Church History

The impact of Bible Presbyterianism as a movement is greater than one might consider at first impression. While the Bible Presbyterian Church today is a but a small group of about 28 churches, there are churches in other denominations who share much of same history in their early years. These churches are principally those which

John Witherspoon and the Connecting of American Presbyterians Speech given at the 84th General Synod of the Bible Presbyterian Church meeting in Cape Canaveral, Florida, August 9, 2021. by Rev. Douglas J. Douma [Introductory Remarks: On the theme of connectivity at the level of the general assembly (or synod in the case of the BPC),

The following is excerpted from “The History of Sullivan County” by James Eldridge Quinlan, 1873. Rev. Thomas Grier (or Greer) was the founding pastor of each the Westtown and Unionville Presbyterian Churches. Here we find him laboring in a neighboring county.   There is ground for belief that Rev. Thomas Greer, a Presbyterian clergyman of

I’ve been working on piecing together the earliest history of churches in my area and in the process have acquired a number of digital maps of the area. Putting them here in chronological order may be of some benefit to later explaining the history. The following maps are from 1769, 1780, 1829, 1851, 1860, 1875,

[A July 1883 sermon of Rev. Henry Frost Wadsworth, pastor of First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY. Given five months prior to his retirement.] Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. The apostle opens this chapter by showing the difference

[July 4 1880, sermon of Rev. Henry Frost Wadsworth, pastor of First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY] Psalm 144:15 Yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. The psalmist was accustomed to trace genuine prosperity to its true and only source, whether relating to individuals or nations. He found from experience that every

[A November 1879 sermon of Rev. Henry Frost Wadsworth, pastor of First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY] 1 John 3:2 Beloved now are we the sons of God. Adoption is one of the results or privileges that follows the conversion of the soul to God and the nature of adoption may be explained in the

[A January 1864 sermon of Rev. Henry Frost Wadsworth, pastor of First Presbyterian Church at Unionville, NY. Found among the historical papers of the church.] Rom. 12:11 – Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. There are some who entertain the idea that industry is in competition with religion. Such claim that

[I’ve been collecting references to this event. While I haven’t written a prose account, I figured the references themselves (chronologically ordered) might be of interest to OPC, BPC, and Machen scholars.] J. Gresham Machen to Presbyterian minister Roy T. Brumbaugh, 10/9/1935 – “It looks as though the crisis were on in the Seminary board meeting.

March 7th 1880 The following named persons having been previously elected, to the office of ruling elders, by a vote of this church Asa Smith, Samuel Hartwell, Jonathan Whitaker, J. Harvey Hanford were this day set apart to this office, according to the constitution or usage of the Presbyterian church. H. F. Wadsworth. Pastor. (Elder