The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-01-02

SolneIy, lrom ireland or scotland, SAID
he was under the solemn League and
Covenant in the old country. They came
to persuade me. to go to Jackson and
preach, and as l was somewhat displeased
with them of Wilkesville because they
had done almost nothing to sustain the
Gospel for three years, l told them l
would come at such a time My resi-
dence was then in the forks of Raccoon
Creek, below Vinton, 20 miles from jack
son. All my travelling was done on horse
back. That's the way we used to do it. u
Not buggy or family carriage in the
country. AT the time appointed rode
to jackson, stopped at DR.. Ishams with
whom l had formed an acquaintance
when at College. His wife had been a
member of the Church at Portsmouth,
He was not at this time, a professor of
religion, but afterwards became an Elder
in the Church and went with me to the
General Assembly in 1889, at Philadel-
phia. Mrs. French had also been a mem
ber at Portsmouth. These were all
could find.
Jackson was then strip of village of
one street, with several houses on either
side, with six or eight groceries inter-
spersed, Court House. two stores and
two taverns, and one small Methodist
Chapel. Something like this was Jack
son 42 years ago. The intelligence and
morality of the place had not attained a
very elevated grade. Rather a forbid
ding and chilly prospect for lone mis-
sionary; but recollecting that Christ had
said: $50 am with you Away" and i'm
ploring divine support and wisdom, I
went to the meeting, and was much graf
flied to find a tolerably large, and very
attentive audience. 1t was noised around
that Presbyterian minister would
preach, and expected to hear some dread
full things, such as, that infants are lost,
and that God made part of mankind to
be saved, and part to be lost; but in this
they were disappointed. The preacher
had chosen for his text Acts 1890: THE
times of this ignorance God winked at, but
now commandeth all men everyaohcre to
repent To my surprise, after service,
several persons urged me to give them
part of my time, and Immediately sub
| scribed 500, for my services one half the
time for one year; to this l assented =
Thus, without any house of worship, and
without any Church organiza ton, l COM
menced my labors in Jackson These
were dark and trying days to the lone
missionary, twenty miles from my family,
no christian friends with whom l could
take counsel, obliged to leave home every
| other Saturday, and ride twenty miles,
not knowing where l should lodge at
night, and here I wish to record with
gratitude that I received a sincere well
come by all the families that visited.
From that time l continued my labors,
preaching every alternate Sabbath in the
Court House, and through the week at
other points. A long and severe winter
came on, but was always at my appoint
ments, cold or hot, snow or rain, and the
congregation was there also. Nothing
was said about Church organization till
May. l then gave notice that would
| give a lecture on the doctrines and dis
cipline of the Presbyte terian Church on
my next visit. When that day came
many were present to hear. l then told
them that with all other denominations,
we accepted the Bible as of Divine au-
thority but as 1 proposed to organize
Presbyterian Church, it would be proper
to state what we did and what we did
not believe, and 1st, We do not believe
the death of Christ secures the salvation
of all men. I'd, that persons dying in
infancy are lost, neither do we believe
that they are born holy, nor that talents
and education alone fit man to be
preacher of the Gospel nor that some
are to be saved and others lost, let them
do what they will. We receive the COM
mon doctrines of the Bible, such as the
entire depravity of the human heart, the
new birth, the final salvation of every
true believer, and we accept the declara-
ton of Peter: ITO the strangers scatter
ed throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappado-
cia, Asia and Bithynia, elect, according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through sanctifcation of the Spirit, unto
obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ"
That Christ is the only Redeemer of
lost men, &c; we consider all ministers
equal in authority, have no ruling Elders
or Bishops among ministers. The gov
ernment is republican, &c. At the close
1 gave notice that Church would be or
ganized at my next appointment. When
the time came, James Glenn and Amasa
Howe, (my father) Elders from Hunting
ton accompanied me, and twenty-nine
persons admitted, and two Elders, DR..
Isham and Thos. Nickols were chosen
and ordained. This was a solemn, yet
joyful occasion. The remainder of the
hyear was pleasant and prosperous, and at
its close 1 was obliged to commit the
work to other hands. Visiting Jackson
last September, at the meeting of Pres
bytery, was much pleased, and not lit
tie surprised, to find so much of a city.
1 could scarcely credit the testimony of
my own senses. Instead of little mud
dy village of $50 or 200 inhabitants, 1
found town of some 5000 inhabitants,
containing a large Public School of II de-
partments, five Churches, one of each,
Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Chris
tian and Catholic. Some 35 stores and,
truth to tell, some 16 or Is saloons. What