USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 6
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
Presbytery met in the church of Lost Creek, April 15, 1806. At this meeting Mr. HUTCHESON was ordained and installed pastor of Mifflintown and Lost Creek. Before these services took place the commissioner of the congregations, together with Mr. HUTCHESON, stated to Presbytery that a mistake had been made in the amount of salary stated in the call from said congregations; that instead of one hundred and eighty-two pounds ten shillings, it should have been only one hundred and seventy five pounds. Mr. HUTCHESON stated to Presbytery that the commissioner informed him of his mistake before he accepted the call. The Presbytery permitted the mistake to be rectified.
At this time the Rev. ISAAC GRIER was transferred from the pastoral charge of Pine Creek congregation to the united congregations of Sunbury, Northumberland and Shamokin.
It will be recollected that the Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS was tried at the meeting of Presbytery in April, 1804, on charges presented against him by Miss Polly Campbell, and he suspended from the min- istry, but restored again at the meeting of the Presbytery following. It seems that upon a review of the minutes by the Synod exception was taken, not to the final action of the Presbytery, but to the apparent inconsistency between the record and the final act of sus- pension. The act of suspension is recorded as follows : "Presbytery were of opinion that his conduct did not evince any criminal inten- tion with respect to Miss Polly Campbell, yet the charges are fully sub- stantiated !" Now criminal intention was the very gist of her main charge. There seems to have been an omission by the clerk in recording the action of the Presbytery in this case; therefore the delegates to the Assembly of 1806 are instructed to inform the Synod that the incorrectness of which the Synod complained in the case of Mr. STEPHENS "was in the minutes, not in the proceedings of Presby- tery." It must have been an oversight in making the record, for surely the members of the Presbytery could not have so stultified themselves, as to have exonerated him of all criminal intention, and
55
HISTORY FO THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
at the same time voted that all the charges were substantiated. The idea intended to be conveyed, no doubt, was that while the conduct or actions of Mr. STEPHENS on the occasion were proven, his intention was misinterpreted.
But on the 17th of April, 1806, new charges were laid before Pres- bytery, by a Mr. DAVID RIDDLE, of habitual intoxication, and abusive language to all who offended him. But the charges not being so specific as the Presbytery judged to be necessary, Mr. RIDDLE was per- mitted to withdraw his paper that it might be presented in due form at the next meeting of Presbytery. At the meeting of the Presbytery in October, the above charges were renewed by Mr. RIDDLE, with the additional charge of "total neglect of family visitation." This paper was entertained by the Presbytery, and ordered that a copy of the charges and witnesses be furnished to Mr. STEPHENS, and that citations be issued by the clerk to the witnesses to appear at the next Spring meeting of the Presbytery.
The Assembly of 1805 had sent down to the Presbyteries an over- ture on the subject of educating pious youth for the gospel ministry. The Assembly finding that there was a general coincidence of senti- ment on this subject, appointed a committee to take this subject into consideration, to draught and lay before the house a minute proper to be adopted and published by the Assembly, and calculated to carry the design into complete effect. This committee reported, stating the pressing necessity of an increase of candidates for the gospel minis- try, earnestly recommending to every Presbytery under the care of the Assembly, to use their utmost endeavors to increase, by all suita- ble means in their power, the number of promising candidates for the holy ministry-to press it upon the parents of pious youth to educate them for the church, and on the youth themselves, to devote their talents and their lives to this sacred calling-to make vigorous exer- tions to raise funds to assist all the youth who may need assistance, to be careful that the youth whom they may take on their funds give such evidence as the nature of the case admits, that they possess both talents and piety, to inspect the education of those youth during the course both of their academical and theological studies ; choosing for them such schools, seminaries, and teachers, as each Presbytery may judge most proper and advantageous, so as eventually to bring them into the ministry well furnished for their work, &c.
The Presbytery of Huntingdon took the following action on these recommendations of the General Assembly, by report of a committee :
56
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
" The committee appointed to consider the injunctions of the General Assembly respecting the selection and education of poor and pious youth for the gospel ministry, are of opinion that the present circumstances of the church are such as render this measure highly necessary, and that no means should be left untried which will have the smallest tendency to carry it into execution. After duly considering the subject, they doubt not of the practicability of it, and for this purpose beg leave to present the follow- ing resolutions :
1. Resolved, That a committee be appointed, to be called the Committee of Education, consisting of seven members, any three of whom shall be a quorum, whose business it shall be to receive information concerning, and recommendations in favor of such young men as come under the description contained in the Assembly's injunction, to determine whether the persons recommended be received or not, to superintend the education of those who may be received, and to apply the funds that may be raised for that purpose.
2. Resolved, That a Treasurer be appointed whose duty itshall be to re- ceive the moneys which may be raised, to hold them subject to the order of the above committee, to keep a regular account of the receipts and expen- ditures, to report annually the state of the funds, as well as the sums re- ceived during the last year, and from whom received.
3. Resolved, That the pastor and session of every congregation, or the session, where the congregation is vacant, within our bounds, be requested to make diligent search for young men of capacity and piety, whose parents, who although desirous, are not in such circumstances as to give them a liberal education, and to communicate the result of their search to the committee, accompanied with a recommendation of the person, if they find any such, who in their opinion ought to be taken under the care of the committee.
4. Resolved, That the congregations under our care be most earnestly solicited, yearly or half yearly, to take up liberal collections, or to raise money in any way, which in their opinion shall be most desirable, and to transmit it to the treasurer, or to the chairman of the committee, in the absence of the treasurer.
One other resolution was appended providing for the return of money to the society from which it was received, after a specified time, in case no persons were found upon whom to expend it.
And as it appears that division of the Presbytery was contemplated, it was resolved that should there be then any money in the treasury, in that event it should be divided equally between the two Presbyte- ries, provided each Presbytery had an equal number of young men for education under their care; if not, then in proportion to the number each may have.
The following persons were chosen as the Committee on Education : Rev. Messrs. JAMES JOHNSTON, JOHN BRYSON, WILLIAM STUART, JOHN
57
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
B. PATTERSON and JOHN COULTER; with Messrs. JAMES HEPBURN and JOHN WATSON, elders.
The Rev. JOHN HUTCHESON was chosen treasurer.
At the Spring meeting of the Presbytery, April 21, 1807, the case of Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS was taken up by consent of parties, though several important witnesses were absent, and Presbytery agreed to hear the testimony of those witnesses that were present, and appoint a committee to take the testimony of those who were absent, and reserve their decision until their next meeting. The following mem- bers were appointed this committee, to meet at Shaver's Creek Church on the 1st Tuesday of June next, viz: Rev. Messrs. DAVID BARD, JOHN JOHNSTON, WILLIAM STUART and HENRY R. WILSON, and Messrs. DAVID STUART and GEORGE MCCORMICK, elders. The Rev. HENRY R. WILSON to preach a sermon on the occasion. At the fall meeting of the Pres- bytery at Warrior Run, the following action, in the case of the Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS, Was taken :
" The prosecutor of the Rev. M. STEPHENS appeared in Presbytery, but on account of the absence of Mr. S. and all the members of the committee appointed to take the testimony in that case, Presbytery deferred their de- cision till the next Spring meeting."
At this time the question of the division of the Presbytery was taken into consideration, and the following minute adopted :
" The Presbytery of Huntingdon taking into consideration the difficulties under which many of their members labor on account of their local sitna- tion; rendering a general attendance on the meetings of Presbytery for the most part impracticable, were of opinion that application should be made to the next General Assembly for a division of the Presbytery into two Pres- byteries ; and the following lines of division are proposed to the General Assembly : Beginning at the month of the Juniata, and along said river to Lewistown, thence by the State road to Bellefonte, so as to include to the eastward the charges of the Rev. Messrs. HUTCHESON, JOHN BRYSON, HOOD, PATTERSON, GRIER and WILSON, to be called by the name of the Presbytery of Northumberland."
.
At this meeting of the Presbytery JOHN BUYERS, Esq., was appointed treasurer of the Committee of Education, in the place of Rev. JOHN HUTCHESON, because his place of residence was more central. The Spring meeting of the Presbytery of 1808 was held in the church of Bellefonte. At this meeting the Committee of Education made report of the first young man taken under their care with a view to the min- istry, THOMAS CALDWELL, a young man of good natural abilities, and who had since the time he was taken under their care (September 10. S
1
58
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
1807) made considerable progress in the Latin language. This gave occasion to inquire of the different members of the Presbytery what had been done in their several congregations respecting the fund for the education of poor and pious youth for the gospel ministry ; when it appeared that considerable attention had been paid to the matter by some of the members, and considerable sums of money raised; those who had neglected this cause were enjoined to give it more attention in the future.
At this meeting of the Presbytery it was moved and carried that the line of division proposed at the last meeting of Presbytery (October 6, 1807) be reconsidered, and the following line of division was proposed. and adopted, viz: Beginning at the mouth of the Mahantango Creek, and proceeding a northwesterly course to the mouth of Clearfield Creek, so as to leave to the eastward the congregation of Great Island, including to the eastward the charges of the Rev. Messrs. DUNHAM, JOHN BRYSON, GRIER, PATTERSON and HOOD; to be called the Presby- tery of Northumberland.
There is a record made at this meeting of the Presbytery of a com- plaint to Presbytery by Mr. HUTCHESON of negligence on the part of his congregation in paying the salary due him, and on account of which he was suffering embarrassment ; and also by Mr. JAMES JOIIN- STON in regard to arrearages due him by West Kishacoquillas for his labors among them while he was their pastor. In both cases Presby- tery interposed their authority kindly but decidedly, enjoining upon the congregations a speedy settlement of their dues to these brethren. Had Mr. HUTCHESON been a pastor in these more modern times, the first notice they would have had of any neglect of payment on the part of the congregation, would have been an application on his part for a dissolution of the pastoral relation. Mr. H. continued to be the pastor of this congregation for more than thirty-five years after this time. He did not want to leave the congregation, neither did the congregation want him to leave them; but their neglect in regard to the salary, no doubt, proceeded from thoughtlessness, which probably never afterwards occurred. Which is the better course to pursue, the ancient or the modern example, depends altogether on circumstances. No congregation ought to impose such a necessity on their pastor. And it is time these annual and semi-annual payments should cease. The landlord looks for his rent to be paid, at least, quarterly. The minister ought to be able to embrace the advantage in dealing which arises from being known to be a prompt payer of his debts.
.
59
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
At this meeting the Presbytery came to a decision in regard to the charges brought against Mr. STEPHENS. The testimony taken at a former meeting of the Presbytery was read, the committee appointed to take further testimony reported, the whole testimony being now before the members and the parties fully heard, the Presbytery unanimously decided that none of the charges were substantiated, and Mr. RIDDLE was admonished to be more careful in future in taking up or publishing a false, report against a gospel minister.
The Presbytery met in Buffalo Valley in the Spring of 1809. As usual there were many applications from the vacant congregations and destitute places for supplies. The Presbytery, moved by the con- sideration of the destitute condition of a great body of people within their bounds, and not having it in their power to grant much assist- ance, having no licentiates under their care, instructed their commis- sioners to the next General Assembly to make earnest application to the General Assembly's Committee of Missions to send missionaries to their assistance.
At this meeting it was ascertained that the General Assembly had refused the application for a division of the Presbytery, because of its not being the proper court to which to apply in the first instance, and they were directed to make their request for a division to the Synod. It was therefore now resolved to make application to the Synod for a division, with substantially the same line as before suggested.
A record of action taken at this time would seem to indicate that there were congregations, even in those times, that instead of becom- ing stronger and more able to support the gospel, were becoming weaker. Washington congregation, (Northumberland county,) to ยท which Mr. HooD preached half his time, made request to Presbytery, (in which request Mr. H. acquiesced,) that he should be allowed to give them only the fourth part of his time, for which they would give him just half the salary promised in their call at the time of his ordi- nation and installation. Presbytery permitted them to make any arrangement which suited themselves, provided Mr. H. acquiesced, which he did on this occasion. In this case it is altogether probable that the strength of the congregation was diminished by death, or removal from its bounds-most likely by removal. Circumstances over which they have no control, compel families sometimes to remove from one part of the county to another; but it may be questioned whether in a majority of instances, such removals have not only tend- ed to the injury of the church, but to the injury of the families
.
60
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
themselves. There are rich valleys in the bounds of the Presbytery of Huntingdon, where were 'once laid the foundations of large and flourishing churches, that are now extinct, or so reduced in members as to be scarcely able to support the gospel amongst themselves for only a portion of the time. Christians of other denominations have come in to occupy the rich and fertile fields once possessed by Presby- terian families, and have large and flourishing congregations. Con- gregations have become utterly extinct, which were regularly sup- plied for years after the formation of the Presbytery, by members of the Presbytery, either as pastors or stated supplies, or by persons appointed from time to time at the stated meetings of the Presby- tery. The writer once preached in a place where had been once an organized congregation, to which the Rev. Mr. MARTIN, one of the original members of the Presbytery, gave a portion of his time, when that evening sermon was the first Presbyterian service that had been held in the place for twenty-five years previously; and there was then but one family in the place inclined to the Presbyterian Church. Where were all the other? Dead or emigrated, or swallowed up. And when we think of East Penns Valley, Brush Valley, and Nit- tany Valley, we scarcely know what suitable comment to make on the folly, not to say the sin of Presbyterian families in allowing them- selves to be crowded out of the most productive valleys in the centre of the State, and go themselves on a wild hunt of easier cultivated lands in the West. And often times there was not only the breaking up, at least, the crippling of the churches at home, but for years they deprived themselves and their families of the stated means of grace in the places whither they had removed, just long enough for their growing up children to learn to care for none of these things, and lose all the Presbyterian inclinations they ever had instilled into them. And not one out of ten of those who owned lands in Cen- tral Pennsylvania, improved their circumstances by emigrating to the West.
At the stated meeting of the Presbytery, October 3, 1809, the Rev. H. R. WILSON requested that the pastoral relation between him and the congregations of Bellefonte and Lick Run, might be dissolved. The congregations being present, by their commissioners, expressed their consent to the request, and his pastoral relation was dissolved accordingly, and he dismissed with the usual testimonials to the Pres- bytery of Carlisle. At the same time the Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS asked leave, on account of grievances under which he labored, to re-
61
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
sign the charge of the congregation of Shaver's Creek. The congrega- tion was cited to appear at the next meeting of Presbytery and give reasons, if any they had, why Mr. STEPHENS' request should not be granted.
In 1798 a reference was sent from the Synod of Virginia through the Committee of Bills and Overtures, in these words, "How far and in what sense are persons who have been regularly baptized in infancy and have not partaken of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, subject to the discipline of the church ?" In 1799 the General Assembly an- swered this question, by referring to the standards of the church as containing a sufficient answer to the reference. The following over- ture had been presented to the Assembly of 1811, by the Synod of Kentucky : " What step should the church take with baptized youth, not in communion, but arrived at the age of maturity, should such youth prove disorderly and contumacious ?" The Assembly appointed the Rev. Drs. MILLER and ROMEYN, and the Rev. JAS. RICHARDS, a com- mitttee to prepare and report to the next Assembly a full and com- plete answer to the above overture. This committee reported to the Assembly as required, and after the report had been read, it was re- committed to the same committee for revision and publication, and commended to the attention of the Presbyteries and ministers, while the Assembly refused to express any opinion on the principles it con- tained. The object of sending down to the Presbyteries and minis- ters was, that in due time a decision might be had on the important subject discussed in the report. At the Assembly of 1814 a commit- tee was appointed to consider and report what should be done with the above report. The Rev. Drs. GREEN, WOODHULL, WILSON, and Messrs. CALDWELL and CONNELLY, were appointed this committee, who reported, recommending that the committee be discharged, and they were accordingly discharged and the subject was indefinitely postponed.
These historical facts are recalled for the purpose of explaining the action of the Presbytery of Huntingdon in 1809. The subject had been agitated in the church from 1798, and come before the Assem- bly from time to time till 1814. The following is the action of the Presbytery at the time above specified :
" The Presbytery having taken into serious consideration the subject of disciplining baptized persons who are not in full communion in the church, do hereby recommend to the several congregations under their care, that they pay particular attention to this subject, and that they be careful to teach them the principles of religion, and the necessity of walking in new-
.
62
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
ness of life before God, in compliance with a resolution of the General As- sembly on that subject." In regard to this, there is only one suggestion to be made, that when the term "disciplining" is used in a technical sense, in most cases in these later times, instead of calling the children to account, justice would be answered by calling the professing parents to account for the neglect of the religious training of their children. According to the covenant and promise of God, the conscientious discharge of the duty of parental training according to their vows made at their baptism, will be ordinarily followed with the covenant blessing. The unfaithfulness is not in God. It is his way of perpetuating his church in the earth. "Train np a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
The congregations of Bellefonte and Lick Run were not long with- out a pastor. At the same meeting of the Presbytery in which Mr. WILSON resigned the charge, and was dismissed to the Presbytery of Carlisle, Mr. JAMES LINN, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Carlisle, was received under the care of Presbytery, and calls from the united churches of Bellefonte and Lick Run put into his hands. In the seven years of Mr. WILSON's ministry in these churches they had ad- vanced a little in the amount of salary promised. Mr. WILSON was called on a salary of four hundred dollars. The calls were accepted, and Rom. 5: 10 assigned Mr. LINN as the subject of a sermon for ordi- nation, and it was resolved to hold the next stated meeting at Belle- fonte, with a view to his ordination and installation, if the way be clear. The Rev. JOHN B. PATTERSON was appointed to preach on the occasion, and the Rev. ISAAC GRIER to preside and give the charge.
It seems that it was customary in those early times to apply to the General Assembly for missionary labor, or liberty to employ or per- form missionary service, to be paid out of the funds of the General Assembly collected for this purpose. Therefore the following record is found among the minutes of the Presbytery at this time :
" The General Assembly at their last meeting, empowered the Presbytery of Huntingdon to employ a missionary for two months within their bounds. Mr. JAMES JOHNSTON and Mr. COULTER were appointed each to spend two weeks in missionary labors in the western end of the Presbytery, the time at discretion, and Mr. DUNHAM and Mr. PATTERSON to spend two weeks each in the eastern end of the Presbytery, the time also at discretion, but to be performed before the next meeting of the Presbytery."
At the following meeting of Presbytery, Messrs. JOHNSTON and COULTER reported that they had not performed the two weeks of missionary service to which they were appointed. And it is believed
63
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON.
that Messrs. DUNHAM and PATTERSON had not been able to fulfil their appointments in the eastern end.
Presbytery met at Bellefonte on 17th of April, 1810, with a view to the ordination and installation of Mr. LINN, who had accepted calls to the congregations of Bellefonte and Lick Run. The Presbytery was opened with a sermon by Mr. LINN, from the text assigned him for trial at a former meeting. The discourse was unanimously sustained as part of trial for ordination. He was examined on the Languages, Theology, Natural and Moral Philosophy, all of which examinations were sustained; and Presbytery proceeded to his ordination and installation, in which service (Mr. PATTERSON who had been appointed being absent) Mr. COULTER preached the ordination sermon, from 1 Cor. 1:21, and Mr. GRIER, according to previous appointment, gave the charge.
At this stated meeting also, Mr. WILLIAM KENNEDY, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New Castle, presented his testimonials and dismis- sion, and was taken under the care of Presbytery. Calls were pre- sented for Mr. KENNEDY from Lewistown and West Kishacoquillas ; two-thirds of his time to be given to the congregation of Lewistown, and one-third to West Kishacoquillas; for which he was to receive a salary of four hundred and eighty dollars between them, in proportion to the services rendered to each. These calls, upon being put into Mr. KENNEDY's hands, were accepted; and, in view of his ordination and installation, the next stated meeting was appointed to be held at Lewistown.
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.