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The Semi-centennial of
Mecklenburg Presbytery
Ike
SEMI-CENTENNIAL
of
MECKLENBURG
PRESBYTERY
1869-1919
C €
STEELE CREEK CHURCH
MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N. C.
SEPTEMBER 17, 1919
97/3J
The Semi-Centennial
OF
Mecklenburg Presbytery
m si
1869-1919
HELD IN
STEELE CREEK CHURCH
MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N. C.
SEPTEMBER 17th, 1919
fort**
B S SI
FOREWORD
The Presbytery of Mecklenburg is to be congratulated on
its historian. Dr. Mcllwain's connection with the Presby-
tery began in 1873, forty-six years ago, just four years after
its organization, so that he has observed its development
during nearly the whole of its half century of growth and is
doubtless more familiar with it than any living man. Not
only so, but he has himself been one of the most potent fac-
tors in the promotion of that development and indeed in all
the forward work of our Synod, especially its phenomenal
progress in Home Missions during the last forty years.
In 1881 the Synod met in Salisbury and that meeting
marks an era in the history of the Presbyterian Church of
North Carolina, for it was then and there that a paper was
presented, signed by Wm. E. Mcllwain and four other min-
isters proposing the prosecution of Home Mission work
throughout the state by "Synodical effort" as distinguished
from the purely Presbyterial method which had been exclu-
sively employed up to that time. After earnest debate, con-
tinued at intervals for two or thi'ee days, this paper was
adopted, and thus the great work of Synodical Home Mis-
sions was born — the work to which we are indebted for the
brightest chapters in all our history as an Evangelistic
church. The plan not being satisfactorily worked out at
first, Dr. Mcllwain, who was chairman of the Committee of
Home Missions in Mecklenburg Presbytery, secured the
co-operation of the corresponding officers in the other Pres-
byteries and called a convention at Goldsboro on the day
before Synod met there in 1888 to consider the interest of
Home Missions. The convention adopted a memorial to be
presented to Synod next day, in answer to which the Synod
inaugurated the fully organized work of Synodical Home
Missions — the action which for the first time gave our
church her true place as an Evangelistic agency in this state
and which has resulted in a great ingathering of souls and a
great expansion of the church's activities on every line.
The thing that deserves emphasis is that Dr. Mcllwain,
Mecklenburg's chairman of Home Missions at that time, was
one of the prime movers in this epoch-making action, as
indeed he was in almost every other forward movement of
the church. At that same meeting of Synod, for instance,
he introduced a resolution in answer to a memorial from the
Presbyterian Lady Managers of the "Home and Hospital"
in Charlotte, appointing a commission to establish the Or-
phans' Home now at Barium Springs, one of the most im-
portant steps taken by the Synod.
In every way he has been a leader and a creative worker
of wide vision, of bold initiative, of sound judgment, of un-
flagging zeal, and it was one of the chief felicities of the
semi-centennial celebration that he was selected to tell the
stirring story of those first fifty years. Happy the Presby-
tery with such an historian! Happy the historian of such
a Presbytery !
WALTER W. MOORE.
cm
H P" f
Order Taken for the Celebration of the
Semi-Centennial of the Presbytery
at Mallard Creek Church,
September 18, 1918
"Whereas, on October 16, 1919, the Presbytery of Meck-
lenburg will have reached the fiftieth year of its history ;
"And whereas, such an occasion ought not to pass without
due notice and proper celebration, therefore resolved,
"First, that a committee be appointed at this meeting of
Presbytery to prepare a program and select speakers for the
occasion, and submit a history of the Presbytery covering
these fifty years.
"Second, that the Presbyteries of Asheville and Kings
Mountain be invited to be well represented and take an active
part with us in this celebration.
"Third, that this committee be instructed to so select and
arrange its historical data that their reports could be easily
printed in pamphlet form for general distribution in all our
churches."
The following committee was appointed to arrange for
the semi-centennial to be held at the Fall meeting of 1919:
Rev. A. A. McGeachey, D.D., Chairman ; Rev. Wm. E. Mcll-
wain, D.D., Rev. J. W. Orr, Rev. H. E. Gurney, D.D., with
Elders F. S. Neal, Geo. E. Wilson and W. H. Belk.
At a called meeting held in the First Church, Charlotte,
July 21st, 1919, the Committee on the Semi-Centennial made
the following recommendations, which were adopted :
First. That the semi-centennial be held at Steele Creek
Church, September 17, at eleven A. M., and that Rev. A. A.
McGeachey, D. D., Chairman of the Committee, preside.
5
Second. That Concord Presbytery be invited to take part
in this celebration.
Third. That the Historical Address be delivered by the
Rev. Wm. E. Mcllwain, D.D.
Fourth. That addresses be delivered by representatives
of Asheville, Kings Mountain and Concord Presbyteries.
Fifth. That a free conference be held by members of
Presbytery and visitors from other Presbyteries.
The Presbytery met in Steele Creek Church September
16, 1919, in its one hundredth session, and was opened with
a sermon by Rev. W. R. Coppedge, the retiring Moderator.
Rev. Wm. Black, D.D., was elected Moderator. It was
evident from the first that this was to be a great meeting of
Presbytery. Visitors began to arrive from both the Caro-
linas and from more distant states. The following minis-
ters were invited to sit as corresponding members and were
introduced to the Presbytery: Rev. J. H. Morrison, D.D.,
Pine Bluff Presbytery; Rev. Geo. Summey, D.D., New Or-
leans Presbytery ; Rev. W. P. McCorkle, D.D., Roanoke Pres-
bytery ; Rev. W. W. Moore, D.D, West Hanover Presbytery ;
Rev. John McEachern, Orange Presbytery ; Rev. A. W. Craw-
ford, Fayetteville Presbytery ; Rev. S. L. Morris, D.D., Macon
Presbytery; Rev. R. S. Arrowood, Fayetteville Presbytery;
Rev. J. M. Grier, D.D., Rev. S. E. Cathey, Rev. L. L. Moore,
Rev. E. D. Brown, Rev. W. T. Walker, Concord Presbytery ;
Rev. R. F. Campbell, D.D., and Rev. R. P. Smith, D.D., Ashe-
ville Presbytery ; Rev. J. B. Swann, Bethel Presbytery ; Rev.
J. T. Dendy, Rev. G. A. Sparrow, Rev. J. C. Grier, Kings
Mountain Presbytery; Rev. Eugene Alexander, Fayetteville
Presbytery ; Rev. A. G. Buckner, D.D., Pee Dee Presbytery ;
Rev. Wm. E. Mcllwain, D.D., Florida Presbytery.
The hour having arrived for the semi-centennial exercises,
the former order of Presbytery was carried out. The Rev.
A. A. McGeachey presided, and introduced Rev. W. E. Mcll-
wain, who delivered the following address :
6
Si
The Semi-Centennial of the Presbytery
of Mecklenburg, 1869-1919
My Brethren of the Presbytery of Mecklenburg :
In compliance with your request to deliver the historical
address on this interesting occasion, I have selected for my
theme "The History of the Presbytery of Mecklenburg from
its Organization October 16th, 1869, to October 16th, 1919."
The organization of the Presbytery of Mecklenburg was
effected October 16th, 1869, after favorable answer by the
Synod of North Carolina to the following overture from the
Presbytery of Concord : "The Presbytery of Concord, per-
suaded that the work of the Lord would be more efficiently
performed and at the same time much labor, time and ex-
pense saved by a division of its territory, chm-ches, minis-
ters, and candidates, most respectfully overtures the vener-
able Synod of North Carolina to set off from the territory of
the Presbytery of Concord in order to form a new Presby-
tery to be called the Presbytery of Mecklenburg, the follow-
ing counties, viz: Anson, Union and such part of Mecklen-
burg as lies South and West of a line beginning at Beattie's
Ford on the Catawba river and running thence with the road
to Concord town until said road meets the Cabarrus County
line, Lincoln, Gaston, Cleveland, Polk, Rutherford, Buncome,
Henderson, Transylvania, Madison, Haywood, Jackson, Clay,
Macon, and Cherokee, with the following ministers : R. H.
Morrison, D.D., Robert Burwell, J. E. Morrison, J. D. Hall,
John Douglas, Nathan Shotwell, Walter W. Pharr, J. F. W.
Freeman, Thos. E. Davis, R. N. Davis, J. C. Williams, Jacob
Hood, A. W. Miller, D.D., G. D. Parks, J. S. Barr, R. Z. John-
ston, R. B. Anderson, Wm. A. McDonald, H. H. Banks, J. J.
Kennedy, W. N. Morrison. And churches as follows : Unity,
Castanea Grove, Providence, Lebanon, Goshen, Steele Creek,
7
lin, Davidson River, Mills River, Hendersonville, Rutherford-
ton, Mallard Creek, Flat Creek, (Red Oak), Olney, Union,
Lincolnton, Long Creek, Hopewell, Ebenezer (Morrison),
Charlotte, Sugar Creek, Caldwell (Paw Creek), Sharon,
Machpelah, Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Asheville, Swannanoa,
Pleasant Hill, Little Brittain, Shelby, Sandy Plains, Frank-
New Hope, Dallas, Wadesboro, Bethel, Hiawassee, Beulah.
Also the following candidates for the ministry: C. N.
Hutchinson, P. P. Maxwell, Chas. M. Douglas, George Sum-
ney and James H. Morrison. The Presbytery of Mecklen-
burg will then embrace 17 counties, 38 churches, 23 minis-
ters and 5 candidates."
The report of the Synod's Committee on Bills and Over-
tures touching the above overture from Concord Presbytery
is as follows :
"The Committee unanimously recommend:
"1st. That the Synod of North Carolina do erect a new
Presbytery out of a portion of the territory to be styled the
Presbytery of Mecklenburg with the boundary, churches,
ministers and candidates, in accordance with said overture.
"2nd. That the Presbytery of Mecklenburg be directed to
meet for the first time in the parlor of Mrs. Robert Pearson
in the town of Morgantown, N. C, this morning, October
16, 1869, at 11 :30 A. M., and that Rev. R. H. Chapman, D.D.,
preside as Moderator."
This report was adopted and in accordance with the action
of Synod, the ministers and ruling elders included in the ter-
ritory set off from the Presbytery of Concord, with a view of
being formed and constituted the Presbytery of Mecklen-
burg, met in the parlor of Mrs. Robert Pearson in the town
of Morgantown, Saturday, October 16th, 1869, at 11:30 A. M.
Rev. R. H. Chapman called the meeting to order and
opened the session with prayer. The Moderator appointed
Elder A. T. Summey, temporary Clerk. The roll was called
and the following ministers and elders answered to their
names: Ministers — W. W. Pharr, Robert Burwell, A. W.
8
Miller, D.D., R. Z. Johnston, Wm. A. McDonald, J. F. W.
Freeman, R. N. Davis, J. S. Barr, J. J. Kennedy, Nathan
Shotwell, R. H. Chapman, D.D., W. N. Morrison, H. H.
Banks, Wm. Graves, Jacob Hood,- John Douglas. Ruling
Elders — J. M. Earnhardt, Mallard Creek Church ; A. G. Neel,
Steele Creek; John R. Davidson, Hopewell; R. S. White,
Philadelphia ; S. W. Craig, New Hope ; A. T. Summey, Ashe-
ville; Dr. E. Nye Hutchinson, Charlotte. The Presbytery
being thus constituted, Dr. Chapman was elected Moderator,
A. T. Summey, temporary Clerk, and Rev. R. Z. Johnston,
stated Clerk, and Rev. R. N. Davis, Treasurer. A commit-
tee consisting of Dr. A. W. Miller, Rev. H. H. Banks and
Elder A. G. Neel was appointed to nominate the standing
committees of the Presbytery. The new Presbytery then
adjourned, to meet in its first regular session at Steele Creek
Church April 21st, 1870, at 11 :00 A. M. A strong Commit-
tee of Home Missions was appointed, consisting of Rev. G.
D. Parks, Rev. J. C. Williams, with Elder John Walker, of
Sharon Church, J. M. Hutchinson, Sugar Creek Church, and
J. L. Brown, Deacon in the Charlotte Church.
The first standing rule adopted by the new Presbytery was
that the Presbytery would hold its Fall meetings in the
mountain portion of its territory. The wisdom of such a
rule will appear as this history unfolds. That you may form
some idea how intent the new Presbytery was upon reaching
its vast destitutions, the fact is recorded that at its very first
regular meeting it appointed a committee consisting of Dr.
Miller, Rev. John Douglas, and Rev. H. H. Banks to secure
an evangelist for the Presbytery and to report promptly to
the Presbytery. Christian education was not neglected by
the Presbytery at this, its first meeting. The following
Trustees of Davidson College were appointed: Dr. R. H.
Morrison, Dr. A. W. Miller, Dr. E. Nye Hutchinson, J. M.
Hutchinson, Gen. Rufus Barringer, Gen. D. H. Hill, Hon.
Wm. M. Cocke, Rev. John Douglas, Rev. G. D. Parks, Rev.
J. C. Williams, Dr. W. B. McLean and R. I. McDowell. The
Presbytery having closed its sessions at Steele Creek Church,
adjourned to meet in regular Fall session at Franklin
Church, Macon county, in the heart of its mountain terri-
tory.
Before entering fully upon the history of the Presbytery,
let me briefly call attention to the very difficult task com-
mitted to the new Presbytery. Its territory from East to
West, from Anson county to the Georgia and Tennessee
lines, embraced 19 counties of the state, and was more than
250 miles in length. Presbyterian destitution in much of
this territory was discouraging. In six of these counties,
Cleveland, Madison, Jackson, Cherokee, Graham and Swain,
there was not a Presbyterian Church. In Union county one
small country church, Bethlehem, with 44 members ; in An-
son county, one small country church, Lebanon, with 59
members ; in Polk county one church, Sandy Plains, with 8
members; in Haywood county one church, Bethel, with 31
members; in Transylvania county one church, Davidson
River, 41 members; in Clay county one church, Hiwassee,
with 30 members. In these six counties, Anson, Union,
Polk, Haywood, Transylvania and Clay, we had only 213
members of our church. In six other counties we had no
churches at all. Therefore, in twelve entire counties of the
state we had only six small country churches with an aggre-
gate membership of 213. In other words, we have more
members today in the Huntersville Church than we then had
in twelve counties of our Presbytery, and three times as
many members today in Steele Creek Church as we then
had in twelve of our mission counties in 1869. Now let us
turn from the consideration of this very difficult task con-
fronting the Presbytery and inquire as to the resources at
the command of the new Presbytery. There was only one
church in Charlotte of 263 members, only one church in
Asheville with 83 members, 60 pupils in the Sabbath School
and paying less than $700.00 per year for pastor's salary and
congregation expenses. There was no church in Wadesboro,
Monroe, Matthews, Pineville, Huntersville, Shelby, Gastonia,
Kings Mountain, Belmont, Lowell, Brevard or Waynesville.
The First Church, Charlotte, and Sugar Creek and Hope-
well were the only churches in the Presbytery which sup-
10
ported their ministers for the whole of his time. For the
first year $2,753.00 was given for all departments of Home
Missions and the First Church, Charlotte, gave over $2,-
000.00 of this amount. You will not forget that the organ-
ization of the Presbytery was within four years of the close
of the great Civil War and the horrors of the so-called "re-
construction" were not yet passed. The poverty of many of
our best people was not imaginary but profoundly real.
Under war conditions the Synod of North Carolina, we are
told, had practically made no progress in four years. Instead
of progressing numerically she had actually lost 2,000 com-
municants, and it goes without saying that this part of the
state had borne its full share of suffering and loss. Were
not the fathers who established this Presbytery real heroes
of faith when, under the shadows of war, with twelve out
of nineteen counties practically vacant, they bravely set
themselves to evangelize their entire territory ? Then as to
means at their command, either the First or Second Church
of Charlotte is giving today far more for all purposes than
all the churches of that day.
To what extent has the Presbytery, in the face of great
difficulties and poverty of resources, succeeded in evangeliz-
ing its large territory? Let me answer this question by
saying:
1st. There is not one of its original nineteen counties to-
day without its Presbyterian Church.
2nd. The Presbytery of Concord transferred to the new
Presbytery thirty-nine churches, five of these with ten mem-
bers or less. Today, on the same territory, with Stanley
county added from Concord Presbytery with one or two
churches in 1879, and Richmond and Montgomery counties
added from Fayetteville Presbytery in 1917 with fourteen
churches, we have 146 churches against 39 in 1869.
3rd. The list of new churches organized since 1869 is a
long list, and such their numerical strength and annual gifts
11
that these alone would make a strong Presbytery,
were organized in the following order:
They
Paper Mill
Monroe
Wadesboro
Second Church, Charlotte
Waynesville
Pineville
Matthews
Huntersville
Bryson City
Amity
Gastonia
Polkton
Kings Mountain
Williams Memorial
Robinson
Waxhaw
Mulberry
Lowell
Tenth Avenue, Charlotte
Newell
Belmont
Waco
Dillsboro
Ironton
Weaverton
Banks
Brevard
Stanley Creek
Cooks Memorial
Beulah
Nantahala (Center)
Beaver Dam (Marshville)
Altan
Cherryville
Forest City
Lattimore (Moresboro)
March 16th, 1873
September 26th, 1873
October 12th, 1873
November 18th, 1873
November 27th, 1873
December 20th, 1875
February 10th, 1877
November 2nd, 1878
September 25th, 1881
June 17th, 1882
July 16th, 1882
June 15th, 1883
April 5th, 1884
April 25th, 1885
November 26th, 1887
October 3rd, 1888
1888
June 8th, 1889
March 2nd, 1890
November 15th, 1890
November 15th, 1890
February 21st, 1891
April, 1891
March 29th, 1891
April 12th, 1891
May 27th, 1891
October 9th, 1891
November 27th, 1891
December 18th, 1892
May 1st, 1892
September 24th, 1892
April 13th, 1893
July 19th, 1893
September 10th, 1893
November, 1893
April 29th, 1894
12
Midway
Columbus
Salem
Siler
Mt. Holly
Henrietta
Carmel
Murphy
Westminster, Charlotte
Lebanon (Mecklenburg)
Albemarle
Bessemer City
New London
Seversville (Charlotte)
Littles (Camden)
St. Paul's (Charlotte)
Lilesville
Pegram Street (Charlotte)
Porters
Walkersville
Cornelius
West Avenue (Charlotte)
Groveton (Charlotte)
Rehoboth
Bethany
Indian Trail
Peachland
Knox (Charlotte)
North Charlotte
Palestine
Emmanuel
McGee
Wilmore (Charlotte)
Oakboro
Unionville
Rocky River
Stanfield
Aquadale
October 18th, 1894
April 9th, 1895
October 12th, 1895
October 2nd, 1895
September 1st, 1896
May 13th, 1896
May 13th, 1896
September 30th, 1896
November 28th, 1897
May 15th, 1898
March 18th, 1898
June 18th, 1899
November 19th, 1899
July 5th, 1903
November 12th, 1904
May 13th, 1906
October 9th, 1901
October 6th, 1907
November 2nd, 1908
November 10th, 1908
April 27th, 1909
August 16th, 1909
September 7th, 1909
September 24th, 1911
November 24th, 1912
February, 1913
July 21st, 1912
April 4th, 1912
June 2nd, 1912
October 27th, 1913
August 1st, 1913
April 27th, 1913
January 10th, 1914
July 9th, 1914
August 23rd, 1915
September 21st, 1916
April 1st, 1917
May 6th, 1917
Badin March 18th, 1917
Midland September 23rd, 1917
Allen October 21st, 1917
Total, 77 new churches organized since 1869, not counting
the new churches organized by Asheville and Kings Moun-
tain Presbyteries. Some of the smallest of these churches
have been disorganized. They are as follows: Paper Mill,
Weaverton, Lebanon (in Mecklenburg), Groveton, Emman-
uel, five churches with a combined membership of only about
125 members. Deducting these five dissolved churches we
have 72 new churches remaining. These new churches
alone, if brought together, would constitute a great Pres-
bytery. That you may more fully appreciate this state-
ment let me say they are served by 286 Elders, 310 Deacons,
have 6,662 in Sabbath School and a communicant roll of
7,462. This Presbytery would be larger than many of our
largest Presbyteries, larger than New Orleans with 4,792
communicants, or Louisville with 5,253 or Nashville with 5,-
850 or Memphis with 7,166 communicants. These new
churches of Presbytery, not including the churches organ-
ized by Asheville and Kings Mountain Presbyteries, gave
last year for all purposes not less than $130,000.00.
The erection of suitable houses of worship for all these
new churches demanded great labor and expense. The
exact data as to the cost of each of these seventy-two new
church buildings in city, town and country is not available,
but when you include such buildings as Wadesboro, Monroe,
Second Church, Charlotte, Tenth Avenue, Westminster,
Knox Church, Charlotte; Belmont, First Church, Gastonia;
Waynesville, Brevard and others, the average cost would be
at least $4,000.00 and the whole cost about $300,000.00. But
whatever the cost, church homes must be provided regard-
less of expense. Until this is done there is no guaranteed
permanency. I call your attention to the fact that of these
five new churches, finally dissolved, not one of them had a
house of worship.
14
I may surprise you by stating that so far as I know there
was not a manse in the Presbytery in 1869. How do we ac-
count for such a state of things ? Previous to 1860 most of
our ministers lived in the country, owning their own ser-
vants and cultivating their own farms, and much pref rred to
own their own homes. But with the new order of things
after 1865 the manse became not only a great comfort to the
pastor and his family, but a missionary necessity. There-
fore, the fixed policy of the Presbytery has been to secure a
manse for every church or group of churches. The result is
that the following churches have manses: First Church,
Charlotte, Second Church, Charlotte, Westminster, Knox,
Pegram Street, Tenth Avenue, Sugar Creek, Mallard Creek,
Steele Creek, Paw Creek, Central Steele Creek, Philadelphia,
Matthews, Providence, Sharon, Pineville, Newell, Hunters-
ville, Hopewell, Williams Memorial, Monroe, Waxhaw, Walk-
ersville, Indian Trail, Unionville, Marshville, North Carolina,
Hamlet, Norwood, Cornelius, Pageland, Mulberry, Bethel, Al-
bemarle, Wadseboro, Mt. Gilead. In all there are thirty-six
manses in the Presbytery, and if we add to these the number
in Asheville and Kings Mountain, the greater part of these
secured whilst they were part of Mecklenburg, we will have
a total of fifty-seven manses against none in 1869. The ag-
gregate value of these manses would be about $175,000.00.
The training of an adequate ministry — adequate in num-
bers and efficiency — has ever been a great task of the
Church of Christ. To this task our Lord gave a large part
of His time and service on earth. The Presbytery of Meck-
lenburg has not neglected this important duty. When first
organized the following candidates were assigned her from
Concord Presbytery : C. N. Hutchinson, P. P. Maxwell, Chas.
M. Douglas, George Summey and J. H. Morrison. Messrs.
Hutchinson and Maxwell, for sufficient reason, did not enter
the ministry. Mr. C. M. Douglas died before completing his
studies. Rev. Geo. Summey, D.D., and Rev. James H. Mor-
rison, D.D., after long and valuable service in the church,
remain with us to this day. The first candidate received
was James Walter Query, of Steele Creek Church, December
15
29th, 1870. The second candidate received was John Frank-
lin Cannon, of Sharon Church, August 18th, 1871. The list
of candidates, according to date of reception, is as follows :
W. B. Arrowood, Long Creek
A. li? Buckner, Red Oak
Jacob Roberts, Red Oak
Geo. F. Robertson, Asheville
Wm. E. Mcllwain, Six Mile Creek
E. P. Davis, Olney
R^. Arrowood, Long Creek
Alfred J. Morrison, Castanea Grove
Eliott Way, Savannah Presbytery
J. H. Dixon, Mallard Creek
J. L. Williams, Hopewell
J. C. Oehler, Ramah
Walter W. Moore, 1st Church, Charlotte
Jesse W. Siler, Franklin
Chalmers Moore, Franklin
Wm. H. Neel, 2nd Church, Charlotte
M. A. Henderson, Castanea
E. A. Sample, Hopewell
Eugene L. Siler, Franklin
W. B. Justus, Hendersonville
R. L. Glenn, Gastonia
John H. Johnston, Paw Creek
J. A. McLaughlin, Wadesboro
S. W. Spencer, Morven
R. A. Torrance, Hopewell
H. M. Dixon, Mallard Creek
G. W. Belk, Monroe
R. L. McNair, Swannanoa
J. B. Swann, Steele Creek
J. S. Morrow, Rutherfordton
W. J. Secrest, Waynesville
J. W. Moore, Hopewell
Joseph H. Hall, Goshen
R. W. Alexander, Pineville
16
October 11, 1872
October 24, 1873
October 24, 1873
October 24, 1873
April 24, 1873
April 17, 1874
April 18, 1874
April 16, 1874
September 23, 1876
June 21, 1877
September 15, 1877
May 2, 1879
May 2. 1879
April 16, 1881
May 12, 1882
May 4, 1883
May 4, 1883
May 4, 1883
May 5, 1883
November 9, 1883
September 25, 1884
October 19, 1885
August 28, 1885
August 28, 1885
September 30, 1886
October, 1886
September 22, 1886
September 22, 1886
September 22, 1886
1880
April 12, 1888
July 25, 1888
August 9, 1888
W. C. Underwood, New Hope
J. H. Grey, Huntersville
Luther H. Query, Mallard Creek
John R. Wilson, 2nd, Charlotte
Henry J. Rees, Waynesville
E. Douglas Brown, Steele Creek
W. M. Hunter, Huntersville
R. Junius Hunter, Mallard Creek
Joseph D. Taylor, (Col.) Asheville
John H. Patterson, (Col.) Asheville
John Yandle, Providence
^ Luther A. Oates, 2nd, Charlotte
JM^C- Arrowood, Long Creek
C. F. Hunter, Huntersville
R. C. Morrison, Morven
J. M. W. Elder, 1st, Charlotte
W. 0. Sample, Sharon
D. F. Hunter, Sugar Creek
W. L. Walker, Huntersville
W. W. Williams, Mills River
A. Nick Hunter, Huntersville
C. C. Orr, Sugar Creek
H. M. Parker
R. J. Mcllwain, Banks
S. L. Cathey, Paw Creek
C. H. Little, Williams Memorial
Carson Irvin, Rutherfordton
R. S. Eskridge, Shelby
J. M. Forbis, Philadelphia
D. M. Abernethy, Hopewell
J. C. Griffin, Philadelphia
&*>F. M. Hawley, Polkton
^SJV. Moore, Hopewell
J. B. Lawing, Paw Creek
W. J. Garrison, Pineville
H. L. Cathey, Steele Creek
Boyce Robinson, Steele Creek
Rolston Morrison, Castanea
17
December 4, 1888
March 18, 1888
April 10, 1889
April 12, 1889
September 11, 1889
September 11, 1889
September 28, 1889
November 26, 1889
December 17, 1889
December 17, 1889
April 22, 1890
July 31, 1890
April 16, 1891
May 15, 1891
September 1, 1891
September 1, 1891
September 1, 1891
September 1, 1891
September 1, 1891
September 16, 1891
November 15, 1892
November 15, 1892
April 14, 1893
May 9, 1893
September 8, 1893
September 8, 1893
September 8, 1893
September 8, 1893
April 11, 1894
May 10, 1894
May 10, 1894
September 12, 1894
October 16, 1894
April 10, 1895
December, 1893
April 3, 1896
April 3, 1896
April 3, 1896
L. A. Bennett, Huntersville
H. W. Hoon, Forest City
F. B. Rankin, Stanley Creek
J. E. Flow, Mallard Creek
J. H. Underwood, Hopewell
J. E. Brown, 1st Charlotte
D. S. Craig, Union
R. H. Morrison Brown, 1st Charlotte
S. E. Hodges, Robinson
Lawrence Yandle, Providence
H. W. Shannon, Gastonia
C. W. Allison, Sugar Creek
J. G. Walker, (Col.) 1st Charlotte
E. D. Kerr, Carmel
A. R. Harrison, Huntersville
Lynn Howland, Westminster
R. L. Walkup, Waxhaw
W. M. Walsh, 1st Charlotte
F. L. Higdon, Abingdon Presbytery
W. H. Nicholson, Sharon
L. W. Matthews, Providence
Geo. P. Stevens, Matthews
F. W. Gray, Williams Memorial
A. T. Walker, Tenth Avenue
W. A. Ramsey, Hopewell
John W. Grier, Central Steele Creek
A. S. Crowell
J. A. McMurray, Philadelphia
J. H. Abernethy, 2nd Charlotte
B. A. Benfield, Mallard Creek
R. M. Pegram, Steele Creek
W. E. West, Montgomery Presbytery
R. M. Tarlton, Philadelphia
T. J. Hutchinson, 2nd Charlotte
L. C. Campbell, Paw Creek
W. T. Mann, Philadelphia
C. M. Campbell, Paw Creek
John McDowell, Steele Creek
18
May 13, 1896
May 13, 1896
November 2, 1896
April 12, 1897
April 12, 1897
August 16, 1897
October 7, 1897
May 17, 1898
September 28, 1898
November 7, 1899
October 3, 1900
October 4, 1900
December 18, 1900
October 9, 1901
October 9, 1901
October 10, 1901
April 16, 1902
August 16, 1897
May 26, 1898
August 25, 1903
July 27, 1903
July 27, 1903
July 27, 1903
October 20, 1903
September 2, 1904
September 2, 1904
September 19, 1904
October 18, 1904
January 6, 1906
October 11, 1906
July 8, 1907
September 23, 1906
April 16, 1907
May 13, 1907
May 13, 1907
January 9, 1908
January 9, 1908
June 29, 1908
B. B. Long, Philadelphia
W. C. Jamison, 2nd Charlotte
Locke White, St. Paul's
J. C. Boyd, Tenth Avenue
R. C. Long, Philadelphia
J. H. McEwen, Philadelphia
T. Frank Grier, Central Steele Creek
Julius Horton, Salem
W. C. McLaughlin, Wadesboro
S. A. Ewart, Huntersville
R. L. Forbis, Groveton
S. M. Wolfe, Albemarle
Eugene Alexander, Sharon
H. N. Alexander, Davidson
J. H. Satterfield, Groveton
W. W. Pharr, 2nd Charlotte
J. A. McQueen, Morven
Walter Martin, Groveton
T. T. Stixrud, 2nd Charlotte
0. C. Williams, Steele Creek
T. A. Smith, Bethlehem
Albert J. Harris, Pineville
B. F. Handle, 1st Charlotte
J. G. Caldwell, Ramah
R. W. Robinson, Steele Creek
WJJHujmeycir^Lojus^
J^N ewton Hunne ycult._Lo.CUst
A. R. Howland, Sugar Creek
J. L. Neely, Pleasant Hill
S. B. Hay, Cornelius
Martin Holden. Bethany
Frank Davis, Amity
J. W. Miller, Sherrill's Ford
W. C. Berryhill, Steele Creek
W. C. Neal, Steele Creek
F. R. Spratt, Steele Creek
W. C. Williams, Matthews
Peyton Davenport, Steele Creek
19
October 7, 1908
May 4, 1909
May 4, 1909
May 4, 1909
June 8, 1909
June 8, 1909
June 8, 1909
September 7, 1909
September 7, 1909
September 7, 1909
September 7, 1909
September 7, 1909
April 10, 1910
April 10, 1910
April 19, 1910
May 24, 1910
September 13, 1910
September 13, 1910
September 5, 1911
April 10, 1912
September 18, 1912
October 6, 1912
September 16, 1913
1913
September 17, 1913
April 27, 1913
April 27, 1913
August 12, 1913
August 12, 1913
April 15, 1914
October 1, 1914
January 4, 1915
January 4, 1915
April 14, 1915
April 14, 1915
April 14, 1915
June 22, 1915
June 22, 1915
Coyt Hunter, Williams Memorial
J. F. Pharr, 2nd Charlotte
Guy Neely, Central Steele Creek
Carlisle Thomas, Central Steele Creek
J. L. Griggs, Salem
Clayton Alexander, Sharon
T. R. Alexander, Providence
R. C. Clontz, Bethlehem
John B. Belk, Knox
W. P. Andrews, 1st, Charlotte
D. C. Young, Knox
C. G. Brown, Steele Creek
J. S. Price, Unionville
R. D. Freeman, Steele Creek
C. J. Walsh, St. Paul's
Z. V. Robinson, Orange Presbytery
C. G. Long, Philadelphia
R. S. Woodson, Wadesboro
W. L. Baker, Paw Creek
C. H. Rowan, Fayetteville Presbytery
D. C. Stogner, Roberdel
S. P. Lentz, Paris Presbytery
Claud Pepper, Fayette Presbytery
D. C. Williamson, Steele Creek
Guy E. Weeks, 2nd Charlotte
June 22, 1915
June 22, 1915
June 22, 1915
August 28, 1915
August 28, 1915
August 28, 1915
April 11, 1916
April 11, 1916
January 10, 1916
September 6, 1916
September 6, 1916
September 6, 1916
September 6, 1916
May 15, 1916
September 18, 1916
April, 1917
September 17, 1918
November 19, 1918
July 12, 1918
May 28, 1917
October 26, 1916
November 10, 1904
September 17, 1919
The following ministers were members of our churches
but for convenience were received as candidates by other
Presbyteries: Rev. W. T. Matthews, D.D., was a member
of Providence Church, Rev. R. S. Burwell was a member of
the First Church, Charlotte, and Rev. George H. Atkinson
was a member of the Second Church, Charlotte. All of
these young men did not enter the ministry, but from this
number the Presbytery has trained and sent forth conse-
crated ministers of the Gospel into every Synod of our
church. Some of them have heard the call to service in
foreign lands and are today laboring in China and Japan and
Korea whilst quite a number in these fifty years have heard
20
the call to lay down their earthly ministry that they might
complete it in the church above. If our Presbytery had
done nothing else but raise up in our families these men and
train and send them forth to preach the Gospel it would not
have lived and served in vain.
Two families of this Presbytery have been especially hon-
ored by giving three sons each to the ministry. Mr. William
Arrowood, an Elder of Long Creek Church, was the father
of Rev. W. B. Arrowood, D.D., Rev. R. S. Arrowood and Rev.
M. C. Arrowood. Mr. John W. Moore, long an Elder in Hope-
well and Huntersville Churches, is the father of Rev. John
W. Moore, of our Japan Mission, Rev. Samuel W. Moore, of
Bluefield, West Virginia, and Rev. L. L. Moore, of Taylors-
ville, N. C.
w
The Presbytery of Mecklenburg and
Synod's Evangelistic Work
October 23rd, 1888, was a great day for North Carolina
Presbyterianism, for on that notable day the Synod's evan-
gelistic work had its birth. And it was not born a day too
soon. A full century of Presbyterian opportunity in the
state had come and gone. The Synod of North Carolina
was organized in 1812 and Presbyterianism in the state was
at this time more than 75 years old and during this time had
rendered excellent service along many lines. But it evidently
had failed to evangelize the state in a way commensurate
with its opportunities. In 1888 Orange Presbytery, the
mother Presbytery of the state, reported to Synod that it
embraced forty counties and parts of counties and in twenty
of these there was not a single organized church of our faith
and order. At the same time there were ninety-four coun-
ties in the state and thirty-one of these were without a Pres-
byterian Church and fifteen counties had only one church
each, making a total of forty-six counties practically without
Presbyterian ministrations — nearly one-half of the state un-
influenced by our church. After more than 100 years of
Presbyterianism in the state we had in 1888 one hundred and
twenty-two ministers, two hundred and sixty-two churches
and less than 23,000 communicants. Faced by such facts a
number of ministers and elders met in Goldsboro a day pre-
vious to the meeting of Synod, and spent the whole day in
prayer and earnest study of the whole question of state
evangelization, and the day following they memorialized
Synod to take immediate action. Their aggressive plans
were unanimously and heartily adopted. And with what re-
sults? From that day to this we have had a new Synod.
Every year has marked decided progress. The following
counties have been entered by our evangelists and occupied
22
by one or more organized churches: Allegheney, Ashe,
Avery, Brunswick, Cherokee, Chowan, Graham, Hyde, Mar-
tin, Mitchell, Person, Stokes, Pitt, Wautauga, Yancy, fifteen
counties, in all, added to the domain of Presbyterianism in
the state. There is not a county today without its Presby-
terian Church in Mecklenburg Presbytery or Asheville, or
King Mountain, or Concord, or Orange, or Fayetteville, or
Wilmington. There remain thirteen unoccupied counties in
the state, and all of these are in Albemarle Presbytery. In
thirty years the work has grown from one man employed to
thirty-nine, from $3,700.00 raised in 1888 to $22,000.00 in
1918. More than one hundred churches have been organ-
ized and almost two hundred Sabbath Schools. Thirty-four
thousand persons have confessed their faith in Christ and
eighteen thousand have united with the Presbyterian
Church. In these thirty years our people in the state have
given more than a quarter of a million dollars to sustain
this work and have been amply repaid. This work has
greatly aided in carrynig our communicant roll in the state
from 23,000 to more than 50,000, so that numerically, at
least, we are the banner Synod of the General Assembly.
And from the beginning of this work our Presbytery has
borne an honorable part. Whilst the Synod hesitated as to
what ought to be done or could be done to overtake the desti-
tutions of the state, your representative men insisted in
1888 that unprofitable discussion ought to immediately end,
and the conquest of the state begin. This was done by the
prompt action of all the Presbyteries of Synod. Every year
for thirty years this Presbytery has contributed to the sup-
port of this work. The full amount cannot be accurately
stated, but I am safe in saying that the Presbytery has given
for Synod's work at least $40,000.00 in annual contributions.
And not only have our members given regularly to Synodi-
cal Home Missions, but some have remembered this cause in
their deaths. Mr. S. P. Alexander of the First Church,
Charlotte, bequeathed $5,000.00. Mrs. Harriet Reading, of
Charlotte, $4,615.85, and Mr. John C. Burroughs, elder of the
First Church, Charlotte, $30,000.00, making in all about $80,-
23
000.00 given by this Presbytery. But our largest contribu-
tion to Synod work has been the twenty-five years' work of
Rev. Wm. Black. He was licensed by Fayetteville Presby-
tery in 1893 and in the same year he was ordained by Meck-
lenburg Presbytery and was immediately employed by the
Presbytery and Synod's committee as a local evangelist in
Union and Anson counties. In January, 1894, he was elected
Superintendent of Synodical Home Missions and general
evangelist. And since that time his labors have been won-
derfully blessed. Dr. Craig in his book on "Presbyterian-
ism in North Carolina," published in 1907 says "Rev. Wm.
Black has held more than 4,000 services. He has witnessed
the confession of several thousand persons and more than
4,000 of these have joined the Presbyterian Church. He has
organized a dozen or more Presbyterian Churches and as
many Sunday Schools."
From 1908 to 1919 as evangelist of the Synod he has held
280 series of meetings, preached 4,480 times, conducted
scores of other services, including several evangelistic insti-
tutes for the Synod. In these meetings there were fifteen
thousand professions of Christ and of these about five thou-
sand joined the Presbyterian Church. Some fifteen thou-
sand persons promised to establish family worship, and more
than that number to read the Bible and pray daily. In ad-
dition to the above, he has raised about $15,000.00 for re-
ligious causes. Rev. Wm. Black stands in a class by him-
self in the Synod of North Carolina for the length and fruit-
fulness of his evangelistic labors.
But the Presbytery of Mecklenburg has by no means per-
formed her full duty towards the evangelization of the state
of North Carolina. Much land remains to be possessed.
We have only fairly begun our great task, and must not rest
content until every county, town and township in North
Carolina has its well established Presbyterian Church or
Churches.
Mecklenburg Presbytery and Its
Country Churches
When Cornwallis passed through this country lying be-
tween the Yadkin and Catawba rivers, there were at least
seven country churches, Sugar Creek, Steele Creek, Provi-
dence, Hopewell, Rocky River, Poplar Tent and Center.
These seven churches were then in Mecklenburg county ex-
cept a part of Center, which lay in Rowan (now Iredell).
The boundaries of these congregations were fixed as early as
1765 and their influence in church and state for one hundred
and fifty years has been very great. Out of these churches
came the men who framed the first declaration of independ-
ence in America, and from that day to this these churches
have been strongholds of intelligence, patriotism and re-
ligion. A little study of the early history of Presbyter-
ianism in the Carolinas make clear the following: These
country churches were first in the order of time. When they
were organized there were no town churches in the state.
There was no Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville until 1800,
none in Salisbury until 1826 and none in Charlotte or Wil-
mington until long after the Revolutionary war.
In the second place for a long period they were first in
the order of importance. In point of members, wealth, and
influence, they surpassed all the town churches of that day.
As a proof of this the following facts are in order. First,
the best schools were then located in these old country
churches. I need only refer to Providence Academy, estab-
lished in 1800; Rocky River Academy, established by Dr.
John McKamie Wilson; Caldwell Institute, founded by Dr.
Caldwell in Buffalo congregation; Dr. McCorkle's school in
Thyatira, founded in 1785; Queen's Museum in Charlotte,
then a promising mission station of old Sugar Creek Church.
25
And as late as 1837 Davidson College was located in the
country in the bounds of Center Church.
The primacy of these old country churches was evident
from another fact. The Synod of the Carolinas was organ-
ized in old Center Church in 1788 and for thirty-seven years
met invariably in country churches with only one exception.
Add to this the fact that many of the very foremost preach-
ers and theologians of that day freely gave their whole lives
to these great country churches.
But some one replies that "times have changed" and the
country churches are no longer what they were 50 or 100
years ago, that the "glory has departed" from the country
church, that the country church has ceased to be a controll-
ing factor in the religious life of the nation. Its main ef-
fort today is to keep from dying. The scepter of leadership,
moral, intellectual, and spiritual, is passing to the city
churches. This admission is heard on every "missionary
platform," in "rural surveys," and "re-echoed in all the mis-
sionary literature of the day." Some tell us that investi-
gators found 800 abandoned village and country churches in
Ohio and 1500 in Illinois. That a part of this is true I do
not question, but I am happy to say that our old country
churches in this Piedmont country have been saved from
any such a fate. What are the historic facts in the case?
When this Presbytery was organized in 1869 we had on our
roll in Mecklenburg county the following country churches :
Sugar Creek, Steele Creek, Paw Creek, Hopewell, Mallard
Creek, Philadelphia, Providence, Sharon, Pleasant Hill and
Raman. Bethel and Central Steele Creek were received later,
the former from Concord Presbytery and the latter from the
A. R. P. Church. In Gaston county, Olney, Union, Long
Creek, Goshen, New Hope. In Lincoln county, Unity, Cas-
tanea Grove, Machpelah. In Rutherford county, Britain
Church. In Polk county, Sandy Plains. In Henderson
county, Mills River. In Transylvania county, Davidson
River. In Haywood county, Bethel. In Macon county, Mor-
rison. In Clay county, Hiawassee. In Buncome county,
26
Oak Forest and Swannanoa. In Union county, Bethlehem.
In Anson county, Lebanon. Here are twenty-nine country
churches committed to our care in 1869. And not one of
them has been disorganized. All of them are on our roll
today. Some of these were small at the beginning and are
small yet. But on the whole decided progress has been
made in our country churches. In 1869 the combined mem-
bership of these twenty-nine churches was 2,869. Today
their combined membership is over 4,000. These country
churches have made possible the organization of the follow-
ing new country churches: Mulberry, Robinson, Amity,
Carmel, Cooks Memorial, Williams Memorial, Banks, Siler
and others with a membership of at least 1,000. They
greatly aided in organizing and building up the following
town churches: Huntersville, Matthews, Pineville, Newell,
Monroe, Waxhaw, Lowell, Belmont, Mt. Holly, Gastonia,
Loray, Kings Mountain, Bessemer City, West Asheville, Can-
ton, Bryson City, Waynesville, Brevard and others with a
combined membership of at least 3,000. This contribution
from the country churches to help organize the town
churches will be appreciated when I tell you that the First
Church, Gastonia, was organized in 1882 with 26 members
and all of them from neighboring country churches. And
Huntersville was organized in 1878 with 46 members, 44 of
these from Ramah Church and two from Hopewell.
And what can I say, what ought I to say as to the service
rendered by these country churches in multiplying our
strength in the city of Charlotte? In 1869 we had only one
church in Charlotte with 260 members. Today we have
twelve churches and about 4,000 members. The city has
grown in 50 years from 5,000 or 6,000 to 50,000 or 60,000
inhabitants. Our church has grown in organizations twelve
fold and in church members fifteen fold.
What has so largely contributed to this rapid growth of
our church in the city of Charlotte? The excellent system
of public schools, the presence of Queens College, the large
opportunities for business and especially the best of church
27
privileges, have proven very attractive to our country people.
They have moved their homes to Charlotte in great numbers
and in many cases to their advantage. The Second Church,
Charlotte, is one of the greatest churches in our General
Assembly. It has grown from thirty-one members in 1873
to more than eleven hundred resident members in 1919.
Few churches in America have a larger or more efficient
corps of officers than this church. It has 47 officers, 22 el-
ders and 25 deacons. And where were these men born and
reared? Only three of the 25 deacons were reared in town
and all the elders were born and reared in the country
churches of their fathers. And the pastor, Dr. McGeachey,
belongs to this roll of honor, as he was born and reared in
St. Paul's Church, in Robeson county, in Fayetteville Pres-
bytery, received into full communion in his tenth year and
licensed to preach by Fayetteville Presbytery.
The Evangelistic Work in
Union County
The story of the Home Mission work of the Presbytery-
would be incomplete without a reference to the work in
Union county. This county was formed from parts of Meck-
lenburg and Anson in 1844 with Monroe as the county seat.
Somewhere between 1850 and 1855 a Presbyterian Church
was organized in Monroe with twelve members, and four
elders were elected. These elders were D. F. Hadin, Aaron
Stegall, F. C. Williams and Mr. Alexander. For some reason
unknown, this new church in a new county and a new town
was permitted to die. And for twenty years or more there
was no Presbyterian Church in Monroe and only one small
country church of forty members in the county under our
care. During these dark days it really seemed that if there
ever was an opportunity for Presbyterianism in Union coun-
ty that day had passed. The field appeared to be thoroughly
occupied by other denominations. But the growth of Mon-
roe, the building of new railways, the springing up of new
towns along these lines, the incoming of Presbyterians seek-
ing business and homes, ushered in a brighter day for our
church. The Presbytery was not slow to take advantage of
new conditions. In 1873 Evangelist, Rev. S. C. Alexander,
organized the present Monroe Church with thirteen mem-
bers and two elders, Col. Samuel H. Walkup and Wm. H.
Fitzgerald. From this date to the present the following
churches have been organized in Union county: Waxhaw,
in 1888 ; Banks, in 1891 ; Beulah, 1892 ; Altan, 1893 ; Marsh-
ville, 1893 ; Siler, 1895 ; Salem, 1895 ; Walkersville, 1908 ; Re-
hoboth, 1911; Bethany, 1912; Indian Trail, 1913; Unionville,
1915, and Rocky River, in 1916. In this connection the Pres-
bytery of Mecklenburg makes grateful recognition of assist-
ance rendered in its mission work by a great old country
church known as Tirzah, located in the southern part of the
county, and a part of its members living in Lancaster county,
South Carolina. Its history runs back for more than one
hundred years and it has become the Mother of Churches.
It has added materially to the membership and officers of
Waxhaw and Monroe Churches, whilst the Unity Associate
Reformed Presbyterian Church and our Walkersville Church
are colonies from this old historic church. Counting this
church and Bethlehem Church of about forty members there
were two churches in Union county in 1869. Today there
are 18 within the limits of the county and two others organ-
ized on the border lines, making twenty churches in the
Union county work against two churches in 1869.
The increase in the value of church property in Union
county in 50 years has been surprising. In 1869 the prop-
erty of Bethlehem and Tirzah did not exceed $4,000. Today
the value of church property is as follows :
Altan $ 7,500.00
Bethany 2,500.00
Unionville Church 3,000.00
Unionville Manse 3,000.00
Rehoboth Church 5,000.00
Waxhaw Church 3,000.00
Waxhaw Manse 3,000.00
Tirzah Church 2,500.00
Tirzah Manse 2,500.00
Banks Church 7,000.00
Siler Church 7,000.00
Indian Trail Church 3,000.00
Indian Trail Manse 3,000.00
Bethlehem Church 1,000.00
Marshville Church 2,500.00
Marshville Manse 1,100.00
Salem Church 2,500.00
Pageland Church 5,000.00
Pageland Manse 2,000.00
Monroe Church 30,000.00
Monroe Manse 3,000.00
Walkersville Church 3,000.00
Walkersville Manse 3,000.00
Midland Church 1,000.00
$106,000.00
Mecklenburg and Her Two New
Presbyteries — Asheville and
Kings Mountain
This Presbytery has always taken a special interest in its
mountain country. This interest was manifested in the
very beginning of its history. At its very first regular
meeting at Steele Creek Church April, 1870, its first stand-
ing rule was that all its Fall meetings should be held in its
mountain country, and this rule was faithfully observed for
years. This partiality was costly. It called for sacrifices
of time, labor and expense with which few of us are ac-
quainted today. There were then no automobiles, no ma-
cadam roads, no railroads and in some cases scarcely any
roads of any kind. And yet, the Presbytery, to save nine or
ten little churches in those eleven mountain counties, with
less than 400 members, and to build up the cause of Christ
in that beautiful "Land of the Sky," would, in a body, visit
its mountain churches once every year. Strong men were
sent there to hold meetings or to labor permanently as pas-
tors or evangelists at the expense of the stronger churches
of the east. But the Mother Presbytery has had her rich
reward in seeing one church after another grow into self-
support and become helpers to others. The growth of the
First Church, Asheville, would alone justify all our expen-
ditures in that region. In 1869 it had 83 members and 60
pupils in the Sunday School and gave for all purposes in-
cluding pastors salary less than $2,500.00. Today that
church under the wise leadership of its pastor, Dr. R. F.
Campbell, has become a mighty spiritual force in the Pres-
bytery of Asheville and the new Synod of Apalachia. It is
served by 19 elders and 21 deacons, has 862 resident mem-
bers and gave last year for Foreign Missions $2,657.00, for
31
Home Missions (all branches) $3,695.00, and for all pur-
poses $22,500.00. Dr. D. I. Craig in his excellent book,
"Synodical Home Missions in North Carolina," very correctly
says, "There have been great transformations in that part
of the country in the last ten or twelve years and whatever
of good has resulted in this region from Presbyterianism
through evangelistic efforts a large share of that good is
due to the earnest missionary spirit and great liberality of
the First Presbyterian Church of Asheville, under the able
leadership of its beloved pastor, Rev. R. F. Campbell, D.D.
And in conjunction with this church, due credit should be
given for the success achieved to Rev. R. P. Smith and Rev.
E. MacDavis." And be it remembered that when the Pres-
bytery of Mecklenburg sent away the brethren that they
might form the new Presbytery of Asheville, they were fol-
lowed with her prayers and benedictions. Among the rec-
ords of Presbytery I find this: "Resolved that $1,000.00
be given to the Presbytery of Asheville and that we pay for
one-half of the time of Rev. R. P. Smith, their evangelist."
The response of the Presbytery of Asheville to such thought-
ful consideration was in such a beautiful spirit and so beau-
tifully expressed that I quote it entire: "The Presbytery
of Asheville desires to express to the Mother Presbytery
our deep appreciation of the continual parental love and fos-
tering care manifested by her in not only extending for an-
other period of three years, but also in increasing her origi-
nal contribution to our mission work. Hearts are warmed
and hands made strong for labor in the Master's vineyard by
this evidence of your sympathy and helpfulness of spirit.
May the God of all grace grant you peace in all your borders
and prosperity in all your churches ! May He return to you
with rich usury all that you may put into His treasury for
the extension of His empire over the hearts and lives of our
mountain kindred." This Presbytery was organized No-
vember 12th, 1896, and held its first meeting in the First
Church, Asheville, December 2nd, 1896, with Rev. E. A.
Sample, Moderator.
The Presbytery of Kings Mountain was set off from the
Presbytery of Mecklenburg October 23rd, 1902, and held its
first meeting in Lincolnton, November 18th, 1902, Rev. R.
A. Miller presiding by direction of Synod.
The territory of this new presbytery embraced the coun-
ties of Gaston, Lincoln, Cleveland, Rutherford, and Polk.
The organization of these two new Presbyteries within six
years of each other deprived Mecklenburg of sixteen of her
twenty counties, leaving only four counties, Mecklenburg,
Union, Anson and Stanley. The growth of the churches in
the territory of Kings Mountain Presbytery for the last fifty
years has been constant and in some cases rapid. In 1869 in
these five counties composing Kings Mountain Presbytery
there were fifteen churches with 910 communicants. Today
on the same territory there are 40 churches with 3,500 com-
municants. There has been growth in all these coun-
ties but especially in Gaston county where fifty years
ago there was a combined membership of 488 in six
churches, Goshen, New Hope, Olney, Union, Long Creek,
and Dallas, whilst today there are 16 churches in Gaston
county with more than 2,000 members. This rapid growth is
to be accounted for by the presence of strong country
churches, such as Olney, Union and New Hope, which after
aiding in the organization of such new churches as Belmont,
Lowell, and Gastonia are larger today than at any time in
their history. Growth was made possible also by the build-
ing of the largest number of cotton mills that is to be found
in any single county in the state. This great enterprise
brought both capital and population. A third cause of Pres-
byterian growth in Gaston county was the unusual growth
of the town of Gastonia. In 1882 this was one of the small
towns of the state with not more than 500 inhabitants. Here
on July 16th, 1882, we organized the first church in the place
with 26 members all from neighboring country churches.
Today the little town has become one of the growing cities of
the state and the First Presbyterian Church is one of the
strongest and most active churches in the Synod. The last
report from that church is as follows : Elders, 20 ; Deacons,
24 ; resident members, 817 ; in Sabbath School, 834, with con-
tributions for Foreign Missions, $3,000.00 ; Assembly's Home
Missions, $883.00; Synod's Home Missions, $226.00; Pres-
bytery's Home Missions, $605.00 ; Congregational Home Mis-
sions, $1,023.00. And for all causes this church gave last
year $14,571.00. The Presbytery aided this church in build-
ing its first house of worship. Has not this investment
yielded an immense revenue ?
In concluding this part of the subject, let me say that if
Mecklenburg and her two daughters, Asheville and Kings
Mountain Presbyteries, were united in a Synod, such Synod
would not only be larger than any of our Missionary Synods
such as Arkansas, Florida, and West Virginia, but it would
have over 16,000 members, and would thus be larger than
either of the Synods of Missouri, Tennessee or Kentucky.
The Policy of the Presbytery
As we turn the pages of this history the question arises
what has been the policy of the Presbytery in prosecuting
its work. There is no difficulty in answering this question.
The facts are before us :
1st. It has been the policy of self-help. When twelve out
of nineteen of her counties were practically destitute of
Presbyterianism and her entire Home Mission fund was less
than $3,000.00, not more than enough to employ two or three
Missionaries for the twelve counties, to say nothing of a
large number of vacant churches, this Presbytery deter-
mined to prosecute her great task and to ask for no help
from Synod or General Assembly. And from this policy of
self-help it never departed. The records show that it has
received small sums from the Synod to aid in supporting
some of its Evangelists or in building some of its Mission
Churches, but it returned these amounts to the Synod in
annual contributions of perhaps ten dollars for one received.
2nd. The Presbytery has always placed high honors upon
the Evangelist as a divinely appointed officer of the church.
It has never discriminated between him and the Pastor to
the discredit of the Evangelist. At its very first regular
meeting it appointed an able committee to promptly secure
an evangelist. It had no funds in sight to support him but
in due time the Evangelist was found and his salary was
paid. His first work was to organize churches in Wades-
boro and Monroe and to erect houses of worship. And the
Presbytery did not make the grevious mistake of sending
inefficient and unacceptable men into its mission field as
evangelists because they could not be used anywhere else.
In other words, she did not make the mission fields a dump-
ing ground for all the misfits in the ministry. The roll of
her evangelists will show that they were the peers of their
35
brethren in every respect. I need only mention a few of
them, Dr. S. C. Alexander, Rev. Wm. H. Davis, Rev. Alfred
J. Morrison, Rev. M. R. Kirkpatrick, Dr. A. G. Buckner, Rev.
Eu E. Ervin, Rev. S. Taylor Martin, Dr. R. P. Smith, and
others. And the evangelists who are now serving you, Rev.
Leonard Gill, Rev. R. J. Mcllwain, and others, are wise mas-
ter builders in your mission fields today. The history of
Presbyterianism in the state and the United States cannot
be written without telling the wonderful story of the evan-
gelist and his work for more than 150 years.
3rd. The Presbytery has strongly favored the conserva-
tive use of the revival meeting in its churches and mission
fields. The protracted meeting was looked forward to in all
our country churches, especially, as the one great event of
the year. Great preparations were made. Hospitality was
unbounded. The services usually began on Friday morning
with two sermons each day. And where did they find
preachers for all these protracted meetings? Did they im-
port them from a distance? Did they send for some noted
Synodical Evangelist? And if they failed to secure one
from the Synod did they postpone their August meeting
until they could get a more noted Evangelist of the General
Assembly? They did nothing of the kind. The men who
founded this Presbytery knew how to preach and they knew
how to preach at a protracted meeting and, as Pastors, they
multiplied their usefulness by assisting each other on these
great revival occasions. Dr. A. W. Miller was one of the
greatest preachers of his age and could easily have filled any
pulpit in America. And yet it was his delight every sum-
mer to spend his vacation in our mountain country. The
news of his arrival soon spread to the remotest coves of the
mountains. And when he preached on the following Sab-
bath our little churches could hold only a fraction of the
great gathering. Years have passed but Dr. Miller is still
lovingly remembered among our mountain people. He was
called the "apostle of the mountains," and richly deserved
this honor. Rev. Walter W. Pharr was a great favorite
among the churches in conducting their protracted meetings.
He loved to preach the gospel and was in his glory in a re-
vival service. No man was in greater demand to assist the
pastors by doing all the preaching himself. Rev. G. D.
Parks, long pastor of Sugar Creek Church, believed in re-
vivals, prayed earnestly for them in his own church and
shared abundantly in their blessings. He once told me of a
revival beginning in Sugar Creek Church in December, 1874,
and continuing for a whole year. His closing sentence was
this : "Our third communion was administered on the 4th
Sabbath of October, at which time 20 members were added
to the church, which makes 44 added on examination since
our communion in April. This precious work of grace ex-
tended to other congregations and its happy effects upon
Sugar Creek are seen to this day in the piety of many." I
would like to speak of other great meetings conducted by
these evangelistic pastors, of the meeting at Union Church
in 1878 when 47 persons were received into the church on
profession of faith, of the meeting at Swannanoa church
conducted by Licentiate W. W. Moore and Rev. J. P. Gam-
mon in 1880, when 44 members were received on profession
to a church of only 40 members, thus more than doubling its
membership and greatly multiplying its spiritual power.
But time fails me to tell of all these precious seasons of
grace. It would take a volume to include all these meetings
and the pastors who so ably conducted them.
4th. Whilst it has persistently refused to receive help
from Synod or General Assembly, it has never failed to help
others. There has been no patience in this Presbytery with
a narrow, selfish policy. It has set its seal to the truth that
"The church that ceases to be evangelistic will soon cease to
be evangelical, and the church that fails to live abroad will
soon die at home." It has accepted the additional state-
ment, "There is a scattering that increaseth and there is a
withholding that tendereth unto poverty." Before I close
this address I shall tell you something about what it has done
for the Synod's Home Mission work, the Assembly's Home
Mission Work, Foreign Missions, our Orphans' Home and
education. And when this story is told no one can say that
the churches of this Presbytery have lived simply for them-
selves.
37
The Presbytery and the Orphans' Home
It is somewhat remarkable that two great state-wide en-
terprises should originate at the same meeting of Synod, but
such is the case. At the meeting of Synod in Goldsboro in
1888, Synodical evangelism took definite form and the Or-
phans' Home became one of the permanent instituions of the
Synod. The matter was called to the attention of Synod by
an overture from the lady managers of the "Home and Hos-
pital" in Charlotte, N. C. This memorial was referred to a
commission of which Rev. J. Rumple, D.D., was made chair-
man on the adoption of the following resolution offered by a
member of this Presbytery :
"Resolved, That in the judgment of this Synod the time
has come to take steps looking to the establishing of an Or-
phans' Home within our bounds and that a commission be
appointed to take the whole matter in charge, to consider
and execute whatever may seem wise and practicable in put-
ting such an enterprise on a permanent basis."
This movement was most timely, and met with a hearty
response in all parts of the Synod. The result is that the
continued and ever increasing growth of our Orphans' Home
has been most gratifying. Beginning without any assets in
1888, today, according to recent data from the superintend-
ent, Rev. W. T. Walker, the Home owns 500 acres of land.
There are seventeen buildings, thirteen of brick and four of
wood, on the campus of the Home, and six or seven other
buildings on land adjacent to the Home. This property has
cost about $130,000.00 and is easily worth $200,000.00 today.
The endowment fund has reached $36,000.00, with $30,-
000.00 more to be added to this amount. The Home is now
caring for 230 children, all who can be accommodated
with the present equipment. Of this number, 116 are mem-
bers of our church. Since this Home was opened it has
38
cared for about 1,000 children, and of that number only eight
deaths have occurred in the Home. Now what has Mecklen-
burg Presbytery done to found and foster this institution so
dear to North Carolina Presbyterians. Our people mani-
fested a deep interest from the beginning, the ladies of Char-
lotte leading the way. The first superintendent of the Home
was Rev. R. W. Boyd, of Unity and Castanea Churches, who
guided for years with great wisdom and tact the affairs of
the Home and did not leave it until its success was assured.
It has been difficult to determine with accuracy what this
Presbytery has given to equip and support the Home. For
years, at the Home and in the minutes of Synod, donors
were not given credit by Presbyteries. So by taking the
amounts given by the Presbytery for the last eighteen years
I find the average per year amounts to over $3,000.00, and
this multiplied by thirty, the number of years since the
Home was established, and we have the total of $90,000.00.
The Home has had such a warm place in the hearts of our
people that they not only gave to it whilst they lived but re-
membered it in their deaths.
Mr. James H. Carson, of the First Church, Charlotte, be-
queathed the Home, January, 1907, $1,000.00; Mr. S. P.
Alexander, of the First Church, to erect the Industrial build-
ing, gave $4,000.00; Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Burroughs, of the
First Church, to erect the Art building, gave $3,500.00,
whilst the large legacy left by Mr. J. C. Burroughs to the
Home will perhaps amount to $40,000.00.
Members Received
By Mecklenburg, Asheville and Kings Mountain
Presbyteries on Examination and Certificate
in the Last Fifty Years
MECKLENBURG PRESBYTERY
On
On
Year
Examination
Certificate
1870
112
70
1871
82
65
1872
137
33
1873
155
86
1874
237
127
1875
126
101
1876
168
76
1877
206
132
1878
227
115
1879
259
97
1880
134
87
1881
114
97
1882
318
185
1883
248
180
1884
226
190
1885
323
164
1886
425
223
1887
467
225
1888
430
272
1889
293
215
1890
477
331
1891
552
329
1892
374
341
1893
441
262
1894
659
389
1895
483
380
1896
415
331
1897
377
249
1898
341
373
1899
312
327
1900
352
457
On
On
Year
Examination
Certificate
1901
339
390
1902
359
327
1903
223
320
1904
659
389
1905
283
268
1906
402
307
1907
263
348
1908
425
348
1909
419
388
1910
206
464
1911
395
284
1912
268
347
1913
458
498
1914
318
358
1915
566
427
1916
894
581
1917
514
575
1918
264
369
1919
350
479
17,075 13,976
ASHEVILLE PRESBYTERY
Received by Asheville Presbytery on examination and cer-
tificate since its organization in 1896 :
On
On
Year
Examination
Certificate
1897
65
75
1898
115
79
1899
98
51
1900
103
64
1901
55
90
1902
79
55
1903
88
79
1904
66
75
1905
63.
74
1906
126
109
1907
30
89
1908
75
104
1909
61
159
1910
168
163
1911
74
100
1912
61
108
1913
69
134
1914
157
133
1915
99
133
1916
208
183
1917
153
145
1918
80
94
1919
88
118
2,181 2,414
KINGS MOUNTAIN PRESBYTERY
Received on examination and certificate by King's Moun-
tain Presbytery since its organization in 1902 :
On On
Year Examination Certificate
1903 130 113
1904 156 137
1905 170 105
1906 142 147
1907 94 139
1908 103 166
1909 201... 133
1910 131 130
1911 145 147
1912 123 123
1913 174 123
1914 158 180
1915 167 166
1916 252 136
1917 206 176
1918 135 125
1919 123 147
2,610 2,393
Received by Mecklenburg Presbytery on pro-
fession in 50 years ....17,075
Asheville since organization in 1896 2,181
Kings Mountain since organization in 1902.... 2,610 — 21,866
Received by Mecklenburg Presbytery on cer-
tificate in 50 years 13,975
Asheville since organization in 1896 2,414
Kings Mountain since organization in 1902.... 2,393 — 18,782
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The Presbytery of Mecklenburg and
Davidson College
When this Presbytery was organized in 1869 Davidson
College was then the only literary institution placed under
its care. The Presbytery promptly and heartily assumed re-
sponsibility and elected trustees. The number and high
character of these trustees was a clear indication of the pro-
found interest of the Presbytery in the welfare of the Col-
lege. And during these fifty years the Presbytery has not
failed to be represented on the Board of Trustees and in the
student body. And why should not the Presbytery of Meck-
lenburg have an interest in Davidson College, when the men
who aided in founding the College also organized the Pres-
bytery. Rev. R. H. Morrison, D.D., was pastor of Sugar
Creek Church in 1835, when he offered in Concord Presby-
tery the resolution which resulted in the establishment of
the College. That now famous resolution is too well known
to be repeated here.
Dr. Morrison was unanimously chosen the first President
of the College, and in 1869 his honored name heads the list
of the first Trustees of the College appointed by our Pres-
bytery. The College, like most of our Church Colleges, has
had its dark days but it was never so firmly fixed in the
hearts of our people as it is today. And it richly deserves
the favor of both church and state. It has matriculated
about 5,000 students. It has graduated about 1,500 men
and 654 of its students have entered the ministry. With
the loud call of today for well educated men to reconstruct
the world, now in such confusion and unrest, Davidson Col-
lege ought to have at least 1,000 students and an endowment
of one million dollars.
The Presbytery of Mecklenburg and
Queen's College
More than sixty years ago the Presbyterians of this part
of North Carolina determined to give the same educational
advantages to their daughters as their sons were receiving
at Davidson College or the State University, and so they
established what was then known as the "Charlotte Female
Institute." I am sorry that no adequate history of this Col-
lege has been written. But in these sixty years the College
has been making history. If we could only follow one in ten
of the educated Christian women who have been students in
this College, we would have a wonderful story to tell. How
many sick rooms they have brightened, how many beautiful
characters they have helped to fashion in the school room,
and how many Christian homes they have established, eter-
nity alone will reveal. Now what have the Presbyterians
done for Queen's College? They have in recent years re-
moved the College from narrow, noisy surroundings to broad,
airy, beautiful surroundings in Myers Park. They have
erected new, modern buildings unsurpassed in the state in
those qualities which make a great educational plant. From
first to last the friends of the Colege have spent at least
$300,000 to establish and maintain the College.
In closing I quote a few sentences from the Charlotte Ob-
server of yesterday under the heading, "Queen's Brighter
Day": "For the first time in its history, this institution
has been obliged to turn away girls for lack of room; as
against a high water mark of 105 boarding pupils last year
the College opened its doors last Thursday with 141 students
who had engaged rooms and made a deposit to hold them.
The finances of the College are also in excellent shape. The
future of the College was never quite so bright as today."
47
The Presbytery of Mecklenburg and
Union Theological Seminary
in Virginia
Founded in 1812 with only one professor, without build-
ings or grounds or endowment, it has steadily grown for
more than a century until today it is the largest and best
equipped Seminary in our General Assembly.
Its removal to Richmond, Va., in 1898, was the beginning
of great things for the Seminary. Its location in Richmond
is ideal. There are II14 acres in the campus proper and 34
acres in the immediately adjoining Westwood tract. There
are ten large and substantial brick buildings, not counting
the frame cottages at Westwood. The cash value of these
buildings and grounds is over $300,000.
This Seminary has laid our whole Southern Church under
obligations by training 1,877 young ministers. The Synod
of North Carolina is peculiarly indebted to Union Seminary,
for out of 255 ministers and licentiates in the Synod, 135
were trained at Union Seminary. Now that is what the
Seminary has done for us, and the question properly arises,
what has our Presbytery done for the Seminary? Finan-
cially, we have done very little. I am embarrassed by
having to say to you that in the fifty years of our life, from
1869 to 1919, so far as known, we have only given about
$10,000 to Union Seminary.
But I would do a great injustice to the city of Charlotte,
to the First Presbyterian Church of that city, to the Presby-
tery of Mecklenburg, if I did not recall a great gift made to
Union Seminary by the Presbyterians of Piedmont Carolina.
We have made a gift to the Seminary which cannot be com-
puted in the banking houses of the world. We have given
48
the Seminary Dr. Walter W. Moore. He was born among
us and reared by a most godly mother, a member of the
First Church, Charlotte. He was received under the care of
this Presbytery as a candidate for the ministry May 2nd,
1879, and by this Presbytery licensed and ordained and after
a few years' service in our bounds and in Kentucky, he was
called to this Seminary. And it now appears that we have
given Dr. Moore to the Seminary for life.
jr^tS
At the close of the historical address the Presbytery took
recess. The pastor, Rev. J. W. Orr, announced that the
ladies of the church had spread dinner in the grove near-by.
And what a dinner ! There were at least a thousand persons
present and yet there was no embarrassment except the em-
barrassment of a superabundance of good things. After
recess the great congregation re-assembled to conclude the
exercises of the day.
As was stated in the historical address, the Presbytery
was organized in 1869 in the home of Mrs. Robt. Pearson, in
the town of Morgantown, N. C. Therefore it was peculiarly
appropriate and gratifying to the Presbytery to have with
us Miss Sue Virginia Tate, of Morgantown, granddaughter
of Mrs. Pearson, and to have her introduced to the Presby-
tery. Miss Tate bore greetings to the Presbytery from her
aunt, Mrs. Laura Pearson Ray, the only living member of
Mrs. Pearson's family and the only living witness of the
proceedings of Concord Presbytery in the organization of
this Presbytery fifty years ago.
To the Moderator and Members of Mecklenburg Presbytery
at Steele Creek Church, September 17th, 1919.
"Greetings. Being the only now living member of the
Presbyterian Church in Morgantown, N. C, at the time
Mecklenburg Presbytery was organized by Synod held in
Morgantown, October, 1869, I am requested by Rev. W. E.
Mcllwain to let the wheels of thought move backward fifty
years and tell of the birthday of this child of the church,
born in the parlor of my mother, Mrs. R. C. Pearson, October
16th, 1869. When overtures were sent to Synod by Concord
Presbytery asking to organize a new Presbytery and the
motion was made by Rev. A. W. Miller, D.D., pastor of the
First Church, Charlotte, a cloud was seen and felt through
this body of God's elect people at the thought of severing a
link from the strong chain of Concord.
"Sermons, addresses and prayers were made, calling to
mind the ravages the Civil War had made in Church and
state and that things might look lawful and yet not be expe-
dient. Fifteen clergy and elders could not be dissuaded;
they believed the hand of God pointed to new fields, greater
work, bidding them 'Go forward.'
"Today a thanksgiving should ascend for the ripe harvest
our Father has given this child of His love. One hundred
and seventy-five ministers sent out to give the 'bread of
life' to starving souls, not only in this, our own Christian
land, but Mecklenburg Presbytery has sent the 'glad tidings'
of Christ and His love to far off China, Japan, Africa and
Korea. She has organized two new Presbyteries and 77 new
churches. 'Behold what great things the Lord hath done
for us.'
"No organization was ever more perfumed with the in-
cense of earnest, importunate prayer than Mecklenburg
Presbytery.
"Today the Calebs and Joshuas in the 'General Assembly
and church of the first born in Heaven' know, see and re-
joice with you. I, the daughter of Mrs. R. C. Pearson, wish
I could be with you in the body as I will be in spirit.
"Yours in Christian bonds,
"Mrs. LAURA PEARSON RAY,
"Fayetteville, N. C."
Immediately following the reading of this very interesting
letter from Mrs. Ray, there was presented to every member
of the Presbytery and to all visiting ministers a picture of
the brick building in Morgantown which was formerly the
home of Mrs. Pearson and in which the Presbytery had its
birth. This building is now a business house on one of the
main streets of Morgantown.
Then followed the presentation by Rev. R. J. Mcllwain,
Evangelist of Union county, of two very large and well exe-
cuted maps of the Presbytery. One of these maps, fifteen
feet long by eight feet wide, showed the Presbytery at its
formation in 1869 with only one church in Charlotte and
thirty-eight churches scattered over nineteen counties of its
territory and in six entire counties no church at all. The
other map, eighteen feet by eight feet, showed the Presby-
tery of 1919, which had grown into three Presbyteries. The
division lines between Mecklenburg, Asheville and Kings
Mountain Presbyteries were clearly drawn and instead of
thirty-eight stars representing the churches of 1869 there
were 147 stars representing the churches of 1919 and not
one county in all three Presbyteries without its stars. The
thanks of the Presbytery were given Rev. R. J. Mcllwain,
Dr. Jno. M. Belk, Elder R. W. Elliott, county surveyor of
Union county, and others for these excellent maps.
The second candidate for the ministry to be received by
Mecklenburg Presbytery was John Franklin Cannon, of
Sharon Church, August 18th, 1871. On receiving an invi-
tation to be present at our semi-centennial, he replied as fol-
lows:
St. Louis, Mo., Sept. 10, 1919.
Rev. A. A. McGeachey, D.D.
Dear Brother: Your kind favor of the 2nd inst., convey-
ing an invitation to attend the semi-centennial of Mecklen-
burg Presbytery September 17th, has been received.
I am deeply grateful to the Presbytery and the Committee
of Arrangements for remembering me in this way, and sin-
51
cerely wish it was in my power to accept the invitation. It
would afford me peculiar pleasure to be present on that in-
teresting occasion and to revive memories and associations
of former years. But unfortunately circumstances are such
as compel me to forego the pleasure. My own Presbytery
meets on the 16th, and there are some reasons which seem
to make it imperative for me to attend that meeting. Please
convey to the brethren of the Presbytery my sincere thanks
for their invitation and my assurance that I will be with
them in the spirit. I cherish grateful memories of the ven-
erable body that commissioned me to preach and rejoice in
every report of its prosperity.
"Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God, even our
Father, who hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting
consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your
hearts and establish you in every good word and work."
Fraternally yours,
JOHN F. CANNON.
A very tender interest attaches to this letter of Dr. Can-
non, for since it was written he has passed to his heavenly
ministry.
There was received and read to the Presbytery the follow-
ing telegram :
North Wilkesboro, N. C, Sept. 17th, 1919.
Dr. A. A. McGeachey,
Chairman Centennial Committee.
Cordial greetings from Orange Presbytery, the mother of
all, we congratulate you upon your fiftieth anniversary and
pray God's blessing upon you always.
D. I. CRAIG,
Stated Clerk.
The exercises of the day were brought to a close by appro-
priate addresses by a number of our visiting brethren. Rev.
R. F. Campbell, D.D., and Rev. R. P. Smith, D.D., represented
52
Asheville Presbytery, Rev. J. T. Dendy, Rev. G. A. Sparrow
and Elder A. Nixon represented Kings Mountain Presbytery,
and Rev. E. D. Brown and Rev. J. M. Grier, D.D., represented
Concord Presbytery. Rev. Walter W. Moore, D.D., a be-
loved son o fthe Presbytery, was heard with great pleasure
by his brethren. And it was no ordinary privilege to wel-
come home again Rev. Jas. H. Morrison, D.D., of Arkansas,
and Rev. Geo. Summey, D.D., of Louisiana, and have them
take part in our semi-centennial. Out of five original can-
didates for the ministry assigned to Mecklenburg Presbytery
at its organization, they alone remain to this day. The
mother Presbytery rejoices in their spared lives, their per-
fect health, and the rich blessings which have rested on their
abundant labors in the ministry.
The following resolutions were then offered by the Mod-
erator, the Rev. Dr. Black:
Resolved, That the thanks of the Presbytery are due and
are hereby tendered to Rev. W. E. Mcllwain, D.D., Rev. W.
W. Moore, D.D., Rev. R. F. Campbell, D.D., Rev. R. P. Smith,
D.D., Rev. J. M. Grier, D.D., Rev. E. D. Brown, Rev. G. A.
Sparrow, Rev. J. T. Dendy, Rev. George Summey, D.D., Rev.
J. H. Morrison, D.D., and Elder A. Nixon for their most ex-
cellent addresses.
Resolved, That the thanks of the Presbytery are due and
are hereby tendered to the Semi-centennial Committee for
the most excellent program.
Resolved, That the Committee on Program of the Semi-
centennial Exercises of Mecklenburg Presbytery be and are
hereby requested to have the addresses printed and that said
committee is requested to ask Rev. W. W. Moore, D.D., or
another suitable person, to write an introduction or fore-
word in which shall be set forth in a suitable way the work
done in Mecklenburg Presbytery by Rev. W. E. Mcll-
wain, D.D., if the way be clear.
The order of Presbytery providing for the celebration of
its fiftieth anniversary having been fully and successfully
executed, the Semi-centennial of Mecklenburg Presbytery
into history.
53
HECKMAN
BINDERY INC. j
APR 99
