The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-08-07

that GATE DOWN 10 the year lS22, more
than century after the founding of the
church.
From the statements already made it
appears that this church was founded,
sometime between 1907 and ITO and
the first pastor was David Evans. 1t
has place therefore among the Oldest
Presbyterian churches in this country.
The church at New Castle had been
founded in 1878; the first Presbyterian
church IN Philadelphia in 1898, and
there is most satisfactory proof that there
were at least five Presbyterian chu ches
in the county of Somerset, on the East
ern Shore of Maryland, PRIOR to 1705,
(see the letters of Mr. Spence, of Snow
Hill, p. S2) David Evans was preach
ing here in 1909 at least, although the
church may not have been regularly
organized until after that.
The Gospel has been preached here,
therefore, for at least ll2 years. During
that time there have been but 7 pastors
Two other ministers who supplied the
church for several years may have been
pastors, but we can find no record to
make it certain. Several other minis
ters preached as supplies for short time,
whose names have not included in this
brief history.
The first pastor, David Evans, preach
ed in the Welsh language, and remained
the pastor of Pencader until 1920, when
he accepted a call from the Welsh
church of lrediHryn, in Chester county,
now the Great Valley Presbyterian
church.
1t should be remarked at this point
that among the settlers of the Welsh
Tract there were others besides the
! Presbyterlans who founded this church.
The Baptists had their church on Iron
Hill, (which still stands. There was
also Welsh Episcopal church at st.
Georges which has long since disappear
ed.
The Rev. Thomas Evans was the
second pastor, ordained on the 9th day
OF May, 1923. He continued to occupy
this field until his death in 1742, hav-
ing been pastor 10 years. He lies
buried on yondcr hill in the midst of
his family and many of the consrega-
ton to whom he preached. From all
that is known of this excellent man for
so many years pastor OF this church,
there can be no doubt, that he well de-
served the beautiful and impressive
tribute which his friends have recorded
on his tomb stone,
"As a Minister of the Gospel"
''Hc received Of God, grace to under stand it,"
"Faith to embrace it,"
courage to defend it,"
"Patlence to persevere in it,
From the year 1742, until the next
pastor, there is long interval. We
find that the Rev. Samuel Eakin, re-
signed the pastoral charge of Pencader
churchIn May 1880. When he became
pastor the records of the Presbytery do
not show. During the period of which
we are now speaking, the period OF the
revolutionary war, We find much irreg-
ularity IN :he meetings of the Pres5y-
terry, and frequent chasms in their
minutes. The churches were all en-
barrassed by the desolating effects of
war, especially the churches along the
Atlantic slope, and We are not surprised
to find, among other reasons stated by
Mr.. Eakin for leaving the Pencader,
the dilapidated state of the building and
the inability of the people to support a
pastor. The tomb of Mr.. Eakin may be
seen in the burying ground of the Pigeon
Run church, near the Red Lion village;
a church that was undoubtedly the
oldest in Red Lion hundred, but which
was subsequently absorbed by the St.
Georges church, and now not vestige
of the building remains, and but part
of the original burying ground is en-
closed.
1t appears that during the long inter.
val Of 80 years Pencader was without
pastor, it came very near being absorbed
by the st. Georges church also. The
unbounded popularity and the untiring
faithfulness Of DR.. Rodgers who was at
that time pastor at st. Georges and the
Forest, affected all the nelghboring
churches and made it almost impossible
for them to sustain a pastor. At the
same time, the influence of the Presby-
terrain churches as a body was never
stronger than just at that period. Sew
eral of them had welcomed Whitfield
among them and had been greatly bless
ed by his labors. Among this number
was the Pencader church, within whose
walls and around them, this remarkable
man, and powerful preacher often pro-
claimed the unsearchable riches of
Christ.
After the death of Mr.. Eakin, the Rev.
Thomas Smith, preached at Pencader in
connection with the Forest church,
near Middletown, and continued to sup
ply those churches until his death in