USA > Pennsylvania > Franklin County > Chambersburg > History of the Rocky Spring Church : and addresses delivered at the centennial anniversary of the present church edifice, August 23, 1894 > Part 2
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"He scorns exotic food and gaudy dress,
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Content to live on honest fare in peace, Sweet to the taste his unbought dainties are, And his own homespun he delights to wear.
Yes, my friends, when we look back to this far distant period of a century and a half, it was these plain, honest, hard working men and women with their zealous, self-sac- rificing pastors, who by faith, by prayer, by honest and manly toil and by victory over difficulties to which we are strangers, laid the permanent foundations both of church and state. All glory to God and all honor to these fathers. "Other men labored and ye have entered into their labors."
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PART II.
From the commencement of the pastorate of Rev. John Creaghead, 1768 to the year 1815, at the close of the stated sup- ply of Dr. John McKnight. This period of forty-seven years was the most important in the history of this church during which time it attained high water mark of prosperity. It was the golden age of this church. At this time the dis- tracted condition of the churches of the valley over the Old and New Side controversy had practically died out. The Indian troubles no longer came to the front, peace having been patched up between the French and the English. The people were returning from the Eastern counties to again occupy their homes, and ships were bearing their precious fruitage of immigrants from the Old to the New World. Each of the three Springs congregations now called pastors of their own. Big Spring has Dr. Duffield, Middle Spring Dr. Cooper, and on April 13, 1768, Rocky Spring has ap- pointed over it by the installation act of Presbytery Rev. John Creaghead called at a salary of £100, not all of which however is paid in money. He had been called the previous year, in April, 1767, accepted in October, and installed as
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
above. Rocky Spring was his only pastoral charge and next to Rev. Nelson the longest in the history of the church, a period of thirty-one years. Mr. Creaghead was a tall, handsome man, with ratlier dark hair and possessed a musi- cal voice. His sermons were well prepared, forceful and persuasive and without manuscript delivered with a power and eloquence which few men possessed. In his disposition he was mild, affable, and peculiarly winning. Every one knew him and he knew everybody in all the region. His powers and fine humor made him the favorite of all with · whom he came in contact. I liere take occasion to speak of his home which stood one-half mile north-east of this church, a large farm the main part of which is in the possession of Mr. Samuel Wingert. It was built of stone the walls of which were destroyed in 1875. It is thus described. It was a grand old building with walls two feet thick, bent and curved inward considerably, from the occasion of fire, the interior having been twice entirely burned out during the occupancy of Rev. Creagliead. It had great stone chimneys, four flues in the east and a large, open, wide chimney place in the west end with space enough to boil apple butter, bake, boil soap and butcher. A long porch extended in front. During his day this house was headquarters for the clergy and eldership of all the surrounding congregations. Drs. King and Cooper, Revs. Lang, Dougal, Steel and Linn were frequent visitors. The social and elegant manners of Rev. Creaghead and wife made this place one of constant resort by the members of his congregation. The tea and quilting parties. The three-cornered parlor was often the scene of a merry, social throng after the husking frolic or apple butter boilings.
Besides being a member several times of the General Assembly and sent by the General Assembly to several im- portant missions, he stands out especially conspicuous in the cause of the Revolution. Belonging as he did to a noble Scotch family, and living as he did in those stirring days of
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'76, his noble soul burned with indignation against the wrongs perpetrated on the early colonists. By both voice and example he lead his people in that patriotic cause. In thrilling tones he exhorted his members to stand up boldly and let their slogan cry, "God and liberty forever ring from mountain to mountain." All seemed to be overcome but one old lady who cried out, "Stop, Mr. Creaghead ! I just want to tell ye again if ye have sich a purty boy as I have in the war ye will na be so keen for fighting, quit talking and gang yourselt to the war. Yer always preaching to the boys about it but I dunna think ye'd be very likely to go yourself; first go and try it." But the reverend gentleman did go and acted both as captain and chaplain and acquitted himself bravely on many a fild of battle as we no doubt will hear to.day. He was at times subject to periods varying from a few days to many months, of great mental depression, bordering at times upon insanity. A like trouble afflicted his friend and colaborer, Dr. Cooper, of Middle Spring. Then he would rise from these periods of mental gloom and manifest a fervency in declaring the gospel and a zeal in his ministry among the people which was a surprise to all. But this disease brought this noble patriot and soldier of the Cross to a premature grave. On April 9, 1799, the pastoral relation was dissolved and in a few days, April 20, he passed into eternity at the early age of fifty-seven. His body rests under that slab, covered by thyme in that quiet enclosure of the dead, the only one of all these pastors who sleeps among those to whom they ministered. Did space allow many other things crowd upon me for utterance in reference to this servant of God-the grandest man who ever stood in this sacred desk. His tablet well records he was a faitliful and zealous servant of Jesus Christ. He was a broad mnan, a financier, a patriot and a preacher.
After a vacancy of two years a call was presented to Presbytery for the pastoral services of Rev. Frances Her- ron, which he accepted and he was ordained and installed
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over Rocky Spring Church, April 9. IN00. He was thoroughly consecrated to his work and his preaching was with such unction and power that the impenitent in all parts of his large field of labor were convicted and brought to Christ. Bible and Catechetical Classes sprang up and in a spiritual sense as well as numerically the con- gregation grew. It is probable the congregation attained its greatest strength and prosperity during his ministry. It was a great loss to Rocky Spring, but a greater gain to First Church, Pittsburg, when he, after ten years, accepted the latter's call. 'Had he remained and given his grand mind and heart to the work as unreservedly as he did in the great metropolis of Western Pennsylvania, no one here can doubt but that things would be different to-day.
Soon after his removal a call was presented by the Rocky Spring Church to the Rev. John McKnight, D. D. Mr. McKnight refused to accept the call but acted as supply for four years, until 1815, when he accepted the Presidency of Dickinson College. At the time he acted as supply to Rocky Spring and until his death he owned and lived in the property in which Mrs. W. L. Chambers now resides. The records show that it was in the township of Guilford, bounded by lands of Joseph and George Chambers and Philip Berlin, containing about fifteen acres. Dr. Mcknight was a very superior man, and this congregation was fortunate in having his ministrations among them for four years. His leaving them was regretted by all, while some became so much discouraged as to say that they would never attempt to call another pastor. A fine portrait of this inan hangs in the reception room of the Presbyterian Historical Society of Philadelphia. In this picture he wears his gown and bands and while his face is by no means handsome, it possesses the beholder as of one possessed with great force of charac- ter and high born manhood.
. It was during the second period of the history of this church that this present house was erected, the centennial of which we celebrate to-day.
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THE ROCKY SPRING
The present church building is located on the brow of a small hill, and can be seen, owing to its peculiar situation, for several miles, as one approaches it by the various roads leading thereto. At the foot of the hill issuing from out rocks is a large spring, from which the church takes its name. As is well known in the history of the early Pres- byterian churches in Pennsylvania, nearly all were located close by large springs. "
The present edifice was built by Walter Beatty. It is of brick upon a stone foundation, and in size sixty by forty- eight feet, and eighteen feet to ceiling. It is entered by a door on the south side; although there are two doors on the east and one on the north side at the end of the aisles in the church. The inside corresponds somewhat to the exterior of the edifice. The aisles are paved with bricks, while the floors of the pews are boarded. The pulpit is old fashioned, of a circular form, above it being an oval-shaped sounding board or canopy. This is entered by a staircase, towards which a passage on each side with a railing leads. With the exception of the old-fashioned table, the chancel does not contain either benches or chairs. These probably have been removed or taken away as relics. The pews are high, straight-backed, long and narrow, and unpainted. All have pasted upon them the names of former occupants. We found standing in the church two ten-plate stoves, which seem to be almost as great relics of the past as the church itself. The pipes extending from . these old time heaters pass up into the ceiling and out through the roof, there being no chimneys on the church; and it is surprising to us that the edifice has not burned down long ago. At one end of the ceiling near the entrance on the south side, is a square opening which gives admittance to the loft. This is reached by means of a rude ladder, which is left in the church. This ladder has afforded an opportunity for "the write-your-name- on-the-wall idiot," and, consequently, all around the walls of the church are the vulgar effusions of the modern vandals.
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PRESSENTERIAN CHURCH.
The indignation which this causes in the minds of the thoughtful visitor, destroys, in a great measure, the feelings which would otherwise occupy the mind while examining this ancient church. The ceiling is arched in the place where the walls and ceiling meet. There is placed all - around the room a narrow strip of board, which togother with the edges of the window cases, is painted blue, similar to the painting on the pulpit. This church interior, as your fathers saw it in the autumn of 1794, so you see it to-day. No painter's brush or carpenter's hand has been laid on it for a century. Surprising fact! Undergone less change than any other church building in this country. Many others are older in Philadelphia, and other parts of the country, but as it was then, so to-day. A souvenir, a keep- sake from your fathers. The only changes wrought by the hand of man' were those necessary to its preservation, new wooden steps, new roof in 1825, in 1863, and the present slate roof put on in 1885, and provided for by Joseph Gil- more. This church as it is now, with its almost perfect roof, walls and foundation would stand for another century. May the Divine Hand so order it. Then may your children's children celebrate a second Centennial. Just prior to the erection of this edifice a warrant was taken out by the trus- tees and the land, for the congregation, was then for the first time surveyed. The following is the wording: "Warrant for five acres granted to George Matthews, Esq., James Mc- Calmont, Esq., James Ferguson, Esq., James Culberson, Esq. and Samuel Culberson, Trustees for the congregation, in- cluding the Rocky Spring Church, Nov. 6, 1792." During the Revolutionary War of this period I hesitate not to say that this was one of the most patriotic congregations in the valley. In proof I have gathered from some imperfect lists, viz: one general, four colonels, twelve captains, and a like number of other officers, and in a list of the members pre- pared after the war, there were only one or two men who had not been soldiers of the Revolution and for many years
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THE ARAB V
after. All the members of version hal held important ping. tions in the Continental Army. A list of the soldiers fol- lows: Sammel Culbertson, colonel 6th battalion, Cumberland County Associators, 1777; lieutenant colonel 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. James McCalmont, major of the 5th battal- ion, July, 1776; major of 6th battalion, 1777; major of 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. John Wilson, adjutant 6th bat- talion, 1777. William Ramsey, private, Captain Arm- strong's company, December, 1776; ensign, 3d company, 6tlı battalion, 1777. Robert Peebles, colonel of battalion of Associators, July,. 1776. Robert Miller, on committee of observation, July 12, 1774. Robert Culbertson, captain 5th battallion, 1776. James Gibson, captain 4th battalion, Jan- uary, 1777. John Rhea, lieutenant 5th battalion, January, 1777. William Huston, captain 2d battalion, September, 1776; captain 6th battalion, 1777; captain 5th company, 6th battalion, January, 1778. Rev. John Craighead, private in Captain Samuel Culbertson's company, Colonel Armstrong's battalion, December, 1776. Joseph Culbertson, Robert Stockton, and James Reed were privates in the same com- pany. Samuel Patton, captain in Col. Armstrong's battal- ion, July, 1776; captain 3d company of 6th battalion 1777; captain 2d company of 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. George Matthews, captain Colonel Armstrong's battalion, December, 1776. John McConnell, lieutenant in Captain Matthew's company, December, 1776; captain in 8th battalion, 1777; captain in 4tl battalion, May, 10, 1780. William Beard, William Waddle, William Kirkpatrick, Robert Caldwell, John Machan, James Hindman and John Caldwell were pri- vates in Captain Matthew's company, December, 1776. Jo- seph Stevenson, first lieutenant, Sth battalion, 1778. Albert Torrance, first lieutenant 8th company, of 8th battallion, 1777, and lieutenant in 8th battalion, March, 1778. Joseph Caldwell, lieutenant Ist company, 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. John Caldwell, ensign Ist company, 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. James Culbertson, captain 3d company, 4th
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battalion, May to, 1780. Reuben Gillespie, lieutenant 3d company, 4th battalion, May 10, 1750. John Beard, ensign 3d company, 4th battalion, May 10, 1780. William Beard, John Beard, Hugh Wylie and James Walker were privates in Captain William Huston's company in January, 1778. Sam- uel Henry, private in Lieutenant Albert Torrance's company, 8th battalion, March, 1778. Thomas Kinkead, private Cap- tain Samuel Patton's company, 6th battalion, in July, 1778. Ot others who served in the War of the Revolution, although we have only their subsequent military titles, were Colonel James Armstrong, Captain James Sharpe and Captain Alex- ander Culbertson. Others there were on the list who went to make up that army of Scotch-Irish patriots whose services in the War of the Revolution made independence possible.
These veterans after the war would attend church wearing their cocked hats, breeches and swords, and hang the former on pegs around the wall. This scene must have been quite animated and inilitary. The same noble record may be recorded of this people in protecting their homes against the skulking savage foe. The name of the intrepid Major James McCalmont, his remarkable skill in Indian warfare, his daring bravery, his hairbreadth escapes, constitute a page of real history more wonderful than the imagination could paint. And here we see that "truth is stranger than fiction." At the close of this period the congregation was very large and numbered three hundred and eight heads of families. The people invariably came on horseback and rode long distances, from Culbertson's Row, Greenvillage, near Orrs- town, Roxbury, Strasburg, St. Thomas, along the base of the North Mountain for inany miles and all intermediate points. A list of the membership at that period is given in the History of Franklin County, but as it records the names of one hundred and thirty men and only seven women it is un- doubtedly incorrect. The communion seasons were then grand, impressive occasions. The neighboring pastors always assisted. Four days, from Friday until Monday after-
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noon, would be occupied. After the sermon and the teaching the table by the pastor, and receiving their tokens of good standing at the hands of the trusted ellers, table after table would be filled and vacated by the voice of song, usually the 116th Psalm, "I'll of Salvation take the Cup," each table addressed by a different minister. It was no uncommon experience for darkness to overtake these faithful worshipers before they would reach their homes. The intermission between the services of the Sabbath was spent in exchanging the salutation of the day under the trees on all sides of God's house, so different from the nude condition of this rocky hill to-day. The pastor and session would meet in the study house for consultation. The young people would invariably wind their way down over the rocky declivity to the gush- ing waters from the rock.
"Blest sight it was to mark that godly flock, At intermission, grouped throughout this wood; Each log, each bench, each family upping block, Some grand dame held amidst her gathered brood. Here cakes were shared, and fruits, and counsel good; Devoutly spoken ' twas of crops and rain, Hard-by the church the broad-brimmed elders stood, While oe'r that slope did flow a constant strain Of bevys springward bound or coming back again.
Ah, luckless wight, whom gallantry did press, Fast by that spring, to stoop him often low, And serve, with cup up-dipped, and bland address, The gathering fair, whose multitude did grow ! Her first cup hath drunk, and off does walk; Her then to follow fain he must forego,- With some far happier swain he marks her talk, While he must stoop, and grin, and water all the flock." ,
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. PART III.
From the year 1816, or the ministry of Rev. John Mc- Knight, until the present time-this third period of the Rocky Spring Church opens with the ministry of Rev. John Mc- Knight-it seems remarkable that so little is known and no proper biography of this worthy man of God has ever been preserved. The few facts of his life I have been able to glean are given below. The exact time and place of his birth and place of education are now not known to the writer. He was born in New York City, likely in the year 1789, the son of Rev. John McKnight, D. D., his predecessor at Rocky Spring. He was licensed by Carlisle Presbytery September 16, 1811, and pastor of Rocky Spring Church from Novem- ber 13, 1816, to January 20, 1836; Pastor of St. Thomas fromn 1824 to 1836; organized Fayetteville during 1833, and stated supply of same for six years, from 1830 to 1836. He was dismissed to Presbytery of Lewes, and in 1839 united with the New School branch of the Presbyterian church. In 1840 stated supply to Rehobeth Church, Maryland. In 1846 . pastor of New School church, Hamitolsville, near Philadel- phia. He is marked W. C. in New School minutes of 1857, died July 29, 1857, and burried at Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pa., aged sixty-eight years. He married the daughter of Joseph Chambers, Esq., and owned and lived on the farm recently sold by John Schlichter to the Land and Improvement Co., of Chambersburg, Pa. The older people and their children have ever spoken of him in the highest terms, except that he became a New School man. That he was a faithful, laborious under-shepherd is evident from the length of his ministry of twenty years and the wide extent of his field of labor. But many things blocked the way to a prosperous ministry. For many years there was much sickness and the Great Enemy thinned the ranks both of great and small. Emigration to the west and removals to Chambersburg and other places were severe, while his own
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ministry lacked concentration. He preached at Strasburg, Rocky Spring, St. Thomas and Fayetteville. After a brief interval of four years, during which time the church was supplied by the farmer-preacher, Rev. Robert Kennedy, of near Welsh Run, whose relationship to the church was that of stated supply.
Rocky Spring and St. Thomas churches called the Rev. Alexander Kilpatrick Nelson and on May 30, 1840, lie was installed pastor of these churches where he remained until April 10, 1873, after a pastorate of thirty-three years and at the ripe age of four score hie honorably lays aside the Gospel Armor. Rev. Nelson has the honor of sustaining the long- est pastorate of any ininister in the history of this church. With equal propriety he was the most humble, quiet, unas- suming and self-denying of all these worthies who stood in this sacred desk. One word could be emphasized all through his life, not brilliancy, but faithfulness; "be thou faithful until death and I will give thee a crown of life,"-a fit epi- taph. An illustration in point. He was always both regu- · lar and punctual in filling his appointments no matter what was the weather or the number present. On one bad Sab- bath only the sexton appeared, but Father Nelson went through all the services as though a congregation was pres- ent. It so happened that the sexton sunk into a deep sleep but the reverend gentleman completed his sermon and the services as though nothing unusual had occurred. That he was of a yielding, self-denying disposition is illustrated in the fact that he was called on a salary of $400, and that dur- ing all these long years not a dollar increase was ever asked by him or granted by the congregations. When you take into thought that his pastorate extended over the Civil War when prices of everything were much inflated and currency depreciated sixty per cent., the fact that there was an endow- ment fund which brought in $250, to aid in payment of sal- ary, that the congregation was quite numerous, that it was, for its numbers, one of the wealthiest in the valley-there
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were four families worth $100,000 cach-you have an illus- tration here of what the Bible means when it warned the Jews "not to muzzle the ox which treadeth out the corn."
Soon after the resignation of Rev. A. K. Nelson the Rocky Spring and St. Thomas churches presented a call to the Rev. Samuel C. George and he entered upon his duties as pastor on November 25, 1875, and continued the accept- able pastor of this charge for nearly twelve years, until Feb- ruary 10, 1887. The writer has only a few facts at hand relative to Rev. George. He was reared and educated in Western Pennsylvania, graduated from Allegheny Theolog- ical Seminary, licensed by the Presbytery of Allegheny in 1860. In 1862 lie was sent out by the Board of Foreign Missions as a missionary to Bangkok, Siam. He returned to his native land in 1873 or account of the delicate health of his wife, who died a few years after. He resigned in 1887, and soon after he became the pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Unionport, Ohio, where he remained as pastor un- til 1893, where he now resides. 1
The present pastoral re- lation between the Rev. Henry G. Finney and this charge was formed in 1888 whose bow still abides in strength amongst this peo- ple. For a number of years Rev. H. G. Finney preached as supply to the Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville. This good REV. H. G. FINNEY. brother, with his worthy family, is so well and favorably
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known in this community that any special reference to him and his work as pastor of this church would be unnecessary at this time.
It was during this third period of the history of Rocky Spring Church that the St. Thomas Church was organized. No regular organization was formed until the summer of 1824, when the petition of the people of Campbellstown and its vicinity petitioned to be organized into a separate church, which was referred to Messrs. Denny, Elliott and Mcknight who granted the same. However, preaching by stated sup- plies had previously been granted by Presbytery from 1810, and for fourteen years they employed the services of the McKnights, father and son. St. Thomas Church has ever been, since its organization, associated with Rocky Spring in one pastoral charge, and the people, with the exception of Rev. A. K. Nelson, have never enjoyed the advantages of a pastor residing among them. Their pastors since 1824 until the present have been the same as at Rocky Spring.
At the present tim the roll of membership of this church · (Rocky Spring) scarcely numbers halt-a-dozen, and the most of these are aged, infirm women living in Strasburg. The question may well be asked, whence the causes of this remarkable decay and almost extinction of church member- ship. These causes are many and of long standing, running back to the commencement of the present century. First- Emigration to the towns. Formerly Presbyterians loved the country but now town and mercantile and professional life are preferred. Emigration to Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and further west, have told heavily on this church, especially in the period from 1820 to 1830. Second -- Sick- ness and death have played a necessary part in this deca- dence. Some people relate that from 1820 to 1824 was a period of epidemic, of fever of a most fatal kind, so that at times it was difficult to find enough well persons to attend to the sick and bury the dead. Many heads of families were thus called away, among these at least three elders: Captain
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