Chapter 25-Part 1

Circa 1896, the old Covenanter church at Palestine (between Peebles and Locust Grove) held its last service. One of the families present that day was Andrew and Victoria (Wickerham) McCoy and their children Ellis and Lena. Lena although only three years of age relates memories told to her by those who had attended this special service. Victoria (Wickerham) McCoy, you will remember is the daughter of John Milligan and Eleanor (Ralston) Wickerham, granddaughter of John & Jane (Milligan) Wickerham and Thomas & Rebecca (Glasgow) Ralston, and great-granddaughter of Joseph & Nancy (Glasgow) Glasgow. The Ralston’s, Glasgow’s, Campbell’s, Milligan’s, Montgomery’s, McCreight’s, McCullough’s were just some of the pioneer families that came to Adams County, Ohio circa 1800 and settled around Tranquility close to the water ways of Buck Run and George’s creek.

Mother and father (Andrew and Victoria (Wickerham) McCoy) with my brother Ellis came back to The Ridge (Nichols Ridge) to live in mother’s old home after grandmother (Eleanor (Ralston) Wickerham) died (1891) to care for grandfather (John Milligan Wickerham) and mother’s sister Lois Ann, known to me as Aunt Lou, who was still a semi-invalid. This took place before I was born. Grandfather (John Milligan Wickerham) died in 1894, when I (Lena McCoy) was four months old.

I have always felt that I remember the last service of the old Covenanter church at Palestine (between Locust Grove and Peebles), yet I know it is only a mental picture from stories I have heard blended with memory of the similar order of service in the United Presbyterian, for this was in 1896 and I was not yet three years old.

I doubt if there was any variance of the order of service from the first communion Sabbath at this place so nearly one hundred years before.

For some years there had been no resident pastor and only occasionally a minister came to preach, but as of old the church had carried on with Society meetings and under the authority of the Elders.

On “Preparation” Sabbath, the sermon was directed especially to the youth and adherents who were prospective members of the church, for only at communion season which was observed but twice a year, spring and fall, were members received into the church. Always this was a time of spiritual uplift to all. “Special emphasis of the sermon was on the earthly church as the bride and Christ as the Bridegroom who would come at the last day to receive His Bride who must be “without spot or wrinkle.”

The solemnity of covenanting with God and the sin of Covenant breaking was dealt with at length. The singing of a portion of the sixty-third Psalm added greatly to this soul-inspiring service.

Lord, Thee my God, I’ll early seek,

My soul doth thirst for Thee;

My flesh longs in a dry parched land

Wherein no waters be.

Since better is Thy love than life,

My lips Thee praise shall give

I in Thy name will lift my hands,

And bless thee while I live.

In shadow of thy sings I’ll joy,

For thou my help hast been

To thee my soul clings fast, and me

Thy right hand dost sustain.