The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-01
Ghe9ntsuiaertter,
A Brief History OF The United
Presbyterian Church otWheel.
ing, W. Va.

DY REY. q t. u OIlUNEs
=.

Ing, ". Va. y
ny REV. J. T. Mcclure.
This congregation was originally or
vanized under the name Of the Associate
Reformed Church, The Associate and
the Reformed Churches formed an or
rapic union about the year 1882, and the
BODY constituted by this union assumed
the name Of the Associate Reformed
Church. There were parts Of both thu
churches concerned in this union that re
fused to enter intoit, and by maintain
Ing their separate existence they psrpet
uated their names and organizations. AL
true efforts at union have the healing Of
divisions Us their object. These effort
are, however, sometimes misdirected, and
instead Of healing, only tend 10 increase
the divisions in the churches. This was
the result Of the union in the case before
us. The Associate Reformed Church was
brought into being, while both the oIa I.
churches concerned continued 10 exist
All three bodies grew in numbers anu III ~
luence with.the growth OF tho country
and II was not until new geneetat'on n, VI
people came on the stage Of , ac.' ~, IaS
we're not interested in the causes 'ias az. ~
to The separation Of their iatne t, N LINE inc
mother country, that a shccesAl"' eI M
vas made 10 heal these divisions. Alter
s "Ss I So.rs OF earnest trial, union be-
s 49, ;Se Associate and the Associate
tSten Churches was completed in
ieHS ,rSich formed what Is known as the
i iGJI, Presbyterian Church. The Re-
formed Presbyterian Church did not en-
ter into this union, and still maintains a
separate existence.
TLe congregation Of which We are now
writing was one that was organized un-
der the auspices Of the Associate Reform
ed Church, and continued to bear that
name until 1858, since which time II has
been under the auspices and has borne
the name Of the United Presbyterian
Church, There Is no data from which
we can learn when the first effort was
made to establish the congregation. Rev.
VIM. Wallace, D. D., who will be remem-
bered by many Of the people otthiS city,
and whose memory is always precious,
was pastor Of the united charge Of West
Mindlctown and Short Creek Us early as
1927 or 1928, and the first work done
toward gathering together the nucleus Of
this congregation was done by him. A
few persons were then living here whose,
preferences were in favor Of the Asso-
ciate Reformed Church. These were
Thomas Johnston, ST., and his wife, and
Mrs. Isabella Garden. These three indi-
viduals were the beginning Of the Church.
How often they were favored with word
and ordinances we have at this time
no means Of determining. Occasional
services we're held in the old Court House
and in private houses, and by favor,
in some Of the other churches.
In 1882 their first church building was
erected, and the congregation began to-
occupy it in 1888. Those who remember
no far back, will call to mind the preva-
Ience Of cholera to most alarming ex-
tent in this city in 1888. A mere hand.
full OF people, in the midst OF the depres-
sion and panic incident to the scourge OF
cholera, that prevailed so extensively as
TO leave but few families unscathed, un-
dertook and Successfully completed a
work, which, while II may seem small to
the present age, was yet as great, when
viewed in It's relation to their means at
that time, rs Is thelcostliest church now
in the city, when compared with the
means Of the congregation that has built
il. This building cost about 81 500, and
was occupied from 1888 till January ],
1868, a period OF about thiry:liye years.
The formal organization OF the congre-
cation took place on the 24th day Of No
yember, 1885,. At that time Thomas
Sweeney and James Waddle were ordain-
cd and installed as ruling elders. Thomas
Johnston, ST., was also installed, but not
as he was already ruling elder
in the Short Creek congregation, then
under the pastoral care OF Rev. VIM.
d. D. Previous to this time the
station at Wheeling seemed to have been
regarded as missionary ground, and was
taken under the care Of the session OF the
church at Short Creek, consisting Of DR..
Wallace, the pastor, and Messrs. Joseph
Naddle and Thomas Johnston, rnling Ell.
lers, By this session forty persona had
been received into membership in the
church before any organization was eff
fected, and at the time the church was or
,anized four more names were added,
making the number Al. During the en-
suing year others we're added to the mum.
Der Of their membership, but rs no record
seems to have been kept, either ofdeaths
Or removals, there is no means by which
to learn what was the net increase.
DR.. Wallace not having been released
from the other branches OF his charge
was giving only q part Of his time to the
,hurch in Wheeling.l
From this time onward TO the close OF
his pastorate the church seems to have
had many difficulties to encounter, and
many trials 10 endure. Carlessness OF
certain members, and a spirit Of litigation
On the part OF others, gave the session oc-
,asional trouble; while the increase Of the
was comparatively slow.
Many seem to have been received into
he communion OF the church, but as
there,is no record to be found Of the losses
by death and removals, there is no means
by which to estimate the annual increase.
Such records were no doubt kept, but in
the changes Of years they are not now
available. III.
On the roll Of the Treasurer there are
l47 names OF persons who rented pews,
between the years Of 1910 and 1850, but
Of this entire number only about IS were
in attendance and supporting the church
At the beginning Of the year 1850. Only
. few names are marked with any sign
by which knowledge can be gained as
to what became OF them. AS the accounts
were closed, balances were very frequent,
" found against the renters Of pews, and
those balances are sometimes marked as
syoid,n sometimes as WORTHLESS" and
once or twice with the word dead"
The pastorate Of DR.. Wallace closed by
his release from the charge OF the
In the early summer Of
ls49, During the preceding year he
had become discouraged and proposed to
apply to the Presbytery Of Steubenyille
to have the pastoral relation dissolved.
This proposition was first submitted to
The session, and by that body was brought