USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 19
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An adjourned meeting of the Presbytery was held in June of this year at Tyrone city. A more than usual amount of strictly presbyte-
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rial business was transacted for an adjourned meeting. Mr. JOSEPH H. BARNARD, being called to Tyrone, Birmingham and Logan's Valley, was ordained and installed pastor of these congregations; and Mr. J. A. PATTERSON was ordained as an Evangelist. The Rev. G. W. VAN- ARTSDALEN was received from the 2d Presbytery of Philadelphia, and calls presented for him from Shade Gap (Little Aughwick) and Upper Tuscarora, over which congregations he was installed on the 7th and 8th of August following, by a committee of Presbytery. Messrs. F. E. SHEARER and A. J. McGINLEY were taken under the care of Presby- tery as candidates for the ministry. Mr. D. S. BANKS was licensed to preach the Gospel.
The Rev. JAMES WILLIAMSON having at a previous meeting given notice of his desire to resign the pastoral charge of West Kishacoquil- las congregation, the pastoral relation was at this time dissolved.
The regular Fall meeting of the Presbytery this year was held at Sinking Creek church, commencing on the second day of October. The melancholy announcement was made of the death of two minis- terial members of the Presbytery, and one licentiate, since the last stated meeting, viz: Rev. SAMUEL M. COOPER and Rev. GEORGE GRAY, and Mr. NELSON, a licentiate. Mr. COOPER was universally beloved as far as known for his amiable character, and was an excellent preacher, though of modest and retiring disposition. Mr. GRAY was an aged minister, probably an octogenarian, much respected and useful as a pastor, though for some years previous to his death he had ceased because of infirmity, from the active duties of the ministry. Mr. NELSON was, of course, a young man, being only a licentiate of a few years standing. Committees were appointed to prepare obituary no- tices of these brethren, to be inserted in the book of Presbytery kept for this purpose.
At this time the list of members of the Presbytery was increased by the addition of two names. The Rev. J. B. STRAIN of the Presbytery of Carlisle, was called to the church of Little Valley; and the Rev. W. G. E. AGNEW was received from the Methodist E. Church.
The Rev. J. A. PATTERSON, who had previously been ordained as an Evangelist, was at this time dismissed to connect himself with the Presbytery of Canton, China. When committees are appointed to organize congregations, or to install pastors, they are, in many cases, put to considerable expense. In view of this fact the Presbytery con- sidered it no more than just that the congregations thus served should
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pay the expenses of the committee, and therefore passed the follow- ing resolution :
" That it be recommended to churches to pay the ordinary expenses of the committees on installation services, and church organizations."
Three adjourned meetings of the Presbytery were held this Fall, besides the regular stated meeting. One at Germantown during the sessions of the Synod there, another at Little Valley, December 11, the third at West Kishacoquillas, December 27. At the first adjourned meeting Dr. D. X. JUNKIN gave notice of his desire to resign the pas- toral charge of the congregation of Hollidaysburg; and at the second, the relation was dissolved. And Mr. R. B. MOORE, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Redstone, was received, a call from West Kishacoquillas congregation for his pastoral services was put into his hands, and at the meeting held December 27, he was ordained and installed.
The Rev. J. H. BARNARD, pastor of Tyrone, Birmingham and Logan's Valley churches, was called to be co-pastor with Rev. Dr. LINN of Bellefonte, on the 11th of December; and at the adjourned meeting held on the 27th following, his pastoral relation, as above, was dissolved by the Presbytery, and he allowed to accept the call from Bellefonte; in which charge he was installed on the 2d of January, 1861.
The history of the Presbytery for the year 1861 consists mainly in the record of the changes which took place in the several congrega- tions ; pastoral relations dissolved, and pastoral relations formed : with the organization of some new churches. At the stated meeting in April, the pastoral relation of Rev. JOHN ELLIOTT to the congrega- tions of Spruce Creek and Sinking Valley, was, at his request dis- solved, and he dismissed to the Presbytery of Donegal, within the bounds of which he had received a call. With considerable reluctance the Presbytery granted his request, owing to the reluctance of the congregations to consent to his removal. Mr. JACOB ANDREWS, a mem- ber of Spring Creek Church, was taken under the care of Presbytery as a candidate for the Gospel ministry ; and Mr. WILLIAM BURCHFIELD was licensed to preach the Gospel. At the adjourned meeting in June, Mr. S. L. GAMBLE, a candidate, was dismissed to the Presbytery of Albany. Mr. JOHN P. CLARKE, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New Castle, was received under the care of Presbytery, and a call from the church of Morris for one-half of his time was put into his hands and accepted by him.
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The Rev. D. H. BARRON was called to Hollidaysburg in June, and at the stated meeting of October he was received from the Presbytery of Redstone, and installed pastor on the 2d Tuesday of November by a committee of the Presbytery.
Mr. J. L. MILLIGAN, a member of the Lower Tuscarora Church, was taken under care of Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry. Mr. J. A. McGINLEY, who had been under the care of Presbytery as a can- didate for the ministry for two years past, was licensed to preach the Gospel on the 11th of June of this year.
Calls were presented to Presbytery from the congregations of Sink- ing Valley and Logan's Valley, at the stated meeting in October, for the pastoral services of Rev. ORR LAWSON of the Presbytery of Lex- ington. Mr. LAWSON was present, but owing to the disturbed state of the country had not received a certificate of standing and dismission from his Presbytery, so the calls could not, at the time, be put into his hands.
Rev. WM. J. GIBSON gave notice of his desire to resign the charge of Lick Run Church with a view to accept a chaplaincy in the army. The congregation having given their consent, the pastoral relation was dissolved at an adjourned meeting held during the sessions of the Synod of Philadelphia at Easton, the latter part of October of this year. Mr. JOHN PORTER, of Alexandria, who had been treasurer of the itinerant fund of Presbytery since the organization of that mis- sion, at this time resigned, and Hon. JOHN SCOTT, of Huntingdon, was appointed in his stead. It was the design of Presbytery to continue that mission, of which Rev. SAMUEL LAWRENCE was the efficient mis- sionary for some time past. Mr. W. A. HOOPER, a licentiate, was received under the care of Presbytery from the Presbytery of Miami, and calls from the churches of Birmingham and Tyrone were put into his hands, and being accepted ; he, together with Mr. JOHN P. CLARKE, after satisfactory examinations, were ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry.
On the report of the committee on the minutes of the General Assembly, the attention of the Presbytery, among other items of busi- ness, was directed to the recommendation on page 305 of the minutes : "That Presbyteries exercise great caution in recommending candidates for the high and holy office of the ministry to the care of the Board of Education." No doubt there was seen to be much occasion for this recommendation at the time; and not less now, there seeming to
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be a great relaxation of strictness in the examination of candidates for the ministry, and in view of their application to the Board for as- sistance. In an experience of many years there is no recollection of any applicant but one, being refused as a proper person to be encour- aged to go forward in preparing for the ministry, as a beneficiary of the Board. In some cases it has appeared afterwards, that they ought not to have been encouraged; and in others, that the recommenda- tion of them for aid to the Board, was of doubtful necessity. But perhaps this was the safest side on which to err. The next year following the recommendation of the Assembly and the action of the Presbytery on the subject, the names of J. H. WILSON, J. J. KERR, DANIEL BOSWORTH and W. O. WILSON were stricken from the list of candidates. There is no record of the reasons inducing this action, but it is presumed to have been in accordance with their own request, as a resolution was immediately passed expressing the mind of Pres- bytery that they were in honor bound to return the moneys they had received from the Board of Education as beneficiaries. The Board does not require any pledge on the part of beneficiaries, in case they afterwards change their purpose to enter the ministry, that they will return the sums they have received. This ought to make the Presby- teries more cautious in recommending candidates to the Board for aid. This year (1862) is only remarkable in the history of the Presbytery for the number of cases brought before Presbytery, by complaint or appeal, or petition, arising out of temporary disagreements in several congregations.
The Presbytery of Huntingdon has always been characterized by the harmony existing among its members, and the peaceableness of its congregations. But among imperfect men and ministers on earth, the unbroken harmony of heaven must not be expected. There were diffi- culties this year in the congregation of Middle Tuscarora between the pastor and the people, which issued afterwards in a dissolution of the pastoral relation ; though the Presbytery condemned the irregular means employed to effect this object, and only dissolved the pastoral relation at the request of the pastor.
A complaint against an action of the Session of Lower Tuscarora congregation, was made by Mr. JAMES MCLAUGHLIN, an elder of said congregation, which complaint was dismissed by Presbytery on ac- count of irregularity, and appeal from the action of Presbytery taken to Synod, but it is believed it was never prosecuted to an issue. The matter of complaint not being recorded, is not now remembered.
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A letter of complaint or reference from certain members of the con- gregation of Upper Tuscarora, which was then in connection with Shade Gap in the support of a pastor, was brought before Presbytery, appearing to be a difference between the Session and Trustees in rela- tion to certain pecuniary matters, which was only temporary, and was quietly settled by the Presbytery, or by the parties in the presence of the Presbytery.
Little Valley congregation was also much distracted during the latter part of this year. The causes of division had relation to poli- tics, or springing of, party prejudices. The pastor, the Rev. J. B. STRAIN, was an original abolitionist. It was in the time of the Southern rebellion. Though the pastor had been ever so conservative in the expression of his views, both parties were exceedingly sensitive upon the subjects connected with the war, and he could scarcely have avoided giving offence, had he expressed himself at all. Then, even praying for the Government was in some places the occasion of offence. It is not believed that the pastor was eminently prudent in the ex- pression of his views, but the Presbytery adopted the report of a committee, which set forth "That some of the members of the con- gregation have been too captious and negligent of duty in absenting themselves from the worship of God's House, and their duties as of- ficers in the Church of Christ, as well as in withdrawing their support, upon insufficient grounds, thus crippling the congregation and mak- ing it the plea for the dissolution of the pastoral relation, without so far as Presbytery can learn, any sufficient grounds." The prayer, therefore, for the dissolution of the pastoral relation was not granted.
Mr. WILLIAM ALEXANDER, a licentiate of this Presbytery, was trans- ferred at the Spring meeting in April to the care of the Presbytery of Northumberland. At the stated meeting of the Presbytery in Octo- ber, 1861, calls were presented from Sinking Valley and Logan's Valley for the Rev. ORR LAWSON of Lexington Presbytery, but, as be- fore stated, because of the civil war he could not obtain a dismission to connect with this Presbytery. In view of this state of things, Presbytery memorialized the General Assembly to transfer Mr. LAWSON to this Presbytery. It was so ordered, and at the adjourned meeting in June, 1862, the calls were put into his hands, accepted by him, and he was installed over the above named congregations.
At the April meeting of this year, Mr. D. S. BANKS was appointed itinerant missionary to Broad Top, Yellow Creek, and Martinsburg. Mr. ROBERT A. CLARKE was received under the care of Presbytery as a
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candidate for the ministry, also Mr. JOSEPH KELLEY at the adjourned meeting in June. At which time also Mr. J. MILLIGAN was licensed to preach the Gospel.
At a special meeting called for the 11th day of August, 1862, Mr. J. A. McGINLEY made application to be ordained as an Evangelist, in view of the fact that being a Chaplain in the Northern army he could move authoritatively and usefully discharge the duties of the posi- tion. After an examination on all the parts of trial for ordination required by the book, his request was granted, and he was ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry.
At the opening of the stated meeting in October, the death of Rev. JAMES S. WOODS, D. D., of Lewistown was announced. Dr. WOODS died on the 29th of June, 1862.
The Rev. W. G. E. AGNEW was dismissed to the Presbytery of Nor- thumberland, he having received a call from two congregations within the bounds of that Presbytery.
The Rev. O. O. McCLEAN was received by certificate from the Pres- bytery of Cedar, Iowa, and a call from the congregation of Lewistown put into his hands, accepted, and a committee appointed to install him. Mr. OSCAR A. HILLS, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Craw- fordsville, Indiana, was received under the care of Presbytery called to the congregation of Spruce Creek, and was ordained and installed pastor of said Church at an adjourned meeting held at Spruce Creek, November 25, 1862.
Rev. J. A. PATTERSON, who had been ordained as an Evangelist in view of going on a foreign mission, accepted a call from the congre- gation of Lick Run, in which congregation he was installed in due time.
In the course of the free conversation on the subject of religion, in- quiries were made with regard to the contributions of the several churches to the fund for the support of aged and infirm ministers, and the widows and orphans of deceased ministers. Whereupon Judge SAMUEL LINN offered the following resolution, which was unani- mously adopted, viz :
"Resolved, That Presbytery heartily approve of the establishment under the direction of the General Assembly of a permanent fund for the support of disabled ministers, their widows and children; and that although the present system of annual contributions may be adequate to supply the pre- sent need, yet they deem it insufficient to accomplish fully the ultimate purpose of this important branch of christian benevolence."
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HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
Dr. D. X. JUNKIN, at his request, was now dismissed to the 2d Pres- bytery of New York.
At an adjourned meeting, held at Spruce Creek Church, November 25, Rev. S. M. MOORE was permitted to resign the pastoral charge of Bald Eagle Church, over which he had been installed for half his time, and to give to Pine Grove Church, the other part of his charge, the whole of his time for one year.
The Rev. WM. B. McKEE of the Presbytery of St. Paul requested to be received as a member of Presbytery, but for some reason not hav- ing his dismissal to present, he was examined, and received condition- ally ; and on presentation of his dismissal to the stated clerk, his membership to be considered full. At an adjourned meeting of the Presbytery, held at the church of Fruit Hill, Clearfield county, on the 21st of January, 1863, Mr. WILLIAM BURCHFIELD, a licentiate, was ex- amined in all the usual parts of trial to the satisfaction of Presbytery, and was accordingly ordained and installed pastor. The Rev. S. T. LOWRIE gave notice of his intention to apply at the next stated meet- ing of the Presbytery for the dissolution of his pastoral relation to Alexandria congregation. Mr. LOWRIE's pastoral relation was accord- ingly dissolved at the stated meeting in April following.
The troubles still continuing in Little Valley congregation, the Presbytery appointed a committee to visit that church and inquire into its affairs, and endeavor to adjust the same as the interests of re- ligion may seem to require. In view of this action, the commissioners from the congregation had leave to withdraw a petition presented at a previous meeting of the Presbytery for a dissolution of the pastoral relation. Mr. STRAIN at this time requested the Presbytery to dissolve his pastoral relation to the church, which was granted. Two candi- dates for the ministry were taken under the care of Presbytery, viz : R. M. CAMPBELL and EDMUND P. FORESMAN.
The Rev. A. B. CLARKE, pastor of the Altoona Church, having at a previous meeting given notice of his purpose to [resign his charge, on account of continued ill health, his pastoral relation was dissolved April 15, 1863.
There was a case before the Presbytery at this time to be decided. The appeal of ISABELLA C. ROBINSON from a decision of the Session of Mifflintown and Lost Creek. The nature of the case cannot be gath- ered from the minutes, but the vote on the issuing of the case is recorded. The vote, when taken, stood thus: To confirm (the decis- ion of Session) in part, 26; to confirm absolutely, 17; to reverse, 1; to
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reverse in part, 1. Then a committee was appointed to bring in a minute expressive of the views of Presbytery in the whole case. What is most remarkable in the report of the committee in this case is, (and for this reason only the case is noticed in this history, ) that no man can gather from it what were really the merits of the case, or what was the decision of the Presbytery after all. The presumption is, that the case being fresh in the minds of the Presbytery at the time, in recording the action on the case, it was forgotten that these minutes were to be read in the future, and to be reviewed by the Superior Court. Had this case been appealed to the Synod, from all that appears on the minutes, the Synod would have had no data on which to proceed, and must have depended wholly on the simple state- ments of the members of the Presbytery. At all events, the minute prepared by the committee in this case, and the vote of the members as recorded, seem to be at variance; it sustains nothing, and condemns nothing. Like many other reports made in similar cases, the latter part is made to neutralize the former part.
During this meeting the Presbytery recommended the Ashmun Institute to the confidence of the churches, and enjoined that, on a day named, collections should be taken in its behalf. The revised Book of Discipline proposed by the General Assembly, and sent down to the Presbyteries for their opinion, was taken under consideration and the following resolution adopted unanimously :
" Resolved, That although the Book is not what all the members would desire, yet upon the whole, Presbytery approve and recommend its adoption by the General Assembly."
Mr. D. S. BANKS, Itinerant Presbyterial Missionary, made a report of his labors in Broad Top region, which was accepted and approved, and he was appointed to that service for the next six months. A call by a majority of the congregation of Altoona was presented for the pas- toral services of Mr. BANKS; but because it was irregular, the Presby- tery refused to put it into his hands.
The Rev. A. B. CLARKE, the former pastor of the church, was con- fined to his house by the disease of which he not long afterwards died. A committee of Presbytery was appointed to visit him, and express the sympathy of the Presbytery with him in his affliction. This committee consisted of Messrs. McCLEAN, HAMILL and LAWRENCE. A committee was appointed to visit Broad Top region, and gather such facts as may justify Presbytery, possibly, in organizing a congregation and erecting a church there.
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Mr. J. D. BEALE, having passed through all his trials to the satisfac- tion of Presbytery, was licensed to preach the Gospel.
At the adjourned meeting, held June 16, 1863, the Rev. A. H. HAL- LOWAY was received from the Presbytery of West Lexington; and he continued to labor for a few years in the congregation of Beulah, Clearfield county, and is now pastor of the church of Danville, New Jersey.
Dr. D. D. CLARKE, chairman of a committee appointed to prepare-an obituary of Rev. J. S. WOODS, D. D., reported at this meeting, and the paper was ordered to be inserted in the book kept for this purpose. The obituary was never inserted, the probable reason for the omission being the fact that the book was mislaid, and lost for a number of years.
Mr. D. S. BANKS was again called by a majority of the congregation of Altoona. The call was found to be in order, and put into Mr. BANKS' hands, but declined by him.
Mr. JAMES STEWART was taken under the care of Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry, and recommended for aid to the Board of Education. 'And Rev. JAMES C. MAHON was received from the Presby- tery of Bloomington. Mr. JOSEPH KELLY, a candidate under the care of Presbytery, was licensed to preach the Gospel. The committee to visit Saxton and the Broad Top region, reported, recommending that a congregation be organized at Saxton, and a church built as soon as practicable. And the commitee to visit the church of Little Valley, in view of the disturbances in that church, reported favorably as to the future peace and harmony of the church.
The stated meeting in the Fall of 1863 was held at Pine Grove, Oc- tober 6. After the organization of the Presbytery it was announced that since the last meeting the Rev. A. B. CLARKE of Altoona, had departed this life. The following minute, prepared by Dr. HAMILL, was adopted unanimously, as expressive of the views of Presbytery on the death of Mr. CLARKE :
" The Presbytery record, with sadness, their bereavement in the loss, by death, of the Rev. A. B. CLARKE. Commingling with us, he was a brother lovely and beloved in the Lord. Separated from us by the will of God, his memory is and shall be fragrant. Thankful for his life, his labors, and his influence among us, we yield him submissively to the Head of the Church, who has called him to a higher sphere. May we be admonished by his early death of the truth that ' the night cometh.'"'
Resolved, That the Rev. D. D. CLARKE be appointed to prepare an obituary of Mr. CLARKE, to be inserted in the book kept for that purpose."
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This, like the former, though prepared, was not inserted in the book, and doubtless for the same reasons.
The call for Mr. BANKS from the Church of Altoona was again re- newed, but because of a respectable minority opposing, the Presbytery deemed it inexpedient to put the call into Mr. BANKS' hands. It is due to Mr. BANKS to record the fact, that it was not owing to any personal dissatisfaction with Mr. B. or his preaching, but wholly to the- imprudence of his friends in urging the call in the first instance before the actual dissolution of Mr. CLARKE's pastoral relation to the congregation, and before his death, which was imminent at any time. Over this Mr. BANKS is believed not to have had any control, but suf- fered in consequence of the indecent haste of his friends. Under other circumstances the whole congregation would have been glad to have united in the call to so promising a young minister.
After this, for some time, Mr. BANKS still continued in the mission- ary field of Broad Top, at the earnest request of the people in that region. The Rev. S. M. MOORE at this time was called to the congre- gation of Alexandria, and at the adjourned meeting following in November, his pastoral relation to Pine Grove was dissolved, and he transferred to Alexandria. At the same meeting in November, Mr. BANKS was ordained as an Evangelist, the necessities of his missionary field requiring an ordained minister. Rev. WILLIAM B. McKEE was called to the church of Bald Eagle, the call retained by him for con- sideration till the stated meeting in the Spring, when he announced its acceptance, and a committee was appointed for his installation.
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