Evening star., 1898-09-10
N THE CH u R G H E S

The approaching celebration of the 20Oth
anniversary of the founding of the Second
Presbyterian Church in America is mat
ter of intense interest to hundreds of the
members of that denomination in Washing
| ton. despite the fact that the celebration
is to occur in Philadelphia, and many per
sons, 1t is understood, viii go from this
city to witness the imposing ceremonies
| which will mark the event.
| The church referred to is called the First
Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, and
! for almost a hundred years has been re-
garded as the first organized in the United
| States; but from evidence discovered in the
early part of the century, to the Rev. Fran
els Mackenzie is accorded the honor of being
the flrSt Presbyterian minister in this cOun-
try and to have founded the first church.
He was native of Donegal county, Ire
land, educated at of the Scottish uni
| Versities, and was licensed and ordained by
! the DreSbytery of LagSan with a view to
MS coming to America in response to an ap-
peal for ministerial help which had been
sent for to that body from Maryland.
Shortly after his ordination, the date of
| which IS not known. he came to this coun-
try and settled in Maryland, where he
| organized the church in Snow Hill, which
preceded the one in Philadelphia. Mr.. Max
emle went from place to place an timer
ant missionary, extending his journeys into
| the Eelghborfng colonies in Virginia and as
| far south as South Carolina.
very little is known of the First Presby-
| terlan Church in Philadelphia. 1t is not
| known at what precise time it was organ
! lZed and there are early records in the
cnurch Of it's history. DR.. Mease's Picture
| of Philadelphia'' states that in the autumn
! of 1tsiS. the Rev. J. A. (Jedediah Andrews.
| the flrst pastOr) came from New England to
Philadelphia ana offictated as an indepen-
dtnt minister. The independents who W ere
also denominated PreSbyterians had by
LfilS llfnG lncrta SeI in number The
gresaton at this time was principally COM
| posed OF emigrantS from Scotland EngIa nd
| ana ireland Under the influence of Mr..
Andrews they became Presbyterians and
early adopted that mode of church govern
mcnt
a prominent church worker In speaking
OF the early organization of the Presbyter-
| ian Church in this country, says: Mackenzie
ana Anfii'eWs Were the two master spirit,
| VINO formed the plan of commencing a
| pIeSpyteiy and organizing the Presbyterian
| Ihurch IN America, and by their influence
| over Their respective clerical brethren they
erected it. Mekemie was decidedly a Pres
| pyterlan in his education and preference
| but not of the rigid Scotch school Apdrav-s
| was raised and educated a Congrega tionaI-
Isl according to the Cambridge platforno
| ne Congresatlonalism of that day was mot
| tiltepch"ency, or the government of each
| congregation by it's own officers poyernina,
ITS affairs in connection with the hrothnr97
| nooa without connection with any ofhar
| odhIistidh od; society. The Can't ridge platform
cb,iro, she once of ruling elders in the
| Ic Gil ana most Of the churches in thar
| naE made use Of doubtful di,ppt5tfon VIII
many and not being so clearly proved from,
| scripture as some other poiY is the cbnrcb
| as they thought advisable" ~
How long Before the year 1903 +bo,, ba5
| pGeh associated for public WORSHIP ~.
! mEelher they were then Organized as a
| termined Their first p1aca n 49, ,e ~ w.
| d frame building on the northwest corner
! oI o. "a ana Chestnut streets known as the
| oaI p"4oes warehouse" It belonged to
baar i'ri I,i.osi oiooes trading Company, and had
peeh uSed as Il place for the storage and
| saiA or merchandise, hut had been a1,a,,
| uohed on account of reverses which cane
on the company ~ ~
| ~ III was IN the frame church building at
| the southeast corner of Bank and Market
| streets that the first presbyterv in A,n.rina
was constituted. in 17O5 or 17o6 Tha en-
| larsed mouse continued to be the place of
! n"rShlp until lf3f, when it was superseded
| by a more beautiful and spac;ou9 a5ifico
erected partly on the old site T-ha la
mentioned building, which was G;sI;n
| sutSHeu Ior It's architectural proportions
anu beauty continued to be the place of
| "Cfshlp until it was considered to he mn
| safe, from the belief that it was ins,ffi
Ciehtly nFhn, ana from that fact there were
| already some fractures in the ceiling Tho
piace mere II was then located having be-
| come almost entirely business part Of the
c'ty, ana being remote from the resi-
dences OF many of the congregation. If was
agreed to remove the present site on Wasb
IuSton square This removal was made in
| 1921. vas iii''''e III
| The Rev. George Davidson Baker. D. D..
| the present pastor. is well known in Wash
ington. He was born in Watertown N V
| November 30, 1870 graduated from the
| University Of City of New York in 1850
and from Princeton Theological Seminary
| IN lse5. From 1868 to 1864 he supplied the
Brairard Presbyterian Church Easton
| Pa, and the Seventh Church Cincinnati
| OHIO. He was ordained and installed pas-
| tor of the Second Church, Watertowni n.
;,li L.; IN June, iS6i. In October, 1867, he was
| called to the Church at Oneida, N. Y, and
| installed in November of that wear He
| vas Installed pastor of the First Church.
| Detro1t, IN October, 1871. He remained
ceived a call to the First Church of this
| city. He was installed pastor January,
| 1888. DR.. Baker has been commissioner
| 10 several general assemblies, and in at
least two of these he was prominently
| spoken of for the position of moderator.
| At the Washington, d. c., assembly of
lS93. when the Briggs trial was taken up,
he was chairman of the judicial committee
| He is president of the presbyterian hoard
! of education and of the Christian League
ana a director in Princeton Seminary He
received the degree Of ID. from Olivet
college during his paStorate in Detroit
| Gen. Thomas j. Morgan, formerly of this
| city, who earned distinction in tn. civil
| war. has been United States commissioner
VI ii.uldH ana IS now secretary O
the American Baptist Home Mission So
clety, urges that our national government.
through its commissioner of educa tfon,
| take immediate steps to cover Cuba with
complete public school system. He
points out the wisdom of selecting such a
man as DR.. A. s., Draper of the University
OF lllinois-HsingctJ Judge Draper's name
simply to make clear his meaning-to 60
to Cuba and. supervise the entire work.
Such man" says Gen. Morgan, ..solely
because he Knows how, can do in a wear
what the Cubans ttannot themselves do in
| twenty-five years,i'if at all. And if if is
| now organizsd, as quickly as possible such
system will remain. Without education
| for the common people there is little hope
| for Cuba. With it there is great hone.
OF course, there are to be church educa
tional plans, butd Cuba reeds the puhlic
educational plan. the best plan, made up
of good points out of Michigan, Iowa and
Massachusetts systems, for example, l
hope some way will be found to act, and
| that without a moments delay'
The Young Mems Christian Associations
| through its international committee. has
already taken preliminary steps to open in
Havana an International association had
quarters. Investigations are under way ia
| learn whether 1t must be Supported tn
| definitely from outside sources If the
for fn hn