Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-19

ingstOn accompanied the Scotch army to
Ireland, rather in the capacity of general
supervisor of its religious affairs than as a
chaplain. The first step taken preparatory
to the organization of Presbytery was the
constituting of session, or bench of Ruling
Elders, in each of four of the regiments of
the Scotch army, then in camp at Carrickfer-
gus. This course was suggested, in the
providence of God, to the chaplains, as ne
cessary in order to restrain the dissolute
conduct of the soldiers. How many elders
were chosen do not know. The scheme of
organizing Presbytery in the army met
with the appreciation of General Monroe
and the other officers. Possibly, perhaps,
probably the officers, at least some of them,
were disposed to regard such an organiza-
tion as likely to contribute to the efficiency
of the army, and hence favored it as mere
matter of worldly policy. How, or in what
manner these elders were chosen, am not
able to say further than, | suppose, it was
in accordance with the direction laid down
in the Second Book of Discipline, which was
then in force in the Scotch Church. So far
as appears to the contrary, the elders were
all chosen from the officers of the army.
The choice met with approval, both from
the commanders and the common soldiers.
Sessions being thus organized in four of the
regiments, Revs. Hugh Cunningham, Thom-
as PEBBLES, John Baird, John Scott and John
Arid, regularly met and constituted the
first Presbytery in Ireland. Two OF the
ministers, James Simpson and John Living
ston, were absent with their regiments, the
former at Newry and the latter at Antrim.
So far as know no similar organization ever
took place before, or has ever taken place
since. Those over whom the Presbytery
had supervision were the Scotch army in
Ireland. The regiments were converted
into so many congregations, and the chap
lains were regarded in a technical and prop
er sense, pastors. This Presbytery had no
Presbyterial territory other than that occu-
pied by the army, whether in the camp, on
the march, or on the battlefield. Its congre-
cations had not and could have no houses
Of worship. BY appointment, Rev. John
Baird preached asermOn at the constituting
of the Presbytery Of Ireland, from the text:
"Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion !;
build thou the walls of Jerusalem" Rev.
Thomas PEBBLES was chosen the first clerk.
This position he held during life-a period
Of nearly thirty years. Revs. Cunningham,
PEBBLES, Baird and Simpson remained in
Ireland when their regiments returned to
Scotland. They became pastors of congre-
cations. Of the latter history of Revs.
Scott and Arid, nothing is certainly known.
The Presbyterian Church of Ireland, at
present, embraces thirty seven presbyteries,
five hundred and fifty-five congregations,
six hundred and twenty-siX ministers. One
of the presbyteries is in India SO that there
are in Ireland only thrty-siX presbyteries.
In addition to the Presbyterian Church of
Ireland there are four other denominations
which are properly classed with Presby-
terians. These are "The Eastern Reform
ed Presbyterian Synod',' which embraces
&,,,o soh{ iy,ic md inh
congregations "the Reformed Presbyterian
Synod of Ireland" which embraces four
presbyteries in Ireland and one in Nova
Scotia, twenty-nine ministers and forty con-
gregations "the Original Secession Synod
of Ireland" which embraces two presby-
teries, nine ministers and twelve cOngrega-
tions; "the United Presbyterian Church
in Ireland" which embraces one presby-
terry, eleven ministers and eleven congrega-
tons.
The number of communicates in the Pres
byterian Church of Ireland is 1O2,340, and
the number of families 7S,2SS. The exact
number of communicates in the four other
Presbyterian denominations in Ireland, l
was unable to ascertain. They aggregate
about thirty thousand communicates, and
nine thousand families.
It may not be out of place to state in this
connection that what is now called "The
General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church in Ireland'' is a name given to the
church which resulted from union of the
Secession, or Seceder Synod in Ireland
and the Synod Of Ireland and the Synod Of
Ulster. The Synod of Ulster grew directly
out of the Presbytery organization at Car
rickfergus in 1912, and the Secession Synod
grew out of an Associate presbytery organ
lied in Ireland in 1750-mOre than one hun
dred years after that Of Carrickfergus. The
union was formed on the 10th Of July, 1910,
in the town of Belfast. At the time Of this
union there were one hundred and forty
one congregations in the Associate or Sece-
der synod and two hundred and ninety in
tho SYNOD Of ITlStar