb-stone :
HERE LIE INTERRED THE REMAINS OF THE REV. MR. JOHN BLAIR, A. M., WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE DECEMBER 6, 1771, IN THE 52D YEAR OF HIS AGE.
He was a gentleman of a masterly genius. A good scholar,
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an excellent divine. A very judicious, instructive, and solemn preacher. A laborious and successful minister of Christ. An eminent Christian. A man of great prudence, and a bright example of every social virtue. He was some time Vice-President of Nassau Hall, and Professor of Di- vinity in the College of New Jersey ; which places he filled with fidelity and reputation. He lived greatly beloved, and died universally lamented.
Rev. Samuel Finley was born in the County of Ar- magh, in the northern part of Ireland, in 1715. His parents were of Scotch descent, and devotedly pious members of the Presbyterian Church. He was carefully trained in the knowledge of his duty to God, and appears to have been wrought upon by the Holy Spirit at a very early age. When only six years old he heard a sermon which made a deep impression on his mind, and the text of which he remembered as long as he lived. From that time he determined, if possible, to be a minister of the Gospel. When about nineteen years old he emigrated to America, and landed on our shores September 28, 1734. This was the period at which Log College was in a very flourishing condition, and it is in the highest degree proba- ble that Mr. Finley placed himself under the instruction of Mr. Tennent, at Neshaminy ; as he ardently desired to be prepared to preach Christ to his fellow men, and there was no other institution at that time within the bounds of the Presbyterian Church where he could receive the necessary education. He also presented himself to the Presbytery of New Brunswick, to be taken under their care, and most of the members of this body were trained at Mr. Tennent's school. Though we have no record of
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the place where Mr. Finley was taught in theology, yet the above circumstances point very decidedly to that institution. He was licensed after proper examination August 5, 1740, and at once began to proclaim the doc- trines of the Cross. The " great awakening" was then in progress in the land, and there was much interest on the subject of religion in a large number of churches. As he was zealous and anxious to be the instrument in doing good, and endowed with unusual ability as a public speaker, he was sought for to assist pastors in the special labors required in many congregations. He was particu- larly blessed in the Western and Southern portions of New Jersey,-in . Deerfield, Greenwich, and Cape May. He was Stated Supply also, and highly esteemed in the Second Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, to which Rev. Gilbert Tennent was afterwards called, and which was largely composed of those who were hopefully con- verted under the preaching of Mr. Whitefield, in that city. He was ordained to the full exercise of the ministry, probably as an evangelist, October 13, 1742. He was not pastor of any church immediately, but continued for nearly two years to preach, as his services were needed, in vacant churches and places destitute of the ordinary means of grace, with abundant success. In 1744 the peo- ple of Nottingham, Maryland, desired him to become their minister, and he was settled there in June of that year. Here he established a school for the training of pious young men for the ministry, similar to that which had been at Neshaminy, but which was possibly closed before this time on account of old Mr. Tennent's infirmi- ties, and like the institution at Fagg's Manor. In this
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Seminary a large number of youths were prepared for the sacred office, several of whom secured high distinction and were greatly useful; and others, who did not enter the ministry, reached eminence in other professions ; among them were "Governor Martin, of North Carolina ; Dr. Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia ; and his brother, Jacob Rush, an eminent and pious judge ; Ebenezar Haz- ard, Esq., of Philadelphia; Rev. James Waddel, D. D., of Virginia ; Rev. Dr. McWhorter, of Newark, N. J .; Col. John Bayard, Speaker of the House of Representatives ; Governor Henry, of Maryland; and Rev. Wm. M. Ten- nent, D. D., of Abington, Pa."
All these with others appear to have been in Mr. Fin- ley's school at one time, and it receives high honor from their subsequent lives. It was no doubt an institution of a high order, formed much after the pattern of Log College.
After being seventeen years in Nottingham, diligently engaged in giving instruction in the ancient languages, philosophy and theology, and in the work of the ministry, and having proved himself fully qualified to superintend a literary institution.of a high order, and gained a repu- tation for power in the pulpit, he was chosen to succeed Mr. Davies in the Presidency of Nassau Hall, at Prince- ton. He entered upon the office in 1761, and was spared to discharge its duties five years, a period longer than that of either Dickinson, Burr, Edwards, or Davies, all of whom had been his immediate predecessors within six years. While connected with the College of New Jersey he became favorably known in Great Britain for talents, learning, and piety, and the degree of Doctor of Divinity
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was conferred upon him by the University of Glasgow, which was at that time an unprecedented honor for any American. He had the interests of the College over which he presided, deeply at heart, and formed wise plans for its prosperity and advancement. Probably his ardu- ous labors affected his health ; for he was attacked when in the midst of them by a disease of the liver, which soon resulted in his death. He went to Philadelphia to con- sult a physician, but grew rapidly worse, and was at length told that he could not recover. He was not alarmed nor disturbed by the intelligence, but expressed the most perfect resignation to the divine will. He said, " If my work is done, I am ready ; I do not desire to live a day longer than I can work for God." When informed by a physician that he had not many days to live, lifting his eyes to Heaven, he exclaimed, " Then, welcome, Lord Jesus !" He uttered many counsels and messages for his friends and the people of Princeton, and many expressions of confidence in God, and hope, that he was going to a world of rest and glory. A few hours before his de- parture he dropped asleep, and continued to slumber until his spirit took its flight. This occurred July 16, 1766, when he was in his fifty-first year. In consequence of the heat of the weather his body could not be conveyed to Princeton for burial, but was deposited by the side of his friend, Rev. Gilbert Tennent, in the Second Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia ; and subsequently upon the en- largement of this church, they were both buried in the grave-yard of the congregation, and ultimately at Abing- ton. A cenotaph was erected by the Trustees of the College of New Jersey to his memory, in the cemetery at
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Princeton, in a line with the monuments over the remains of the other distinguished Presidents of the College. Dr. Miller says of him : "Dr. Finley was a man of sound and vigorous mind, of extensive learning, and of unusually fer- vent piety. He had the ministry in view from the sixth year of his age, and always adorned the sacred office. Seldom has a life been more exemplary or more useful ; and seldom, very seldom, has a death been more joyful and triumphant than his."*
Rev. Wm. Robinson was another of the pupils of Mr. Tennent at Log College, as we have the uncontradicted testimony of tradition for believing, which is somewhat corroborated by the fact, that the people of Neshaminy, in 1742, when Mr. Tennent became infirm, invited him to be their pastor, which invitation, however, he did not see his way clear to accept. In the life of Dr. Rodgers it is stated, that-
" Mr. Robinson was the son of a wealthy Quaker, in England. Being permitted to pay a visit of a few weeks to an aunt in the the City of London, from whom he had considerable expectations, he greatly overstaid the time which had been allowed him; and becoming deeply in- volved in the dissipations of the town, he incurred large debts, which he knew his father would never pay, and which his aunt refused to discharge. In this situation fearing to return home, and unable to remain longer in London, he determined to quit his native country, and seek his fortune in America. In this determination his aunt reluctantly acquiesced, and furnished him with a small sum of money for the purpose. Soon after his
* Life of Dr. Rodgers, p. 57.
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arrival in America, he had recourse for subsistence to teaching a school in New Jersey, within the bounds of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. He had been for some time engaged in this business, without any practical sense of religion, when it pleased God to bring him to a knowledge of himself and of the way of salvation, in a remarkable manner. He was riding at a late hour one evening, when the moon and stars shone with unusual brightness, and when everything around him was calcu- lated to excite reflection. While he was meditating on the beauty and grandeur of the scene which the firmament presented, and was saying to himself, 'How transcend- ently glorious must be the Author of all this beauty and grandeur!' the thought struck him with the suddenness. and the force of lightning, 'But what do I know of this God? Have I ever sought his favor or made him my friend ?' This happy impression, which proved, by its permanency and its effects, to have come from the best of all sources, never left him until he took refuge in Christ as the hope and life of his soul. He soon resolved to de- vote himself to the work of the gospel ministry ; com- pleted his academical education and studied theology ; and was in due time licensed and ordained by the Presby- tery of New Brunswick." He appears to have been or- dained as an evangelist, with a view to his going among the scattered congregations of Presbyterians, and others who were not associated with any religious denomination, in remote districts. Accordingly he soon turned his steps to the settlements along the valleys in the mountains of central Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. In the latter State there was a law at that time forbidding.
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itinerant preachers to pass through the country, but Mr. Robinson either did not think of it or disregarded it, and had reached Winchester, preaching the Gospel as opportu- nity was afforded, when he was arrested for violating the statute, and an order was made out by a magistrate send- ing him to the seat of Government, at Williamsburg, for trial and punishment. But the Sheriff, in whose care he was placed, after taking him some distance on the way, and finding him apparently an honest, sensible, well- meaning man, thought it would be foolish to take him so far for such a purpose, and released him. He continued his tour through the valley, stopping at various small set- tlements, where he found those who were willing to hear the word of life, until he reached the James river. He visited what was then called " the Forks," now Lexing- ton; and proceeding south-east, went to Lunenburg, which is now Charlotte, and found there a considerable colony of Presbyterians. Pursuing his route still southward he entered North Carolina, seeking clusters of Presbyterians who had migrated thither, and who were destitute of the stated means of grace. In almost all places where he tarried and proclaimed the truth, the Spirit of God at- tended his labors. Christians were quickened and revived, and sinners were converted. Not a few instances occurred, in which, through his instrumentality, hardened trans- gressors who had never shown interest in their immortal welfare, but lived in constant disregard of the divine commands, were subdued, convicted of their guilt and danger, and led to submit to the control of the Redeemer. An unusual awakening on the subject of religion existed at that period in the County of Hanover, Virginia ; and
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when Mr. Robinson returned from North Carolina, two messengers were sent from Hanover to induce him to go there and assist in that work of grace. They were obliged to travel a hundred miles or more over a rugged, mountainous country, before they overtook him. Upon their representation of the state of feeling among the people from whom they came, he was persuaded it was the Lord's will that he should accede to their request ; and that he might get to their home before the next Sab- bath, he was compelled to ride one whole night. When he arrived, the principal men of the congregation feared that he might not preach the distinguishing doctrines of grace, as they had learned them from various evangelical works, with which they were familiar, and which they were in the habit of reading aloud in their meetings ; for they had not as yet enjoyed the services of a regular pastor. They therefore examined him in private, before they would allow him to preach, as to his views, and whether he approved such works as Boston's Fourfold State, Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Luther on the Gala- tians, and Alleine's Alarm. When they discovered that his doctrinal sentiments were founded on the Gospel of Christ, as they had received it, they joyfully welcomed him to their place of worship and their hearts. He con- tinued with them four days, preaching daily. The attend- ance was good at first, but greatly increased on the suc- cessive days, and there were many manifestations of deep feeling, of joy and gratitude for the precious words of life on the part of God's people, and of conviction for sin, and alarm among sinners. Mr. Samuel Morris, whose words are quoted in a letter of Rev. Samuel Davies to Dr.
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Bellamy, of Connecticut, says, "There is reason to be- lieve there was as much good done by these four sermons as by all the sermons preached in these parts before or since. Before Mr. Robinson left us, he successfully en- deavored to correct some of our mistakes, and to bring us to carry on the worship of God more regularly at our meetings. After this we met to read good sermons, and began and concluded with prayer and singing of Psalms, which till then we had omitted." They had been accus- torned in former years to the prayers of the Liturgy of the Church of England, which was the established Church of the Colony of Virginia, and had supposed that all praying should be done by the minister from the prayer- book, and this, added to a natural diffidence, had pre- vented them in the absence of a pastor from having prayer at their assemblages. Mr. Morris continues, "The blessing of God remarkably attended these more private means, and it was really astonishing to observe the solemn impressions begun or continued in many by hearing good discourses read." Meetings of a similar kind for prayer, singing, and reading were commenced in other places, as the result of the success here, and the germs of other congregations were formed while yet there were no Presbyterian ministers in that region. Rev. Samuel Davies, in a subsequent part of the letter above referred to, says, " While these congregations have been destitute of settled pastors, itinerant preaching among them has, by the blessing of God, been very useful. Mr. Robinson underwent great hardships in North Carolina, without much success, by reason of the fewness and savage igno- rance of the inhabitants; but the case is now happily
r
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altered. He was the instrument of awakening several in Lunenburgh and Amelia, with whom I lately spent a fort- night at their earnest desire ; and there is a prospect of doing much service, were they furnished with a faithful minister. In Kent County and Queen Anne's, a number of careless sinners have been awakened and hopefully brought to Christ. The work was begun and chiefly car- ried on by the instrumentality of that favored man, Mr. Robinson, whose success, whenever I reflect upon it, astonishes me. Oh! he did much in a little time, and who would not choose such an expeditious pilgrimage through this world ? The most glorious display of divine grace in Maryland has been in and about Somerset County. It began, I think, in 1745, by the ministry of Mr. Robinson, and was afterwards carried on by several ministers, that preached transiently there."
This most laborious and successful servant of Christ preached in the State of New York with the same evi- dences of the divine favor as in the States further South ; but the closing labors of his life seem to have been in St. George's, Delaware,* where he was, as is thought most probable, in 1745; and in the Minutes of the Synod of New York, October 9, 1746, it is reported, that "Our Reverend brother, Mr. William Robinson, is departed this life since our last meeting." In the Life of Dr.
* In the Life of Dr. Rodgers, in a letter written by Rev. Mr. Latta, of New Castle, Delaware, it is said, "A revival of religion had taken place in the congregation through the instrumentality of the preaching of the Rev. Mr. Robinson, and the celebrated Whitefield. Mr. Robinson was their first pastor, and the immediate predecessor of Dr. Rodgers."
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Rodgers it is said, that "he died at St. George's, in Dela- ware, in the month of April, 1746 ; and that few names in the American Church rank higher than his in the scale of usefulness." Dr. Alexander says, "If we mistake not, Mr. Davies has celebrated the labors and successes of this servant of God in one of his poems, and Mr. Tennent somewhere speaks of him as " that wonderful man." Mr. Robinson was never married and had, it is believed, no relatives in this country, and as far as appears never printed anything, nor left any of his writings to be a memorial to posterity of his fervent piety and evangeli- cal spirit."
His ministerial career was brief. He was not a member of New Brunswick Presbytery in 1741, for his name is not in the list of members that year. In 1743 he was labor- ing in Virginia, but had received a call, which he con- cluded not to accept, to Neshaminy, in 1742; and his ordination as an evangelist took place about that time. He was in the discharge of the duties of the sacred office only about four years ; but he accomplished much for his Lord and Master in that short space, and was the instru- ment of winning many to righteousness. He was, no doubt, a young man, when he died, but he had been greatly blessed in his efforts to build up the Redeemer's kingdom, and has left a reputation for piety, zeal, elo- quence, and power over the hearts and consciences of men which few ever acquire.
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CHAPTER V.
ALUMNI OF LOG COLLEGE.
Rev. John Rowland was another pupil of Log College, where he is supposed to have received most of his educa- tion preparatory to the ministry. Nothing can be now ascertained in regard to his birth, parentage, or early years. Among the first items of business transacted by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, at its first meeting, was taking Mr. Rowland under their care with a view to his licensure. This was contrary to a Rule, which the Synod had adopted, that no person should be put on trial with reference to being licensed to preach, until he had been examined upon his knowledge of the sciences and ancient languages by a commission of the Synod. This regulation was no doubt made by the majority in the Synod, partly, that they might throw obstacles in the way of the Alumni of Log College, when they desired to ob- tain permission from Presbyteries to go forth and preach. The New Brunswick Presbytery determined to pay no attention to a Rule which they deemed arbitrary, unjust, and particularly aimed at themselves, and Mr. Rowland was received under their care, assigned subjects, on which to prepare an Exegesis in Latin, and a Popular Lecture ; he was examined on his religious experience, his knowl- edge of theology, the arts and languages, and required to signify his acceptance of the doctrines of the Westminster
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Confession of Faith and Catechisms. After meeting the Presbytery three times in the course of a month for full examination, and the presentation before it of the neces- sary theses and discourses, which met their entire satis- faction, he was licensed on the 7th of September, 1738 ; and the same day received a call from two congregations in New Jersey, Maidenhead, now Lawrence, and Hope- well, now Pennington, which were to be united in one charge. He acceded to their request and went among them in the exercise of his duties as a licensed candidate for the ministry. These churches were connected with the Presbytery of Philadelphia, which was in favor of the regulation adopted by the Synod. This Presbytery immediately had a special meeting, and unanimously voted, that "they could not accept of Mr. Rowland as an orderly licensed preacher, nor approve of his preaching in any of the vacancies within their bounds." Notwith- standing this he continued to preach at the places above mentioned during the winter. In May, 1739, the next Spring, the Synod declared that, "they judged the pro- ceedings of the Presbytery of New Brunswick " in licensing Mr. Rowland " to be very disorderly, and do admonish the said Presbytery to avoid such divisive courses for the future ; and do determine not to admit the said Mr. Rowland to be a preacher of the Gospel within our bounds, nor encourage any of our people to accept him, until he submit to such examinations as were ap- pointed by this Synod for those that have had a private education." The Synod also severely censured the two congregations above mentioned for employing Mr. Row- land contrary to the remonstrances of the Presbytery of
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