The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-07-11
For TIE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
"REMINISCENCES OF PRESBYTERIAN
MINISTERS.
BY AN OCToGENARIAN.
THE GEORGETOWN PASTOR.

THE GEORGETOWN PASTOR.
The Presbytery of Baltimore vas Orgsn-
ICED about 1884 Perhaps this was the ex-
act time. This organization viii Oblige me
TO give some little account of the Georgetown
pastor, which will be done with some reluc-
tanoe, as the writer bore to him ilial rela-
ton. Several sketches of him have appeared
in the Southern Religious Telegraph, The
Literary Messenger st Richmond, paper of
Fredericktown, Nd, and the NeaO York o.
server, written by Wesleyan minister. We
mean one in each of these publications. We
shall not reiterate any previous statement,
such as his graduation at Princeton, his SER
vice of four years as Principal of the Calvert
Academy, or the missionary work he per-
formed in North Carolina. He was born
near Churchville, Hartford county, Mary
land, in 1747. From the con anaOrs with
which he always spoke of the Rev. John
Strain, we suppose that he must have been
the pastor of the family. This able minister
was graduated at Princeton, 1851, and died,
1774.
In 1869 the family moved to Mecklen-
burg, bordering on South Carolina, and
settled near the town of Charlotte. They
were accompanied by the Wallaces, and pos
sibly by other Presbyterians. The date of
this migration was sent me in letter from
one of the four ministers in our Southern
Church bearing this name. He will accept
my thanks. The writer was glad to ascer-
tain the year. Mecklenburg was the county
Of the Brsvards, the Hollands, the Alexan-
ders, the Folks and many others, some of
whom signed the Charlotte Declaration of
Independence on the twentieth of May, IT'S.
The second name on that roll of honor was
that of the Poplar Tent pastor, brother to the
subject of this sketch, and second brother,
settled in Kentucky, bravely resisted the
acts of Cumberland Presbyterians in 1903.
A church, Calvinistie in its creed, was hcens-
ing young men Arminian in their teachings,
and no one can blame him, for opposing acts
imposing on principles which he had vowed
to sustain. After accompanying his parents
to their Mecklenburg residence, he spent two
years in additional preparation to enter the
Junior Glass of Princeton, in 1772. Having
finished his college course, by the advice of
DR.. WitherspOOn, he went to the Calvert
Classical Academy as its Principal, where he
read out of the library of the Rev. Thomas
Clsggett, who became Bishop after Sea-
bury, of New London, had brought the
Apostolic fluid across the Atlantic. He was
late in reaching the ministry, for the cur
rency was good for nothing, money strin-
gent and yet there was before him pas
tOrate of ffty-three years over the same peO-
pie. Such was the Divine arrangement
After spending his four years among the gay
people of Calvert, he was licensed to preach
by the Presbytery of Donegal, which had it'
seat on the Sus9uehannah, river immortal
lied by the pen of Campbell. This was il
ITS, but in 1776, his brother, pastor of tn,
Poplar Tent church, had died. He had als'
heard of his fathers deCease. He went b.
the Piedmont route to visit his family, bu
after performing voluntary mission int
Georgia, returned to Georgetown. 1t wa
reached in March, 1850. What cherries
prospect! Mrs. Beall, of DumbartOn, who's
neice he married, bsde him welcome. 81
obtained most convenient lot, on which
kirk was built. We remember it we'll
had modest steeple with is tinkling bel
Two large wings were added in 1905. An
then about 1920 this structure gave place
very spacious edi6ce, and few years sine
this erection was pulled down that it migE
be rebuilt on the table land of the town.
most ipiudiciOus movement, for several rel
sons which need not be given. There VIZ
great opposition to the scheme. The ohurC
on Bridge street had fourished partly b
cause its position commanded the west
Washington. This advantage was lost
EOiscOpaians had joined the Presbyteria
pastor, and so had the German Reforme
and pretty large colony from E'gin al
Torres in Scotland. Two or three swarr
had received members from the GeOrgetOJ
kirk. Particularly the First church in {
west Of the city. The remains of the paste
which had been buried in the front wall
the church, at the voluntary request of
w. COrcOran, were removed to the Oak d
Cemetery. When the shower of wealth f
around the feet of this banker, it fell in