In the year 1834, five families from the Associate Reform Congregation of Bethesda, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, moved into the immediate vicinity of the place now called Olivet, much of Armstrong and Indiana Counties being at that time known as the 'backwoods." These people came full of the pioneer spirit anxious to provide an inheritance for their children. But in the desire for temporal improvement they were not unmindful of their spiritual needs.

Not having a congregation of their own faith anywhere within reach, we find that for a time they attended the preaching of the Rev. David Kirkpatrick, then settled at the Elders Ridge Presbyterian Church one-halftime. On the third Sabbath of May, 1836, the Rev. John T. Pressly, DD., by invitation, preached in the old log church at Elders Ridge from the tenth chapter of Numbers, the 29th verse -"We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come thou with us and we will do thee good, for the Lord has spoken good concerning Israel."

From this time our ancestors had no preaching by a minister of their own connection until sometime in the latter part of 1837 when the Rev. William Conner preached a day taking for his text the tenth, the eleventh, and twelfth verses of t4e 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, "He found them in a desert land and in the vast howling wilderness, he led them about, he instructed them, he kept them in the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange god with him." The sermon preached at this time has been described as a very able and eloquent exposition of the text as well as suited to the circumstances of those early settlers, and for years afterwards that Sabbath was referred to as 'The day Mr. Conner stirred up the eagle's nest." In the year 1836 we find this place recognized as a mission station by the Monongahela Presbytery and services were held at different times by Dr. Pressly, Dr. J. R Kerr, and the Rev. Burnett and on Sabbath September 23, the Lord's Supper was dispensed by the Rev. J. C. Fulton, at which time twenty persons sat down to commemorate the dying love of a crucified Savior. In 1839 Drs. John Elkin and James Priestly, the Rev. Alex Wilson and others preached one day each. The Rev. Alex McCahan dispensed the sacrament of the Supper on the 18th of August at which four persons were received into membership.

Up until this time the congregation had been worshipping principally through the courtesy of the trustees in the Presbyterian Church of Elders Ridge, although a tent had been erected sometime during the summer of 1839 on the lot later owned by the congregation and the services were held there once of twice during that summer. This tent, according to the tradition, was erected by pinning a scantling to two oak trees; the scantling being raised some three feet from the ground. Posts were then set in the ground about six feet back of this on the lower side, a cross tie pinned to the post at an equal height with the scantling, a floor laid, weatherboarded on three sides, the upper side being open, and a shed roof of boards over the whole.

When the tent was erected the only buildings in the vicinity were an old schoolhouse and a cabin in Matthew Crawford's meadow. At that time within a radius of ten miles the only organized congregations were represented by the Presbyterian Church at Elders Ridge, Ebenezer or Louisville, and Saltsburg; by the Refonned Presbyterian at Clarksburg and the Associate Church at West Union and Olivet making seven in 'all.

In those days church choirs had not arrived at the dignity they now possess. The praise service was led by one man known as the "clerk" who -after the psalms was read by the minister-stood in front of the congregation and read a line or two as the case might be, after which the assembly join in singing those lines; the reader would give out a line or two more and so to the end.

This custom was undoubtedly necessary and proper in those times for two reasons. First, our forefathers did not enjoy the advantages we now possess in regard to schools and educational privileges. Many of them were unable to read and consequently could not join in the singing unless the Psalms were given out line by line. In the second place, on account of the scarcity and cost of books, there would often be but a few copies of the psalter in a large assembly.

Among the earlier leaders of this congregation were Messrs. George and Nathaniel McKallip and John Nesbit. We are told that during the continuance of the old tent church, the clerk received the distinction seldom conferred on choirs and church choristers today. viz: that of sitting in the tent (or pulpit) with the minister.

During the year 1840 the Rev. William Conner preached at various times and in September of that year the congregation was fonnally organized assuming the, name Olivet, a name of honor in sacred story---a place' tho small, Jesus often met with HE disciples. At this service the ordination and installation of John Robertson and James Crawford as ruling elders took place.

The same day the Lord's Supper was dispensed by the Rev. Conner and Rev. Gill. On this communion occasion we are told that it began to rain on Saturday evening after church. Still continuing on Sabbath morning, some of the members thinking it would be impossible to hold service in the grove, went around among the others and changed the appointment to Hugh M. Wilson's barn where the communion was administered.

In 1842 the congregation erected the meeting house which was used until anew building was dedicated in 1881. From the article of agreement still among the records we found the contractor was James R Daugherty, late sheriff of Indiana County. The mason work was done by Messrs. Jacob Steer and James Fleming. William Baxter, JamesCrawford, John Robertson, Alex Y. Black, Hugh M. Wilson and James Douds were the members of the building committee and the cost of the house $589.

In 1843 Jacksonville and Olivet were recognized by Presbytery as a pastoral charge, and in April of that year the Rev. Alan McCahan having accepted a call for the united charge became the first pastor of Olivet and labored faithfully in the congregation for three years. In 1847 Mr. Matthew H. Wilson, a licentiate of the Presbyteries of Blairsville preaching at Jacksonville, Olivet and Smyrna as stated supply, received a call from the said congregation and was ordained and installed in June 1848. He continued as pastor until the spring of 1857. In 1858 at the consummation of the union between the Associate and the Associate Refonned Churches under the name of the United Presbyterian Church, Olivet received an accession of about twenty members.

In May 1859 the Rev. Samuel Anderson became pastor of this congregation in connection with West Union and continued for eight years resigning his charge in April 1867.

In August of the same year the Rev. J. C. Telford was installed over the same charge and remained until April. 1879, a period of twelve years. During the winter of 1880 amidst numerous discouragements, the congregation resolved to build a new house for the worship of God. It was 45 feet in length, by the way, just the length of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness, and 34 feet in width. Including the furniture the cost was about two thousand dollars. The building committee was James Carothers, William T. Wilson, John McComb and James P. Watson and the contractors, Messrs. Diven and Sharp of West Lebanon. The house was built on the first subscription and entered without a cent of indebtedness on either the building or its contents.

This congregation sent three of its number into the ministry; the Rev. M. H. Wilson, the Rev. B. K. Onnond and the Rev. A. B. Coleman. The total enrollment of communicants on the church register from the organization in 1834 to the dedication of the second edifice was three hundred and thirty two. Of these, one hundred and ninety. four first professed their faith in the Savior in this church. One hundred and fifty.. five were dismissed and fifty..seven deaths occurred among the membership. Three hundred and twelve infants and twenty eight adults were baptized. The f1fSt child to be baptized was Isabella, daughter of William and Rebecca Crawford and who was later married to Mr. Ralston Fulmer.

To the work of the church, apart from the cost of the two houses ofworship, and the pastor's salary, the congregation about $1850. and, in all to the cause of religion, in the neighborhood of $12,000. Considering her numbers and circumstances, this society perhaps contributed to church work as Iiberally as any of her neighbors.