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 The Old Rocky Spring Church
of the Associate Presbyterian (or Seceder) denomination, is an object
of local interest. It was located by the side of the public road from
Sandy Lake to New Lebanon, a mile north of the former town, in a
beautiful grove, near a large spring of excellent soft water. When the
congregation was first organized is not recorded, or exactly known. The
old “Session Book” records the minutes back to July 21, 1811. Then a
meeting of session was held at which Rev.
John Walker, father-in-law of Rev.
George C. Vincent, D. P., of Latrobe, Penn., was
moderator. Rev. Walker
was the first pastor. He preached to this people till some time in
1813, when he resigned. At a communion held in the church, September
14, 1811, the session was composed of the following members: Moderator,
Rev. J. Walker;
ruling elders, John Hamilton,
William Patterson, John Montgomery, William Braden, John Todd, John
Barnes, Allen Dunn, Thomas McBride, James Braden, David Nelson
and Joseph Work. The
congregation then extended over a large portion of “the region round
about” now occupied by other congregations of a like religions faith. Elder Allen Dunn was afterward
sheriff of Mercer County, and filled other important local offices. His
son, Francis Dunn, was
for a long time an elder in the church and clerk of its session, and
his grandson, Rev. William C. Dunn,
son of Francis Dunn,
has for many years been the successful pastor of the large United
Presbyterian congregation of Scroggsfield, Ohio. At the communion held
at Rocky Springs September, 14, 1811, twenty-two new members were added
to the congregation. mostly heads of households. It was without a
pastor from 1813 for thirteen years. or to 1826, though supplied with
preaching part of the time. At the latter date Rev.
I. Beggs, a man of much ability and “mighty in the
scriptures” became pastor. How long he occupied this position is not
recorded. Rev. Edward Small was
installed pastor in 1839 who Preached part of his time at Springfield
and Mineral Ridge. Mercer County. He was distinguished for his zeal in
the temperance and anti-slavery controversies which then were occupying
much attention. Rev. Small continued a faithful pastor for twenty-two
years, or till April 3, 1S61, when he resigned his charge, consisting
then of the Rocky Spring and Springfield congregations.
There
has never been a church erected in the [Sandy Lake] township proper,
although the Associate Presbyterians organized a society as
early as
1811, called the “Rocky Spring Church,” with Rev.
Alexander Murray as moderator of the
meeting. The members of the session, at the date of its organization,
August 2d, 1811, were John Montgomery, John Hamilton, and William Patterson. Allen Dunn was one of the first elders elected, under Mr.
Murray, and John Hamilton, William
Braden, and James Galey, were also elected in 1811. Their
first regular pastor was Rev. John
Walker, who had charge until some time during the
year
1813, when he resigned, and the pulpit was supplied
until the advent of
Rev. Isaac Begges
(Isaiah Beggs?), who
came about 1826. Rev. E. Small was
the next regular pastor, and came in 1838. Rev.
Matthew Snodgrass supplied the church a few times in
1842. The next regular pastor, after Mr.
Small, was John A.
Bailey, who took charge in 1863, and since July 1st, 1870,
Rev. L. J. Crawford
has had charge. The church is now United Presbyterian.
The Present
members of the session are: Elders
Robert Dunn, Archibald McBride, J. H. Hamilton, and Harvey Vogan—the
latter two elected and installed about 1872.At the consummation of
the union between the Associate Presbyterian and Associate Reformed
Presbyterian Churches, in Pittsburgh, May 26, 1858, forming the United
Presbyterian Church. Rocky Spring congregation went unanimously into the
new organization, what before was known as the Rocky Spring Associate,
thus becoming the United Presbyterian Church of Sandy Lake. Rev.
Small continued to live in Mercer, where be had his home during
his long and useful ministry, till
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his death in January, 1888. His
successor, Rev. John A. Bailey, now pastor
of the United Presbyterian Church of Sharon, Penn., was installed pastor
of Rocky Spring or Sandy Lake United Presbyterian Church in May, 1863.
During that year quite a number withdrew from the church on account of
its testimony against slavery. Rev. L. I. Crawford
was installed pastor of the church at Sandy Lake, in connection with
Utica and North Sandy, July 1, 1870. Under his ministry it numbered near
100 members. He resigned his pastorate August 12, 1879. Rev.
J. C. Heron was called to the pastorate in 1884, and continues to
preach half time to his old congregation, that since 1869 has had its
place of worship in the village of Sandy Lake. In the summer of 1871 the
old frame (40x50 feet) church, near the big spring and the old Rocky
Spring graveyard, was sold and taken down. All the old members living at
the time of organization are dead, but their influence for good is still
widely felt in the community. The present session
consists of the following members: Moderator, Rev.
J. C. Heron; ruling elders, Archibald
McBride, Harvey Vogan, William Beggs and Samuel
George. The present membership of the congregation, after a life of
more than seventy-seven years, during which the congregations of New
Vernon, Utica and North Sandy were organized within its old borders, is
between fifty and sixty. A weekly prayer meeting and Sabbath-school are
maintained, and the congregation enjoys the preaching of the gospel each
alternate Sunday.
From History
of Mercer County, 1888,
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