USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 13
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Presbytery recommended to congregations to have several days preaching in connection with communion seasons, when practicable.
The Fall meeting of the Presbytery this year, was the first meeting held after the division of the Church by the secession of the minority from the General Assembly, which met in the Seventh Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, on the 17th day of May, A. D. 1838.
A committee was appointed early in the sessions of the Presbytery, to consider and report upon the state of the Church. Rev. Messrs. D. MCKINNEY, DAVID STERRETT and JOHN OWEN, Esq., were appointed that committee. Before the close of the sessions of the Presbytery, they brought in the following report, which was accepted and adopt- ed, viz :
" The committee on the state of the church report, for the adoption of . Presbytery, the following resolutions, viz :
1st. Resolved, That the Assembly which met and constituted in the 7th Presbyterian Church, in Philadelphia, in May last, was the true and only General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.
2d. Resolved, That the body of ministers and elders which met in the Ist Presbyterian Church, in Philadelphia, was a schismatical body, and is to be considered as a secession from the General Assembly.
3d. Resolved, That all Presbyteries, parts of Presbyteries, ministers and churches, who have connected, or who may connect themselves with the above mentioned schismatical body, should be held as seceeders from the General Assembly, and as no longer composing a part of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America.
4th. Resolved, That this Presbytery will adhere to the General Assembly, and insist on the continued exclusion of the above mentioned schismatical body, whatever may be the result of suits now pending in the civil courts respecting the property of the Church, or respecting the rights of claimants to seats in the Assembly.
5th. Resolved, That we consider the late secession of a number of persons calling themselves Presbyterians, but who were really not Presbyterians, either in doctrine or in order, as a happy deliverance of our church from both dangerous error and distracting strife, and that this deliverance ef- fected in the Providence of God, calls for gratitude and praise to the Father of mercies.
6th. Resolved, That our late experience teaches us the importance of a more close adherence to our standards, and greater strictness in receiving
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members into our Presbyteries, and a more zealous effort to provide our churches abundantly with a learned, pious, and orthodox ministry.
7th. Resolved, That this Presbytery approve of the three acts ordained and established by the General Assembly of A. D. 1838, and recorded on p. p. 33-37 of the Minutes."
The acts referred to in the above resolution have relation to the pacification of the church, the minorities of Presbyteries adhering to the General Assembly, to continue the succession where they are suf- ficiently numerous to perform Presbyterial acts, and when otherwise to await the action of their respective Synods, etc., etc. These acts will be found at large in the Minutes of the General Assembly of 1838. The remaining business attended to at this meeting of the Presbytery was of the most ordinary kind.
Mr. BENJAMIN CARRELL, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Philadel- phia, was received under care of Presbytery, and calls being presented for him from Waynesburg and Newton Hamilton churches; Presby- tery appointed an adjourned meeting to be held at Waynesburg on the last Thursday of the present month, for his ordination and in- stallation, if the way should be clear. He was ordained and installed at the time appointed.
A Presbyterian Church, on application of the people, was ordered to be organized at Fruit Hill, Clearfield county, and Mr. HILL ap- pointed to do it.
The Rev. ALEXANDER PORTER, at his request, was dismissed to con- nect himself with the 2d Presbytery of Philadelphia. And the Rev. SAMUEL WILSON, to connect himself with the Presbytery of Redstone.
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The Rev. Wy. J. GIBSON having declined the call given him from the congregation of Frankstown, at this meeting of the Presbytery a call was presented from said congregation for the Rev. ALGERNON S. McMASTERS, and leave was granted to prosecute it before the Presby- tery of Albany.
A petition was presented from Mr. SAMUEL BRYSON, who many years before had been deposed from the ministry, to have the censure re- moved, whereupon it was
Resolved, That the censure be so far removed, that he be permitted to ap- ply to the Session of Spruce Creek Church for private membership, and ac- ceptance by them, if they approve of him.
As an historical fact we record it, that he was so received by the Session, and died in the communion of the church many years after-
M
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wards, giving no occasion for the renewal of the censures of the church.
Messrs. DAVID MCCAY, SAMUEL M. COOPER and FREDERICK G. BETTS, were taken under the care of Presbytery as candidates for licensure, and the several parts of trial were assigned them.
In closing up the history of the Presbytery to the end of the year of the division of the General Assembly, it is of great satisfaction to add, that the Presbytery of Huntingdon was but slightly affected by the division as to the number of its ministers and congregations; in- deed, not at all as to its ministers, all adhering to the Old School General Assembly, and as before noted only a few private members separated from two of our largest congregations, and formed two small congregations, which were connected afterwards with the New School Presbytery of Harrisburg, and these were never enlarged by accessions from neighboring Old School Churches.
On the 9th of April, 1839, the Presbytery met at Hollidaysburg. The Rev. JOHN HUTCHESON at this time resigned the office of stated clerk, the duties of which he had discharged since the death of Mr. COULTER in 1834, and Rev. JOSHUA MOORE was appointed his successor. Mr. COLLINS' pastoral relation to the church at Millerstown was dis- solved at his request and with consent of the congregation. Rev. W.M. J. GIBSON was received from the Presbytery of Beaver, and a call from the congregation of Frankstown (Hollidaysburg) presented for his pastoral labors, put into his hands, accepted by him, and arrange- ments made for his installation during the present sessions of the Presbytery.
A committee was appointed on the state of the church, consisting of Messrs. LINN, HOPE, STERRETT, ministers, and BOAL, elder. This committee reported at some length, but it is deemed not important to re-produce it in full. The decision in the civil court of the suit as to the property of the church, in the first instance, and at this time, under the presidency of Judge RODGERS, had been decided against the Old School. The substance of the report was expression of regret at this result, hope in regard to the future, trust in God and determina- tion to adhere to the General Assembly of the Old School, should all the property of the church be lost. Application had been made at this time for a new trial.
A paper was presented by the Rev. D. McKINNEY, on missionary operations within the bounds of the Presbytery, which was adopted, and is as follows, viz :
THQ! HUNTER, LITH. PHILS
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, HALLIDAYSBURG.
1
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" WHEREAS, There are extensive destitutions within the bounds of Hun- tingdon Presbytery; therefore,
Resolved, That while Presbytery feel themselves obliged not to diminish aught from their zcal and beneficence in the cause of Foreign Missions, they feel themselves imperiously called upon to make greater efforts to sup- ply their own vacancies. And whereas, our churches are likely to act more efficiently when they have a definite object in view ; therefore,
Resolved, That it be specially recommended to the ministers and churches in Mifflin and Centre counties to supply the destitutions in the Bald Eagle ridges, and to raise funds for the aid of the feeble churches in Clearfield county, and that the ministers and churches in Juniata and Huntingdon counties make similar efforts in behalf of feeble churches and destitute places in said counties, and in the part of Bedford county within our bounds. And whereas, it is highly important that the churches in Clear- field beimmediately supplied ; therefore,
Resolved, That to any brother who may settle in those churches with the · approbation of this Presbytery, we promise, either through the Board of Missions, or by special contributions from our churches, or by appropria- tions from funds raised for domestic missions, or by all these means uni- ted, the sum of two hundred dollars, annually, for the three years, if needed so long, in addition to what the churches there may contribute to his support."
The only matters of any importance to record as occurring during the latter half of this year (1839) are the resignation by Mr. LINN of his pastoral relation to the congregation of Lick Run, and giving all of his time to Bellefonte, (up to this time, these two congregations had been united in one pastoral charge,) and the report of Mr. HILL on the subject of family worship, to which service he had been ap- pointed at a previous meeting. The report was committed to a com- mittee, of which Mr. D. MCKINNEY was chairman, to prepare a pas- toral letter to the churches on the subject of family religion. At the next stated meeting of the Presbytery the committee reported a letter, which was approved by the Presbytery, and it was ordered to be published in " The Presbyterian" of Philadelphia, and the " Presbye- rian Advocate" of Pittsburgh, and two thousand copies as a tract for the use of Presbytery.
During these years the principal route of travel through Central Pennsylvania, and also for the transportation of goods, was by the great Pennsylvania Canal. There were many lines of transportation, besides a regular passenger line, running all days of the week; on the Sabbath, as well as the other days of the week. A great number of men were employed in the transportation business, and consequently
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deprived voluntarily, or by necessity of the privilege of the Sabbath. The Presbytery, out of concern for the condition of these men, and from a regard to the sacredness of the Sabbatlı, desired to do some- thing towards arresting travel and transportation on the Sabbath. Therefore the following resolution was passed at the Spring meeting of the Presbytery of 1839, viz :
"Resolved, That the ministers along the line of the canal endeavor to ascertain whether any, and what additional effort can be made to reach the boatmen with the Gospel, and induce them to regard the Sabbath as a day of rest and of worship, and report at the next meeting of Presbytery."
' At the time designated above the ministers living, along the line of the canal, reported verbally their views of the means of usefulness among boatmen ; when it was
" Resolved, That they be directed to continue their inquiries and efforts, especially to influence the owners and captains of boats to regard the obli- gations of the Fourth Commandment, and the forwarding merchants to en- courage the boats, and lines of boats which rest on the Sabbath. And further,
Resolved, That Messrs. WooDs and GIBSON be a committee to correspond with the members of the Presbyteries along the line of the canal on this subject."
. At the next meeting of the Presbytery, April 15, 1840, the following minute was made: "The committee of correspondence on the line of the canal reported. Their report was accepted, and the committee continued." This is believed to be the origin of the appointment of a missionary for boatmen on the line of the canal, which was contin- ued as long as the public works were retained in the hands of the State; or as long as the canal continued to be the chief thoroughfare for transportation and travel.
At this time Messrs. SAMUEL M. COOPER and FREDERICK G. BETTS, having passed through all their trials to the satisfaction of Presby- tery, were licensed to preach the Gospel, and Mr. BETTS was appointed to supply the churches in Clearfield county till the next stated meet- ing of Presbytery.
The following resolution, in regard to the payment of pastors' salary, was passed :
" Resolved, That the congregations are bound on Scriptural principles, punctually to discharge their pecuniary obligations to their pastors; and that the Church Sessions are hereby directed to urge upon the Trustees of their congregations a due attendance to this subject, and endeavor to have their account with their pastor settled according to the terms of the call ;
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and that Presbytery will inquire of ministers, and of the representatives of the congregations at the stated meeting in April, annually, whether settle- ments have been duly made."
The Presbytery closed its sessions at this time, "recommending to the churches to observe the Friday before their next communion as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, in view of the low state of religion in our bounds, and with desires for a revival."
At the opening of the next meeting of the Presbytery, October 6, 1840, calls were presented for Mr. COOPER from Lick Run, and for Mr. BETTS from Clearfield town, and Pike (or Curwensville), and arrange- ments were made for their ordination and installation respectively. An adjourned meeting of the Presbytery was held at Lick Run on the 15th of the current month, at which time Mr. COOPER was ordained and installed pastor of said Church; and at a meeting held at Clear- field, the 2d Wednesday of November following, Mr. BETTs was or- dained and installed pastor of Clearfield church.
At the previous stated meeting Mr. JOHN E. ALEXANDER was taken under the care of Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry. A pas- toral letter, as before noted, had been prepared and sent forth to the churches of the Presbytery, on the subject of family religion, and at this time the following minute was recorded, viz :
" Resolved, More effectually to carry out resolutious No. 1 and 3, of the pastoral letter, and for the promotion of godliness within our churches, the Sessions be required to report to Presbytery, at its next regular meeting, how far the members of sessions and of the churches are deficient 'in attend- ing to the duty of family worship."
The General Assembly having recommended the observance of the first Sabbath of January following, as a day of special prayer for the conversion of the world, the churches of the Presbytery were directed to attend to the recommendation. The attention of the churches was further directed to the resolution of the General Assembly requiring the election of deacons, as far as practicable. And it was, by resolu- tion, enjoined upon the Sessions of the Churches, to use their influ- ence for the circulation of the books of the Presbyterian Board of Publication within their respective congregations.
The Presbytery having learned that the Rev. THOMAS P. HUNT was willing, if encouraged, to visit this region of country, and lecture on the subject of temperance; therefore, it was
"Resolved, That he be and hereby is cordially welcomed into our bounds, and that the members of Presbytery will aid him in the furtherance of the cause of temperance."
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IIISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
.
Messrs. GIBSON, WOODS and PEEBLES, were appointed a committee
to communicate this resolution of the Presbytery to Mr. HUNT.
For the first time we find this year the report of the committee on the narrative of the state of religion within the bounds of the Presby- tery recorded upon the minutes. Such a committee had regularly been raised each year, and reported a narrative to be presented to the Synod, but the report itself had not been entered on the minutes.
But this year, for the first time, the whole report is spread upon the minutes. It might be interesting, if it were not too long, to copy the whole narrative, as showing the estimate of the state of religion in the churches of the Presbytery upwards of thirty years ago. Let it suffice to present a synopsis of the narrative.
" 1. The committee offer it as a matter of 'rejoicing and thanksgiving,' that a goodly number of additions have been made to the churches during the past season, and also consider, as an indication for good, the usually good attendance on the public means of grace. 2. Yet there are some things that present a melancholy aspect.
'There is a deplorable want of vital, active piety among professing christians.' With a few exceptions in some portions of the churches, they are, it is to be feared, too generally immersed in the cares and pursuits of time, to the neglect of those higher and holier objects that should first and chiefly engage their attention. Thence come a train of evils painful to behold. And first among these is the great neglect of family religion. That .there should be found families, bearing the christian name, who live in the neglect of family worship, is a matter of deep regret, and it presents what in other circumstances would be considered an absurdity. With what propriety could the priests around the Temple of old have been called such, without an altar and without sacrifices to offer upon that altar. But christians are in the ' Word of God styled priests,' and yet here is a priest without an altar, without a sacrifice ! The prevalence of intemperance, not in the church, but the seeming indifference in the church to the evil, and the want of success to the temperance cause, want of spirited and energetic support of the benevolent institutions of the church, Sabbath desecration, etc. In view of these things there is much reason for humiliation, con- fession and earnest prayer for the reviving influences of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts, and for his gracious interposition for the salvation of sin- ners in our midst."
This narrative seems to have been prepared by our late brother STERRETT, chairman of the committee.
April 13, 1841, the stated meeting of the Presbytery was held at the church of East Kishacoquillas. During the first half of this ecclesias- tical year several changes occurred in the positions of the members of the Presbytery and the supply of the churches. The Rev. WILLIAM
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HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
J. GIBSON was called to the Union Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, and on his acceptance of the call, with the permission of the Presby- tery, the congregation of Hollidaysburg was made vacant. The Rev. JOHN FLEMING was called to the congregation of Middle Tuscarora, over which he was installed by a committee of Presbytery the follow- ing month of May. An adjourned meeting of Presbytery was held at Lewistown the latter part of May, when Mr. DAVID McCAY was licen- sed to preach the Gospel. The Rev. DAVID MCKINNEY was transfer- red, by the usual process, from Spring Creek and Sinking Creek churches to Hollidaysburg. He was installed pastor of Hollidaysburg Church on the last Wednesbay of June, 1841.
There were held two adjourned meetings of Presbytery, or interme- diate meetings, between the stated Spring and Fall meeting this year. These meetings were very partially attended. The reasons for this no doubt were, the distance of many of the members from the place of meeting, and the fact that ordinarily there are but one or two items of business to be attended to, though at an adjourned meeting any Presbyterial business may be transacted.
Sometimes very important business may be transacted, but when this is foreseen it will call forth a very general attendance of the members. The last two intermediate meetings had been thinly at- tended, and some very important business had been transacted. Therefore, at the regular meeting in the Fall, a resolution was passed "earnestly enjoining on the ministers and representatives of sessions to be punctual in attending to all the meetings of Presbytery, as far as practicable." When the members of Presbytery are scattered over a large territory, as is and was the case with the Presbytery of Huntingdon, adjourned or intermediate meetings should not be held without absolute necessity. In reviewing the two intermediate meet- ings held between the first of April and the first of October, 1841, no disinterested person would decide that they were absolutely necessary, or at least that the business of the two meetings might not have been compressed into one. It is true, absent members are not called to so strict account with regard to these meetings as in case of absence from the regular stated meetings of the Presbytery, but this does not remove the difficulty. A few members of Presbytery sometimes decide very important questions.
The Presbytery of Huntingdon, from its origin, recognized the importance of the missionary operations of the Church, and were decidedly in favor of the Boards of the Church from the time of their
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HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
organization. They were among the first to perceive the inconve- nience of the irresponsible character of voluntary associations for per- forming the work of the Church. When there were no Home or Foreign Mission Boards under ecclesiastical supervision they did not overlook their obligations of duty in regard to these matters, and contributed through the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, and the American Home Missionary Society. But as soon as the General Assembly had established Home and Foreign Missionary Boards, exclusively under its own supervision, the Pres- bytery gave hearty support to these Boards. From time to time, at the successive meetings of the Presbytery, resolutions were passed favorable to the operations of these Boards, and urging ministers and congregations under their care, to support them with their prayers and contributions.
The following resolutions in behalf of the Boards were adopted at the stated meeting of the Presbytery, at Bellefonte, in the Fall of 1841, viz :
"Resolved, 1. That in the view of this Presbytery, the Boards of our Gen- eral Assembly are very important agencies in advancing the interests of Christ's kingdom, and maintaining the faith in its purity as once delivered to the saints.
Resolved, 2. That the united action and hearty co-operation of the whole Church, are indispensably necessary in carrying out the benevolent designs contemplated by these Boards.
Resolved, 3. That it be and hereby is enjoined on all the ministers of this Presbytery, to instruct their respective congregations fully in the nature, objects and operations of the above mentioned Boards.
Resolved, 4. That it is hereby enjoined on all the pastors and stated sup- plies in this Presbytery, at different and proper seasons in each ecclesiastical year, to press the claims respectively of the Boards of Missions and of Education upon the minds of their people, so as to secure their efficient and continued patronage to the various objects contemplated by them.
Resolved, 5. That ministers and their sessions shall adopt such measures, in the collection of funds as are, in their judgment, best adapted to secure the greatest amount of aid from their congregations, and that the funds so collected be transmitted to the different Boards, through the Treasurer of Presbytery, or otherwise, as may be most convenient.
Resolved, 6. That it is required of each minister or elder, at each annual Spring meeting of Presbytery, to state whether the duties enjoined in the above resolutions have been performed."
During the year 1842 several changes took place in the Presbytery ; some members were received, some were dismissed, and several candi-
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HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
dates for the ministry were licensed, and some pastoral relations were dissolved, and vacant churches supplied with pastors.
The Rev. WILLIAM ADAM was received from the Presbytery of Car- . lisle, and installed pastor of Sinking Creek and Spring Creek churches ; and Rev. WILLIAM J. GIBSON was received from the Presby- tery of Philadelphia, and installed pastor of the church of Williams- burg. There were some internal troubles in three of the churches of the Presbytery, which resulted in the resignation of their pastors. The Rev. MOSES FLOYD resigned the charge of Little Valley, which he served one-third of the time; and afterwards West Kishacoquillas congregation, which constituted the other part of his charge. The Rev. JOHN FLEMING resigned the charge of Middle Tuscarora congre- gation. Dissatisfaction had arisen in a portion of the congregation of Aughwick with the pastor, the Rev. GEORGE GRAY, and a petition presented to Presbytery for the dissolution of the pastoral relation, which the Presbytery refused to entertain because of its informality.
Mr. DAVID McCAY, a licentiate, was dismissed to put himself under the care of the Presbytery of Clarion. Mr. JOHN E. ALEXANDER, a candidate for the ministry under the care of Presbytery, was licensed to preach the gospel. Mr. THOMAS PORTER, a member of the church at Alexandria, was on application received under the care of Presby- tery, as a candidate for the ministry. Rev. MATTHEW B. HOPE was, by his own request, dismissed to connect himself with the Presbytery of Philadelphia.
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