Chapter 2: Growth

The Changes Which Lead to the Erection of Clarion Presbytery

American Presbyterianism is approximately three hundred years old. This work may for convenience be divided into three groups, corresponding to the three centuries. Thus the work of the first century may be known as the Colonial Period, during which time the work was largely confined to the colonies along the sea coast. The work of the second century might be called the Period of Extension, when the work was carried beyond the Allegheny Mountains and as far west as the Mississippi River. And the work of the third century might be called the National Period, when the work was carried through to the Pacific Ocean.

First Organizations -- 1683

Although there were Presbyterians among the early settlers in the Colonies, we find that organized Presbyterianism really began with the coming of Rev. Francis Mackemie in 1683. Mr. Mackemie was licensed by the Presbytery of Laggan in Ireland and sent as an Evangelist to the "Distant Colonies." He began his work on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and soon succeeded in organizing two churches know as Snow Hill and Rehoboth in the year 1683. But we read that he continued to labor as an itinerate missionary along the coast, and journeyed from place to place from New York to the Carolinas, so at the time of his death some twenty-seven years later, there were twenty churches scattered along the seacoast which were directly the result of this missionary labor.

First Presbytery -- 1706

By March 1706 there was sufficient interest aroused that the First Presbytery was organized in or near Philadelphia and was known as the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The exact time and the place of this organization remains a bit doubtful, because the first pages of the old minute book have been lost. However, we find there were twelve ministers, twenty-two churches, and approximately two thousand communicant members in this first organization.

First Synod -- 1717

Twelve years later, by the year 1717 the First Synod was organized also in Philadelphia. Now the work was divided into four Presbyteries known as Philadelphia, New Castle, Snow Hill and Long Island. There were now nineteen ministers, forty churches, and approximately three thousand communicant members in the church.

First Division

By this time, Log College (later known as Princeton University) had been established, and had graduated several men who were ordained to the ministry. And objections were raised regarding the educational qualifications of these men, as compared to the men graduated from the Universities of Europe. Soon the Church was divided into what was known as the "Old Side," those supporting European schools, and the "New Side," or the group supporting the Princeton men. The Old Side formed what was known as the Synod of Philadelphia, and the New Side formed the Synod of New York, and they worked separately for about seventeen years, when a union was formed under the name of the Synod of "New York and Philadelphia." And this is the Synod which had the first jurisdiction over Western Pennsylvania.

Reunion And Growth

When the Old Side and New Side divisions were happily united into one church in 1758, there were ninety-eight ministers, two hundred churches, and about ten thousand communicant members in the church. Then followed the long and bitter struggle of the American Revolution. Every school boy knows that this was a struggle on behalf of Civil liberty, but it is not so well known that is was also a struggle for religious liberty. And it is not too much to say that the Presbyterians were the leaders in this movement for civil and religious liberty. As the historian Bancroft says, "The first voice publicly raised in America to dissolve all connections with Great Britain, came not from the Puritans of New England, nor from the Dutch of New York, nor from the planters of Virginia, but from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians."

First General Assembly -- 1789

After the Revolutionary War was over, the pioneers began to push west of the Allegheny Mountains, and they were followed by the church. This expansion brought certain definite changes in the church organization. So while the Statesmen were busy writing a National constitution, we find the Presbyterians were busy organizing their church on a Nation-wide scale. And in 1789 they met in the first General Assembly. The year before, the work had been divided into four Synods and sixteen Presbyteries. Now there were one hundred and seventy-seven ministers, four hundred and thirty-one churches, and approximately twenty thousand communicant members in the church.