Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-12-13
LOCAL HISTORY.
A SKETCH OF THE PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH IN MARTlNSBURG.

ON6HJU VI tH6 T06OOl 6UsUU
CHURCH IN MARTINSBURG.
This church was organized in 1926. be-
ing the daughter of the venerable old
church ON Tuscarora. about two and a
half miles west of town. Some of the
older inhabitants recall with pleasure
the days of yore = when they used 70
trudge out to the old stone building. still
standing just on the confines of that an
cient city of the dead where sleep the
sacred dust and the precious memories OF
days long gone by-of faces long hidden
from view-of voices long silent. The
town church being organized in April
1925. seems to have been without a pas
tor for the first year. But in the year
1926 or 1927. the Rev. John Matthews,
who for twenty years had been serving
the churches Of Shepherdstown and
Charlestown jointly. gaveu this charge,
or rather the Shepherdstown part of it,
and removed to Mai tinsburg. and became
pastor of this church and Charlestown
dividing his time equally between them
until he removed to the west in 1881.
The first Ruling Elder of the church in
town was Mr.. Alex. Cooper. who was al
SO an Elder in the old church in the
country for some time before the separa-
ton.
In April 1881 Rev. VIM. G. Matthews
;,nata h5 pa a'..., ~ , 90 .hos....sd
s.,s,'I., ',,e 10 aa1', oson VIZ 1870 Is
subs;stsd nnt;l The uaar 1sa5 nmr,na
the wears 1sae and ,ssT tha chnrch ra,
nortoa ~ presh...ar,, ,,.oa,,+ ,,,,i,s;t
II n s,>r;,,, 80 1000 D., pl,'tar, III
,;so, n.hpsa s7<.,,a,,sIa 60 80 So.
ara eli aII 49,, "a naSo aa
called 70 tl,a ,,a.,era ~ 80 tI,a oh,,rch H..
remained in Marr;nsh,,rg for s;x raars
r., I'll 1000 49,. ~ NJ cs,.,i
Ra Ear an,, go ~ =, +ha raooras as Ps,i;,,a
Edo f Praha ~, a. a,,r;re. tha s,nnar =
1911 Pov M 49,, n. H tnu ra.;r =.
cd h. nastnrata ch.roa and ;n 1annsrv
1S45. there appears the name of Rev. Jno.
Bogg as pastor. who remained probably
only a few months. though possibly
longer. for there is a blank in the records
from April 1915 to April 1847. At this
latter date we find the Rev. VIM. Love
to be the pastor. which poeition he occu.
pied till the wear 1S49. Some time dur
ing this wear Rev. r. l.. Berry became
the pastor. and continued with the
church for nearly ten wears. In August
1858 Mr.. Berry rendered his resignation
which was accepted although with feel
ings of very deep regret on the part of
the congregation. During Mr.. Berry's
pastorate. on the Sd of Sept. 1852, occur
red the death of Mr.. Alex. Cooper, who
for forty-five wears had held the office of
Ruling Elder and nearly all of that time
had the charge of the seasonal records.
He was a great loss to the church and to
the entire community.
On the 23d of the following April 1859
Mr.. James N. Riddle and Mr.. John F.
Harrison were ordained to the office OF
Ruling Elder in this church. On the 10
of April 1866 Mr.. Peyton Randolph Har-
rison. son of DR.. Peyton Harrison the
former pastor. was also chosen by the
congregation to the same Office.
Altar tho restoration Of Mr. Rerrv tho
copgregst;on ca7lod Snccassiyai, Rev T
g Hannar n n Row LAWS 4 R.kar
of New Jersey and Rav M r Riddle
tben o,,;to >vo,'n~mon None Of thas.
no;n;sters fonna rs. Wv olear 70 occen,
tho coll
Eor tho f,rrtb time tho oo,aroo.t;o,
c.n,a tnuothar and ,,n;tea in q caiI ~
Row q HonL;ns then met shout
yradna,;ng fro,,, tho Thaoloe;caI Sen,i.
6ru o 90 uan ID S;Snan pr;.ao Edyrard
20 Va Tb;s was in A pr;l 1g59 On tho
eth of ,,oc fn,,ou,;na NJ uorL;ns har
;ner s;o,,;f;ad bic accanto MOO of tha colIa,
,a1dad 70 lin, tt,a ,,ran;oY,s snr;n, ,ras
orda;ned and ;nstallad nastor Of the
church in Mar+;nshnrg A. conorega.
t;onal ,naetina hald o1 tho 1ath of Lam
ary 1891 M 74ao Tahh and M John M
Harmon were unanimously elected Rul;np
Eiaars p,,t ,,..,,rnf,,I aa,,s ,uara ;,s
over which tho Holv Ghost had noada
tbese mon r. no oyerseors On the oIs,
Of INV the sa;ntad Harrison that holy
man of God. fell a victim in the wake OF
the bloody moloch of war. He was slain.
with two others of Martinsburg' noble
Young men. upon the terrible field of
Manassas Junction. The church. the
session the pastor, the wife, the parent
the friend. bowed down under the bur
den of a great grief. a sitting sorrow. A
town was in tears. But they betbought
them. THE Lord reigneth.'' The
Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord And
they wiped their ewes and said. 1T is
the Lord. let Him do what seemeth Him
On the 10th of Nav 1868 another of the
gave way and once more it did seem
that the edifice must likewise fall. But
the God of covenant remembered His
oath and He remembered His people
On that day Mr.. James N. Riddle was
called to go up higher and to take his
seat nearer to the throne. And .. the
people lifted IN their voice and vent
And they called the name of that place
Rochin and thew sacrificed there unto
the Lord In the going down of Jas.
Riddle, there was the falling of "a
mighty prince in Israel. ~
On the Cd of Nav. 1864. Mr.. G.. Bovd
Harlan. now of Failing Waters Church.
and Mr. VIM. N. Riddle were chosen to
the Office of Ruling Elder in this church.
The latter of these. we'll advanced In his
85tb wear. ia still an acting Elder and is
soiacn, ahsont FROM h;s coat II ~.