History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 130

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 130

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The present pastoral relation, dating from Jan. 1, 1849, has at the present writing, January, 1882, com- pleted a period of thirty-three years, or an average human generation. Great changes have occurred in these years. On the present roll of three hundred and ninety-five communicants, only twenty-five remain of the two hundred and seventy-seven who greeted me at my settlement. Of course, also, including the eleven hundred and eighty-eight since received,-six hundred and thirty-nine on profession of faith, and five hundred and forty-nine by certificate from other churches,-one thousand and seventy are embraced in the lists of the deceased and the dismissed for this one generation. In all, fourteen hundred and sixty- five members of the church have sat down at the communion supper under the ministrations of the present pastor. The eleven venerable elders who "ruled well" at the opening of this pastorate have all years ago gone to their glorious reward. Three others, since introduced, have followed them, viz. : Messrs, Isaac Hewitt, James Ewing, and John Wiley. Four more who came into office under the present pastor have removed to other localities or church connections, viz. : J. Wilson Wishart, M.D., Harvey H. Clark, Ed- ward G. Cundall, Jr., and John Hoon. The following seven elders still remain in office, viz. : Thomas Mc- Kennan, M.D., James C. Acheson, Thomas Mckean, William Davis, M. Wilson McClane, William Paul, and John Vance. The present deacons are John

The next period of twelve years following Dr. Elliott's retirement from the congregation was marked with unusual frequency of change, and yet with. the . Aiken, George Davis, John B. Miller, Samuel M.

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Charlton, and George F. McCombs. The trustees of the congregation are John H. Ewing, A. Todd Baird, Alexander M. Brown, James W. McDowell, and

Colin M. Reed, Jr. In the past the following gentle- men have filled the office of trustee, not a few of whom have been distinguished in the history of Washington County, and some in that of the State and nation, viz. : Joseph Wherry, John Simonson, Parker Campbell, Hugh Wilson, Daniel Moore, Wil- liam McKennan, Hugh Wylie, Matthew Dill, Thomas McGiffin, James Orr, George Baird, Dr. John Wish- art, Robert Taylor, John Gregg, Thomas Brice, John Mitchell, Isaac Vance, Alexander Gordon, Jacob Slagle, Thomas M. T. McKennan, John Wilson, David Eckert, Isaac Hewitt, Isaac Leet, John Potter, John Grayson, Sr., James Boon, Joseph Henderson, William Hughes, John K. Wilson, John Grayson, Jr., Thomas McKennan, James G. Strean, Thomas Mckean, Alexander W. Acheson, Colin M. Reed, Sr., George Morgan, and Alexander Wilson. Only the last nine of these survive. Alexander Reed served as treasurer of the congregation twenty-seven years from 1809; Robert Officer, two years; Henry M. Koontz, five years ; Colin M. Reed, Sr., twenty-seven years; and the present occupant, A. Todd Baird, has been in this office since 1869.

Since the present pastorate commenced there have been, besides the ordinary work of the gospel, nine special seasons of grace, followed with ingatherings of new members into the church, varying in number from seventy down to twenty. The fact is also recorded with peculiar thankfulness that forty-two young men have been here brought to Christ within the same pe- riod, who have since entered the ministry of the gos- pel, eighteen of whom were sons of this church by birth and training, and the rest students of the col- lege from abroad. In the previous history of the church twenty-nine in like manner first sat down at the table of the Lord here and rose up to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, many in our own land and some on heathen shores. Sixty ministers of the gospel have found their wives in this congregation, thirty-two of them within the thirty-three years now under special review.

During this same period the contributions of the church to objects of outside beneficence, through the organized methods, have amounted to $48,849, or $1480.27 per annum. This includes the gifts of the Sabbath-school, and also those of the associations of ladies and of children. For the last ten years the ag- gregate has been $18,221, and the annual average $1822.10, or about $5 per member. The average per annum, for the same decade, of church expenses, including the pastor's salary, wages of sexton, repairs, fuel and light, and the support of the Sabbath-school, has been $3620. Under the present pastorate there have also been two church erections, both of which have been provided for by special subscriptions ; that of 1850-51 cost, in site, building, and furniture, $15,000.

The reconstruction of 1868-69, embracing the whole building except the basement, cost $23,500, including furniture and organ. Within the same period, also, 1 two strenuous efforts have been put forth in our midst - for the endowment of our college, one in 1853 and the other in 1869, the aggregate amount realized from both being $60,000 or upwards, in which the mem- bers of this congregation bore a large proportion of the burden. Through the peculiar skill and energy of the treasurer, Mr. A. T. Baird, the church has for some years been entirely free from debt.

The influence of this church in the training of missionaries deserves fuller mention than our space will allow. Devoted laborers in the frontier destitu- tions of our own land, and in lands beyond the seas, can be counted by scores who have received here during their educational training at least a part of the religious culture which prepared them for their work. More than forty years ago the Rev. William Hamilton and his wife, Mrs. Julia McGiffin Hamilton, and the Rev. E. Mckinney and his wife, carried the blessing of our church with them to the Indians be- yond the Missouri, to be followed after a decade by Misses Mary H. Mckeon and Flora Lee, who also counted not their lives dear to win souls. Mr. and Mrs. Cornes, who were sent into eternity in an in- stant by the explosion of a steamer in the harbor of Yokohama while in the prosecution of their work, will not be forgotten. Nor will the names of the sainted Clemens and his wife in Africa, or Dr. and Mrs. McFarland in Siam, or J. M. Alexander, the Newtons, Hull, Graham, and Mr. and Mrs. Ewing in India, Blachford in Brazil, Pitkin in Mexico, Miss Crouch in China, D. F. McFarland in New Mexico, Mrs. A. M. Darley in Southern Colorado, Miss Annie Mckeon in Utah, and Misses Garrett and Bousman, formerly among the freedmen of the South, die out of memory. We knew them all here in the fellow- ship of Christ, and ten of the number, all females but one, were children of our church.

Having already, in compliance with the wishes of the gentleman who asked this paper at my hands, gone far beyond my own first conception as to its length, I am led further by request from the same source to add a sketch of the Sabbath-school con- nected with this church. This is all the more allow- able, inasmuch as this school claims precedence in origin over all others west of the Alleghenies, and only defers in this respect to a few in the whole land. From its formal organization, June 15, 1816, it has come down in unbroken succession until now. The year of its origin stands out prominently in the his- tory of the extensive and powerful revivals of religion, and the consequent large schemes of beneficence and Christian activity, which distinguished the first quar- ter of the present century. Sabbath-schools as they now exist in this country are generally traced to the labors of the Rev. Mr. May, a missionary from Lon- don, who came to Philadelphia in 1811, and organ-

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ized a model school, giving it his care for a whole winter. Other schools soon followed, and in 1815, 1816, and 1817 they began to multiply in various parts of the country. The school of which we now write is older by eight years than the American Sunday- School Union, and only a month later in origin than the older of the two societies out of which that Union was formed. But its conception even antedates its organization by more than two years.

A meeting was held in Washington, Feb. 11, 1814, with David Morris, Esq., for its chairman and Dr. John Wishart for its secretary. Its triple purpose was to " provide for the proper administration of the poor laws," to "discourage the use of spirituous liquors, and to suppress all vice and immorality," and to "establish and support a Sunday-school for the education of indigent children." The Rev. Matthew Brown, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, and two of his elders, Obadiah Jennings, Esq., and Dr. John Wishart, were appointed a committee to prepare a constitution for the society. When it came to fulfill- ment, as we have seen, in 1816, its declared purpose, so far as the Sunday-school was concerned, was "to instruct the children of Washington and vicinity, during the vacant hours of the Sabbath, in reading the Scriptures and other appropriate exercises." A published report of the "Washington Sunday- School Association" in 1818 speaks of the school as then having been in operation two years, and as having had an average of "one hundred and fifty - pupils," of whom " many have exhibited strong proofs of diligence and excellent capacity." In form and name it was not at first strictly a denominational school, yet its sessions were held in the Presbyterian Church, and it was supported and managed by Pres- byterians. And when, in 1825, the Methodist Epis- copal. school was established, and others afterwards, it remained without change as the Presbyterian school.

William C. Blair and James Williamson, both stu- dents in college. Then followed in succession Charles Hawkins, Peter De Haven, George Baird, Professor John W. Scott, Abner Leonard, Professor J. Holmes Agnew, William McCowles, John McClintock, Henry Williams, and James D. Mason. This brings us down to Oct. 29, 1838, when Dr. Robert R. Reed entered upon this charge with the trepidation so characteris- tic of his modest spirit, but with the fine intelligence, quick movement, genial manner, and Christian con- secration which made him a centre of attraction and power alike to teachers and pupils through a service of twenty-six years. His activity ended with his sud- den death Dec. 14, 1864, in the fifty-eighth year of his age,-an event followed with universal lamenta- tion. The vacancy thus created was filled by the choice of James C. Acheson, another elder of the church, and for some time previous the assistant super- intendent. After eighteen years of wise, kindly, and faithful service he still abides in strength, surrounded by an earnest band of co-workers, some of whom have come down with him through all these years.

The school has not been without the fluctuations incident to such work. But it has never failed to be a blessing of religious instruction and influence both to the children of the church and to very many be- yond it. Better still is the fact that again and again, along the whole line of this progress, it has by divine grace been a birth-place of souls, not less than two hundred additions to the communion of the church having within the knowledge of the present writer come immediately from its classes. The infant de- partment, organized in 1852, has continued with marked efficiency through the thirty intervening years, and now has an enrollment of one hundred " lambs" to be fed under the direction of the " Good Shepherd." The main school numbers two hundred and twenty-five, making three hundred and twenty- five in all. The number of officers and teachers is thirty. The average cost of conducting the school per annum has been $198.52 for the last ten years. For the same period the yearly average of missionary contributions has been $307.63. The enterprise has been a source of blessing for sixty-six years. Long may its streams flow on to make glad the city of our God.

It was eminently useful from the first, though some . in the community thought it needless, and others a profanation of the Sabbath. On the 16th day of July, 1828, chiefly through the agency of this school, a Wash- ington County Sunday-School Union was formed, aux- iliary to the American Sunday-School Union, then only four years in existence, having for its object a general co-operation in this work, and the establishment of new schools throughout the county. It was reorganized in A fit conclusion of this imperfect sketch is our cor- 1830, with the Hon. Thomas H. Baird as its president, ' dial brotherly recognition of the other churches of and the Rev. Thomas Hoge as its secretary. The vice- our town, devoted like ourselves to the extension of the Redeemer's kingdom. This is especially due to the Second Presbyterian Church, which, to meet a pressing need, was organized in 1864 from a nucleus of two elders, a deacon, and fifty-two private mem- bers, dismissed from our ranks for this purpose. Under the divine blessing it has risen to strength and efficiency. Its vigorous Sabbath-school is also a living stream which flows forth from our own. Let the mother and daughter thank God and take courage presidents were the Revs. Messrs. David Elliott, D.D., Matthew Brown, D.D., Elisha McCurdy, John Brown, and David Limerick. The managers in behalf of the Presbyterian school of Washington were Messrs. Alex- ander Reed, Thomas M. T. McKennan, and John Wil- son .. Those for the Methodist school, the only other in the town, were Messrs. Philip Potter and James Ruple. The continuance and fruits of this association are beyond our knowledge.

The first two superintendents of the school were . together in view of the fact that, in the aggregate

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membership of both, our Presbyterianism has nearly trebled its strength in Washington in the compass of a generation.

Second Presbyterian Church.1-The origin of the movement which resulted in the existence of this church was mainly with Mr. C. M. Reed, aided by others who were at once both members of the First Church and intimately connected with the college. The plan was to call a pastor to the church and a professor to the college, and, by combining the salary derived from the two sources, raise a sum larger than either could alone. This suggestion met with hearty favor from those connected with the college, notably from Rev. J. W. Scott, D.D., who was then its presi- dent. Many conferences were had on the subject, and it finally culminated in a meeting of the First Church Dec. 9, 1860, to consider means for securing enlarged church accommodations. A committee was appointed to report on the subject, and at another meeting on Dec. 27, 1860, a majority then reported as follows :

" Believing it to be our duty to furnish the means of hearing to all who may desire, or can be constrained to listen to the preaching of the divine message ; that said accommodation is not furnished in our present church, and that any increase of sittings is impracticable and inexpedi- ent, and that the size of our congregation justifies the recommendation of the formation of a new congregation as the only effectual remedy in this present exigency ; therefore,

" Resolved, That in the opinion of this congregation the interests of religion would be promoted by the organization of a second Presbyte- rian congregation in Washington; and whenever any number of per- sons will signify their willingness to engage in a new church enterprise, this congregation will lend them all the aid, comfort, and encouragement in its power, and to that end do now appoint a committee to co-operate with them in the accomplishment of this object."

This committee consisted of C. M. Reed, Thomas Mckean, John Grayson, Jr., H. H. Clark, aud W. B. Cundall. On the 3d of February, 1861, they met with the session of the First Church, and that session unanimously passed these resolutions commending the project :

" Resolved, That as the committee requested the session, if in accord- ance with their views, to designate two of their number to go off, and the session having learned that the two members desired by the persons favorable to the movement are Dr. John W. Wishart and H. H. Clark ; therefore, if these brethren should feel themselves assured that such is their duty, whilst retaining unabated and unqualified confidence and Christian affection for them as brethren, and also expressing our sorrow at the thought of their separation from our number, yet we cannot with- hold our consent, and will follow them with our prayers for the blessing of the Master upon themselves individually and upon the enterprise with which they are connected.

" Resolved, That we recommend to the members of the church and congregation, 80 far as they may severally feel enabled and inclined, to lend this movement all the aid, comfort, and encouragement in their power."

With this encouragement from the mother-church, those interested in the enterprise pushed it vigorously forward, until they were ready for organization by Presbytery. Of this organization the following, from the minutes of Presbytery, is perhaps the best history :

" WASHINGTON, PA., March 12, 1861.

" The Presbytery of Washington held a pro re nata meeting in the lecture-room of the Presbyterian Church of Washington, at 11 o'clock A.M., pursuant to a call of the moderator upon the written request of two ministers and two elders, the latter being of different churches, and was opened with prayer.

"The following members were present, viz. : Messrs. John W. Scott, William P. Alrich, James W. McKennan, James I. Brownson, Alexan- der McCarrell, William B. Keeling, and N. B. Lyons, ministers, and Messrs. Joseph Henderson, John Hoon, and James Hughes, elders.

"The temporary clerk being absent, Mr. Keeling was appointed clerk pro tem. The moderator, Dr. Scott, stated the object of the meeting to be the organization of a second church in Washington, if the way be clear, and also the reception of the Rev. James Black, a professor in Washington College, as a member of Presbytery. * * * ¥ *

"The subject of the organization of a second church in Washington was now taken up. A memorial from sundry persons, members of the church and others, asking to be organized into a second church was read. Certificates of dismission of thirty-six members of the church of Wash- ington and one from the church of Martinsville, Ohio, were presented and read, and, being in order, were approved. Dr. J. Wilson Wishart then appeared in behalf of the memorialists and made a full statement of the reasons which had induced the movement, all of which had grown solely out of the necessity for additional church accommodations. He bore decided testimony to the warm and unabated affection of lall con- cerned for the pastor and other officers, as well as for the church itself. And he further presented and read the action of a meeting of the Wash- ington congregation approving and recommending the 'movement by a vute of thirty nine to seven, and also the subsequent action of the session of the church acquiescing and concurring in the same. The pastor being called on approved the statement of Dr. Wishart as correct, and also fully reciprocated the kind expression of feeling for himself and the church which had been made, and further stated that whilst there had been some difference of opinion originally as to the expedieucy of this move- ment as compared with others suggested for the same end, there was now, since the decision of the question, no exception within his knowl- edge to the kindliest mutual good will and fraternal feeling without any suspicions of motives, and also an entire willingness to commit all the interests of the church in our midst to the future disposal of the Master himself.

" It was resolved unanimously that the prayer of the memorialists be grauted.

"The persons whose certificates of dismission had been offered and approved then presented themselves, and, in response to the interroga- tion of the moderator, declared, by rising, their adherence to the doc- trines and order of the Presbyterian Church, and their agreement and covenant together in a church relation.

"An election for officers was then held in the presence of the pres- bytery, the moderator presiding, when Dr. J. Wilson Wishart, Harvey H. Clark, John Grayson, Jr., and William B. Cundall were unanimously elected ruling elders, and David Aiken and William J. Mathews, deacons.

"Dr. Wishart and Mr. Clark having been elders in the mother-church, and having now declared their acceptance of the same office in the new organization, were installed as such, the Rev. J. I. Brownson, at the're- quest of the moderator, proposing the constitutional questions, and the Rev. J. W. McKennan leading the assembly in prayer. The ordination of the remaining elders and also the deacons and their installation were deferred to such a time as the church might appoint.

" It was then resolved that the church now organized be enrolled as the Second Church of Washington.

" The minutes were read and approved, and the presbytery adjourned, concluding with prayer.

" JAMES I. BROWNSON, Stated Clerk."

The following is the certificate issued by the First Church to those going out to form the Second :

March 12, 1861, the following-named persons were dismissed to join the Second Church of Washington : C. M. Reed, Sarah E. Reed, John Grayson, Jr., Mrs. Sarah E. Grayson, Harvey H. Clark, Mrs. Margaret L. Clark, William B. Cundall, Mrs. Emily C. Cun- dall, Nancy Jane Cundall, Dr. J. Wilson Wishart,

1 Taken principally from an address by the Rev. George P. Hays, D.D. . Mrs. Sarah H. McGiffin, Mrs. Eleanor Donehoo, Mrs.

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Phebe H. Scott, Mary Scott, Kate Scott, Jennie Scott, Mrs. Julia A. Black, Martha G. Black, Mrs. Eliza J. Blachley, William Blair, Mrs. Assena A. Blair, Mary Blair, David Aiken, Mrs. C. Aiken, Martha A. Aiken, William J. Matthews, Mrs. Fanny P. Mathew, Mar- garet S. Pyle, Margaret J. Pyle, Madeline Le Moyne, Jane Le Moyne, John Baird, Harriet S. Baird, James E. Smiley, Mrs. Hetty Smiley, Eliza Dare.

JOSEPH HENDERSON, Clerk:

The church having thus been organized by Presby- tery, a meeting was held in the lecture-room of the First Church that same evening to complete the or- ganization by electing trustees, etc., of which meet- ing the following is the minute :

" At a meeting of the congregation of the Second Presbyterian Churchı of Washington, Pa., held in the lecture-room of the Presbyterian Church, in Washington, Pa., on Tuesday evening, March 12, 1861, Rev. J. W. Scott, D.D., was called to the chair, and W. J. Mathews elected secre- tary.

" The object of the meeting was stated to be to complete the organiza- tion of said congregation by adopting a constitution and electing officers to manage the temporal affairs of the congregation, and the transacting of such other business of the congregation as may be brought before this meeting.

" A constitution having been read and submitted, . . . on motion to proceed to nominate trustees, C. M. Reed, Andrew Brady, John Baird, William Blair, and Norton McGiffin were nominated and unanimously elected. C. M. Reed was nominated and unanimously elected for treasurer.

"On motion that this congregation proceed to elect a pastor, the Rev. Richard V. Dodge, of Wheeling, Va., was nominated and unanimously elected. A motion to accompany the call to the pastor-elect with the promise to pay him a salary of not less than two hundred and fifty dol- lars was unanimously adopted. The motion that the call be signed by the elders, deacons, and trustees of the congregation was adopted.

"Mr. H. H. Clark and Dr. J. W. Wishart were elected commissioners to present the call to the presbytery of Washington at its next regular meeting.

" The motion of Mr. Smiley that the trustees be directed to fit up the College Hall as a place of worship was amended, and amendment ac- cepted, that the trustees be directed to procure the College Hall for a place of worship for this congregation. This motion and amendment were, after full and free discussion, adopted unanimously.

" A motion that this congregation proceed to meet for worship, as a congregation, immediately was decided in the negative. A motion that a subscription paper be drawn up for the purpose of raising the neces- Bary funds for the payment of the Pastor and other expenses of the con- gregation was adopted.

"On motion, Messrs. C. M. Reed, John Baird, A. C. Morrow, and Thomas M. Wiley were elected a committee to take charge of the sub- scription paper mentioned above.

"On motion, the Trustees were directed to apply to the Court for a charter for this congregation. After prayer by the Rev. James Black, on motion adjourned."

The charter adopted at this meeting (March 12, 1861) provided :

" ARTICLE 3. That the Trustees of said congregation shall be five in number, and until others shall be appointed shall consist of the follow- Ing-named persons, viz .: C. M. Reed, Andrew Brady, John Baird, Wil- liam Blair, and Norton McGiffin, who shall continue in office until the first Monday of April, 1862, on which day, and on the same day yearly thoreafter, the members of the congregration shall at a general meeting thereof elect by ballot or otherwise five persons to serve as Trustees, to continue in office one year and until their successors are duly qualified."

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History of Washington County, Pennsylvania : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 130

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