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Among the older
ecclesiastical bodies of Presbyterians in the United Slates is the
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. This body claims to be a
lineal descendant of the Reformed Church of Scotland. The line of descent
may be easily traced in history. During the twenty-eight years of
persecution that ensued in North Britain after the restoration of Charles
II., the Church of Scotland was greatly divided in sentiment. The General
Assembly had not met from 1651 to 1690, and those who adhered to the
position and principles of the Church as held from 1638 to 1649 were not
numerous.
At the accession of William
and Mary to the throne of Britain, Presbyterianism as established in
Scotland was hampered with so many Erastian principles that a considerable
number of intelligent and pious men and women refused to enter the
Established Church. These were sometimes designated as Cameronians and
Covenanters. They lived without a stated ministry for more than sixteen
years. At length, by the accession of Rev. John McMillan in 1706, and Rev.
Mr. Nairn in 1643, the Reformed Presbytery of Scotland was constituted.
Through this Presbytery Reformed Presbyterians in Scotland, Ireland,
British America, the United States, Northern India, and Syria have
received their ministry according to Presbyterian order. By ministers
regularly deputed to the American colonies from the Reformed Presbyteries
of Scotland and Ireland, a Reformed Presbytery was constituted on this
continent in 1774. In 1781-82 this Presbytery was dissolved, the three
ministers, Revs. Cuthbertson, Lynd, and Dobbin, entering into a union with
an Associate Presbytery, thus forming what was known as the Associate
Reformed Church. Cuthbertson was a Scotchman; Lynd and Dobbin were from
Ulster, Ireland. Thus in her first ministry the Reformed Presbyterian
Church in America was Scotch-Irish. Her membership were of the same
origin, although perhaps not in the same ratio.
In 1798, in the city of
Philadelphia, the Reformed Presbytery was reconstituted by Rev. James
McKinney and Rev. William Gibson with ruling ciders. Both these ministers
were of Scotch-Irish descent. Under the care of this Presbytery were
congregations in the New England, Middle, and Southern States. "Under its
direction as candidates for the ministry were Alex. McLeod, S. B. Wylie,
and John Black, who soon became eminent as doctors of divinity. In the
year 1800 the Reformed Presbytery passed a resolution excluding those who
held slaves from communion in the Church. Such an exactment at so early a
date tended to restrict membership; although if similar ground had been
taken at the same period by other ecclesiastical bodies, the late Civil
War might have been averted, and a better feeling between the North and
South maintained. The
Reformed Presbytery as it increased in numbers was divided into the
Northern, Middle, and Southern Committees. In 1809 these Committees were
organized into Presbyteries, and they in turn constituted the Synod of the
Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America. The Synod adopted also the
acts of the Reformed Presbytery, of which it became the orderly successor.
In 1823 the General Synod was constituted
according to a certain ratio from the different Presbyteries. Meanwhile
the Church extended her boundaries North, South, East, and West.
Accessions from the North of Ireland were numerous. Both the ministry and
membership were Scotch-Irish. In the Reformed Presbyterian Church the
Scotch-Irish have always found the order of worship and the Church polity
to which they had been accustomed. The sovereignty of the Lord Jesus
Christ in Church and in State has always occupied a prominent place in the
teaching and testimony of this denomination. To this doctrine she clings,
believing it to be the bulwark of civil and religious liberty.
In 1833 an unhappy division took place in the
Reformed Presbyterian Church upon the question of the relation of the
Church to the government of the United States.
The General Synod was meeting in Eleventh
Street, Philadelphia, and was in the act of organizing when, because the
officers of the Synod refused to recognize certain unrighteous acts of
discipline performed by a subordinate court, about half the ministers and
ruling elders present withdrew and organized another Synod in Cherry
Street. This unhappy division has never yet been healed. The General Synod
leaves the matter of taking part in the governmental affairs of the nation
with the consciences of her membership. The historic position of this
Church is "that no connection with the laws, the officers, or the order of
the State is forbidden, except what truly involves immorality."
The men who gave form and
scope to Reformed Presbyterianism on this continent were Rev. James
McKinney, William Gibson, Samuel B. Wylie,. John Black, Alex. McLeod,
Gilbert McMaster, and James R. Wilson. The last five became distinguished
as doctors in divinity. They were all of Scotch-Irish descent with the
exception of Dr. Alex. McLeod, who was a Scotchman by birth, and they were
all men of high attainments in literature, science, and theology. They
constituted indeed, a grand galaxy of intellect, of culture, of eloquence,
and of fidelity to conscience and to truth. What tongue or pen can measure
or describe the influence which these Scotch-Irish ministers, together
with the Scotch-Irish under their ministerial care, exerted upon the
communities in these United States where their lot was cast.
For many years Dr. S. B. Wylie was professor
of the Latin and Greek languages in the University of Pennsylvania. At the
same time ho was pastor of a large congregation in the city of
Philadelphia, and professor in the theological seminary of the Reformed
Presbyterian Church. Dr. John Black held the chair of Latin and Greek in
the Western University at Pittsburg from its establishment until his
resignation, and was for forty-eight years pastor of the first Reformed
Presbyterian congregation of the same city. Dr. Alex. McLeod, by his
eloquent discourses on the War of 1812, grandly vindicated the course of
the United States in that struggle, and roused the patriotism of American
citizens in defense of right. His lectures on the Apocalypse constitute a
clear and logical as well as eloquent exposition of a mysterious book. For
thirty years he was the pastor of one of the largest congregations in New
York City. Dr. Gilbert McMaster, in addition to a successful pastorate in
Duanesburg, N. Y., of more than thirty years, published a volume on civil
government, which has been widely read, and in every sentence reflects the
scholar and the polished writer. For some years he was professor in the
theological seminary of the General Synod. Dr. Wilson was eminent also as
a preacher and professor.
Those men left their impress upon New York,
Pennsylvania, and the West, but particularly on the three cities, New
York, Philadelphia and Pittsburg. They were the pioneers in the United
States in the promulgation of that robust faith and regard for human and
divine law which have been everywhere characteristic of the race to which
they belonged. In the
bosom of the Reformed Presbyterian Church were nourished and trained the
late James Pollock, Esq., ex-Governor of Pennsylvania; Gen. Crawford,
whose services in the late civil war were so conspicuous on the side of
the Union; Maj. Crawford, his brother, and their late venerable father,
who was eminent in letters and in theology! Indeed, in every department of
usefulness—in the halls of legislation, in the forum, in medicine, in
agriculture, in commerce, in science, and in theology—the Reformed
Presbyterian Church has had her representatives, who have made their mark,
and aided illustriously in shaping and developing the present position and
civilization of these United States.
The Mecklenburg declaration, which formed the
germ of the Declaration of Independence, was, beyond doubt, the outcome of
those covenants which, in so far as their principles are applicable to all
lands, the Reformed Presbyterian Church has always held sacred and binding
until the ends of them be effected.
The General Synod has always been missionary
in its operations. So early as 1836 this Synod established a mission in
Northern India, and in 1837 the Presbytery of Soharanpen was organized in
connection with said Synod. The result has been that a large number of
native converts have been trained for the ministry, and they are now doing
good service among their fellow-men. In 1863 the Synod established a
Freedmen's Mission in Alexandria, Va., and for a considerable time
conducted the enterprise through several ministers and female teachers.
In 1883 the Synod established a native mission
at Burki, Northern India. In 1881, at considerable expense, the Synod
brought Mr. Charles G. Scott, a native of India, to the United States and
graduated him both from the Theological Seminary of the Church and from
the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Scott is now doing missionary work at
Medjaffernagen, and has taken possession of Patiala as a mission field.
The Mission at present numbers two native missionaries, eight catechists,
four zenanas, sixteen boys in the orphan school, and a congregation of
thirty communicants, and about fifty adherents.
The Church under the care of the General Synod
has one theological seminary, located in the city of Philadelphia, with a
Faculty of three professors—namely, David Steele, D.D., Rev. Mr. Gailey,
Rev. J. Y. Boice—all of Scotch-Irish descent. This seminary is among the
oldest in the United States, having been organized in 1809, with the late
Samuel B. Wylie, D.D., as its first professor.
The Presbyterianism of this Church has never
been a matter of custom or convenience, but a form of Church government,
regarded as having its sanction and authority in the word of God. The
doctrinal principles to which adherence is given both by ministers and
members are embodied in the Westminster Confession of Faith, Catechism,
Larger and Shorter, and Reformation Principles Exhibited. The book of
Psalms in the best attainable version, whether prose or metrical, or both,
is the matter of praise in all the congregations of the Reformed
Presbyterian Church. Endeavoring to be true to her history and name, this
Church has always been an advocate of all the moral and scriptural
reforms, designed to promote order and the well-being and happiness of the
people both in the Church and in the commonwealth. Hence Sabbath
observance, family religion, and the training of children in the fear of
God, have always been reckoned a matter of supreme importance.
The Reformed Presbyterian Church is so largely
made up of Scotch-Irish that every element of her history in the United
States brings out some prominent features of the race. Whatever may have
been the modifications of the race in other climes, or in other
denominations, nowhere do we believe are the prominent features of the
Scotch-Irish race more marked and manifest than as these are found in the
Reformed Presbyterian Church in the United States. Another prominent trait
of the race, as found in this ecclesiastical body is that, whether the
person be an American by birth or adoption, he is attached to the
republican form of government adopted by the United States. Hence, he
rejoices in the achievements of the young republic, admires her galaxy of
States, is ready to defend her flag, and prays that her distinguished
greatness and Christian civilization may be the pole-star of the nations
of the globe. |
