USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
At the same meeting of Presbytery (April 22, 1801) at which Messrs. STUART and COULTER were received as licentiates under the care of Presbytery, Mr. WILLIAM JACKSON, a licentiate formerly under the care of the Presbytery of Derry, in the "Kingdom of Ireland," presented his credentials from said Presbytery, and other collateral testimony of his licensure and good moral character; and was receiv- ed under the care of Presbytery, and taken on trial. In October, . 1802, Mr. JACKSON was recognized as a licentiate of the Presbytery, with the approval of the General Assembly. He received and gener-
45
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
ally fulfilled appointments to supply vacancies, and in April, 1803, received a call from the congregation of Greenwood, with the promise of a salary of £50 to be paid semi-annually. This call Mr. JACKSON held for some time under consideration, then accepted it, and before the time at which his ordination and installation were to take place, asked leave to return the call. Before consenting to the return of the call, Presbytery took occasion to consult the congregation of Green- wood (as it is called in the minutes) but really of Buffalo township on the Juniata. The congregation consenting, the call was returned. Mr. JACKSON had studied medicine, and was engaged pretty extensively in the practice of it, and finding it impracticable to fulfil the appoint- ments given him from time to time, finally came to the conclusion to resign his license to preach the gospel, and give himself wholly to the practice of medicine; which he did in 1807, with the full consent of the Presbytery.
At the Spring meeting of the Presbytery at Spruce Creek, April, 1801, the Rev. ISAAC GRIER made request that his pastoral relation to the congregation of Lycoming be dissolved, on account of neglect on their part to pay the amount of salary which they had promised. They received only one-third of Mr. GRIER's time. The congregation was cited to appear at the next meeting of the Presbytery to show cause, if any they had, why Mr. GRIER's request should not be granted. The congregation did not appear by commissioners, as cited; and Mr. G. renewing his request, it was granted, and the con- gregation declared vacant. But as the congregation were in arrears to Mr. GRIER, a committee was appointed to visit the congregation to inquire into its state, and use means to induce them to discharge the arrears due to their late pastor. This committee failed to visit the congregation according to the appointment of Presbytery, for which they gave their reasons at a following meeting, which were approved by the Presbytery; but Mr. JOHN BRYSON and Mr. PATTERSON were at the same time appointed to prepare a letter to the congregation of Lycoming respecting their peculiar situation, and the necessity of their compliance with the injunctions of Presbytery. This contro- versy between the Presbytery and the congregation continued for a number of years, the Presbytery repeatedly enjoining on the congre- gation a final settlement and the payment of the arrears due to Mr. GRIER; and the congregation obstinately refusing or neglecting, till the Presbytery passed the following minute: "Presbytery finding that the congregation of Lycoming have not complied, in any degree,
·
.
46
HISTORY OF THIE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
with their repeated injunctions with respect to Mr. GRIER, their former pastor, are of the opinion that no supplies should at this time be granted to said congregation." It would seem that, after all, no final settlement was obtained till the civil court appointed a certain JOHN KIDD, Esq., to settle with the trustees of the congregation, when the principal and the interest of seven or eight years were paid. How long it took the congregation to recover character, after so long a controversy carried on in regard to the payment of a just debt to so good a man, and so able a pastor, and against the unanimous judg- ment of the Presbytery, it might be worth something to know.
At the same meeting of Presbytery, in which the above affair about the payment of arrearages due to Mr. GRIER by Lycoming congrega- tion was first under consideration, (June 17, 1801,) two commissioners from the congregation of Buffalo presented a petition to have the pastoral relation between them and Rev. HuGn MORRISON dissolved. The Presbytery cited Mr. M. to appear at an adjourned meeting to be held in Tuscarora Valley, on the 11th of August, to show cause, if any he had, why the petition should not be granted. At the adjourned meeting the petition was renewed, the same commissioners being present, and at the same time a counter petition was presented by the friends of Mr. MORRISON, praying that he might be continued as their pastor. After hearing both parties by their commissioners, Presby- tery appointed a committee consisting of Revs. JOHN BRYSON and JOHN B. PATTERSON, and Messrs. WILLIAM MONTGOMERY and DAVID IRELAND, elders, to visit and inquire into the state of the congrega- tion, and report to Presbytery at its next meeting.
This committee reported at the time appointed, that they had visited the congregation, taken a vote of the congregation after public notice, and it appeared that there were forty-three members of the congregation who were in favor of a separation from Mr. M. and twenty-nine who were for continuing him as their pastor. At the same time another petition was presented by two commissioners on the part of the majority, urging a separation, and a remonstrance on the part of the minority, charging that improper means had been used at the time of the vote, by the opponents of Mr. M. to obtain a majority against him. Another petition was likewise laid before Presbytery, signed by the elders of the united congregations of Sun- bury and Northumberland, containing a representation of the griev- ances under which they would labor, in case Mr. M. should be dismissed from the congregation of Buffalo.
47
HISTORY FO THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
Presbytery heard both parties at very considerable length, and it seems that in the course of the proceedings in this case, charges of a character serious enough to demand the investigation of Presbytery were made, either verbally or in writing; whereupon Presbytery re- solved to hold an adjourned meeting in Buffalo Church, on the 2d Tuesday of November, and that Mr. M. be cited to appear to answer to the charges exhibited against him by the commissioners of Buffalo congregation.
The Presbytery met according to adjournment at Buffalo Church to investigate the charge or charges (for there is no record of any formal charge) made against Mr. MORRISON. They spent the greater part of two days in hearing the witnesses of both parties, and came to the following conclusion : "The Presbytery having heard all the witnesses brought forward by both parties, and after seriously weighing and comparing the witnesses for and against Mr. MORRISON, with respect to his drinking liquors to excess, agreed, that although they could not, on the testimony given, convict him of drunkenness, yet they were of opinion that he has on certain occasions transgressed the bounds of Christian prudence in that respect, and he is hereby cau- tioned to be more watchful and circumspect in future." To us at this distant period, the justice of this rendering of the Presbytery, would seem evident. We are not to bring our modern views and habits in regard to temperance, especially of total abstinence, to bear upon our minds in reviewing the decision in this case. It was then considered no impropriety in a minister of the gospel to drink spirituous liquors, and if his accusers had been put to the test to which Christ put the accusers of the woman taken in adultery, it is doubtful whether they would not, one by one, have left the house. They had, perhaps, many times held the bottle to his mouth, and, had he refused it, would have considered him sour and unsociable. They tempted him to that excess of which they accused him, and for which he was censured. If they had been put on self-defence, perhaps they might have said that they had put a greater restraint upon themselves, but they were not so frequently tempted as he was. No absolute drunkenness after all was proven. But in the divided state of the congregation, and the little prospect of his usefulness by continuance, the Presbytery sundered the pastoral relation at this time.
There was a party in the church always adhering to Mr. MORRISON, and as supposed, at their solicitation, he continued to preach to them. This of course was irregular, ill-judged, and a source of annoyance
.
.
48
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
and distraction to the congregation. The Presbytery forbade his preaching within the bounds of the congregation without the invita- tion of the Session, or the appointment of Presbytery. He was cited to appear before Presbytery and give an account of his irregularities, particularly for preaching in the bounds of Buffalo congregation con- trary to the will of the Session and the orders of Presbytery. Not obeying the first citation he was cited again and again. Before the issuing of the last citation the Rev. JOHN BRYSON gave reasons in his behalf why he had not obeyed the former citations, which were per- fectly satisfactory to the brethren of the Presbytery. These reasons may be presumed to be the infirmities of old age, or the pressure of disease, as before the time for his appearance designated in the last citation arrived, he had passed beyond the supervision of all earthly tribunals. He died on the 15th of September, 1804.
On the 10th of November, 1801, a name appears for the first time in the minutes of the Presbytery, which afterwards became greatly distinguished, not in the Presbytery, but in the Presbyterian Church, and among the educators of the land, the Rev. MATTHEW BROWN, D. D. On the day above named he was received as a licentiate of the Presbytery of Carlisle, by which a call had been put into his hands from Mifflintown and Lost Creek. Arrangements were made during this meeting for his ordination and installation at the regular Spring meeting of the Presbytery, to be held for this purpose at Mifflintown, on the 3d Tuesday of April, 1802, and Matthew 5:17-26 was assigned to Mr. BROWN as a subject for a lecture; and Heb. 3:12, as the sub- ject for a sermon, in view of his ordination. The Rev. JOHN B. PATTERSON was appointed to preach the ordination sermon, and the Rev. JonN BRYSON to preside and give the charge. Accordingly, on the 25th of April, 1802, Mr. BROWN was ordained and installed pastor of the churches of Mifflintown and Lost Creek.
At the adjourned meeting of Presbytery held at Lewistown, June 16, 1802, the Rev. THOMAS L. BIRCH, an ordained minister from Ire- land, applied to be taken under the care of Presbytery agreeably to the rules prescribed by the General Assembly relative to foreign min- isters; but not being able at present to lay before Presbytery his credentials and other collateral testimony, and Presbytery being also informed that certain reports were in circulation in the bounds of the Presbytery of Ohio very injurious to his moral character, his request was refused.
.
1
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BELLEFONTE, PA.
49
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
At a subsequent meeting Mr. BIRen appeared, and requested to be taken under the care of Presbytery as a foreign minister. He appears then to have had the usual credentials, and the necessary collateral testimony ; but because of those reports still in circulation against him in the West, and the fact that the Presbytery of Ohio would have nothing more to do with him because of these reports, and not having received satisfaction as to his acquaintance with experimental religion, the Presbytery again refused to receive him to membership.
Six months afterwards, while the Presbytery was holding its Spring meeting at Bellefonte, Mr. BIRCH appeared, and gave notice of his intention to complain to the General Assembly against the proceed- ings of the Presbytery in his case. There is no evidence that this complaint was ever carried to the General Assembly. What became of Mr. BIRCH afterwards there is nothing on record to show; but the writer remembers to have seen Mr. BIRCH at his father's house when he was a boy, as late as the year 1818, or about that time; it could not have been much later. In personal appearance, if not mistaken in the person, he was a large, fleshy man, and then must have been considerably beyond the meridian of life, apparently near the age of his host, who was then sixty or sixty-five years of age. It is confi- dently believed that he never was recognized as a regularly authorized minister in any evangelical church after he came to this country ; and it is not certain that he ever did preach much anywhere after he failed to get a recognition in the Presbyterian church.
It is refreshing, after the record of such cases as the above, to record the accession of a name to the roll of the Presbytery, who lived long to be an honored and useful servant of the Master and his Church, Mr. HENRY R. WILSON, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Car- lisle, applied to be received under the care of the Presbytery, October 6, 1802. Having presented the required certificate of character, licensure, and dismission from Carlisle Presbytery, he. was taken under the care of the Presbytery. At the same time a call was pre- sented for Mr. WILSON from the united congregations of Bellefonte and Lick Run. Mr. WILSON accepted the call; was ordained and installed on the 20th day of April, 1803, and continued to serve these two congregations, with great success, till the fall of 1809, when he returned to the Presbytery of Carlisle, from whence he came, to take charge of one and another congregations within their bourids.
The Rev. ISAAC GRIER made application at the meeting of Presby- tery in October, 1803, to have his pastoral relation to the congrega-
7
1
50
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
tion of Great Island (Lock Haven) dissolved, because of their inability to pay the salary which they originally promised, on account of removals from the congregation; with this understanding, "that he continue to preach and perform other ministerial duties among them as heretofore." The object of this proviso on Mr. GRIER's part was, that the congregation might enjoy the ordinances of religion till they could make arrangements to be permanently supplied; and at the same time Mr. G. might arrange to otherwise dispose of that por- tion of his time formerly given to Great Island. His request in this matter was granted.
The year previous to the dissolution of Mr. GRIER's relation to Great Island congregation, he took charge of a classical school in Jersey Shore, near to which he resided. This became necessary on account of the smallness of his salary, even before Great Island beeame unable to pay their portion of his salary.
At the same meeting of the Presbytery the name of Mr. JOIN HUTCHESON first appears upon the minutes, being introduced to Pres- bytery as a student preparing for the ministry, to be taken under the care of the Presbytery. He was so received, and several parts of trial were assigned to him with a view to his licensure at the proper time. On the 3d day of October, 1804, he was licensed to preach the gospel as a probationer.
From time to time we find references made in the proceedings of Presbytery to the missionary fund, and to missionary contributions. At almost every stated meeting of the Presbytery inquiry was made of the members as to their diligence in this matter, and delinquents were enjoined to attend to the making of contributions by their par- ticular churches, before the time to report to the committee, or Board of Missions of the General Assembly. The Standing Committee of Missions of the Assembly was not appointed till 1802, and a Board of Missions not till 1816. The money contributed for missionary pur- poses had reference chiefly to domestic missions; indeed altogether, for the Church had not yet engaged as a Church in the work of Foreign Missions. Together with the destitute white population in our land, the Indians upon the borders of civilization, and the colored slaves, were the utmost objects of missionary labor and contributions. Domestic missions, as at first conducted, oftentimes consisted in the pastors of the churches spending a month or two at a time in visiting and preaching in portions of the country where there were entire destitutions of the means of grace. The members of Huntingdon
51
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
Presbytery could do little of this missionary service, so numerous were the vacancies among themselves. Yet we find on two occasions the Presbytery by a formal vote recommending two of their members to the standing committee of the Assembly, as suitable persons to be employed in missionary service. It is probable that the main reason which induced the Presbytery to recommend the particular persons . whom they did, was the fact that they were then without any pastoral charge.
At first the contributions made within the bounds of the Presby- tery for missionary purposes were sent to the common treasury, but such was the happy enlargement in the contributions for this object, that the Presbytery deemed it advisable to appoint a special Treasurer of missionary funds about this time. The Rev. WILLIAM STUART, then pastor of Spring Creek and Sinking Creek, was appointed the treasu- rer, October 3, 1804. And now we turn back a little in the record, to refer to one of those unhappy events, which, alas! were only too common in those primitive times. Charges were laid before the Presby - tery, in the name of a responsible accuser, greatly compromising the moral character of the Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS, pastor of Shaver's Creek Church. With the consent of parties the case was tried at the same meeting of the Presbytery, at which the charges were tabled. The Presbytery were in session in Shaver's Creek Church at the time within the bounds.of which the offense, or offenses had been com- mitted, and the witnesses and parties lived. The case was taken up the next day after the charge was tabled. On that day all the wit- nesses on both sides and the parties were heard, but the final judg- ment of the Presbytery deferred until the next day. The following day the decision of the Presbytery is thus recorded : "After the most mature deliberation, and seriously weighing the testimony on both sides, Presbytery were of the opinion, that although his conduct did not evince any criminal intention with respect to Miss POLLY CAMP- BELL, yet the charges are fully substantiated. Whereupon, it was unanimously agreed, that the Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS be suspended from the exercise of the Gospel ministry, and he is hereby suspend- ed." It is added, "Mr. STEPHENS submitted to the decision of Pres- bytery." Mr. STEPHENS was too shrewd a man to show any spirit of insubordination at the time. The favorable result of his uncomplain- ing submission to the decision of Presbytery, appeared in a short time afterwards. Yet when the hasty and impetuous character of the man is considered, it is wonderful. It is perhaps the most gracious like
52
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
act of his whole life, but we know not whether it were the effect of grace or of human wisdom; for Mr. STEPHENS was a man of mind with many rough points of character. However, at the adjourned meeting of Presbytery, held at Warrior Run in June following his suspension, a petition was laid before Presbytery, signed by sixty-four members of Shaver's Creek congregation, asking for the removal of his suspension, and the Presbytery, after investigation and due consideration, restored him to his former standing. That they acted in this matter con- scientiously, and in view all the circumstances of the case as represent- ed to them may not be doubted, in view of the names recorded as present and acting in the case. Anything which afterwards occurred, and could not have been foreseen by the members of Presbytery, should not be considered as demonstrating the impropriety of this act of restoration at the time.
The number of ministers composing the Presbytery was small com- pared with extent of the territory to be cultivated, although additions of ministers were being made from time to time. But unhappily (for the fields to be cultivated) all could not be retained who came into the Presbytery. For the church at large these changes, we have no doubt did result in greater good. Those who removed were provi- dentially directed doubtless, yet we know that God often overrules an unadvised, even a wrong act for greater good. There is no doubt that the change which we are now about to record, if it resulted in making Mr. BROWN President of Washington College, and after- wards the distinguished, honored, and successful President of Jeffer- son College, was according to the will of God, as indicated by his providence.
A pro re nata meeting of Presbytery was held at Mifflintown, on the 20th of March, 1805, to consider Rev. M. BROWN's request for the dissolution of his pastoral relation to Mifflintown and Lost Creek. There was no dissatisfaction existing between Mr. B. and these con- gregations, but a strong desire on their part to retain him, while they yielded to his wishes. His reasons, as assigned to Presbytery for believing it to be his duty to make a change were, "that he could not find that comfort, or expect that usefulness which was desirable, and which he had reason to expect in another place, while he had no complaint to make against his congregations." The Presbytery dis- . solved his pastoral relation according to his request. At the same time a call for Mr. BROWN, from Washington, Pa., was put into his hands, of which he announced his acceptance, and he was dismissed
53
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
with the usual testimonials, to connect himself with the Presbytery of Ohio, within the bounds of which the congregation was situated.
With the departure of one good man, and just upon his retreating steps comes another, as if for compensation of the loss sustained, Mr. THOMAS HOOD, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New Castle, pro- duced certificates of his dismission from said Presbytery, and of his acceptance of calls from the united congregations of Buffalo and Washington, (Northumberland county,) within the bounds of this Presbytery, and requested to be taken under the care of Presbytery. The usual pieces of trial were assigned to Mr. HOOD, and examina- tions had which are required by the Book; all being satisfactory to Presbytery, on the 2d day of October, 1805, he was ordained and in- stalled pastor of Buffalo and Washington congregations, in which service Mr. STUART preached the ordination sermon, (in the absence of Mr. WILSON, who had been appointed to that duty,) from 1 Cor. 9: 16, and Mr. JOHN BRYSON delivered the charge according to previ. ous appointment.
A protest by the administrators of the estate of the Rev. HUGH MORRISON against the installation of Mr. Hoop, or any other person in the congregation of Buffalo, till all arrearages of salary were paid, due to the estate of Mr. MORRISON, the former pastor, was laid before Presbytery before the service of installation had taken place, but the Presbytery esteemed this no bar in the case, as Mr. MORRISON, in his life time had instituted suit for these arrearages in a civil court, the administrators had prosecuted it to an issue after his death, and had acquiesced in the judgment which was obtained against the congre- gation.
At this meeting of the Presbytery several calls were presented for Mr. HUTCHESON. Lewistown asked for the appointment of some member to moderate a meeting of the congregation with a view to ascertain the sense of the congregation with reference to making out a call for Mr. H. Calls also from the congregations of Derry and Paxton, of the Carlisle Presbytery, and a call from the united congre- gations of Mifflintown and Lost Creek, were laid before Presbytery. These calls were put into Mr. HUTCHESON's hands, and he declared his acceptance of the call from Mifflintown and Lost Creek. The only thing specially to be noticed in this call is the precision with which the amount of salary promised is stated. Four hundred and eighty-six dollars and sixty-six cents.
54
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
In 1804 certain amendments in the form of the Government Directo- ry for worship, and Book of Discipline, were proposed by the General Assembly, and sent down to the Presbyteries for their concurrence, or rejection. At the meeting of the Presbytery in the Spring of 1805, these amendments were considered and unanimously adopted, and the action of the Presbytery ordered to be sent to Rev. PHILIP MILLE- DOLLAR, Stated Clerk to the General Assembly.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.