Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/386

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

incorporated under the title of the "Mahoning Presbyterian English Congrcg^ation.” T he first board o f trustees under this incorporation consisted of these nine m en: William Donald­ son, John Cooper, Paul Leidy, Alexander Montgomery*. WiUiam H. M ^ l l, Samuel Y orks, John C . G rier, Jacob Hibler, Michael C. Grier. Dr. Haltiday severed his connection O ct 4» >843, on account o f ill health, and after a vacancy o f nearly two years a unanimous call w as extended to Rev. John W. Yeomans, D, D.. who accepted and w as installed Jan . I I, 1 ^ 6 . During the ministry o f D r. Y eo­ mans the church increased steadily in member­ ship, until in the year 1850 it reported a maximum o f 325 communicants. T his period was one o f prosperity to the town also, which, owing to the development of the iron industry, grew from a quiet village to a busy m anufac­ turing center. Dr. Yeomans w*as bom in Hinsdale, Mass<, Ja n. 7, 1800. H e was a graduate o f Williams College and o f Andover Theological Seminary. In the spring o f 1841 he accepted the presi­ dency o f I^ fay ettc CoIlq;c, from which posi­ tion he came to the Mahoning Oiurch. Dr. Yeomans was one of the leading Presbyters o f his generation. In i860, while pastor of the Mahoning Church, he vi*as elected modera­ tor of the General .Assembly. H e w as a scholar o f rare attainments and an authority on ecclesiastical law*, a preacher whose ser­ mons impressed, and who was listened to with keen interest. T o keep pace with the growing community and congregation at this time there arose the urgent necessity for the erection o f a more commodious church edifice. T he church was located lieyond the growing portion of the town and the weekly prayer meetings were held in the southern part of the town, part of the time in the Academy building, and then in a storeroom fitted up for that purpose, on the present site of the Opera H ouse: later in what was called the "lecture room,” on F erry street, op]K>sitc the present Friendship engine house. .After careful con$ideratk>n and de­ liberation the congregation voted to abandon the old church and remove to the southeast corner o f Mahoning and F e rry streets, and in the spring o f 1853 the new building was commenced. On the 23d o f June. 1854, the congregation abandone<l the old site and com­ menced to w*orship in the new building, which was dctlicated N ov. 16. 1854, the sermon being preached by Rev. William Plummer, D. D., to an audience that filled the house.

This change o f location w as the act of the congregation, and was felt by them to be the best solution of the problems that confronted the church. Still there w*as a large and respect­ able minority from the north side of the town who regretted giving up the old site, which had many happy memories; consequently, a fte r worshipping in the new edifice for about a year, a movement w*as made to organize a new church, to go back to live in the old home, l l i e ofKcbl record of the Presbytery is as fo llo w s: "Certain papers were presented to the P re s­ bytery by a committee appointed by a portion of the members of the church and c o n g rc ^ tion u f Mahoning, praying for the organization of a second Presbyterian church in that place, to be called the Mahoning Presbyterian E n g ­ lish C ongr^ation, North. T he mcmWrs of the committee were heard on the subject. In the afternoon session of the same day the petition w*as granted, and a committee ap]K>inted to organize a congrega­ tion to be named as designated in this paper. An interesting account of the proceedings o f this Prcsbyterial committee is given in a num­ ber of the Danville InuUigencer, published Xox*. 2, 18 5 5 : ” .t a late meeting of the Northumberland Presbyter)* Rev. Isaac G ricr and Rev. D . J . W aller were appointed a committee to organize a new Presbyterian congregation in Dan*illc, in conformity to a petition presented, asking for said organization. T his organization took place in the old Prcsb)icrian church building on Wednesday last (A ug. 3 1 ), when there w as an appropriate sermon delivered hy the Rev. Isaac Gricr. Samuel Y orks, S r., Michael C . G rier, Benjamin McMahon, David Blue and H . 1). Sechler were elected elders of the new North Mahoning Presbyterian church. W c arc pleased to observe that the new organiza­ tion has been made without the slightest opposition from the members of the M.ahoning Presbyterian English congregation, who now worship in the new church building erected in 1853, and finished last year. Now let each congregation endeavor to excel in good works.” Dr. Yeom ans continued to minister to the old congregation until 1863. H is ministry was greatly blessed by God. Its stamp is still visible on lives uiil>om at his death, verifying the words given in the vision to John on Patm os: "NVitc, blessed are the dead which die in the I ^ r d from henceforth; yea. saith the .Spirit, that they may rest from their labours: and their works do follow them.” Dr. Yeomans died Ju n e 22, 1863.