Agreeably to a recommendation of Synod, respecting the religious observation of the Lord's day-ordered that each minister of this Presbytery shall read this recommendation in their respective congregations, and engage spiritedly in complying with the same, Mr. Swan-a Presbyterial exercisesustained.

Mr. Hill and Mr. Swan, examined upon Natural and Moral Philosophy-sustained.

committee. In like manner, the records of the Presbytery of Ohio are silent. Why was this? What now becomes of an institution entrusted to their superintendence, by their Synod? And up to this time, from 1793, what superintendence or control had they over it? It appears that all they were permitted to do was to attend the examinations—not to act as trustees-or to appoint or even nominate, either any of the Board, or any of the Faculty. They had no part whatever as Presbyteries, in the government or management of this Academy. They were asked however, for a few years, to urge their people to contribute to its support. And this they did at almost every successive meeting; sometimes three times a year. But after the year 1797, they drop from their minutes all further notice of this Academy at Canonsburg. Does the following extract from Dr. Brown's Life of Dr. M'Millan throw any light on this point? "In 1798, (Dr. Brown has it 1794, evidently a mistake,) there was an amendment to the constitution effecting important changes. The Trustees were no longer elected annually, but for life; and when vacancies occurred by death or otherwise, the corporate Trustees elected others to supply the vacancy." It, in other words, now became a close corporation. Though the Presbyterians of Redstone and Ohio had not previously such a superintendence as was manifestly contemplated in the action of the Synod, (when the Synod said, after appointing the Presbyteries of Lexington and Hanover Trustees of the Rockbridge Academy-that the Presbytery of Redstone, and afterwards, we suppose, of Ohio, shall, in like manner, superintend the institution in Washington County); yet up to this time, they were on the whole satisfied with the arrangement of attending, in a body, or by committees upon the examination of the students. Perhaps the proportion of Presbyterians in the board at that time, and afterwards when the Academy in 1802, was merged into Jefferson College, satisfied them that any further attention to the examinations was superfluous and unnecessary. Both Presbyteries afterwards, more than once, commended the Institution to the pecuniary aid of their people, even so late as 1806.

Mr. Hill-to prepare a popular sermon on Matthew xxviii. 20, and Mr. Swan-I. Timothy i. 15, both by our next meeting. Adjourned to meet at Bethel, on the third Tuesday of December next. Concluded with prayer.

THIRTY-FIFTH MEETING.

BETHEL, Tuesday, December 20th, 1791. Presbytery met, &c. The Presbytery opened with a sermon on the subject assigned at our last meeting-by Mr. Swan-sustained.

The Rev. Jacob Jennings, (45) of the Low Dutch Church, being present and invited, sat as a correspondent. Agreeably to order, minutes of the late meeting, except in regard to supplies, were read. Mr. Bruce's reasons-sustained. "Mr. David Smith, having offered himself to be taken," &c., (see former minutes,) taken on trials.

Mr. Hill-discourse on subject appointed-sustained. J, M. Bruce, elder, came, reasons—sustained. The Rev. Thomas Cooly, late a member of the Presbytery of Charleston, appeared before us, and produced a dismission and testimonials from said Presbytery, together with testimonials from a number of dissenting ministers in England, and desired to be received as a member with us. The Presbytery, after maturely deliberating upon the matter, could not see their way clear, to receive him upon his credentials from that Presbytery, as it is a Presbytery unknown to us, and not in subordination to the General Assembly: but proceeded to converse with him as a minister from foreign parts, agreeably to the direction of the General Synod in such cases, and obtained such satisfaction as induced them to employ him. in their vacancies, until the next meeting of Synod; yet they expect that he will before the next meeting of Synod, produce some letters of recommendation from some ministers in South Carolina known to them.

Mr. David Smith-examined on learned languages and Divinity sustained. Also Mr. Hill and Mr. Swan on Divinity-sustained.

"The Presbytery, having received sufficient testimonials," &c. (see form of license,) Messrs. Hill and Swan licensed to preach the gospel. Mr. Jennings having expressed a desire to continue some time in our bounds-was appointed to supply at Dunlap's Creek and Muddy Creek, as much as convenient, between this, and next meeting of Presbytery. Mr. Cooly -to supply at discretion, particularly in Harrison County. The third Tuesday in January next, was appointed to be observed as a day of fasting and prayer, particularly on account of the situation of our country, with respect to the savages. (46)

(46) After General Harmar's defeat, in 1790, the Indians began afresh their depredations on the Western frontiers. The settlers, especially those wholly unprotected, were left exposed to fall a helpless prey to the merciless savages, who exercised the most cruel tortures upon a large number of their victims. The heavy disasters that befel Harmar's army, seemed to inspire the Indians with the hope of ultimately extirpating the infant settlements on the Ohio. Victory seemed to perch upon their blood-stained banner, under which they rallied to spread destruction over the unprotected portions of the West. And now still more the disastrous defeat of the arms of the United States, in the battle of the unfortunate St. Clair, with the Indians, on the 4th of November, 1791, about a month and a half before this meeting of the Redstone Presbytery-spread anxiety and alarm amongst our people, especially towards the Ohio.

["Of those who do most impressively remember that defeat and the terror excited over the whole frontier region, by that fearful report; I am one who heard the report in its first echo. A part of the army was composed of drafted men from the Western settlements, and not a few of them perished in that sanguinary affair. I was then living with my parents in the vicinity, and five miles eastward of Washington, Pennsylvania, and then in my twentieth year.""-William Darby, Esq., in the National Intelligencer of November 8th, 1851.]

During that year, there were numbers killed and taken prisoners, of the settlers near Pittsburg. "Several persons," says Major Craig, in a letter to General Knox, March 31st, 1791-" within a few miles of this place, have fallen victims to the revenge of those Indians who escaped on Beaver Creek."-(History of Pittsburg, 211.) A day of fasting and prayer was doubtless very proper at that time. It is remarkable how long the "Canaanite was still in the land," and permitted to be a thorn

Mr. David Smith-to prepare an Exegesis-"Quomodo miracula probant Scripturas sacras esse divinas"— and a Homily on Rom. viii. 5-by our next meeting. Adjourned to meet at Roundhill the 3d Tuesday in April. Concluded with prayer.

(45) BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE REV. JACOB JENNINGS. "The Rev. Jacob Jennings was born in Somerset County, New Jersey, in the year 1744. He was a descendant of one of the pilgrims who settled at Plymouth, Massachusetts. Of the place of his education we are not informed. He early studied medicine and commenced its practice in a small village, near Elizabethtown, New Jersey. After some time he removed thence to Readington township, Huntingdon County, where he continued in the practice of his profession, with considerable reputation, for many years. When he was about forty years of age, and after he had been a medical practitioner for upwards of twenty, he turned his attention. to Theology and was licensed to preach the gospel. From the fact that when he first came to Western Pennsylvania, he was a member of the Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church of New York and New Jersey, the presumption is that he was licensed in that connection. He came to Pennsylvania about the year 1791; as in December of that year, he sat as a corresponding member of the Presbytery of Redstone; and was received to full membership by that body on the 17th of April, 1792. For several years previous to his arrival in Pennsylvania, he had resided in Virginia, to which State he had removed soon after his licensure. He accepted a call from the congregation of Dunlap's Creek, in Fayette County,

in the side of our people-now more than ten years after the Presbytery was organized. "A large portion of the killed were, of course, militia. Both Kentucky and Western Pennsylvania were filled with mourning. The Indians, elated with success, renewed their attacks on the frontier with increased force and ferocity. Meetings were called to devise means for defending the settlements."-American Pioneer, Vol. II., p. 215.

Pennsylvania, and continued pastor of said church until June, 1811, when, on account of his increased infirmities, he asked and obtained a dissolution of the pastoral relation. He died, February 17th, 1813. He was father of the Rev. Obadiah Jennings, D. D., late of Nashville, Tennessee-and of the Rev. Samuel K. Jennings, M. D., a highly respectable minister in the Metohdist Protestant Church, and for some time a Professor in the Washington Medical college, of Baltimore. Two of his grandsons also are ministers-the Rev. Samuel C. Jennings, of the Presbytery of Ohio, and the Rev. Jacob Jennings, son of the Rev. Samuel K. Jennings above mentioned-who is a minister in the same ecclesiastical connection with his father."—Appendix to Life of Macurdy.

THIRTY-SIXTH MEETING.

ROUNDHILL, Tuesday, April 17th, 1792.-The Presbytery met according to adjournment. Presbytery opened with a sermon from II. Cor. xii. 9, by the Rev. Thomas Cooly. The Rev. Jacob Jennings, formerly a member of the Reformed Dutch Church of New York and New Jersey, applied to be received as a member of this Presbytery; and upon producing sufficient testimonials of his regular licensure and ordination by the Synod of said church, together with other certificates of his good moral and Christian character for many years past, was accordingly received, and took his seat as a member. A call from the united congregations of Dunlap's Creek and Muddy Creek to Mr. Jennings, delivered to him for his consideration. Two calls from Fairfield, Donegal, and Wheatfield, and from Middle and King's Creeks, to Mr. Hill-delivered to him for his consideration.

The appointment respecting the fast-day has been complied with. (Supplies, by all the ministers two Sabbaths each, with few exceptions; and by Mr. Clark, four Sabbaths; by Mr. Swan, several months; all spread over the vast field of vacancies.) Mr. Jennings accepted the call from Dunlap's Creek and Muddy Creek, and appointed to supply at George's Creek and Sandy Creek.