The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-06-16

WHICH INCLUDED A VERY IN,
TEREsTING HISTORICAL AD-
DRESS BY THE PASTOR, DIR. AL.
EXANpER = DIR. CUNNINGHAM
AND DIR. IEPsoS. OF WHEEL.
ING, AMONG THE SPEAKERS.
MANY ATTENDED,. NJ
The centennial celebration OF the or
Gnnlzation OF the Presbyterian church
at st. ciairsyIlle--the Oldest in eastern
oh!o-took place yesterday and It was
attended by a number of the leading
members OF TINT denomination from the
churches IN eastern Ohio and this city.
Many OF the former members Of the
church were present and fully one
fourth OF the congregation were fifty
years OF age and upwards.
The exercises opened at 10 o'clock with
m Invocation, and singing by the choir,
composed of the leading yocaAsts OF the
town under the direction OF Prof. scho-
field, Of Martins Ferry. Rev. ]. Z. Full
ton, Of Brilliant, read the scripture les
son. Rev. Walter L. Alexander, OF
Rock Hill, led in prayer, which was fol-
lowed by an anthem, Rejoice In the
Lord" by the choir. IL
Rev. Robert Alexander. D. D., who has
been the pastor of the church for the
past thirty-two years, gave the htstorl-
cal address. He said:
About the year 1896, Rev. DR.. McAtll-
lin, noted pioneer minister otwestern
Pennsylvania. began to visit the fami-
lies In this vicinity md as a result In
the year 1898 n church organization was
formed and was called Richland congre-
CATION. The elders were David and
William McTN4lllanis and James McCon-
nell. They erected a small log meeting
house about n half mile north OF the
present church site and issued a call
TO Rev. Joseph Anderson to become
their pastor, and he was ordained and
Installed as pastor under a large tree
on the farm OF Clark Mitchell on Au-
gust 20. 1890. He was the first Presby-
terrain minister ordained In eastern Ohio.
In 1903 the congregation built second
church on the site Of the old one. 1t
was log building much larger than the
first.
During the early history OF the
church the following persons were con-
nected with It: David McWilliams, VIM.
McWilliams. james Mcconnell, Vim.
Ramage, Arthur Irwin, Robert Laugh
lin. John Perry. Matthew Anderson.
John Marquis, Robert Bell, VIM. Faris.
ST.. Robert Morrison, Humphrey Alex
ander, George Anderson, John Rankin,
Andrew p. Happier, Franklin Bell. John
Culbertson, Joseph Laughlin and An
drew Work. Besldes:these. as men who
were prominent in the early member
ship of the church, though not In the
eldership, may be mentioned the. names
of VIM. Bell, Reese Bogss, VIM. Faris,
jr., Alexander Mcconnell. Michael
Grove. Joshua Anderson, VIM. Mathers,
David Hutchlson, Samuel. Mutchmore.
Samuel Robinson, VIM. Robinson, Jo-
seph Marshall, Samuel Crawford, Da-
vid Rusk and Allen Stewart.
< During the year 1922, the congregation
built brick building on Marietta street
at cost OF about $1,000. On January.
10. 1927, the church was incorporated as
the First Presbyterian church, with
VIM. Bell. Andrew P. Happier and Dr.
John 'McCracken as trustees. Rev.. An
derson, at his request, was dismissed
by the church in 1880. as Z =
The church for the next three years
was supplied by Revs. Alexander Lo-
gan, VIM. Fulton and others. In July,
1894, Rev. Joseph Smith was called and
during his pastorate the church had Its
first great revival; on March u, 1886.
there were fifty-nine persons admitted
to membership, and II Is said that Of
that number only one ever left the
faith.
Rev. Smith was dismissed at his re-,
quest in 1887 to become president OF
Franklin college at New Athens. Dur
ing the next two years the church was
supplied by Revs. Thomas ]. Gordon,
James Kerr, John McCluskey. VIM. r..
Work and others. The congregation is
sued call to the Rev. Work but he de-
ciined It; then called Rev. James Alex
ander In 1899. During his service as
pastor the church was destroyed by fire.
The congregation worshiped for the
next two years In the court house. The
church was rebuilt In 1873 Rev. Alex
ander served as pastor until 1876. when
lNtN. -hcllil Gtllltu.aaE 11e
served as pastor until 1861, and then
Rev. David r. Campbell was called and
served till 1866, when Rev. Robert Alex,
nnder. the present pastor, was called,
and during his passionate, on Friday,
April Is, 1887, the old brick church wns
destroyed by the tornado which,vislted
eastern Ohio. DR.. Alexander and the
congregation set to work and In a short
time had the present beautiful church
edlflce completed ct q cost of nearly
S25, 00O.s
During Dr. Nexander's service OF
thirty-two years as pastor he has offici-
ated Mt 125 communion services and has,
never missed q Sabbath on account OF,
sickness; he has conducted the funeral
services OF 16G OF the members OF the
church; there have been over 500 addi-,
lions to the membership since It's organ.
izatlon, and during the past sixty years
S2S,500 has been collected for benevolent
purposes TO be used outside Of local
purposes. ~
Judge ]. W. Hollingsworth delivered,
the greeting from the community, and
Rev. Thomas Balph, Of the United
Presbyterian church, delivered = the
greeting from the sister churches. Rev.
w. v. Mliligan, of. Cambridge, gave the
greeting Of the presbytery and his recol-
lections of the past OF the church. Mr..
William Alexander. of Bridgeport, spoke
for the 'eldership Of the presbytery. Il
At the evening session, Rev. D. A..
Cunningham. D. D., Of Wheeling, de-
l!vered M. address upon the "Scoth-
Irish Presbyterlans." which was full Of
historical events of the. forefathers OF
the church. " ~ &,
Rev. j. D. Moffat, president Of WASH