CHURCH: History of Arch Spring Presbyterian Church, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Jessica Orr Copyright 2008 All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ SINKING VALLEY. Brief History of the Arch Spring Presbyterian Church. IS AN INTERESTING DESCRIPTION Rev. S. S. Gilson D.D., in the Presbyterian Banner, Writes of the Famous Valley and Its Prospering Church - Beautiful Scenery and Sturdy People - Church History. A recent issue of the Presbyterian Banner contains the following interesting article, from the pen of S. S. Gilson: Sinking Valley is certainly one of the most remarkable natural curiosities in the whole country. Starting at Union Furnace, on the little Juniata, the mouth of the valley, it extends to Tyrone, eight miles in distance. It is begirt by lofty mountains with broken contour and furnishes as fine natural scenery as the Trossachs of Scotland or the valleys of the Waldeases in Italy. The road is in the best of order for travel by bicycle or carriage, is good summer or winter, and is kept in fine condition with limestone taken from the mountain as crushed by the force of nature, making artificial crusher and sledge unnecessary. Through the valley runs a stream far surpassing in curiosity the Lost river of Kentucky. Sometimes it flows visible to the eye, them plunges into a cave or sink hole, flows under a mountain, comes out after a time into the sunlight, soon again plunging under a mountain, and thus keeps up its record to the little Juniata. Of the multitudes of people passing daily to and fro over the great Pennsylvania railroad, very few have any idea of the majestic and intensely interesting scenery to be seen all through these mountains but a few miles back. Two miles up the valley, back from Union Furnace, is the Sinking Valley church, and near by is the charming rural parsonage, recently taken possession of by the new pastor of the church the Rev. L. M. Lewis, for many years settled at Canonsbury. The manse and glebe are unsurpassed in themselves and with the towering mountains all around, by any I ever saw in the Highlands of Scotland. The immediate approach is through a beautiful grove of tall pines, oak and maple, where the birds hold constant concerts and the squirrels chirp and play all day. The stream is full of trout and the mountain full of game. On the occasion of my visit the first day of July the fence corners of the meadows and wheatfields furnished ripe raspberries in abundance, the huckleberries, mulberries, wild gooseberries and Juneberries were in their glory, with the prospect of an inexhaustible supply of blackberries. Just by the parsonage is the great limestone arch, under which the Arch spring flows, and which rivals the Natural Bridge in Virginia. Through this arch, under the mountain, can be seen the spring, which rises as a river, and the green mountain beyond. At some points in the valley is scenery marvelously like that of Utah and Montana, especially in the canons and rocky limestone ledges. The Sinking Valley church was founded more than 100 years ago. During the American revolution lead was mined in these mountains for the use of our soldiers, and at the close of the war many families of stalwart Scotch Presbyterians came in from Kishicoquillas and other valleys further east, names that have been identified with Sinking Valley and our church from the beginning and are here still - Crawford, Wallace, Kyle, Stewart, Templeton and Wilson. Within sight of where I write was the home of Rev. David Bard, who was called to the Frankstown, now Hollidaysburg church, in 1790, and who became supply of the Sinking Valley church in the same year. When Huntingdon Presbytery was formed in 1795, Sinking Valley appears on its records as a congregation. It is believed there was Presbyterian preaching here as early as 1787, and it is known that ten years before that over seventy families lived in the valley/ Rev. David Bard represented this district in congress for twenty-two years and kept up his ministerial work in Sinking Valley and doubtless did as much for his country in the halls of congress as the average modern congressman. He is buried in the grave yard of the Sinking Valley church. The first place of worship here was "the old log meeting house," which had no fire place or means of heating. It is recorded that Rev. James Johnson preached here once with his overcoat buttoned to his chin, preaching to a full house, and not a shiver nor a shake among the entire congregation, though the mercury was near zero at the time. But there must have been fire in the sermon. Rev. James Martin preached here about 1789-95, in connection with his work in Penn's Valley, Warriorsmark and Half Moon. A large part of his congregation consisted of the Armstrongs, Crawfords, Moores, Morrows, Stewarts, Wallaces and Wilsons. He frequently preached in his shirt sleeves and often laid aside his wig and took off his cravat as he warmed up to his work. Sometimes he used his wig in gestures, as some modern ministers shake their handkerchiefs. In 1798 Rev. Samuel Bryson took charge of Spruce Creek and Sinking Valley on the large salary of $700 a year. In those days the subscription paper was put by presbytery into the minister's hands and he collected what he could. This custom continued in vogue in Sinking Valley until 1823, and the minister often failed to get what was promised. The salary was largely paid in cabbages, potatoes, grain and meat. Rev. W. A. Boyd came here in 1816, and two years afterwards a good stone church building was dedicated. In 1822 John McIlhenny, of Litterkenny presbytery, Ireland, took charge of the church and after his year of probation, was called as pastor, but he was not allowed to accept on account of his immorality. Rev. Samuel Swan served here one year and declined a call. In 1825 Rev. Samuel Hill came and remained ten years. Some of his sermons were three hours long, preaching two sermons on Sabbath with a short intermission. While he was here, Rouse's version of the Psalms alone was used. A Baptist minister was once assisting in the service and announced, "Let us sing a hymn." 'Squire Kyle, one of the elders, brought his came down on the floor, and yelled out: "Stop! Stop! You'll be singing 'Maggie Lather' here next." The allusion was to a popular song. But while opposed to the singing of hymns, the people were generally in favor of drinking whiskey. There were many distilleries in this (Tyrone) township. Visitors, ministers as well as others were given strong drink. Farmers sold their grain and fruit to distilleries and took the pay in whiskey. It was considered an act of discourtesy to decline to drink. Rev. S. Bryson was deposed from the ministry for drinking to excess. A little later an elder was suspended on the testimony of a witness "who drank and was drunk with him." Surely there is much improvement in many of these things. There is not a distillery now in this valley. Drinking of liquor is universally frowned upon. Sabbath observance is better than in early days. One of the picturesque sights of the valley was one of the first I saw, that of the old mail carrier picking up the mail bag at Union Furnace, shouldering it on his stick and starting off on his crippled gait on foot for Arch Springs, two miles down. For the round trip, carrying the mail each way once a day, the old soldier received the magnificent sum of twenty cents a day. It can hardly be called a "star route." But he has his Sabbath. The people shrink from the very idea of a "Sunday mail." The school teacher told me they would fear some punishment from Providence if the people should allow a "Sunday mail." Without it, in health, long life, intelligence and prosperity, these inhabitants of Sinking Valley rank above many Sabbath breaking communities of my knowledge. Rev. John McKinney was pastor of the church from 1838 to 1845, and in the latter year Rev. J. W. Gibson D.D., was called to Sinking Valley for one half of his time. In 1850 Rev. D. L. Hughes took charge of the church and when he resigned, in 1857, Rev. John Elliott was installed. In 1861 Rev. Orr Lawson D.D., became pastor, and while he was here this beautiful parsonage of the church was built, the land bought at a cost of $6,000. In 1870 Rev. James J. Coale became pastor and remained over twenty years. Dr. Lawson is now in Iowa, and Dr. Coale in New Jersey. Rev. Sylvester W. Young was here three years, the immediate predecessor of Brother Lewis who was installed June 20, 1896. The Sinking Valley church is a beautiful building, making a fine impression with the mountain round about it, as they are round about Jerusalem. It was built ten years ago at a cost of $10,000. Tyrone Herald, Thursday, February 4, 1897