Church History
Ministers of Ardstraw Presbyterian Church
|
Rev. William Moorcroft
Rev. Adam White Rev. Samuel Haliday Rev. Isaac Taylor Rev. Andrew Welsh Rev. Robert Clarke Rev. Matthew Clarke Rev. Leslie Lyle Rev. Samuel Lindsay Rev. Alexander MacLurg Rev. Richard Laird Rev. David A. G. Milligan Rev. Robin L. Brown Rev. David W. Reid |
1656 - 1671
1672 - 1689 1692 - 1724 1718 - 1729 1733 - 1779 1779 - 1820 1820 - 1861 1861 - 1889 1890 - 1893 1893 - 1913 1913 -1946 1946 - 1986 1990 - 1999 2000 - Present |
A History of Christian Witness in Ardstraw
The story of Ardstraw Presbyterian
Church is one of how faith, even from the earliest monastic settlement, shaped
the daily lives of people who worked the fields and offered their trades and
professions for the good of the whole area and beyond. The story cannot be
complete, but it portrays, in some way, how people came to terms with a
changing world and with massive changes in family life and history.
In earliest times, the district was the territory of one of the tribes of the Province of Aileach, the Ui Fiachrach Ard Scrtha. It was the battle ground between the warring clans, and in later years it fell under the power of the O’Neill’s. Time after time we read of its burning and sacking, for example in 1069, 1099, 1198 and 1395. In 1574, in heartening contrast, we read of O’Donnell and O’Neill making peace on the Ardstraw Bridge.
Christianity first came to Ireland in the fifth century, and much of its spread is attributed to Saint Patrick. Ardstraw’s celebrated position in the history of the island of Ireland was largely due to its church. Saint Eoghan, who is supposed to have died in 617, was its founder. His father was Cainnech from Leinster and his mother was Muindech from Ulster. He is said to have been carried off by pirates who raided Ireland at that time. After some time, he got his freedom and he studied in Canada before returning to Ireland and to a monastic cell in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. He eventually presided over the monastic settlement in Ardstraw. Other accounts make him out to be a disciple of Saint Patrick who died in 493. We do know that he died on 23rd October and that he is buried in the graveyard in Ardstraw. In those days, the church building and the buildings that made up the religious community would have been constructed of clay and wattle walls and a thatched roof. Ardstraw Church building was perched on the height overlooking the River Derg. Saint Eugene or Eoghan had founded the religious settlement around Ardstraw in the 6th Century and two hundred years later it would have been common place to see the monks labouring in the fields, educating children and providing hospitality and accommodation to travellers.
The monastery at Ardstraw was plundered and destroyed by John De Courcey in 1198 and several times destroyed by fire. It was described at the time as a “Monastery” and “Cathedral.” There are few remains of the monastery today, but tradition says that Eugene, the founder, was buried there in 619.
In the early thirteenth century, when the Celtic Church had to conform to Roman Church ways of working, Ardstraw was the head of a diocese which took in North Tyrone and Derry, and as far as the limits of Connor. Later, it was united with Derry, with Derry the head of the diocese. It was then that the influence and status of Ardstraw was reduced to being a country church.
In 1416, the parish came under the influence of a new movement of the friars. At Scarvagherin, a friary was founded for Franciscans and others were set up at Pubble and at Corrick. With the dissolution of the Monasteries, those at Scarvagherin and Pubble were given to Sir Henry Piers and they are now only known as graveyards.
All that remains of the enormous influence of the former years of Ardstraw is the ancient burial ground, divided right in the middle to make way for a road to the bridge. The great stone church building, with its fine architecture, which must have existed in the past, has gone. It is said that the graveyard wall is built from stones taken from the monastery. The burial places of powerful bishops, of Tirloch O’Neill, of Saint Eoghan himself are forgotten, but their dust is still mingled with what has emerged from those times. The famous warrior Tirloch Luineach O’Neill was killed at Strabane and was buried in Ardstraw graveyard in 1595.
Some time before 1813, a road was constructed and the old church was demolished. The last person to be buried in the graveyard was Mr Tommy Black (known locally as the Mayor of Ardstraw) in the early 1960s.
Around 1600, much of Tyrone was owned and ruled by the O’Neill Chieftians; most people were tenant farmers, barely scraping a living from the land. There was great poverty and suffering and most people, together with the animals lived in one-roomed houses with a fire in the middle of the room and a hole in the roof for the smoke to get through. Few people could read or write, life expectancy was about 40 years and people lived in fear of robbers or raiders from neighbouring peoples. The only bridge across the river was at Ardstraw. During that time, all monasteries had been closed, the church in Ardstraw was in ruins and the Protestant Reformation was decreed by King Henry VIII to be adopted.
In 1603, James VI became king of England and it was at that time that Presbyterians came to settle in Ulster. The chieftains O’Neill and O’Donnell had surrendered; their land was taken from them and granted to others. The Earl of Abercorn, from Renfrewshire, in Scotland was granted much of Tyrone, together with family members, including the Hamiltons of Beltrim. There was opposition to the Plantation from Scotland, and in 1641, there was a terrible massacre of Protestants when thousands of them were killed.
In 1642 – the year after rebellion broke out, an army of Scots landed at Carrickfergus, under Major General Robert Munro. On 10th June 1642, five Chaplains from Munro’s army established the first Presbytery inIreland. It was reported by writers of the day that many Scottish Presbyterians were forced to flee their homes because of great unrest in Scotland and many therefore sought refuge in Ireland. On the other hand, some of the new settlers were described as “mere scum of both England and Scotland, often fleeing from justice or seeking shelter.”
Some of the ministers kept closely to the Church of England doctrine and some became bishops. A £100 fine could be imposed on any minister who celebrated the Lord’s Supper. This led to many Presbyterians and ministers fleeing the area to Scotland and further afield. In addition to supporting the local Church of England rector, the people had to support their local Presbyterian minister as well and contribute to the building of their own meeting house. By 1658, there were about eighty Presbyterian congregations and about seventy ministers. In 1672, however, a law was passed to enable a licence to be purchased for Public Worship.
The first two Presbyterian Churches in the area were Ardstraw and Urney. The Presbyterian congregation of Ardstraw is one of the oldest in this part of Ireland, although there is no exact record of its founding. In 1644, John Adamson was sent from the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to the northwest of Ulster. John became the first minister of Leckpatrick and this was the beginning of clergy having specific Presbyterian beliefs. In Cromwell’s time, a number of clergymen did not conform to the established church in Ireland. One of these was William Moorcroft of Ardstraw. In 1667, the bishop of Derry excommunicated a large number of Presbyterians. One of these was John Boyd from Ardstraw and he was convicted of ploughing on Christmas Day and condemning the church form of government. This led to many Presbyterians worshipping in secluded places, while their ministers were seen as outlaws. History records that the Presbyterians in Ardstraw avoided the many disputes of other congregations, and there is a report that in 1695 they had rebuilt the meeting house on the site where it had previously stood.
The period of the 1680s and 90s was a time of significant unrest. Major historical events included the sieges of Derry and Enniskillen and the battles of the Boyne and Aughrim. By August 1689, virtually all of Ulster, with the exceptions of Londonderry and Enniskillen, were under the control of King James II.
The Presbytery of Strabane came into existence in 1717 and included the congregations of Strabane, Ardstraw, Urney, Donagheady, Ballindrait, Derg, Omagh, Badoney & Pettigo. The first moderator was Rev. Samuel Halliday of Ardstraw. Much of the work of the Presbytery involved disciplining the people and resolving disputes, including slander, non-attendance at church, seating arrangement matters and relationship problems.
At a meeting of Synod in Londonderry, in June 1721, almost one hundred ministers declared, “We believe the Westminster Confession of Faith to be founded on the Word of God, and therefore as such, by this our subscription, we do own the said confession of our faith.”
In 1733, Andrew Welsh was ordained as minister of Ardstraw. During his ministry there was great dissent in the congregation, and a request was made to General Synod that the dissatisfied group of families separate to form a new congregation. After two unsuccessful attempts to break away, it was reported that in 1737, the malcontents of Ardstraw had agreed to the authority of the church and the teaching of Mr Welsh.
Two years later, however, it was reported that a group of families from Ardstraw had withdrawn from the church and were holding meetings of their own, with ministers coming from Letterkenny. They called their congregation Clady or Alteclady, under the care of the Letterkenny Presbytery. Alexander Miller was their first minister in 1749, but he was “deposed for a pretended clandestine marriage and other abnormalities.” He emigrated to America and was replaced by Rev Callendar and in 1812, by Rev Thomas Leitch.
Between 1772 and 1773, around 30,000 Protestants, mostly Presbyterians, left Ulster, most travelling to America.
Before 1781, there were disputes about doctrine and allegiance to the Church of Scotland. It was reported that Rev. Thomas Dickson from Aughentaine, who also ministered in Sixmilecross, ministered, to some degree, in the Ardstraw area.
In earliest times, the district was the territory of one of the tribes of the Province of Aileach, the Ui Fiachrach Ard Scrtha. It was the battle ground between the warring clans, and in later years it fell under the power of the O’Neill’s. Time after time we read of its burning and sacking, for example in 1069, 1099, 1198 and 1395. In 1574, in heartening contrast, we read of O’Donnell and O’Neill making peace on the Ardstraw Bridge.
Christianity first came to Ireland in the fifth century, and much of its spread is attributed to Saint Patrick. Ardstraw’s celebrated position in the history of the island of Ireland was largely due to its church. Saint Eoghan, who is supposed to have died in 617, was its founder. His father was Cainnech from Leinster and his mother was Muindech from Ulster. He is said to have been carried off by pirates who raided Ireland at that time. After some time, he got his freedom and he studied in Canada before returning to Ireland and to a monastic cell in the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains. He eventually presided over the monastic settlement in Ardstraw. Other accounts make him out to be a disciple of Saint Patrick who died in 493. We do know that he died on 23rd October and that he is buried in the graveyard in Ardstraw. In those days, the church building and the buildings that made up the religious community would have been constructed of clay and wattle walls and a thatched roof. Ardstraw Church building was perched on the height overlooking the River Derg. Saint Eugene or Eoghan had founded the religious settlement around Ardstraw in the 6th Century and two hundred years later it would have been common place to see the monks labouring in the fields, educating children and providing hospitality and accommodation to travellers.
The monastery at Ardstraw was plundered and destroyed by John De Courcey in 1198 and several times destroyed by fire. It was described at the time as a “Monastery” and “Cathedral.” There are few remains of the monastery today, but tradition says that Eugene, the founder, was buried there in 619.
In the early thirteenth century, when the Celtic Church had to conform to Roman Church ways of working, Ardstraw was the head of a diocese which took in North Tyrone and Derry, and as far as the limits of Connor. Later, it was united with Derry, with Derry the head of the diocese. It was then that the influence and status of Ardstraw was reduced to being a country church.
In 1416, the parish came under the influence of a new movement of the friars. At Scarvagherin, a friary was founded for Franciscans and others were set up at Pubble and at Corrick. With the dissolution of the Monasteries, those at Scarvagherin and Pubble were given to Sir Henry Piers and they are now only known as graveyards.
All that remains of the enormous influence of the former years of Ardstraw is the ancient burial ground, divided right in the middle to make way for a road to the bridge. The great stone church building, with its fine architecture, which must have existed in the past, has gone. It is said that the graveyard wall is built from stones taken from the monastery. The burial places of powerful bishops, of Tirloch O’Neill, of Saint Eoghan himself are forgotten, but their dust is still mingled with what has emerged from those times. The famous warrior Tirloch Luineach O’Neill was killed at Strabane and was buried in Ardstraw graveyard in 1595.
Some time before 1813, a road was constructed and the old church was demolished. The last person to be buried in the graveyard was Mr Tommy Black (known locally as the Mayor of Ardstraw) in the early 1960s.
Around 1600, much of Tyrone was owned and ruled by the O’Neill Chieftians; most people were tenant farmers, barely scraping a living from the land. There was great poverty and suffering and most people, together with the animals lived in one-roomed houses with a fire in the middle of the room and a hole in the roof for the smoke to get through. Few people could read or write, life expectancy was about 40 years and people lived in fear of robbers or raiders from neighbouring peoples. The only bridge across the river was at Ardstraw. During that time, all monasteries had been closed, the church in Ardstraw was in ruins and the Protestant Reformation was decreed by King Henry VIII to be adopted.
In 1603, James VI became king of England and it was at that time that Presbyterians came to settle in Ulster. The chieftains O’Neill and O’Donnell had surrendered; their land was taken from them and granted to others. The Earl of Abercorn, from Renfrewshire, in Scotland was granted much of Tyrone, together with family members, including the Hamiltons of Beltrim. There was opposition to the Plantation from Scotland, and in 1641, there was a terrible massacre of Protestants when thousands of them were killed.
In 1642 – the year after rebellion broke out, an army of Scots landed at Carrickfergus, under Major General Robert Munro. On 10th June 1642, five Chaplains from Munro’s army established the first Presbytery inIreland. It was reported by writers of the day that many Scottish Presbyterians were forced to flee their homes because of great unrest in Scotland and many therefore sought refuge in Ireland. On the other hand, some of the new settlers were described as “mere scum of both England and Scotland, often fleeing from justice or seeking shelter.”
Some of the ministers kept closely to the Church of England doctrine and some became bishops. A £100 fine could be imposed on any minister who celebrated the Lord’s Supper. This led to many Presbyterians and ministers fleeing the area to Scotland and further afield. In addition to supporting the local Church of England rector, the people had to support their local Presbyterian minister as well and contribute to the building of their own meeting house. By 1658, there were about eighty Presbyterian congregations and about seventy ministers. In 1672, however, a law was passed to enable a licence to be purchased for Public Worship.
The first two Presbyterian Churches in the area were Ardstraw and Urney. The Presbyterian congregation of Ardstraw is one of the oldest in this part of Ireland, although there is no exact record of its founding. In 1644, John Adamson was sent from the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to the northwest of Ulster. John became the first minister of Leckpatrick and this was the beginning of clergy having specific Presbyterian beliefs. In Cromwell’s time, a number of clergymen did not conform to the established church in Ireland. One of these was William Moorcroft of Ardstraw. In 1667, the bishop of Derry excommunicated a large number of Presbyterians. One of these was John Boyd from Ardstraw and he was convicted of ploughing on Christmas Day and condemning the church form of government. This led to many Presbyterians worshipping in secluded places, while their ministers were seen as outlaws. History records that the Presbyterians in Ardstraw avoided the many disputes of other congregations, and there is a report that in 1695 they had rebuilt the meeting house on the site where it had previously stood.
The period of the 1680s and 90s was a time of significant unrest. Major historical events included the sieges of Derry and Enniskillen and the battles of the Boyne and Aughrim. By August 1689, virtually all of Ulster, with the exceptions of Londonderry and Enniskillen, were under the control of King James II.
The Presbytery of Strabane came into existence in 1717 and included the congregations of Strabane, Ardstraw, Urney, Donagheady, Ballindrait, Derg, Omagh, Badoney & Pettigo. The first moderator was Rev. Samuel Halliday of Ardstraw. Much of the work of the Presbytery involved disciplining the people and resolving disputes, including slander, non-attendance at church, seating arrangement matters and relationship problems.
At a meeting of Synod in Londonderry, in June 1721, almost one hundred ministers declared, “We believe the Westminster Confession of Faith to be founded on the Word of God, and therefore as such, by this our subscription, we do own the said confession of our faith.”
In 1733, Andrew Welsh was ordained as minister of Ardstraw. During his ministry there was great dissent in the congregation, and a request was made to General Synod that the dissatisfied group of families separate to form a new congregation. After two unsuccessful attempts to break away, it was reported that in 1737, the malcontents of Ardstraw had agreed to the authority of the church and the teaching of Mr Welsh.
Two years later, however, it was reported that a group of families from Ardstraw had withdrawn from the church and were holding meetings of their own, with ministers coming from Letterkenny. They called their congregation Clady or Alteclady, under the care of the Letterkenny Presbytery. Alexander Miller was their first minister in 1749, but he was “deposed for a pretended clandestine marriage and other abnormalities.” He emigrated to America and was replaced by Rev Callendar and in 1812, by Rev Thomas Leitch.
Between 1772 and 1773, around 30,000 Protestants, mostly Presbyterians, left Ulster, most travelling to America.
Before 1781, there were disputes about doctrine and allegiance to the Church of Scotland. It was reported that Rev. Thomas Dickson from Aughentaine, who also ministered in Sixmilecross, ministered, to some degree, in the Ardstraw area.
The Ministers
The first minister of Ardstraw
Presbyterian Church was a Mr Moorcroft. He settled in the area and was one of
the ministers who received an endowment of £100 a year under Commonwealth
provision in 1656, known as Cromwell’s Bounty. Livingstone of Killinchy
mentions him as one of his friends in the year 1654. He refers to him as “of
Newtownstewart” which at that time was part of the congregation of Ardstraw. It
would seem therefore that the congregation of Ardstraw might have been in
existence at the time of King Charles.
The second minister was Adam White. He settled in Fannet in 1654, from which he was removed and with three others, was imprisoned by Leslie, Bishop of Raphoe for six years. The Episcopalian Church was particularly prejudiced against Presbyterians, who were severely dealt with, even more than the Roman Catholics, for not conforming to the Episcopalian laws of the time. If a Presbyterian clergyman led a Communion Service, or served the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, he was liable to have a fine of £100 imposed by the civil authorities.
When Adam White was released from prison, he resigned from Fannet in 1672 (or possibly 1678); he filled the vacancy in Ardstraw created by the death of Mr Moorcroft. In the rebellion of 1688, Adam White fled Ardstraw and went to Scotland and settled near Dunluce at Billey.
Ardstraw’s third minister was Samuel Holyday or Halliday. He had been minister in Omagh, and, like Adam White, had fled to Scotland during the rebellion. He returned to the area in 1692 to receive calls from Omagh (his former charge), Donagheady, Urney and Ardstraw. Omagh offered £30 a year stipend, with a house and a farm of land, which the people offered “to plough and sow the first year and to plough the following years.” Donagheady and Urney offered the same stipend of £30 per year. Ardstraw, however, offered Mr Halliday £27 a year, with twenty-seven barrels of corn and a promise to advance him half of his first year’s stipend. This tipped the scales and he was installed in Ardstraw in 1692. An elder at that time was a John Kelso and during the ministry, the church was rebuilt and roofed with Irish slates from St Johnston. The first church had a thatched roof.
By 1710, an “outstation” from Ardstraw and Urney, supported by Rev Halliday and Rev Holmes, was established in Castlederg and the minister, Rev John Dunlop (Delap), a fluent Irish speaker was paid £28 per annum.
A significant feature of many Presbyterian churches at the time was the issue of communion tokens. Initially churches had lead tokens prepared and these were distributed to the elders the day before the communion service. Only those with tokens would be admitted to the Lord’s Table and those who had broken church law or were deemed to be unworthy would not be allowed to participate. Non-observance of the Sabbath Day or unruly behaviour were deemed to be violations of church and Christian behaviour, and would result in appearing before the church session.
Further, marriages were carried out under strict adherence to church discipline. Names were publicly proclaimed and permission had to be granted by the parents and by the church session.
Mr Halliday died in 1724. In 1718, however, a Mr Isaac Taylor had been ordained as his assistant and subsequently, he was his successor.
In 1720, Isaac Taylor, who was a close friend of Mr Halliday, indicated that he wished to go to America, because of financial hardship. The Ardstraw congregation strongly opposed his desire, but reluctantly agreed that he should go on a temporary basis only. While away, reports were received of his ‘scandalous behaviour in America.’
When he returned however, to Ardstraw, he produced certificates from the church in America to prove that the allegations were false and groundless. So nothing has changed – gossip still governs the reason of people! In May 1729, Mr Taylor “forsaking the faith of his fathers,” left his charge and turned to the Established Church in Ireland; he later became a curate in the Church of Ireland parish of Ardstraw.
In 1731, the people of Ardstraw called John Holmes of Donegal, but the Synod opposed this. Two years later, in 1733, Andrew Welsh, a direct descendant of John Knox, through his daughter, became minister. The entire congregation did not welcome his appointment and in 1734 it was reported that a large number of families expressed a desire to form a new congregation separate from Ardstraw. He married a Miss Maxwell, a daughter of Rev. J. Maxwell of Omagh, whose descendants were the Jack family, formerly of Magheracolton.
In 1735, the discontented party made an application for a new Presbyterian settlement to the Synod, but this was not granted. Disputes continued and in 1741, a new church was sanctioned at Clady and was put under the charge of the Letterkenny Presbytery. The first minister was Alexander Millar. He was removed from his charge in 1749, to be succeeded by Rev. J. Callender, who occupied the charge until 1780. Thomas Leitch succeeded him and he served as minister until he resigned in 1812.
In 1812, under the next minister, Thomas Kernohan, Douglas and Clady congregations united, but at his death in 1827, they separated again. The next clergyman was James Budd, who died in 1883, having had a ministry of 46 years. At his death, the congregation became part of Ardstraw.
In 1779, Mr Welsh resigned from the charge of Ardstraw, and two years later he died and was buried in the family vault in the Ardstraw graveyard.
Robert Clarke succeeded Mr Welsh in 1779; he lived in Tullydoortans. He became unwell and Matthew Clarke (no relative) was ordained his assistant. He became his successor in September 1820. Matthew Clarke resigned in 1861 and died in 1875, leaving neither widow nor family. He lived in Kilstrule, and at his death, all personal papers, including church records of marriages and baptisms in his care, were burned.
The 1859 Revival was a significant event in the area around Ardstraw, County Tyrone and the whole of Ulster. There was great interest in Bible teaching, open-air services and prayer meetings. People were passionate about gospel preaching and teaching, and had a strong desire to have forgiveness for their sins. It is suggested that thousands of people became Christians during the few years of the Revival. The Tyrone Constitution reported that over 3,000 people attended meetings on a single day in Railway Market, Omagh.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, a major issue for Presbyterians was the move from reciting and singing the psalms unaccompanied, to the use of instruments to lead the praise at Sunday services. The use of organs became widespread and by 1896, the General Assembly authorised, by a small margin of votes, the singing of psalms and paraphrases.
Ardstraw installed a pipe organ which came from a private house in Scotland; the cost was £570.
Rev. Leslie Lyle was ordained in 1861 and during his ministry, the present church building was rebuilt. He died in 1889.
Rev. Samuel Lindsay, from Dungannon took over in Ardstraw for the next three years, from 1890 until 1893. The old manse was bought for the congregation from the widow of the late Rev. Leslie Lyle, who built it. It was subsequently sold for £2000 when the current manse was built in 1951.
After Mr Lindsay, Rev. Alexander MacLurg was called to Ardstraw in 1893. He resigned in 1913 to go with his family of six children and two friends, to live in Canada, and to serve in Toronto “where oil lamps and coal fires were replaced by electric lights and central heating.” He had strong feelings against the Liberal Party’s proposal for Home Rule and divisions arose within the people of Ardstraw. It is recounted that on one particular Sunday, only one family attended morning worship.
The Rev. Richard Laird, born in Kerrykeel, County Donegal came to Ardstraw congregation in 1913. Mr Laird had been installed in the nearby Drumlegagh Presbyterian Church in 1904. After having responsibility for looking after the vacancy in Ardstraw, he declared an interest in taking over the charge himself, and he was duly installed as minister on 31st December 1913, where he remained minister until his retirement in 1946. This was the same year that Douglas congregation was united with Ardstraw congregation. At that time, Miss Robena Laird prepared a short history of the congregation and the Ardstraw area.
Rev. D.A.G. Milligan was ordained in 1946; he remained until his retirement in 1986. During this time, new church halls were built and the church building was renovated extensively in the late 1970s. Mr Milligan was Senior Minister until his death in March 2006.
Rev. Robin Brown succeeded in 1990 and he served a term of almost 10 years before taking up ministry in the congregation of Second Randalstown.
Rev. David Reid was ordained and installed as minister of Ardstraw in 2000; an extension to the church halls was opened and dedicated in 2001 and the church building was re-opened and rededicated after major refurbishment in 2006.
Compiled by Tom Bratton & Jim Smyth.
The second minister was Adam White. He settled in Fannet in 1654, from which he was removed and with three others, was imprisoned by Leslie, Bishop of Raphoe for six years. The Episcopalian Church was particularly prejudiced against Presbyterians, who were severely dealt with, even more than the Roman Catholics, for not conforming to the Episcopalian laws of the time. If a Presbyterian clergyman led a Communion Service, or served the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, he was liable to have a fine of £100 imposed by the civil authorities.
When Adam White was released from prison, he resigned from Fannet in 1672 (or possibly 1678); he filled the vacancy in Ardstraw created by the death of Mr Moorcroft. In the rebellion of 1688, Adam White fled Ardstraw and went to Scotland and settled near Dunluce at Billey.
Ardstraw’s third minister was Samuel Holyday or Halliday. He had been minister in Omagh, and, like Adam White, had fled to Scotland during the rebellion. He returned to the area in 1692 to receive calls from Omagh (his former charge), Donagheady, Urney and Ardstraw. Omagh offered £30 a year stipend, with a house and a farm of land, which the people offered “to plough and sow the first year and to plough the following years.” Donagheady and Urney offered the same stipend of £30 per year. Ardstraw, however, offered Mr Halliday £27 a year, with twenty-seven barrels of corn and a promise to advance him half of his first year’s stipend. This tipped the scales and he was installed in Ardstraw in 1692. An elder at that time was a John Kelso and during the ministry, the church was rebuilt and roofed with Irish slates from St Johnston. The first church had a thatched roof.
By 1710, an “outstation” from Ardstraw and Urney, supported by Rev Halliday and Rev Holmes, was established in Castlederg and the minister, Rev John Dunlop (Delap), a fluent Irish speaker was paid £28 per annum.
A significant feature of many Presbyterian churches at the time was the issue of communion tokens. Initially churches had lead tokens prepared and these were distributed to the elders the day before the communion service. Only those with tokens would be admitted to the Lord’s Table and those who had broken church law or were deemed to be unworthy would not be allowed to participate. Non-observance of the Sabbath Day or unruly behaviour were deemed to be violations of church and Christian behaviour, and would result in appearing before the church session.
Further, marriages were carried out under strict adherence to church discipline. Names were publicly proclaimed and permission had to be granted by the parents and by the church session.
Mr Halliday died in 1724. In 1718, however, a Mr Isaac Taylor had been ordained as his assistant and subsequently, he was his successor.
In 1720, Isaac Taylor, who was a close friend of Mr Halliday, indicated that he wished to go to America, because of financial hardship. The Ardstraw congregation strongly opposed his desire, but reluctantly agreed that he should go on a temporary basis only. While away, reports were received of his ‘scandalous behaviour in America.’
When he returned however, to Ardstraw, he produced certificates from the church in America to prove that the allegations were false and groundless. So nothing has changed – gossip still governs the reason of people! In May 1729, Mr Taylor “forsaking the faith of his fathers,” left his charge and turned to the Established Church in Ireland; he later became a curate in the Church of Ireland parish of Ardstraw.
In 1731, the people of Ardstraw called John Holmes of Donegal, but the Synod opposed this. Two years later, in 1733, Andrew Welsh, a direct descendant of John Knox, through his daughter, became minister. The entire congregation did not welcome his appointment and in 1734 it was reported that a large number of families expressed a desire to form a new congregation separate from Ardstraw. He married a Miss Maxwell, a daughter of Rev. J. Maxwell of Omagh, whose descendants were the Jack family, formerly of Magheracolton.
In 1735, the discontented party made an application for a new Presbyterian settlement to the Synod, but this was not granted. Disputes continued and in 1741, a new church was sanctioned at Clady and was put under the charge of the Letterkenny Presbytery. The first minister was Alexander Millar. He was removed from his charge in 1749, to be succeeded by Rev. J. Callender, who occupied the charge until 1780. Thomas Leitch succeeded him and he served as minister until he resigned in 1812.
In 1812, under the next minister, Thomas Kernohan, Douglas and Clady congregations united, but at his death in 1827, they separated again. The next clergyman was James Budd, who died in 1883, having had a ministry of 46 years. At his death, the congregation became part of Ardstraw.
In 1779, Mr Welsh resigned from the charge of Ardstraw, and two years later he died and was buried in the family vault in the Ardstraw graveyard.
Robert Clarke succeeded Mr Welsh in 1779; he lived in Tullydoortans. He became unwell and Matthew Clarke (no relative) was ordained his assistant. He became his successor in September 1820. Matthew Clarke resigned in 1861 and died in 1875, leaving neither widow nor family. He lived in Kilstrule, and at his death, all personal papers, including church records of marriages and baptisms in his care, were burned.
The 1859 Revival was a significant event in the area around Ardstraw, County Tyrone and the whole of Ulster. There was great interest in Bible teaching, open-air services and prayer meetings. People were passionate about gospel preaching and teaching, and had a strong desire to have forgiveness for their sins. It is suggested that thousands of people became Christians during the few years of the Revival. The Tyrone Constitution reported that over 3,000 people attended meetings on a single day in Railway Market, Omagh.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, a major issue for Presbyterians was the move from reciting and singing the psalms unaccompanied, to the use of instruments to lead the praise at Sunday services. The use of organs became widespread and by 1896, the General Assembly authorised, by a small margin of votes, the singing of psalms and paraphrases.
Ardstraw installed a pipe organ which came from a private house in Scotland; the cost was £570.
Rev. Leslie Lyle was ordained in 1861 and during his ministry, the present church building was rebuilt. He died in 1889.
Rev. Samuel Lindsay, from Dungannon took over in Ardstraw for the next three years, from 1890 until 1893. The old manse was bought for the congregation from the widow of the late Rev. Leslie Lyle, who built it. It was subsequently sold for £2000 when the current manse was built in 1951.
After Mr Lindsay, Rev. Alexander MacLurg was called to Ardstraw in 1893. He resigned in 1913 to go with his family of six children and two friends, to live in Canada, and to serve in Toronto “where oil lamps and coal fires were replaced by electric lights and central heating.” He had strong feelings against the Liberal Party’s proposal for Home Rule and divisions arose within the people of Ardstraw. It is recounted that on one particular Sunday, only one family attended morning worship.
The Rev. Richard Laird, born in Kerrykeel, County Donegal came to Ardstraw congregation in 1913. Mr Laird had been installed in the nearby Drumlegagh Presbyterian Church in 1904. After having responsibility for looking after the vacancy in Ardstraw, he declared an interest in taking over the charge himself, and he was duly installed as minister on 31st December 1913, where he remained minister until his retirement in 1946. This was the same year that Douglas congregation was united with Ardstraw congregation. At that time, Miss Robena Laird prepared a short history of the congregation and the Ardstraw area.
Rev. D.A.G. Milligan was ordained in 1946; he remained until his retirement in 1986. During this time, new church halls were built and the church building was renovated extensively in the late 1970s. Mr Milligan was Senior Minister until his death in March 2006.
Rev. Robin Brown succeeded in 1990 and he served a term of almost 10 years before taking up ministry in the congregation of Second Randalstown.
Rev. David Reid was ordained and installed as minister of Ardstraw in 2000; an extension to the church halls was opened and dedicated in 2001 and the church building was re-opened and rededicated after major refurbishment in 2006.
Compiled by Tom Bratton & Jim Smyth.