USA > Florida > The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865 > Part 30
USA > Georgia > The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865 > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
439
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
services at the church occupied all his time, and there was no opportunity for mission-work. In 1843 Geo. F. Pierce for the third time was stationed in Augusta, and James E. Evans was his presiding elder. During the year there was an increase of thirty members. The pastor was returned with an assistant, Sampson I. Turner, or, as he was called afterwards, Jackson P. Turner. During this year the present St. John's Church was built. It was a handsome building, worthy in every way of the people. During the year the membership increased about twenty members ; and now, in the forty- fifth year of Methodism in Augusta, there were 335 white members.
We have now reached the period at which our sketch of the Methodist Church in Georgia finds a natural stopping place, and of these after-years a detached his- tory of the work of the older cities can scarcely be needed. . We give, however, a list of the preachers who came after this date to the division of the stations into other charges :
1845. Josiah Lewis.
1846. A. T. Maun.
1847. James E. Evans.
1848. James E. Evans, Thomas F. Pierce.
1849. G. J. Pearce.
1850-1. W. G. Connor.
1852. Jackson P. Turner.
1853. James E. Evans.
1854. James E. Evans, J. O. A. Clark.
These came before the division of the Augusta charge, but in the year 1854 this was effected. From the erection of the new church in 1845, the church had steadily advanced in numbers and in influence. The
1
440
HISTORY OF METHODISM
city itself had rapidly improved. Factories had been built, new railroad lines connected it with the interior, but the church grew more rapidly than the city. Although the church-building was very large and with large galleries, it was often filled to overflowing. The membership had more than doubled itself in nine years. The colored people assisted by their white friends had built a neat and commodions church, and had 596 com- municants who were served by a regular missionary. Another church was now a necessity, and through the efforts of James E. Evans the pastor, the Church of St. James, a neat brick building, was erected on the lower part of Greene Street. It was completed by the confer- ence of 1855, and Alfred T. Mann was sent to St. John's, and Wm. Crumley was sent to St. James's. At the succeeding conference 225 members were reported from St. James', and 330 from St. John's. During the summer of the year 1856 a Sunday-school was estab- lished at the factory in a room furnished by the company. It was superintended by Henry F. Russell, Esq., one of the most zealous of the laymen of St. John's, assisted by Charles E. Mustin. The excellent wife of Dr. Mann, the daughter of Dr. Pierce, was one of the first teachers in it. In a prayer-meeting in the school there was great religious feeling evident, and Dr. Mann began a series of prayer-meetings. Many were converted, and a large class was organized, and placed under charge of a young brother then living in the city, but who has since entered the conference. The result of these efforts was the establishment of the Asbury Church. The factory company gave liberally to the erection of the church and parsonage, and to the support of the pastor. Indeed, too much cannot be said in commenda-
441
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
tion of the effort of that corporation to secure religious instruction for their people. After the organization of the colored Methodist Episcopal Church, the colored members of the Church in Augusta, who had been faith- ful to the Church of their early love when most of the colored people in the State had been carried away by outside infinence, became connected with that body. There are now in Augusta three excellent churches, which reported at the conference of 1874, a member- ship of 1,457 white members, three churches, three par- sonages, $80,000 in church property, and $10,000 for various religions interests. The old four-roomed par- sonage long since gave way to a neat and commodious building on the church lot, and furnished the church at St. John's with a parsonage. The St. James' congrega- tion early erected an elegant and well-located house for the preacher near the church, and the Asbury charge, with the assistance of the factory company, have pro- .vided a neat and well-furnished brick house for their pastor. The old fathers have all passed away. Jno. HI. Mann was the last of them. He lived to near ninety years, an active old man to the last; then the weary wheels of life stopped gently still, and he passed from us. The patriarchs of the Church are nearly all gone. Mildred Waterman upon the verge of the river waits the call of her Master. Harriet Glascock, Sister Crump, Sister Mann, Sister Flournoy, and many others have passed beyond. Their works do follow them. The South Carolina Conference before the division held several sessions of that body in Augusta.
In 1804. Bishops Coke and Asbury, Presidents.
In 1818. Bishops George and McKendree.
In 1822. Bishops McKendree and George.
442
HISTORY OF METHODISM
In 1827. Bishops MeKendree, Roberts, and Soule.
After the division, in 1832. Bishop Hedding.
In 1839. Bishop Morris.
In 1849. Bishop Capers
In 1860. Bishop Pierce.
In 1870. Bishop Pierce.
This sketch ought not to find its close without some account of the Sunday-school work in the city.
We have been able to secure no authentic account of any Sunday-school in Augusta before 1819, when a Union School was organized of which Dr. Mann was a member. When the new church was built in 1845 a Sunday-school room was provided under the parsonage. When St. James' Church was erected in 1854, Wm. C. Derry was made superintendent of the new school, which was the first afternoon school in the city, and which soon became, what it still continues to be, the largest in the community. The Sunday-school cause has made steady progress through the State, and in no city have the results of the work been more gratifying than in Au. gusta.
The city of Savannah is the oldest white settlement in Georgia. It was settled by Gen. James Oglethorpe, in 1732.
Although the colony was under religions direction, and religious service was provided for the first settlers, and although some donations had been made by the trustees of the colony which looked toward a house of public worship, yet nearly thirty years passed by before a good church building was erected .* This was done after the surrender of the charter to the Crown, and
* Bishop Stevens.
443
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
after the Church of England was established in the colony. Two years after this the first Presbyterian church in the city was built. * After the Revolution began, the rector of the Episcopal Church seems to have left the city. The church was burned down, and for some years there was no other building than the Presbyterian, and the Episcopalians and Presbyterians united together in public service. This they could do with greater ease, since the Episcopalians who gave any care to religious concerns were disciples of Mr. White- field, who was in the best odor with the Presbyterians.
In 1801, Dr. Holcomb, a very gifted Baptist preacher, founded the Baptist Church in the city. Adam C. Cloud, a disciple of Mr. Hammett, and an Independent Methodist, came to Savannah some time before 1802, and secured a preaching place, and had, when Lorenzo Dow visited the city, a congregation of 60 persons. t
In 1793, Hope Hull, who had been so successful elsewhere, was sent to Savannah. He secured a chair- maker's shop, and attempted his work, but so violent was the opposition of the mob, and so fruitless did he find the field, that he ceased his ministry in Savannah, and went back to Burke County. For over thirteen years Savannah, if visited by the Methodist preachers at all, was only casually visited ; but in Dec. of 1806, Samuel Dunwoody, then in his second year, was sent to this forlorn hope. Jno. A. Millen, a Presbyterian, gave him a home in his house, and by teaching a school he managed to secure a livelihood.
In Jan. of 1807, Jesse Lee, who had a roving com- mission for Georgia, visited Savannah, and after preach-
* White. t Dow's Journal.
444
HISTORY OF METHODISM
ing, invited all who had been members of the society elsewhere to meet him. Four did so ; Billy and Peggy, two excellent colored people from Georgetown, and two white persons, and so the first Methodist society in Savannah was formed .*
At the succeeding conference young Dunwoody re- ported seven members. The pulpit of Savannah, which was then only a town of a few thousand inhabitants, was well supplied. Dr. Holcomb was at the Baptist Church, and Dr. Kollock at the Presbyterian, and the German Lutherans had also a church; Andrew Mar- shall was the preacher to the colored Baptists, and had a large congregation. What could Methodisın do here? Dunwoody, always peculiar, and then quite young and unpretending, was not likely to attract any consider- able congregation to the obscure room which he may have secured, but he remained the year through, and & preacher was appointed to the city every year from this time forward. J. H. Mellard, John Mc Vean, and Urban Cooper followed each other, but there was no success attending their labors. The member- ship did not increase from 1807 to 1812; three whites and four blacks were all. There was no church build- ing.
There was, at this time, no missionary society in ex- istence among the Methodists, and the fund raised for the missionary sent to Savannah, was raised among the preachers at conference. Lewis Myers says : " In 1807, when the South Carolina Conference laid siege to Savan- nah, if twenty dollars were collected, it was considered a passable purse to start with. Urban Cooper, having
* Lee, Life and Times, and Thrift's Life.
445
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
expended his last three-pence-half-penny, had to retire, from actual want of the necessaries of life ; and James. Russell, bare-foot and bare-legged, entered into the fields to procure provender for our troops in the war with England. I know this to be true." Amid such difficulties as this the seed of Methodism was sown in Savannah. Yet it was decided to build a church, and by a man who generally did what he attempted. This was Lewis Myers.
In 1812 he was on the Ogeechee District, which in- cluded Savannah. He determined that Methodism should have a foothold in Savannah, and that a church should be built. There were only three white members and four colored. But Myers had resolved to have a. church, and he knew no failure. The Presbyterians, who have always been kind friends of the Methodists in Savannah, gave him assistance, especially Mr. Millen .* Myers secured a lot in the lower part of the city, not far from the commons, and began to collect material for the building. He was a delegate to the General conference in 1812, which met in Baltimore, and that city, which has always been ready to respond to such appeals, gave him assistance. He labored hard to accomplish his work, and an amusing story of how hard was told by himself. The servant one morning went into his bedroom and found the bed already made ; knowing his peculiarities, the good lady of the house supposed that Bro. Myers had done the work himself ; at the breakfast table she took him to task. The preacher made his explanation. He had gone in the room and knelt down to say his prayers. He was so tired
* Myers' letter to South Carolina Advocate.
1
446
HISTORY OF METHODISM
from his work that he fell asleep on his knees, and slept till the morning's dawn.
At the conference of 1812, James Russell was seut to Savannah, and now for the first time there was some progress. The church was not finished, nor was there means to support the preacher. Russell ent marsh-grass from the marshes, and sold it in the city, and preached on Sunday, but the man who had thrilled vast multi- tudes in the interior had no place here for the display of his wonderful powers. He was preaching to a house- less flock, and could make little impression in a commu- nity accustomed to the alinost matchless eloquence of Dr. Kollock, who was the great preacher of Savannah. He labored hard to finish the church, and did so, and as we have seen entered into trade to relieve himself from the debts he had unwisely contracted, in trying to finish it. The twenty-five members he gathered togeth- er now had a house to worship in, and regular services, and the number continued slowly but steadily to grow.
James Russell remained two years, then James C. Koger was sent with him. His failure in business crip- pled the already feeble church, but the best talent of the conference was still detailed for the work there. Whitman C. Hill was sent there, and after him, in 1818, Henry Bass. He was an energetic and steady worker, and during his ministry there were some valuable acces- sions to the church. The next year Solomon Bryan is mentioned in the minutes, and having been sent dur- ing that year a parsonage was built, but it was not paid for. The membership had now increased until there were forty-one whites and seventy-four blacks. They had a church-building and a new parsonage. The far- Boeing Sam'] K. Hodges was presiding elder. He deter-
447.
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
mined to secure for Savannah, if he could do so, the most attractive preacher in the South Carolina Confer- ence, and at conference he called for Wm. Capers.
W. M. Kennedy the presiding elder resisted the ap- pointment. It would be an affliction to a valuable and most deserving man, and then he needed him in Charles- ton. The Bishop refused to send Capers unless he was willing to go. When he was consulted he refused to choose, and as silence gave consent, in January, 1819, Wm: Capers was read out to Savannah, and to Savannah he went. He soon did there what he did everywhere- filled his house with delighted hearers. We have already mentioned the kindness of the Presbyterians to the struggling Methodists, and Dr. Kollock soon gave special evidence of his kind feeling by calling on the young preacher. This was the beginning of a personal affection which followed the gifted Kollock beyond the grave. The church was poor, but now the congregations were large and the faithful young men who composed the official body of the church, and there were now quite an efficient band of them, rallied around a preach- er with whose. talents and piety they were justly dele- gated, and things began to wear a more sunny aspect. The church was in debt probably for the parsonage, but a tour of the pastor among his old friends in South Caro- lina soon relieved it of that burden. The next year Capers was returned ; during this year Dr. Henry M. Kollock died and Dr. Capers was called upon to preach his funeral sermon. By the time he had completed his pastorate the Savannah people had discovered that in the unsightly barn-like wooden building on the com- mons, there was oftentimes such preaching as the pul- pits of elegant cathedrals ask for in vain, and when
448
HISTORY OF METHODISM
John Howard came the next year, with his handsome person, elegant manners and fervid earnestness, he held the congregation Capers had gathered. He came in good time to reap what Capers had sown, and a year of wonderful prosperity marked his stay there. During that year there were over one hundred additions to the church, and they were of the first young men of the middle walks in life. Perhaps there was not a man of fortune among them ; but young merchants, and clerks, and mechanics, who were to make fortunes, were con- verted and joined the church. Among these was one who was to be a most valuable member of the church, until he ended a useful life in great peace. This was Benjamin Snider. He was a young man of Effingham County, who was now in small business in the city. His business grew and continued to grow, until he was a man of considerable wealth. His liberality was equal to his ability. He married a young lady from the North, and she was for many years one of the most efficient of those faithful women who labored in the Gospel in Savannah. When Bishop Pierce, in the third year of his ministry, was in Savannah, he married her sister.
There were many others who in after-time did much for the church-who joined the church when Howard was the pastor. After years of almost hopeless toil, then years of doubt and gloom, the church was now estab- lished. There was a large and comfortable building, a neat parsonage, and growing congregations. The con- ference was able to meet the demands of the pulpit with gifted preachers, and the next year James O. Andrew came to Savannah. Savannah was indeed blessed in her preachers. Capers, Howard, and now Andrew, came one after the other. The Church continued to advance iu
449
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
every element of strength. Among those whom the preachers mention with affection from the membership, there was Lydia Anciaux the mother-in-law of Senator Berrian. She was a lady of large means and generous heart. Benjamin Snider, Thomas Pierce, John Reins- hart, Francis Stone, and George Carpenter. Not far from Savannah was the settlement of those Lutherans to whose instructions, near a hundred years before, Mr. Wesley had been so indebted. They were now to receive a return in blessing from the followers of Mr. Wesley ; for there was a gracious revival at Goshen, and a number of most valuable persons were added to the Church.
While the membership of the city was not large, the labor was heavy ; and George White, a young man, was sent with Bishop Andrew. Young White did not re- main in the Methodist Church for any length of time, but united with the Episcopalians. IIe gave great attention in after life to the study of the history and resources of Georgia, and published the statistics of Georgia, and the historical collections to which we have so often referred in these pages. IIe rose to eminence in the Church of his choice, and is now (1875) rector of a.church in Memphis, Tenn.
Bishop Andrew remained for two years, and in 1824 Thomas L. Wynn was sent. He was useful and popular here as everywhere, but the church did not increase in membership during his stay. He was followed by George IIill, of whose useful labors we have had much to say. He was not so gifted a man as his predecessors, but was zealous and devotedly pious. Yet the church continued to decline, and reported only 126 white mem- bers at the Conference of 1826. Charles Hardy followed him on the station, and there was still further decline.
450
HISTORY OF METHODISM
When Elijah Sinclair came to the work in 1828, he found only ninety-one members on the roll. There was now a smaller membership than for nearly ten years preceding.
In 1829, Bond English, who returned to South Caro- lina and did years of excellent work in that Conference, was in Savannah, but still there was but little increase in membership. Yet still the Church grew steadily, if slowly, and was foremost in every good work. The Church in Savannah has always been noted for its lib- eral giving ; and the Ladies' Working Society sent up their annual gifts to the Conference Treasury.
In 1830, Benjamin Pope was sent to Savannah. We have already spoken of his lovely character, and under his ministry there was a net increase of thirty whites. The success among the blacks, then, had been very con- siderable ; and, at the conference 1833, 198 had been received. In 1831 Dr. Few was the stationed preacher. He was then in the glory of his strength. Intellec- tually, he was always strong; physically, he was always feeble, but as far as his strength allowed he was always up to the measure of the demand, and great success attended his labors. At the next conference he reported an increase of over one hundred members, the membership then amounting to 302 whites, and 296 colored. Savannah was now a strong church, not only in numbers but in spiritual power. It was the strongest station in the State. In 1832, Elijah Sinclair went to the city a second time and seemed to have had considerable success ; since he reports at the next con- ference 358 white members. In 1833, George F. Pierce was appointed to the city. He was the youngest man who had ever been appointed to the station. Hc
451
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
was not only to fill the pulpit which had been occupied by Capers, Howard, Andrew, Pope and Few, but he was to control the operations of the largest single church in the State. It was a heavy burden, even more weighty than the one of the year before; for then he had the ever-ready counsels of his predecessor and former colleague. His presiding elder was Andrew Hammill, who made his home in the city. The young preacher, feeling his responsibility, began his work and prosecuted it with earnestness; but for some time there was no evidence of success. One morning he rose in the pul- pit and preached with a full heart, and made an appeal to sinners ; and, as was frequently the custom in those days, he invited penitents to the altar. Not one came. He went home almost broken-hearted. He ate neither dinner, nor supper. He prepared no discourse for the night, and when the time came for him to preach, he had no sermon ready ; but he went to the pulpit and preached as well as he could. After preach- ing, he concluded he would try once more. He did so, the chancel-rail was crowded with weeping penitents ; the revival thus commenced and continued during the entire year.
During his stay here the first conference collection reported from Savannah was taken. It amounted to $131-much the largest from any city in the State.
In 1834 Wm. Capers, much to the delight of his old friends, returned to Savannah. Around the city there were several important missions, and he was not only stationed in the city but made superintendent of themn. Fourteen years before, he had left Savannah. He had come to the station at that time with fear and trem- bling. He had been instrumental in doing the church
452
HISTORY OF METHODISM
such service as had laid the foundation for its present prosperity ; others had entered into the fruit of his labor, and now he returned. Since he had first been sent there-a young man not ten years in the regular ministry, whose fame was just beginning to spread-he had won for himself a name in two continents ; and in the ripeness of his great powers, he was at the scene of his early triumphs. He returned to South Carolina after a year's service in Savannah, and Alexander Speer succeeded him.
Savannah has, in common with other cities, varied in the increase of members ; and during these two years there was steady decline, and 260 white members were reported against 358 reported in 1833. In 1836 James E. Evans, in the third year of his pastorate, was sent to Savannah, and succeeding year was returned. At the end of his second year, much of the lost ground was re- covered, and Savannah reported 312 members. The collection reported at this conference was $81.00; which, while not equal to that taken when Bishop Pierce was on the station, was far ahead of the last, which was only $10.00. The term of the preacher in charge expiring, James Sewell succeeded him.
It was his second appointment in Georgia. He was a rigid disciplinarian, and under his ministry the mem- bership again declined to the old figure of 257. He, however, returned the second year, and there was decided improvement-a net increase of sixty white members. In 1840, Dr. Few came ; and a young preacher, Miller H. White, who had been doing hard work on hard fields in lower Georgia and Florida, was sent with him to assist him. During the year there' was still increase; and James E. Evans, having returned to Georgia, was again sent with
453
IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA, 1785-1865.
Edward H. Myers to assist him on the Savannah Station. A very precious revival seems to have followed their efforts, and 440 white members were reported at the next conference. Evans was returned the next year, and James B. Jackson was sent with him to the charge. Daniel Curry, the young Northerner of whom we have spoken, came the next year; but, as elsewhere when he was in charge, the church decreased in membership during the year, and reported only 287 at the next conference. This was too much the case, in all the charges, in the days when persons were received on pro- bation. Often large numbers united with the church during the pastorate of one; but not meeting all its de- mands, they were dropped from the roll by the preacher who came after him. Josiah Lewis succeeded Daniel Curry on the station, but the ebbing tide still continues, and at the end of two years there is a loss to the station of nearly 100 white members. Caleb W. Key was sent the next year, and returns the next; and the second year there was improvement in the church roll, and 401 are reported. In 1848, Alfred T. Mann and Charles A. Fullwood were in charge; and there was increase, and 450 were reported on the roll. The church built by James Russell and Lewis Myers, which had been en- larged in 1821 under Howard, and to some extent im- proved, was still too small, and was quite uncomely. The demands of the city were imperious for a new church; but how many hallowed associations clung to the old church and the old spot upon which it stood ! That it was almost out of town ; that the building was sadly out of keeping with the wealth and influence of the congregation, was true; but, yet, the surrender of the old and first church could not be made without a strug-
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.