Church: Part I - Rocky Spring Presbyterian Church, Edifice Centennial Celebration, 1894: Letterkenney Twp, Franklin Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by David Loy. USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ____________________________________________________ [Image] [Image] 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 10 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 _____________ 11 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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- 12 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 13 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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- 14 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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- 15 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 16 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 17 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 18 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 19 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 20 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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. 21 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 22 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ "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." _________ 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 23 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ above. Rocky Spring was his only pastoral charge and next to Rev. Nelson the longest in the history of the church, a period of thirty-one years. Mr. Creaghead was a tall, handsome man, with 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 24 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 25 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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. 26 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ The present church building is located on the brow of a small hill, and can be seen, owing to its peculiar situation, for several miles, as one approaches it by the various roads leading thereto. At the foot of the hill issuing from out rocks is a large spring, from which the church takes its name. As is well known in the history of the early 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. 27 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ The indignation which this causes in the minds of the thoughtful visitor, destroys, in a great measure, the feelings which would otherwise occupy the mind while examining this ancient church. The ceiling is arched in the place where the walls and ceiling meet. There is placed all around the room a narrow strip of board, which 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 28 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 29 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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- 30 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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." 31 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 32 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 33 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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] 34 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 35 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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, 36 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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- 37 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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, 38 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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. 39 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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, 40 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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. 41 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 42 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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. 43 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 44 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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- 45 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 46 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 47 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 48 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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. 49 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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. 50 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 51 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 52 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 53 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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. 54 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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- 55 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 56 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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 57 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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- 58 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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- 59 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. __________________________________________________________________ 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 60 THE ROCKY SPRING __________________________________________________________________ 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. _____________ Continued in Part II.