USA > North Carolina > Edgecombe County > History of Edgecombe County, North Carolina > Part 43
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 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44
On Friday, the 9th, Mr. Asbury reached Tarboro and gives valuable information as to conditions at Tarboro. His account is as follows: "They had made a fire in the small apartment at the courthouse and I thought it was for preaching, but it was for dancing, and the violin lay on the table. Mr. Clement 1 was kind enough to stop the scene, and we had a serious congregation to hear, to whom I preached on Hebrew viii, 9-11. There were two or three houses open to me in town, but I lodged three miles out at Brother Toole's." 2
From this account it would be safe in asserting that there was no Methodist Church in the town in 1796. It was not unusual that in perceiving that a crowd was congregated for worldly amusement, Mr. Asbury should have taken the advantage of the situation in order to have preached to them. This, no doubt, happened in his ministry in this country. On the other hand, his visit in this section was for the purpose of preaching, and had he
1 Evidently William Clements, who was secretary of the Episcopal conventions held in Tarboro, 1790-1794.
" Lawrence Toole, whose home was Shiloh.
470
HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
merely preached to a body of young people who had gathered for the dance, he would have most likely gathered a congregation of believers that night or the following day and preached a sermon. This he did not do, for he does not mention holding a service and writes that the following day he proceeded to a Mr. Forbes' in Pitt County.
In 1799 Mr. Asbury again visited Edgecombe and mentions for the first time the erection of a church. It may be safe in con- cluding, therefore, that while the county contained believers of the Methodist doctrine, as evidenced by Mr. Asbury's calling Mr. Toole "Brother," that the first church was erected sometime be- tween 1796 and 1799. In his visit in February, 1799, Mr. As- bury said he did not attend the Rainbow Meeting House because of illness. This church must have been located between Tarboro and Shiloh. Today there remains the indication of a church. A graveyard is located near the county road. Dr. T. H. Hall's re- mains rest there and his family were known to have been of the Methodist faith.
While on his journey Mr. Asbury administered the sacrament, which is conclusive evidence that there were a few members in the vicinity of Tarboro. He also mentions having visited Seth Spaight's and sympathized with him for the loss of his wife. Thursday night, the 28th, was spent at Mr. Toole's, and he was also entertained at Mr. Hodge's, near Sessum Bridge on Fishing Creek.
The fact that Mr. Asbury visited Edgecombe is not of as much interest as the influence he exercised in causing the people to take an interest in the church. That this resulted seems to have been true. By 1801 Toole's meeting house was erected near Tar- boro. Mr. Whatcoat, who later became a bishop of the English branch of the church, visited with Bishop Asbury in 1801 and preached here from the text in Zachariah ix, 12. Mr. Asbury declares his choice was Isaiah i, 9. The party remained overnight at Mr. Toole's.
There was also another church in the county, known as Prospect Chapel, which was opened to all denominations and probably at the extreme northern end of the county. Mr. Asbury began to pay visits there about 1800. The spiritual conditions throughout
471
METHODIST CHURCH
the circuit was spoken of by Mr. Asbury: "Oh, the awful state of religion in this circuit."
Early in the year 1802 Methodism took on new life. A new chapel was built at Tarboro, and a Mr. Bellamy was the regula. preacher in the town and county. Bishop Asbury and N. Snithen preached in the new chapel in February, 1802. It had probably just been completed. The sermon was in the nature of a dedication service, the text being, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people." Mr. Asbury adds, "We rejoice in hope that Tarboro will yet have and receive the gospel." New names had been added to the list of church members in the persons of Mr. Guion, Mr. Bellamy, and Henry Bradford, who lived in the eastern part of the county. During the stay in Tarboro Mr. As- bury also spoke of attending Prospect Hill, which indicates the existence of still another church in the county, and was probably in the neighborhood of Mr. Bradford's, since Mr. Asbury men- tions having stopped at his house.
A year later an itinerant party, consisting of Whatcoat, As- bury, and Lee, again preached in Tarboro at the new chapel. It was reported that a large crowd attended and was very attentive. The party were entertained by a Mr. Ryley. The night was spent at the Widow Toole's, whose home, as Mr. Asbury said, "was the first opened to him in Tarboro." Bishop Asbury also says that of the thirty-three families in Tarboro, very few members thereof were in the church. The principal part of the congregation, he declares, were thirty Africans. "The people," says Mr. Asbury, "have more trade than religion, more wealth than grace."
In 1809 an incident happened in the local history of Methodism which gave it a remarkable impetus. Wednesday, February 1st, of this year, the Virginia Conference was convened at Tarboro by Bishop Asbury. Eighty-four preachers were present, while seven- teen preachers were admitted, making one hundred and one active preachers in the Virginia Conference.1 One singular character- istic of the early church was pointed out by Bishop Asbury. He states that there were but three married men of the total number. "The high tastes of these southern folks," says Bishop Asbury, "will not permit their families to be degraded by an alliance with
1 The counties in North Carolina which had Methodist believers and had a min- ister were included in the Virginia conference at this time.
.
472
HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
a Methodist traveling preacher, and thus involuntary celibacy is imposed upon us; all the better; anxiety about worldly possession does not stop our course, and we are saved from pollution of negro slavery and oppression."
The beloved Bishop McKendree, the progenitor of a man who was later to become so closely related to the church in the county, preached the ordination sermon at the conference, and Bishop Asbury preached on "Humiliation before God." At the same time Bishop McKendree ordained eight elders, and Bishop Asbury thirteen deacons. More than 2,000 people attended the meeting in the two churches, while the people offered entertainment and hospitality to those who were visiting from other places. The re- port of the condition of the church follows: "Our increase in members, unless we allow for a great waste by death, and less by removals, is not very encouraging. The West and South have given more than three thousand each, whereas here is not more than three hundred." The cause for this fact is explained by Bishop Asbury, and, no doubt, throws light on the stigma which was placed on the church in its early existence and even as late as the War between the States. "We are," continued Mr. Asbury, "defrauded of great numbers by the pains that are taken to keep blacks from us; their masters are afraid of the influence of our principles. Would not an amelioration in the conditions and treat- ment of slaves have produced more practical good to the Africans than any attempt at their emancipation? The state of the society, unhappily, does not permit of this; besides the blacks are deprived of the means of instruction; who will take the pains to lead them in the way of salvation and watch over them unto the way of salvation, and watch over them that they may not stray, but the Methodists? Well, now the masters will not let them come to hear us. What is the personal liberty of the African which he may abuse, to the salvation of his soul; how may it be compared !"
The account of the conference proceeding at Tarboro makes the early history of Methodism clearer. It has been pointed out that the majority of those in fellowship in Elgecombe were slaves with perhaps a very few freemen. Among the names of those who were mentioned as being visited by Bishop Asbury, none are known to have been members except Mr. Toole and Mr. Bellamy. This fact becomes more obvious when it is known that the most influ-
473
METHODIST CHURCH
ential men of the county owned slaves-influence and wealth being determined by the number of slaves owned. Since an open stand in opposition to slavery was frequently manifested by the preach- ers, it was logical to expect that the owners would not ally them- selves with a church which worked for their temporal disad- vantage. This also explains the ostracism experienced by the early preachers. Bishop Asbury intimates this when he mentions the refusal of southerners to marry the ministers, due no doubt to the objection to the abolition efforts of the preachers. No set of men, however, merit more commendation than those pious, earnest men, who, in spite of these conditions, continued under the guidance of their conscience to preach their doctrine.
By 1812 this prejudice was not quite as effective as the three years previous. The church then had at least two families of in- fluence; Mr. Toole's family and that of Mr. Hall, who was one of the most prominent men in the county. In January, 1812, Bishop Asbury preached at Mr. Hall's home and mentions him as "Brother Hall." At the same time, Mr. Asbury took breakfast with Mr. Austin, the head of the present Austin family in Tar- boro, who was an English Baptist. He was exhorted by Mr. As- bury to conduct a prayer meeting in his house every Wednesday night. The Lewis family were also among the first to embrace the Methodist doctrine. In 1815 Bishop Asbury dined with Exum Lewis and wife, and says that they had been quickened into the faith, and that the house of their father was one of the first to receive the Methodists. It also appears that the church was again arousing the solid and determined thought of the people. Bishop Asbury spoke to a congregation of "serious people" in Edward Hall's dining-room on Sunday, February 5, 1815. The following Monday he breakfasted with Mrs. Austin, who, it seems, displayed much feeling. Bishop Asbury says, "In the trying hour, she said, 'Pray for me!'" Following this Bishop Asbury asked himself the question, "Shall a Methodist Conference assemble, a society be gathered, and a chapel be built at Tarboro?" Bishop Asbury's death occurred in March, 1816, after having given Tar- boro and the county many hours and visits of his ministry.
In summarizing the Methodist local history from 1760 to 1815, the record of growth was considerable when viewed from the light of the opposition it experienced. The English church had
474
HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
the law on its side, and received encouragement and support from the crown prior to the Revolution. The war brought a spirit of religious liberty, but opposition was present due to the slavery question. The Baptists in the county were numerous, and some of the strongest men of the Revolutionary times belonged to that church. The fact, also, that prior to the Revolution all Methodists were members of the English church, as well as followers of Wesley and Whitfield, gave additional pretext for antagonism. . The first division came when the Revolution began and Wesley advised them in 1784 to unite in one body with superintendents, who later were called bishops, with a system of church govern- ment called the "discipline."
After the death of Bishop Asbury, Methodism lapsed for a few years. His occasional visits constituted the chief source of en- couragement to the few scattered believers. It appears that the church in Tarboro went out of existence, the few members left, worshipped in the public meeting house. However, there remained chapels in other places in the county, one near Whitakers and another about seven miles north of Leggetts. These churches held a big camp meeting August 29, 1821. A successful revival was the result. A writer who attended this camp meeting says that there were forty tents and seventy ministers present. The meet- ing lasted ten days, with thirty-five converts received into the church the last two days. Shortly following this meeting a suc- cessful revival was held at Bradford's meeting house by the Asso- ciate Reformed Methodists.
During September, 1827, the Methodists of Edgecombe met in Whitakers in obedience to a resolution passed in March. and called a convention to select delegates to attend the General Con- ference to be held in Baltimore in November. Exum Lewis, of Tarboro, was president of the local convention, and he made an appeal for the people to throw their energy and talent in reviving Methodism before it was too late to redeem the church. This same year the church began to hold services at Ellis meeting house with Reverend W. M. Bellamy as preacher. This earnest, simple hearted minister survived the early struggle at Tarboro; created a spirit of cooperation with Bishop Asbury and subsequently be- came a regular traveling preacher in Edgecombe.
475
METHODIST CHURCH
H.T. Hudson, in his minutes of the early church, refers to Tar River Church, which was still retained in the conference records, as an indication of the growth with which Methodism was increas- ing, "a seed pregnant with useful harvest." This county experi- enced a remarkable growth from 1821 to 1860. Methodism began to spread rapidly in other counties from Edgecombe, while Halifax on the north, the banner county, was most notable in its increase.
It was probably in 1830, about nine years after the dark period of Methodism, when Tarboro, which was still designated as a part of Tar River Circuit, built a new church. The various conferences which met prior to this time mention no pastorate, and it is in- ferred that the suspended church in Tarboro had not been revived until 1830 or the next year. The Methodist Church the next year was added to the conference with six members. The celebrated preacher, Peter Doub, had charge of the Tar River Circuit for a number of years. It was probably during his ministry that a large camp meeting was held at the Associated Methodist Church at Stantonburg in 1830. Again in 1836 Edgecombe experienced a revival both here and at Tarboro under the preaching of Ben- nett T. Blake, a very passionate and energetic minister.
In 1834 Lawrence meeting house, which was evidently erected a short time before, was a center for services, and the church at Tarboro began to grow and to increase in religious interest. Rev- erend Thomas R. Brame and Reverend Berry Watson appear to have been stationed in the county that year. The Tarboro Southerner gives a very vivid account of the activities of these two men, and Methodism was benefited by their ministrations. In 1838 the church at Tarboro was in good favor and standing with the conference and was placed on the regular minutes for ap- pointments. Reverend Robert P. Bibb was sent to the church in 1838 and remained four consecutive years. About this time Sun- day schools reached Edgecombe. The church at Tarboro in all probability established a Sunday school in 1838. Sometime about 1838 the county of Edgecombe was changed from Tar River Cir- cuit and placed in the Washington district, in which it is at this time. At the conference held at Mocksville, December, 1840, Edgecombe churches made a good showing, having received several additional members. William E. Pell became presiding elder of
476
HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
the district and Reverend P. W. Archer was sent to the church at Tarboro.
Edgecombe County in the early forties bore a bad reputation for its treatment of the Methodists. Social and spiritual opposi- tion remained in force until after the year 1865. In a reminiscent account of Edgecombe, in which it was compared to the year 1880, a traveling minister of the early days, being no less than Reverend John E. Edwards, D.D., who became the famous Vir- ginia preacher, alludes to Edgecombe as the stronghold of the "Ironsides" and "Iron-clad" Baptists. He also declared that the Methodists made no show in the county. He says, "Indeed, it would sound incredible to the ears of the present generation 1 to state in solid terms the estimate in which the Methodists were held by the followers of old 'Tronside,' 'water bound' Father Lawrence," 2 in those days. He and the churches he presided over denounced the Methodists as "Wolves in sheep's clothing." Mr. Edwards intimated also that it was unsafe for a Methodist preacher to go about the country about 1830 and 1835. He records a personal experience which occurred to him and Reverend Henry Peck in 1840, when they were refused lodging for the night by three or four families while on their way from the New Bern Conference in 1840. It seems that the Methodist preachers were commonly recognized by their mode of traveling on horse- back with the usual stuffed saddlebag, umbrella, and overcoat. Also there was the ever-present "round breasted coat." The ac- count is as follows: "Brother Peck and myself were turned off successively by three or four families until dark overtook us, on an unknown road, and left us to the apprehension that we might have to sleep in the woods that night. Finally we saw a light glimmering in the dark. We pulled down the fence-not knowing where to find the gate or drawbars and rode through the open field to the house. After a parley of considerable length we were permitted to stay all night; but we were very careful not to re- veal the fact that we were Methodist preachers. While the good woman of the house was preparing supper for us, I commenced singing. Brother Peck joined in with me. It was some old melody, not now remembered. When we paused, the simple
1 Mr. Edwards was writing in 1883, nearly 50 years after the events recorded occurred.
" Joshua Lawrence, leader of the Primitive Baptists.
477
METHODIST CHURCH
hearted woman said: 'Well, that is one of the prettiest him tunes I ever heered. Won't you sing us another ?' We did sing, and the singing got us a good supper and breakfast, for the family was in comfortable circumstances. We learned before leaving the next morning that the gentleman and his wife were not iron-side Baptists."
The Methodist churches had grown to such proportions in 1840 and 1850 that visible signs of future usefulness was in evidence. In 1843 Reverend S. Pierce officiated in Tarboro and movements were commenced to erect more churches in the county. In 1850 the Methodists had four comfortable and spacious churches, an aggregate membership of 300 and a total church property value of $1,300.
In the upper part of the county, near the Wilson County line, near the Primitive Baptist Church at Pleasant Hill, the first Meth- odist sermon in this vicinity was preached by Nathan Anderson in a hall owned by a resident in the community. The Baptists offered strong opposition to the Methodists for many years. The Reverend Mr. Anderson, however, kept a regular appointment for two or three years. In the year 1852 Edgecombe circuit ap- peared for the first time as a part of the Washington district, of which Reverend H. H. Gibbons was presiding elder. During the year Mr. Gibbons conducted a successful revival near Wilson, and a society was formed with the following members: Mr. and Mrs. Rountree, Mr. and Mrs. Gray Ellis, James Rountree, Colonel John Farmer, Mrs. Jonathan Rountree, and a few others, all of whom lived on the present county line. Colonel John Farmer, William Daniel, and W. D. Rountree were made stewards. Dur- ing the year 1853 Methodism in this section of the county was fairly established under the efforts of H. H. Gibbons and J. L. Cotten.
By the latter part of the year 1852 the county had five local preachers, 470 active white members, and 152 colored. There were also three Sunday schools, three superintendents and twenty teachers. These Sunday schools had a library of 400 books on various religious subjects, and several class meetings were con- ducted by the lay members of the various churches.
Reverend Henry H. Gibbons was the general preacher in the county at the time, being sent there in 1852. At his first arrival
478
HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
the church had only 120 white members and 14 colored; two Sunday schools, one superintendent, 13 teachers, and 63 scholars. The conference collection amounted to only $29.35. The in- crease was, therefore, indeed material as evidenced by the com- parison with the above.
The following year Mr. Gibbons was given as assistant, James L. Cotten, while R. J. Carson and F. H. Baring were pastors at Tarboro and Tarboro Mission. The work paid $90.00 for the conference and the bishop, and contributed $104.75 for missionary endeavor. Mr. Carson was a very active worker and a man of considerable prominence. He was president of the board of trus- tees for the North Carolina Conference and a man of piety. He was also persident of the North Carolina Missionary Society and a member of the executive committee of the North Carolina Edu- cational Society. He presided frequently over the educational discussions in the conference.
In 1854 a great revival was conducted in the various churches in the county and over 664 white members were added to the society. The Sunday schools, however, were sadly lacking in attention and only fifty-five new scholars were enrolled for the year. The number of negro members was increased by seventeen new additions. Mr. Carson remained here until the fall of 1855, when he was sent to another charge. The Methodist Church which had recently been constructed at Bethesda experienced a suc- cessful revival held by Reverend R. J. Carson in September before his departure in November, 1855.
By 1855 the old church at Tarboro was insufficient to meet the needs of the increasing membership, and a movement was started to build a new church. The Reverend Mr. Guthrie being at the time in charge. F. L. Bond, a very prosperous merchant at Tar- boro, was an active worker in the church, and was a member of the board of stewards. He acted with an unselfish principle in building the church and much credit is due him in the campaign. In the early part of 1856 he inserted the following in the Tar- boro Southerner: "Wanted, $1,500 to complete the Methodist Church now in progress of erection in the town of Tarboro. Rely- ing as I do in the liberality of the people of Edgecombe for con- tributing towards so noble an enterprise, I feel that I hazard
479
METHODIST CHURCH
nothing in assuming the responsibility for the completion of this place of religious worship."
The attempt on Mr. Bond's part was highly commendable, for raising $1,500 in those days was no small task. His love for Methodism must have been above the average, for in his efforts to raise the money he placed his business interests and his financial status in jeopardy. Realizing the situation he informed his cred- itors and his endorsers not to be alarmed, for they would not be hurt.
The new church was finished in October, 1856, and was located on the church lot adjacent to the present hospital. On the fourth Monday in October Reverend C. F. Deems dedicated the church in the presence of a large and attentive congregation. This meet- ing was historic for the personages present. Reverend Thomas G. Lowe, the celebrated Methodist preacher and silver-tongued orator from Halifax, and known from the mountains to the sea, and Reverend William Gloss, of no small repute, were present and assisted in the service. In 1856 a new circuit was created out of the old Edgecombe Circuit, known as Tar River Circuit, named in honor of the old Tar River Circuit, which included Mar- tin, Pitt, Edgecombe, and other counties bordering on Tar River. This cirouit took away over 500 white members and forty-six col- ored. The work this year, therefore, showed a decided decrease in spite of the fact that nineteen new additions were reported.
The rise of a new church and the addition of new members of influence made a new era in local Methodism. The conditions which existed prior to 1856 are vividly described by John Fred- erick Mallet, who later became associated with the Methodists in the county. He traveled and preached to various congregations in Edgecombe about 1853 and sold books, among which was Wheeler's "History of North Carolina." In addition he was the first col- portage in this section of the State. He reports that the people were ignorant in general as to the history of their church and church members, and that they also paid little attention to educa- tion. He met with much opposition from the Baptists. The con- ditions seem to have been due to the contentment of the people, who being baptized it was thought that all else was superficial. The zeal for church work and endeavor was sadly lacking.
480
HISTORY OF EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Reverend Mr. Carson was returned to Washington district in 1858, as Presiding Elder and Reverend Lemon Shell was sent to Tar River Church. Tarboro Church had about twenty-nine white members and thirteen colored. The Sunday school was in fair condition with a library of 135 books, a good superintendent and several teachers and forty scholars.
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.