Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

No. 19.

SKETCH OF THE ORIGIN, PROGRESS, AND PRESENT STATE OF THE SYNOD OF KENTUCKY.

On Wednesday, 30th of March, 1785, a conference or ecclesiastical council met at Cane Run meeting-house, then Lincoln county. The members were: Rev. David Rice,

Rev. Adam Rankin,

Rev. James Mitchel, and

Terah Templin, probationer,

with a lay representation from the congregations of Cane Run, New Providence, Paint Lick, Salem, and Mount Zion. The state of religion in the district of Kentucky being the general subject of conference, they continued in session for three days, and adopted and recommended resolutions respecting the election and ordination of elders, the religious instruction of children and young people, the inquiring into the character and credentials of those who might come into the district as preachers, &c. &c. &c.

A second conference was held at the same place on Tuesday, 12th July following, and continued for several days. The members of this conference were,

Rev. David Rice,

Rev. Adam Rankin, with

James Crawford and Terah Templin, probationers,

with a lay representation from thirteen congregations. Subjects of conversation, the sanctification of the Sabbath, particularly in those congregations or neighbourhoods which did not enjoy public worship; the recom· mending of a fast day, on account of the danger to which the district was exposed from the Indians; and the having a collection taken up in all the congregations for the purpose of importing books for the use of the ministry.

The Presbytery of Transylvania was the first regular Presbytery' which was established in Kentucky. It met agreeably to an appointment of the Synod of NewYork and Philadelphia, at Danville, 17th of October, 1786. The original members were, the Rev. David Rice, Adam, Rankin, Thomas B. Craighead, Andrew M'Clure, James Crawford, and Terah Templin.

The Synod of Kentucky, according to the appointment of the General Assembly, held its first meeting in Lexington, on the 14th day of October, 1802, and was opened with a sermon by the Rev. David Rice, on Isa. viii, 20. It was then composed of three Presbyteries, viz: Transylvania, West Lexington, and Washington. Transylvania had nineteen members, viz: David Rice, Samuel Finley, Matthew Houston, Samuel Robinson, Thomas B. Craighead, Terah Templin, James Balch, James M'Gready, William Hodge, John Bowman, William M'Gee, John Rankin, Samuel Donald, Thomas Mahon, Samuel M'Adow, John Howe, James Vance, Archibald Cameron, and Jeremiah Abel.

West Lexington had eleven, viz; James Crawford, Samuel Shannon, Isaac Tull, Robert Marshall, James

Blythe, James Welch, Joseph P. Howe, Samuel Rannells, John Lyle, Barton W. Stone, and William Robin

son.

Washington had seven, viz: James Kemper, John P. Campbell, Richard M'Nemar, John Thompson, John E. Finley, John Dunlavy, and Matthew G. Wallace.

The only ministers present at the first meeting of the Synod of Kentucky were as follows, viz:-Of Transylvania, David Rice, Samuel Finley, Matthew Houston, and Samuel Robinson. Of West Lexington, James Crawford, Samuel Shannon, Isaac Tull, Robert Marshall, James Blythe, James Welch, Joseph P. Howe, Samuel Rannels, and John Lyle. Of Washington, James Kemper, John P. Campbell, Richard M'Nemar, and John Thompson.

On the 20th of October, 1813, the Synod agreed that a new Synod should be formed in the state of Ohio, composed of the Presbyteries of Washington, Lancaster, and Miami. At this time the following members composed the above Presbyteries, viz: The Washington Presbytery had twelve ministers, James Gilliland, Robert G. Wilson, John E. Finley, William Williamson, John Boyd, Robert Wilson, Nicholas Pittinger, Robert Dobbins, James Hoge, John Andrews, James H. Dickey, and Samuel Woods. Miami had seven, James Welch, William Robinson, Joshua L. Wilson, Matthew G. Wallace, Samuel Baldridge, Daniel Haydon, and John Thompson. Lancaster never belonged to the Synod of Kentucky. The Ohio Synod held its first meeting, according to the appointment of the General

Assembly, in Chillicothe, on the last Thursday of October, 1814. R. G. Wilson was appointed to open it.

The Synod of Kentucky agreed on the 11th of Octo; ber, 1816, to request the General Assembly to grant another division, so as to form a new Synod in Tennessee. This request was granted by the Assembly in May, 1817, at which time it was directed that the Presbyteries of Union, Shiloh, West Tennessee, and Mississippi, should form a new Synod to be known by the name of the Synod of Tennessee, and that it should hold its first meeting in Nashville, on the first Wednesday of October. James W. Stephenson was appointed to open it.

Union Presbytery had at that time eight ministers, John M'Campbell, Samuel Rainey, Charles Coffin, Andrew S. Morrison, Isaac Anderson, Matthew Donald, Thomas H. Nelson, and Robert Hardin.

Shiloh had eight also, Robert Henderson, George Newton, Samuel Donnell, John Gillispie, Hugh Shaw, Samuel Hodge, William Hodge, and Jacob Lake.

West Tennessee had six, Gideon Blackburn, Duncan Brown, James W. Stephenson, James H. Bowman, Thomas J. Hall, and David Wier.`

Mississippi had four, Joseph Bullin, Thomas Montgomery, Jacob Rickhaw, and James Trimble.

According to the published official report of 1821 the state of the Synod, and the state of religion within its bounds, stood thus:

The Synod of Kentucky at present embraces the state of Kentucky and a considerable portion of the states of Indiana and Illinois. It contains forty-one or

dained ministers who are divided into five Presbyteries, and have under their charge ninety-nine organized congregations.

The Presbytery of Ebenezer, the first in geographi cal order, is between Licking and the Ohio rivers. It consists of eight ministers, who have the charge of fourteen congregations. Five years ago there were only three ministers within this bounds, and the churches were generally in a declining state. They are at the present upon the whole in a vigorous and prospèrous state. There have been added to the churches within. the bounds of this Presbytery during last year, seventy.

The Presbytery of West Lexington is between Licking and Kentucky rivers. It consists of eight ministers who have the charge of seventeen congregations. Four of these congregations have been organized and supplied with pastors during the last five years. There have been added to the church within the bounds of this Presbytery during the last year sixty-three.

The Presbytery of Transylvania is on the head waters of Salt and Green rivers, and is the oldest Presbytery in the state. It consists at present of nine ministers, who have the charge of seventeen congregations. There have been added to the church within the bounds of the Presbytery during last year forty-one.

The Presbytery of Muhlenburg is south of Green river. It consists of five ministers, who have the charge of twenty-two congregations. All of these have been organized and furnished with a regular dispensation of gospel ordinances within the last five years. There

છે?

« ZurückWeiter »