The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-07-30
LANCASTER Ill., SOUTH CAROLINA WEDNESDAY MORNING. JULY 90 1856

vacant months of their theological course.
We have alluded to his licensure. 1t ap-
pears that this took place before the AS
sociate lresbytery of Edinburgh. Two
others were licensed nj the same time
James McGcoch, afterwards settled in the
County Of Dumtries-and Mr.. Ferrier
who was located at Newarlhill-the for
mer died in lS4S; the latter afterwards
went to America. We have b, fore us
extracts from the Associate Prcsbytery of
Edinburgh, furnished 10y James Malher,
Librarian Of the United PRESBYTERIAN
Church, and from them we are authorized
TO say that candidates had in those days
to pass through rigid ordeal before re-.
ce''ing license. We arc tempted TO furn-
ish our readers with The antecedents TO
lIcensure in the Associate Church of Scot
land as far back as 1915, but the extracts
would extend our narrative beyond our
prescribed Imits. Being licensed on the
l0th of July, 1915, we notice tha, the
first Sabbath afterwards, he was appoint
cd TO preach in lIaddiugtou, which, we
suppose, was the church Of which the Gel
ebrated John Brown was pre-, iously the
pastor. He repaired to tie Orkney I.!e,
and IN the course of lha, year obtained
call from the congregation Of Stronsav.-
lhere was disposition on the par' OF his
lresbytew 10 urge him TO accept that
call, but he dcciincd. The matter was
referred TO the Synod at its meeting in
Edinburgh, the l6ih Of May, 1916; where
the call was again presented 10 Mr. Kctch-
en- with the assurance on the part of his
frtsoytery. that he should be released
from his charge III the Orkneys, in the
event Of the failure Of his health, but he
still refused. We have no account of him
tpS The peXt four years, but We presume
that he 'tineraied through the churches,
supplying vacancies aud filing the paIpits
OF settled ministers. In the meantime,
hls thoughts were turned in the direction
OF America, for on the Ord of MAY, 1920,
he obtained an appointed from the SYNOD
met nj Edinburgh, ito 60 TO Nova Scotia,
Canada, or the States of America" Here
our Stot'ish docuWents are ut ap end, but
VIC remember 70 have heard hin say, that
OF touching at Halifax, on his VOYAGE 10
THIS eoInty, he Was invited Ly Stolh
Chuf,h IN that town 10 remain with them.
lie came on, however, to New York, and
was ordained by the Presbytery OF Phla.
delPhia on the 9th of December, 1920,
within some 6 orr months after leaving
Scotland. The Carolinas were assigned
him AS his field Of laLor-,he Associate
b'dy at tn; ime having number 0.
gregations III hose States. The presump.
ton is, that lie came South Immediately
after his ordination. In his journey he called
on the churches in Virginia, taking Mon.
roe County, the present situation Of Rev.
|: G. Mclaughlin in his way. There is n
singular coincidence in the fact that his
ealthIy remains lie in the bury ing grounds
OF Knob Creek Church, CIeayeland Coun.
'ty, North CarQIiua, the trst church OF the
Associate body upon which lie lighted.
and to which lie preached, in Carolina.
His progress was Sou,hward until he
came TO Lancaster, where he was settled
over the Shiloh congregation, in the old
WsSIiaw settlement, about the year 1921,
or 1922.
Shortly after this, lie married. For n
number Of years he was also the pastor
OF NeeIy's Creek congregation lying on
the other side Of the Calawba river. in
the Southern part of York District. lie
cultivated this Lancaster field with more
or less success unit! his connection will, the
Associate body was disturbed by the act
OF The Associate Synod on Slavery, bass.
ed about l.s3ls or 1882, which act made
II obligatory upon all the ministers to rid
themselves Of slavery, either by removing
TO the Free States, or by requiring The
emancipation Of their slaves oil the part
of al! Shareholder in communion with
their churches in the slave States. Be
lieying that the Associate Synod had no
scripiural authority for thus trammeIinc
the churches, Mr.. Kelchen rendered his
deeiinatnse TO ihs. synod, and withdrew
from the Associate Body. During the
year 1888, several conferences were had
10y him with the members OF the First
Pre,bytery Of the Associate Reformed
Synod OF the South, with view 10 un-
ion with that body, and after FREQ OK
change Of sentiment, on both sides. on the
points OF coincidence, and the points OF
dlssimilarity between the Associate Re.
formed and the Associate churches. he
gave in his adherence 10 the First Presby.
terry at its meeting a, Steel Creek, York
plstTct, S c., on the Fth Of April, 1884.
AZ that juncture, MIR. Ketclen rendered
signal service TO our Church, and We may
say to the Associate congregation in York,
Chester, Fairfield, Mecklenburg, Iredell
and Lincoln, that were vacated by their
ministers, among whom he circulated
most freely, preaching in their churches
and exhoriing them from house TO house
These congregations had their attach.
ments t2 the AfsQciste church, and, al.
ihough shut out from its MINISTRY and or.
dinances forever by the late act on slave.
ry, they could not at first see their wav
clear TO union with another Lods. In
this particular difficulty, Ar. Keichen hap
pened among them most opporiuneIy---
circumstances rendering bin an iDiluen
tial counsellor, and the result was hat
nearly al Of them, in the course Of a few
years, became reconciled to change Of