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In   the summer of 1740 the Presbytery of Donegal began to provide  preaching  for Presbyterians who had settled along Marsh Creek and took  steps to  organize a church.
 

Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian  Church owes its  origin to the fact that in 1741 there began a schism in  the  Presbyterian Church in the colonies which lasted until 1758, a  schism  which was a result of the George Whitefield revival meetings and  the  questions that arose concerning the qualifications of ministers.
 

Sympathizers  with Whitefield and  the Tennents withdrew from the regular Presbyterian  churches and  organized what they called New Side Presbyterian churches,  the original  churches being known thereafter as Old Side Presbyterian  churches,  until the reunion in 1758.
 

Just when the rift reached  Marsh  Creek is not known, but such sympathizers in the Marsh Creek   Presbyterian Church, which was organized in 1740, withdrew in 1748 and   were organized by the Reverend Andrew Bay, a minister of the New Side   Presbytery of Newcastle, into the Presbyterian Church of Lower Marsh   Creek.
 

Their first house of worship was a  log church located at a  graveyard on the west bank of Marsh Creek, a  few miles southwest of the  Mother Church which later relocated in  Gettysburg. The church was crude  throughout, having benches instead of  pews, and without any facilities  for fire in winter. In it the  Presbytery of Carlisle was organized on  October 17, 1786.
 

In 1790 the congregation chose a  new site  several miles away near "The Great Road", now known as the  Fairfield  Road, and the present substantial stone structure was erected  in a grove  of giant oaks, near a spring in the vale. Families brought  stones to  church services from the various farms for use in  constructing the  church.
 

Originally there were four doors,  the seats were very  straight and highbacked, the pulpit was narrow and  deep, and it was  elevated on the north side of the building. Like the  log church, it had  no facilities for any fire in winter until many  years after its  erection.
 

About 1850 the stone church was  thoroughly remodeled,  the improvements being: a new roof, floor and  pulpit; seats lowered and  sloped in the back; venetian blinds;  carpeting; a vestibule with two  doors into the vestibule and the  original doors closed. In the Civil War  during the Battle of Gettysburg  the church was used as a field hospital  by the Confederate troops.
 

In 1891 the stone church again was   remodeled; the two doors closed and one opened in the center; the east   windows closed and stained glass put in the rest; and the present pews   and pulpit furniture added. In more recent years it has been repainted   and repaired, electric lighting has been installed, and Fellowship Hall   has been excavated and finished in the basement.
 

Although  renovated many times, the  ancient stone church still stands, a credit to  the congregation and a  comfortable house of worship wherein to praise  God for his many  blessings. It is an historic landmark which says to  present day  successors of Presbyterian pioneers: "Come to the church in  the  wildwood, oh, come to the church in the vale; no spot is so dear to  my  childhood as the little 'stone' church in the vale".
 

The  Reverend Alexander Dobbin, who  established a famous classical school in  Gettysburg, was closely  enough associated with Lower Marsh Creek  Presbyterian Church to be  buried in its old cemetery. As Pastor of Rock  Creek Reformed  Presbyterian Church and later on as Pastor of "Old Hill  Church" he was a  big factor in forming a union of the Reformed and the  Associate  Presbyterian groups. This led to a merger in 1858 with another   Presbyterian group, resulting in the United Presbyterian Church, a part   of the merger which formed the present United Presbyterian Church in   the United States of America.
 

In the late 1950's, the   Congregation excavated the area beneath the Sanctuary to add Christian   Education rooms and a Fellowship Hall due to enrollment increases.
 

In  the 1970's, a Manse was  constructed near the church to provide housing  for the called Minister.  In addition, a Sexton's house is located next  to the church building  itself.
 

In 1995, a new, 6000 square foot   Christian Education Building was constructed. It housed 6 SS rooms, a   Pastor's Office, a Church Office, large kitchen, and a larger  Fellowship  Hall to seat 125. By God's grace and goodness, the entire  project debt  was retired in 3 years time.
 

In 1997, the Sanctuary was   completely refinished and repairs made to the pews and furniture. This   work was able to be completed thanks to a generous donation by the   family of a former member.

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