The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-04
History Of the Rock Presbyterian Church

/ We have received copy OF this interest
ing pamphlet. 1t was prepared by Rev.
II. Johns, the Pastor, and read at the re
cent dedication of the Rock Church. l
contains 20 pages and is sold for the bene
! fit of the Church, and can be had of DIR. s
-. Morrison, Lewsville, Chester county, Pa
Price, % cents in paper; 35 cents in cloth
To give and idea of the history we make
the following extracts:
| ORGANIZATION OF THE ROCK CHURH.
| In the spring of 1720 we find no Presby.
terian Church in Cecil county, Md, nearer
than Bohemia Manor, none in Delaware
nearer than White Clay Creek, and none
in Chester county, Pa, nearer than the
| Great Valley. The scattered people had
been occasionally visited by ministers of
the Gospel, but they yearned and longed
to have "the Gospel settled among them. -
Preachers were scarce and the people poor,
and it was both difficult to secure and to
support minister. But at meeting of
Newcastle Presbytery, May 18th 1870, we
find the following record: ga certain
number of people lately come from Ireland,
having settled about the branches of Elk
river, having by Thos. Reed and Thos.
Caldwell their commissioners duplicated
this Presbytery, that, at what time this
Presbytery think convenient, they would
appoint one of their number to come and
preach among them, and then to take such
notice of their circumstances and necessi-
ties, as, by his report made to this Presby-
terry at their next session, the Presbytery
may the more clearly know how to counte-
nance their design of having the Gospel
settled among them. The said commits
sioners having subjected themselves to the
care of this Presbytery, the Presbytery
took the affair into consideration, and in
compliance with the above-said supplca-
ton, the Presbytery do appoint Mr.. Saml
Young to preach one day among said peo-
pie, between this and the first day of July
next, and to take cognizance of their cir
cumstances, and to make report there of
to our next session. At the meeting of
Presbytery, June 29th, 1920, Mr.. Young
reported: "That he had fulfilled the ap-
pointment of our last Presbytery with re-
spect to the people of Elk river, and after
serious inspection and inquiry into that
affair, he Judged that said people will in a
short time, be capable to maintain minis
ter of the Gospel among them. Whereup-
on appeared here from the above-said Elk
river peOple Two udlIle Oh
James Smith and Thomas Sharp, with a
letter of thanks to the Presbytery, and a
petition wherein they supplicate to be
formed into congregation, and to have
supplies of preaching from this Presbytery.
Presbytery having deliberately considered
said petition, it was put to the vote wheth-
er or not they should be erected into con-
gregation, and it was carried in the affirm
ative.' From the tenor of these records
we should judge the society when organic
ed to have been a very feeble affair." At
the birth of the feeble child, who thought
that it would live for 1852 years.
The Church was dependent on supplies
for four years.
THE FIRST PAsToRATE, 1724-1739.
Joseph Houston came from Ireland to
New-England a probationer, preached a
few months at Freetown, Mass, was re-
ceived by Presbytery of Newcastle July
Goth, 1924, and appointed to supply the
Elk-river Church. September 14th, Rob't
Linton and Andrew Steel commissioners
for the congregation, presented him call.
This he considered until Presbytery met
at Christiana, October 9th, when he &C
cepted it. The commissioners Robert
Finney, Roger Lawson and Andrew Steel
requested that his ordination might be
hastened, showing their eagerness to have
pastor. Hence October Is, 1924, he was
ordained and installed. The records of
Presbytery relating to that event are inter
esting, and we shall present them. "a
proclamation being made three times at
the door of the meeting house by Mr.. Alex.
Hutchinson, that ifany person had anything
to object against the ordination of Mr.. Jos.
Houston, they should make it know to the
Presbytery now sitting; and no objection
being made, they proceeded towards his
ordination, and accordingly he was solemn
ly set apart to the work of the ministry,
with fasting, prayer, and imposition of the
hands of the Presbytery. Mr.. Thomas
Craighead preached the sermon and presid-
ed" Thus began the first passionate in
this Church, which continued for fifteen
years. 1t must have been successful, al
though we know it was at times very dis
cordant. In 1926 there was violent strife
among the members about seats. The mat
ter was at last referred to Presbytery for
settlement, and the following action was
taken: "The Presbytery, hearing the
mind of the ma jor part of the congregation,
Ordered, that the minister's seat be next
on the right hand Of the pulpit; Ordered,
IudG INoUeEJ HdNo tHo sodG UeloIe
VIM. Hoge's, paying said VIM. Hoge for
his expense in building and dividing it;
or the next to the minister's, laid out for
Andrew Steel, as Robert Finney shall
please to make choice, and in case lie choose
the last, then Andrew Steel may have the
first. Ordered, that Abraham Emmett, ST.,
and Roger Lawson exchange seats, and if
any difficulty be in the value of the seats,
that they accommodate the same in a friend
" and christian manner We hear no
more of this trouble, but the same year
another arose of still greater magnitude
and violence, respecting the organization
of the present New London congregation.
Robert Finny, with many others, lived
many miles from the Elk-river Church, and
were anxious to have Church organized
near them, in, the neighborhood of New
London.
Mr.. Houston and the Maryland part of
his congregation stoutly opposed this
movement, because another Church so near
would weaken their own, and because some
of those belonging to the new enterprise had
refused to pay off their arrears of salary
This war between the two congregations
was waged in Presbytery and Synod for
four years. However, the persistent New
London people received a separate organi-
cation, May Goth, 1928. MIR. Houston as
sisted in supplying many of the churches
of Presbytery. His name appears in the
earliest records we have of Lower West
Nottingham: "March esd, 1925, Ordered,
that Mr.. Houston sudply the people at the
mouth of Octoraro the fifth Sabbath of
May, and Mr. Thomas Evans the third
Sabbath of April" The original name Of
the congregation was Mouth of Octoraro.-
Mr.. Houston was moderator of the Synod
of Philadelphia, September 10Th, 1888, and
for long time stated clerk Of Presbytery.
He seems to have been most active, faith
full worker for the cause of souls. In 1889
he left this Church for some unknown reas-
on, and was installed pastor of the Good
will Presbyterian Church of Orange county,
New York, before May, 174O. He died in
October, 1740, aged As years.
After another vacancy of four years, Rev.
Alexander Mcdowell, from Ireland, became
pastor, and remained seventeen years,
when he resigned, and became Principal
of Newark Academy.
BY the union of the two societies of the
Rock and West Nottingham which had
separated during the great sehism in 1741,