USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Luzerne > History of the Presbytery of Luzerne, state of Pennsylvania > Part 7
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spiritual refreshing were enjoyed. The government of the local church was, at his suggestion, modified and made to conform to the Presbyterian constitution. Messrs. Henry C. Anhauser, William C. Gildersleeve (son of the late pastor), and Orestus Collins were elected and installed ruling elders. A more commodious and attractive house of worship was projected, and almost completed, when the young pastor was called to other duties more numerous and varied.
While the work of consolidation and enlargement was going forward, during the four years of Dr. Murray's ministry, in the centre of his field, the remoter parts of the extended theatre of operations covered by pastors Hoyt and Gildersleeve could not receive the attention that these brethren had bestowed on them, and therefore suffered some measure of decline; but the Chief Shepherd had in the meantime a man in training to follow the successful pastor of Wilkes-Barre, and Kingston, whose birth, education, affiliations and spiritual endowments fitted him not only to conserve the advantages already gained, in the spiritual conquests made in the centers of vigorous operations, but to extend the circumference and maintain the conquest within and beyond the large area. Of him we have already written, but we are called to chronicle the fact that he is about to be called home, and become a notable exception to the proverb: "a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country and in his own house." That man was John Dorrance who, with Richard Webster, was soon to establish a new Presbytery, and make it a model.
The ninth of August, 1833, witnessed the installation of the Rev. John Dorrance as pastor of the church in
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which he had been born 33 years before, and the dedication of a new house of worship, upon the same day.
The first generation of members of the church had passed off the stage of action, with but two exceptions ; one of these, Mrs. Eliza Dyer, still in the church, and Mr. Elisha Blackman, who had adopted the theories of Emanuel Swedenborg.
In the person of the new pastor, however, and in the erection of a new and enlarged sanctuary, both the pro- ductions of the original church organism, and in the fact that those who now constituted the body corporate and were found acting for its preservation and enlargement were able to lay their hands on one of the sons of the church, to place him on their watch-tower and make him their overseer, evidence is afforded of the continued life, growth and vigor of the Wilkes-Barre church. It was, too, an expression of confidence in the new pastor and of honor bestowed upon him which could never be excelled. The sequel proves that all was wisely done and never regretted.
The settlement of Dr. Dorrance at Wilkes-Barre preceded the settlement of Mr. Webster at Mauch Chunk by two years, within the bounds of the Presbytery of Luzerne, as afterwards fixed. Occupying as they did the radiating points of the Presbytery, they entered their respective fields under widely different circumstances, for which their individual character and attainments adapted them respectively. They supplied what was needed in both cases.
The work to which Mr. Webster came, in 1835, was strictly initiative. None had been before him. No
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foundation had been laid upon which he could build. His devotion to the Master, his love of souls, his clear conception of what the gospel means, with reference to God and with reference to man, as well as with reference to the security and prosperity of our country and her institutions, made him a home missionary and a wise foundation builder, such as the writer has never. seen excelled between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Dr. Dorrance had come into another centre of light and growth, in the prospective Presbytery, as a pastor, two years before Mr. Webster (1833). He brought a good measure of experience with him. He found that the work to which he was called had already assumed fair proportions and extended compass, within which some material had been partially prepared, to go into the new and additional foundations which must be laid under his supervision, or by his personal labor. With his con- stitutional endowments for leadership; his thorough knowledge of the field, its wants and difficulties and materials for building ; with like just conceptions of the importance of the work he was undertaking, and what success meant with reference to God and humanity, Dr. Dorrance entered his part of the field with some advan- tages over Mr. Webster; but wherein they presented personal peculiarities, these were always found to increase the aggregate force in their co-operation in any good work. Neither of them was ever known to manifest selfishness, or personal ambition. To what extent their example, in this respect, gave character to the Presbytery they projected, we cannot determine; but certain it is, that, as a Presbytery, Luzerne was remarkably free from the above indicated objectionable exhibitions, which were
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conspicuous in both Webster and Dorrance by their absence.
When Dr. Dorrance assumed the pastoral charge of the Wilkes-Barre congregation, there were 126 members in that church. The organization of the Kingston Church was the first off-shoot from that original body, but no further division had been made up to this time, unless Northmoreland church be regarded as an off-spring of the Wilkes-Barre and Kingston churches, in 1821. But the new pastor is found extending his attention to points which recently had not been especially fostered, with a view of preparing them for separate organizations ; also visiting and preaching to other communities that had before received no attention, all along the Susquehanna northward to Tunkhannock and down the same river to · Newport and Hanover, and up the valley of the Lackawanna to points beyond that on which the young and vigorous city of Scranton now stands. This work involved many lonesome, toilsome rides. These, how- ever, brought the zealous pastor to the scattered members of his own church and secured to him the opportunity and privilege of preaching the gospel in these sparsely settled places to many who, without this toil on his part, would never have heard the public proclamation of the glad tidings of grace. Thus foundation work was done, year after year, in these outposts.
The first organization within the limits of Dr. Dorrance's extended field was perhaps that of Falls Township, on the east side of the Susquehanna. The name of the church was subsequently changed to that of the Newton Presbyterian church. It was organized by a committee of the Susquehanna Presbytery, consisting of
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the Rev. John Rhodes and Rev, Dr. Dorrance, October 29th, 1833. So far as can be learned none of the members came from the Wilkes-Barre church.
Again on December 29th, 1833, another organiza- tion was effected at Tunkhannock, which was the outgrowth of aggressive Christian effort made by Merrit Slocum, a young Presbyterian layman from Wilkes-Barre church, who had removed to Tunkhannock in 1831, where, by Sabbath school and other evangelistic work, which was followed by visits from Dr. Dorrance and missionary labors of the Rev. George Printz and Isaac Todd, he was the means of preparing the way for establishing a Presbyterian church, under the care of the Presbytery of Susquehanna. The organization at Tunk- hannock took twenty-five members from Wilkes-Barre. After these new organizations were effected, considerable time elapsed before any more of the outposts of the Wilkes-Barre pastor became churches ; but Sabbath schools were maintained, largely by the members of the old church, at those outstations, and from time to time planted at new points. These schools, or many of them, were the forerunners of Presbyterian or other evan- gelical churches, in whose history must be seen the labors of the pious members and pastor of the Wilkes-Barre church. These labors of love have been attended by results, as we now see them, which, doubtless, are vaster than the faith of the workers then painted them.
Dr. Dorrance believed in using special evangelistic efforts in the home church and in the outposts. The immediate cause of the organization at Falls and at Tunkhannock was special and protracted meetings, led by him, assisted by new ministers and licentiates. These proved to be seasons of ingathering.
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In the Wilkes-Barre church, the year 1836 witnessed for it a season of great refreshing. During the year 1839, another followed, with greater visible results. In the services on this occasion the pastor was greatly aided in his work by the preaching of the Rev. Daniel Baker, whose labors were subsequently so richly blessed, espec- ially in the South and Southwest, not only in " winning souls " to Christ, but also in building up the institutions of the church. His brother, John O. Baker, was for a long time a member, an elder, and a pillar in the Wilkes- Barre church, greatly beloved. Two of his sons went out from this church as ministers of marked ability and devotion. As the fruit of this revival, 50 confessed Christ and united with the church. In 1843, a like number enrolled themselves, as the avowed followers of Christ. Other seasons of quickening of Christian zeal were from time to time enjoyed during the twenty-seven years of Dr. Dorrance's pastorate. He states to his congregation, at the end of twenty years, that there had been received into the church 340; 217 on profession, and 123 by letter from other churches. At that time, the entire debt on the church building, which was dedicated on the day of his installation, had been paid, a new and spacious brick house of worship, costing some $14,000, had been erected and paid for, with the exception of a small sum, about equal to that which was cancelled on the old building when the new enterprise was projected, and which caused no uneasiness. At this time the congregation was giving about $250 annually to missions, in addition to special causes and local opera- tions, which it was supposed (by the pastor in 1853) would amount to from $8,000 to $10,000, in the aggregate.
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Much thoughtful interest was taken on the part of Dr. Dorrance, and his church, in the welfare, spiritual and material, of missionary points, and organizations throughout the Presbytery. His wise counsel to the younger ministers and feeble congregations was of inestimable value to them. It was always freely given ; but never in a patronizing spirit. His comprehensive grasp of the situation enabled him so to present his advice that it was felt in all cases to be good and profitable. Thus, in his quiet and unassuming way, he could easily control men and movements. With regard to the latter, especially when they were within the bounds of his own Presbytery, he was not dependent on others for his knowledge of their inception, progress, feasibility and importance, or the obstacles in the way of their accom- plishment.
While the interest of Dr. Dorrance in the movements of the church of Christ was always primary, he was never found ignorant of or indifferent toward any movement pertaining to the good of humanity, intellectually, morally, or socially. During the later years of his life he was intensely interested in the questions which culminated in the war of the rebellion. He had imbibed the sentiments and spirit of his ancestors, whom he himself, in speaking of the influence of the fathers of the nation, characterizes as follows : *
" Trace them back through the Pilgrims to the days of the Commonwealth and old Cromwell, or, through the Scotch-Irish, to Knox; and both to Geneva and the Scriptural doctrine and discipline which Calvin taught, there was inculcated the immediate responsibility of man
*Anniversary sermon preached in 1853.
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to God, His sovereignty and the barrenness of kingly or priestly power. There they saw 'a church without a Bishop and a State without a king. ' The principles, not of Calvin, but of Calvin's Master, taught by that great man, are essentially those which lie at the foundation of all lasting good, of every real substantial reform. The constitutional liberty of the British empire is owing to the working of these principles, in England and Scotland. These wrought out our American independence. Where these are lacking, there is no solid and lasting freedom." * *
* * "Just so far as the principles of our fathers have been preserved is our community in advance of other · portions of the land. "
Before the erection of the Presbytery of Luzerne, an additional church was organized for the valley of the Lackawanna; most of its members had been enrolled as communicants of the Wilkes-Barre church and its pastor had, with more or less regularity, min- istered to them at various places in the valley ; especially had Dr. Dorrance given attention to that part of his extended field. These labors of the pastor were supplemented by the ministrations of others whom he had introduced into this and remoter parts of his field ; among whom we find the names of Rev. Thomas Owen, subsequently ordained by the Presbytery of Long Island. John Turbitt, also a student of Princeton Seminary, afterwards ordained by the Presbytery of Allegheny ; Charles Alexander Evans, like Mr. Turbitt from Ireland and a student of Belfast College and Princeton Seminary ; he received ordination at the hands of the new Presbytery, according to the action of the General Assemby constituting said Presbytery, and became pastor
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of one of its churches ; also Rev. Owen Brown whose subsequent ministry is not known to the writer.
In addition to these, who were mostly young men, the Rev. Thomas P. Hunt did much valuable service, not only in Lackawanna valley, but in almost every congre- gation and mission field of the Presbytery, much of it at his own charges. He became a member of the new Presbytery, and we shall have much to say of him.
In the fall of 1842, the Susquehanna Presbytery appointed a committee to visit the Lackawanna valley with power to constitute a new church organization. Of the committee appointed, the Rev. John Dorrance, Rev. Thomas P. Hunt, and Rev. Owen Brown met Feb. 25, 1842, in the then village of Harrison, previously called Slocum Hollow, and subsequently Scrantonia, and finally Scranton, under which name the village has become a city the fourth in order in the great state of Pennsylvania. They found the way clear, and organized the Lackawanna Presbyterian church, with territory embracing the entire valley south of Carbondale congregation, which had been organized as early as 1829 by the Presbytery of Susque- hanna. Montrose Presbytery, in 1832, had been erected from a part of Luzerne.
This provision for giving local organization and church life to so large a part of the territory of the Wilkes-Barre church relieved its pastor of much personal labor. He, however, found abundant opportunity to call forth all his energies and exhaust his time and strength nearer home. Work had been done by the Rev. Cyrus Gildersleeve at Coalville, and his son, Mr. William C. Gildersleeve, and others had long maintained a Sabbath School in that place. Mr. Dorrance fostered
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Christian efforts there, maintaining regular preaching. In 1844, a house of worship was completed. From that time onward the coal trade continued to increase, and with it the population of Coalville and vicinity.
The Wilkes-Barre Academy, from the beginning closely allied with the Presbyterian church, whose pastor was a member of the Board of Trustees continuously, was an agency of no small importance in promoting the best interests of the community. This institution always shared largely in Dr. Dorrance's labors. The people of the town were justly proud of it. In it many of its leading citizens were educated, as well as others who had gone out from it to occupy places of honor and responsibility; such men as Hendrick B. Wright, B. A. Bidlack, George W. Woodward, Luther Kidder and Ovid F. Johnson and others, - men eminent in the legal profession ; also Dr. S. D. Gross, late of Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia ; Samuel Bowman, Bishop of Pennsylvania, in the Episcopal church ; Zebulon Butler and John Dorrance, Bishops in the Presbyterian church ; Prof. J. S. White and George Catlin, artist.
During the pastorate of Mr. Hoyt, there were two students under his charge for the ministry; one of them named Nelson, died; the other, a Mr. Chamberlain, became a missionary to the Cherokee Indians. These young men, however, had come from other congregations. Under the pastorate of Mr. Gildersleeve, the candidates for the ministry were, Joseph H. Jones, Zebulon Butler and John Dorrance ; and during Dr. Murray's pastorate, John Waters, Edwin Rinehart, S. P. Helme and Prof. John S. Hart ; when Dr. Dorrance was in charge of the Wilkes-Barre church, John W. Sterling, H. H. Welles,
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Alexander Dilley, John Brown, Henry Rinker, John F. Baker, Charles J. Collins, William E. Baker, B. C. Dorrance, Evan Evans, and Theodore Byington, a foreign Missionary. Nearly all the above list were students in the old Academy, and several of them were accorded the first honors in the College from which they subsequently graduated. It is no doubt a matter of regret to many, that the distinguished Academy has ceased to send forth such men, or any men, for that matter. But the class of men furnished by such institutions has given our land the noble public school system, which, while it has some dangers, is of inestimable value to the country. The eye of the Christian patriot should be on it.
Our space does not allow us to speak of the teachers of the old Academy, many of whom became distinguished names, conspicuous in the list are Judge Joel, Rev. Dr. J. H. Jones and the Rev. John W. Sterling, D. D.
The Wilkes-Barre Female Institute, projected by Dr. Dorrance, nobly seconded by Judge Hollenback and the church, was undertaken in 1854. A suitable building and appliances, costing $12,000 were secured in a delightful part of the city. Designed for the wants of young ladies outside of the immediate community as well as Wilkes-Barre, it was made a Presbyterial Institute, and the following was the first Board of Trustees, viz., George M. Hollenback, Alexander Gray, Harrison Wright, Ario Pardee, Samuel Wadhams, John Brown, John Urquhart, Henry M. Fuller, Elisha B. Harvey, William R. Glenn, John Faser, Andrew T. McClintock and Rev. John Dorrance, ex officio.
The Rev. Joseph E. Nassau was the first principal, succeeded by the Rev. C. J. Collins, and his successor
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was Rev. W. S. Parsons who continued in charge of the institution till 1872. Good work was done in the school, but its patronage was principally from the immediate vicinity.
Dr. Dorrance was greatly interested in the enterprise, but being called to his reward in 1861, his valuable support was lost, nor does it appear that any one came forward to fill his place. The great improvement in the State schools, with the graded system in the towns, has made it much more difficult to maintain individual or church schools, unless they had already secured ample endowments.
Dr. Dorrance was a friend of progress, but would not relinquish that which he was assured was true and excellent, because proved to be so, for that which had failed to present a superior record. He has left the following testimony with regard to the mothers of the past generation, uttered 1858: "From all our observation has noticed, the mothers of the present generation are not likely to be eclipsed, in any of the substantial elements of female character and true womanly accom- plishments, by any thing which modern systems have bestowed on their daughters."
The succession in the eldership in the Wilkes-Barre church does not antedate the pastorate of Dr. Dorrance. Under the ministry of Dr. Murray, the regular Presby- terian induction of that class of officials was inaugurated, and according to the law of the church at that time, they were made elders for life or good behavior. The three good men elected at the first were still in office and long continued to do good service, but, in the course of time, death terminated the career of some, and the removal or
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resignation of others, made it necessary to fill their places. The growth of the church, too, made it desirable to increase the original number of elders from time to time.
Of the original elders, and of those who subsequently filled that office, and were thus intimately associated with the pastor in the session but had been removed by death or had removed from the bounds of the congregation, Dr. Dorrance says, some three years before his own departure : "The elders of the church, when my ministry commenced here, were O. Collins, W. C. Gildersleeve, H. C. Anhauser, of whom but one, the last named, has been taken to his reward. His integrity of character, simple-hearted piety, his gentle and reverend demeanor and accent, which told of 'Fader Land,' are still fresh in the mind of many among us. The other two still remain we hope for continued and greater usefulness. But while thus sparing of the original members of the session, Death has been active among those subsequently added. Asher Miner, distinguished for his suavity and propriety ; Beryn C. Philips, the young, ardent and yet consistent brother, and John O. Baker, the godly man, the firm and intelligent rock in the house of God, meet with us no more on earth. Fell and Grier have united with other congregations." The former of these brethren, the writer knew intimately and favorably for many years after his removal from Wilkes-Barre, and the latter, Mr. John C. Grier, he met in a distant western city, and found him doing excellent Christian service where it was needed and where he was honored for his work and Christian spirit. Calvin Parsons, Nathaniel Rutter, A. T. McClintock, were also members of the session during
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the ministry of Dr. Dorrance and the existence of the Presbytery of Luzerne; also or subsequently J. W. Hollenback, Douglass Smith, Dickson Lewers, and George Loveland. Surely the Wilkes-Barre church has been highly favored in having such men in charge of its spiritual interests, through its entire history.
The religious instruction of the young, from the early settlement of Wilkes-Barre, was regarded as a matter that should be carefully looked after, not only by parents, but by the church as well. Arrangements were made for the officers of the church to meet the young frequently, on week days, the first Tuesday of each month, in agreement with a recommendation of "the Assembly," for examinations in the Catechism and personal Christian duties. When Sabbath Schools, in the early part of the century, began to attract the attention of Christian people, the first elders of the Wilkes-Barre church were among the most forward in attention to the matter ; especially Messrs. Collins and Gildersleeve.
The original schools were generally started on the union principle, and most frequently, within the territory covered by the Luzerne Presbytery, their inception and early management came from the Calvinistic element of society, and that class of friends to Sabbath Schools seem to have stood by the union principle until they found themselves alone in the management of the local institution, and then, but not till then as a general thing, the school was moved into the denominational church. The same animus may be recognized in the proportion of aid received from the same class by such union institutions as the American Tract Society, the American Bible Society, and the American Sabbath School Union.
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Such a course has been and is regarded by most as indicative of a true catholic spirit, and by some as proving that Charles II. of England was right in calling Presbyterians " The Lord's silly people."
When the Sunday School of the Wilkes-Barre church became a denominational school, we find the same men and women in its management. The elders were generally the superintendents. Judge Collins and Mr. Gildersleeve rendered a life-long service in the cause in the parent church and in its various missions. Mr. J. M. Burtis succeeded Mr. Gildersleeve in the home school; then John O. Baker, Dickinson, J. C. Grier, Wurtz, Nathaniel Rutter, A. T. McClintock, W. S. Parsons. These names indicate, to such as know the persons who bear them, the fact that the Sabbath School cause in the Wilkes-Barre church was never, during the period covered by the history of the Luzerne Presbytery, entrusted to doubtful leaders. These leaders, too, were sustained by a noble band of teachers, among them the names of Mary Gardner (afterwards Mrs. W. C. Gilder- sleeve) and Susan Mitchell made a noble record of Sabbath School work, not only in the home church but also in various parts of the country.
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