Church: Part I - Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church, Edifice Centennial Celebration, 1894: Letterkenney Twp, Franklin Co, PA
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HISTORY
of the
ROCKY SPRING CHURCH
and
ADDRESSES DELIVERED
at the
CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY
of the Present Church Edifice,
AUGUST 23, 1894.
_______________
COMPILED AND ARRANGED BY
REV. S. S. WYLIE AND A. NEVIN POMEROY.
_______________
CHAMBERSBURG, PA.:
FRANKLIN REPOSITORY PRESS:
1895
_______________
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ROCKY SPRING
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
_________
HELD AT ROCKY SPRING, AUGUST 23, 1894.
_________
In the early summer of 1894, The Franklin Repository, in its editorial page,
suggested the propriety of suitably celebrating the centennial of the
erection of the present house of worship of the Rocky Spring Presbyterian
Church which was completed in the summer of 1794. The importance of its
proper observance was brought to the notice of the Presbytery of Carlisle
at its June meeting and it was unanimously resolved to appoint a suitable
committee to further the above worthy object Rev. E. Erskine, D. D., pastor
of the Presbyterian Church of Newville, Rev. S. S. Wylie, pastor of the
Middle Spring Presbyterian Church, and Rev. H. G. Finney, pastor of the
Rocky Spring Church, with A. Nevin Pomeroy, editor of Franklin Repository
and Joshua W. Sharpe, Esq., of Chambersburg, were appointed by Presbytery.
This committee soon convened, and appointed Rev. E. Erskine, D. D.,
Chairman, and Rev. S. S. Wylie, Secretary. Committees were appointed to
procure speakers and prepare a programme, on finances and on entertainment.
August 23d, the day appointed, opened beautiful and bright and those
interested in the Centennial Celebration felt that the heavens above them
were smiling upon them.
As early as 7 a. m. teams began to arrive at the church and each minute only
increased the number of visitors for the day. Many came on foot, some on
horseback, many more in buggies, carriages, hacks, and by 10 a.m. the many
public roads, and especially the one from Chambersburg, presented the
appearance of a compact funeral procession. At
9
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1 p. m. by count there were seven hundred conveyances on and near the church
grounds and fully three thousand people were massed together in and around
this grand old historic spot gathered from far and near. At 10 o'clock the
church was crowded to repletion, while hundreds flited the doorsteps and
open windows.
With Presbyterian punctuality the exercises opened at 10 a.m. with the
following programme of exercises which had been previously arranged by the
committee in charge:
1. Prayer of Invocation, by the Pastor, Rev. H. G. Finney.
2. Singing the 100 Psalm, each line read by the Rev. E.
Erskine, D. D., and lead by W. G. Reed, of Chambersburg, standing at the
presentor's desk.
3. Prayer by Rev. George Norcross, D. D., Pastor of Second
Presbyterian Church, of Carlisle.
4. Singing of the 23d Psalm.
5. History of the Rocky Spring Church by Rev. Samuel S. Wylie.
6. Deceased Ministers of the Rocky Spring Church, by Rev. E.
Erskine, D. D.
7. Presbyterianism and Civil Liberty, by Hon. John Stewart,
President Judge of Franklin County, Pa.
Recess until 2 p.m.
8. 2 p.m. The Early Scotch-Irish Settlers of the Cumberland
Valley, by Dr. W. H. Egle, State Librarian at Harrisburg, Pa.
9. Early Founders of the Presbyterian Church in America, by
Rev. Thomas Murphy, D. D., at Philadelphia, Pa.
10. Impromptu Address‹Some Lessons from the History of this Church,
by General and ex-Governor James A. Beaver, of Bellefonte.
11. Development of Pennsylvania Presbyterianism, by Rev. R. M.
Patterson, D. D., Editor of Presbyterian Journal, Philadelphia, Pa.
12. Old Families of Rocky Spring, by William P. Stevenson, of New
York City.
[from page 117] CONTENTS.
___________________
ONLINE FILE NAME
Introductory 9 histrschurch01.txt
History of Rocky Spring Church‹Part I. 11 histrschurch01.txt
" " " " - Part II. 22 histrschurch01.txt
" " " " - Part III. 31 histrschurch01.txt
Sketches of Deceased Ministers 41 histrschurch01.txt
Presbyterianism and Civil Liberty 60 histrschurch02.txt
The Historic Families of the Cumberland 73 histrschurch02.txt
Valley
American Presbyterian Church in America 87 histrschurch02.txt
Some Lessons from the History of this Church 97 histrschurch02.txt
Old Families of Rocky Spring 102 histrschurch02.txt
List of Pew Holders, 1768‹1794 109 histrschurch02.txt
List of Pew Holders, 1800 112 histrschurch02.txt
The Graveyard 114 histrschurch02.txt
_____________
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13. Singing ‹ "Blest be the Tie that Binds."
14. Closing Prayer, by Rev. Dr. George Shearer, Secretary of the
American Tract Society, New York.
All the above addresses and. historic papers were requested for publication.
Those which were furnished to the Committee of Publication, consisting of
Rev. S. S. Wylie, are given in the after pages of the history and published
in the order of their delivery. It is hoped that a generous public will aid
in a laudable effort to put in permanent form much historic matter, which
has never as yet been printed, and may arouse a new interest in these old
churches of our valley so rich in history, in noble men and women, and in
their influence on future generations.
W.
_________
HISTORY OF ROCKY SPRING CHURCH.
_________
READ AUG. 23, 1894.
As we to-day stand in these preserve and amid these historic surroundings,
there is only one voice, which is neither the present or the future but of
the omnific past which speaks and says in the words of the Inspired Pensman,
"call to remembrance the former days," "I said days should speak and
multitude of years should teach wisdom," "remember the days of old the years
of many generations." "Ask thy fathers and they will tell thee." "Walk about
Zion and go round about her." "Tell the towers thereof." "Mark ye well her
bulwarks, consider her palaces, that ye may tell it to the generations
following. For this God is our God forever and ever." Beautiful as well as
noble sentiments are these. Those Holy Pensmen were ever pointing that
Ancient people to the past, to the deeds, history and achievements of their
fathers, from which they draw their noblest sentiments and highest
inspirations to a better life. Cer-
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THE ROCKY SPRING
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tainly do I wish and hope that the reading of and better knowledge of the
history of this church and all the services of the day, would lead us to
these reflections. First‹How little we have which is due to ourselves, what
a rich legacy we have received from the past. Second‹That men have lived,
fought and died for us. Third‹That as every advance makes a new advance
easier, we ought to far excel them in material, intellectual and spiritual
attainments. Fourth‹To a spirit of gratitude and praise to God for the
noble record which lies behind us and a desire to commemorate this grand
centennial day by raising up some worthy Ebenezer. We are acquainted with
no spot in this ancient Kittochtinny Valley, around which cluster more
hallowed and interesting associations than the venerable Church of Rocky
Spring, the history of which I now proceed to give. For the sake of
convenience I divide the history into three periods: First‹Early Formation
Period; Second‹Period of Greatest Prosperity; Third‹Period of Decay.
The first period extends from the beginning of the church to the pastorate
of Rev. John Craighead in 1768. The best date for the organization of Rocky
Spring Church is 1738, but as there are no records in existence of such an
organization the exact date never can be named beyond the possibility of a
doubt The date of organization of all these old churches stretching through
our valley is involved in much obscurity. The old Donegal records give us no
direct information and the early sessional records, if there ever were any,
are not now in existence. Many of these churches never were organized in the
modern sense of that term, they simply grew. The fact that the first church
was erected in the autumn of the following year does not militate against
the above for we know congregations to-day are organized a considerable time
before securing a house and especially was this true at that early date when
their private houses and the outspreading forest trees were generally used
as temples of praise. The following points as the Presbytery records
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show that there was much dispute and delay in selecting a suitable site for
the building, are to be kept in mind in determining the date of
organization. As early as 1730 there were a few isolated settlements in this
valley such as at the Falling Spring, Chambersburg, between Middle Spring
and Shippensburg at the Big Spring and at other points nearer the
Susquehanna. When in 1734 the Samuel Blunston license system of title came
into effect and the Proprietary Government encouraged immigration, and the
peaceful attitude of the Indians, together with the fertility of the soil,
caused a rapid influx, so that in 1736 Roop speaks of settlements extending
from the long crooked river to the Potomac. And with the exception of a few
Germans at Greencastle and Welsh at Welsh Run they were all ScotchIrish or
their immediate descendants and this was true of the whole valley up to
1750. We are not to overlook the fact that the uniform custom of these early
settlers was to avoid the choice limestone lands and the towns and settle
along streams such as the Conedogwinet and at springs; to select the higher
slate lands such as lie adjacent to this church. And it cannot be disputed
that in 1738 there was quite a settlement of people between Rocky. Spring
and Strasburg and around the present town of Strasburg, and between this
point and Chambersburg. Among many others the following can be named, viz:
James and Samuel Henry, John Hastin, Francis and Samuel Jones, William
Baird, Matthew and Robert Patton, and James Culberson." These elevated slate
lands being their choice we find, as might be expected, that one of the
first arrangements of these early settlers was to have the Gospel preached
to them. They importuned the Donegal Presbytery for supplies, so that in
1734 Rev. Alexander Craighead is ordered over the river for three Sabbaths.
He is ordered over a second time. In 1735 Rev. John Tompson was to
perambulate along the Conedogwinet. In 1736 Rev. Samuel Geiston was ordered
to Opekan, Va., Conestoga and Cone-
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dogwinet. In 1736 supplies are sent for the first time to the Conococheague
settlement. When you remember that at the meeting of Presbytery at Pequa,
October, 1738, a commissioner from Hopewell congregation which, I will show
included Rocky Spring Church, complained to Presbytery that the people of
Falling Spring, organized 1737, are about to encroach upon them in erecting
their house of worship and the year following, as the Presbytery records
show, the privilege was granted them to erect their log church at the Rocky
Spring. Putting all these facts together can any one doubt that the old
theory that this congregation, as well as the Middle Spring, was not
organized until 1739, or as most all authorities hold until 1740, is not
correct, rather in 1738 if not indeed earlier those noble, God-fearing men
gathered these gospel-hungry people together and in the quiet of their plain
home, and under the shade df the outspreading trees invoked the divine
favor and pointed them to "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the
world." The first pastor of this church in connection with Big Spring and
Rocky Spring was the Rev. Thomas Craighead. The earlier historians of this
church, such as Nevin, Lane and others, held that Rocky Spring had no
settled pastor until 1768, when Rev. John Craighead was appointed over them.
This is altogether incorrect In more recent years the Rev. John Blair is
assigned as the honored first pastor. Now I wish to lead you another step
back to the Rev. Thomas Craighead. This I am aware is a much disputed point.
The following reasons would seem to justify such conclusions. The
Presbytery record of Donegal held at Derry church, November 17, 1737, (mark
this record) a call was presented to Presbytery by the people of Hopewell
for the services of Mr. T. Creighead‹which was accepted by him, but he was
not installed for almost one year, until the second Tuesday of October,
1738. The reasons were two: First‹The difficulty in settling boundary
between Pennsborough and Hopewell congregation, and Second‹Because on
Saturday night pre-
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vious to the communion, without consulting his session, he suspended his
wife from church privileges because she would not live in peace in the same
house with her daughter-in-law. We are to remember that the Presbytery
records designate these churches by the name of Hopewell‹derived from the
township formed in 1735 by a line drawn across the valley at the Great
Spring‹ all east to be called by the name of Pennesboro and west by the name
of Hopewell.‹ The churches of Silver Spring and Carlisle first took their
general name of Pennesboro from the township‹one being upper and the other
lower and the Conococheague by east and west, lower east and lower west, so
Hopewell was distinguished by lower and upper from the flow of water. The
reasons for believing that Rocky Spring was then called with the other two
Spring churches by the general name of Hopewell and with Middle Spring by
the name of Upper Hopewell are these. 1st.‹At the time Rev. Thomas
Craighead became the settled pastor over the Hopewell Charge or in Oct.
1738, Presbytery at Pequa,‹Robert Henry a commissioner from Hopewell
complained that the people of Falling Spring are about to encroach upon
Hopewell congregation. This was in the matter of erecting a house of worship
at Falling Spring‹the old Presbytery rule being ten miles apart. Spring or
Upper Hopewell as is declared never extended beyond Herron's branch one mile
east of Orrstown and fully eight miles from Falling Spring. Now would it not
be perfectly absurd for Robert Henry the most prominent member of Middle
Spring Church, as t e John Blair sessional records show, to go to Pequa and
make complaint to Presbytery that Falling Spring is about to encroach upon
Hopewell if Hopewell simply meant as men declare Middle and Big Spring. Why
Middle Spring is thirteen miles from Falling Spring and the south and
southwest boundary of Middle Spring is eight miles from Falling Spring. But
if Hopewell included Rocky Spring
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then his conduct is quite clear. Falling Spring was encroaching on Rocky
Spring less than five miles distant This man Robert Henry, had a remarkable
zeal in this matter‹so much so that he became involved in trouble with
Presbytery in reference thereto. His zeal I explain for these two reasons.
First‹He was remarkably loyal to his minister Rev. Thomas Craighead and was
the main instrument of his settlement over the Hopewell Charge. And
Second‹James Henry, who is supposed to be his brother, was a member of the
Rocky Spring Session but a short time after this and he would therefore feel
a special interest in the rights of that church. Third‹Rev. Richard Webster
whose history as you know covers this period of our churches' history and
its minister declares that Rocky Spring was called by the name of Upper
Hopewell. Fourth‹On page 189 of Donegal records in recording supplies
appointed to Lower Hopewell makes this record on the margin where an
abstract of all Presbyterial business is given: "Tipper and Lower Hopewell
the former Rocky and Middle Spring and latter Big Spring." Fifth‹That the
name of Rocky Spring does not appear upon the records for many years after
this and if it was not designated by Hopewell, how was it known? All the
above is important in ascertaining what is implied by the people of
Hopewell that it included the three churches. That Rev. Thomas Craighead
preached here is evident further from the fact that the cotemporaneous
pastors preached for two, three or four congregations. Rev. Samuel Cavin
preached to the four appointments of the Conococheague. Sixth‹By the words
of the call‹"A call was presented to Presbytery by the people of Hopewell
for the services of Mr. T. Craighead" (Page 153 of Donegal records.)
Seventh‹The author of the history of Franklin Co. says the first pastor was
Rev. Thomas Craighead. Eighth‹Rev. Richard Webster who evidently examined
the records of Presbytery with great care and a most reliable historian in
speaking of Rev. John Blair
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says "then those churches had been served by the Rev. Thomas Creaghead." The
pastorate of Rev. Thomas Creaghead over the Spring Churches was very
brief‹about seven months, from October, 1738 until the latter part of April,
1739. At the June meeting of the Donegal Presbytery 1739 he is reported as
having died. The theory handed down in reference to his death is that at
the close of a communion service at the Big Spring and at the close of a
remarkable sermon for which he was noted, he sank down in the pulpit from
exhaustion after exclaiming, "Farewell, farewell." Like Moses of old his
natural strength was not abated though he was called in Presbytery "Father
Creaghead," and that his grave is unknown to this day. He was a stirring
preacher‹indeed a revivalist‹whose pulpit ministrations were greatly
blessed of God in all the various fields of labor he occupied. Cotton
Mather, Freetown, Mass., his first pastoral charge in this country speaks of
him in these striking words, "That he was a man of an excellent spirit and a
great blessing to the plantation. A man of singular piety, meekness and
industry in the work of God All that are acquainted with him have a precious
esteem of him and if he should be driven from among you it would be such a
damage, yea such a ruin as is not without horror to be thought of." It is a
fortunate thing that out of the wreck and ruin of the past that the
sessional records of Mr. Blair's ministry at Middle Spring have been
preserved, which are perhaps the oldest sessional records of any church in
the valley. Otherwise his relation to this church would have been enveloped
in darkness. I quote in full of sessional records, page 2, Dec. 27th, 1742.
"The minister and elders of Big Spring, Middle Spring and Rocky Spring met
at Middle Spring in order to settle the division of the minister's labors
among the three congregations. It is unanimously agreed that the minister's
labors be equally divided in a third part to each place, as being most for the
glory of God and the good of the place. Also, upon the motion of the elders of
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Big Spring, it is left to them, the people and Mr. Blair to converse among
themselves in respect to the subscriptions of. the Big Spring congregation.
Appointed that the session of each place meet every second Monday of their
turn of sermon. Agreed that each session send a member to Presbytery or
Synod in their turn beginning with Middle Spring. Agreed that none be
published in order to marriage until they make application to the minister
or some of the session. Concluded with prayer." This session book shows that
these three sessions quite frequently met afterwards as at this time, for
business. Rev. John Blair was never a member of Donegal Presbytery, but of
the New Castle Presbytery. So the Donegal records in no way help us either
as to the beginning or end of his pastorate over these churches. When he
ended his ministry at this place cannot now be exactly determined. The New
Castle Presbytery records which alone could authoritatively answer are not
in existence or at least cannot be found. The time of his pastorate
according to Webster, Sprague, Nevin, is the latter part of 1748 or on
December 28, Œ48. The reason for their belief is due wholly to the fact that
the sessional records referred to above stops with that date. After no
little study of this point I place the dissolution of the pastorate at a
much later date and for the following reasons: First‹In October 5, 1745, he
bought a large farm of 212 acres from Thomas and Richard Penn, the patent
for which he had recorded in and sold it to Samuel Rippy, Shippensburg, in
1760. Second‹ I quote from an old receipt of steepens, now in my possession:
"Sept. 11, 1757. Received from John Johnston, two pounds, two pence, which
appears to me to be in full of steepens due Rev. John Blair. Signed David
Megaw." He was collector and this indicates that he left about that time and
they were settling the salary due him. Third‹Sprague, Alexander, Webster and
others all agree that the reason for his leaving the springs was due to the
incursions of Indians, but any one conversant with that period knows that between
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the settlers and Indians there were no outbreaks in 1748. We all know after
the disastrous defeat of Braddock, July 9, 1755, and the retreat of Dunbar,
the tardy, this valley in every part, and especially this part, was swept by
fire and sword, the scalping knife and tomahawk of an exultant savage foe.
When thirteen hundred and eighty-four refugees were huddled together in
Shippensburg, and seven hundred families left this valley for York and
Lancaster counties; when men between this spot and Strasburg plowed their
fields with their guns strapped to their plows, and reaped their harvests
with their rifles set against the nearest tree, Mr. Blair, with his family,
would then have to flee in 1755 for their lives. Fourth‹ No historian of
this life gives the least hint of what he did or where he spent his time if
he left in 1748 to 1757, the date of his next pastorate. Is it likely that
this man in the prime of his manhood and in the full possession of his many
talents would have remained in idleness those nine years? From such facts
the best conclusion is that he left this valley in the Autumn of 1755 and in
those unsettled times the pastoral relation was not dissolved until 1757
when he accepted a call to the Fags Manor Church. After remaining there for
ten years, occupying the position vacated by his gifted brother, Samuel, he
became Professor of Divinity in Princeton College. Rev. Blair lived at
Middle Spring in the centre of his large field of labor on a farm near the
Middle Spring now owned by W. S. Ziegler. He married a Miss Denborrow, of
Philadelphia, and lived in a style altogether above his plain parishioners.
He was a great untiring worker. He was frequently absent from his important
work at the Springs and engaged in revival work and preaching tours in
Virginia. He was a gifted writer and Dr. Alexander says of him: "As a
theologian he was not inferior to any man in the Presbyterian church." It
is no exaggeration to say that he was one of the most gifted and eloquent
men who ever filled the pulpit of the Springs Churches.
Rocky Spring Church no doubt had occasional supplies
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during the period between the pastorates of Rev. John Blair and that of Rev.
John Creaghead in 1768. It was a very unsettled period and many were the
vacancies throughout the Presbytery during that time. It was during this
first formative period that the first house of worship was erected at Rocky
Spring Church. The following is the action of Presbytery: "Conococheague,
Nov. 16, 1739. A supplication being presented and read requesting the
committee's concurrence that the meeting house be erected at the Rocky
Spring and hearing a great deal on both sides of the question the committee
observing that proper methods were fallen into some time ago to regulate
this affair and a report of the good issue being made by Rev. Creaghead and
a commission from that people together with several other circumstances too
tedious here to insert, do agree and conclude that the house for public
worship be erected as near to the Falling Spring as conveniently as may be.
Concluded with prayer." While a number of sights are claimed on which this
original church was erected, yet the best information I can now command,
places it in part on the ground now occupied by the present building with
the eastern side running parallel with the graveyard fence and nearer to it
than the present building. It was doubtless about thirty-five feet square
when originally erected. There was the same relation to points of compass as
the present building, with front towards the south. It was constructed of
rough logs, one and one-half stories high, with one row of windows on lower
floor. Soon proving too small for the congregation an addition was formed by
constructing of logs a small square building attached to it on the south and
extending. one-half the length of the main one, the roof of the main
building was extended over it and the wall between the two was sawn away. No
windows were in this extension. A similar addition was also made and joined
to the other south side of the main structure. I do not know what Sir
Christopher Wren or some of our modern architects would think of this building.
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I rather suppose they would say that it was certainly a lopsided affair. It
is not likely that any provisions were made for heating this house when
first erected which was in accordance with the custom of the day. The study
house made provision in part for that. Afterwards these stoves, now in use,
in the present house, were purchased and heated the old log church. Shortly
after the construction of this log church there was erected a small,
rough-log house built fifteen feet square. Some say it joined the church on
the north side but the best memories place it some distance to the northwest
of it and on the ground occupied by the road which runs north of the church.
It had a wide fireplace with large wooden chimney and could with propriety
be called either a study house, a session house, a saddle house, or a school
house as you please, for it was put to all these uses and stood for nearly a
century. The ground floor of this old church will be shown to-day together
with the Œnames of the pew holders. Such was the house of worship which
echoed to the eloquent and stirring appeals of Creaghead, or the classic
diction of Blair. We have no fear of exaggeration when we say there was no
lofty spire, no chime of bells, no stained glass windows, no upholstered
seats, no pipe organ, no large reception room in the basement for grand
soirees and church festivals. Mother earth the floor, benches were the
seats, smooth peeled saplins were the rafters, clap boards were for the
roof with a presentor's desk beneath and a goblet-shaped pulpit, tacked to
the ceiling, on which lay a well worn copy of the Scriptures, either Glasgow
or Louden edition, and Rouse's version of the Psalms. These completed the
furniture. Oh! were it standing to-day what a precious relic of the past it
would be. How delightful to visit this sacred spot, join the worship and
after services return home with some of its worshipers. To see the men with
their home-spun hunting shirts and moccasins, and from necessity practicing
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"He scorns exotic food and gaudy dress,
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, bard working men and women with
their zealous, self-sacrificing 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 supply 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 ditracted 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 appointed 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
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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 rather dark hair and possessed a
musical voice. His sermons were well prepared, forceful and persuasive and
without manuscript delivered with a power and eloquence which tew 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 here
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.
Creaghead. 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, Dongal, 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 important 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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Œ76, 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 yourself 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 field 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 faithful and zealous servant of Jesus Christ. He was a broad man, 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 Herron, which he accepted and he was
ordained and installed
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over Rocky Spring Church, April 9, 1800. 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 congregation 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 man bangs 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 character 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 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 Presbyterian 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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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 together 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 keepsake 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 Gilmore. 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 trustees 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 McCalmont, Esq., James Ferguson, Esq., James
Culberson, Esq. and Samuel Culberson, Trustees for the congregation, in.
eluding 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 prepared 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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after. All the members of session had held important positions in the
Continental Army. A list of the soldiers follows: Samuel Culbertson, colonel
6th battalion, Cumberland County Associators, 1777; lieutenant colonel 4th
battalion, May 10, 1780. James McCalmont, major of the 5th battalion, July,
1776; major of 6th battalion, 1777; major of 4th battalion, May 10, 1780.
John Wilson, adjutant 6th battalion, 1777. William Ramsey, private, Captain
Armstrong's company, December, 1776; ensign, 3d company, 6th 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, January, 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 company. Samuel Patton, captain in
Col. Armstrong's battalion, 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, captain in 4th battalion, May, 10, 1780. William Beard, William
Waddle, William Kirkpatrick, Robert Caldwell, John Machan, James Hindman and
John Caldwell were privates in Captain Matthew's company, December, 1776.
Joseph Stevenson, first lieutenant, 8th battalion, 1778. Albert Torrance,
first lieutenant 8th company, of. 8th battalion, 1777, and lieutenant in 8th
battalion, March, 1778. Joseph Caldwell, lieutenant 1st company, 4th
battalion, May 10, 1780. John Caldwell, ensign 1st company, 4th battalion,
May 10, 1780. James Culbertson, captain 3d company, 4th
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battalion, May 10, 1780. Reuben Gillespie, lieutenant 3d company, 4th
battalion, May 10, 1780. 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. Samuel Henry,
private in Lieutenant Albert Torrance's company, 8th battalion, March, 1778.
Thomas Kinkead, private Captain Samuel Patton's company, 6th battalion, in
July, 1778. Of 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 Alexander 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 military. 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 horseback and rode
long distances, from Culbertson's Row, Greenvillage, near Orrstown, Roxbury,
Strasburg, St. Thomas, along the base of the North Mountain for many 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 undoubtedly 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 fencing the table by the
pastor, and receiving their tokens of good standing at the hands of the
trusted elders, 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
gushing 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 dam?e held amidst her gathered brood.
Here cakes were shared, and fruits, and counsel good;
Devoutly spoken Œtwas 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, tb stoop him often low,
And serve, with cup tip-dipped, and bland address,
The gathering fair, whose multitude did grow!
Her first cup bath 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 stop, and grin, and water all the flock."
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PART III.
From the year 1816, or the ministry of Rev. John McKnight, until the present
time‹this third period of the Rocky Spring Church opens with the ministry of
Rev. John McKnight‹ 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 November 13, i8i6, to January 20, 1836; Pastor of St. Thomas from 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 Philadelphia. He is marked W. C. in New
School minutes of 1857, died July 29, 1857, and buried 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, he was installed pastor of these churches where
he remained until April 10, 1873, after a pastorate thirty-three ears and at
the ripe age of four score he honorably lays aside the Gospel Armor. Rev.
Nelson has the honor of sustaining the longest pastorate of any minister in
the history of this church. With equal propriety he was the most humble,
quiet, unassuming 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 epitaph. An illustration in point He was
always both regular and punctual in filling his appointments no matter what
was the weather or the number present. On one bad Sabbath only the sexton
appeared, but Father Nelson went through all the services as though a
congregation was present. 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 during 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 endowment fund which brought in $250, to aid in payment of
salary, 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 each‹you have an illustration 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 acceptable
pastor of this charge for nearly twelve years until February 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 Theological
Seminary, licensed by the Presbytery of Allegheny in 1860. In 1862 he was
sent out by the Board of Foreign Missions as a missionary to Bangkok, Siam.
He returned to his native land in 1873 on 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 until 1893, where he now resides.
The present pastoral relation between the Rev. H. G. Finney a this charge
was formed in 1888 whose bow still abides in strength amongst this people.
For a number of years Rev. H. G. Finney preached as supply to the
Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville. This good brother, with his worthy
family, is so well and favorably
[Image]
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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, Elliottand McKnight who granted the same.
However, preaching by stated supplies 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 time 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 membership. 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 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‹Sickness and
death have played a necessary part in this decadence. 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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Samuel Patton, Charles Cummins and William Cummins. The congregation was
much weakened thereby. Third‹Financial troubles. In the early part of this
century prices were inflated and, as is generally true, many persons went
heavily in debt. Afterwards there was great depreciation of land property on
account of the cheaper and richer lands of Ohio and other states and many of
the farmers of the Rocky Spring Church were compelled to sell their farms
for one-fourth of what they cost and move elsewhere. Fourth‹The character of
the immigrants. Generally the German type and not naturally congenial to the
Scotch-Irish element, and they at once began to establish churches of their
faith. The Rocky Spring farmers would sell out in almost every instance to a
man from one of the eastern counties who were wont to often boast that they
would dig out the Scotch-Irish with their silver spades. 5th‹There was a
want of adaptability and congeniality between the old Scotch-Irish type of
Presbyterian of this church and the people of the surrounding communities.
In this community the feeling between these two classes was very intense.
Sixth‹Very many of these older aristocratic families never entered the
marriage relation and hence became extinct. This was especially marked of
the Wilsons, Gilmores, and to a certain extent, of the McClellands. At the
same time the wealth and farms of the community became unduly concentrated
in the hands of a few. Seventh‹Not one of all these pastors, from the Rev.
John Creaghead down to the present time‹unless we except Dr. Herron, whose
place of residence is in doubt‹either lived or identified himself with the
immediate community. It was manifestly contrary to the highest interests of
this church that all these worthy men should live four miles distant in
Chambersburg. It cannot now be doubted that if this people years since had
built a parsonage at the church for their minister, modernized their church,
held prayer meetings, and especially a Sabbath School, and shown an interest
in the spiritual welfare of this community,
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things would present a different aspect to-day. Even at this late hour if
some man of both wealth and consecration would be inspired of this grand
occasion and moved of God to erect a manse and chapel and place in it a man
who would live with the people, and adapt himself to the people, and if he
had a little of the German blood in his veins all the better. I say that
Ichabod need not be written on this house. Why should this church die when
two summers since there was a Sabbath School of seventy-five scholars and
teachers, the first and only school in its history.
It may be well to correct a false impression which is generally held in this
community in reference to the future title and disposition of this church
property, which is, "that it should never pass out of the possession of the
Presbyterians as long as grass grows and water runs." In answer to this I
quote here the 25th Section of the Constitution of this church adopted May
6, 1796: If in the course of procedure of Divine Providence it should
hereafter so eventually happen that the congregation of Rocky Spring should
come to be dissolved from being a society, and should be so considered by
Presbytery and their own mutual agreement, finding themselves divested of
all probable hope of retrieve, then, in that hopeless situation, the then
existing trustees are hereby empowered to dispose of the Glebe lands with
the church and other improvements that now are or may be thereon erected, to
any other society who may be disposed to purchase the same for a house of
worship. But the purchasers must be bound never to suffer the said church to
be converted to any other purpose than a place of worship, and also the
graveyard to be ever continued for that purpose and no other.
The following is a list of the ministers who were born in and raised in
Rocky Spring Church, viz: Rev. John Boyd, whose father was an elder and died
in 1770, and is buried at Rocky Spring; Rev. James Patterson, born in latter
part of last century, son of Nicholas Patterson, was a pastor in
Philadelphia, and died many years ago; Rev. Charles Cum-
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mings, son of Charles Cummings, born latter part of last century, pastor in
New York state, died three years since at Muscatine, Iowa; Rev. Charles P.
Cummins, son of John Cummins, pastor at Dickeson Church, died at Brookville,
Pa., twenty-five years since; David Hays Cuminins, son of Alan Cummins,
pastor of Covetingon, Tennessee, and died in 1871; Rev. Samuel B.
McClelland, son of John McClelland, and now pastor of Presbyterian Church at
Grand Junction, Iowa; Rev. Samuel Wilson, son of John and Sarah Wilson, born
in 1754 in Letterkenny township, pastor of Big Spring Church from 1757 to
1799, when he died aged forty-five.
The following list of Elders presided over the spiritual interests of the
church, at the time the church was organized: Robert Boyd, George Mitchel,
Robert Stockton, James Henry, John McKennie. Later were John Boyd, Robert
Shields, Robert Brotherson, Robert Anderson; these were prior to 1800.
Later, Samuel Culberson, Mr. Grimes, Charles Cummins, Joseph Culberson,
Samuel Patton, William Cummins, Moses Kilpatrick, Matthew Patton, John
McClelland, John Hunter, David Wilson, William Gillan, William H. Anderson,
and Dr. W. A. Hunter, in all twenty-two names. Two of these, David Wilson
and William Gillan acted as elders also of St. Thomas church.
The three noted presentors in the history of this church are Robert Swan,
who led in the service of praise for fully thirty years; Joseph Stevenson,
who was clerk in Dr. Herron's ministry, and John McClelland, father of
Thomas McClelland, from 1835 to his death in 1859, or twenty-four years.
The following is a list of Trustees and Collectors, or both, as both
positions were often held by one man: James McCalmont, Samuel Culberson,
James McConnel, Samuel Culberson, James McConnel, Joseph Culberson, John
Beard, Robert Brotherton, George Matthews, William Waddel, John Eaton, John
Wilson, Joseph Swan, Samuel Patton, Joseph Stepheson, Robert Stockton, John
Pinley, John Fergason, Thomas Beard, John Kerr, James Wilson, Matthew Patton,
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Robert Gilmore, William McClelland, Robert Anderson, John Hunter, John
McClelland, David Over, Wm. Gilmore, Wm. H. Anderson, Joseph Gilmore,
William A. Hunter and Thos. A. McClelland. Those who acted exclusively as
collectors of stipends were James Breckenridge, James Boyd, John McConnel,
John Wilson, Moses Kirkpatrick, Samuel Ligate, George McElroy, Robert
Anderson and Charles Allison.
When the congregation was large their administration of the temporal affairs
of the congregation was quite elaborate. They divided the congregation into
eleven districts, each of which had what they called a committeeman and his
collector.
THE following article of agreement between the Trustees and pewholders, an
original copy of which will be found today among the archives, is interesting
illustrating the strict business-like methods of these old fathers:
"The Seat Numbered ‹, which belongs to the Presbyterian Society in their
church near Rocky Spring, is now rated at ‹ per annum from and after the
first of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and
‹. AND WHEREAS, ‹ of ‹ township, doth now agree with the said Society, by
their agents, and giving his note, obliging himself to pay thereon the sum
of ‹ yearly and every year for the use of ‹ of said seat, in two equal
payments, on the first Mondays in May and October, in each year, as in said
obligation is duly set forth: THEREFORE, the said ‹ is hereby vested with a
right and title to the due and orderly use of ‹ of said seat, and his part
thereof bears the same proportion to the whole of said seat, which the
aforesaid yearly payment he stands bound for, bears to the whole annual
price of the seat. And said right is hereby granted to continue to him, his
heirs and assigns, so long as he or they standeth bound and doth punctually
pay the said yearly sum of ‹ in time and manner as he the said ‹ hath
obligated himself to do. PROVIDED, that he or they do also, in other
respects, conform him or themselves to the rules of the said Society.
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WITNESS the Names and Seals of the Agents of said society. Done at Rocky
Spring this ‹ day of ‹ one thousand ‹ hundred and ‹ ."
The grave yard hard by was used as a place of burial at a very early age in
the history of this church. A feeling of awe pervades our mind as we wander
over the resting places of those who lived more than a century ago. Here
sleep the dust of many brave spirits who freely ventured their all to secure
that precious freedom we now enjoy. Here rest those who first settled on
these hills and valleys which now surround us on every side, and whose ax
woke the stillness of the primeval forest, who cleared these fields now
waving with luxuriant harvests. All around us lie the brave men who amid the
wilds of this almost uninhabited land built here a house for the worship of
the Most High and disseminated through our most remote settlements the
hallowed principles of the religion of Christianity. Time would fail me to
enumerate the Creagheads, the Robertsons, the Cumminses, the Boyds, Burns,
McConnells, Beards, Culbersons, Wilsons, Gilmores, McClellands. A mighty
host of the dead which no man can now number, only known on that day when
the trump of the arch-angel shall sound, and all who are in their graves
shall hear His voice. The quaint inscriptions on many of these stones are
quite striking. On that of John Wade:‹
"Remember man as you pass by,
As you are now so once was I.
As I am now, so must you be,
Remember man that you must die."
Of all these old families who formed this church and now sleep in this city
of the dead, I suppose the Wilsons were the most interesting. They were one
of the largest families and the greatest land owners, had the largest and
finest horses and were the most quaint, old-fashioned people in the
community. Six of them would invariably ride to church,
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David in front, followed by Moses, and the others would fall in line, all
single file, Sarah bringing up the rear. They would enter the church the
same way. After services they would speak to their neighbors and friends and
after awhile David would get his horse and start home and the rest would
follow single file, though he was never known to say to any of the rest it
was time to leave.
This church is fortunate in having some legacies left it both for the
support of the gospel and for the proper keeping of the graveyard. Funds
amounting to about $6,000 were left by Matthew Patton to sustain preaching
at St. Thomas, Rocky Spring and Strasburg as they now are. This fund is now
in the safe keeping of W. D. Dixon and Thomas A. McClelland.
What now should the record of one hundred and fifty-six years make upon us
to-day. First‹The ravages of time. What names, families, generations passed
into eternity. "Your fathers, where are they, and the prophets, do they live
forever?" Second‹When we see the follies and mistakes of these your
fathers what occasion of thoughtfulness and humility. I said days should
speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom." Third‹Under what
obligation of gratitude to Almighty God are you placed by such a view of
the past; such a fruitful old vine of God's right hand planting from which
such rich clusters of Eschol grapes have been gathered by individuals,
families, churches, this community, this valley, and our beloved land should
call for the songs of praise and should cause more than one devout, tender
heart to-day to exclaim, "Here I raise my Ebenezer."
Oh, brethren, standing in the light and glory of this dosing hour of the
nineteenth century and encompassed with such a great crowd of witnesses
seated in glory, shall we not, ministers, elders, members of Christ's living
church dedicate ourselves to the great work laid at our feet. "Now unto God
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost be praise in a world without end. Amen.
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SKETCHES OF DECEASED MINISTERS.
_________
BY REV. E. ERSKINE, D. D.
_________
Assembled as we are this morning within these venerable walls, once filled
statedly with thronging worshipers, and. echoing to the earnest
proclamations of Gospel truth by able, devoted and patriotic ministers of
the Word, but now for many years quite deserted and desolate, the words of
the prophet naturally suggest themselves to us. "The fathers, where are
they? and the prophets do they live forever?"
As the goodly proportions of this church edifice erected a century ago, and
the long list of pew holders of that period‹one hundred and seventy-nine‹go
to show, large congregations were wont to assemble here. As the fathers,
generation after generation, passed away, and their mortal remains lie
sleeping in yonder congregation of the dead, one of the most interesting and
important inquiries for our consideration to-day is, where are their
children, and their children's children? whither are they dispersed? and why
is it that their places have not been filled from the generations that have
come after them?
One fact is gratifying, and that is that while the fathers are no more, and
the children have so generally dispersed, that yet the line of the prophets
has remained quite unbroken. This only affords another illustration of the
tenacity of the life of a Presbyterian Church.
While the question as to who was the first minister or pastor of this church
is involved in some uncertainty, it is not only possible, but I may add, it
is even probable, that the Rev. Thomas Craighead, the first pastor of the
Big Spring Church, and the first pastor of any church this side of the
Susquehanna river, ministered to this people statedly for a time. This
inference is based chiefly upon the fact that after supplying the people of
the Conodoguinet, i.e. of Pennsboro and of Hopewell, for six months, in 1736, he
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was invited the following April, (April 10, 1737), to supply the people of
Hopewell. And shortly afterwards a call was made out by the people of
Hopewell and accepted and his installation ordered to take place November
17, 1737, but the "Presbytery finding some inconvenience in reference, to
the situation of one of Their meeting houses," the installation was delayed
until October 13, 1738. As all west of the line run from the North to the
South Mountain in 1735, by way of the Big Spring was called Hopewell, and
all east of it Pennsboro, the people of Hopewell would include not only Big
Spring and Middle Spring, but also Rocky Spring. And the fact that there was
trouble about the location of one of their meeting houses, implies that they
had two or more such places of worship; and the further fact that Robert
Henry, a commissioner to Presbytery from Hopewell, complained October 17,
1738, that the people of Falling Spring were about to encroach upon Hopewell
congregation. This could hardly be said of Big Spring or Middle Spring on
account of the distance between them and Falling Spring, and did relate more
probably to the more contiguous place of worship, Rocky Spring. Some
confirmation is afforded of this view from the further fact that two persons
of the same name, viz: James and Samuel Henry, were pew holders here in
1794. Further confirmation is had from the statements of an intelligent
writer, signing himself "K. H." in the Presbyterian of January 15, 1853, to
wit: "The congregation beyond the river which first settled a pastor was
Hopewell, called also Upper and Lower Hopewell, the meeting house being
first built at the Great Spring, but with services divided with Middle
Spring and Rocky Spring." He also said "Rocky Spring barely had its meeting
house ready when their good minister, Father Craighead, was called away."
From all these facts, which are a matter of record, we naturally conclude
that Thomas Craighead probably was the first stated minister of the people
of Rocky Spring.
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REV. THOMAS CRAIGHEAD.
The Rev. Thomas Craighead, reverently styled in the Presbytery of Donegal,
Father Craighead, belonged to a family of ministers now extending through
six generations. His father, Rev. Robert Craighead, a native of Scotland and
pastor of Donoughmore, in the north of Ireland, for thirty years, and
afterwards Minister to Londonderry at the time of the great siege by the
papal forces of James II, where he continued until his death in 1711,
besides being an earnest evangelical preacher was the author of several
publications of a highly evangelical and practical character. His brother,
the Rev. Robert Craighead, Jr., was a man of equal or greater prominence
than his father. Thomas was born and educated as a physician in Scotland.
His wife was the daughter of a Scotch laird; but afterwards, with his wife's
approbation and in obedience to the dictates of his own conscience, he
abandoned the medical profession, read theology and was ordained as a
minister of the Gospel. He was a pastor for ten or twelve years in Ireland,
and for the most part of that time at Donegal. By reason of the oppressive
enactments of the government, and the persecuting spirit of the Established
Church, Mr. Craighead, with a large number of ministers and people,
despairing of any permanent relief, emigrated to America. He settled first
in Freetown, in the colony of Massachusetts in 1715. In 1724 be became a
member of the Presbytery of New Castle, and pastor of White Clay Creek, and
preached every third Sabbath at Brandywine. He was Moderator of the Synod of
Philadelphia in 1726, and was present at the adoption of the Westminster
Confession and Catechisms in 1729. He accepted a call to the Church of Pequa
and united with the Presbytery of Donegal in 1733. In 1735 he was appointed
to supply the people of the Conodoguinet‹Pennsboro and Hope-well‹and in
1737 he was called by the people of Hopewell, including what came to be
known as Lower and Upper
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Hopewell, Big Spring and Middle Spring, and most probably also Rocky Spring,
over whom he was installed October, 1738. His pastorate here was of short
continuance. He was a man well advanced in years, yet with his mental
faculties in full vigor and his fervor and impassioned eloquence unabated.
He died at the close of a communion season in April, 1739, expiring in the
pulpit, and lies, tradition says, buried under the present church edifice at
Big Spring. Mr. Craighead was a man greatly respected for his talents and
attainments, and much esteemed by his brethren for his piety and genial
disposition. His preaching was remarkably earnest and evangelical. He was
active as an evangelist and did much in the way of gatherings and building
up churches. His theology was strictly of the type of the Westminster
Assembly's Confession of Faith, which he held in the highest reverence. He
was a man, wrote Cotton Mather, the distinguished minister of Boston, by
reason of his acquaintance with him while in Freetown, "of an excellent
spirit, and a minister of singular piety, meekness, humility and industry in
the work of God." After he was settled over the people of Hopewell, though
now of advanced age, he still preached with all his usual fervor and
impressiveness. Under his ministry the people were often greatly moved and
when dismissed were unwilling to disperse. At such times he is represented
as continuing his impassioned discourses with his audiences melted to
tears. It was on one of these occasions, at the close of a communion season
in the church of Big Spring, when having preached until quite exhausted, and
not being able to pronounce the benediction, he waived his hand, and
exclaimed, "farewell, farewell!" sank down and expired in the pulpit. Mr.
Craighead left four sons and one daughter, Thomas, a farmer at White Clay
Creek, whose daughter Elizabeth married Rev. Matthew Wilson, the father of
the Rev. Dr. J. P. Wilson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of
Philadelphia. John, who settled four miles south of Car-
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lisle, and whose descendants still possess the paternal estate, and some of
whom are doubtless with us to-day. Jane, the only daughter, who was married
to the Rev. Adam Boyd, for forty years pastor of the Presbyterian Church at
the Forks of the Brandywine. From him Mr. Cross of our Presbytery, the son
of Rev. Boyd Cross, is a descendant. Andrew, who died unmarried at White
Clay Creek, and Alexander, who became a talented and eloquent minister, the
originator of the Associate Reformed and Covenanter Churches in Eastern
Pennsylvania, and who afterwards, by reason of having offended the Governor
of the Colony of Pennsylvania and many of his ministerial brethren by the
publication of advanced sentiments on civil liberty as early as 1742, went
south and settled at Sugar Creek, North Carolina, where he had much
influence in the origination of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence.
He died greatly respected as a minister and citizen in the year 1766, and
his descendants are found scattered over the South and South-west section of
the country, many of them attaining to positions of honor and influence.
REV. JOHN BLAIR, D. D.
The next minister in charge of Rocky Spring Church in connection with Big
Spring and Middle Spring was the Rev. John Blair. Soon after the withdrawal
of the New Side party from the Synod of Philadelphia in 1741, Hopewell,
which seems to have included the churches of "The Three Springs" and the New
Side portion of Derry, Upper Pennsboro, Conococheague and parts of other
congregations, sent a request to the New Side Presbyteries of New Castle and
New Brunswick, for supplies and Reverends Campbell and Rowland were sent to
visit them and organize them so far as was thought advisable. In 1742 Mr.
John Blair, a licentiate of the New Castle Presbytery was sent to take
charge of Big Spring, Middle Spring and Rocky Spring
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Churches. He was a younger brother of the Rev. Samuel Blair and was born in
Ireland in 1720, came to this country when quite young, and settled with his
father near Brandy-wine Creek in Chester county, Pa. He and his brother
received their classical and theological education as had Rowland and
Campbell, under William Tennant at the Log College at Neshaminy, Bucks
county, Pa., the history of which has been recently written by our friend
Dr. Murphy, who is with us here to-day. He was ordained pastor of the
congregations of the Three Springs, Big, Middle and Rocky, December 27,
1742. Mr. Blair continued pastor of these churches certainly until 1748, and
most probably until 1755 or 7. In 1757 he accepted a call to the church at
Fagg's Manor, Chester county, Pa., made vacant by the death of his
distinguished brother, Rev. Samuel Blair. Here he continued for ten years,
taking the place of his brother, both as pastor of the church and principal
of the classical school which his brother had conducted with eminent
success and great usefulness. In this position he had charge of the
education and religious training of a number of young men who afterwards
attained to great distinction and usefulness. In 1767, after Dr. Finley's
death as president of Princeton College, a sum of money having been left to
that institution for the support of a Professor of Divinity in it, Mr. John
Blair was chosen to that position. This appointment he accepted and removed
from Fagg's Manor to Princeton. He was also chosen Vice President of the
College and was its acting President until Dr. Witherspoon accepted the
presidency of the same in 1769, just one hundred years before the acceptance
of the same office by another distinguished Scotchman, Rev. James McCosh, D.
D., LL. D. On account of the insufficiency of the funds to support Dr. Blair
as Professor of Divinity, apart from the other positions which he had
filled and from which his support was partly derived, which were now
occupied by Dr. Witherspoon, Mr. Blair felt constrained to resign his
position and accepted a call to
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Wallkill, Orange County, N. Y., where he died at the early age of fifty-one.
Mr. Blair's ministry in the churches of the Three Springs was very
acceptable and profitable to the people, and during his pastorate he made
visits down into Virginia in 1746, and prior to that time, preaching with
great power and marked effects in various places and organizing several new
congregations, leaving wherever he went abiding impressions of his learning,
piety and eloquence as a preacher. Dr. John Blair, and his brother Samuel
Blair, were among the very foremost preachers of their times. Dr. Archibald
Alexander expressed the opinion that Dr. John Blair, for sixteen years
pastor of the churches of "the Three Springs, as a theologian was not
inferior to any man in the Presbyterian church in his day." President Davies
spoke of his brother, Rev. Samuel Blair, "as the incomparable Mr. Blair,"
and said "that in all his travels in Great Britain he had heard Œno one
equal to him either as to the matter or manner of his preaching. Dr. John
Blair is spoken of in the Presbyterian Magazine of that time, "as a
judicious and persuasive preacher and that through his preaching sinners
were converted and the children of God edified. Fully convinced of the truth
of the great doctrines of grace he addressed immortal souls with a warmth
and power which left a witness in every breast." Though he sometimes wrote
his sermons out in full yet his common method of preaching was from short
notes. His disposition is said to have been uncommonly patient, placid,
benevolent, disinterested and cheerful. He was too mild to indulge in
bitterness or severity, and he thought that the truth required little else
than to be fairly stated and properly understood to accomplish its saving
results. Those who did not relish the savor of his piety, nor accept of the
truth as proclaimed by him, were still drawn to him on account of his
amiability and moral excellence, and revered him as a great and good man.
He was also an intelligent and sincere believer in that system of doctrine
set forth in the Westminster Standards and highly
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approved of the Presbyterian form of church government, and regarded them as
most favorable to the promotion of true religion and for the preservation of
the peace and unity of the church. Mr. Blair married the daughter of Mr.
John Durburrow, of Philadelphia. The Rev. John Durburrow Blair, of Richmond,
Va., was his son. His daughter was married to the Rev. Dr. William Linn, who
was born over here in Lurgan township, near to Roxborough, and became one of
Dr. Blair's successors as pastor of Big Spring Church and was for twenty
years one of the collegiate pastors of the Reformed Dutch Churches and one
of the most eloquent preachers in the city of New York. The Rev. Dr. John
Blair Linn, pastor for a short time of the First Presbyterian Church of
Philadelphia, was his grandson, a very prodigy of talent, learning and
poetic genius. Dr. John Blair Smith, president of Princeton College and Dr.
John Blair Hoge, of Virginia, were descendents of his, Francis P. Blair, of
the Globe at Washington, and father of the late Montgomery and General Frank
P. Blair, were of this same family of Blairs. He was the author of a
treatise on Regeneration; a treatise on the Nature and Use of the Means of
Grace and of two or more controversial works on the ecclesiastical questions
of his day, the title of one of which is, The Synods of New York and Philadelphia
Vindicated. He was very prominent and influential in the synods of his time.
REV. JOHN CRAIGHEAD.
After an interim of from ten to thirteen years, during which time the church
was dependent on supplies, Mr. John Craighead became the next pastor of
Rocky Spring. Mr. Craighead was the son of Mr. John and Rachael B. Craighead
who settled four miles south of Carlisle. His father was a grandson of the
Rev. Thomas Craighead. He, Rev. John Craighead, was born in 1742. He
graduated at Princeton College in 1763, and was a class-mate of Dr.
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Cooper, of Middle Spring; studied theology with Dr. Robert Smith, of Pequea,
Lancaster county, Pa., and was ordained and installed pastor of Rocky Spring
Church, April 13th, 1768. Here he continued his ministry with great
faithfulness until 1789, when his health failed. He resumed his work after
a year's rest and recuperation, and died April 20, 1799, at the age of
fifty-seven, and is buried in the Rocky Spring graveyard. The people erected
a suitable memorial and inscribed upon it the date of his installation and
death, and added, "He was a faithful and zealous servant of Jesus Christ"
Mr. Craighead in addition to being an earnest and faithful preacher of
Christ and His great salvation, was a zealous patriot in the war of
independence. He is noted in history for his earnest and patriotic appeals
to his people during the Revolutionary struggle, and for his services as
Captain and Chaplain of a company formed out of his own congregation, in
response to his patriotic appeals at a solemn crisis in the war when the
whole male portion of the congregation rose to their feet in token of their
readiness to embark in the defense of their country. It is said again, that
in the early days of the Revolution he assembled the people of a remote part
of his congregation under the extended branches of a majestic oak tree, in
front of the dwelling of one of his parishioners, a Mr. Sharpe, and there in
thrilling tones addressed them in behalf of American Independence,
beseeching them to stand up boldly in their country's cause, and to let
their slogan cry, for "God and liberty," ring from mountain to mountain. As
a proof of the patriotic spirit thus infused, it is stated "that the list of
the members of Rocky Spring Church at the time of the erection of the
present church edifice, a century ago, eleven years after the close of the
war, reveals the historic fact that nearly every male member of that date
had served in the War of the Revolution." What a list of names is found in
the roll of honor which has been preserved in the archives of the State, of
those who served in the war of independence from this congregation.
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Their surviving descendants will have no difficulty in asserting their claim
to be enrolled as Sons or daughters of the American Revolution. A sermon is
preserved in the Presbyterian Historical Society preached before Col.
Montgomery's battalion, August 31, 1775, by Mr. Craighead on Courage in a
Good Cause, which was well adapted to inspire all to whom it was addressed
with courage and resolution in the cause of Independence. There were
stirring scenes on these grounds in those days. Here it was, after most
earnest appeals from the pastor, that a full company of men assembled and
were organized, and with their young and handsome pastor as their chosen
Captain, marched away for the scene of conflict, at that time in New Jersey.
Mr. Craighead was married to the daughter of the Rev. Adam Boyd, in
Lancaster County, at whose house he stayed over night when on his way with
his company to join the army in New Jersey, at which time he first made her
acquaintance. They were married at the close of the campaign. His wife
survived him and died in Carlisle in 1802, at the age of seventy-three,
leavink no children. The Rev. Dr. Martin of Chanceford, York county, Pa., a
man of good judgment and rare intelligence, said of Mr. Craighead, that he
was a man of talent, a fine scholar, an excellent preacher, specially able
in scripture illustration, and always emerging from his melancholy spells, spells
of occasional deep gloominess, with increased light and power as a preacher.
REV. FRANCIS HERRON, D. D.
The Rev. Francis Herron, who became a very conspicuous minister in his later
years, succeeded Mr. Craighead. He was born, educated, licensed, ordained,
and installed pastor all within the bounds of the Presbytery of Carlisle He
was the son of John Herron, a ruling elder in the church of Middle Spring.
He was born June 28, 1774. His parents were of the Scotch-Irish race, and
like all that people, were
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noted for their devotion to the Presbyterian faith and worship, and ardent
friends of civil and religious liberty. Francis was early consecrated to
God, trained up in a Christian household and under the ministry of the Rev.
Dr. Cooper. He entered Dickinson College, pursued a regular classical and
scientific course under the presidency of Dr. Nisbet, with a view to
entering the ministry, and graduated May 5, 1794. He at once entered upon
the study of theology under the direction of his pastor, Rev. Dr. Cooper at
Middle Spring, and was licensed to preach October 4, 1797. Soon after his
licensure, accompanied by the Rev. Matthew Brown, a class-mate and
subsequently a brother-in-law, Mr. Herron, set out upon a missionary tour to
the west on horseback by way of Pittsburg. Mr. Herron went as far as
Chillicothe, Ohio, traveling for days through unbroken forests, the course
to be pursued being indicated at times only by a foot path or by blazes upon
the trees. For days he journeyed without finding any human habitation or
shelter, and for two nights he encamped near what is now the town of
Marietta, Ohio, with the Indians. On his return Mr. Herron stopped at
Pittsburg, then a village of less than two thousand inhabitants, and with
but one church building, a rude log structure, which stood upon the lot
where the first Presbyterian Church now stands. In the keeper of the hotel
where Mr. Herron lodged, he found an acquaintance whom he had known east of
the mountains, at whose solicitation he preached to a congregation of less
than twenty people. This was Mr. Herron's first introduction to the people
of Pittsburg, with whom his after life became so fully identified. This was
the period of the great revival which prevailed so extensively among the
churches of Western Pennsylvania at the beginning of the present century
and, which had a great influence in moulding and giving type to the piety
and religious activity of the churches in all that region of the country.
Mr. Herron was induced to visit a number of the churches in which a deep
religious interest at the time
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existed. He entered into the work most heartily and was greatly blessed and
strengthened spiritually himself; while his labors proved eminently
acceptable and useful to the churches visited. Among the congregations
visited were those of Dr. John McMillan, of Chartiers, near to Canonsburg,
the patriarch of Presbyterianism in Western Pennsylvania, Drs. Ralston and
Smith, the Rev. Mr. McCurdy and others, which were all in the midst of a
protracted season ot gracious revival. One of the congregations in which he
preached at this time was that of Buffalo, in Washington county, the people
of which were so much pleased and edified with his preaching that they
extended to him a unanimous call to become their pastor. This call he was
strongly urged by Dr. Ralston and others to accept, but he concluded to hold
it under consideration until his return home, where he found a similar call
awaiting him from the congregation of Rocky Spring, the one adjoining that
in which he had been raised. This latter call he accepted and respectfully
declined the former. He was accordingly ordained and installed here by the
Presbytery of Carlisle, April 9th, in the year 1800. Here, in what was then
a large congregation, began the life work of Dr. Francis Herron. Greatly
quickened and renewedly consecrated by the revival scenes in which he had
participated, and deeply impressed by the ordination services through which
he had just passed, he girded himself for his work and began his ministry
in such a way as soon told upon the congregation. His preaching was with
such unction and power that the impenitent were awakened and professing
Christians were quickened into new life and energy. Prayer meetings were
instituted, a thing previously unknown in the congregation, and carried on
with encouraging success. A Bible Class was formed and meetings for
catechetical examination were appointed and conducted with persevering
energy to the great and lasting advantage of all concerned. The first decade
of Dr. Herron's ministry was thus passed in this congregation in labors such
as these. It
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was a period of healthful growth to the congregation and a time when the
young pastor grew in ministerial strength and usefulness. In the year 1810,
however, Mr. Herron made another visit to Pittsburg, to his sister, Mrs.
Peebles, then a resident of that city, and to Dr. Matthew Brown, his
brother-in-law, then President of Washington College, at Washington, Pa.
During this visit he was invited to preach in the First Presbyterian Church
then left vacant by the death of Rev. Robert Steele. The result was a
unanimous call to become their pastor. This call he accepted and accordingly
his pastoral relation to Rocky Spring was dissolved April 9th, 1811, and he
was installed pastor of the First Church, Pittsburg, Pa., June 1811, by the
Presbytery of Red Stone. Here he accomplished the great work of his life and
became one of the most prominent and useful ministers of the Presbyterian
Church. Dr. Herron, as a man, was tall and commanding in person, fully six
feet in height and large in proportion, of very regular features, one of the
handsomest men in the State. He was a man of great nerve and will power,
moulding rather than being moulded, breasting the current rather than
floating with the stream. As a Christian he was distinguished by a vigorous
growth and a uniform development of all the Christian graces. As a preacher
his discourses were doctrinal, experimental, awakening, tender and
affectionate. As a Presbyter he was regular, attentive, thoroughly
acquainted with the rules of order, making a good presiding officer, calm
and judicial in discussion, and of great weight and influence in the
deliberations of ecclesiastical bodies. He was moderator of the General
Assembly in 1827. In February, 1802, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Blain,
daughter of Alexander Blain, Esq., of Carlisle, Pa., and sister to the first
wife of the Rev. Dr. Matthew Brown, President of Washington and afterwards
of Jefferson College, in Washington county, Pa. Mrs. Herron died in the year
1855. Dr. Herron's happy, serene life came to a peaceful end December 6,
1860. They had several children.
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REV. JOHN M'KNIGHT, D. D.
Another distinguished minister of the Presbyterian Church was stated supply
of Rocky Spring Church from 1811 to 1815. He was also a son of the
Cumberland Valley. John McKnight was born near Carlisle, October 1, 1754.
His father who was a Major during the French and Indian War, died during his
childhood. John, in his youth, was noted for special amiability and buoyancy
of temper and was a general favorite with his young associates. He graduated
at Princeton College under the presidency of Dr. Witherspoon in 1773,
studied theology under Dr. Cooker at Middle Spring, was licensed by the
Presbytery of Donegal in 1775, and ordained by the same Presbytery in 1776.
In 1775 he went to Virginia and preached and organized a church on Elk
branch between Shepherdstown and Charleston. In 1783 he accepted calls to
Lower Marsh Creek, now in Adams county, Pa., and Tom's Creek, Maryland. Here
he spent what he afterwards regarded as the six happiest years of his life.
At the end of six years in Marsh Creek Mr. M'Knight was called to be
collegiate pastor to Dr. John Rodgers, pastor of the Presbyterian
Collegiate Churches in the city of New York, and Moderator of the Second
General Assembly. After the most careful deliberation, and with the advice
of his Presbytery, he accepted this call and was installed there December,
1789. There he continued in the most earnest and laborious discharge of his
ministerial duties for twenty years, preaching, for the first four years,
three sermons each Sabbath, until the call of the Rev. Samuel Miller as a
colleague in 1793. In 1792 he received from Yale College the honorary
degree of Doctor of Divinity. In 1809 the collegiate relation, which he
never liked, was dissolved, but in a manner which he disapproved. On this
account, and on account of enfeebled health, with the consent of Presbytery,
he resigned his charge in April, 1809, and returned to Pennsylvania and
settled on a small farm with modern improve-
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ments near Chambersburg, which he purchased for a home. Soon after this,
Rocky Spring Church being vacant, the people desired to call him as pastor.
Declining a call he consented to serve them as a stated supply as his
strength would admit. For five years he performed for them all the duties of
a pastor as well as preacher with as much fidelity and regularity as if he
had been installed. In 1815 he was constrained to accept the presidency of
Dickinson College, but finding it as it seemed to him, hopelessly
embarrassed financially and in other ways, he resigned that position at the
end of one year. Returning again to his home near Chambersburg, he there
spent the remainder of his life, preaching as opportunity occurred and his
health allowed, and on the 23d of October, 1823, in the seventieth year of
his age, from the effects of a billions epidemic disease, he passed away in
the full exercise of his mental powers and in the enjoyment of a blessed
assurance of eternal life. In 1795 Dr. McKnight was chosen Moderator of the
General Assembly in Carlisle, Pa. Dr. McKnight was described by Dr.
Duffleld, latterly of Detroit, Michigan, and formerly of Carlisle, Pa., "as
a man of slender person, above medium height, and of a considerate and
reflective countenance indicative of deep and protracted thought. His
bearing and address were graceful and dignified, without any manifestation
of overbearing pride. He was at his ease in all society. As a preacher he
was calm, dispassionate, with little of variation in tone or gesture, with
no prancing about and little gesticulation, yet not monotonous or
unimpressive, but with a manner well adapted to his matter, which was
generally a lucid and logical exposition of some important Scripture truth.
He was a zealous expounder and defender of the Calvanistic faith, which he
was careful always to enforce with a due citation of Scripture passages. The
bearing of Christian doctrine on Christian experience he was want clearly to
set forth." This is high testimony from an intelligent source. Dr. McKnight
took an active part in the discussion of the question in relation
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to the location of a theological seminary in the Assembly of 1812, earnestly
advocating Chambersburg, Pa., as the place for its location rather than
Princeton, N. J. He published six discourses on faith, which were highly
commended by Drs. Rodgers and Witherspoon, besides a number of others
preached on different occasions. Dr. McKnight was married to Susan, daughter
of George Brown, of Franklin county, Pa., by whom he had ten children, two
of whom entered the ministry.
REV. JOHN M'KNIGHT, JR.
The next minister in the Rocky Spring Church was the. Rev. John McKnight,
Jr., son of Dr. John McKnight. A call was presented and accepted by him at a
meeting of Presbytery April 9th, 1816, as a licentiate. He was ordained on
the same day with George Duffield at Carlisle, Pa., September 25, 1816, and
was installed pastor of Rocky Spring Church the second Wednesday in
November, 1816, Dr. Joshua Williams of Big Spring, preaching the sermon and
the Rev. Mr. Denny of Chambersburg, charging the congregation. Mr. McKnight
is represented as a minister whose labors were abundant and successful
during his pastorate here of twenty years. He inherited many of the amiable
and excellent qualities of his distinguished father which rendered him not
only an earnest and faithful preacher of the essential truths of the Gospel,
but also a most affectionate and agreeable minister in his pastoral and
social intercourse with the people. But while inheriting his father's
amiable and social qualities he does not seem to have had his firm and
uncompromising adherence to the standards of the church. The minutes of
Presbytery show that he was a strong sympathizer with Dr. Duffleld all
through his trial on account of the serious errors contained in his book on
Regeneration, and was foremost among the small minority of the Presbytery in
protesting against the decisions of the
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Moderator and of the large majority of the Presbytery during the trial.
Whether this sympathy with Dr. Duffield was chiefly due to personal
friendship for him, as was the case with some others, and not from doctrinal
affinity with him, we have not the means of determining. At all events when
his pastoral relation with Rocky Spring was dissolved in 1836 he removed to
Philadelphia and identified himself with the New School branch of the church
in which connection he spent the remainder of his ministry. In 1839 Mr.
McKnight was dismissed to the Presbytery of Lewes, Delaware. In 1840 he was
stated supply of the Rehoboth Church, Maryland. In 1846 he was pastor of the
New School Church, Hamontonville, Pa. He is marked in the New School Minutes
of 1857, as without charge. He died July 29, 1857, at the age of sixty-eight
years and was buried at Montours, Susquehanna county, Pa. Mr. McKnight was
married to the daughter of Joseph Chambers, of Chambersburg, and owned and
lived upon the farm recently sold by John Schlichter to the Land and
Improvement Company of Chambersburg.
ROBERT KENNEDY.
From 1836 to 1840 Rocky Spring Church had as a stated supply the Rev. Robert
Kennedy, a sketch of whose life is given in the late history of the
Presbytery of Carlisle;‹and to whom, by reason of the grateful appreciation
of Mr. Elias Kennedy, of Philadelphia, a descendant of his, the Robert
Kennedy Memorial Church at Welsh Run, was erected as a tribute to his memory.
REV. ALEXANDER L NELSON.
The next regular pastor was the Rev. Alexander K. Nelson, who was in charge
of this congregation for thirty-three years, one-third of a century.
Alexander Kirkpatrick Nel-
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son, son of William and Margaretta Turrer Nelson, was born October 1st,
1793, in Tyrone county, Ireland, and was brought the next year by his
parents to this country. They settled in York county, Pa., within the bounds
of the Chanceford Presbyterian Church, of which the Rev. Samuel Martin, D.
D., was the able and successful pastor. He had the advantages only of an
academical education prior to his entrance upon the study of divinity. He
was a student for some time of West Nottingham Academy, Md., under Rev.
James Magraw, D. D., and studied Hebrew and theology under Dr. Samuel
Martin. He entered the second or middle class of Princeton Theological
Seminary with the approval of his Presbytery in 1832, and graduated from the
same in the Class of 1834. He was licensed by the New Castle Presbytery
October 8th, 1834, and was stated supply of the church at Coleraine 1835 -
6, was ordained by Presbytery of Carlisle May 3d, 1837, and installed
pastor of the congregations of Center and Upper, Perry county, Pa. On May
29th, 1840, he was installed pastor of Rocky Spring and St. Thomas churches,
in which relation he continued until May, 1873, having reached the eightieth
year of his age. His residence was in Chambersburg, Pa., where, September
3d, 1886, in the ninety-third year of his age he died. Mr. Nelson was
married March 15, 1842, to Mrs. Mary H. Humphreys, daughter of Thomas
McDowell, Esq., of Parnell's Knob, Franklin county, Pa. She died October
20th, 1874. They had two children, the elder, Margaretta, died April, 1872,
at about the age of twenty-six. The other, Thomas M. Nelson, is three years
younger, and with his family, is here with us to-day. A pastorate of
thirty-three years to the same congregation involves an untold amount of
labor and self-sacrifice for the sake of the Master and the spiritual
interests of the people to whom one ministers. Mr. Nelson served this people
through all this period, during all of which time he had to keep a horse and
buggy, support a family and entertain as ministers are obliged to do, on a sal-
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ary of $400 a year. This indicates the self-denying and unassuming character
of the man, and a lack of liberality among the people, especially when there
was an endowment which rendered an annuity of about $250 a year. Mr. Nelson
made frequent and earnest appeals in behalf of the benevolent work of the
church and the records of the church show that the contributions for these
objects were above the average, but he was too modest and unassuming to make
any corresponding appeals in behalf of his own support. Mrs. Nelson has been
heard to remark, and that not altogether playfully, that she paid more for
the support of the Gospel in St. Thomas and Rocky Spring Churches during her
husband's pastorate, year by year, than both congregations combined. On
account of deafness Mr. Nelson mingled but little in society during the last
twenty-five or thirty years of his life, not even attending the meetings of
Presbytery because of his inability to engage in ordinary conversation with
comfort to himself and others, and to hear and understand the business of
Presbytery. When however, he was thrown among people, and especially in his
earlier years, he was sociable and entertaining and greatly enjoyed the
society of his friends. His natural disposition was gentle and yielding,
but his convictions on the subjects of religion and politics are said to
have been very firm and pronounced. In regard to his religious views he was
of the strictly orthodox type believing fully in the inspiration of the
Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and in the Westminster Confession
of Faith and Catechism as the Church's accepted and authorized
interpretation of the same. His deep humility in view of conscious
sinfulness and unworthiness in the sight of God, begat in him a fear of
death, and he often quoted the words of the Apostle, "Lest by any means
after having preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." But,
several months before .he died, he was graciously relieved of this bondage
through fear of death, and his departure at the end was calm and peaceful,
like the fading
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of the twilight at the close of a clear summer's day. His end was peace. His
remains lie buried in Chambersburg.
_____
The remaining two pastors of Rocky Spring Church, Rev. Samuel C. George and
the Rev. Henry G. Finney still survive.
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Continued in Part II.