From the Pages of History

The Synod in 1861 was significant for two reasons: The first known photograph of a Synod occurred in that year, and pivotal events were shaking the nation.

The Photograph

Photography in 1861 was not common in any context, let alone being used for a Synod. Forty-nine ministers attended the 1861 Synod, and fifteen were absent. All but two of the ministers attending are in the group picture: T. Hanna (Slippery Rock) and H. P. McClurkin (Salt Creek). Mr. McClurkin was reported absent from one of the sessions because of illness, so this may account for his not being in the picture. The thirty-two ruling elders of the Synod also do not appear, unfortunately. While it is regrettable not to see the faces of the ruling elders, this is nevertheless a very striking and historic photograph of the ministers.

This photograph was prepared by skillfully arranging individual portraits on the master. In general, the men are grouped carefully in five lines, with the oldest minister in front, and the youngest in the back. Synod’s moderator, J. W. Crozier, is in the center, and the clerks, Samuel Bowden and J. W. Shaw, stand on either side of him. Each line of men is so arranged as to be higher in the middle than at the ends, and the arc of the circle is as a rule carefully planned to secure this effect. Evidently the artist took his time and the ministers were patient. This picture was given to the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary (RPTS) in 1911 by Mrs. R. J. George, widow of Dr. R. I. George, and hangs on the walls with other American Covenanter worthies. This photograph was also published in the October 4, 1911, edition of The Christian Nation, and was accompanied by an article written by Dr. W. J. Coleman, long-time professor of RPTS. (It was restored in 2013 by Pritchett Studio in Pittsburgh, and it is published here as a reminder of the saints of the past.)

In the 1911 article, Dr. Coleman observed:

The picture is a fairly large one and presents the faces in clear and characteristic outline. Few of these might have been the faces of English or of German people, but the most are unmistakably Scotch and Scotch Irish. All give evidence of mental power and cultivation. They were then generally in the prime of life and in the midst of their usefulness—strong men doing a great work.

He further commented:

These ministers were nearly all speakers rather than writers and, therefore, but few of them have left us any record of their thinking and doing. Their record is in the lives of men and in God’s Book. Many now look back to them as the orators of their time, men who woke and stirred their hearers to the best and highest things of life. These ministers believed in the Bible, preached it faithfully, and reaped a great harvest for their Lord. They held the truth and kept the faith. We may well pray that others may make the same record for us when another half century shall have passed away.

He concludes, solemnly, that of this group photograph of ministers, taken 50 years ago, nearly all were deceased. However, 5 of the 47 ministers were still living in 1911, and he wondered how many of those who attended the last Synod (1911) would be still alive in 1961. And, he further wondered, “Will the Covenanter Church stand as steadily to her principles in the next half century as she has in the past?”

The Synod and the RPCNA in 1861

The meeting of Synod was held at the Second RP Church of New York on West Eleventh Street near Sixth Avenue (it would meet here again in 1879 and 1890). The population of New York City in 1860 was 1,174,000 (compared with the 2010 census of 8,175,000). The ministers and elders traveled by railroads, which gave a discount of half fare to clergy. Synod began on Tuesday evening, May 28, and concluded on Thursday evening, June 6, customarily by singing the 133rd Psalm. The days of beginning and ending were chosen to avoid Sabbath Day traveling. The business transacted was similar to present-day Synods, but noticeably with a large number (36) of papers presented. Absentees at the last meeting of Synod were called on to give their reasons for absence. During Synod tardiness and absences were noted (such as sickness).

The year of 1861 was a pivotal and critical year in the history of America. Lincoln was inaugurated on Mar. 4, becoming the 16th president. On Mar. 14, Great Britain recognized the Confederate States as belligerents. Fort Sumter was bombarded on Apr. 12 and 13. Two days later, Apr. 15, Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to serve for three months and summoned Congress to meet on July 4. A proclamation on Apr. 19 called for Confederate ports to be blockaded. And on May 3 Lincoln appealed for 42,000 men to serve for three years, or the duration of the war, as general expectancy was of a short conflict.

Appropriately, Synod took note of the national events. On May 31 at its 3 p.m. session, it adopted the report of the “Signs and the Times,” which stated, in part:

The dread calamity of war has been brought upon the land. The constitutional sanction of slavery—the fostering care of the government of this inhuman, disorganizing and impious system, have in the holy providence of our God, produced their natural effects, rebellion and treason, to perpetuate and extend it. The serpent has sought the ruin of its protector. While we rejoice that the accursed system will soon be destroyed, yet in the progress of the war we have great reason to mourn. Commerce is prostrate—industry is paralyzed—homes are empty—benevolent enterprises languish. Morality and true religion suffer.

Moreover, a special committee of Synod, which had been appointed to consider the position and duty of the church, gave their report which was unanimously adopted on Saturday, June 1. That Synod’s position might be fully and definitely understood, it declared:

• That we disclaim all allegiance to the government of any foreign nation.

• That we consider ourselves under an obligation to live peaceably with all men, to advance the good of society, and to conform to its order in everything consistent with righteousness.

• That we disown all sympathy, even the least, with the traitors styling themselves as “The Confederate States,” now in arms against these United States.

• That we will, as true patriots, defend this, our common country, against these and all like enemies.

Very appropriately, Synod agreed to spend an hour in devotional exercises at the next session, which was held on Monday morning, June 3.

At that time in history, the denomination was centered on three heavily populated areas in the Eastern U.S.: New York City, Philadelphia, and Western Pennsylvania. The following list of congregations and their communicant members, as reported in the 1861 Minutes of Synod, gives a snapshot of the denomination:

New York Presbytery

First New York (172), Second New York (345), Third New York (245), First Newburgh (213), Second Newburgh (138), White Lake (82), Topsham (51), Coldenham (45), Craftsbury (65), Brooklyn (109), Kortright (58), Ryegate and Barnet (170), Boston (58), Bovina (43), Argyle (22), Glengary (24).

Philadelphia Presbytery

First Philadelphia (234), Second Philadelphia (271), Third Philadelphia (n/r), Baltimore (64), Conococheage (n/r).

Pittsburgh Presbytery

Pittsburgh and Allegheny (401), Monongahela (99), Union and Pine Creek (138), Wilkinsburg (74), New Alexandria (203), Slippery Rock &c (139), Brookland &c (166), Rehoboth (61), Salt Creek (158), Oil Creek (43), Salem (n/r), Jackson (50), Springfield (106), Miller’s Run (81), Londonderry (n/r), Middle Wheeling (n/r), Little Beaver (n/r), West Alexander (n/r), Brownsville (40).

Rochester Presbytery

Rochester (90), York (168), Stirling (85), Syracuse (68), Lisbon (63).

Lakes Presbytery

First Miami (104), Second Miami (92), Garrison 42), Southfield (130), Rushsylvania and Macedon (78), Utica (72), Sandusky (27), Cincinnati (38), Xenia (35), Lake Eliza (n/r), Jonathan’s Creek & Irville (56).

Illinois Presbytery

Old Bethel (115), Elkhorn (201), Sharon (203), Rehoboth (111), Princeton (92), St. Louis (53), Bethel (145), Vernon (47), Maquoketa (65), Walnut Ridge (n/r), Church Hill (142) , Linn Grove (n/r), Clarinda (80), Bethesda (85).

Note: communicant members in parentheses, and (n/r) = none reported.

—John M. Mitchell

John is a volunteer archivist for the RPCNA archives; clerk of session of Rose Point (New Castle, Pa.) RPC; and associate professor emeritus of business administration at Geneva College.