The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-08
CUMBERLAND rnrsnyrmm,,Ns.


CUMBERLAND PnEsnyTmnI,Ns.
EtEhty-Scvcnth Anniversary of This
Branch of the Church.
At the Y. NJ. c. A. rooms Yesterday the
Presbyterian church of this city preached a
sermon commemorative OF the eighty
seventh anniversary of this branch of the
church in the United States. lie said in
substance:
This church was organized on the 4th
day of February. 1870 in the house of Rev
Samuel Meadow in Dixon county Tenn
essee, They are called Cumberland preshy
torlans from the Cumberland presbytery of
the Presbyterian church. This presbytery
embraced the country in Kentucky
and Tennessee lying west OF the Cum
berland mountains and through which the
Cumberland river flows and this may have
something to do with the name which the
fathers Of the Presbyterian church gave to
this presbytery. After the Cumberland
preshytory WAS cut of by the synod Of
Kentucky from the communion Of the Pres
hyterian church and when after several
years this new church was organized by
inc sitUt ill'll WHO nUu Dttn iltHlDtFS III IL
the new organization by common consent
was called the Cumberland Presbyterian
church. Between the years OF 1898 and 1900
there was large emigration from Virginia
and the Caroinas to this fertile section of
country in Tennessee and Kentucky known
as the Cumberland country. Most of these
families were Preshytcrlans. They were
Scotch Irish people. Neither the Scotch
nor the Irish may feel complimented at the
int ERIN n Cling M flp-p ufiuualtfiag lint
the speaker thinks them fine class of
people At this time there was great deal
of skep,lcism among a large part OF the
population in this section and very little
spirituality among the members OF the
church.
In the year 1876. Rev. James McGready
left North Carolina and came to Kentucky
and settled in Logan county and took
charge of Gaspar river. Red river and
Muddy river congregations. There was but
very few earnest Christians among them
and McGready made great effort 20 arouse
his people TO a proper sense Of their spirit
ua condition. In order TO effect this he
presented to his people for their signatures
a covenant and among other things blndlng
| themselves TO observe the third Saturday
of each month. for one year, as day of
fasting and prayer for the conversion of
sinners and to spend one half hour every
Saturday evening, beginning at the setting
of the sun, and one halt hour every sab
bath morning, from the rising of the sun,
pleading with God to revive his work. In
May, 1897, the first sign of promise APP
reared In the conversion Of female mem
her of one of his congregations whose in
fluence was felt IN the conversion Of many
others At sacramento meeting at Gas
par River church during the following sum-
mer the Spirit of God was poured out
abundantly and the people became greatly
A.. atr liant an
and the salvation of others. This was the
beginning Of the great revival Of 1900. Nc
Grcady. who was called Theological
Sledge Hammer was the leading spirit of
the revival for several years.
1.-THE first campmeetng in Christcndom
was held at Casper River church. McGready
himself having discovered after lie com
mcnccd preaching that he was deceived as
| TO his own conversion sought and obtained
A new heart and a new life. was wei; pre-
narel TO deal with those who like himself
had built on false foundation.
"Ho preached 10 some ut his people that
, their Hearts were hard ms the seats they
sat upon and many formal professors and
| doublemindei church members were CON
v~-ted under his ministry. During this re-
vival and following II there were not
| enough ministers to supply the demand for
| nrearhinr Roy. David Rice. one OF the
| oldest PRESBYTERIAN ministers of Kentucky.
| advised the encouragement of a few young
men TO direct their attention 10 the work
of the ministery and Finis Ewing, AleXan-
| der Anderson and Samuel KING were re-
celycd by the prcsbytcry and in 1902 they
| wero licensed and IN 1893 they were or
| doined These men. while they had good
| ENGLISH education, were not classical
| scholars This prcsbytery TO meet the great
| demand for preaching, Notwithstanding the
fact that they were no, fully up TO the re-
| cllirements OF the confession OF ialta as 10
heir knowledge of the classics. We're or
| daircd They we're allowed 70 take eN"ep-
| ton TO the doctrine of prodestinauoii as
| taught in the third chapter OF the West
| ninster Confession of Faith which says
| some men ana angels are predcsllnaten
| unto everlasting life and others are lolcot =
| dplr.d to everlasting destruction ana inc
| mn nber is so definite that 1t can neithei u,
| Increased or diminished The revival
,,ar,v aid noi believe this doctrine and ~
iority OF the Cumberland presbytery vot\
for the ordination OF these young men I'M
| der these circumstances. For this the pres
bytery was cut of. No thought OF a maj
separation and the organization OF new
| church had entered the minds OF these
men so cut off. but after aetins IN the cap ,
city OF an advisory council .or SEVERN
| wears and appealing for a redress Of their
grievences for several years. they many
organized a new church. FINS Ewing and
samuel King proceeded to the residence oi
Samuel Meadow and proposed to him thc
| organization of new church rHprescn,ihs
The doctrine Of their belief Mr.. McAuow
a, ,rst hositated and asked time for prayer.
He spent the whole night In the grove near
his residence In earnest prayer Tor diree-
,ioo. They were attached TO the Presby
,erian church and It's long line OF noble MS
,orv and they we're Presbyterian in govern
mont and the organization OF new chureh
was serious step with tnen' Ai.e, spe.i
uhole night in earnest prayer he re-
,nrned with his face bright with JOY and
to,d his brethren he was now satisfied tha'
,.as rtgh, and b. was ready for the Or
,.,',1s,ion, and on the ith day OF February
,sio was organized by these three men II
Inc piain log house OF Meadow me oum-
berland Presbyterian church AT the cen