Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-09-18
A HUNDRED YEARS
CENTENNIAL OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT
WEST ALEXANDER
Interesting Exercises Attending the Celebration.
history q lhe Church by Rev. Mr. Lester.
Remarks by Wheeling Pastors.
Those Present
A church 100 years old.
~. .-u-t.n.-- l.. q n.utur.r

prOpfldle cAcIclNeSf anu tuclc was "
large gathering of pastors and parishon-
ers, including many from other and dis
tant cities, all of whom eyinced a warm
interest in the sacred precincts. The
following ministers were present:
Rev. James !. BrownSon, ID. D., Rev.
John ). Marquis. ID. d., Rev. Ross
Stevenson, ID. d.. Rev. VIM. Specr, d.
D., and Rev John NJ. Barnett, of Wash
ington, Pa; Rev. d. A. Cunningham,
d. d., and Rev. W. II. Cooke, d. D.. Of
aire. o.; Rev Layerty Greer, OF Forks
Of Wheeling, w. Va; Rev \. j. Alex
ander, of West Union, w. Va; Rev. +.
c. Mckinley, Of Ligona, Pa; Rev
John $. Gilmore, Of Sag Harbor, y. Y:
Rev. Frank Fish, Of Claysyile, Pa:
Rev T. Il. Van Eman, Of Canonsburg,
Pa: Rev. Thos. y. Boyle, d. d., VI. T.,
OF McKccSport, Pa; Rev. George Me-
Donald and Rev. W VI. Coleman, Of
West Alexander Pa; Rev. Thomas
A. Anderson, of Upper Buffalo, Pa;
Rev. VIM. Ewing, Ph. d., Of Canons-
burg, Pa.
The church was handsomely deco
rated with fcStoons Of cyergreenS COM
bined with Golden Rod. while the pulpit
and windows were adorned with choice
potted flowers. Back OF the pulpit and
over the organ. In evergreen, was the
word "Centenuial," on one side OF
which was, i'm large figures, worked in
Golden Rod. "l79O," and on the other
side, in dahlias and other choice flow
erS, 1890"
The exercises were held in the church,
and were opened by an invocation by
Rev Dr. BrOwnson, OF the First Church
Of Washington, Pa, following which
came the reading of the Scriptures by
Rev Mr. Marquis, Of Washington, Pa.
Prayer was then given by Rev. Laycrty
Greer. after which came perhaps the
| absorbing feature Of the programme,
history OF the church by the present
pastor, Rev. William llaycns Lester.
| d. d. /. was full Of interesting
facts OF almost vital concern to
all who had worshipped within
the hallowed walls. Mr.. Lester
TRACED THE HISTORY
OF the church through the various pas
t0ratcs, and paid high compliments to
those who had guided her dcstinics in
the past The church was first called
The Three Ridges" and the early
preachers were Of Scotch-lrish origin.
and OF the old Presbyterian faith. Mr..
Lester called attention 10 the fact that
the first pastor was Rey John Bricc.
grandfather Of the late Collector of
Wheeling. Mr.. :. l.. Bricc of the Eighth
ward Mr.. Bricc preached his first
sermon I'm the church on the second
Sabbath of the year 11SS, aui after a
successful pastoratc in which the church
was largely strengthened, he was called
in 1889 to The Forks of Wheeling.
He was pastor, solemn. fcrycnt and
instructive.
Rev. Mr.. Brice's successor was Rev.
Joseph Stevenson. who was installed i'm
1909. and continued till 1928, and was
known by all with whom he worShipped
as a dcyout, humble and prayerful
Christian. From 1925 to 1s2S the
church was without pastor. The pull
pit during this interregnum was sup
piled by appointments from the Presby-
terry and other ministers who were cam
didatcS for the paStoratc.
The third pastor Of the church was
Rev. John McCluskcy, d. d., who was
installed iu lS2s. He resigned in lsjl,
after successful and harmonious rcla-
tionS with his people.
The fourth and present pastor, Rev.
Mr.. Lester was installed in 1854. and
has carefully tended to the spiritual
wants Of his people for the
REMARK ABLY LONG PERIOD
Of thirty-fye years, length Of pas
toratc which is probably uneXcelled in
few churches Of the country. Mr..
Lester is a most scholarly divine, being
a graduate of Amherst College of the
class of 1919, and Of Princeton Seminary
in 1882. 4 most remarkable circum-
stsncc connected with the church is that
it has had but four pastors in a humid
red years.
Mr.. Lester went on to give the his
tory of the pastors aud elders. and al
ludcd to twenty-five young men. gradu
ateS of the West Liberty School,
and members of the church, who
have been educated for the min
istry. also list Of the ladies
Of the church who had become
ministers wives. He then traced the
history of the church through the con
troversies of the tim as. and spoke OF the
custom Of using tables at communion.
There are now only two churches in
this section that retain the custom of
using the table at communicable
church at West Alexander, and the
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
of pittSburg. Mr.. Lester then went on
to say that from the families of this
congregation there have gone out over
one hundred ministers Of the Gospel,
and fifty young men from the congrc-
CATION were sent out % do bat
tie in the "War for the Union.
The first church building was log
house. made Of timber which grew
where the church now stands, and was
erected in l7s7 The second church
was a hewn-log building. and was
erected about lSO2. The third building
was a brick, built in 1880. aud was 12X
IS feet ia size. The next building was
the present one. erected In 1910.
There was a division In the c0ngrcga-
| tion in 1898, growing out OF the matter
Of psalmody. II is related that Mr..
Brice. on one occasion I'm church, gave
out and had sung one of lYdtts' Psalms
A member OF the congregation immedi-
ately arose and left, not sanctioning such
an "innovation." From this was organ
lied the Associate Reformed Church
of Three Ridges"
The church has always cultivated the
revival spirit, and many precious works
OF grace have come 10 revive and
strengthen. There is
40 KNOWN RECORD
OF those received into the church under
the first two pastors. Rcys. Brice and
Stevenson, but under the pastorate OF
Rcy. Mr.. Ciuskcy, there were G3 persons
iu 1s2g, 10l persons IN 1885. and 53 per-
sons in 1888. Under the present pastor
Rev. Mr. Lester, there We're 81 persons
received into the church in ISIS, "a per-
sons in lsGl. ~ in 1868, and 90 in 1875.
Mr. Testers address occupied about
an hour and a half, and was listened TO
with deep interest. For literary finish,
proportion Of the treatment OF topics.
aud for eXhaustiyeness that did not
descend into tediousness, it was
regarded by the ministerial brethren as
a model historical discourse. The ad
dress in full will subsequently be pub
lished, and it is understood that a copy
Of the same will be forwarded TO Johns
Hopkins University.
At this point there was an d.ourn-
ment for dinner. which was served in
the basement of the church. where fully
200 peOple were fed the tables. which .