J.W.F. Carlisle

W. Melancthon Glasgow, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in America (Baltimore: Hill & Harvey, 1888), p. 454.

JOHN W. FENTON CARLISLE:
Son of Rev. Samuel and Margaret M. (Fenton) Carlisle, was born in the city of Newburgh, New York, September 21, 1858. He received his early education in the public schools, and also in the Banks Classical School of his native city, and graduated from Columbia College in 1880. He studied theology in the Allegheny Seminary, and was licensed by the New York Presbytery, May 16, 1883. He was ordained by the Pittsburgh Presbytery, and installed pastor of the congregation of New Alexandria, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, June 16, 1884, and resigned this charge, January 26, 1888.

Report of Synod’s Committee on the Sabbath, 1887

Reports of Synod’s Committee on the Sabbath

Report of 1887

The Committee on the Sabbath respectfully report: —

I. The foundation principles of the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is an institution ordained of God, placed in the world in “the fulness of time,” designed for man in his body, mind and soul. The Scriptures show most clearly the divine voice unfolding the Sabbath law to Moses on Sinai; the divine hand engraving it on Adam in Paradise. Also, experience attests that the Sabbath requires the divine authority for its full effectiveness. The authority of church fathers, the commands of civil magistrates, the physical and moral benefits arising therefrom — all these fail in retaining the Sabbath sanctity. Only this avails: The divine “thou shalt” of Sinai. As has been said well: “The divine ‘thou shalt’ of Sinai alone awakens the divine ‘I ought’ of conscience.”

R.M. Sommerville

W. Melancthon Glasgow, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in America (Baltimore: Hill & Harvey, 1888), pp. 678, 679.

ROBERT McGOWAN SOMMERVILLE:
Son of Rev. William and Sarah B. (Dickie) Sommerville, was born in Grand Pre, Nova Scotia, October 14, 1837. He received his early education under the direction of his father, and graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast, Ireland, in 1860. He studied theology at the same time in the Belfast Seminary, and was licensed by the Eastern Presbytery, Ireland, January 3, 1861. He returned to America the same spring, was ordained by the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Presbytery, and installed co-pastor with his father of the united congregations of Horton and Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, October 16, 1861. He was released from the Cornwallis branch in 1862, and soon afterwards built a church in Wolfville, where he preached for many years.

Report of Synod’s Committee on Psalmody, 1892

Reports of Synod’s Committee on Psalmody

Report of 1892

Have we Scripture authority for an exclusive use in worship of an inspired psalmody? Are the Psalms that we use in our service of song fully adapted to the needs of the church in the present day? If these questions can be answered in the affirmative, the position taken in our Testimony, and in the Westminster Directory, is impregnable.

The only rule to direct us in the worship of God is his revealed will. In Deut. 12:32 where Moses refers particularly to the statutes that were to regulate worship, he says: What thing soever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it.” The Second Commandment, which was enacted with special reference to the purity and integrity of instituted services, begins with the significant words, “Thou shalt not make unto thyself.” Here, as Dr. Owen has pointed out, “All making to ourselves is forbidden, though what we so make may seem unto us to tend unto the furtherance of the worship of God.” Confirmatory of this is the teaching of the church’s Head and Lawgiver during his earthly ministry. On one occasion he reproved the Pharisees for making the “washing of hands before meat” a religious rite. The reason he did so was that such a rite was not commanded, and consequently could have no value as a religious service. “In vain,” he said, “do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

Samuel Carlisle

W. Melancthon Glasgow, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in America (Baltimore: Hill & Harvey, 1888), pp. 454-456.

SAMUEL CARLISLE:
Son of Rev. Samuel and Letitia (Craig) Carlisle, was born in Ballibay, County Monaghan, Ireland, May 4, 1828. His father was an eminent minister of the Covenanter Church, and he was reared in the most careful manner by a pious parentage. He received his early education in the Coleraine Academy, and graduated from Belfast College in 1847. He studied theology in the Seminary of Paisley, Scotland, and was licensed by the Northern Presbytery, Ireland, May 4, 1848. In the following spring he came to America, was ordained by the New York Presbytery, and installed pastor of the First congregation of Newburgh, New York, November 15, 1849, where he spent the remainder of his life.

Report of Synod’s Committee on the Sabbath, 1886

Reports of Synod’s Committee on the Sabbath

Report of 1886

The Committee on the sanctification of the Sabbath respectfully report:

The Sabbath is a divine ordinance, made for man, his physical, intellectual and moral advantage and development, not to be spend in idleness, pleasure or recreation, or in worldly labor, but in the public and private exercises of religious worship, except so much as is required for works of necessity and mercy.

The fundamental principle of the Sabbath is founded in man’s moral nature. God made the creature, in his own image, and taught him to love, honor, obey and worship him as the beneficent Creator of the heavens and the earth.

In consequence of his fall, man is alienated from God. “The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to his law,” and to all things that are pure and lovely, and of good report, yet notwithstanding, the creature retains evidence that the original design of his creation was that he should glorify God by loving and serving him.

William Milroy

W. Melancthon Glasgow, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in America (Baltimore: Hill & Harvey, 1888), pp. 635-636.

WILLIAM MILROY:
Son of James and Mary (McJerrow) Milroy, was born in York, Livingston County, New York, December 23, 1820. His parents were from Scotland, and early dedicated him for the work of the ministry. In early life he was sent to Scotland, where he laid the foundation of a thorough and accurate classical education in the Academy of Wigton, and returning to America, graduated from Union College in 1846. He studied theology in the Cincinnati Seminary, and under the care of the Rev. Samuel Bowden, being licensed by the Rochester Presbytery, June 10, 1851. He was ordained by the Lakes Presbytery, and installed pastor of the Second Miami congregation, Northwood, Logan County, Ohio, October 12, 1854, where he spent the residue of his life.