USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the sesqui-centennial of Paxtang Church, September 18, 1890 > Part 2
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Rev. John H. Moyer, Hummelstown; Mr. Robert Bucher and Mr. James Ralston, elders in Mechanicsburg church ; Rev. Thomas J. Ferguson, pastor of the old Silver Spring church near Hogestown ; Mr. W. F. Willis, elder in the church of New Bloomfield, Perry county; Prof. Jacob F. Seiler, Major William C. Armor, E. W. S. Parthemore, Mrs. Sarah Doll, a grand-daughter of Rev. John Elder, Harrisburg; Judge David W. Patterson, Lancaster ; Auditor General Thomas McCamant, Colonel Frank Mantor, Meadville; Captain John B. Rutherford, Pax- tang; Rev. Willliam M. McMeen, a Professor in the Charlotte University, North Carolina, and Thomas Ellmaker.
THE OPENING SERVICES.
At ten o'clock, A. M., the services were opened by the singing of the hymn :
Stand up, and bless the Lord, Ye people of his choice ; Stand up, and bless the Lord your God With heart, and soul, and voice.
Though high above all praise, Above all blessings high, Who would not fear his holy name, And laud and magnify ?
3
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Oh, for the living flame From his own altar brought, To touch our lips, our souls inspire, And wing to heaven our thought.
God is our strength and song, And his salvation ours ; Then be his love in Christ proclaimed With all our ransomed powers.
Stand up, and bless the Lord ; The Lord your God adore ; Stand up, and bless his glorious name, Henceforth, forevermore!
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INVOCATION.
INVOCATION.
Rev. Ebenezer Erskine, D. D., of Newville, offered an invocation as follows:
Almighty and Eternal God, our Heavenly Father : We would recognize Thee this day as our God and the God of our fathers. We would bless thy name for all thy past goodness to us as a people. Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting. Thou art God.
We thank Thee for thy immediate providence which has been over us, and that thou hast brought us together here this day on this historic ground to com- memorate thy goodness to the church, and to our fath- ers in this land.
We humbly invoke thy divine presence with us this day, and thy blessing upon us. We beseech Thee that thou wilt grant unto us the presence and the in- fluence of the Holy Spirit. May thy blessed spirit il- lume all our minds and sanctify our hearts, and fill us with love to Thee our covenant God and Saviour. And we beseech Thee that thou wilt preside over all the deliberations of this day and of this service.
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Grant that all may be for the glory of thy name, and for the instruction and edification, and comfort of thy people here assembled.
And grant, Almighty God, to bless us as we are here before Thee this day, and as we call to mind thy good- ness in the generations that are past; thy faithfulness to thy promises and to thy covenants, that thou wilt keep us as a people ; and help us to renew our covenant with Thee, and our consecration unto Thee.
Lord, bless this thy church, and these thy people, and thy servant, their pastor, and all that is connected with them. And grant thy blessing on all the people assembled here at this time; and grant that Thy name may be honored, and all may be profited.
And unto the Father, and the Son, and thy blessed Spirit, we would ascribe all the praise forever. Amen.
The congregation then united in singing hymn No. 441.
"O God of Bethel! by whose hand Thy people still are fed, Who, through this weary pilgrimage, Hast all our fathers led.
Our vows, our prayers, we now present Before thy throne of grace; God of our fathers! be the God Of their succeeding race.
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Such blessings, from thy gracious hand, Our humble prayers implore ; And thou shalt be our chosen God, Our portion evermore."
THE SCRIPTURE LESSON.
Rev. Eugene L. Mapes, of the First Presbyterian Church, Carlisle, then read parts of the 90th, 91st, and 93d Psalms, concluding with the verses "The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded him- self: The world also is established, that it cannot be moved.
"2. Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.
"3. The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their waves.
" 4. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.
"5. Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becom- eth thine house, O LORD, forever."
May the Lord give us his blessing, brethren, with this the reading of his Holy Word; and to his name be all the glory. Amen.
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The Moderator, Rev. George B. Stewart, then said: "If we are not descendants of Paxtang, we are trying to make it out so here to-day ; and if we cannot all say that we are natives of this place, we are trying, per- haps, to claim that we are natives of the neighborhood. And it is a great deal more popular than it was in 1740 to be a native of this place. As I gather in read- ing the history, the pastor and members of this church were not in the habit of giving the natives such a cor- dial reception as their successors are likely to give us to-day. The pastor then was in the habit of taking his gun into the pulpit, and the members of the church kept their rifles conveniently nigh in order to warmly receive those who claimed the soil as their native heath.
"But to-day the pastor of this church will give us a cordial reception, much more gratifying and interest- ing to us, I am sure, if not more hearty than that which the pastor one hundred and fifty years ago would have given to others. It is, therefore, with pleasure that I introduce to you-though he needs no introduction-the Rev. Albert B. Williamson, who will , in the name of this congregation, welcome this audi- ence."
Rev. Albert B. Williamson, the pastor of Paxtang church, then addressed the assembly.
ADDRESS OF MR. WILLIAMSON.
ADDRESS OF MR. WILLIAMSON.
MR. CHAIRMAN, LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND FELLOW- CITIZENS : I am happy to have the privilege of meet- ing, of greeting, and welcoming you back to old Paxtang on this auspicious occasion.
It is well for us to be here to-day to rejoice in the memories that cluster around the illustrious heroes that have gone forth from this dear old church and com- munity to bless the State and country at large.
It is to commemorate the deeds of a glorious ancestry that we are met here to-day, not because they were our ancestors, but because by this commemoration we may possibly instill into the minds of young men, upon whom the responsibilities of the Government and of defending religious liberty are soon to rest, ideas which will nerve them to come up to those responsibilities with more of patriotic fervor and more of religious zeal than was possessed by them before they came back here on this commemorative day.
Dear friends, we are glad to welcome you back to the dear old home, where your forefathers lived, wrought, worshiped God, fought, bled, and died. You who have gone forth from our midst, and have made new homes for yourselves in all sections of this broad land of
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ours, are permitted to-day to behold the house that your fathers built to the honor and glory of God one hundred and fifty years ago. There she stands, as dear to us as our own right hand, and her walls as solid and firm as the day they were laid.
These venerable old oaks have grown gray in their service of standing here like sentries to protect her from the stormy blasts of winter through these long, long years ; and if they could only speak to-day they would have an attentive audience, because they could tell of solemn, stirring, pathetic and sorrowful things, as well as joyful scenes. They have seen the day when this church could not contain its members who came to partake of the Lord's Supper, and when a goodly por- tion of them had to seek shelter from the noon-day sun under their wide branching arms, while the elders served them with the elements. They have also seen the Indians skulking behind neighboring trees, watch- ing for a favorable opportunity to shoot down the worshipers of God.
We welcome you back to-day not to look at the trophies of war taken by our fathers in their conflicts with the Indians, such as tomahawks, scalping knives, and bows and arrows; but to look at the venerable old church-for she has grown more beautiful in her old age than she ever was in her youth,-and to behold not a dense forest here, as there was when her walls
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were laid, but a land well cultivated, and flowing with milk and honey.
If you look around to-day you will see not only what has been done, but also what we are doing now. You will see that this old historie spot is being laid out in wide avenues, and large lots of one acre each, so that there will be room for fine drives and beautiful man- sions; that we are perpetuating the old name by call- ing it Paxtang, and are keeping fresh in memory the names of our illustrious dead by naming the avenues after them. As you all can see, the first avenue to the south is called Sharon, in honor of the pastor who served here from 1807-1842; and next Brisbin avenue, after the man who was captain in the Revolutionary war. These are only two of many other names.
But, dear friends, I would not have you ignorant con- cerning one thing. Do not suppose that because there was no Harrisburg, with her forty thousand, and Steelton with her ten thousand, and many other large towns around, as there are here now, that this place was a howling wilderness when our fathers worshiped here. I know you will be surprised when I tell you that in the years 1752-3 the Presbyterian population of Dauphin county was nearly what it is to-day, and every one of them a Scotch-Irishman, too. But some of them rested here only for a while. The cry of " Westward, ho!" was raised, and they pressed on to-
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wards the setting sun to found for themselves new homes in the American forests beyond.
From this congregation, as a mother hive, her child- ren have swarmed from time to time. Those swarms lingered not around the old mother hive, but went off and formed new colonies. At first the human stream flowed southward through the Cumberland and Kit- tatinny Valleys to the Carolinas of the South. Then the stream turned toward the West, and there they be- came founders of new and prosperous communities and States in the growing westward empire, and their in- fluence and that of their descendants is felt to-day throughout all the West, even to the Golden Gates of the Pacific.
Of those that went South North Carolina retained the most, and there they dominated during our late war. They were the men who were largely instru- mental in delaying hasty action. But when the issue was joined; when "wild war's loud alarm was sounded;" when the gods of war had loosed their fiercest dogs, they united with their brethren in the great struggle; they doubted the policy and the result, for they believed it an unequal struggle; but when it came for men to suffer, and bleed and die, they answered every roll call.
But I will not keep you longer from the rich feast that will come from the minds of those on this plat- form-from men more eloquent than I can possible be.
.
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PAXTANG PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Again, I give you all a hearty welcome back to old Paxtang Church. [Hearty applause.]
Moderator STEWART. And we are glad to be here.
There can be no question in our minds but what in the selection of a historian for this occasion, their ought to be chosen one who by his gifts, his tastes, and his acquirements, is qualified best for treating the subject, which is the most important one of the day ; and, therefore, the committee have selected one who stands pre-eminent in all these regards relative to our local history. It gives me pleasure to introduce to this audience one so well known to you all as a fellow- citizen and as a historian, Dr. William H. Egle, who will to-day give us a resume of the history of "Paxton" church. [Applause.]
ADDRESS OF WILLIAM H. EGLE, M. D.
GLIMPSES OF THE HISTORY OF OLD PAXTANG CHURCH.
Before I proceed to deliver these glimpses of the history of this ancient congregation, permit me to en- ter my protest against the orthography of the name on the printed invitation and programme. The corrup- tion of the name Paxtang should not be continued. It is a clerical mistake in more senses than one. If others have committed the error, why shall we perpetuate it. Give us the good old Indian name, Paxtang, and not the English surname, Paxton-however much we may admire some who bear that patronymic.
FRIENDS OF PAXTANG: It is well "to remember the days of old"-to call to mind the history of a people such as we have been summoned to do this bright au- tumnal noon, within the shadows of an edifice made memorable by age, and by the sacred associations which cluster around it. We do not come to celebrate misty traditions which have floated down to us on the stream of time, but the real achievements of pioneers in American religious and civil history. For one hundred and fifty years has prayer been made and praise been offered in this old stone meeting-house, and as thought goes out to the saintly men who ministered to the
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generations here, it seems as if some portion of the subtle essence of all the soul-longings for heavenly help and guidance which here has been breathed forth by righteous men and pious women during these many decades, has entered into the very fabric of this ancient church and thus sanctified it. Happy are that people who, having a noble history, treasure it; and with this inspiration for mind and heart, we come to do rever- ence here.
The first settlers in all this neighborhood, with but one exception, came from the north of Ireland-the province of Ulster. They have been termed the Scotch- Irish-Scotch planters on Irish soil. "They call us Scotch-Irish and other ill-mannered names," wrote good old Parson Elder, but that epithet of reproach has become the synonym of a people characteristic of all that is noble and grand in our American history. Recently published works, the authors of which are not worthy being named in this connection, have de- nounced the Scotch-Irish as a race, without reference to authority or facts. The reproach and opprobium thus cast upon the ancestors of the people who did so much for the improvement and prosperity of the Prov- ince of Pennsylvania, and for the defense of civil and religious liberty, as well as for the free institutions and the independence of the Republic, are at variance with all that is generally received as matter of historical truth. The accusations and reproaches, if unfounded,
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ought to be refuted, and the character of the men who deserved well of society and their country should be vindicated.
But so much has been said of the Scotch-Irish race, that at this time we will only incidently refer to that people. The "Planting of Ulster" with the Scotch settlers is an important epoch, in not only the history of Ireland, but in the establishment of Presbyterianism. Their life in that country was rendered as brief as it was memorable by the rapacity and greed of landlords, by the " test act," which deprived them from holding any public office, and by the petty annoyances of prelacy. Wonder we then, that, in the early part of the eighteenth century, many of the counties of the north of Ireland were emptied of their Scotch inhabitants. Wearied out with exactions, ecclesiastical courts, and the deprivation of their civil rights, they came to America for a wider breathing space-that America which was opening wide its doors, and especially the Province of Pennsylvania, where there was less of the spirit of intolerance than in any of the colonies. Here they found a home-here all men were equal under the law. Is it surprising, therefore, that the Scotch-Irish should have prospered on this soil? Our grand old Commonwealth owes much of what she is to-day by and through the settlement of that sturdy race-and I am not ashamed to say it-albeit I claim another ancestry and another faith; and like my friend, the
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Governor of the Commonwealth, am only Scotch- Irish through my children. But the historic facts are apparent to all who read. In the struggle for popu- lar rights, the Scotch-Irish are ever to be found on the side of the people ; and as we go on, we find that here, as elsewhere, in the period of great events, they rise up as leaders-characterized by boldness, energy, integrity, morality, and religious fervor, although at times with a bigoted and belligerent spirit. Can I say more ? Yes! But we must proceed.
The first Presbyterian ministers who preached here, were Gillespie, Evans, Boyd, and Anderson. The first named was born at Glasgow in 1683, and educated at the University there. He was licensed by the Presby- tery in 1712, came to America, and was ordained May 28, 1713, having received a call from the people of White Clay Creek. Red Clay, Lower Brandywine, and White Clay seem to have formed his charge for several years. He organized the congregation at the head of Christiana, which he served until his death in 1760. The Rev. Francis Alison, who knew him, called him " that pious saint of God." As early as 1715, Mr. Gil- lespie missionated as far as Paxtang. The country was sparsely settled-possibly not more than five or six families north of the Swatara-but these, with the ex- ception of John Harris, an Indian trader, were Scotch- Irish Presbyterians.
The Rev. David Evans, of Welsh birth, was ordained
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November 3, 1714, and became pastor of the Welsh tract, in New Castle county, Delaware. In 1719 he went into the Great Valley, Chester county, and in 1720 regularly supplied the people of Tredyffrin, and was sent by the Presbytery to the Octorara,* forks of Brandywine, and Conestoga, extending his ministra- tions "to Donegal and beyond," to what subsequently be- came the bounds of Paxtang and Derry churches.
Upon the appointment of Rev. Adam Boydt to the pastorate of Octorara-the far western bounds, "Done- gal and beyond," were confided to him. This was in 1724, when a small log meeting-house had been pre- viously built not many feet south of the present stone building. Then the devout Anderson, of Donegal, fol- lowed and labored, as the tide of Presbyterianism rolled westward-and from this time onward, until the thunders of the Revolution reverberated along these valleys, the tramp and tread of the Scotch-Irish army continued.
Prior to 1722, the following, with their families, were members of what was shortly after Paxtang con-
* Samuel Evans, of Lancaster, says : "This was commonly called Mid- dle Octoraro, it is in Bart township, Lancaster county, it was organized in 1726, and in October, 1727, the Rev. Adam Boyd was ordained pastor, and he gave the congregation one sixth of his time."
tRev. Adam Boyd was born in 1692 at Ballymoney, Ireland, and emigrated to New England in 1723 as a probationer. In July, 1724, he was received under the care of New Castle Presbytery and sent to Octorara. He died November 23, 1768.
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gregation ; Thomas Gardner, Samuel Means, David McClure, Thomas Kyle, James Roddy, Alexander Hutchinson, William Maybane, Robert Brown, Samuel Smith, Joseph Kelso, Sen., and Thomas Simpson. Flee- ing from civil oppression, in their new homes it is not suprising that these people hastened to manifest their thankfulness to God, and their sincerity and regard for their privileges under a government of free institu- tions, by erecting a " meeting-house," dedicated to His holy service. Around this log structure were the graves of the early pioneers, but these remained un- marked. Seventy years ago, it is stated on the best of authority, there was a rudely chiseled head-stone, with the date of departure, 1716; which simply proves that this revered spot was chosen for the worship of God at that early period. In gathering up the fragments of the history of Paxtang Church, it is to be regretted that the minutes of the Presbytery of Philadelphia from 1717 to 1733 are declared lost; while the minutes of New Castle Presbytery from its organization in 1716 to the constituting of Donegal are not to be found, al- though we have the assurance that they were in exist- ence in 1876. It is well to guard the early records of the Church, but why refuse examination of them to those making historic researches ? The truthful histo- rian knows full well what to use and what to omit, and if my Presbyterian friends will not allow those outside the pale of their ministry to go over the early records
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of the Presbyteries of Philadelphia, New Castle, and Donegal, they should place them in the hands of some faithful co-laborer who knows what to edit and what to let alone. In the history of institutions, as well as of individuals, there may be blots which ought to re- main so forever.
By direction of New Castle Presbytery, the Rev. James Anderson,* in 1726, gave one fifth of his time to Paxtang, and in 1729, commenced to supply Derry regularly, one fifth being there allowed-leaving Don- egal but three fifths.
On the 11th of October, 1732, the Presbytery of Don- egal was constituted out of a portion of the Presbytery of New Castle. The meeting was held at Donegal church. The ministers present were, Messrs. Anderson, Thomson, Boyd, Orr, and Bertram. Mr. Thomson was elected moderator, and Mr. Bertram clerk. The first item of business brought before the new Presbytery of Donegal was in relation to Paxtang and Derry. These churches having united in a call to the Rev. William Bertram, which had been placed in his hands at the last meeting of the then "old " New Castle Presbytery. George Renick and others of Paxtang and Derry ap- peared and required an answer thereto. Mr. Bertram accepted, and was installed November 15, 1732, at
* For a full sketch of the Rev. James Anderson, and a record of his descendants, see " Pennsylvania Genealogies," [under " Anderson of Donegal."
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Swatara, the original name of Derry Church. Thomas Forster, George Renick, William Cunningham, and Thomas Mayes were appointed for the Paxtang side, and Rowland Chambers, Hugh Black, Robert Camp- bell, John Wilson, William Wilson, James Quigley, William McCord, and John Sloan for the Derry side, to assist Mr. Bertram in congregational affairs until the erection of a formal session.
At the meeting of Presbytery at Upper Octorara, September 6, 1733, " Mr. Bertram presented a list of men nominated by the congregations of Paxtang and Derry to be set apart for ruling elders. Presbytery ordered that they be again published, and intimation given that if any objection be made against any of them, said objection be given in due time."
The amount of subscription to Mr. Bertram's salary does not appear, but the congregation, in addition thereto, made over to him and his heirs their " right and title to the plantation commonly called 'The In- dian Town,' purchased from the Indians."
Hitherto, and until 1736, Paxtang and Derry were considered simply as two branches of the same congre- gation ; this arrangement was unwieldly, and gave rise to various disputes and misunderstandings about finan- cial matters. They had fallen into arrears with Mr. Anderson, and were ordered no less than five times, at as many different meetings of Presbytery, "to pay up;" difficulty was experienced in getting all parts of the
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congregation to contribute their just dues towards the repairs of Mr. Bertram's house, and to defray the ex- penses of a law-suit about certain sawed plank or boards. These and other troubles of a like nature were a source of annoyance to both congregations, as well as to Mr. Bertram ; so much so that at Nottingham, October 9, 1735, Mr. Bertram and his elders united in asking Presbytery to appoint a committee "to go into and reason with the people of said congregations and inquire into their circumstances, as to their ability to be sepa- rated into two distinct bodies and support themselves, in order that Mr. Bertram, being eased of part of his burden, may be able to go on with more comfort in the discharge of his duty to whichever part of said people he shall be determined to continue with."
A committee was appointed and reported to Presby- tery November 20, 1735. Accompanying their report they presented a supplication from the session asking for a division, and that their bounds might be fixed. At the same time, Lazarus Stewart prosecuted a suppli- cation from Manada Creek (Hanover) for a new erection. The subject of a separation between Paxtang and Derry was postponed from one Presbytery to another, until finally on the 2d of September, 1736, it was agreed to. So popular was Mr. Bertram with his people that both parties were anxious to secure his services, Paxtang engaging to pay for his yearly support sixty pounds, "one-half in money, the other half in hay, flax, linen
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