The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-07-03

few contemporary records there are that
it must have been prior to that year, and
these hold that If the "Old Scots" church
was not the very first Presbyterian meeting
house built in America 1t was surely one
of the first two or three. But In this they
differ materially from the Presbyterians
of Pittsburg, who hold that Presbyterian
churches were organized and meeting
houses erected in the vicinity of the con-
fluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela
rivers as early as 1884. In Maryland also
the priority of the "Old Scots church Is
disputed. At all events the venerable Pres
byterian missionary, Francis Mckenzie
sometimes spelled Makeme-had to do
with the organization of the "Old Scots, "
and 1t was certainly in its meeting house
that the first presbytery meeting-that Of
the Philadelphia presbytery-was held, in
| 17O6 At this meeting the Rev. Jedediah
Andrews of Philadelphia and the Rev.
| John Hampton of Maryland were both
present, and among the duties performed
were the examination and ordination Of
John Boyd.
The minutes of this presbytery meeting
are carefully preserved by the Presbyterian
| Historical society and were exhibited at q
recent pilgrimage to the site of the "Old
| Scots church by the Rev. DIR. Sharpe, vice
president of the society. In these minutes
are duly set forth the result Of the exami-
nations and the fact that the candidate
"gave satisfaction as to his skill in the
languages and answered to extemporary
questions, all of which were approved Of
and sustained" 1t is further stated in the
old book that the presbytery appointed
his ordination to be on ye next Lord 8
day, ye goth inst. which was accordingly
performed in the publick meeting house of
this place before numerous assembly,
and ye next day he had ye certifcat of his
ordination"
This ordination was certainly among
the earliest Of Presbyterian ministers in
America, but the Rev. John Boyd, then
ordained, was not destined long to fulfill
the ministerial duties, since his death oc-
CURED four months less than two years
after that date, and bis fat tombstone is
still to be found in the yard OF the "Old
Scots" church, the rude cut Latin inscrip-
tion being still reasonably distinct, al
though it has not yet been possible to de-
cipher 1t with certainty. One of the re-
suits of the recent pilgrimages was the de-
cision to take up this time honored monu.
ment from its resting place of nearly 20G
years and transfer it to some place where
1t can be properly preserved
Some five miles from the location of the
"Old Scots" church, which is now marked
only by depression in the earth, stand:
old Tennent church, named from the Rev
William Tennent, well known and reveret
In Presbyterian history This church IL
still In excellent condition, the only innU
vation that has been made inside or out
being the introduction Of a pipe organ {
few years ago. The removal Of the place
of worship of the brothers and sisters whC
first gathered In "Old Scots" church wa
, due to the fact that there had been ashiftinl
of the population from the vicinity of th'
earlier meeting house 10 the neighborhooC
: of Free Hill, which is the local name fo
the eminence on which Tennent stands
This edifice is often termed "Old Ten" /
is visible for miles and can be plainly seel
from the Pennsylvania railroad. Its out
side walls are shingled, not sided, Its roo
is very steep, and its quaint steeple is cap
ped with weather vane and wonderful
tin rooster.
Inside the church is still more quaint
the pulpit being high, approached by sev
eral steps and surmounted by an umbrel
lalike sounding board, while the pews ar
narrow, high backed and each one shut II
by queer little door. 1t was Originally
intended to erect this church upon lowe
site, on the side of the hill which 1t nov
tops, but Janet Rhea, one of the good sis
ters, oiroumvented the designs of the "un
dertakers" of the enterprise on the day 1t
foundation was laid by picking up tn
little cornerstone and carrying it in he
: apron to the top of the HILL where she sal
to the astonished brethren:
"Who iyer heard o. ganging doom to tn
hoose o. the Lord an no o. ganging oop I
his hooseY"
, The Rev. William Tennent, founder an
! most famous pastor OF this church, was tn
r son Of the William Tenpent who estal
lished historic Log college In Bucks coul
$ ty, Pa, the earliest training place for Pres
) byterians In the United Statos, Paste
Tennsnt's ministry was long and notable