The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-09-20
.N.N. TO VI. 7 IVI
\ ET.ATIS Fuse 81.


.AETATIS FUSE 81.
of which the following is translation:
Reese Ryddarcks, born mt Hanwrnog,
i'll the county of Cardigan. and was
buried in the year A. d., 1907. being 81
years of age
This church was the third Baptist
Church founded in America. The pre-
Sent meeting house WAS built in lT47.
and is vet in Il good state of prrscIva-
ton. 1t is said that the floor and cell
ing joistS of this building were taken
from the first house. which was II log
structure and stood near the site of the
present house. The bricks used in the
construction of this old house were i'm
ported from England, and transported
from New Castle, whore they We're
lanGcd, in pannicrS upon mules. The
difficulty of obtaining bricks probably
caused the adoption of the peculiar style
OF architecture that prevailed ut this
tim" in this country. The gables of this
and som" other old churches stops short
Of the height of the apex of the roof. II
small pant Of which is pitched 50 rs to
throw the water falling upon it towards
the end instead of the side of the build
& curious and unique appearance. Many
of the original settlers on the southern
part of Welsh Tract were prrShytrranS.
whose religious opinions and doctrine
differed but little. except in the ordinance
Of baptism. from that of their country
men who settled on the northern part Of
it. These PrcSbytcrianS were the found
er> of the Pencadcr Presbyterian Church
n Glasgow. which in organization is
probably nearly aS old as the Baptist
Church at Iron Hill.
David Evans and William Davis. two
"f the persons who acted as agents in
procuring tn" grant of the Welsh Tract
from Penn, are believed to have been
PrrshyterialiS. At what time they erect
ed their first house of worship is not
known. Tn" Welsh did not remain long
a; RHdnor. wh"l" the first stopped. but
son" of them soon afterwards located ut
Trrdiir"in, IN the great valley of ChcS-
ter County, about the same time that
others of then, settled upon til" Welsh
Tract.
The Rev. David Evans was the first
pastor of tho P"uraler Presbyterian
Church. ii was Il native of Wales and
>oH Of tn" havid Evans before refer
l1'! 10. IL, commenced preaching with
"ut license -" authority. but was prompt
~ stopped 10y the Prr>hytcry of Phila-
d"lphia. il whose jurisdiction the Pen
calrl Chur.A rhrn was. which ordered
him to ccHN, preaching for one year and
devote himself to study under the dirrr-
ti"u of one of the ministers of that body
II" obcyci their order and went to Yale
l. :.
ii" was licensed the next year. and had
charge %: NE Hntrd congregations of
frmcadcr am TradifIrrin until 1T2O. 1t
seems Strar-". now when churches arc
50 near together. thHt two churches 50
far apart ~,nGli he in charge of the
sam" paste. Hri the pioneers of Pres
bytrrtini>iiI W' r." men that delighted in
mi>"ioh"rT .ahnr. aud were prepared to
make ANY -,rliIcr ur undergo any hard
ship III or."" - preach the gospel To
those WHO t..y.. Resided in the Wilderness
l. is said 49, >oiur Of them that they
>r"rt ons.-i .Eta If their time in work
Of this XII They were cminrnty de-
voted AMI f.au, mru. who. with II zeal
and rnrr-. .nr unlike his who hcralded
III" coming If ,ur SaviouS in the wilder
l">> Of iu%"a Wrr" ever ready to spend
their Str"ngtu in their Masters service
To have ott,""d them a vacation would
have been t. have offered them an in
suit. They fully recognized the fact that
TIL" warfare IN which they were engaged
would admit If 10 truce and would only
end when their Captain called them to
g" up highcr: hence it was not strange
that this Welsh preacher. who probably
was the only Presbyterian preacher in
tn" colnEies that spoke the Welsh Ian
@uag", should have charge of two
churrhc, fifty miles apart. and that he
endured the hariships and labor incident
to the faithful performance of his duty.
David Evans was Il man of much learn
ing aud ability. though eccentric and
high spirited. He was the first stated
clerk Of the Frc>bytcry of New Castle.
and was pastor Of the Pencadcr and
Trediffrein Churches for about six years
His successor was the Rev. Thomas
Evans, who was a native of Wales and
relative Of the first pastor His pas
torate extended over period of about
twenty years, until his death. which oc-
Cured in l742. He was an excellent
scholar and had an Academy at Pen
IN der Ep9r tho clnsn of his noStorote