Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-02-22
THE CUMBERLAND PRES
BYTERIANS.
Sixaieth Anniyersary--0rigi Doc.
trines and History of the Church.

| SiX1ieth AnniVersarY--GrfRI Doc
trines and History of the Church.
Monday last was the occasion of the
sixtieth anniversary of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, and was duly cele-
brated.
In Pittsburg the Rev. E. Squires deliv-
cred an address, giving interesting facts
in the history of this singular people,
from which we make the following ex-
tracts:
Sixty years ago, the fourth day Of this
month, the first Presbytery of our Church
was organized. II was organized in
Cumberland county, Tenn. In the year
1900 a wonderful and most gracious rCyi-
val of religion broke out in the Presbyte-
rian Church, in the Mississippi Valley.
This revival extended to Pennsylya-
mia, but the seat Of the revival was in Ken
lucky. 1t was not exclusively CON
fined to the Presbyterian denomination,
but it also extended to the Methodist
and Baptist Churches, but The leaders in
this revival were the Presbyterians. The
revival continued for five years The
great cry of the churches at that time was
for more ministers. To supply the
churches that were established with min
isters was almost impossible Among the
many young men that were brought into
the ministry during the revival were King,
Ewing and Macaduc. They were men
Of piety, and were very popular with the
churches. The churches sent up a pCti-
ton for the licensing of these men, which
was granted. They commenced to preach
aud they were wonderfully blessed in
their preaching. Their ministry was
great success and many churches We're
organized. They soon asked the Preshy-
terry to Ordain them. This seemed to De
necessity, necessity that sprang out Of a
revival The Presbytery considered the
matter and agreed to Ortlain them. These
three young men, when they were spoken
to on the subject of their ordination, said
that they could not with their present
views fully adopt the Westminster Con-
fessiOn of Faith. They asked the Prcsby-
terry to make an exception with regard to
the article on the subject of fatality, and
said that in all other respects they were
willing to receive the book. The Presley
terry considered the matter, and agreed 20
Ordain them Notwithstanding the differ
ence. The Synod of Kentucky, however,
called this Presbytery to account, and re
quired them to reconsider their action and
to require the young men to receive the |
whole book, or that they should take their |
parchments from them. The Presbytery
refused to do this, and separated |
from the old Presbyterian Church, |
and formed the denomination now |
known as the Cumberland PresbytcTiaas.
The Synod, in searching for rea-
sons for her conduct in relation to this |
Presbytcry, brought another objection |
which | have not noticed. She brought |
up the question of education in reference |
to those three men. They had not been |
educated. But the need of |
young men for the ministry was 50 press
ing that the PTcsbytery were willing to OF
dain these men without a classical educa-
ton. Allow me to remark that while in |
the old book there is a requirement that
all who enter the ministry must be ciassi-
cally educated, yet there have been many
exceptions to this rule in the history of
the Church. Our requirement is that he
should learn all he possibly can.
The speaker then reviewed briefly the
doctrines of the Church, after which he
alluded to its great prosperity. The de
nomination has now one General Assem-
bly,, 26 Synods, 90 Presbyteries, 1900
ministers, 400 licentiates, and
from 100, 900 TO 12j, 900 COMMITMENTS.