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We
come now to the history of the [Coolspring] church and her
ministers: Rev. Samuel Tait was of Scotch descent.
He was
born near Shippensburg, Pa., February 17th, 1772. His father
was
engaged in the packing business, or transportation of goods over the
mountains on horse-back, and the son followed the business with his
father. While yet in his youth, his father removed with his family to
Ligonier, Westmoreland county, Pa., and afterward came to Cool Spring
township, Mercer county, in 1800. Mr. Tait was licensed to preach on
the 25th day of June, 1800, and in September of that year preached his
first sermon, in Cool Spring township, from the words: “And they all
with One accord began to make excuse.” During that summer and autumn,
he traveled over the territory now included in the Presbytery of Erie.
On the 19th day of November, 1800, having accepted calls from Cool
Spring and Upper Salem, he was ordained and installed their pastor by
the Presbytery of Ohio; in whose bounds these churches then were. He
resided at Cool Spring, in a log cabin he had built and clapboarded,
and, while away on a preaching tour, his wife, whose maiden name
was Amelia Calvin, chinked and daubed the cracks between the
logs
with mortar she, herself, had prepared.
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The Fourth Coolspring Presbyterian Church, erected
in 1899 and dedicated in February 1900
Photo
submitted by Brent Morgan (click on image to
enlarge)
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| Biography
of Rev. Samuel Tait |
| Coolspring Church Cemetery |
During
his entire pastorate he resided on a farm, and did all
the work which usually falls to the hands of a farmer. His
pastoral
relation with Cool Spring and Upper Salem continued
until June 25th,
1806, when he relinquished the charge of Upper Salem, and gave half his
time to the newly- organized church at Mercer. In June, 1813, the
people of Cool Spring having made arrangements to worship at Mercer,
then a small village of only ten years growth, he gave part of his time
once more to Salem, and in 1826 relinquished Cool Spring, and gave all
his time to Mercer, where he continued his pastorate until
his
death,
which occurred June 2d, 1841, in the seventieth year of his age, and
forty-first of his ministry. Mr. Tait’s appearance was remarkable. He
was six feet two inches in height, erect in his bearing, and possessed
of a firm, grave cast of countenance. He is said to have been
wonderfully eloquent, and, at times, would sway his congregations
remarkably. He wasmuch esteemed by all who knew him, and the
‘Rev. Samuel Tait is cherished throughout a wide-spread community - -
descendants of his early congregation. He was buried in the rear of the
pulpit, at Mercer, where he had so long held forth. He was appointed,
by the of Pittsburgh, a Missionary to the Indians at Sandusky, and on
the Maumee River, in Ohio, and filled that charge for some time. He was
also one of the original members of the Presbytery of Erie, and, in
1818 was Moderator of the Synod of Pittsburgh.
We
take the description of Mr. Tait, and the building of the Cool Spring
Church principally, from the “History of the Presbytery of Erie.” This
church stood near the old grave-yard, in the eastern part of the
township, built on a tract of land known as “Hogue’s residue,” near
land owned by the Alexanders. The land is now the property of
Mr.
Riney. Following is an account of the building of the
church:
"Mr. Tait had much of the missionary
spirit, He was endowed with great physical strength and endurance, and
used them well in the Master’s cause. Having been sent out by
the
Presbytery of Ohio, in the spring of 1800, to preach where he could
find hearers, he came to a settlement called Cool Spring in Mercer
county, Pa., and about five miles from where the town of Mercer now
stands. Having preached on the Sabbath, he told the people that if they
would procure a lot and build a church, he would come and preach to
them. A lot was at once promised, and the next Thursday appointed as
the day when the people would assemble to build a
meeting-house.
On the day appointed, they assembled with their axes. The site was
selected; ‘axes were lifted up upon the thick trees;’ the forest
resounded with the blows made by sinewy and willing arms; the bodies of
the rough logs were cut off the proper length, but were too heavy to be
brought into position, although near to the site of the building. There
was but one team in all the settlement, and that was a yoke of oxen,
belonging to a professed infidel. It would not do to ask him to bring
his team for such a purpose. Just as the necessity became
pressing, Mr. S. [Stokely] was seen approaching with his
oxen,
crying out with his great merry voice: ‘Here comes the devil with his
oxen, to help you build your meeting house!” The work then
went
gayly forward.
“The next
important thing was the appearance of Thomas McLean, with a small, flat
keg of whiskey under his arm. This was placed in Mr. Tait’s
hands, when all took a drink, beginning with the minister and ending
with the donor himself. Three cheers were given for Thomas McLean, with
his promise that when the church was organized he should be the first
elder. This promise was afterward fulfilled, and Mr. McLean
was
the first elder elected. “By
sundown, the
church was built, covered with clapboards, floored with puncheons, and
round logs rolled in for seats. The house was so located that
a
huge stump answered the purpose of a pulpit, with two puncheons set
upright in front, and one across, secured to the uprights with pins, on
which the Bible might be placed. A puncheon seat for the
minister
completed the arrangement. Here was a building that afforded
the
people ample room and abundant comfort in the worship of
God.
“But luxury soon began to creep in to
trouble the church. After a time, one of the members of the
congregation had a bench made and set in the church for his family to
sit upon. During the recess, on the next day of worship,
little
groups might have been seen discussing the matter of the new bench,
some affirming that such pride should not be tolerated, and that, if
his neighbors could sit on a log to hear the gospel preached, William
McMillan could do the same, as neither he nor his family were better
than others. Others affirmed that is William McMillan could
afford a bench with legs to it, he had a right to have one.
The
contention, like that between Paul and Barnabas, waxed exceeding sharp,
but was finally settled by the minister declaring for the largest
liberty - - each one being permitted to provide such a seat as he
chose.
“Soon the first house was found too small to
contain the people. The difficulty was remedied by cutting
out
the logs from one side of the building and erecting a kind of shed as
an addition. Subsequently, as the congregation increased,
another
shed was erected on the other side.”
Rev. Ira
Condit was the second pastor of the Cool Spring Church, being installed
for one-third of his time, on the 24th of June, 1829, and continuing
until his death, which occurred October 24th, 1836. He was
the
first pastor after the re-organization of the church, in
1827.
After Mr. Condit, came Rev. David Waggoner, who also gave the one-third
of his time, continuing his relation with them for a short time
only. The next pastor was Rev. James G. Wilson, installed in
1842, in connection with Salem, giving one-half of his time to
each. The present pastor [1877] is Rev. John W. McCune,
ordained
and installed June 23rd, 1852, in connection with Sandy Lake; one-half
of his time to each.
The people now occupy the third church
edifice [1877], a comfortable and neat structure, and a vast
improvement over the primitive temple which was erected in a day, but
we doubt if they enjoy the more extensive facilities for conducting
worship better than they did when cushioned seats were unheard of,
chandeliers and stoves were mere idealities, and only hard logs,
without backs, and a pulpit, without ornament, were the greatest
comforts inside their rude church, except, the privilege of being
permitted to listen to the outpourings of eloquence, as they fell from
the lips of their beloved pastor, Mr. Tait.
(Source: The History
of Mercer County, 1877, pages 25 - 26)
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