USA > Florida > The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865 > Part 1
USA > Georgia > The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865 > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
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Андрей 21-18+)
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THE
HISTORY OF METHODISM
GEORGIA AND FLORIDA,
FROM 1785 TO 1865.
BY GEO. G. SMITHI, JR., OF NORTH GEORGIA CONFERENCE.
MACON, GA .: JNO. . W. BURKE & CO. 1877.
28088.24
Lis 200 60.10
RVARD COLLEGA H SEP 30 1918 LIBRARY
Bright fund
COPYRIGHT BY GEO. G. SMITH, JR., 1877.
That's PRINTING SAD BOOKBINDING CO., 205-213 First with S2 .. NEW YORK.
Dedication.
To LOVICK PIERCE, D.D. MY DEAR DOCTOR:
To whom should this History be so justly dedicated as to yourself, who, for over seventy years, has been so closely connected with it. More than to any man living or dead has Georgia Methodism been indebted to you.
Personally, it gives me, the grandson of ISAAC SMITH and of JOHN HOWARD, your personal friends and co-laborers, great . pleasure to pay this tribute of affection to one whom I have known all my life, and known only to love.
May God, who has so wonderfully blessed you, still " command his loving kindness in the day-time, and in the night may his song be with you."
Affectionately,
GEO. G. SMITH, JR.
To CHARLES J. BAKER,
Athol, near Baltimore.
MY DEAR BRO. :
But for your kindness, in all probability, this book would never have been written. When lying wounded nigh to death, a stranger in a strange land, you found me, bore me to your own home, bound up my wounds, and in good time sent me on my way.
Though your views of church polity and mine are not the same, yet we have seen eye to eye on all questions of doctrine or experience.
A Methodist yourself, the son of one of the earliest of Maryland Methodists, in all Methodist History you are interested, and many names found in these pages have been to you as household words; for Asbury, Lee, George, Roberts, and many others mentioned, found joyous welcome at Friendsbury, under your father's roof; and their succes- sors in the ministry of every branch of Methodism have had glad greetings at Athol.
Accept then this feeble tribute, from yours, Most affectionately and gratefully,
GEO. G. SMITH, JR.
PREFACE.
It has been my design to write a History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida, chiefly for the Methodists of those States. I have therefore entered into a minute- ness of detail otherwise objectionable. I have also used Methodist technicalities sufficiently clear to those who will be interested in iny work.
While the labor of preparing the book has been in the main a pleasant one, yet there have been many difficulties in the way of its prosecution. The absence of printed literature, or of written documents bearing upon these early days, has proved very embarrassing.
Through the mercy of God, Dr. Lovick Pierce still lives. Without his aid this History could not have been written. He has cheerfully given me information which has lit up many a dark place.
I have not written a History satisfactory to myself; I cannot hope that it will be entirely so to any one else.
It is due to the Conferences, to say that this work is an independent one; that I was not requested to
viii
PREFACE.
prepare it; and that for its utterances I alone am responsible. Bishop Pierce, who was appointed to do the work by the Georgia Conferences, has had so much upon his hands, that he kindly relinquished to me the office of searching into the early records. I trust, in in some future day, he will be able to supply a volume such as he only can furnish.
I have endeavored to give the authority for the statements I have made, but oftentime have been unable to do so. I therefore append an imperfect list of the books consulted.
GEO. G. SMITII, JR. LA GRANGE, GA.
LIST OF AUTHORITIES.
Wesley Journals. 1st vol. Asbury Journal. 5 vols. Coke's Life. Moore's Life of Wesley. Stevens' History of Georgia. 1st vol. White's Statistics. White's Hist. Collections. Sherwood's Gazetteer.
Thrift's Life of Jesse Lee. Life and Times of Jesse Lee, by L. M. Lee, D.D.
Minutes of the Conferences. 6 vols.
Life of James Jenkins. Recollections of James Dunwody.
Life Cornelius Winter by Jay.
Sprague Annall's Methodist Pulpit. Life Jesse Mercer. Campbell's History of the Baptists. Sprague Annall's Baptist Pulpit.
Stevens' Memorial Sermon.
Methodist Magazine from 1818 to 1830. 12 vols. Olin's Life and Letters. Bound Volumes S. C. Advocate, 1838 to 1866. 38 vols.
Stevens' History M. E. Church. 4 vols. Lorenzo Dow's Journal.
Jackson's Memorial Address of Judge Longstreet.
Bennett's Memorials. Life Elisha Perryman. Georgia Scenes. Georgians by Gilmer. Georgia Lawyer by Andrews. Life Elijah Hedding. Pickett's History of Alabama. Etc. Etc. Etc.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. 1735-1737.
JOHN WESLEY IN GEORGIA-CHARLES WESLEY-BENJAMIN INGHAM- GEORGE WHITEFIELD-CORNELIUS WINTER. 15
CHAPTER II.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY OF GEORGIA TO THE INTRODUCTION OF METHOD- ISM-THE COLONISTS-THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH-THE LUTHERANS- THE PRESBYTERIANS-THE BAPTISTS. 24
CHAPTER III. 1786-1794.
METHODISM IN AMERICA BEFORE 1785-BEVERLEY ALLEN-JAMES FOS- TER - THOMAS HUMPHRIES - JOHN MAJOR - CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE-HENRY PARKS-RICHARD IVY-FRANCIS ASBURY IN GEOR- GIA-FIRST CONFERENCE-HOPE HULL FIRST CHURCH-THOMAS HAYNES - CONFERENCE AT GRANT'S-JAMES CONNER -THOMAS GRANT-DAVID MERRIWETHER-THOMAS COKE-ELBERT CIRCUIT- JAMES JENKINS-REUBEN ELLIS-UNION OF THE GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA CONFERENCES. 28
CHAPTER IV.
CONFERENCE OF 1795-PHILIP BRUCE-DECLINE IN THE CHURCH, AND ITS CAUSE - SAMUEL COWLES - FIRST GENERAL CONFERENCE - ENOCH GEORGE - CONFERENCE OF 1798- BENJAMIN BLANTON - JESSE LEE IN GEORGIA-GEORGE DOUGHERTY-CHARLES TAIT- RALPH BANKS-ALEXANDER MCCAINE-CONFERENCE 1799-STITH MEAD - JOHN GARVIN - CONFERENCE 1800- BRITTON CAPEL - NICOLAS SNETHEN-CONFERENCE 1801 AND 1802-J. H. MELLARD- GREAT REVIVAL -CAMP-MEETINGS - CONFERENCE 1803 - LORENZO Dow-LEWIS MYERS-LARGE INCREASE-CONFERENCE 1804 .... 67
xii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V.
1805-1812.
CONFERENCE OF 1805-LOVICK AND REDDICK PIERCE-JOSEPH TARPLEY -SPARTA. AND MILLEDGEVILLE CIRCUITS-APALACHEE CIRCUIT- LOVICK PIERCE ON HIS FIRST GEORGIA CIRCUIT-W. M. KENNEDY- THE OHOOPEE CIRCUIT-ASBURY AGAIN IN GEORGIA -- CONFERENCE OF 1806 AT SPARTA-JESSE LEE-FIRST SOCIETY IN SAVANNAH- SPARTA CAMP-MEETING JUDGE STITH-MRS. DR. BIRD-JAMES RUSSELL-THE TOMBIGBEE MISSION-WM. ARNOLD-GENERAL CON- FERENCE OF 1808-JOS. TRAVIS-BRO. BOB MARTIN, OR SHOUTING UNDER DIFFICULTIES-ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF 1808, AT LIBERTY CHAPEL-WM. MCKENDREE-WM. CAPERS-LOVICK PIERCE ON HIS FIRST DISTRICT-JOSIAS RANDLE-HILLIARD JUDGE-WM. REDWINE-ROBERT L. EDWARDS-OSBORN ROGERS -EPPS TUCK- ER-JOHN COLLINGSWORTH-CONFERENCE OF 1809-JOHN MCVENN- . JNO. S. FORD-MILLEDGEVILLE A STATION-WHITMAN C. HILL- 160 CONFERENCE OF 1811-GENERAL REVIEW
CHAPTER VI.
FROM 1812 TO THE DEATH OF ASBURY IN 1816. HENRY BASS.
JAMES O. ANDREWS-SAMUEL K. HODGES-LOCATION OF LOVICK PIERCE -SKETCH OF HIS WIFE-THOMAS DARLEY-LOCATION OF RUSSELL- ALLEN TURNER-ELIJAH BIRD-CONTINUED DECLINE - ASBURY'S DEATH-CHARACTER OF ASBURY, ETC., ETC. 106
CHAPTER VII. 1816-1823.
GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1816-NEW BISHOPS-THE CABINET-R. R. ROBERTS CONFERENCE AT COLUMBIA-ANDREW HAMMILL-DEATH OF HULL-ARBURY-MORGAN-R. GREEN-GEORGE HILL-JNO. L. JERRY-JOHN SIMMONS-THOMAS SAMFORD-GENERAL CONFER- ENCE OF 1820-ISAAC SMITH-JNO. B. CHAPPELL JAMES DUNWOODY -JOHN HOWARD-WM. J. PARKS-THOMAS L. WYNN-PEYTON L. WADE-ELIJAH SINCLAIR-CONSTANT DECLINE -- CAUSE OF IT .... 181
xiii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII. FROM 1823 TO THE FORMATION OF THE GEORGIA CONFER- ENCE IN 1830.
CONFERENCE OF 1823-WM. CAPERS AT MILLEDGEVILLE-MONROE MIS- SION-GEO. HULL-YELLOW RIVER MISSION-GWINNETT MISSION- CHATTAHOOCHEE MISSION-JOHN SLADE-INTRODUCTION OF METHO- DISM INTO FLORIDA-CONFERENCE OF 1824-TALLAHASSEE-TILMAN SNEAD-GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1824-JOS. TRAVIS-CONFERENCE OF 1825-J. A. FEW-CONFERENCE OF 1827-NICHOLAS TALLEY- JOSHUA SOULE JESSE BORING-GREAT REVIVAL-A. B. LONG- STREET-CONFERENCE OF 1828-JAMES DANNELLY-EATONTON- JOSIAH FLOURNOY-HENRY BRANHAM-JERE. NORMAN-STEPHEN OLIN-CHARLES HARDY-LA GRANGE-ROBERT FLOURNOY-CON- FERENCE OF 1829 - MADISON -JAMES HUNTER- GENERAL RE- VIEW 217
CHAPTER IX.
FIRST GEORGIA CONFERENCE-JOHN MOVEAN-LEGACY OF THOMAS GRANT-SUNDAY-SCHOOL CAUSE-GEORGE FOSTER PIERCE-A. H. MITCHELL-CALEB W. KEY-JNO. B. BARTON-JNO. C. SIMMONS -CONFERENCE 1852-BISHOP HEDDING-DELEGATES TO THE GEN- ERAL CONFERENCE-PEYTON P. SMITH-MYLES GREEN-GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1832-JAMES O. ANDREW MADE BISHOP-ROBERT EMORY-DEATH OF . JAMES BELLAH-WM. CHOICE-CONFERENCE OF 1833-DEATH OF THOMAS DARLEY-METHODISM IN SOUTH -WEST GEORGIA-GOLD DISCOVERIES AND METHODISM IN THE MINES- PAY OF THE PREACHERS-CONFERENCE OF 1834 JOSHUA KNOWLES -FIRST COLLECTION FOR SUPERANNUATED PREACHERS-CHEROKEE DISTRICT-IRWIN-HAWKINSVILLE-THE FRONTIER DISTRICTS OF THE SOUTH-W. GRAHAM-E. W. REYNOLDS-GEORGE H. ROUND -GEORGE W. LANE - ALEX. SPEER - SANDERSVILLE -JNO. W. KNIGHT-SAML. ANTHONY. 269
CHAPTER X. 1836-1840.
TWO CONFERENCES IN 1836-JANUARY CONFERENCE IN MACON-JNO. W. GLENN-GEO. A. CHAPPELL-GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1836- GEO. F. PIERCE PRESIDING ELDER-COLUMBUS CONFERENCE IN
xiv
CONTENTS.
DECEMBER-NOBLE GENEROSITY OF COLUMBUS-FIRST CONFER- ENCE MINUTES PUBLISHED-DEATH OF JOHN HOWARD-CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE-GREAT REVIVAL IN WARRENTON-THOMAS A. MORRIS- THE HULSTON DISTRICT IN UPPER GEORGIA-CONFERENCE OF 1837- GREAT REVIVAL IN LA GRANGE-A RACE-HORSE NAMED FOR A PREACHER-WORK IN FLORIDA-MASSACRE OF A PREACHER'S FAM- ILY-CONFERENCE IN EATONTON-JAS. R. JACKSON-A. B. LONG- STREET-G. L. PEARCE-REVIVAL IN UPSON-A. MEANS-WM. CRUM- LEY-AMONG THE TOMAHAWKS-FORT GAINES GENERAL CONFER- ENCE OF 1840-GENERAL REVIEW. 314
CHAPTER XI. 1845-1866.
DEATH OF BLANTON AND FEW-JNO. M. BONNELL, J. BLAKELY SMITH -S. C. QUILLIAN-CHAS. R. JEWELL-W. B. MCHAN-JOY F. STEAGALL-R. F. JONES-J. HOWARD HARRIS JNO. H. MASH- BURN-BENJ. J. JOHNSON-JOSIAH ASKEN-FLAUDEW-COTTER -- CONE-REESE-HOWARD-MARIETTA-FORSYTH-CEDAR TOWN. . AMERICUS-GREAT REVIVALS-INCREASED LIBERALITY-FLORIDA WORK-GARDNER-COOPER-CONNOR-RAPID GROWTH-THE WAR -THE THREE GENERAL CONFERENCES BEFORE 1861-CAPERS -EARLY-DURING THE WAR-THE END-GENERAL CONFERENCE OF 1866-DIVISION OF THE CONFERENCE. 389
CHIAPTER XII.
METHODISM IN THE CITIES-AUGUSTA-SAVANNAH-ATHENS-MACON- COLUMBUS AND ATLANTA. 414
CHAPTER XIII.
EDUCATION-MISSIONS-BENEVOLENCE, ETC. 497
THE HISTORY OF METHODISM.
CHAPTER I.
1735-1737.
JOHN WESLEY IN GEORGIA-CHARLES WESLEY-BENJAMIN INGHAM- GEORGE WHITEFIELD-CORNELIUS WINTER.
JOHN WESLEY said that the second Methodist society ever organized in the world was organized in Savannah, Georgia.
Mr. Wesley was not doctrinally a Methodist when he organized that society, but he was in a fair way to become so.
We may safely say that Methodism, as far as her peculiar doctrines are concerned, was born in Georgia, for here it was that he who was to give them form, and to defend them and to propagate them, emerged from the darkness of mystical delusion, broke the shackles of churchly tradition, and became fully convinced of those truths which, as Wesleyan, have had so mighty an influence in the world .*
In a history of Methodism in Georgia this fact must
* Wesley's Journal, and Lives of Wesley.
16
HISTORY OF METHODISM
find place, and while Wesley's life in the State is not strictly Methodist history, yet we shall not be violating the unity of the story by glancing at it in this introduc- tory chapter.
The province of South Carolina swept from the At- lantic coast to the Mississippi, and although Charleston was near one hundred years old and country settle-' ments had been made on the east side of the Savannah for over a century, all west of the river was an unbroken wild.
The prisons and poor-houses of England were full, and a colony not for paupers and criminals, but for those who might become so without help, was decided upon by some philanthropic Londoners. George II. granted to them as trustees all that area of land from the Savannah river to the Mississippi, and James Oglethorpe, afterwards General, was by thein selected to plant the colony in it.
He came across the sea with a small body of emi- grants, and on the high bluffs of the Savannah, near an Indian village, he founded the city of Savannah. Ile brought an Episcopal clergyman, Dr. Henry Herbert, with him, and soon a rough building-a kind of taber- nacle-was erected. The Saltzburghers who came with Mr. Oglethorpe brought with them also a pastor ; and these two clergymen, one a Lutheran and the other an Episcopalian, were the first in Georgia. Mr. Quincy succeeded Dr. Herbert, but he soon became dissatisfied and resolved to go to England. When Mr. Oglethorpe decided to make a voyage to England for new emigrants, he was anxious to secure a minister for the parish.
The field was a hard one. The man who undertook the work of tilling it needed a soul crucified to the
17
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
world. Mr. Oglethorpe, when he reached London, was told that there was a Fellow of Christ's College, Oxford, who would meet all his demands. He was John Wesley ; mystical-rather too much for England, too strict and careful in his own conduct, and too exacting in his demands upon others, for those times, but just the man to teach colonists going to the wilds, and Indians who had never left them, the way to Heaven. Wesley had already refused the rectorship of his father's parish, but it might be that he and his gifted young brother would consent to go to Georgia.
So Mr. Oglethorpe offered to John and Charles Wes- ley ministerial charges in the new colony.
John Wesley had now for six years been a Fellow of Christ's Church, Oxford ; and engrossed with his studies and striving with the ardor of an ascetic of the early days to satisfy the demands of an exacting conscience, he had no wish to go out into the busy world.
But when Oglethorpe's appeal reached him and his brother Charles, that he might become more thoroughly dead to the world, and that he might lead the Indians to Christ, he consented to leave England and come to Georgia. Benj. Ingham, Chas. Delamotte, and Charles Wesley came with him. The brig in which they sailed left Gravesend Oct. 14th, 1735, and reached Savannah Feb. 8th, 1736. Four months of sea travel necessarily makes voyagers well acquainted with each other, and this voyage brought Mr. Wesley in contact with some persons whose services to him, and through him to the world, have been of untold value. Among the voyagers were some Moravians and Saltzburghers. Of how Mr. Wesley became interested in them, of how they taught him more fully the way to Jesus, his biography tells.
18
HISTORY OF METHODISM
When he reached Savannah, he had about come to the conclusion that he needed to be taught the first princi- ples of Christian faith, and by Spangenberg the Mora- vian, and by his Lutheran companions, he was taught what he had needed most to know-the doctrine of a free justification by faith, and of the Spirit's witness. Ile accepted these truths as of God, but he did not so soon enter into the liberty which they were designed to bring to him. All the while he was in America he was a slave in fetters. The old traditions of Ecclesiasticism, the vagaries of the Mystics, and the gloomy doctrines of Taylor and Law, under whose shadow he had lived, were not so easily escaped from.
Savannah, which was his parish, was a small village, poorly built, and populated by a motley company. The most of its inhabitants were English people from the humbler classes. There were a few Portuguese Jews, and the German colony of Saltzburghers was only twenty miles above. There was a colony of Scotch Highland- ers at the month of the Altamaha, and a settlement at Frederica, besides a few French at Highgate, near Savannah. Mr. Oglethorpe had his headquarters at Frederica, for this was the point nearest the Spanish possessions in Florida, and was threatened by their forces, and Charles Wesley was his chaplain and secre- tary there. There were perhaps 300 white persons in the colony. Mr. Wesley began his work with great ardor. Adopting the usages of the early Church, he endeavored to bring his parishioners to adopt them also. On Sun- day morning at five he read prayers, at eleven he preached and administered the communion; in the afternoon he taught the children the catechism, and had thus a Sunday-school, one of the first, if not the first, in
19
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
America. Then he preached to the French colony at Highgate in their own tongue. During the week he visited from house to house. He reproved and rebuked with all authority. He positively refused to deviate from the old rubrics of the Church, refusing even to baptize a babe unless its parents would consent to its being immersed. IIe made two or three trips to Fred- erica, where Charles Wesley was rector, and here his boldness offended his hearers. He conversed with the Indians, and tried unsuccessfully to get access to them. He gave himself to the most diligent efforts to secure that crucifixion to the world for which he longed, refus- ing to talk upon any but religious topics. The result of his rigid life, and not less rigid teachings, was that the displeasure of the parishioners became greatly aroused. This received additional strength from the exercise of what he believed was a righteous discipline. He had but eighteen communicants, and one of these he repelled from the communion. She had been very dear to him, and this only intensified the anger of her friends.
Perhaps no act of church discipline of so slight importance has ever created more discussion than Mr. Wesley's course towards Mrs. Williamson, who had been Miss Sophia Ilopkey. She was a sprightly and attrac- tive English girl, the niece of Mr. Causton, who was one of the leading men in the colony ; she came over in the ship in which Mr. Wesley came, and they were for some time attached friends. The relations between them have not been fully understood, and because of this the fair name of Mr. Wesley has more than once been as- sailed, if not with open slander, yet with gross innuendo. He gave to Henry More the true account of all the relations between them and of his course in the matter
20
HISTORY OF METHODISM
of discipline. From More's account we are able to give the history.
She was an attractive girl, whom Mr. Wesley thought to be a sincere inquirer after a holy life. They were four months together. He was young, gifted, hand- some, and with bright worldly prospects. She was apparently amiable, and certainly very attractive. He taught her, advised her, and a genuine affection on his part sprang up towards her. Love makes a scholar blind, but it did not blind the quiet Germans to the fact that she would not do for Mr. Wesley's wife. She evidently was not averse to marrying the young rector, and expected confidently that he would engage him- self; but Mr. Wesley consulted his German friends, and they advised against it, and he ceased his visits to her. This was after they reached Savannah. A Mr. Wil- liamson gladly took the vacated place, and soon Miss IIopkey became Mrs. Williamson.
Savannah was a gossiping village. Mrs. William- son was young and thoughtless ; and untrue and harsh things were said about Mr. Wesley, which he believed came from her ; and believing she was unfit to partake, he passed her over at the communion. IIer uncle and husband and all her friends were of course angry. They went to the courts with it. Mr. Wesley tried to get a trial, and when he could not, much to the relief of the colony and to his own, he took shipping for England after he had spent nearly two years in Georgia. Ilis stay had been a painful and profitable one to himself. He had not hoped to find his work a bed of roses. Ile found it more thorny than he had expected. He hoped to have gone into the wilds and found the untamed children of the forest, and like Francis Xavier or Las
21
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
Casas, have been their teacher and father; but he found himself pent up in a little, gossiping English village, filled with godless adventurers, women not good, and men worse. He had never had any contact with men. He had lived in what was really a clois- tered obscurity. His one idea was to save his soul ; his one feeling was contempt for the world ; but they-his parishoners-" their talk was of bullocks." They had come to Savannah to get large estates, not to go to prayers at five o'clock in the morning ; and to have free license, not to observe all the ancient forgotten rubrics of the Church.
He did the best he could, and only when satisfied he could do the colonists no good did he resolve to return, as Charles had already done, from whence he came. The startling inquiry of Spangenberg, "Have you faith in Christ ? Have you the witness in yourself ?" still rang in his ears, and the one ruling aim of his life now was to repose his soul in simple trust on Jesus, and secure the Spirit's testimony that it was done. Ile was a servant, not a son. The good seed sown in Geor- gia in his heart did not die. The old truth, to him so new, now embraced with the mind, became afterwards the food of his heart ; and while Mr. Wesley never re- turned to Georgia, this truth did, and in his teachings he lived again where he had spent so many stormy days. But it was a half-century after he went away before John Major and Thomas Humphries came to Georgia with this truth, to do the work he would fain have done.
As the ship that bore John Wesley to London passed Gravesend, another, American bound, with George Whitefield on board, sailed for Savannah. This remark-
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