The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1868-04-15

late Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexar der.
Having accepted it, Mr.. Brown was Or
dained to the full work of the mihistry,
al meeting of New Castle Presbytery,
held at Fagg's Manor, Oct. 11th, 1853
The Rev. Samuel Davies made the or
dainiug prayer. Mr.. Brown thus be
came the pastor of the united congrega'
tions of New Providence and TmbeI
Ridge; bat when he was installed, OF
whether he was ever formally installed
cannot now be settled
The churches remained under the care
of New Castle Presbyt=eY, which then
extended indefinitely s lth-west from
Pvunsylyanes aitd Delaware, until the
y ar 1855, when Hanover Presby terry was
formed. As first constituted, it consist
ed of the following ministers Samuel
Davies, of Hanover, John Todd, of Lou
isa, Alex. Creaghead, of Cowpastures,
near Windy Cove, Robert Henry, OF
Cub Creek, John Wright, of Cumber-
land, and John Brown, of New Provi-
dence and Timber Ridge, and embraced
the whole of Virginia, and extended in
definitely to the South and West.
Sometime after the settlement of Mr..
Brown, the log houses became too small,
and both congregations determined to
build larger and more durable churches.
This gave rise to a dispute in New Provi-
dence as to the place where the new
church should be built. Mr.. Houston
says, Nothing could be done in the
way of building until that question might
be settled. Providence people had seve-
raj Intellectual meetings. The stiff por-
ton near the South Mountain would not
consent to 90 as near Walkers Creek as
middle ground. AT last many got alarm
ed lest it should end like the Tower of
Bable. However another meeting was
called, at which my grand father attend
ed, and used such conciliatory arguments
as brought the stiff on both sides to agree
to the site where the church now stands.
After the meeting had agreed on site, 1T
vas proposed to give the congregation
It's name. My aged ancestor said ::
'Neighbors, heretofore We have had un-
pleasant and fruitless meetings, but to-
day We nave had an agreeable aud sue
.es- fuI one. and indebted to kind
Provldence-let us call it Nee0 Provi-
leaee : 10 which all agreed. "
In the Life of DR.. Archibald Alexan-
Ter, different account is given of the
origin of the name. On page 6, this
quotation is made from his personal mar
rative: "The congregation to which my
grand father belonged must have been
Norriston, in the vicinity of Norristown,
which did not then exist. 1t was divided
into two, and the friends of the revival
built new house of worship which they
called Providence. From this many fam
lies emigrated to New Virginia, settled
rogether, and built meeting house,
which they called New Providence. As
the congregation was extensive, they built
another on Timber Ridge, ten or twelve
miles further along the Valley" Ii
would seem from the records of the Syn
ID of New York that it was called New
Providence as early as 174S.
The effort to build large stone church
was very great one for the people of thai
lay, and shows their great zeal and lib
erality. There were no roads and nj
wagons. The first pair of wheels in the
congregation was made at that time tt
haul timbers for the church. The coun
,ry was unwashed. and sand. had to b,
carried on pack horses from the Soutl
river, eight or ten miles distant. Thi
was done mostly by the young girls o
me congregation. The iron and nail
md glass had to be brought in the sam
way from Philadelphia. The most o
the ready money they had was gotten il
,xchange for butter carried to Williams
burg on pack-saddles. But all diffieul
ties were overcome, for the people had
heart to the work. Some gave money ALT
others labor, and thus the walls wer
built and rooted in, and the floor wa
laid. But here they had to stop, for the,
were unable TO finish it. A temporar,
pulpit was erected. benches were provide,
for the accommodation of the people, bu
the house was unceiled and the window
u glazed. For some years the peopl
c.ntented themselves with this unfnshe
building. Mr.. Houston says: swell d
| remember sitting iu my fathers seat, t
see the swallows flying in and out duriD
public worship, TO feed their young one
in nests upon the collar Oeams, and wal
plates, or in cavities III the stone work
About seventy years ago they resume
the work and made a handsome pulp
with canopy, barricaded the CALLER!
and glazed the windows, and plastere
tie wall and seated the gallery"
The spirit of the people of that day