USA > Pennsylvania > Huntingdon County > Huntingdon > History of the Presbytery of Huntingdon > Part 9
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" Presbytery taking into consideration that Mr. S. has been within their bounds more than sixteen months, during which time three meetings of Presbytery have been held, besides the present one; and that Mr. SNOW- DEN, although in usual health, has not attended any of them ; considering also that nearly one year has elapsed since he received his dismission from the Presbytery of Northumberland ; and that it was received upon his ap- plication by letter ; and, moreover, being of opinion that every minister of our connection should, when in his power, attend the judicatories of the church, and give an account to his brethren how his time has been employed.
Resolved, That the application thus made in behalf of Mr. SNOWDEN, is irregular, and that his request cannot be granted."-Min. Vol. I, p. 377-378.
At this time a regular call was laid before Presbytery by the con- gregation of Lewistown for Rev. JAMES S. WOODS, for one-half of his pastoral services. In the Spring of 1820 Mr. WooDs had been ordained and installed pastor of the congregation of Waynesburg (McVeytown) for one-half of his time; and from April, 1823, to April, 1824, had been the stated supply of Lewistown. The call from Lewis- town being accepted by Mr. Woods, the Rev. Messrs. HUTCHESON and HILL were appointed a committee to install him on the 28th of the present month, (April, 1824,) which service was performed at the ap- pointed time.
The call from Sinking Valley, for the pastoral services of Mr. SAMUEL SWAN, was then taken up and disposed of by Mr. S. asking a dismission from the Presbytery, to put himself under the care of the Presbytery of Redstone. The congregations of Sinking Valley and Spruce Creek having been heretofore united in the support of a pas- tor, and the congregation of Spruce Creek not concurring in the call to Mr. SWAN, he could not be supported on the salary promised, and of course retired from the field.
At this meeting of the Presbytery the following minute was passed in reference to lotteries, balls, and other fashionable and pernicious amusements and immoralities :
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" It having appeared from the report of some of the members of Presby- tery, that the fashionable, though pernicious vices of gambling, making lotteries, buying lottery tickets, and attending public balls, etc., have pre- vailed in some parts of our bounds, and as the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church have expressed their decided disapprobation of such practices, the Presbytery deem it proper to bear their decided testimony against them, on the ground that they are injurious to the interests of vital religion, and that to admit persons who are in the practice of them to the sealing ordinances of the church, would be to break down the separating wall between the church and the world, and to place the seals of the cove- nant of grace, where divine revelation does not authorize ns to place them : therefore,
Resolved, That it be recommended to the ministers and sessions within our bounds, to call to an account any of their communicants whom they know to be in the habit of practising any of. the above vices, and to censure them according to the malignity of the offense."-Min. Vol. 1, p. 381.
As already stated, Rev. N. R. SNOWDEN applied, through Mr. HUTCHESON, to be received as a member of the Presbytery, which request was refused for the reasons before given. At the following meeting, October 5, 1824, Mr. S. appeared in Presbytery, and renewed his request, and it was again refused. The entire history of Mr. SNOWDEN's connection with the Presbytery of Huntingdon, is as follows :
In 1818, Mr. S. was received as a minister in good standing from the Presbytery of Carlisle. Calls were at the same time presented to him from the congregations of Millerstown and Liverpool. These calls were accepted, and he was installed in November following. In the Spring of 1820, Mr. SNOWDEN resigned these charges, and he was dis- missed to the Presbytery of Northumberland. Near the close of the year 1822, he came again within the bounds of the Presbytery of Huntingdon, and after laboring for some time as a supply in two con- gregations within the bounds of the Presbytery, applied in the Spring of 1824 to be received into the Presbytery, first by letter, and then personally at the next meeting, which requests were refused as already stated. Some reports unfavorable to his character being in circulation, the Presbytery of Northumberland requested this Presby- tery to investigate them. After which Mr. S. was sent back to the Presbytery of Northumberland, the charges against him, with the evidence taken, being at the same time transmitted, and this ended his connection with this Presbytery. It is due, however, to the memory of Mr. S. to say, that the charges exhibited against him were
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by no means of a serious character, and may be summed up by say- ing, that they were simple indiscretions. Mr. S. was a man of many ex. centricities of character, perhaps not sinful, but very inconvenient.
At the Fall meeting of the Presbytery of 1824, a certain young man of the name of SAMUEL BRYSON was introduced to the Presbytery by Mr. LINN, as a candidate for the ministry. He was received as a can- didate, and parts of trial assigned him. In the Spring of 1827, having finished a regular course of theological studies at the Seminary of Princeton, he was licensed to preach the gospel. His trial sermon was the first and last which he delivered. His health failed, and he died of consumption, in Prince Edward's county, Virginia, on the 30th of April, 1828.
In the Spring of 1804, the Rev. MATTHEW STEPHENS was suspended from the ministry on charges presented against him; but restored at the adjourned meeting in June following, on a petition signed by a large number of the members of his congregation, as before related. At the meeting of the Presbytery in the Fall of 1824, common fame charged him with being guilty of various gross immoralities, inconsis- tent not only with ministerial, but christian character; therefore Presbytery resolved to hold an adjourned meeting at Shaver's Creek church, on the Ist Tuesday of December, to investigate these charges ; and Mr. STEPHENS was cited to appear and answer, and the witnesses were also cited. In the meantime, before the case was brought to trial; and even before the charges were tabled against him by Presby- tery as is believed, the session of Shaver's Creek church did refuse him the privilege of coming to the Lord's Table. Of this Mr. S. com- plained to the Presbytery, alleging that Presbytery alone could take cognizance of his character as a minister, or member of the church. After some discussion, the Presbytery agreed to refer the question to the Synod for their opinion : "whether a church session has, in any case, a right to prevent a minister of the gospel from coming to the Lord's Table, on account of alleged immoralities, before process is had against him in Presbytery ?" On this reference, the opinion of Synod. when obtained, was in favor of the action of the session in the prem- ises. After due form of trial, Mr. S. was adjudged guilty of all the charges, and suspended from the exercise of the gospel ministry. Mr. STEPHENS gave notice of his intention to appeal to Synod from the action of the Presbytery in his case. But before the meeting of Synod he was removed by death. Mr. S. was suspended at the adjourned meeting of the Presbytery, in December, 1824, and died May, 1825.
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At an adjourned meeting, held June 21, 1825, Mr. JOHN PEEBLES, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Carlisle, presented a certificate of dis- mission, to put himself under the care of Presbytery ; and was accord- ingly received. Calls from Huntingdon and Hart's Log congregations were presented for Mr. PEEBLES, which were put into his hands, and accepted by him. And the usual examinations having been sustained by him, preparatory to ordination, to the satisfaction of the Presby- tery, it was resolved to proceed the next day to his ordination. Mr. LINN was appointed to preach the ordination sermon, and Mr. HUTCH- ESON to preside and deliver the charge; and Mr. PEEBLES was accord- ingly ordained and installed pastor of the united congregations of Huntingdon and Hart's Log.
At a special meeting of the Presbytery, held at East Kishacoquillas, February 8, 1825, the Rev. SAMUEL HILL requested leave to resign his charge of the congregations of East Kishacoquillas and Dry Valley, and to be dismissed with a view to connect himself with the Associate Reformed Presbytery of Monongahela. Commissioners appeared on the part of the congregation of East Kishacoquillas, and a letter from persons belonging to Dry Valley congregation, by which it appeared that the congregations gave their consent, but reluctantly ; and Mr. HILL's request was granted, his pastoral relation dissolved, and he dismissed with the usual testimonials to the A. R. Presbytery of Mon- ongahela. Mr. HILL had received a call to the Ist Associate Reformed church in the city of Pittsburgh.
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CHAPTER V.
FROM 1825 TO 1832.
Several Organized Congregations to be Supplied, and Missionary Points to be Occupied-Rev. S. Hill Returns to the Presbytery-Ministers Received, and Candidates Licensed-Mr. Jos. B. Adams appointed Presbyterial Missionary-Philadelphia Bible Society-Question in Regard to Marriage-Question of Courtesy in Regard to Baptism-Mr. James Fergus Irvine-Death of Rev. Jas. H. Stuart -- Temperance Resolution-Candidates for the Ministry-Action of Presbytery in Respect to Mr. Robert Thompson, a Domestic Missionary-Mr. B. E. Collins -- Lotteries-Rev. David Mckinney and Rev. W. Annan-Mr. Jos. B. Adams Ordained as an Evangelist-Death of Rev. Jas. Thompson-Alexandria and Hart's Log Congregations Re- united-Rev. James Nourse Received-Resolution in Regard to the Attendance of Elders in Presbytery and Synod-Dancing.
THE Presbytery of Huntingdon, being now in existence over a quarter of a century, there were yet several vacant organized congregations to be supplied, and many points of missionary labors to be occupied. By reason of the division of the Presbytery in 1811, and by death and removal, the Presbytery was reduced to one ordained minister less than it numbered at its organization. At vari- ous times efforts had been made to procure missionaries to labor within their bounds. At the Spring meeting of the Presbytery in this year (1825) Messrs. COULTER and WOODS were appointed a com- mittee to report some plan for supplying more regularly the vacancies within the bounds of the Presbytery. This committee reported, " recommending vacant congregations to open subscription papers to obtain money to pay missionaries who may come to labor among them; and that application be made to the Board of Missions to send one or more missionaries to labor in their bounds, who may expect to be paid in a great measure, if not altogether, for their services, by the people among whom they may be employed."
Mr. HILL resigned the charge of East Kishacoquillas and Dry Valley, February, 1825, to take charge of the First Associate Reform- ed Church of Pittsburgh. But for certain reasons, after he had re- moved to Pittsburgh, and been received by the A. R. Presbytery of Monongahela, he refused to be installed, and within a few months returned within the bounds of the Presbytery. His former charge of
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East Kishacoquillas being yet vacant, immediately moved to recall him. While the majority of the congregation was anxious to recall him, a small minority, offended because of his leaving them to accept of the call from Pittsburgh, opposed his re-settlement. It seems that a call was actually prepared to be presented to Presbytery, and in view of this the minority presented a remonstrance against the call being put into his hands. There were several petitions presented to Presbytery at different times, asking for his re-settlement and as many remonstrances against it, by the minority. Presbytery appointed a committee to endeavor to reconcile the parties, This committee, after having had an interview with the parties, reported that they had not succeeded in effecting a reconciliation, upon which the Presbytery passed the following resolution :
" Resolved, That it be considered inexpedient, and not conducive to the interests of religion, that Mr. HILL be invited to be the pastor or stated supply in the congregation of East Kishacoquillas, in its present distract- ed condition."
The Associate Roformed Presbytery of Monongahela refused to give Mr. HILL a certificate of dismission on account of his abrupt depar- ture from the congregation which had called him, and consequently the Presbytery of Huntingdon, did not see their way clear to receive him consistently with order, and for nearly two years Mr. HILL was held in suspense. After various attempts on the part of Mr. HILL to satisfy the Associate Reformed Presbytery, and procure a regular dis- mission, he laid before Presbytery a letter signed by Rev. JOSEPH KERR, moderator, and Rev. JOHN RIDDLE, clerk of the Presbytery of Monongahela, stating that Mr. HILL's conduct while in their bounds was exemplary and becoming a minister of the gospel, so far as known to them, and the Presbytery had nothing against him, except the manner of his return to his former charge. Upon the report of # committee appointed to consider the whole case, and prepare a minute to be adopted by the Presbytery, Mr. HILL was received to his original standing in the Presbytery, April 4, 1827. Calls were presented for him from Sinking Valley and Spruce Creek, which were accepted, and Mr. H. was installed on the 11th of October following.
At an adjourned meeting in June, 1825, Mr. JOHN VANDERVIER was received as a licentiate from the Philadelphia Classes of the Reformed Dutch Church. At his request, the Presbytery resolved to ordain him as an Evangelist, in view of the destitute region in which he re- sided and proposed to labor, and after passing the usual examinations
THO! HUNTER, LITN. PHIL+
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. CLEARFIELD, PA
HISTORY OF THE PRESBYTERY OF HUNTINGDON. 89
and parts of trial to the satisfaction of Presbytery, he was ordained by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, October 5, 1825. Mr. VANDERVIER, after laboring about three years within the bounds of the Presbytery, was dismissed to the Presbytery of Newton.
During the years 1825, '26 and '27, more ministers were received by the Presbytery and more candidates licensed than in any three pre- vious years in the history of the Presbytery. The Rev. GEORGE GRAY, was received from the Presbytery of Northumberland, and installed pastor of the congregations of Upper Tuscarora and Aughwick in 1825. Mr. GARRY BISHOP received as a licentiate of the Presbytery of Philadelphia, ordained and installed pastor of the congregations of Pike (Curwinsville) and Clearfield, in 1826, and Messrs. JOSEPH B. ADAMS and WILLIAM RAMSEY licensed the same year, and Mr. RAMSEY ordained as an Evangelist in 1827. Mr. WILLIAM P. COCHRAN Was licensed, but immediately dismissed to the Presbytery of Missouri. The same year Mr. SAMUEL BRYSON was licensed, and the Rev. JAMES H. STUART was received as an ordained minister from the Presbytery of Philadelphia, and installed pastor of the united congregations of East and West Kishacoquillas.
In the Spring of 1826 the Presbytery made an effort towards pro- curing a missionary to visit the vacant congregations, preach to them, and ascertain how much each vacancy would raise towards the support of a missionary. Also to this end, the Presbytery resolved itself into a missionary society, auxiliary to the Pennsylvania Missionary Society ; and appointed a committee to superintend the missionary work within the bounds of Presbytery, and correspond with the Pennsylvania Society; and procure from said society any surplus funds that may be necessary to assist Presbytery in building up and strengthening the feeble congregations within their bounds.
Mr. JOSEPH B. ADAMS was appointed the first missionary, in accord- ance with the above arrangement, under the direction of the committee of superintendence. And a person better suited to mis- sionary service could not have been found within the bounds of the Presbytery, if within the limits of the whole church.
At the Fall meeting of 1827, a Mr. McCREARY, an agent of the Phil- adelphia Bible Society, was introduced to Presbytery, made an address, and stated the purpose of the society to endeavor to furnish every destitute family in the State with a copy of the Holy Scriptures, within three years, or sooner, if practicable. After which address, the following resolution was unanimously adopted :
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" That this Presbytery heartily approves of the proceedings of the Phila- delphia Bible Society in this case, and will endeavor by all means in their power to assist them."
The Rev. WILLIAM RAMSEY was at this time, at his own request, dismissed to connect himself with the Presbytery of Philadelphia.
In 1826 the ratio of representation in the General Assembly was changed, making twelve instead of nine the ratio in future, with the unanimous approbation of the Presbytery. The General Assembly sent down an overture to the Presbyteries, with regard to a proposed alteration of the 4th Section of the 24th Chapter of the Confession of Faith. The section is as follows (that part of it which it was proposed to alter, if the Presbyteries consented) : "The man may not marry any of his wife's kindred nearer in blood than he may of his own, nor the woman of her husband's kindred nearer in blood than of her own." At the Spring meeting of the Presbytery in 1827, the Presbytery decided against any alteration of the section in question. As a Pres- bytery they were of the opinion that the marriage of a man with his deceased wife's sister was scripturally unlawful, and therefore incestuous. There is no record of the state of the vote in the Presby- tery, whether unanimous, or otherwise. We suppose that if the same vote were taken in 1872, the result would probably be the same, though there might be some division of views on the subject. The arguments in favor of such marriages are generally based more on expediency than on the Scriptures. At present, Sessions, Presbyte- ries, Synods, and the General Assembly, are very willing to evade the question, if possible. Some men of very distinguished character for talents and piety, having entered into this relation, have done more to embarrass this question than all arguments that were ever pre- sented on the subject. If the General Assembly has never given any direct decision as to the unlawfulness of such marriages, it has never ventured to reverse any censure inflicted by the inferior courts on persons sustaining such relation. It is not proper in this connection to argue the question, only to record facts.
Another question, pertaining to church order and discipline, was answered by the Presbytery in the Fall of 1827, namely : "Is it not out of order, and prejudicial to the interests of the church, for one clergyman to baptize children belonging to the charge of another, without his consent ?" whereupon the following answer was returned, viz: "That Presbytery consider it contrary to Presbyterial order for one minister to baptize the children of parents belonging to the
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congregation of another minister, without the consent of the minis- ter or session."
There is not much to record in regard to the proceedings of the Presbytery during the year 1828, except ordinary business. Calls from Liverpool and Buffalo congregations were presented for Mr. JAMES FERGUS IRVINE, each for one-half of his time at the Spring meeting, and he was ordained and installed at the adjourned meeting in November following. Mr. IRVINE was a licentiate of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The next year the congregations of Liverpool and Buffalo requested leave to petition Synod to be attached to the Pres- bvtery of Carlisle, with their pastor, which request was granted. Mr. JOEL STONEROAD, a student of theology, applied for testimonials to be presented to the Presbytery of Philadelphia, that he might be received as a candidate on trials for the gospel ministry. His request was granted, but at the same time Presbytery advised him to put himself under the care of this Presbytery, to which he naturally belongs.
Presbytery enjoined on its members and the congregations, to ob- served the 4th Thursday of January, 1829, as a day of fasting, humilia- tion and prayer, as enjoined by the General Assembly. Also to preach on the subject of the sanctification of the Sabbath, at least one Sab- bath before the next stated meeting of the Presbytery.
The year 1829 opens with the record of the death of Rev. JAMES H. STUART, on the 27th of February preceding the meeting of the Pres- bytery.
An appeal from a decision of the session of the church of Sinking Valley, was laid before Presbytery by Mr. ANGUS SINCLAIR, who was convicted and suspended from the communion of the church on the charges of intoxication and profane swearing. The decision of the session was affirmed by a unanimous vote. The Rev. WILLIAM STUART at this time resigned the office of Treasurer of the Presbytery, and Mr. Woods was appointed in his place. At the same meeting at which the judgment of the session of Sinking Valley Church was affirmed in the case of Mr. SINCLAIR, Presbytery passed the following resolution in regard to temperance :
"Resolved, That this Presbytery approve of the exertions of the Ameri- can and Pennsylvania Temperance Societies, to discourage the common use of ardent spirits."
And this was not all, but the Presbytery formed themselves sub- stantially into a temperance society, by passing or adopting the addi- tional resolution :
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" Resolved, That the members of this Presbytery pledge themselves to promote the cause of temperance, by a total abstinence from the use of ardent spirits, except when necessary for medicinal purposes."
This resolution was not adopted by the Presbytery any too soon. The lamentable instances brought to the direct attention of the Pres- bytery, requiring the exercise of solemn acts of discipline, demanded such a resolution of total abstinence from the common use of ardent spirits. It will be observed that it is not a pledge of total abstinence from all that will intoxicate; but it is believed to be as extensive a pledge as any one adopted in that day. No temperance organization, so far as known, had gone further in a pledge of total abstinence. Further, we believe it to have been the first example of a purely ecclesiastical temperance organization. As, perhaps, no ecclesiastical organization had more reason to adopt such a pledge, none had gone to the same extent in reformation, or struck more directly at the root of the evil. Notwithstanding the sad falls of some of the ministers that had belonged to the Presbytery, there was, from the organization of the Presbytery a noble band of men and ministers, who by precept and example testified against intemperance, and finally excluded the bottle from the entertainments provided for the members, at the meetings of the Presbytery. If it were necessary, a long list of the venerable fathers, now gone to their rest and their reward, might be given, who were irreproachable as to the use of intoxicating liquors ; and at times when they were in common use among the members of the churches, and it was considered no reproach to use intoxicating drinks, if not used to great excess. We, who live at this day, deserve no credit for our strictly temperate habits, compared with those men who finally drove it from the private tables of church members and ecclesiastical assemblies.
The years 1828 and '29, although we have no data from which to tell of extensive revivals within the bounds of the Presbytery, were prolific of candidates for the gospel ministry, especially the last named year. In April, Mr. GEORGE D. PORTER was taken under the care of Presbytery as a candidate; and in October, Messrs. SAMUEL WILSON, JOHN FLEMING, and WILLIAM REED. All these lived to enter the min- istry, and a part of them are performing good service till this day. Mr. WILSON, now, the Rev. Dr. WILSON, after serving a congregation within the Presbytery for some years resigned the charge on account of failing health, and removed to a field of labor in the West.
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JOHN FLEMING is also still living at Earlville, Illinois, a member of the Presbytery of Ottawa. WILLIAM REED devoted himself to the work of foreign missions in Northern India, under the direction of the Western Foreign Missionary Society, of which Rev. Dr. ELISHA SWIFT was then the corresponding secretary. Presbytery pledged itself for his support in the foreign field ; but he had scarcely entered upon his work, if he had entered at all, till he was cut short by death, much lamented by the Presbytery and all the friends of missions.
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