History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 104

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216

USA > Pennsylvania > Washington County > History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 104

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But the object of the present sketch is to trace the line of the "Secession," as, about the middle of the eighteenth century, it became shifted to the west of the Atlantic.

From the very rise of the secession in Scotland, many of its families following the tide of emigration had been removing to America, settling, among other points on the coast, in considerable numbers in the counties of the province of Pennsylvania lying near the southern border and east of the Susquehanna River. From these petitions for supply of preaching had been forwarded to the " Associate Presbytery" in Scotland as early as 1742. But, on account of the scarcity of preachers, and the large demand for their services at home, it was not till 1753 that Messrs. Alexander Gelatly and Andrew Arnot arrived in Pennsylvania. Room for abundant labor was open before them. But the labor performed was not all in the line of public proclamation of the gospel message. The same field of labor to which they came was already pre-occupied by the Presbytery of New Castle, subordinate to the Synod of New York and Philadel- phia (afterwards the General Assembly of the Pres- byterian Church of the United States). From this Presbytery there came at once, as it was proper there should, an invitation to the newly-arrived preachers to cast in their lot with them. After due considera- tion the invitation was declined. Then followed from the Presbytery of New Castle a published deliverance, the propriety of which may perhaps admit of a doubt, warning the people under its supervision against coun- tenancing the ministrations and some of the doctrines of the ministers of "the Secession." Then followed, as was to be expected, a rejoinder from the latter. Two members of the Presbytery, Messrs. Finley and Smith, publish their reply. To this again Mr. Gelatly responds in an extended pamphlet of two hundred and six pages. And thus the warfare went on.

In the mean time the two ministers of the Secession were organized into a Presbytery. Mr. Arnot returned to Scotland, but others continued to arrive from time

to time, till in 1776 the whole number was thirteen. Three of these living in the State of New York were in this year formed into a separate Presbytery,-the Presbytery of New York,-the others constituting the Presbytery of Pennsylvania. But all the while occu- pying substantially the same ground with these min- isters of the Secession were certain ministers of the Reformed Presbyterian order (or Covenanters).

In the times of persecution in the reigns of Charles II. and James II. certain religious societies, who re- fused submission to the powers that were then in the land, were led and ministered to by Richard Cameron, from whom the name Cameronians was sometimes given them. At the head of his little band Cam- eron was surprised and slain in 1680 at Airdsmoss. His young and devoted associate, Donald Cargill, who succeeded to the leadership, was also hunted down and executed in the year following, July 27, 1681. Another youthful leader was now raised up in the person of James Renwick, but the spirit of perse- cution was still rife, and though preserved from the hands of those who sought his life for a period of five years, he was at last captured and executed, Feb. 11, 1688. The revolution following, Renwick's was the last life sacrificed on the altar of religious liberty in Scotland. Three others were soon raised up to minister to these long-persecuted bands, but William and Mary were now on the throne. Re- ligious liberty was restored, prelacy was suppressed, and Presbyterianism made the established religion of Scotland. The three ministers, therefore, and a ma- jority of their followers returned to the Establishment. But a minority, mainly for the reason that the king with all his liberality still claimed royal supremacy over the church, maintained their ground. For six- teen years they were without a minister. But at length in the year 1706 they were joined by Rev. John McMillan from the Establishment, who became their minister, and for the long period of thirty-seven years continued to minister to them alone. From this, his long and solitary connection with them, they were frequently called McMillanites. In 1743, Mc- Millan was joined by Thomas Nairne, from the Se- cession Church, and a Presbytery was formed which took the name of the Reformed Presbytery. Others were added to its membership from time to time. Among these was Rev. John Cuthbertson, who emi- grated to America in 1749 or '50, and continued to minister alone to scattered societies of Reformed Presbyterians in different parts of the country for more than twenty years. In 1773 he was joined by Messrs. Lind and Dobbin from the parent country, and a Presbytery was constituted.

Between these Reformed Presbyterians and the As- sociate Presbyterians negotiations with a view to union were commenced in 1777, and were carried on to their consummation in 1782 in the union which originated the " Associate Reformed Church." The ministers of the Reformed Presbytery all entered the

403

RELIGIOUS HISTORY.

new organization, and of the other side all but two, Messrs. William Marshall and James Clarkson. Through these, as strengthened by new arrivals from Scotland, and by the return of two who at the first had entered the union, the organization of the Asso- ciate Church was continued.

Though somewhat aside from the direct purpose of this sketch, it may be noted that while all the minis- ters of the Reformed Presbytery entered the union, not a few of the numerous societies of their people stood aloof. To these pastors were sent from the Covenanters of the old country, a Presbytery was or- ganized, and thus the Reformed Presbyterian organi- zation was also perpetuated. It continues to this day, as represented in the two Synods of the Reformed Presbyterian Church,-the Old and the New School.

The two churches-the Associate Reformed and the (residuary) Associate-occupied the same territory, and over the same territory in other parts they con- tinued to have their progress and development.

The fourteen ministers of the Associate Reformed were grouped in three Presbyteries, named respec- tively the First, Second, and Third, all of which con- stituted the Associate Reformed Synod. In twenty years, so rapid and widely extended had been the growth of this church, that in 1802 it was found con- venient to divide the Synod into four, known respec- tively as the Synods of New York, Pennsylvania, Scioto, and the Carolinas. The two latter, being far remote from the places of meeting of the General Synod, almost uniformly held within the bounds of one of the two former, gradually subsided into a state of entire independence from the two former and from each other. A reconstruction of the Synod of Scioto was effected in the year 1820, when it was transformed into the Associate Reformed Synod of the West, in- cluding in general all territory lying west of the Allegheny Mountains. As thus reconstructed it grew and prospered, and in 1839 was divided into the First and Second Synods of the West, and in 1852 the

additional Synod of Illinois was formed from a part ! of Faith, with a modification on one point,-the power of the Second Synod of the West.

Negotiations in the East for a union with the Gen- eral Assembly of the Presbyterian Church were par- tially successful in 1822, but a minority declined, through which the organization of the Synod of New York was perpetuated, continuing its separate organ- ization till 1855, when the breach between it and the Synods in the West was healed. Being brought to- gether again, the four Synods were now united under a delegated body known as the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Church of North America.

We now return to 1782. The Associate Presby- tery remained undivided till the close of the century ; but it had become large and unwieldy, and was accord- ingly erected into a Synod in 1801, which was named the Associate Synod of North America. It was made up of the four Presbyteriés of Cambridge, Philadel- phia, Chartiers, and Kentucky. On account of diffi-

culties growing out of the connection of the churches in Kentucky with the system of slaveholding prac- ticed in that State, the pastors of the churches and large numbers of their people removed to the adjacent free States of Ohio and Indiana, and thus, about the year 1804, the Presbytery of Kentucky became extinct. But others were organized, so that notwithstanding the extinction of the. Presbytery of Kentucky the whole number had increased in 1820 to six. About this time a correspondence was begun with a view to union with the Associate Reformed Synod of the West. It was conducted in a becoming spirit on both sides, but it soon became evident that the time for the healing of the breach had not yet come, and in 1822 the correspondence was dropped.

The negotiations which finally resulted in the for- mation of the United Presbyterian Church originated in a proposition submitted by the Reformed Presby- terian Synod (New School) to the Associate Reformed Synod of the West in the year 1836. While the matter was favorably regarded by the Synod ad- dressed, it was not till the year 1838 that a convention was held by delegates from these churches. The con- ference thus had was so encouraging that following conventions were held in 1839, 1841, and again in 1842, when, for the first time, delegates were in attendance from the Associate Synod. Other conventions fol- lowed from year to year. One basis of union after another was prepared, proposed, criticised, and re- jected. The Reformed Presbyterian brethren, with whom the movement for union originated, withdrew entirely in 1847 from the negotiations. But the others persevered in what they regarded as a good and hope- ful work. The result was that a basis was finally prepared on which both branches of the long-divided church felt that they could stand. With feelings of pious devotion, and great joy and gladness, the union of the two churches was consummated in the City Hall, Pittsburgh, May 26, 1858.

The basis of union is the Westminster Confession of the civil magistrate " circa sacra," and a judicial testimony covering certain points which were either not embraced in the confession or were not so dis- tinctly set forth and defended as the circumstances of the church and of the times seemed to require. The whole number of these articles in the testimony is eighteen, of which the last five embraced the points usually regarded as distinctive features of the church's profession. They are as follows, viz. :

" ART. XIV. Slaveholding .- We declare, That Slaveholding-that is, the holding of unoffending human beings in involuntary bondage, and considering and treating them as property, and subject to be bought and suld-is a violation of the law of God, and contrary both to the letter and spirit of Christianity.

"ART. XV. Of Secret Societies .- We declare, That all associations, whether formed for political or benevolent purposes, which impose upon their members an oath of secrecy, or an obligation to obey a code of unknown laws, are inconsistent with the genius and spirit of Chris- tianity, and church-members ought not to have fellowship with such associations.

404

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

" ART. XVI. Of Communion .- We declare, That the church should ! not extend communion in sealing ordinances to those who refuse ad- herence to her profession, or subjection to her government and disci- pline, or who refuse to forsake a communion which is inconsistent with the profession that she makes ; nor should communion in any ordinance of worship be held under such circumstances as would be inconsistent with the keeping of those ordinances pure and entire, or so as to give countenance to any corruption of the doctrines and institutions of Christ.

"ART. XVII. Of Covenanting .- We declare, That public social cov- enanting is a moral duty, the observance of which is not required at atated times, but on extraordinary occasions, as the providence of God and the circumstances of the church may indicate. It is seasonable in times of great danger to the church,-in times of exposure to back- sliding, or in times of reformation when the church is returning to God from a state of backsliding. When the church has entered into such covenant transactions, they continue to bind posterity faithfully to adhere to and prosecute the grand object for which such engagements have been entered into.

" ART. XVIII. Of Psalmody .- We declare that it is the will of God that the songs contained in the Book of Psalms be sung in His worship, both public and private, to the end of the world; and in singing God's praise these songs should be employed to the exclusion of the devotional com- positions of uninspired men."

The following summaries present the comparative strength of the two churches at the time of their union in 1858. Associate: presbyteries, 21; minis- ters, 198; licenciates, 33; congregations, 293; mem- bers, 23,505. Associate Reformed : presbyteries, 28; ministers, 221; licentiates, 32; congregations, 367 ; members, 31,284.

The comparative aggregate strength of the United Church in the year following the union and in the year 1881 (twenty-two years later) is shown in the following statement :

Years.

Ministers.

Congre- gations.

Unorganized Stations.

Members.

Contribu- tions.

1859 1881

408 690

634 818

... 85

55,547 82,937

$253.150 853,541

At what time the forefathers of the United Presby- terians of Washington County began first to make their appearance within its bounds cannot now be

definitely ascertained. The earliest settlers of the county were not men of any one religious faith to the exclusion of others, and the reasonable probability is that Associate and Reformed Presbyterians were found among them. Rev. Matthew Henderson, who had been laboring many years as pastor of a congre- gation in Chester County, made his first visit to Wash- ington (then Westmoreland) County in 1779. This was no doubt in response to invitations received from those of his own religious faith, some of whom may have been living in the county many years before. In 1782 he was permanently located as pastor of the congregations of Chartiers and Buffalo (afterwards called North Buffalo). Other congregations sprang up in different parts of the county in years following, as will appear in the histories of those congregations respectively.

Of the twenty-one United Presbyterian congrega- tions now found in Washington County, eleven, at the time of the union which formed the United Pres- byterian Church, were in connection with the Associ- ate Presbyterian branch of that church, viz. : Bur- gettstown, Chartiers, Mount Hope, Mount Pleasant, North Buffalo, Peters Creek, Pigeon Creek, Robin- son, South Buffalo, Washington, and Wheeling. Four were in connection with the Associate Reformed side of the house, viz. : Canonsburg, Chartiers Cross- Roads, Paris, and West Middletown. Six were or- ganized at or since the union, and are composed for the most part of members from both sides of the united house, viz. : Centre, McDonald, Mount Pros- pect, Taylorstown, Venice, and West Alexander.

The following tabulated statement will show in alphabetical order the names of the congregations, and in following columns township or borough, name of pastor, number of members, Sabbath-school scholars, aggregate contributions, and average contribution to each member, the whole being as shown in the statis- tical returns for the year 1881 :

Congregations.

Township or Borough.

Pastors.

Members.

Sabbath-school

Contributions

year closing

Average to

Member.

Burgettstown

D. W. Carson, D.D

202

195

$2,623

$12.98

Canonsburg.

North Strabane.

John S. Speer ..

188

112

1,655

8.80

Centre.

Smith

Jus. B. Waddle.

143

175

1,430

10.00

Chartiers.

Canonsburg.

E. C. Simpson (pastor elect)

274

105

2,320

8.47

Chartiers Cross-Roads,

Chartiers.

James A. Grier.

216

159

1,876

8.68

McDonald.

Robinson

W. D. Irous

106

110

1,091

10.28

Mount Pleasant

Mount Pleasant.

William A. McConnel.

143

168

1,200

8.39

North Buffalo

Buffalo.

Samuel J. Kyle .........

104

133

1,244

11.96

Paris ..

Hanover

W. J. Cooper

935

9.54

Peters Creek

Peters ..

R. M. Patterson

15€

103

1.225

7,85

Pigeon Creek

Somerset

D. S. Littell

172

120

1,785

10.38

Robinson.

W. R. McKee

192

190

1,601

8.42

South Buffalo

Buffalo.

Alexander McLachlan

107

1,086

10.15

Taylorstown

Buffalo.

John Morrow

10G

100

1,204

11.35

1 Venice.

Cecil

A. R. Anderson.

205

165

2,187

10.66

Washington

Washington.

J. R. Johnston, D.D.

277

150

2,960

10.69

West Alexander.

West Alexander ..

William M. Coleman

201

145

3,160

15.72

West Middletown. Wheeling.

West Middletown.

Samuel Taggart ...

133

100

1,330

10.00

East Finley

James A. McKee.

600

6.67

Congregations, 21.

Pastors, 21.

3384

2747

$34,804

$10.30

Mount Hope ...

Independence

John T. Brownlee

1,299

14.43

Mount Prospect.

Nottingham.

J. P. Davis ..

185

180

1,994

10.77

Scholars.

April, 1881.

each

405

RELIGIOUS HISTORY.

The Associate Presbyterian Theological Semi- nary at Canonsburg.1-On the 21st of April, 1794, the Associate Presbytery of Pennsylvania (which four years later became the Associate Synod of North America) elected Rev. John Anderson, D.D., as its first theological professor. He was then, and had been for two years, pastor of the united congrega- tions of Mill Creek and Harmon's Creek, now Service and Frankfort, Beaver Co., Pa. This action of the Presbytery of Pennsylvania resulted in the establish- ment of what, without presumption or disregard of truth, may be termed the earliest and oldest of the theological seminaries of the United States. The essential elements of a veritable theological seminary were there. A seminary building, two stories high, was erected; a library of eight hundred theological works, mostly obtained from Scotland, was collected ; a professor was elected who during definite terms of some months each year gave instruction to the stu- dents. The number of students, of course, was not large, generally varying from five to ten. The whole number who finished their theological course while the institution continued at Service, in Beaver County, was thirty-one. Having continued in the work for twenty-four years, admonished by the gath- ering infirmities of age, Dr. Anderson resigned his professorship to the Synod in the year 1818. In 1819 the Synod, to save in some measure the traveling expenses of the students, decided to establish two seminaries, denominated in the phraseology of the time the Eastern Hall and the Western Hall. The former was located, in 1820, at Philadelphia, in charge of Dr. John Banks, who was at the time also a pro- fessor in the University of Pennsylvania and pastor of a congregation in the city. The Western Hall was located, in 1821, at Canonsburg, and Dr. James Ramsay chosen as professor. Dr. Banks, under whose supervision eleven students were educated for the ministry in Philadelphia, died April 10, 1826, and the Synod, instead of electing a successor to the de- ceased professor, discontinued the institution, or, if we may prefer so to express it, united the Eastern and Western into one hall at Canonsburg. Dr. Ram- say was fifty years old when he assumed the profes- sorial chair, and continued to occupy it for twenty years. His attention was mainly given to lectures on theology and church history, and instruction in the Hebrew language. In theology his text-book was the Medulla of Marck, of the University of Leyden, in Latin. On Mondays and Thursdays he read his lectures to the students, and on Tuesdays and Fridays catechised them on the lectures of the preceding day.

The erection of a seminary building had been in contemplation for years, but it was not till the year 1832 that the contract for the edifice was actually made. And when contracted for, by delay, the reason of which cannot now be definitely ascertained, the house was not complete and ready for use till the fall of 1835. In comparison with many structures reared for similar purposes in more recent times, the seminary building would not be regarded as a very grand or imposing edifice, but it was quite adequate to the purpose for which it was erected, and when completed was regarded as no discredit to those under whose supervision it was built, or to the surroundings in the midst of which it stood. The main building was sixty-six feet in length and thirty-six feet wide, connected with which was a wing in the rear forty- five feet long and seventeen feet wide, which was fronted through its whole length by a porch eight feet wide. The whole was divided into chapel, lecture- rooms, library - rooms, apartments for a resident On Wednesdays discourses were delivered by the family, and dormitory accommodations for about

students, which were criticised both by students and professor. In addition to his service in the theo- logical seminary, Dr. Ramsay occupied the post (somewhat honorary in character) of Professor of

Hebrew in Jefferson College. Dr. Ramsay was tall and thin, and somewhat ungainly and awkward in his general appearance. The head was small, and the eye rather inconspicuous, having often the ap- pearance of being partially closed. A stranger would not suspect, on seeing him for the first time, that he occupied any very prominent position in the com- munity. Indeed, his uncommon modesty and the great simplicity of his character, connected with his plain and unstylish appearance, would readily dis- pose those who highly appreciate elegance and style of manner to regard him as a very common man. But views of this kind were soon corrected in the estimation of all who came to know him well. The essential elements of true gentlemanliness few pos- sessed in larger measure than he. Located for almost half a century in the midst of an intelligent and cul- tivated community, pastor of a congregation which grew large and strong under his ministrations, prin- cipal teacher of the theological seminary of his de- nomination, and located all the while under the very shadow of one of the leading colleges of the land, no man ever stood better the test of time (one of the very best of all tests) than Dr. Ramsay did.

For many years after Dr. Ramsay began the work of his professorship the services were conducted in his own house. Many of the students boarded in his family, and their uniform testimony was said to be that the better they became acquainted with him in social intercourse, as well as in his public service of preaching the gospel and theological teaching, the better they liked him.

thirty students. About five acres of ground were con- nected with the building. The cost of ground, build- ing, and all appurtenances was reported by the build- ing committee as being six thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight dollars and sixty cents, all of which was fully paid when the house was ready for use. The

1 By Rev. J. T. Brownlee.

406

HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

treasurer of the building fund and the active superin- tendent of the whole work was the late Daniel Houston, Esq., whose economical and otherwise effi- cient management was highly appreciated by the church at large. Twenty students were in attendance during the first session in the new building, and in view of the limited room most of them had been ac- customed to during previous terms in the doctor's house, they no doubt felt that now at length they had " been brought into a large place."

The election of an additional professor, though long in contemplation, was not realized till 1833. At the meeting of Synod in the month of October of that year, Rev. David Carson, of East Tennessee, was chosen for the chair of Hebrew and church history. He accepted the position, but could not enter upon the discharge of its duties during the session then immediately ensuing. In the month of June, 1834, he removed with his family to Canonsburg. The fatigue and exposure incident to his long journey of six hundred miles in his private conveyance aggra- vated a disease which had given him some trouble before, the result of which was that some weeks after his arrival at Canonsburg he was prostrated in a pro- tracted and painful illness, which terminated in his death, Sept. 25, 1834. Rev. D. W. Carson, D.D., of Burgettstown, Pa., and J. G. Carson, D.D., of Xenia, Ohio, are his sons and his only children now sur- viving. Though the settlement of Mr. Carson as a pastor was in a district far remote from the centres of the church's strength and influence, he was reputed to be a preacher of unusual power, and many high expectations in regard to his public usefulness as a preacher and professor were disappointed by his early and, as to many, it seemed, untimely death. He died in the thirty-fourth year of his age.

In the month of November immediately following the death of Mr. Carson, the Synod, being in session, elected Rev. Abraham Anderson, of West Hebron, N. Y., to fill the still vacant chair. He could not see his way clear to accept the office at the meeting at which he was elected, and at the meeting in the following year declined the proffered honor. And thus Dr. Ramsay, who had been long looking for as- sistance, was left one year more in the unaided per- formance of his work. At the meeting of Synod in October, 1836, Rev. Thomas Beveridge, D.D., of Phil- adelphia, was chosen to the vacant chair. Though the notice served upon him was somewhat sudden, yet in view of the pressing need for his services he moved immediately to Canonsburg, and entered on the duties of the professorship at the opening of the session of 1835-36, the first the exercises of which were conducted in the new building. The first set- tlement of Dr. Beveridge as a pastor was in the united charge of Xenia and Sugar Creek, Greene Co., Ohio. Having labored in this field for three years his health became impaired, and he was laid aside for ' some time from the active work of the ministry.

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 104

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 1216

Author: Crumrine, Boyd, 1838-1916; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Hungerford, Austin N
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia : H.L. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 1216