Laird again became our stated supply, in which capacity he continued to act until July, 1835.

From the above, it will appear that the Rehobeth and Monokin congregations were at one period of time united, and at another the Wicomico and Monokin congregations-but the session book above referred to, does not explain these unions and disunions.

It is but reasonable to suppose, that from the grant of the piece of land to the Rev. William Stewart, and the elders therein mentioned, making in all nine persons, that the church must have been erected long before the date of the deed, else there would not have been a pastor with such a full eldership. We cannot at this period of time, account for the erection of the meeting-house upon the ground before it was purchased and conveyed. The language used in the deed conveys the idea that it had been built before the date of the grant. Among other terms in the deed, the word "continuance" is used, evidently implying that it had been used as a church. Again the word "continuance" is unusual in conveyances of land, but is used in this deed. And again in 1764, it is expressly stated in the session book, among other reasons for building a new church, that the meeting-house was much decayed; which would not have been the case had the meeting-house been built in 1723, the year the deed bears date, for in that case, the house would have been only about 41 years old-and it is unreasonable to suppose that if it was built in 1723, it would have been much decayed in

1764. But in fact this is the same church that was spoken of in the order of council of 1705, at the head of Monokin, a copy of which order you have in your possession.

The following is all that I can collect from the records of the United congregations of Lewes, Cool Spring and Indian River, worthy of an insertion in the work of Irving Spence, Esq.

The early records of the congregations of Lewes and Cool Spring, and probably also of Indian River, are lost. The book now in existence which contains the records of these churches, was bought May 8th, 1758. They commence with the call and installation of the Rev. Matthew Wilson. The latter event took place May 5th, 1756.

The following historical sketch is found in the session book in the hand writing of the Rev. Francis Hindman. I shall copy it verbatim, and leave you to select, alter, &c.

The first Presbyterian clergyman who made any

considerable residence in the county of Sussex, according to the best information now to be had, was It is certain he was in Lewes

a certain Mr. Black.

town in the year 1708.

The next was Mr. Thomson.* The present Presbyterian church at Lewestown was built for him, fi. e. the old brick church in which Mr. Hindman preached. A. D. W.] because on the eastern end of the house, before it was overlaid, were to be seen these letters, J. T., and these figures, 1728, which is as much as to say: this house was built for the Rev. John Thomson in the year of our Lord 1728. There was a small wooden house at Lewestown before the present building, but whether it was built for Mr. Black or for Mr. Thomson, is uncertain.

The Rev. Josiah† Martin, from Ireland, was the next. Under his ministry the congregation of Cool Spring was formed: and Lewestown and Cool Spring in union, were his pastoral charge until the day of his death. But although Mr. Martin was the founder of the church at Cool Spring, and was their pastor in union with the Presbyterian church at Lewestown for many years, yet the times when his ministry commenced, and when it ended with his death, are uncertain. This is certain, however, that

* By an extract taken from the session book of Rehobeth, Somerset county, Md., by the Rev. Jos. Copse, it appears that the Rev. John Thomson was ordained at Lewestown, 1717. A. DE WITT.

† James, as I am assured by one of the heirs, J. Burton, October, 1803.

they were between the years 1728 and 1756, and that his remains are interred before the pulpit in the [old] Presbyterian church in Lewestown.

But how

The Rev. Hector Allison was the next. long he was their pastor is uncertain; 'tis certain, however, that he had left them before the year 1756.

The Rev. Matthew Wilson was the next. He had been licensed in April, 1754, by the Presbytery of Newcastle, and ordained sine titulo by the same presbytery in 1755, and by order of the same presbytery, he was installed at Lewestown by the Rev. Alexander McDowell, in less than a month after said congregations had called him to be their pastor. The call was April 13th, the ordination May 5th,

1756.

The distance of the churches of Lewestown and Cool Spring is about seven miles; the one standing in the town, or rather village, whose name it bears; the other at the aforesaid distance, in a south-western direction. It appears that disputes ran high then in Sussex, as well as in other places, between the new and the old sides; and that Mr. Wilson's settlement at Lewestown and Cool Spring, although agreeable to the latter, was opposed by the former.

There is another Presbyterian church at about the distance of thirteen miles from Lewestown, in a southern direction. This appears to have been formerly known by the name of Frame's; but is now most commonly named from Indian River, at the head of which it stands. The congregation of Indian River appears to have been chiefly formed un

der the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Harris, but about a year after the union of the synods, namely, in 1759, Mr. Harris obtained a regular dismission in the Presbytery of Lewestown, from his pastoral charge of the congregation of Indian River: hoping, no doubt, that it would some time unite with the congregations of Lewestown and Cool Spring. It would seem that the chief part of the congregations of Lewestown and Cool Spring, were of the old side, and those of Indian River chiefly of the new side. It is certain that many attempts were made to unite the congregation of Indian River with the other two, under the pastoral care of Mr. Wilson; but that they all proved abortive. However, in the year 1767, they were so far reconciled to one another, that the congregation of Indian River supplicated the presbytery for a third part of Mr. Wilson's labours as a stated supply, which was granted. But notwithstanding those congregations were thus separate in their spiritual concerns, yet in the time of Dr. Wilson's ministry, they became united in their temporalities. The legislature of the State of Delaware in the year 1787, made a law to enable all the religious societies in the State, consisting of fifteen families and upwards, to become incorporate by observing the regulations therein prescribed. These congregations availed themselves of this law in the year 1788, and so they were all three incorporated into one by the name of "The United Presbyterian Congregations of Lewes, Cool Spring and Indian River”—that is to say, their temporal concerns were united; and