Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-06-01

opposed. the oTBaniIitiuh VI
he New London Church. In the year
1877, when the people of Middle DC
toraro were about to erect church
nine miles from Upper Octoraro, they
were required to place ii two miles
further distant. This church. at its
Did location, one mile north OF TINS,
was about five miles from the Head OF
and about nine miles from
New Castle, and as there was no OPP
position, we infer that the mass oil
the people who made the movement
never had been, and were not likely to
be. identified with those churches.
AT a meeting of the Prasbytery,
held in Mr.. Gillespie's meeting house
at the head of Christiana Creek
August 1, 1921, it is recorded; 1t
being reported to this Presbytery that |
James Moorehead, a wandering inn
poster (who was publicly disowned by
an order and act of our last synod |
doth intrude upon some of Mr. Gil
lespie's people and others between
White Clay and Red Clay Creeks; it
is therefore by this Presbytery APP
pointed that Mr.. MacGill shall preach
to said people upon the 3rd Sabbath of
this instant. August, and that he shall
read to said people the above act OF
the Synod, and admonish said people
to beware of the said Moorehead. AT
meeting a few weeks afterwards,
Mr.. MacGin reported that he had
performed the appointment to the
people of White Clay Creek
Pastor Rebuked.
The writer told some interesting
incidents in his sketch of the early
pastors of White Clay Creek Church.
including Rev. Robert Laing. who
came to this section from Somerset
county. Md, and for a time was APP
pointed to supply the people of Bran
dywine and White Clay Creek. In
this connection he says: July :,
1923, Appointed that our next Presby
terry is t. meet at White Cay Creek
meeting house the first Wednesday on
August next This is the first men
tion of church building belonging to
this congregation. The meeting was
held on the 18th of August, and the
Presbytery being informed that Mr..
Laing had been guilty of profaning
the Lords Day by washing himself in
the Presbytery, after having maturely
considered the nature of the offensc.
do agree that the said Mr.. Laing be
rebuked by the moderator coram, and
that he be suspended from preaching
until our next Presbytery, and that
then his cause be considered when the
Presbytery is more full. The moder-
ator. pursuant to the above order,
having offered a rebuke to Mr.. Iaing.
and his carriage when rebuked being
very unsatisfactory and offensive, the
Presbytery do agree that Mr.. Laing
be deposed from the pastoral office,
but withal allow him liberty to apply
to the next Presbytery.
Some objection was made to the
severity of this discipline. The excuse
was given that he was in bad health
and had sought relief by water cure,
and the Synod took of the sentence
and rebuked him; but in 1926, owing
10 his weakness and deficiency. and by
the advice Of Synod, he Identified the
ministry. Provision was kindly made
for him out Of the church funds, and
he passes out of notice"
Early History of Wilmington.
The Mackey sketch gives some ac-
count Of churches in the county pre-
vious TO the establishment of White
Clay Creek Church. He says: For
a long time New Castle was the only
town in the vicinity Wilmington,
then called Willingtown, was laid out
in 1886, there being about 80 houses
there at that time. The first house
for divine worship built in Wilmington,
after its settlement as a town was
erected by the Society of Friends in
1888. The land for the First Pres
byterian Church was purchased in 1872
and the house was erected in 1740
The New Castle Presbyterian
Church is one of the oldest Presby-
terian churches in this country The
Welsh Tract Baptist Settlement was
made in 1908. The original charter of
Newark was granted in 1858 and the
first church was erected by the
Methodists in 1908. ST. James Episco-
pal Church at Stanton was founded
in 1920"
While there had been several sup
plies the first appointed pastor Of
White Clay Creek Church was Rev.
Thomas Craighead who was appointed
shortly after arriving in this country
from Scotland early in 1924. He served
as pastor for nine years. During
most Of that time he supplied Brandy
wine Church every third Sunday.
Leaving White Clay Creek, Mr.. Craig
head filled several charges in Penn
sylyania. He dropped dead in the
pulpit at Big Spring Church in April
1879 during a protracted meeting that
he was conducting. OF this Mr..
Mackey in his sketch says: so power
full were the influences of the Spirit
that the worshippers felt 10th, even
after having exhausted their stories
of provisions, to dispeTse. Mr.. CHag-
head was delivering a departing dis
course; his flow of eloquence seemed
supernatural and his audience were
melted to tears. Exhausted, he hurried
to pronounce the bcnediction; waving
his hand he exclaimed, farewell, fare
well! and sank down and expired in
the pulpit. His remains are said TO
rest under the corner stone of the
present house of worship at that
place
The second pastor was Rev. Charles
Tennent. The Tennent family, there
being several in the ministry, it is re-
lated were prominent in the great
Schism of 1741, between the Old and
New Sides. Bitter feeling existed be-
tween the two parties. The New Side
part of the New Castle Presbytery held
their first meeting at the White Clay
Creek Church. They met under the
q