JOURNAL 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Presbyterian Historical Society 
 
 Vol. II. June, 1904. No. 5. y 
 
 REPORTS UPON THE EARLY HISTORY OF 
 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES. 
 
 -,—,—,) 
 
 [The origin and character of the sketches of the early history 
 of local Presbyterian churches, whose publication is here be- 
 gun, are set forth in the Editorial contained in this number 
 of the Journal. In printing them the effort is made not only 
 to be accurate, but also to reproduce in each case the original 
 peculiarities of the manuscript. In regard to the two now ap- 
 pearing, it may be remarked that they are unsigned and un- 
 dated, but they are written by the same hand, and by a 
 comparison with a signed document of the Rev. Nathaniel 
 Irwin belonging to the Taylor collection, 1 it is placed beyond 
 question that both of these Memoirs are written by him. 
 
 Memoirs of the Presby tn - Ch. of Neshaminey. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church of Neshaminey is so called from its 
 situation on the South branch of the Neshaminey Creek. It 
 has also been called " the Forks of Neshaminey," as the build- 
 ing is situated, and the worshippers generally reside, in the 
 forks of that Creek — The house of public worship is in Warwick 
 Township in the County of Bucks about three miles distant from 
 the line of Montgomery County & about twenty miles nearly 
 due North of the City of Philad a - A religious Society was first 
 
 1 See the Journal, vol. ii, p. 218. 
 
 221 
 
. 
 
222 Reports upon Early Presbyterian Churches. 
 
 formed in this place about the year 1724 by the occasional 
 preaching of the Rev d - W m - Tennent, [the oldest of that 
 name.] 1 
 
 This venerable Patriarch had been a regular Minister of the 
 •established Church of Ireland ; which he left & came to 
 America about the year 1715. His first permanent residence 
 was at Bedford in the State of New-York, where he continued 
 about three years directing his attention chiefly to farming. In 
 the year 1718 he appeard before the Synod of Philad"- then 
 the highest Court of Judicature in the Presbyterian Church of 
 America, & expressed his desire to join that body. The Synod 
 after examining his credentials & receiving a profession of his 
 faith <i- the reasons which induced him to renounce the 
 Episcopal Church (which last are on record) received him as a 
 Member.* Soon after this he was setled as stated Pastor of 
 the Church of Bensalem near the Mouth of the Neshaminey 
 Creek. Being thus naturally led to explore the sources 
 of the Stream on which he resided, he came at length to 
 minister occasionally in the forks & the vicinity. In the 
 year 1725 (whether by private contract or presbyterial settle- 
 ment does not appear) Mr. Tennent undertook to preach 
 statedby to the people collected there, every other sabbath. For 
 two years & an half he continued thus to officiate at Mr. James 
 Cravens about three Miles and an half South East from the 
 place where the Church now stands : using the Barn in the 
 summer, the dwelling House in the Winter. 
 
 Mr. Craven was a low Dutch man late from long Island & had 
 been connected with the Dutch Ch. subordinate to the Classic 
 of Holland. Having now had "the Church in his house" for 
 so long a time, he became a zealous Member of of 8 the Presby- 
 terian Ch. & his descendants & connections have formed a 
 small but respecable branch of this Society ever since. 
 
 In 1727 the foundation of a House for public worship was 
 
 * It is supposed that his wife who was a Presbyterian & descended from 
 a long line of Presbyterian Minister's had considerable influence in 
 bringing her husband to embrace the Presbyterian faith. 
 
 1 Erased. '-' Repeated. 
 
A 
 
 Reports upon Early Presryteriax Churches. 223 
 
 laid a few poles distant from the place where the Church 
 now stands — So vigorous did this Society appear, even 
 in the Cradle, that this their first Church was an elegant 
 stone building 40 feet by 30 fitted for galleries & the 
 front of hewn stone* — It was finished so that divine service 
 began to be statedly performed in it in the summer of the 
 year 1728 — Mr. Tennent at this time lived on a farm which 
 had been given him by his friend Mr. [Growden] ' Logan — 
 about equidistant from Neshaminey & Bensalem. But as he 
 was now advanced in years & found the supplying two churches 
 14 Miles distant from each other too much for his diminished 
 strength, he resigned the Charge of Bensalem & devoted his 
 whole attention to the favourite Child of his gray hairs — the 
 infant Ch. of Neshaminey. Suited to this plan, his generous 
 friend [Growden] 1 Logan accommodated him with a new Plan- 
 tation (in lieu, of the former) situated on the old York Road in 
 Warminster Township about one mile & a quarter South East 
 of the Church. This spot became famous as the Seat of an 
 Accademy called by some the Log College erected there by Mr. 
 Tennent [about ye year] ' in or near ye year 1730. 2 [This] l 
 Such an Accademy [which] ' would scarce be/mown at this day : 
 but it was justly celebrated at a time when there was hardly its 
 superior South of New-England. 
 
 M r - Tennent was a Master [of] 1 in the latin & Greek lan- 
 guages & had some acquaintance with the liberal Arts & Sci- 
 ences. These he taught in person for a time : As the School 
 increased he employed one or more assistants. Many of the 
 Scholars after compleating at this Accademy such a course of 
 liberal learning as the place afforded & the day required. 
 studied divinity with M r - Tennent or others & became eminent 
 in the Church, especially as instruments in the Revival of re- 
 ligion which succeeded. Among these were a Robertson, a 
 M°Knight, a Campbell, a M c Crea, a Laurence a Roan a Rodgers 
 
 * Considering the numerous wants of the people & the general state of 
 building at this day, such a Ch. was noble for the first effort of a Society 
 scarcely formed. 
 
 Erased. ? Originally written 1732 and subsequently altered to 1730. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/repearlyOOphil 
 
\& 
 
 Reports upon Early Presbyterian Churches. 225 
 
 Among the Ministers who occasionally supplied the [Church] 1 
 Pulpit at this time was the Rev d - Francis McHenry. He came 
 from Ireland in the fall of the year 1737 — Next year he- was 
 established at Deep Run whence he came to supply at Ne- X 
 shaminey. [These supplies from being occasional came about 
 the vcar 41 or 42, to be stated every other sabbath — ] ' Some 
 time after he accepted the pastoral Charge of a part of 
 this Church & was to render one half his services at Ne- 
 'shaminey, the other at Deep Run. When the rent took 
 place in the Synod in the year 1741 he adhered to the old 
 side — He was however, a very morderate and prudent man & 
 declined signing the Protest that shibboleth of the party — But 
 he did not please the warm spirits of Neshaminey, who, on the 
 l@)day of Dec r - 1743 setled the Rev d - Charles Beatty as their 
 Pastor [Soon after this the other part of the Congregation 
 sought & obtained the said M r - M c Henry to be their Pastor 
 to preach half his time at Neshaminey and half at Deep Run.] 1 
 [He] 1 Mr. McHenry continued to serve [them] 1 his flock with 
 diligence fidelity & reputation till Jan?- 24 th 1757 when he 
 died — The aged Tennent was already in possession of his re- 
 ward on w ch he entered May 6 th 1746 having finished Ids 
 73 d year. 
 
 Shortly [before] 1 after the settlement of Mr. Beatty some dis- 
 putes arose between the parties respecting the property of the 
 Church — The new side were the most numerous ; but dis- 
 couraged by some legal decisions in similar cases they attempted 
 no forcible entry or legal process, but proceeded to build a 
 house more large & more elegant than the former. It was in 
 lull view of the other Church and on the same ground which 
 is occupied by the existing house — Before the death of 
 M r M c Henry the Synod was reunited : Mr. Beatty unsollicited 
 delivered a pathetic funeral discourse in the Church late of his 
 deceased Brother. This was thought to have a considerable 
 influence in bringing the people with a few exceptions to 
 unite under the pastorai care of Mr. Beatty — Mr. Beatty was 
 a man of a public Spirit & this perhaps was the chief reason of 
 
 1 Erased. 
 
226 Reports itpox Early Presbyterian Churches. 
 
 his being much inclined to travel & being much absent from 
 his Pastoral charge — On one of these expeditions he died in 
 the 1772 in the Island of Barbadoes whether he 
 
 A 
 
 had gone to solicit benefactions for the College of New-Jersey — 
 He was succeeded [Aug] 1 October 1774 by Nath'- Irwin the 
 present Pastor The Stated worshippers at the time 1 of his 
 settlement were near 200 families. They have been reduced, 
 chiefly by migration to about 150. Of these however some are 
 not Pew-holders — [The Church was incorporated by a/aw of 
 the State of Pennsy"- passed Sept r - 20 th - 1782]— ' Old & new 
 side united with the utmost cordiality in his Call nor has the 
 Spirit of party appeared among them ever since. The 
 Church was Incorporated by a Law of Pennsy a - passed the 20 th 
 day of Sept 1 - 1782— The Rev d - Mr. Gellatly a seceding Minis- 
 ter of talents & character [married] 1 from Scoland, married 
 into the family of Robt*- Bready then a Member of this Church 
 & attached to the party of M r M c Henry — This event conspir- 
 ing with the death of M r - M c Henry which happened about the 
 same time, made a favourable opening for the Seceders coming 
 in & establishing an altar in this place — They embraced the 
 opportunity, & attached a few families to them & made use of 
 the old Church as their place of public worship. Mr. Gellatly 
 however died & altho' Mr. Marshal* endeavoured to keep the 
 stream running, it is long since dried up — All the seceders 
 have returned : the Bready family only excepted — 
 
 Memoirs of the Presbyterian Church of Deep-run. 
 
 This Church is situated near the centre of Bucks County 
 about thirty three miles [North] 1 nearly due North from 
 Philad a - It was founded about the year 1732 & after receiving 
 occasional supplies for five or six years had for its first Stated 
 Pastor the Rev d - Francis M c Henry. This worthy Man was li- 
 censed in the Kingdom of Ireland, arrived in America in the- 
 fall of the year 1737 <& in the following year was ordained at 
 
 Q * Now of Philadelphia 
 1 Erased. 
 
 ^ 
 
Reports upon Early Presbyterian Churches. 227 
 
 the Forks of Neshaminey & installed as Pastor of that Church 
 & Deep which he served alternately till the time of his Death 
 which was on the 23 d - of January 1757 In the times of the di- 
 vision of the Presbyterian Church in America he joined what 
 was called the Old side but did not sign [the protest] 1 that 
 shibboleth of the day, the protest — He was moreover so exceed- 
 ingly moderate & prudent in his Conduct that when men 
 became cooler both sides admired Ids Character & conduct 
 He was succeeded in the Pastoral Charge of [Deep Run] 1 this 
 Church by the Rev d - James Lata who was ordained & installed 
 at Deep Run Feb*- 19 th 1762 By his [faithful &]' able & 
 faithful ministrations the Church, which has suffered much 
 during the Vacancy of the pulpit, revived, & nearly recovered 
 its losses, consisting at that time of more than sixty families. 
 The foolish interference & rash speeches of a few Weak people 
 respecting Mr. Lata's Marriage causing some disturbance in the 
 place he sought & obtained a Dismission on the 12 th - of April 
 1770. The same year he became the Pastor of the Church of 
 Chesnut Level where he continues to adorn the Christian & 
 ministerial Characters — The Last Stated Minister of this Church 
 was the Ilev d - James Grier who was ordained & installed June 
 the 1776 & finished his short but marked course Oct r - 19 th * 
 1791. For gifts & for graces M r - Grier was equally distinguished. 
 Had he not been impeded in his course by a weakly or disor- 
 dered constitution he had left most of his fellows far behind. 
 [As it was] 1 with all his infirmities he was a close, experi- 
 mental, pathetic & eminently useful preacher But altho' he 
 was instrumental in forming many sons & daughters for glory 
 in Deep Run he could not stop the course of migration & con- 
 sequent diminution observable in most Country Churches in the 
 lower parts of Pennsy a - The congregation at present consists 
 of about thirty five families & is by no means in a condition to 
 support a Minister — They have hopes, however, of settling one 
 in conjunction with the Neighboring Church of [Deep] 1 Tine- 
 cum the places of worship being only about 6 miles distant 
 from each other — Tn their weak state they derive some support 
 
 1 Erased. 
 
 > 
 
Vw 
 
■228 "Reports upon Early Presbyterian Churches. 
 
 from a convenient Glebe & Parsonage, [100 acres of the] 1 which 
 they possess. 100 acres of the Land was a present to the Church 
 from the late \Vill m - Allen Esq r - The Church was incorporated 
 under the late Law of Pennsy a - authorizing the Gov 1 - to grant 
 Charters of incorporation. The most remarkable events in this 
 Church happened in the Vacancy between the Incumbency of 
 Mr. M c Henry & that of M r - Lata— About the time of the decease 
 of the former that is in the year 1757, some seceding Ministers 
 3ately arrived from Scotland [began] 1 came into this place. 
 bearing in [their] 1 hand[s] ; their New Covenant, arallying the 
 people around this as a Standard. About 10 families who had 
 belonged to this Church joined them & formed a small Society 
 called the Plains which is now no more — The spirit of contro- 
 versy (as usual) coming in with this new System of doctrine 
 infected all Ranks. From the people it proceeded to the 
 priests. The Rev d - Doct r - Allison Vice Provost of the College 
 of Philad*- was engaged to become the Champion of the good 
 old cause. Mr. ( iellatly one of the most eminent of the Seceding 
 Ministers took up the gantlet in favour of the covenanted refor- 
 mation as it was called — These Spiritual gladiators in the sum- 
 mer of the year 1759 Mounted Stages erected for the purpose 
 near the Church. An immense Crowd of Spectators not only 
 from Deep Run but many neighbouring Churches animated 
 their courage & waited anxious the grand event — the contest 
 was continued with various success from Midday till Xight — 
 Doctr. Allison being the elder man and a person who feared nor 
 man nor Devil browbeat his adversary, but could not silence or 
 confound him. Each party therefore went away crying Victory 
 & more confirmed in their principles than before — 
 
 1 Erased.