Presbyterian Emigration from Monaghan: The Cahans Exodus

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Document ID 9501008
Date 01-01-1888
Document Type Newspapers (Extracts)
Archive Linenhall Library
Citation Presbyterian Emigration from Monaghan: The Cahans Exodus;I. WITNESS, Cuttings Book 71, p 53; CMSIED 9501008
21064
      Considerable information has been accumulated
regarding the
EARLY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES
in the county.
.  .  .  ..First Ballybay- John Arnold, 1782-1797;
.   .  .  Mr. Arnold emigrated to America, 1797.
.   .   .  Cahans-Thomas Clark, 1749-1764; John
Rodgers, 1767-1814; - M'Kelvey, 1815-1829; Mathew
M'Auley, 1829-1875; James Henry, 1876.
      At the time Cahans was established there appears
to have been considerable dissatisfaction
with the state of affairs in the Synod Of Ulster.
The original members who moderated the call
to Mr. Clark were from the districts of Ballybay,
Cootehill, and Monaghan. Hanna, in his
"Scotch-Irish," states that Cahans seceded from
First Ballybay, but this can only be accepted as
partly correct.
      Mr. Clark, the first minister, was a Scotchman,
and always wore the kilts, bonnets, and
tartan of the Black Douglas. In 1764 he emigrated
to America, accompanied by the greater
part of his congregation. Mr. M'Auley resigned
in 1875.
           THE CAHANS EXODUS.
      Mr. Clark is said to have laboured with great
success in his charge, but amid many trials and
persecutions. He refused to take an oath by
kissing the Book, believing it to be unscriptual,
and although in his youth he served in the  army
against the Pretender, yet he would not take the
oath of abjuration, because it recognised the
King as head  of the Church. Taking advantage
of these things some of his enemies had him
arrested in 1754 and imprisoned in Monaghan
Jail. From his place of confinement he preached
every Sabbath to as many of his people as he
could convene. He was finally released, as it
was found that he had been imprisoned on a
fraudulent charge. In 1763 he received an invitation
to visit America. Wearied with his
contendings, he regarded his call favourably,
and his presbytery gave him leave of absence for
one year. But when he came to sail from
Newry, May 16, 1764, it was found that the
greater part of his congregation, some 300 persons,
were ready to sail with with him. They settled
temporarily at Stillwater, New York, thence a
portion removed to South Carolina, but the
majority went with Mr. Clark to Salem, where
he continued as the pastor of eight ruling
elders and 150 communicants and their children
who had come with him from County Monaghan.
His pastoral relation had never been disturbed,
his church had simply been transplanted .