USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 22
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REV. JOHN JOHNSTON.
ITTHE Rev. JOHN JOHNSTON was born in, or near to the city of Belfast, I Ireland, in the year 1750. He came to this country in 1784-5, and was received by the Ist Presbytery of Philadelphia from the Pres- bytery of Belfast, as an ordained minister the same year. Was receiv- ed by the Presbytery of Carlisle from the Presbytery of Philadelphia, May 26, 1787, and installed pastor of Harts Log and Shaver's Creek, November following. His pastoral relation with Shaver's Creek was dissolved, October 7, 1789; and he accepted a call from Huntingdon and neighborhood for one-half of his time, April 13, 1790. He was probably married about the year 1788 to JANE MCBETH of Cumberland county, Pa. Her father then owned what was called the Big Spring farm in said county.
At the time when Mr. JOHNSTON commenced his pastoral labors in the town of Huntingdon the congregation had no house of worship of their own, for the deed of the lot on which the first church was built is dated 14th November, 1795; and Mr. JOHNSTON's name appears as one of the board of trustees to whom the deed was made, together with ANDREW HENDERSON, JOHN PATTON, MATTHEW SIMPSON and WIL- LIAM NESBIT. But the congregation was recognized as an organized congregation in 1790. They probably worshipped in the Court House, or some other public building, till this time. Mr. JOHNSTON continued to be the pastor of the united congregations of Harts Log and Hunt- ingdon till near the close of his life. He resigned the charge of the former congregation June 13, 1823, and died December 16, of the same year.
During the progress of the war with England, beginning in 1812, some dissatisfaction with Mr. JOHNSTON's ministerial services appeared in the congregation of Harts Log, which finally resulted in a division of the congregation, of which we have given an account in the course of this history, and which appears to have been mainly political. It
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was not a personal opposition to him, only as he happened to differ from a part of the congregation in his views of public events then transpiring. He held the larger part of the congregation of Harts Log till near the time of his death; and then the relation was dis- solved at his own request, and because of the infirmities of old age. Mr. JOHNSTON died, as already stated, in the middle of the last month of the year 1823, in the 73d year of his age. He left a family of six children-four sons, Alexander, Thomas, Andrew and John; and two daughters, Margaret and Anna. His sons are still living, the daugh- ters are dead. Alexander, the eldest, is a physician of eminent skill. who practised long in the town and vicinity of Hollidaysburg, but has uow retired, and is living in the town of Armagh, Indiana county. Andrew is still residing in Huntingdon, the place of his birth, and has held several county offices. Of the other sons we can give no account, except that they are still living." They are a long lived family. The doctor, Alexander, is now between eighty and ninety years of age. and is still very active upon his feet.
Mr. JOHNSTON appears to have been the first regularly installed pastor of the congregation of Huntingdon. The names of the origi- nal members of the session cannot now be ascertained, as the first records of the congregation were burned up, with the court house. before 1795. But it is probable that those who with Mr. JOHNSTON were recognized as trustees, to whom the deed was given for the lot on which the church was afterwards built, were also elders. Mr. J. for many years taught a classical school in Huntingdon, in connection with the pastoral charge. He was the second stated clerk of the Presbytery after it was constituted, and never were the minutes more neatly kept, or distinctly written by any stated clerk. He appears to have been a superior pensman. Without having had the opportunity of inquiring of any who may be supposed to know what his reputa- tion was in his day as a preacher, we conclude from personal examina- tion of a number of his manuscripts that he was a very instructive preacher. Nor do we know what was his mode of delivering his sermons, whether by reading or memoriter, but we know that he wrote ont carefully and probably depended on his memory, without having recourse to his manuscript. If his manner in the pulpit was animated, his preparations were such as must have commanded the
*Since writing the foregoing, it has been ascertained that THOMAS, the second son of Mr JOHNSTON, is also a physician and still living.
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attention and edified his hearers. It was the original intention to have given a specimen sermon of the old men of the original members of the Presbytery, by which their ordinary Sabbath performances might be judged, but for want of space we are compelled to abandon the idea. We have in our possession two sermons of Mr. JOHNSTON on the Resurrection ; the one on the general subject, the other in answer to the question, "Whether the same body of that identical person, which the soul animated here, shall be raised, and that these united shall live throughout eternity ?" These are very learned and inter- esting discourses of which we attempted a synopsis, but found that it could not be done withont marring the beauty and excelleney of the sermons, and confusing the subject. However, the man and minister who sustained the pastoral relation to the same congregations-to one 36 years, and to the other 33-must have been a very respectable and acceptable preacher, and we know that the leading men of these congregations were always of the most intelligent character.
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REV. JAMES JOHNSTON.
H E was a native of Franklin county, Pennsylvania. He studied Theology with Rev. Dr. COOPER, pastor of the congregation of Middle Spring, who kept a Divinity Hall, in which a number of min- isters of high standing in their day went through their course of study preparatory to licensure. He was licensed by the Presbytery of Donegal, October 11, 1783, and ordained by the same Presbytery August 19, 1784, and installed pastor of East Kishacoquillas con- gregation; West Kishacoquillas was comprehended in his charge, though it does not appear that he was installed over the latter as a separate congregation. However, he was released from the charge of the West end by the Presbytery of Huntingdon, October 5, 1796, but remained pastor of the East Church, in connection with Little Valley, till the time of his death. The people of the West end were very unwilling to give him up at the time of his resignation, and proposed to the Presbytery that they would be satisfied with such part of his time as his health would permit him to give them. As he continued to serve East Kishacoquillas congregation for twenty-four years after this time, and with unabated acceptance, it is probable that in one of his depressed moods he resigned the charge of West Kishacoquillas, for he had a strong tincture of melancholy in his constitution.
He was much respected by his co-presbyters as a minister and as a friend. His counsels on the floor of Presbytery were always accepta- ble and influential. As a preacher he was popular, and as a pastor much beloved by his congregation till the end of his ministry. He appears to have been a very scriptural preacher, i. e. dealing more with the Scriptures by way of proof and illustration of the doctrines which he advanced, than with imagination, rhetoric, or logic; satisfied him- self and satisfying his people with a "Thus saith the Lord." He was at . . the same time a very affecting preacher. His own sympathies were very readily aroused in the pulpit by his subject, and consequently had much power over the sympathies of others. We have been told
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that it was not an uncommon thing to see his sermons watered by his tears. He was not much of a Boanergas, but he was a Barnabas, "a son of consolation." He seems to have had special adaptation to the settlement of difficulties among contending parties in the church. At least he was generally appointed by the Presbytery on committees in business of this kind, and usually the chairman. This may have been out of respect to his age, and sound judgment as well as his conciliatory disposition. In illustration of his judicious selection of a subject suited to such an occasion, as well as to give a specimen of his character as a preacher, we subjoin the notes of a sermon which he preached as chairman of a committee sent to endeavor to heal the divisions in the Church of Hart's Log in 1816.
Rom. 14: 19. " Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
After a comparatively long introduction, but not inappropriate, he proposes to discuss the text in the following order.
I. To mention a few of those things which make for peace, and will have a tendency to restore and maintain peace among contending christians.
II. To enforce the duty (enjoined by the Apostle in the text) by a few motives and arguments.
I. MENTION A FEW THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE, &C.
1. The first thing then that I shall mention is meekness, or a tem- per of mind that is not easily provoked, that suffers injuries without a disposition or desire of revenge, and quietly submits to the will of God in whatever he in the course of his providence may think fit to bring our way.
2. The second is humility, which is a most excellent grace of the spirit, evidencing the subject of it to be a child of God, and is accom- panied with contentment, peace, and submission to the will of heaven.
3. The third is self-denial. To deny ourselves is the fundamental law of admission into the school of Christ. It is the strait gate and narrow way that leads to life and peace.
4. A forgiving temper or disposition of mind will have a mighty influence in restoring and maintaining peace among contending christians.
5. Another thing which restores and maintains peace among christians, is love, which is a gracious habit wrought in the soul by the operations of the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are inclined to delight in, esteem and earnestly desire to enjoy an interest in God's favor and communion with him as onr chief good, portion and happi-
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ness, and which disposeth us to do good to all, especially to such as resemble God in holiness and bear his image. Without this love to God and to our fellow men, agreeably to the express declaration of the Apostle Paul, we can have no real pretensions to religion at all. 1 Cor. 13:1-8.
6. I shall mention one other thing, and that is an abatement of our warmth about things indifferent, or things not essential to salvation, and on the contrary manifesting a tender zeal for the great things of our holy religion wherein we are all agreed.
. II. ENFORCE THE DUTY.
And first of all I shall endeavor to enforce the duty by an argument which is of such a nature, that supposing I had no other, I presume it would be deemed sufficient by every real christian, namely, that it is the express command of the Great Jehovah, the Creator and Governor of the world. Ps. 34: 14. Rom. 12: 18, etc.
2. I would urge and enforce the duty by the example of the Saviour.
3. From the example of those eminent saints who have gone before us, and who were highly exemplary in following after the things which make for peace, e. g. Moses, the Apostle Paul.
4. I would enforce the duty from the consideration that we are always under the immediate inspection of that adorable Being who looks immediately into the heart, and requires truth in the inward parts, and at whose tremendous bar we must all sooner or later stand to give an account.
5. I would urge the duty from the consideration of the profession we make, and the name we wear.
INFERENCES.
1. Let us learn from this subject that it is our duty, and will event- ually turn to our interest, to be engaged in fervent prayer to God for more meekness, humility, self-denial, love, and more of a forgiving temper, which will have a happy influence in restoring and maintain- ing peace among christians.
2. Let us learn not to be rash in impugning and condemning those of our fellow men who may differ from us in opinion, considering that they do not see with the same eyes, hear with the same ears, or under- stand and reason with the same brain that we do. Consider also our fallability, and the numerous instances in which we have been entirely mistaken when confident that we were in the right.
3. Let us from this subject be led to lament the depravity of human nature, and to mourn over the remainders of corruption in the best of men while in this life, which occasion strifes and contention among real christians.
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4. As Jesus Christ suffered, bled and died to procure peace between God and man, and between man and man, let us frequently take a view of that spotless victim, the Lamb of God; and then may we hear his peace speaking blood, as it were addressing us, and saying, "O my follower, be at peace with God and live in peace among yourselves." .
5. Let us, my brethren, with joy anticipate the time when we hope to be all admitted into those mansions of rest, which the Redeemer has gone to prepare for his followers, when we will be fully and forever freed from all sin, as well as all temptations to sin, and consequently from all strifes and contentions, either among ourselves or with others.
Mr. JOHNSTON died at his home in East Kishacoquillas, near the town of Reedsville, on the 3d of January, 1820. The following obitu- ary notice was published in the Juniata Gazette (now the Lewistown Ga- zette) on the 20th of January following :
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" At his residence, on Monday night the 3d instant, (January, 1820,) after a short, but most severe illness, the Rev. JAMES JOHNSTON. The deceased was an eminent and zealous preacher of the word of God. He had, for many years, been stationed among and preached to two large congregations in Kishacoquillas and Dry Valley. His talents as a preacher were superem- inent, and were exerted to the utmost in the advancement of the cause of the Redeemer, and happiness of his people. He was tender and affectionate, and often have we seen him, while speaking from the pulpit in the sincerity of his heart, become so much affected, that utterance would be for a moment stopped, and his cheek suffused with a flood of tears. In conversation he was cheerful and animated, and his own fireside, as well as that of his neighbors, has lost, one of its most cheerful companions. Those who know him best can testify to his worth. His family has lost one of the kindest and best of parents, and his congregation a faithful and pions pastor. He has now left his earthly abode to join that heavenly throng on high, of which we have so often heard him speak in almost inspired strains. He has been a good and faithful servant of his Lord, and will, no doubt, re- ceive the cheering plaudit-' Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' However bitter may be the anguish of his family and friends at their bereavement, they have the consolation that his exemplary life justifies the belief that he has only been removed from this world of trouble to join the heavenly hosts in the world above where pleas- tres never cease, and troubles come no more."
Mr. JOHNSTON married a daughter of Judge BROWN of Kishacoquillas Valley, by whom he had a family of several sons and daughters. The daughters, we believe, are all dead. Only one of the sons is now living. Though the obituary notice, which is copied from the Lewistown Ga- zette, may be somewhat exaggerated. yet it shows the general estima- tion in which he was held as a man and a minister while living.
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The following is a copy of the call presented to Mr. JOHNSTON from the congregation of East Kishacoquillas. Though not exactly in ac- cordance with the form prescribed in the book, yet all will say it is in a very good form, and in some respects superior. It is said to have been in the hand writing of Master Arnold, a famous teacher and pensman of that day.
" Mr. James Johnston, Preacher of the Gospel:
SIR :- We, the subscribers, members of the united congregations of East and West Kishacoquillas, having never in this place had the stated admin- istration of Gospel ordinances, yet highly prizing the same, and having a view to the advancement of the kingdom of Christ, and the spiritual edifi- cation of ourselves and families, have set ourselves to obtain that blessing amongst us ; and therefore as we have had the opportunity of some of your labors in this place, and are satisfied with your soundness, piety, and minis- terial ability to break unto us the bread of life, we do most heartily and sincerely, in the name of great Shepherd of the flock, Jesus Christ, call and invite you to come and take the pastoral charge and oversight of us in the Lord. And for your encouragement, we do promise, if God do dispose your heart to embrace this call, that we will pay a dutiful attention to the word and ordinances of God, by you administered, that we will be subject to your admonitions and reproofs, should our falls and miscarriages expose us thereto, and will submit to the discipline of the Church, exercised by you agreeably to the word of God; and also that we will treat your person with friendship and respect, and behave in all things towards you as becomes christians towards their pastor, who labors among them in word and doctrine.
And further, as we are persuaded that those who serve at the altar should live by the altar, we do promise, in order that you may be, as much as pos- sible, freed from worldly incumberances, to provide for your comfortable and honorable maintenance in the manner set forth in our subscription papers accompanying this our call during your continuance with us as our regular pastor. And in witness of our hearty desire to have you settle among us, we have hereunto set our names this fifteenth of March, Anno Domini, 1783."
To this call is appended a list of sixty-nine names, yet familiar in the valley in the persons of their descendants.
Mr. JOHNSTON was in the 66th year of his age at the time of his death.
Since the preceding sketch was prepared I have been favored with the perusal of a letter addressed by Mr. Wu. E. JOHNSTON, only sur- viving son of Rev. JAMES JOHNSTON, to Col. JOHN TAYLOR of East Kisli- acoquillas Valley, from which the following , historical extracts are taken.
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" My father was born on September 25, 1754, on a farm situated about four miles south of Shippensburg, Cumberland county, Pa. After complet- ing an academical course at a classical school in Chambersburg, he and a brother entered the army of the Revolution. He was at the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Trenton and Valley Forge. Whilst at Monmouth he was religiously impressed with the conduct of that good man WASHINGTON, and how he was protected by an all-wise Provi- dence. My father was in a small frame house into which the wounded were brought, was assisting in the care of the wounded, (as he intended to be a physician in the first place,) Gen. WASHINGRON was in the saddle in front of the house, the British concentrated a part of their fire on the house. The first ball tore up the ground within a few feet of Washington, throwing the earth all over him. He never moved an inch, either to change his position, or to brush the dirt from his clothes. The next ball took the top from the chimney. The next went through the upper story. All this time the Gen- eral was stationary.
After returning home, my father resumed his studies, and graduated at the college at Princeton, New Jersey, was licensed to preach in 1781 by the Presbytery of Cumberland (Carlisle). In 1783 the famous call from Kishacoquillas Valley was made out for him, which he accepted, and where he labored all his life. January 4, 1785, he was married to ELIZABETH BROWN. His family consisted of seven children, three sons, and four daughters. In a conversation with Judge KYLE, he said that one time in particular he remembered, whilst a boy, he came a straight course through the fields, on snow over the tops of the fences, to attend church in the old log meeting house, which stood at the west end of the late stone church, and not a spark of fire, much less fire-place or stove in the house. My sire stood up manfully to the work, with surtout buttoned to the chin, preaching to a full house, and not a shiver or a shake among the entire congregation, though the mercury was near zero at the time. Now, not all the language or eloquence in the world could say more, or half as much in favor of a christian people, as that single meeting of those sturdy, gospel-loving de- scendants of Scotch-Irish blood.
My father's brother John, who accompanied him to the army, was pois- oned by eating bread prepared by some Jersey tories ; and it was a mere act of providence that saved him from the same fate. After arriving at the wharf in Philadelphia to take the boat for Jersey, he discovered that he had forgotten something, ran back to get it, and when he returned the boat had left, and so escaped the poisoned bread by which his brother died."
REV. MATTHEW STEPHENS.
H TE was a native of Ireland, and came to this country an ordained minister. He appeared first in Synod, and was received at their sessions in 1785. He became a member of the Presbytery of Donegal. He was one of the original members of the Presbytery of Huntingdon at the time of its organization in 1795, being among those set off from the Presbytery of Carlisle. Before this time he had received a call, through the Presbytery of Carlisle, to the united congregations of Derry and Wayne on the Juniata, but not being installed, returned this call at the second meeting of the Presbytery of Huntingdon after it was constituted. At the same time he was appointed stated supply of the congregation of Shaver's Creek at the request of the people.
At the meeting of the Presbytery, October 4, 1797, he was called to become the pastor of Shaver's Creek, with the promise of a salary of upwards of £130, Pennsylvania currency. This call was accepted by him, and Messrs. WILEY and JOHN JOHNSTON, were appointed a com- mittee of installation, and he was accordingly installed on the 3d Wednesday of June, 1798. In April, 1804, Mr. S. was suspended from the exercise of the ministry on charges which are detailed in the his- torical part of this work. At the adjourned meeting in June follow- ing, his suspension was removed at the request of many members of Shaver's Creek congregation.
In 1810 his pastoral relation at Shaver's Creek was, at his own request, dissolved. On the last month of the year 1824, Mr. S. was again suspended from the exercise of his ministry. He died under suspension the following year. If Mr. STEPHENS' conduct as a minister had been equal to his talents as a preacher he would have been held in honor and his influence for good would have been very great. He was undoubtedly a man of mind and of learning. He was a man of great and ready wit, very happy in repartee, but oftentimes very rough. If he had not had more than common power in the pulpit, he never would have been restored to the ministry after his first
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suspension, by the request of his congregation. No minister of ordi- nary talents could have sustained himself for a year, under the many . just grounds of complaint against him as a man. Mr. STEPHENS, among some others, fell a victim to the accursed drinking habits of those times. Naturally very impulsive and passionate, he seemed to lose all control of himself under the influence of liquor. His wit was keen, but not always very refined. On one occasion a young man, and perhaps a minister, being particularly concerned that all the brethren should be orthodox according to the Confession of Faith and the catechisms, was advised by some of the brethren that it might be well for him to test Mr. STEPHENS' orthodoxy. Accordingly he approached Mr. S. with this question, " Do you believe that we are all by nature children of wrath and heirs of hell ?" Mr. S. instantly replied, " O man, do you believe it?" "Certainly I do." "Well then," said Mr. S. " I wish you much joy of your inheritance !"
On another occasion, he was sitting with a friend, perhaps the Rev. JOHN JOHNSTON, at his front door. A gentleman with whom Mr. S. was acquainted passed by, after which he seemed to fall into a brown study. All at once he exclaimed aloud, "It won't do, It won't do." What won't do ? inquired his friend. " Did you notice the gentleman that passed here a little while ago? Well, he is one of the homeliest of men, but God has given him an unusual degree of mind, and I was just reasoning out the compensations of Divine providence, in giving to one man personal beauty, but not much intellect; and to another a great intellect but no personal attractions, rather the contrary. But it won't do. There comes Sam. B. the homeliest man God ever made, and he has not an ounce of brains."
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