3 October 1775 A.D. Rev. Samuel Davies &
(Presbyterian) Hanover Presbytery
Archivist. “October 3: Hanover Presbytery.” This
Day in Presbyterian History. 3 Oct
2014. http://www.thisday.pcahistory.org/2014/10/october-3/.
Accessed 3 Oct 2014.
October 3: Hanover Presbytery
A
Waystation for the Progress of the Gospel
Up to the middle of the
eighteenth century, what presbyteries existed were all in the northern part of
the American colonies. But after the division of the New Side–Old Side
Presbyterians in 1741 (see May 17, 1741), the New Side evangelists set
their spiritual eyes on advancing the gospel both south and west of
Philadelphia. Especially was there an encouragement due to the expansion of the
Scot-Irish Presbyterians in those directions who still worshiped in the
manner of their Scotch forefathers.
An important waystation
for the progress of the gospel was the establishment of Hanover
Presbytery in Virginia on October
3, 1775. Constituting this regional church governing unit
were the following: Samuel Davies, of Hanover Presbyterian Church, of Hanover
County; Robert Henry, pastor of Cub Creek Church in Charlotte County and
Briery Church in Prince Edward County; John Brown, of Timber Ridge and New
Providence Presbyterian churches in Rockbridge County; and John Todd, assistant
to Samuel Davies and pastor of Louisa County. Various ruling elders also
attended, such as Samuel Morris, Alexander Joice, and John Molley. Also
part of the presbytery but unable to attend were Alexander Craighead, pastor of
Windy Cove Church in Augusta County, and John Wright, pastor of the church in
Cumberland County, near Farmville, Virginia.
At the first meeting of the
Presbytery, after the sermon by John Todd, the first action taken was to appoint
a day of fasting and prayer on January 1, 1777. The last act was to repeat the
fasting and prayer on June of the same year. In both cases, the purpose was to
ask God for His help against the physical dangers occasioned by the war in
their land as well as to ask God to bless the preaching of the Word of God in
the area.
Words to live
by: Lest we respond with a yawn about the
topic of today’s devotional, let us remember that to attend church in
these early days was to put your life and that of your family in danger.
First, there was the distance travelled to the meeting-house, usually a log
building, or sometimes outside under a huge tree. Transportation there
was by horseback, or in buggies pulled by
horses. The worshiping family carried their Bibles, hymns, and
rifles with powder horns, for protection. The services themselves lasted for
two hours. And at the end, there would be communal meals, with another
worship hour before they left for their homes. Colonial worship was not
for the lukewarm, but for the God-fearing, Bible-believing men and women of the
Presbyterian faith.
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