Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-04-30
Its One Hundred and Seventy
fifth Anniversary.
THE CELEBRATION ON THURSDAY
A Notable Occasion and a Big
~ Attendance.
Addresses by the Pastor and Former Pas
tors aud Also by Dr. Marks and the Rev.
Joseph II. Turner-Other Interesting Ex-
ercises-History of the Church.

tuc ddJs
The arrangements were made and
carried out by the pastor, tho Rev.
L. N. Irvine, and members of the
congregation. Nearly every member of
the church was present and many were
there who had not seen the old build
ing in many year. Some went from
this city and some from still greater
distance. The exercises were decidedly
patriotic and interesting and will long
be remembered by those who attended.
The celebration commenced in the
morning. The Revs. David N. Moore,
George Il. Jones, ID. D., Robert Gra-
ham, Thomas Mcdowell, ana James +.
Marshall, all former pastors, and the
Rev. l.. N. Irvine, the present pastor,
made addresses and related incidents
connected with their respective pas.
torates. The Rev. Lafayette Marks OF
this city also made an address ON
Presbyterianism on the Peninsula. "
and during his address presented an
interesting review of the work since
the establishment of the first church.
The Rev. Joseph B. Turner of Dover
congratulated the members of the con-
gregation on their splendid church
since it has been renovated and re-
called historical events connected with
the history Of the congregation. The
choir furnished excellent music. At
noon dinner was served by tie ladies
in the Sunday-schoo! room, and many
partook of their hospitality.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
Lower Brandywine Church was
organized about 1920. The original
deed shows that in that year the
trustees purchased 6l perches of land,
for ''the use and behoof Of the society
of people called Presbyterians, y and
ito bury their dead in, and to build
upon and make use of, for such use
or uses as the majority or main body
of the said people shall see fit and con
venient." Five shillings was paid for
the land. The trustees-John Kirk
patrick, James Houston, James Mole,
William Smith, Magnus Simonson,
Ananias Higgins, John Heath, Patrick
Scott-were to pay yearly rental Of
one peppercorn IF demanded" Ralph
Pyle, the disposer of the land, re-
served for himself and heirs the
"liberty to build and make use of a
pew SIX feet square, in the said meet
ing house TO be erected as aforesaid,
and for him and them to bury their
dead therein forever. :"
The meeting house was probably
erected soon after the land had been
secured. 1t was log building and
stood near spring of water at the foot
of Bald Hill. " The house was stand
ing as late as 1913 and the old burying
ground is still in evidence.
The congregation was known as the
Brandywine until 1741 During that
year Synod was separated into Old
Side and New Side, Braudywine ad.
herring to the latter. A New SIDE con.
gregation was organized also ut the
Forks of the Brandywine Tho one
then in Birmingham was called Lower
Brandywine and still bears tho name,
The pioneer supplies to Lower
Brandywine were Rev. Henry Hook,
Rev. George Gillespie and Rev. Daniel
McGill. OF Gillespie it was said he
was the regular pastor Of White Clay
Creek Church in 17l3. He passed
away January I'd, l760, the "friend Of
sound doctrine, good order and vital
Godliness. McGill was succeeded bv
Rev. Robert Laing. The latter was
unfortunate, as the following minute
of the presbytery's record for August,
1923, shows;
" Presbytery being informed that Mr.,
Laing hath been guilty of profanipp
the Lords day by washing himself ID
the creek, and he confessing tho same.
the Presbytery, after maturely con
sidering the nature Of the offence,
agree that Mr. Laing be now rehuked
by the moderator, and that he be sus.
pended from preaching until our
next. He did not receive the rebuke
kindly, and was deposed from his
pulpit.
His case went TO Synod, and although
he reported he had been i'll and was
seeking water cure at the time of tho
bathing, he was also rebuked bv if.
lie then quit the ministry. McGill
again became the supply of Lower
Brandywine. He died February 2oth.
lI24. lilo was u Scotchman, and yery
scholarly.
Rev. Thomas Creaghead of Ireland,
was the next supply preaching to
Lower Brandywine people every third
Sabbath, doyoting the remainder of hjs
time to his settled congregation at
White Clay Creek.
About 1928 Lower Brandywine and
Middletnwn, the latter now in Della
ware county Pennsylvania, entered
upon now relation, that of erecting A
new church at the latter place and
worshipping as "united conrrera-
tion: Rev. George Tennent: was for
a time the supply of this people.
From Brandywine he went TO Free
hold, N. j., where his death occurred.
Key, Robert Cathcart was the first
settled pastor Of Brandywiue and
Middlotown, receiving a call in the
fall Of 100. The time Of his ipstalla
tion and the extent nf his pastortap
are unknown. During his ministry
Mlddsetown congregation received a
copy Of : baxter's Diroctory'' from the
Rey. Dr. Isaac Watts, Of London. If
Is supposed the union existing hetween
these churches was dissolved about
l7i;S. Wv "'''u'
On April 10Th, 1863, Row Josepb
Smlta was ordained and installed pas-
tor q the Lower Brandywine Church.
during his ra7toratc tho congregation
Divided upon the question of site for n
new meeting mouse. I'rrshytefy wa.
appeaied 10 and decided that the con
gresation had a right 10 build honse
on the west side of the Brandywine
an'i one on the cast side Of the crsek,
as'u 10 iay foundation for the. supnort
q q their pastor, Failing to agree upon
tho matter presbytory at its neyt
meeting dissolved the pastoral rotation.
MI Smith was born near Eisin"
Sun, Cecil county, Md, 1896 In T,
In he received can from tbat
portion Of Lower Braniywinc cou@re'
gatlan that favored tic erection II A
meeting house on the west side Of tbo
creek ci and from the Wilmington Second
Chnrah He coasile.el this Joint cali
ana accepted it 10 ,le fall Of that wear.
continuing as Pas.ur Tor four ycars
IN the suplMrr = that wear lot