The Tid Bits: Part I

History of American Presbyterianism

The Tid Bits (Part I)

Sent to America in 1683 by the Irish Presbytery of Laggan, Rev. Francis Makemie was the chief promoter of an American presbytery. He was later arrested for preaching in a private home without a license for doing so.
Education for ministry early on:

From its foundations in American soil, Presbyterianism has always maintained an educated pulpit, a traditional Scottish ideal of a learned minister. This was held to without waver even in times of great shortage of preachers. This is amazing to think about in today’s climate. David Evans was one such man who was forbidden to continue to preach until he was sufficiently grounded in the original languages and in theology. In fact, concerning Mr. Evan’s preaching prior to education it was said of his action, “it was unanimously agreed that the said Evan had done very ill, and acted irregularly thus invading the work of the ministry, and was thereupon censured.” Mr. Evans did go on to receive training and education and was properly ordained to minister as a Presbyterian in November of 1714.

Order of worship in the early days:
Rev. James Anderson refers to using the Scottish Directory which is the earliest evidence of how they ordered worship in church service. The Presbytery – Growth:

By 1716 the Presbytery was growing and could now be divided into four presbyteries according to geographical locale and one collective meeting yearly, the General Assembly. High influx of Scotch-Irish immigrants began to pour into America. Many of which lived profane lives and the new frontier of America was a licentious playground for them. The Presbytery was not exempt from such and had to establish courts to deal with such among its own ranks.
Adoption Act:

I was surprised to discover that the early American Presbyterian Church didn’t have an adopted confession of faith. Though many acknowledge the WCF as their creed is was still only held in general and not a document that was officially adopted.
Then the question is raised: What is a church without a creed?

Reason given to adopt the WCF:

• A bar needed to keep out of the ministry those corrupt in doctrine
• A bar for those currently in ministry may depart and begin to propagate false teaching. But because they never publicly received the truth they can’t identify it though they can smell it.
• The infancy stage of the Presbyterian Church meant a situation of poverty. Therefore, they were unable to erect an institution to educate future pastors. Hence, they relied upon other places to supply their pastors. To what were they to hold these foreign ministers to without a confession?
• The changing times brought into the church new ideas and it was easy to have ones doctrine blunted and thus the need of a confession for constant reminder and sharpening.
  

The Adoption Act of 1729. The WCF is adopted by the early American Presbyterian Church. No infallibility is claimed of the Westminster Divines. Each minister is able to state his own scruples with the WCF.

*Clippings from my notes crammed together. Sorry no footnotes and I haven't gone back to edit them to make sure everything is without grammatical errors...these are here for friends and family. My notes are taken from The Presbyterians by Randall Balmer and John R. Fitzmier and The Presbyterian Enterprise Edited by: Maurice W. Armstrong, Lefferts A. Loetscher, and Charles A. Anderson. Some notes may also be added from Dr. Andrew Hoffecker's class currently being taught at RTS Jackson, MS on History of American Presbyterianism.