Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-06-18
Historical Sketch of Prospect u.
p, Church and His PaStOrate.
BY REV. JAMES A. CLARK.

BY REV. JAMES y. CLAhh.
For The CITIzEN.l
Our forefathers were great men
great in mental endowments and IN
heroic deeds-With the humble faclll-
ties at their command they accomplish
ed wonders. The Lord hath done
great things for them, whereof we are
glad. But they did not realize the I'M
portance of putting on record his works
of grace to show to the generations to
come the praises of the Lord. Our
forefathers made history but they did
not record it, hence the origin and
primative history of goodly number
of our congregations are involved in
mystery. They have not left behind
them the material to build upa history
This is the case of Prospect congrega-
ton, we can find no records during the
first 10 or 10 years Of its existence,
hence we are under the necessity OF
gathering up the facts from some OF the
Oldest members of this locality.
ORIGIN.
The sources from which the original
members of the congregation came we
learn were principally members of
White Oak Spring, where Rev. Isaiah
Niblock preached, the pioneer preacher
of Butler county, and from Portersville
where Mr.. James Hall, an honored
Elder resided, and from the old Nebo
Presbyterian congregation.
FIRST PREACHING.
The first preaching obtained by this
people in Prospect was the services of
Rev Ferguson, as early as the year
1928 and 1924, and the preaching was
done in the grove, but as they could
only worship with comfort when the
weather was favorable they felt the
necessity of obtaining house of wor-
ship and the first church, which is
known as the Old Log Church, was
erected in 1925.
The next ministerial services they
obtained were those of Rev. Greer, who
preached from 1927 until 1888. After
this they were supplied by such minis
ters as Revs. Sturgeon, Stark, Connor,
and others.
ORGANIZED.
The church was organized, as nearly
as we can gather from the memory OF
old men, in 1S34-5. 1t was organized
by DR.. John Z. Pressly, Of Allegheny,
the former pastor of..Mr. James Hall,
of Portersville, who took an active in
terest in this young congregation OF
Prospect. The names of the session
being James Hall, Benjamin McCor-
mick, Hugh Stevenson, JOS. Dodds and
Geo. Matthews. On this occasion DR..
Pressly held Communion, but we
have no date to find out the number of
members at that time. Rev. McCon-
nell held another Communion in 1885.
FIRST PASTOR.
This young congregation felt the
need of pastoral services and in 1886
called Rev. VIM. Findley who com
menced for them in the fall of that year,
and at the meeting of Presbytery at
White Oak Springs, May 25, 1887,
Rev. VIM. Findley was ordained and
installed pastor of White Oak Springs
and Prospect congregations.
SECOND AND THIRD CHURCH BUILDINGS
With an able minister and a grow
ing congregation the felt they need of a
new house of worship. The old log
church had served its day. They erect
ed a more commodious and comfortable
church, which is known as the old brick
church, in 1888, in which they wor-
SHIPPED for 80 years, when the present
brick church was built in 1868.
DEMIssIoN.
Rev. VIM. Findley continued their
pastor for over twenty years till, in the
spring Of 1857, where he was called
to a professorship in the Westminster
College. His preaching was character
lied with great simplicity and plain
ness, very earnest in his manner and
remarkable for conscientious fidelity to
duty. He is still remembered with re-
gard and highly honored by the con-
gregation
The vacant congregation was sup
piled by such young men as Rev. j..
Harper, John S. Mccullough, Thos.
Boyd, John Z. Taylor, Lovejoy Rob
ertson, and James A. Clark, the latter
preaching in Prospect in Aug. 9Th and
22nd, at Mt. Chestnut on the 10Th
of 1858.
SECOND PASTOR.
On the 1st of October, 1858, Pros
pect congregation in connection with
Mt Chestnut made a unanimous call
for the service of Rev James A. Clark,
a licentiate under the care of Mononga-
hela Presbytery, at salary OF $500 a
year. Rev. Clark accepted the call
and moved with his family to Prospect
and commenced preaching to them on
the 1st of Nov, 1853. He was or
dained and installed pastor of Prospect
and Mt Chestnut On the 18th of April
1859 by the Presbytery of Butler.
MINISTERIAL LABoRs.
One question that met him at the
outset of his ministry was, how shall
he give to each doctrine and duty its
proper place in his preaching? For
his own benefit and the good of the
congregation he took up systematically
the order of doctrine and duty as they
are outlined in the confession
and shorter catechism, for one of his
discourses, and for the other, Che
preached two sermons every Sabbath
at that time) he studied the wants of
the congregation and endeavord to
meet them with appropriate subjects.
He emphasized the doctrines of grace
set forth in the testimony of the
church. He advocated and maintained
five distinctive principles as he thought
occasions required.
He has prominently brought before
the congregation all the great reform S
of the times. He advocated the princi-
Piles of universal freedom and civil