USA > North Carolina > A history of the development of the Presbyterian Church in North Carolina, and of the Synodical home missions, together with evangelistic addresses by James I. Vance and others > Part 3
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After the war was over the synod met in Fayetteville October 25, 1865, and intense anxiety, not to say deep disappointment and discouragement, was written upon every face and expressed in every tone. Indeed, the war was over, for which all were thankful, but the hearts of the people were sad! Their property was gone, their homes were desolate, their beloved and precious dead were silent, and confusion, demoralization and lawless- ness were seen in everything and reigned everywhere. The institution of slavery was forever ended, and the negroes were free; but this great population of ignorant creatures had been freed and left by the victors in arms to shift for themselves, and they were homeless, helpless and dependent, and to meet this new condition of things grave and perplexing questions arose on every hand. What could the synod do? What better could it have done than to seek the help of the Lord? Therefore the synod resolved :
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" Whereas, in times of rebuke and confusion, desola -.. .- tion and fearfulness, it is the duty of the people of God to draw near to their King and acknowledge the justice, holiness and goodness of His providential dealings with them, the synod hereby appoints a day of fasting, humilia- tion and prayer, that life may flow with new vigor from the great head of the church, to all the members thereof, and that the rulers of the land may be guided to wise counsels for its benefit."
In the Narrative on the State of Religion the synod said, after deploring the increase of the evils of the times, " We now need an unusual amount of grace, if we would successfully resist the tide of iniquity which is rolling in upon us like a flood."
The people had now entered upon that period which is commonly called the "Reconstruction Period."
This period lasted about ten years-until about 1875- and for several years immediately after the war the peo- ple, in many respects, suffered as much, if not more, from misrule and corruption, than during the war. It is true the suffering was of a different character, for the horror of the war could scarcely be repeated or surpassed, but these horrors were followed by a reign of terror which tried men's souls. The people had to endure for a time a military government, administered by aliens to the Commonwealth, and by men who were not in sympathy with those who suffered. They had to endure the in- tense bitterness engendered by bad men and by political factions, and they were made to feel the heavy iron heel of arbitrary force, and to drink the bitter dregs of some of the results of war. They were compelled to endure the arrogance and insolence of many of the enfranchised negroes, who had suddenly been raised, politically, as the peers of their former masters. They were without money,
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except Confederate money, which was worthless, and .. . they had to pay or promise to pay high prices for every- thing, and to depend upon domestic help and farm labor which was utterly unreliable and almost worthless. And, besides all this, a spirit of demoralization, disorder and lawlessness was abroad in the land, rendering social life miserable and unsafe. The people of God, many of whom were in deep poverty and sorrow, met these reverses of fortune and endured these trials in a manner and spirit manifesting the grace of patience as none but the people of God could do, and which is worthy of the admiration and praise of all people in all ages.
In 1866 the synod enjoined it upon Christian fathers and mothers to look specially to their own children, and to teach them the fear of God and obedience to lawful authority ; and in 1867 the address to the churches was full of affectionate counsels and admonitions, calling the people to prayer and to arise and rebuild the waste places, and urging them to the support of evangelists and mis- sionaries.
About this time there were only five home missionaries regularly employed in the synod, and not more than $1,000 was contributed for Domestic Missions, and the aggregate membership of the church was about 15,000. But, from this time on, the leaven of hope and activity began to work, the contributions increased, and the great need of evangelization soon became the chief theme of discussion in all the Presbyteries.
In 1868 the Presbytery of Wilmington was set off from Fayetteville, with the following ten members, viz .: Rev. Messrs. H. A. Munroe, James Kelly, Colin Shaw, S. C. Alexander, D. B. Black, H. L. Singleton, B. F. Marable, J. M. Sprunt, L. Mckinnon and S. H. Isler. The first meeting was held in Wilmington, N. C., November 21, 1868, in the house of Mr. Patrick Murphy.
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The Rev. S. C. Alexander says, in his little book called "Miracles and Events," that " Wilmington Presbytery was organized for the express purpose of evangelizing Eastern North Carolina." He says there was consider- able opposition to the movement, and that he "spent a whole night in prayer" before the meeting of the Pres- bytery, when these matters were discussed. He was the first evangelist of Wilmington Presbytery, a strong preacher, and a most ardent advocate for evangelistic work. He did a noble work in Eastern North Carolina at Black River, South River, Swansboro and Topsail from 1859 to 1873, when he removed to Mecklenburg Presbytery, and afterwards to the Synod of Arkansas.
In 1869 the Presbytery of Mecklenburg was set off from Concord, with the following twenty-three members, viz .: Rev. Messrs. R. H. Morrison, J. E. Morrison, J. D. Hall, W. W. Pharr, John Douglass, Robert Burwell, A. W. Miller, G. D. Parks, J. C. Williams, R. Z. Johnston, William McDonald, R. B. Anderson, J. F. W. Freeman, R. N. Davis, J. S. Barr, J. J. Kennedy, N. Shotwell, Robt. H. Chapman, T. E. Davis, W. N. Morrison, H. H. Banks, William Graves and Jacob Hood. The first meeting was held in Morganton, N. C., October 16, 1869, in the parlor of Mrs. Robert Pierson.
The formation of these two Presbyteries-one in the east and the other in the west-tended greatly to encour- age the synod and to further the interests of evangeliza- tion in the State. This year more than 1,000 copies of the Address to the Churches was printed in pamphlet form and widely distributed, and in that address it was said : " We ought to have in this synod at least eight or ten evangelists to labor and carry the banner of the cross outside of all our churches into the wide regions beyond, in the castern and western parts of the State. This is
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the great and crying want of the church in this synod .- to-day." This shows the state of feeling in the church in 1869, and from 1870 to 1875 the state of the country gradually became more settled and peaceful, and the church began to realize as never before the great need of evangelization. The number of IIome Missionaries and evangelists rapidly increased in all the Presbyteries, as well as the contributions for their support, and a great deal of aggressive and effective work was done during these years. But the plan of overtaking the destitutions and planting Presbyterianism where it had never been known, was confined solely to the efforts of each individ- ual Presbytery, in looking after its own territory, until the great synodical movement was inaugurated.
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CHAPTER IV.
THE ORIGIN OF SYNODICAL HOME MISSIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA.
In October, 1875, ten years after the Civil War, the Synod of North Carolina, representing five Presbyteries, 105 ministers 213 churches and 16,200 communicants, met in Greensboro, N. C.
The active operations of the synod at that time, in all its departments of work, were conducted solely through agents, who were appointed upon the basis of the resolu- tion adopted in 1852, and who had the oversight of all the great causes of church work, and the most important causes were Foreign Missions, Sustentation, Education, Publication and Sabbath-Schools. The agent of Susten- tation, however, was charged with the oversight not only of Sustentation proper, but also of evangelistic work and the Invalid Fund, which were classed under the one general head of "Sustentation."
The Rev. H. G. Hill, D. D., was the synod's agent of Sustentation in 1875, and from his report that year it appears that less than $8,000 was raised in the whole synod, including all the salaries of all the evangelists, for these three combined causes, and the amount reported to the assembly as contributed by the churches was only $2,264.
On the approval of Dr. Hill's report, the following resolution was adopted. It is not stated in the record who offered this resolution, but it is probable that it was offered by Dr. Marable, Dr. Rumple or Dr. Hill, and it
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was the first key-note to the future rise and progress of synodical missions in North Carolina :
" Resolved, That the whole subject of the absolute and relative aggressiveness of the Presbyterian Church in North Carolina be referred to a committee, with the in- struction to consider it, and if it be found that our whole duty has not been performed, said committee shall indi- cate the causes of said delinquencies and point out the remedy."
The following committee was appointed : Rev. Messrs. J. Rumple, B. F. Marable, R. Z. Johnston and Messrs. D. H. Morrison and George Allen.
The next year (1876) the synod met in Fayetteville, and the report of the Committee on Aggressiveness was heard, and after much discussion and debate the matter was recommitted to the same committee to further con- sider the subject and report next year, and Mr. D. F. C'annon and Hon. D. Schenk were added to the com- mittee.
In 1877 the synod met in Charlotte, and the Committee on Aggressiveness presented an abstract of the report prepared, which was read and accepted, and a full report, together with the abstract, were referred to a special com- mittee, consisting of Rev. H. G. Hill, Rev. E. F. Rock- well and Dr. C. L. Hunter, to consider the same and recommend action for the synod. This committee recom- mended the following action, which was adopted :
I. That the abstract furnished by the chairman of the original committee be published in the Appendix to the Minutes.
2. That the report be returned to the chairman, Rev.
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J. Rumple, with the request that he forward the facts and suggestions of the report, embodied in at least six articles under appropriate headlines, to the "North Carolina Presbyterian" for publication.
The "Abstract" referred to above is as follows: " The Committee on Aggressiveness having considered the whole subject of the history and progress of the Presby- terian Church in North Carolina, would respectfully re- port that the Presbyterian Church was planted in North Carolina about the year 1736, in Duplin county, and shortly after this time in New Hanover county and Cum- berland, by Scotch Presbyterians. About the same time the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians settled in the western part of the State. They rapidly increased, until at the period of the Revolution, they numbered three or four thousand, and constituted about one seventy-fifth of the population of North Carolina. At this time, after the lapse of a hundred years, they numbered 16,544 communicants in 214 churches, with 113 ministers. The number of mem- bers has been doubled about every thirty-five or forty years, and at this time the communicants in the Synod of North Carolina numbered about one in every seventy of population, or, counting the Associate Reformed Pres- byterians and the colored Presbyterians, they numbered about one in every fifty of population. There has thus been both an absolute and relative increase of membership in our churches. The ratio of gain is about 33 per cent. on the increase of population.
In comparison with other denominations, the Presby- terians have increased in an intermediate ratio. They have far exceeded all other denominations in the State except two, and these two, according to the numbers re- ported by them, have largely exceeded the Presbyterians. Looking upon the whole work done by our church since
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its origin in the State we have reason to thank God and take courage for the future.
At the same time, doubtless, we have failed to perform our whole duty. With our educated ministry, our intelli- gent, influential and wealthy members, we ought to have planted the Presbyterian Church in every corner of the State. Without pausing to particularize the various hindrances to our success, your committee would briefly point out the measures they deem proper for the future growth of Presbyterians.
I. The first is the more general employment of evan- gelists. Let synods and Presbyteries and ministers press this work, enlighten the. churches, and strive to secure more liberal contributions to this cause.
2. The next is the more frequent efforts of our settled ministers to do missionary work in regions bordering upon their churches.
3. An effort to preach more popular sermons and a greater endeavor to secure immediate results from their labors.
4. An awakening of our eldership to a sense of the re- sponsibility resting upon them, especially in attending church courts and shaping the legislation of the church.
5. The more systematic, orderly and punctual adminis- tration of our financial affairs under the control of the deacons. (Signed) J. RUMPLE, Chairman.
The foregoing paper and action of the synod seem not to have been fully satisfactory, for on the next day the following resolution was adopted :
" Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to report at the next meeting of synod, 'as to what can be done to promote the greater efficiency of evangelistic work within our bounds.'"
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It is not stated in the record who offered this resolu- - tion, but it is altogether probable that it was offered by the Rev. Dr. B. F. Marable, who was at this time one of the strongest debaters, as well as one of the strongest advocates for aggressive evangelization in the synod. The Moderator appointed as the committee to consider this matter the Rev. Messrs. B. F. Marable, H. G. Hill, J. W. Primrose, G. D. Parks and B. L. Beall.
Perhaps one of the greatest hindrances to aggressive- ness in evangelistic work at this time was the confusion produced in the minds of many of the brethren by the different views held and advocated as to the nature, war- rant and functions of the evangelist. Consequently a committee had been appointed at the last meeting of synod to bring in a report on this subject. The Rev. John W. Primrose was chairman of this committee, which reported the following resolution, which was adopted :
" Resolved, That in the judgment of this synod, a scriptural evangelist is just a presbyter commissioned to preach the Gospel without pastoral charge, wherever in the judgment of the Presbytery his services may be needed for the conversion of sinners, and entrusted by the Presbytery with just so much of the joint power as in each case may be lawful and expedient."
Dr. Primrose was an evangelist of Orange Presbytery, in the eastern part of the State, from 1871 until 1880, and under his labors the churches of Tarboro, Nahalah, Lit- tleton and Rocky Mount were organized. He then became pastor of the Oxford, Shiloh and Grassy Creek churches, and afterwards, for six years, he was pastor of the Second Church in Wilmington, and in 1801 he returned to his first love, the evangelistic work, having accepted
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a call from the Synod of Missouri. He died at Green- ville, Miss., February 13, 1907. His varied and fruitful labors were crowned with abundant success. He was a fine scholar, a forcible writer, preacher and debater, an organizer and a teacher of youth, and he died beloved and honored in the midst of abundant labors. In the Synod of North Carolina in his day he ranked with Hill and Marable, Alexander and Rumple and others in their noble fight for aggressiveness in overtaking the destitutions.
In 1878 the synod met in Goldsboro, and the Commit- tee on "What can be done to promote the greater effi- ciency of Evangelistic Work in our bounds," made its report, which was received. After considerable discus- sion the whole subject was again recommitted to the com- mittee, with the exception of the first item of the report, with the instruction to report next year. The Rev. Dr. Rumple was added to the committee, and the first item of the report which was adopted was as follows:
" That synod does most earnestly urge upon those Presbyteries having destitute territory that they employ each at least one evangelist for his entire time."
In advocating the adoption of this resolution, the Rev. Dr. Hill took the advanced ground that each Presbytery, regardless of destitute territory, needed and should em- ploy at least one evangelist. This position met with strong opposition, and called forth a warm debate, but the leaven was working and the time was not far distant when this very position became the settled policy of the church.
The following resolution was also adopted at this meeting :
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" Resolved, That the synod shall hold a synodical mis-
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sionary meeting on Friday night of each session; that the agent, in addition to reading his report, be directed to secure speakers to make addresses on the subject, and that a collection, in connection with these services, be taken for this cause."
In 1879 the synod met in Statesville, and the Rev. Dr. Marable, the chairman of the Committee on "What can be done to promote the greater efficiency of Evangelistic Work in our bounds," was absent. The committee, however, submitted a report, which was laid on the table, but the following resolution was adopted :
" Resolved, That the synod hereby appoint a synodical agent of evangelistic labor, to consider and report an- nually on white and colored evangelization in its bounds."
. By this action the cause of evangelistic labor was sepa- rated from the general cause of Sustentation, and it now became the object of general interest and the subject of much discussion in the church courts.
The Rev. Charles M. Payne was elected the first agent of Evangelistic Labor, and on the evening of his appoint- ment, October 24, 1879, the first synodical home mis- sionary meeting in North Carolina was held. These were long steps in advance of anything done as yet along the line of "aggressiveness' in overtaking the destitutions.
In 1880 the synod met in Raleigh, and the agent of evangelistic labor, Rev. C. M. Payne, made his first report. A summary of this report will show the vast destitution of Presbyterian churches and Presbyterian preaching in North Carolina at that time.
In Orange Presbytery alone there were 18 counties which had no Presbyterian church within their bounds, and nine counties had only one church cach, making 27
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counties in one Presbytery alone almost entirely destitute of the Gospel through our church.
The synod at this time had five Presbyteries, 226 churches, and 18,356 communicants, and it included within its bounds 94 counties. Of these 94 counties 29 had no Presbyterian church, 24 had only one each, making a total of 53 counties in the State almost totally destitute of Presbyterianism. And for this vast field there were just two evangelists, Rev. Messrs. S. C. Alexander and J. H. Thornwell, employed for their whole time, and five others who gave as much as one-fourth of their time to the work, but principally in old fields and not in purely missionary territory. And the total amount contributed in the synod for evangelistic work was not quite $2,300.
This report disclosing these facts necessarily called forth "considerable discussion," and doubtless awakened in the minds and hearts of the brethren the stern fact that these conditions must be met, and met heroically. Con- sequently many were the ways and means suggested and devised, but as yet the remedy seemed to lie within the province of each Presbytery to act for itself. Therefore the following resolution was adopted :
" Resolved, That the Presbyteries be urged to place evangelists in their destitute fields ; that the settled minis- ters be urged to do as much missionary work as possible, and that the churches be urged to give freely to this ex- ceedingly important cause."
This resolution was offered by the Rev. Dr. L. McKin- non, who at that time was one of the most active and vigorous members of the synod, and he very strongly advocated the plan as one remedy for overtaking the des- titutions; that the settled ministers, especially in the towns and cities, become missionaries, to the extent of
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giving an occasional Sunday and several days in the weck- during a month to the great work outside of their own congregations.
It would seem that almost every possible suggestion had now been made to the Presbyteries, and the ministers, elders, deacons and membership of the churches had been repeatedly urged to put forth their best endeavors along the line of aggressiveness, in overtaking the destitutions; and while a great deal had been accomplished, yet "much land remained to be possessed."
In 1881 the synod met in Salisbury, and this meeting marks an era in the history of the Presbyterian Church in North Carolina.
The agent of Evangelistic Labor made his report, which was approved, and it appeared from the report that the resolutions adopted last year had not been without sub- stantial results, especially among settled ministers who had done much missionary work.
A paper was now offered, undersigned by the Rev. Messrs. H. G. Hill, L. Mckinnon, D. E. Jordan, W. E. McIllwaine and C. M. Payne, touching the supply of the destitutions of the synod by synodical effort.
Attention is called to the names attached to this paper. These names, together with B. F. Marable, J. Rumple, J. W. Primrose and others, among whom were S. C. Alex- ander, G. D. Parks, F. H. Johnston and J. C. Alexander, and the elders, George Allen, B. F. Hall and others, represent some of the leading spirits in the early rise of the synodical movement. The names of the Rev. Dr. Hill and Mr. B. F. Hall have been intimately associated with the synodical movement from its very inception until the present time.
The paper now offered presented an entirely new fea- ture from all previous suggestions in the missionary
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operations of the synod. It raised the old questions of the rights, functions and prerogatives of the synod as a court or legislative body, and it naturally created "much discussion." The paper met with strong opposition, and the debate continued at intervals for two or three days, the question at issue being, "Did the synod, as a body, have the right to conduct evangelistic work?" This question of long standing was now fought out and set- tled in the affirmative, and Synodical Home Missions was born !
The paper having been carefully considered seriatim, amended and adopted, is as follows:
"In view of the fact that there are in the bounds of this synod about 53 counties of the 94, and about 500,000 people destitute, or nearly so, of any church ministrations of our faith and order; and as this destitution is so un- equally distributed among the Presbyteries, that some of them cannot possibly for at least a number of years occupy their destitute regions, the following scheme of missionary labor is presented to the synod for careful consideration, and, if found practicable, for adoption :
"I. That this synod appoint two ministers to labor in the destitute regions of our bounds, and that Presbyteries comprising this synod be requested to authorize these ministers to labor in their bounds as evangelists.
"2. That a committee, consisting of Mr. George Allen, of Orange Presbytery; Mr. William R. Kenan, of Wil- mington Presbytery ; Mr. S. H. Wiley, of Concord Pres- bytery ; Mr. E. T. McKethan, of Fayetteville Presbytery, and Gen. R. D. Johnston, of Mecklenburg Presbtery, be appointed to raise the sum of $3,000, not by ordinary church collections, but my special efforts among indi- viduals of means and such as feel an interest in this work.
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"3. That those home missionaries appointed by synod are not to enter upon their work until the chairman of the committee appointed to raise the funds shall report to the chairman of the Committee of Synodical Evangelistic Labor that the necessary funds have been secured.
"4. That Rev. C. M. Payne, Rev. H. G. Hill, D. D., Rev. J. Rumple, Rev. G. D. Parks and Rev. J. C. Alex- ander, or their successors in office as chairmen of Home Missions in their respective Presbyteries, be appointed a Synodical Evangelistic Committee to superintend the general conduct of this work, and, if necessary, between the meetings of synod, fill vacancies by election.
"5. That in order to prevent any conflict between Pres- byterial and Synodical rights and duties, these home mis- sionaries shall labor in any Presbytery only when invited by the chairman of Home Missions in that Presbytery, and then in conformity to the suggestions of the local authorities of said Presbytery."
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