The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-03-28
Johnston's History
Of Cecil County.
CHAPTER XVIII CONTINUED.

The Church at the Head of Christiana
was not divided by the schism that re-
suited from Whtcfrlds preaching. but
its pastor, the Rev. George Gillespie, for
a short time favored the New Side. for
the reason that he thought those who adj
hered to it had been treated with too
much severity by the other side. Mr.
Gillespie died in 1850. He was pastor
of Head of ChriStiana Church for forty
seven Years, and was succeeded by Rev
John McCrcry, who. in 1863 was in
stalled pastor of the United Churches of
Head of ChriStiana and White Clay
Creek. Mr.. McCrcary was Jealous and
popular preacher. and we'll worthy TO hc
the successor of Charles Tcnncnt. who
preceded him us pastor of White Clay
Greek Church.
Having thus briefly glanced ut the CO.
clcsiastical history of these ancient
Churches, Il few words respecting the
manners and customs of those who wor-
SHIPPED in them will not be napproprintr
The first Presbyterian meeting houses
Were generally built of logs and had no
frcplaces in them. The churches were
far apart. and the congregations that
worShiped III them were scattered over
large districts Of country: som" of these
people probably Travelled ii distance of
twelve or fifteen miles in order to attend
meeting. Many of the original mem
hers of the Head of ChrStiana Church
were members of the church at New
Castle and no doubt wurShiprd there be-
fore the organization of the former
church. 1t is said that some piurrS young
men who lived near Deer Creek in IIar-
ford County, were in the habit of cross
. !,
which they used for that purpose ana
kept moored to the river bank near the
mouth of that stream. and then walking
the remainder of the way in order to at
tend the Nottingham Church. As the
first meeting houses had no fire places in
them. they must have been cold. and be-
ing poorly lighted by windows must have
necessarily been somewhat rhrrrlrSS and
gloomy. But the ancestors of many of
the people who worShipcd in them had
been hunted like wild beasts by Clavcr-
house and his Dragons among the high
lands of Scotland, and many of them
were afterward judcially murdered by
the infamous .JcffrieS. They had wor-
SHIPPED upon their native hraths and in
the seclusion Of their native glens at the
silent hour of midnight. with scntries
posted to give notice of the approach Of
the hired soldicry, who, if they had found
them, would, with merclc7SS fury have
shot them down like dogs. or consigned
them to the keeping of the gibbet or the
prison. 1t meant something to Ike II
Christian then, ana the stories of these
wrongs and prosecutions were yet fresh
in the minds Of the founders of these
old churches. No wonder they made no
provision for warming the interior of the
houses in which they wOrshiped. The
ardOr and zeal of their religious conyic-
tons made it unnecessary, and had this
not been the case, they We're Il stern,
uncOmprOmiSing sect that were ever
ready to endure any hardship or submit
to any sacrifice in order to enjoy the
privilege of worShiping God as they
pleased. So it was only after the cree
ton of the meeting houses that super
seeded the original ones. that any provi-
sion was made for the comfort of the
congregations in the winter time. Then
a small house in which the session met.
which WAS called the Session House. was
usually erected near the churches. \
rouSng fire would be made in it on Sab
bath morning. and those who wished to
do so had an opportunity of warming
themselves before they entered the meet
ing house Foot stoves were introduced
in the latter part Of the last century.
They were simply tin boxes with lids,
and were filled with live Goals from the
session house fire, and placed on the floor
underneath the feet of the worShipcrS
The pastors of these churches in the
early days preached twice every Sabbath
to the same congregation. there being an
interval of an hour or so between the
morning and afternoon services during
which the congregation partook of
slight repast. which they generally car
ricd with them 10 church to satisfy their
hunger. The members of these churches
nearly all lived in rude log cabins, which
were generally built in II valley near
spring. They were u frugal. industrious
and piouS people, different in many re-
SpertS from those who had settled in the
southern part Of the county and in Elk
Neck. They raised their own wool and
flax, from which they manufactured their
wearing apparel. They planted large
apple and peach orchards, from the fruit
of which they distilled their own liquor.
Those of them who lived in Nottingham
and New Munster disposed of their sur
plus wheat ut ChriStiana Bridge. which
was then Il place Of much Importance,
anu contained population or probably
about four hundred. Their method of
transporting their wheat to this place
may seem odd to those who live in this
age Of railroads and steamboats,. When
they wished to send their wheat to mar
kct they put it into bags or sacks, which
were large enough to hold two or three
bushels each. These sacks were placed
upon pack saddles on the backs of horses
upon one of which lad was mounted,
who led two or three of the animals be-
side the one on which he rode, and thus
the curious cavalcade journeyed to the
place of its destination.
Another custom that has long since
fallen into diSuse was much in vogue
among these people, namely, the irriga-
ton of the meadows along the streams,
which were SO fortified by this means
that they produced n reasonably good
crop OF natural grasses, which were cut