Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-12


her eighty ministers, and in that large
and influential element in the u. p.
church, which came from the A. r. p,
Ssynod Of the north and west.
The result of the agitation of the
question Of frequent communion In the
A. r. p. presbytery Of the Carolinas
and Georgia was a decision in favor Of
that scheme by a large majority Of
those who constituted said presbytery.
OF the ministerial members of that
presbytery, Peter McMillen and Will
lam Dixon protested against above
named decision and withdrew from the
A. r. p. presbytery. Sharon congre-
CATION, then under the pastoral care of
Mr.. Dixon, adhered to him with prob
ably a very few exceptions. This Sc
cession took place about 1904 or 1905.
1t carried with a number of congresa-
tions in North and South Carolina.
Very soon after this secession, prob
ably in 1904, the above named minis
ters and doubtless the people agreeing
with them sent petition to the Asso-
ciate synod of North America. This
| Associate synod of North America was
composed of those Associate ministers
who refused to go into the union in
1882, which formed the A. r. P. church
and such of the Associate people as
adhered to them during the. period in
tervening between 1882 and 1905. This
body of Christians by natural in
crease and by accessions, both of min
listers and people from Scotland, had
become a very respectable and infiu-
entail body, mostly located in New
York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The re-
suit of the above mentioned petition
was. the Rev. John Anderson, D. D.,
author of Anderson on Faith and
Rev. William Wilson were sent to the
south to visit these ministers and peo-
pie. At that visit they organized a
presbytery called the Associate Pres
bytery of the Carolinas.
OF this presbytery, Revs. McMillen
and Dixon were the original ministe-
rial members. Mr.. Dixon still contin-
ued pastor of Sharon congregation.
Thus you will perceive that from be-
inz an A. r. p. congregation under the
care of the A. r. p. presbytery or the
Carolinas and Georgia, it became an
Associate congregation under the care
of the Associate presbytery OF the
Carolinas, in connection with the AS
sociate synod of North America. In
this connection it still enjoyed, the
ministry of Mr.. Dixon up to probably
1924 or 1925. / possess no means OF
ascertaining the precise date when Mr..
Dixon ceased to be pastor or Sharon
II Is certain, however, that 1t was
vacancy in 1926, for in that year 1t
united with Tirzah and Carmel Hill In
q call for Rev. w. NJ. ,McElwee, tsen
a licentiate of the Associate presby-
terry of the Carolinas, and graduate
yof the Associate Theological seminary
at Canonburg, Pa. This call was pre-
sented to Mr. McElwee in October,
1926, and by him accepted. He began
regular preaching to this congregation
in January, 1927, but was not ordained
and installed until the first Thursday
in April, 1927.
According to the best information
can get, the session of Sharon during
the pastorate of Mr. McElwee, consist
ed of Joseph Bigham, Andrew Roddey'
Samuel Wylie and william Gibson
This was the last session Sharon mad
in connection with the Associate pres
bytery Of the Carolinas. They nave
been reported to the writer as being
good men, men of prayer and good re-
pute with all the people. About the
year 1885, they all moved from South
Carolina, Mr.. Bigham going to Steele
Creek in North Carolina. The other
three all going away to the northwest
The Rev. McElwee continued pastor
of Sharon till 1882. During the last
tew years Oh HIS ptiSNoio'S' N''N
was much vexed and torn by angry
controversy on Free Masonry and the
slavery question. The result was Mt
McElwee finding he could not success
fully and peaceably enforce the rules o.
the Associate synod on these ques-
tions, rather than compromise his con-
science. Identified his charge in the
spring of 1882 and in the fall OF the
same year removed to Pennsylvania
where he still lives at very advanc-
ed age. still a very efficient and hon.
ored member of the U. p. church.
In 1885 by the removal of the above
named elders it seems that Sharon as
an Associate congregation lost its or
ganization. After this time we hear'oI
no more Associate elders, nor of any
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