USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 17
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The Rev. SAMUEL M. COOPER was called to the congregation of Clear- field for three-fourths of his time ; this call was accepted by him after consideration, and arrangements made for the employment of the remaining part of his time.
The Rev. ALEXANDER BOYD resigned charge of the congregation of Mt. Pleasant, and was dismissed to the Presbytery of Cedar, Iowa.
Thus far we have noticed the several changes which took place in the Presbytery during the year 1853. It only remains to note two other matters of business of some importance. A communication was received from the Board of Foreign Missions, the purport of which will be understood by the following action of Presbytery in reference to it, viz :
" The Rev. Messrs. HAMILL, STERRETT, HAMILTON and HUGHES were appointed a committee to visit the churches, and exchange pulpits with any of the pastors who might desire the subject of Foreign Missions to be spe- cially presented to their people. It was further resolved, in view of the great need of increased effort for the conversion of the world, and the in- creased liabilities of our Boards of Foreign and Domestic Missions from year to year; and in view of the fact that our vacant congregations are not in the habit generally of making any contributions to either one of them, that the committee on supplies be directed to appoint one supply to present the cause of Domestic Missions, and one to present the cause of Foreign Missions to the vacant churches within our bounds, once each year, and to take all proper measures to encourage subscriptions and collections among them."
The Presbytery has always been among the foremost in the advo- cacy of temperance, since the beginning of the reformation on that subject. Perhaps no Presbytery had suffered more from the common and habitual use of intoxicating drinks-especially in the early his- tory of the Presbytery-and none less for the last thirty years. The
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following action was had on the subject at the stated meeting in October, 1853 :
"WHEREAS, the evils of intemperance, arising from the manufacture, sale and use of ardent spirits as a drink, in the effects which are consequent on families and individuals, are most disastrous in a moral and religious point of view ; and whereas, efforts have been made with success in some places, to have the traffic prevented by State legislation ; and whereas, there are now strenuous efforts made in this State to have such a law passed as will be similar in its operation to that which is known as the 'Maine Liquor Law ;' therefore,
Resolved, That in the mind of this Presbytery, such an effort is well de- signed, and deserves the hearty concurrence and warm support of all the friends of humanity and religion in our bounds."
As the years advance the business of the Presbytery multiplies with the increase of the churches, and the number of ministers and licen- tiates, and candidates for the ministry. The annual enlargement of the churches generally under the supervision of the General Assem- bly, multiplies the business of the several Presbyteries at their semi- annual and intermediate meetings. During the year 1854 more business was transacted, or occupied the time and attention of the Presbytery of Huntingdon, than any former year, and yet mostly of the ordinary kind.
Ordinarily the stated meetings of the Presbytery continued only two days, seldom reaching into the third day, but this year three full days, at the Spring and Fall meetings each, were occupied with the business of Presbytery, leaving an unusual amount of business to be transacted at the adjourned meeting in June. The business of the Presbytery commenced with the commencement of the year. A pro re nata meeting was held in January for the purpose of releasing the Rev. LOWMAN P. HAWES from the charge of the Presbyterian Church of Huntingdon, who, on account of declining health, purposed travel- ing for a time in foreign lands. At the stated meeting in April, the Rev. O. O. McCLEAN of the Presbytery of Carlisle, was called to the pastoral charge of the church just vacated by Mr. HAWES, and at the adjourned meeting in June he was received on certificate from said Presbytery, and installed pastor of the church of Huntingdon. Some difficulties with regard to the boundary line between the churches of Alexandria and Shaver's Creek having arisen, the subject was referred to Presbytery. The question was settled for the time being, by the Presbytery ordering that the pastor of Shaver's Creek should not preach nearer to Alexandria church than five miles, unless by invita- 21
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tion of the pastor or session of said church ; and the pastor of Alexan- dria should not preach nearer to Shaver's Creek church at Manor Hill, than seven miles, unless invited by the pastor or session of the aboved named church. This action led in part to the resignation of Rev. RICHARD CURRAN of the pastoral charge of the congregation of Shaver's Creek ; at least this was one of the reasons assigned by Mr. CURRAN for asking leave to resign the charge, at the next stated meet- Ing. In granting his request the Presbytery passed the following resolution :
" Ist. That they cannot approve the principal reason assigned by Mr. CURRAN, viz : that he felt aggrieved by the action of Presbytery at its last meeting, and that said action limited his sphere of usefulness. For the Presbytery are of the opinion that the said action was lawful, and adopted with a view to the best interests of the cause of Christ in that region.
2d. Presbytery cannot approve of the custom of ministers and congrega- tions making all their arrangements for a separation and dissolution of the pastoral relation, and entering into other engagements which create a necessity for such a dissolution, previous to bringing the case before Presby- tery. Our Form of Government confers upon Presbytery the power of constituting and dissolving the pastoral relation, and we deem it improper that cases of this kind should be decided and settled in advance of the judgment of Presbytery.
3d. We recommend to pastors and churches in connection with this Pres- bytery, to observe the process prescribed in Chapter XVII of the Form of Government."
The Rev. WILLIAM CHESTER, D. D., secretary of the Board of Educa- tion, being present, addressed the Presbytery on the subject of the education of young men for the ministry, and the wants of the Board. After which, the Rev. Mr. LINN was appointed to bring in a minute expressive of the views of the Presbytery upon the subject. Dr. LINN reported the next day in a series of resolutions to the following im- port :
" 1st. Recognizing the moral and spiritual destitutions of the world;
2d. The lack of young men offering themselves for the gospel ministry ; 3d. The increasing population of the country calling loudly on the churches for more liberal contributions in aid of the Board ;
4th. The duty of professing parents to give prayerful attention to the religious instruction of their children, that their minds may be impressed with a sense of the duties that devolve upon them from their baptism."
In this connection Messrs. JUNKIN and PEEBLES, ministers, and J. B. RIDDLE, elder, were appointed a committee to memorialize the General Assembly to authorize the Board of Education to increase the
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yearly allowance for the support of candidates for the ministry. This committee reported a memorial, setting forth several good and suffi- cient reasons why there should be an increased amount appropriated for the support of the beneficiaries, such as " the insufficiency of the amount then given to students in colleges and academies, being only $75. Other discouragements to try the zeal and constancy of young men, without the spirit, wearing struggle with pecuniary difficulties ; a liberal system would not only call forth more men, but secure the blessing of the Master, and call forth more means from the churches."
A communication from the Presbytery of Baltimore, proposing a definite plan for a division of the Synod, was considered by the Pres- bytery at its meeting in the Spring of this year, and the plan decided- ly disapproved of; and further, the Commissioners to the General Assembly instructed to oppose any division of the Synod. However, the General Assembly did divide the Synod, against which division the Presbytery entered their dissent or protest, giving reasons there- for in a series of resolutions prepared by a committee. Nevertheless the division took effect, and the two Synods continued as divided till the reunion of the Old and New School.
The following accessions to the roll of Presbytery and other changes took place during this year. The Rev. THOMAS STEVENSON was receiv- ed from the Presbytery of Ohio, and installed pastor of the churches of Spruce Creek 2d and Pine Grove. The Rev. JOHN PEEBLES return- ed the certificate of dismission which he had received to the Presby- tery of Green Briar the previous year, and was again enrolled as a . member of Presbytery. The Rev. A. B. CLARK was received from the Presbytery of Blairsville, and installed pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Altoona. The Rev. S. H. McDONALD resigned the pastoral charge of the church of West Kishacoquillas. A church was organi- zed out of parts of the church of Alexandria and Shaver's Creek, called the Cottage Church.
The following candidates for the ministry were received under the care of Presbytery, namely, Messrs. SAMUEL T. THOMPSON, a member of the Perryville church, (the name of said church having at this time been changed to Milroy to distinguish it from another place of the same name,) JOSEPH H. BARNARD, D. J. BEALE, JOHN D. BROWN and GEORGE FIFE.
Mr. THOMAS WARD was received as a licentiate from the Presbytery of New Lisbon, and Messrs. RICHARD H. MORROW, ROBERT T. WILSON and JOSEPH H. MATHERS were licensed to preach the gospel, at the ad-
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journed meeting in June. At the stated meeting in October, Mr. SAMUEL T. THOMPSON was licensed to preach.
The first public movement was made in Presbytery near the close of this ecclesiastical year, to secure parsonages in the churches for their pastors. Rev. Dr. D. X. JUNKIN, and JOSEPH SMITH, elder of Holli- daysburg Church, were appointed a committee to report on the sub- ject to the next stated meeting.
This year is marked by the lamented death of two of the most amiable and excellent members of the Presbytery, the Rev. JOSHUA MOORE, pastor of the church of East Kishacoquillas, and Rev. JOHN PEEBLES, late pastor of the church of Huntingdon. Mr. MOORE died on the 15th of April, and Mr. PEEBLES on the 11th of August fol- lowing.
The Rev. Messrs. JUNKIN and LINN were appointed a committee to prepare a minute on the death of Mr. MOORE, who reported the fol- lowing, which was unanimously adopted, viz :
" The Presbytery having learned with profound regret of the death of our beloved brother in the ministry, the Rev. JOSHUA MOORE, late pastor of the congregation of East Kishacoquillas, it was ordered that this minute be adopted in reference to his lamented departure. Our brother was pre- sented from attending the last stated meeting by the illness which resulted in his death, but at that time we little apprehended that our Presbytery and his congregation would be so suddenly bereaved, yet after an illness of less than a week he fell asleep in Jesus on the 15th day of April, 1854. In recording the death of this excellent brother, this Presbytery bear testi- mony to his worth as a man of God, and a learned, faithful, and devoted minister of Christ. His lovely and beloved memory shall long live amongst us. His meekness, his urbanity, his brotherly kindness, his con- sistent piety, his love for souls and his zeal for the glory of the Master, were such as to endear him to this Presbytery, and to the people of God; and whilst these assure us of the peace and triumph of his death, they en- hance our sense of the bereavement we have sustained. His family and his congergation are assured of the tenderest condolence of this Presbytery, and whilst we mourn his departure, we ought to be admonished by it to be also ready. 'With us his name shall live through long succeeding years, embalmed with all our hearts can give, fond memories and tears.'"'
The Rev. OLIVER O. McCLEAN was appointed to prepare an obituary notice, and bring in a minute on the death of Rev. JOHN PEEBLES. Mr. McCLEAN presented the following, which was also heartily adopted by Presbytery, viz :
" In recording the death of this excellent brother, Presbytery would ex- press its sense of great loss. The departure of a minister is always a sad
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bereavement, but the decease of such a man as he was, whose loss we now mourn, is indeed a special calamity. We miss his wisdom and discretion in our counsels, and his agreeable intercourse in private. But the church of Christ particularly feels the stroke of the affliction. For nearly a quarter of a century he labored for her prosperity. And the fact of his long settle- ment in an important field, attests the fidelity with which he discharged his duties, whilst the reluctance with which his people agreed to a separa- tion, indicates their high satisfaction with his ministry. Thankful that God permitted us to enjoy his presence so long, and recollecting with great pleasure the Christian graces that adorned his character, (especially those of humility, meekness and fraternal kindness,) and how well in every walk in life he illustrated by holy living, the gospel he preached, the Presbytery rejoice in the confident hope that he has gone by the door of Christ's blood to the rest of the people of God."
The brethren who prepared the above obituary notices of the be- loved MOORE and PEEBLES, were warm hearted men, capable of appre- ciating the Christian and ministerial excellencies of the beloved dead, yet not one word in all that they have expressed, but is literally true without the slightest exaggeration.
At the stated meeting of the Presbytery, April 10, 1855, the Rev. MILES T. MERWIN was dismissed to the Presbytery of New Brunswick, and Rev. Messrs. F. A. PRATT was received from the Presbytery of Dane, and GEORGE W. SHAEFFER from the Presbytery of Allegheny. The latter was called to the congregation of Shirleysburg for one-half of his time, and the call being accepted, Messrs. ELLIOTT, MORRISON and STERRETT were appointed a committee of installation at a time to be agreed on among themselves.
Mr. THOMAS SPEARS, a licentiate from the Presbytery of Redstone, was called by the congregation of Little Valley, but being a foreign licentiate, and not having completed the time of probation, the call was retained in the hands of Presbytery till his papers had passed the review of Synod. At an adjourned meeting of Presbytery, held at Little Valley, November 13, 1855, Mr. SPEARS was ordained and in- stalled pastor of said church.
On the 10th of April, Rev. LOWMAN P. HAWES was dismissed to the Presbytery of Iowa. Rev. B. E. COLLINS at this time received calls from the churches of Morris and Moshannon, and Messrs. LINN, COOPER and GIBSON were appointed a committee to install him at a time agreed on by themselves. Rev. JAMES J. HAMILTON gave notice of his purpose to resign the charge of the congregation of Curwins- ville. At the adjourned meeting held in June following, the congre-
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gation having signified their consent, the pastoral relation was dis- solved. The Rev. NATHAN SHOTWELL was received in April from the Presbytery of Washington, Pa. A call from the congregation of East Kishacoquillas for his pastoral services was laid before Presbytery, and accepted by him; Drs. JUNKIN, WOODS and THOMPSON were ap- pointed the committee of installation.
Mr. WILLIAM R. BOYER, after the usual examination, was received under the care of Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry, and recommended for aid to the Board of Education.
The Rev. S. H. McDONALD having offered his resignation of the pas- toral charge of the congregation of West Kishacoquillas, at the previous Fall meeting of the Presbytery, and the congregation con- senting, the pastoral relation was at this time dissolved.
At the adjourned meeting in June the Rev. D. STERRETT requested liberty to resign the charge of McVeytown and Newton Hamilton congregations, and at the stated meeting in October his request was granted. At a special meeting held at Hollidaysburg, August 14, Rev. JAMES SMITH was dismissed to the Presbytery of Allegheny.
The stated Fall meeting of the Presbytery was held at Bellefonte, at which calls were laid before Prespytery from the churches of Mc Veytown and Newton Hamilton for Mr. RICHARD H. MORROW, a licentiate of this Presbytery ; but as Mr. MORROW had requested a dismission to the Presbytery of Cedar Rapids, lowa, the following action was had by Presbytery, viz :
" Resolved, That the request of Mr. MORROW be granted.
Resolved, That while Presbytery grant the request, they would not hereby be considered as intimating what may be his duty as to remaining in the West, or returning at the calls of the churches of McVeytown and Newton Hamilton."
Mr. MORROW was then in Iowa.
Mr. ROBERT F. WILSON, a licentiate, was at the same time dismissed to the Presbytery of Carlisle. Calls from the congregations of Fruit Hill and Mt. Pleasant were laid before Presbytery for the Rev. J. J. HAMILTON.
Letters were received from the Board of Education and from the Committee of Church Extension located at St. Louis. The usual series of resolutions were passed, commending these objects to the prayers and liberality of the churches. The Presbytery never failed, upon their attention being called to these objects, to abound in strongly worded resolutions ; as was undoubtedly the practical expe-
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rience of all the Presbyteries. But the subject of Systematic Benevo- lence seriously engaged the attention of the Presbytery at this time. A committee had been appointed a year before to prepare a report on this subject, and at this time reported the following paper, viz :
"Resolved, Ist. That love to the Church cause is an essential element of christian piety, and regular communication of our worldly substance ac- cording as God has prospered us, an ordinary important part of practical religion.
Resolved, 2d. That accordingly it is as much the duty of the pastors and officers of the Church to make arrangements for the cultivation of the grace of benevolence for the performance of this part of practical religion as for any other of the offices of religion ; therefore,
Resolved, 3d. That it be affectionately enjoined upon the pastors and other appropriate officers of the churches to adopt and put into efficient operation some plan for making regular collections for the four Boards of the Church, and the Assembly's Committee of Church Extension, so that a contribution for each shall be made at least once every year. And it is further enjoined, that one or other of the following plans be adopted by each church, pro- vided there is not one equally efficient already in operation : .
Plan Ist. A card, or book with the names of all the members of the con- gregation upon it, with the columns for weekly, or monthly, or quarterly sums, such as they may voluntarily offer to pay. The sums to be paid either to the elders, the deacons, or to persons specially appointed in each district of the congregation.
2d. Monthly collections in the Church to be divided amongst the Boards at the discretion of the deacons or elders.
3d. A quarterly sermon in behalf of the Boards, assigning a quarter to each, to be followed by a collection or subscription for the Board whose cause was advocated in the sermon."
Another committee, which had been appointed also at a previous meeting, to take into consideration the desirableness and expediency of appointing one or more itinerant missionaries to labor in the desti- tute fields and feeble congregations in our bounds, also, at this meeting, reported favorably to the object, with an indication of plans for the carrying it into effect. The report was adopted, and arrange- ments made for putting it into immediate operation. It proved to be an entire success, and this very year (1872) the Presbytery had the satisfaction of ordaining and installing a young man as permanent pastor over the principal points of the missionary field ; contemplated self-supporting, or almost so; perhaps entirely at this time.
At the stated meeting of the Presbytery in October, 1854, a church was organized out of parts of the congregations of Alexandria and
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Shaver's Creek, the ecclesiastical centre of which was to be at Shaver's Creek bridge, called the Cottage Church. At an adjourned meeting held on the 18th day of October, 1855, this church presented a call for the pastoral services of the Rev. RICHARD CURRAN, late pastor of Shaver's Creek congregation.
Mr. CURRAN had been previously dismissed by letter to connect him- self with the 2d Presbytery of Philadelphia, but having returned the certificate of dismission, his name was restored to the roll of Presby tery, and the call from the Cottage Church being put into his hands and accepted by him. Messrs. GEORGE ELLIOTT, O. O. McCLEAN and THOMAS STEVENSON were appointed a committee to install him over the said church.
At the adjourned meeting, held January 8, 1856, Mr. R. F. WIL- soy had his certificate of dissmission changed from the Presbytery of Carlisle to Cedar Presbytery, Iowa. And the Rev. JOHN ELLIOTT was elected presbyterial missionary ; and his pastoral relation to the congregation of Williamsburg was dissolved at the stated meeting in April following, to enable him to accept of the missionary ap- pointment. This was much displeasing to the congregation, and in consequence they refused to contribute to the fund for the support of the missionary. It is believed that they never contributed any thing to the missionary fund, even under several changes of missionaries, so permanent was their displeasure.
Calls from the churches of McVeytown and Newton Hamilton for Rev. DAVID D. CLARKE were laid before Presbytery, and liberty was granted to prosecute them before the Presbytery of Carlisle, of which ยท he was a member. At an adjourned meeting held at Newton Hamilton, June 3, 1856, Mr. CLARKE was received from the Presbytery of Carlisle and installed pastor of the above named churches. At the stated meeting in April preceding, the Rev. Dr. JUNKIN was called to the Ist Presbyterian Church of Ft. Wayne; which call he afterwards de- clined. The Sessions of the Presbytery at this time closed with the adoption of the narrative of the state of religion within its bounds. The character of the narrative may be inferred from the few first sen- tences, as follows : "The Presbytery would report on the state of reli- gion in their bounds, that nothing has occurred during the past year that claims special attention. Our churches generally are in a grow- ing condition. A good degree of harmony prevails. The public means of grace have been well attended," &c., &c.
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Occasionally cases of discipline came before Presbytery by complaint or appeal; but no case of discipline was for the last thirty years ear- ried from the Presbytery to a higher court. The decision of the Presbytery was accepted as final. At this time notice of appeal to Synod from the judgment of the Presbytery in a judicial case was given, but the appeal never was prosecuted.
The Presbytery met in October, 1856, at Sinking Valley. At this stated meeting Mr. J. H. MATHERS, a licentiate of the Presbytery, was ordained as an Evangelist, and Mr. ALEXANDER MILLER WOODS Was licensed to preach the gospel.
The first report of the itinerant missionary, Rev. JOHN ELLIOTT, was made to the Presbytery at this time, in reference to which the follow- ing minute was adopted, viz :
" Presbytery having heard the report of our Itinerant Missionary, ex- press their satisfaction with his diligence, and their gratification at the favorable indications for usefulness resulting from this agency, and they express the hope that our pastors and people will continue in increased measure to favor this work with their prayers and pecuniary aid."
As the result of Mr. ELLIOTT's missionary labors a church was or- ganized at Tyrone city, April 7, 1857, consisting of twelve members, and two elders, ADAM LIFFORD and JOSEPH HAGERTY. It has since become a strong and flourishing church. The Rev. JOHN MOORE pre- sented a certificate of dismission from the Presbytery of Saltsburg to connect himself with this Presbytery, and a call from the congrega- tion of Williamsburg was put into his hands, accepted by him, and a committee was appointed to install him on the 22d of May, consisting of Messrs. GIBSON, McCLEAN and JOHN ELLIOTT. Messrs. D. W. FISHER, JAMES A. REED, and JAMES H. WILSON were received under the care of . Presbytery as candidates for the gospel ministry. The Rev. SAMUEL LAWRENCE, pastor of the church of Milroy, tendered his resignation of the charge, assigning as a reason that a majority of the congregation had voted in favor of a union between that church and East Kishaco- quillas. A paper was presented and read, in which the congregation express assent to the dissolution of the pastoral relation, and in which those present engage to pay their usual stipend to him up to the 1st of April, 1858, and recommend all the other members of the congre- gaiton to do likewise. Dr. JUNKIN moved, " that the congregation be cited according to the Form of Government, Chap. XVII, to show cause, and explain the reasons of their assent to the dissolution of the relation." After some discussion, Dr. GIBSON moved "that Dr.
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