■■■^..^db::, •«*ai!r"*^v ■rl£i:d!i'j;,, J; '';i;'5 ^■-x:.".,:::. ..,,.. ■-••-•»-; /I-,.. ■ »f- ,-'i;i-'Vi;:',T!;, ''fif -^.vl,. .,, , ) ■f.''+-r I'^'M.ti >.■; ■,. ,■; >•-"- '.'""It , ; " ' ' '■'(■ M- ■ *i , ■ i:' ' » ■ *^ •jj/.-'J- ,,,„ nM»-' I-'- J , , , ,,, 'fi« ^ 1.;' I.... ; , l.tl-f ^i -' ' ' I"-'- • • - ■TO,) '^■ DY ftq58 C53 A48 1890 irelbnerian Church in the U si. presbytery of Tre^bft^lianil!^"^^^ °^'' V ;;^^^p« - ...»«o^;« One Hundred Years JUL 15 1919 OF PRESBYTERIANISM FIRST PRESByXERlAN CHURCH, CINCINNATI, OHIO. First House of Worships erected 1792. IN THE OHIO VALLEY. :»»«W*««<»«M CINCINNATI, OHIO. 1890. UL 15 191 t)NE Hundred Years^*^*^ OF Presbyterianism IN THE OHIO VALLEY CINCINNATI, OHIO. isyo. The following invitation and program of exercises for the Centennial celebration of Presbyterianism in the Ohio \'alley was issued and carried out under the direction of committees from the First Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, ()., the Pres- byterian Church, Pleasant Ridge, ()., and the Presbytery of Cincinnati, Ohio, as follows : First Presbyterian Chiirch, The Presbyterian Chiircli, CiNCiNN-ATi, Ohio. Pleasant Riix.e, Ohio. Rf.v, Hugh Gilchrisi. Rkv. J. H. Waiikk. Mr. William McAlpin. Mr. II. C. Dlrrell. Dr. Cil\ulks \Vki!Kr. Mr. Ciiari.k.s F. Tiio.mpson, Presbytery of Cincinnati, Ohio. Rev. Huch Gilchrist. Rev. F. C. Monfort, D. D. Rkv. H. P. SMrrii, D, D. Rkv. W. H. James, D. D. Rev. J. II. Walter. Mr. James M. Johnsion. Mr. THKoi'HiLifs ^^'ILso^^ OcTOBF.R IB, 1790. October 16, 18<)0. One Hundred Years of Presbyterianisniv^^'^'OhioValley. P'lUST I'KKSm' IKKIAN CllLKCIl, TllE Ph ES In TEH I A N ClI UKCII, Ciiin'inia/i, Ohio. Pleiisaiit Iii<(s,''r, Ohio. ' I ^iii". Fiksr Presbyterian Church of Cincinnati and the Presisv lERiAN Church of Pleasant Ridge were organized on the 16th day of October, 1790. Exercises memorial of that event are to be held conjointly in the two houses of worship, on the 14th, 15th and 16th days of October, 1890. You are invited by the Committee of the Churches to be present and enjoy with them a review of what God hath wrought in the One Hundred Years of Presbyterianism in tin's region. Program of Exercises. FIRST SESSION— First Presbyterian Church, October 14, 2:30 p. m. REV. HUGH GILCHRIST, Presiding. History of the First Presbyterian Church, Rev. F. C. Monfort, D.D. ( The Revival of 1828, . Rev. J. G. Monfort, D.D. I Early Days, . . . . " Rev. A. S. Dudley. Reminiscences: -{ Early Sabbath-School Work, Rev. I5.W.Chidla\v,D.D. My Personal Recollections, . Miss Harriet Wilson. Noteworthy Incidents, . Rev. A. J. Reynolds. Social ami Ltiuiliroii for Elderly People hv Hie '■'•King^s Datig/ih'rs." SECOND SESSION— First Presbyterian Church, October 14, 7:30 p. m. MRS. C. A. SANDIiRS, Presiding. Vv'ON4AN'S work. At the Feet of Jesus, . " Mrs. W. A. Clark. Woman's Work — Past and Present, .... Miss Selina Wood. History of the Foreign Missionary Society of Cincinnati Presbytery Mrs. E. L. Robertson. History of the Home Missionary Society of Cincinnati Presbytery, Mrs. M. E. Trout. Women of the Manse, ..... Miss E. M. Gilchrist. S/'eeial Traill far Pleasant Kidge ]\'ediiesda y Morn i ng al U:l', THIRD SESSION— Presbyterian Church, Pleasant Ridge, October 15, loa. m. RKV. J. H, WAI/FER, Pnsuhiii,'. History of the Pleasant Ridge Church, . . Rev. J. H. Walter. Memories of the Pastors of the Church, . . Rev. \W . S. Acoinh. Memorial of the Elders, ..... Chas. F. Thompson. Liliicliri))! hr llie Lcniirs of llir Plcn^iinil Riif^r,- C/iiiri /i. FOURTH SESSION— Presbyterian Church, Pleasant Ridge, October 15, 2 p. m. RE\'. j. H. W'.Al.TKI!, Prr^idimr. EDUCATIONAL. A Sketch of Lane Seminary. . . . Rev. II. P. Smith, D.I). Earlv .Struggles of an Educational Institution, President, Ethelbert D. Warfield. Christian Nurture in Presbyterian Families Fifty Years Ago, Rev. Chas. F. Mussey, D.D. The Past and Future of Higher Christian Education. Rev. D. W. Fisher, D.D. lu'Cfptiou from 5:ii0 to ~ :.iO />. m.^^^i'veii by the Ladies of the First Church. cii,i,;f hy the Missioiinry Sorieties of the Presbytery. FIFTH SESSION — First Presbyterian Church, October 15, 7:30 p. m. .MR. U0B1:RT S. l'V\.TOy^,Presiiiiiifr. THE saobath:=school. The (Growth of the Sabbath-.school, . Rev. B. W. Chidlaw, D.D. The Sabbath-school an Aggressive Force in ChurchWork, Rob't S.Fulton. The Mission Station for the Modern City, . Rev. Peter Robertson. Tiie Church as Subject to the Control of Session, Rev. Frank GranstatT. SIXTH SESSION— First Presbyterian Church, October i6, 10 a. m. RE\'. GEO. M. .MA.XWELI., D.I)., Presidi/ijr, THE CHURCH. P.oginning at Jerusalem, . . . Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D.D. Tiie Children" of the First Church, . . Rev. J. J. Francis, D.D. The Pioneer Preacher, .... Rev. C. L. Thompson, D.D. A Sketch of the General Assembly, . Rev. Wm. H. Roberts, D.D. A Sketch of the Cincinnati Presbytery, . . Rev. E. T. Suiggett. NTH SESSION— First Presbyterian Church, October 16, 2:30 p. m. MR. WILEIAM Mc.VLPIN, Presidimr. THE LAITY. Prominent Men of the Past, .... Andrew Kemper, M. D. Ministerial Relief, E. R. Monfort. Business Tact in Church Management, . . Peter Rudolph Xeft'. The Down-town Church, Wm. H. Morgan. '{"tie Ministry of the Laity, D. H. P.aldwin. Soeiiil ami Lil inheoii for Laymen and olliers.^ by the'- Lights for the Darkness." fEI.K«RAirf)X OF THE I.ORD's SUI'PER, OCTOBER 1 (), 7 :'>0 P. M. Rev. W. McKibben, D.D. Rev. E. D. Morris, D.D., L.L.D. REV. JAMES KEMPER. Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, O., 1700-1790. Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Pleasant Ridge, ()., 17:JG-1S07. H ISTORY OF THE First Presbyterian Church. Rev. F. C. Moxfort, D. D. John iv., 38 — Other men laboured, and ^-e are entered into their labours. There is no such thing as independence, except only the independence of the Ahnighty. The oak tree is a symbol of independence. It is strong and needs no props, but it is de- pendent on the soil which fastens and feeds it, as well as upon water and sunshine. Americans glory in the "Declaration of Independence," an important document certainly, but only a repudiation of foreign political allegiaAce. America and Eng- land, China and all nations are naturally dependent in com- merce, invention, education and other things. The same is true of individuals. No man liveth unto or of himself. We depend not only on God, the Author of all good, but on parents and teachers, as well as on the good and great of other generations who laid the foundations of our civilization and comfort. So in the church, men in each age build on the work of those who have gone before. Christ's disciples stand out in history as the pioneers of a dispensation, yet they were not independent. Back of them were the prophets and Moses and Abraham, and all who helped in Israel's preparation for the fullness of time. Christ said : "Other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." His words are the statement of a principle always true. As the disciples entered into the labors of Moses and the prophets, so the fathers of the early centuries entered into 6 t>RESBYTERlAN CENTENNIAL. theirs, and those of succeeding centuries into theirs ; while we* in these last days look back along the whole line and repeat the words, "All these labored, and we are entered into their labors." We are like workmen on some great cathedral, taking up work which others began and still others carried forward, and still others must finish, according to the plan of the architect. Like these workmen, we see the vast structure and note its beauty, but like them also we may forget the part and the dili- gence and even the tiames of those who have labored before us. This should not be so. The memory of the just is blessed. The Church should know and honor the men who by God's blessing have helped build and establish her. So each par- ticular Church should remember and honor those who have contributed to her prosperity. If there is any spot in the Ohio Valley, the history and associations of which are calculated to emphasize, the text, it is the spot on which this church building stands. It is sacred ground. It was set apart for sacred uses on the plan of Cin- cinnati, before a single lot was disposed of for any purpose. This original plan was drawn by John Filson, who, with Mathias Denman and Robert Patterson, purchased an extensive tract of land. Filson was killed by the Indians before the land was occupied, and a new plan was drawn by Israel Lud- low, who succeeded to his interest. The plans, however, were alike in many particulars, and in both the south half of the square bounded by Fourth, Fifth, Main and Walnut streets was "set apart for the uses of a Presbyterian Church." Cincinnati was settled by a party of twenty-six men under the leadership of Denman, Patterson and Ludlow, who left Maysville, then called Limestone, on the 24th of December, 1788, and landed near the foot of Sycamore street, probably on the 28th. The lots dedicated for chuixh purposes were occu- pied almost immediately. A majority of the settlers, including two of the proprietors, Denman and Patterson, were Presby- terians. Israel Ludlow, though not a member of the Church, had been raised a Presbyterian, and was afterwards identified with this congregation. PRESBYTERIAN' CENTENNIAL. / Their gift of land to the Church represented, however, only their good will to the cause of religion. An unfortunate oversight in the execution of a deed some years later of all the "unsold lots" in their tract, threw a cloud upon the church's title, which was only removed by purchase. The price was that at which the lots had been originally put on the market, namely : $4 per lot or .|16 for the entire half square. A tablet to the memory of Israel Ludlow adorns the west wall of the tower of this building. Services were held during the summer of 1789, under the trees which grew where this house now stands. David Wade, who came to this city in 1790, w^as told that the ground had then been occupied for more than a year. Services were held also in the houses of settlers, and in a mill which stood on Vine street, below Third. This was, of course, unsatisfactory. The need of a formal organization, and of a building and pastor, was felt, and on the 16th of October, 1790, a Church was formally organized by Rev. David Rice, under a commission from the Presbytery of Transylvania. This Presbytery covered at that time all the ground west of the mountains. The formality of the organiza- tion has been questioned, but as it has never been set aside, but was recognized by the Presbytery in the installation of a pastor, and as the Church has been satisfied with it for a cent- ury, the date may be regarded as its ecclesiastical birthday. The original members of the Church were Daniel Kitchel, Jacob Reeder, Joseph Reeder, Annie Reeder, Samuel Sering, Sarah Sering, Jonathan Tichenor, Isaac Morris. Arrangements were made by Mr. Rice at the time of the organization to send to the Church a theological student, James Kemper, who, by direction of Presbytery, was studying under his tuition. A few weeks later Mr. Kemper arrived and spent six weeks, returning then to complete his studies. In the spring he again visited the field and agreed to settle for the year, but did not move his family nor begin his service until October 25th, 1791. O PRESBYTERIAN CENTENNIAL. About this time it was determined to build a sanctuary," and subscriptions were taken. The people gave liberally, ac- cording to their means, and those who could not give money, gave lumber or other material, or labor. Many subscriptions are for one, two or three days' labor ; some are for so many days' work of team. Others are for nails, boards or boat plank. The original subscription paper, which has been preserved, is an interesting document. It is said to contain the autograph of every male resident of the town at the time, January 16th, 1792. The subscriptions are for the "purpose of erecting an house of worship in the village of Cincinnati to the uses of the Presbyterian denomination." The largest money subscription was by R. Allison, $11. There were five subscriptions of $10 each. These were by Israel Ludlow, James Wilkinson, Win- throp Sargeant, Mahlon Hord and C. D. Strong. The most liberal subscription, all things considered, was that of Rev. James Kemper, who gave five dollars, five days' work, five days' team and five boat plank. The total subscription in money was a little over $300. The building was of frame, 30 x 40 feet. It was occupied in the fall both as a church and Court-room. Presbytery met in it October 21, 1792. It was not plastered until 1794, when another subscription paper was passed around. Judge Burnet, in his "Sketches of the West," thus describes it : "It was en- closed with clapboards, but neither lathed, plastered nor ceiled. The floor was of boat plank laid loosely on sleepers. The seats were of the same material supported on blocks of wood. There was a breastwork of unplaned cherry boards, called the pulpit, behind which the clergyman stood on a piece of boat-plank resting on blocks of wood." This was the first Protestant house of worship north-west of the Ohio. What is said to be a picture of it may be found in several historical works, but the picture represents a two-story building with a stone foundation, whereas the church was one- story, and rested on blocks of wood. What the picture really represents was known as Burk's church, which stood on Vine street, near Fifth, and was constructed partly out of the ma- terial of the original building. A more accurate, though not PRESBYTERIAN CENTENNIAL. 9 ■SO pretty picture has been drawn from an outline made by the late Isaac McFarland, the details being filled in according to his suggestions and those of other persons who remember the building. The success of Rev. Mr. Kemper's labors as supply were so satisfactory that at the end of the year he was called to the pastorate. The call was for three years, a limita- tion which would not be regarded as orderly in our day, but the Presbytery, without objecting to this, placed it in his hands, and appointed a meeting at Cincinnati, October 21st, for his ordination and installation. The record of this meeting is important. It was held in the new sanctuary. There were present Revs. David Rice, James McConnell and Terah Templin. Ordinations and installations were not so common as in our day, and there was no disposition to hurry. Presbytery met on the 21st, but did nothing except organize. Rev. David Rice was Moderator. On the 22nd Mr. Kemper preached his trial sermon from II. Tim. i. 13, "Thou therefore endure hard- ness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," an appropriate text, as any one familiar with his life will realize. He also delivered a popular lecture and was fully examined. The ordination was appointed for 10 o'clock the next morning, at which time Mr. Kemper was duly ordained and installed, the whole day being given up to the service. In the record of Presbytery, as in other early records, the church is spoken of as the "Church of Cincinnati and Colum- bia." It was one church with the two names, and so remained during the pastorate of Mr. Kemper. This lasted until Oc- tober 7, 1796, when the church was divided into the "Churches" of Cincinnati and Columbia, the latter dividing at once into the churches of Duck Creek, now Pleasant Ridge, and Round Bottom, whose members afterwards formed the Mt. Carmel Church. The earlier years of Mr. Kemper's pastorate were years of, trial to the new settlement. There was constant trouble with the Indians. The session of the church directed