USA > North Carolina > Sketches of North Carolina, historical and biographical : illustrative of the principles of a portion of her early settlers > Part 31
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After the Synods of New York and Philadelphia were united, in the year 1758, the supply of the southern vacancies claimed their attention ; missionaries were sent that were so acceptable, that numerous calls came up to Synod for them, to be located as settled pastors. In the year 1765 is the following minute,-" a call for the Reverend Mr. Spencer from Cathy's settlement (Thyatira) and Fourth Creek, which was presented to him ; also a supplication for supplies from the inhabitants of North Carolina, living between the waters of Yadkin and Catawba rivers, and particularly for the re- moval of Mr. Spencer and Mr. McWhorter to settle among them." Then follow the applications from Bethel and Poplar Tent, New Providence and the Six Mile Spring, Hawfields, and Little River, and from Long Canes in South Carolina. " In consequence of sun- dry applications from North Carolina for supplies, the Synod ap- pointed Messrs. Nathan Kerr, George Duffield, William Ramsay, David Caldwell, James Lattar, and Robert McMordie, to go there
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as soon as they can conveniently, and each of them to tarry half a year in these vacant congregations, as prudence may direct."
Fourth Creek church was organized by the Mr. Elihu Spencer mentioned in the two preceding minutes, and embraced the inhabit- ants between the South Yadkin and the Catawba rivers. This took place some time in the year 1764, or early in the year 1765, when the bounds of all the congregations were settled. From all the efforts made for settled pastors, there was but one congregation, that of Rocky River, that could obtain any preaching except from missionaries, for many years; and Fourth Creek had no regular pastor till James Hall, who grew up in the bounds, became their minister in 1778. From the records of Hanover Presbytery, it ap- pears that Mr. Craighead was directed by his Presbytery to supply Fourth Creek two Sabbaths, and Mr. James Hunt the same number of days in the year 1762.
That these vacancies, some of them at least, expected to con- tribute to the support of their ministers, appears from the minutes of the Synod in the year 1767. Besides mentioning the reception of petitions for supplies from Cathey's settlement (Thyatira), Long Canes, Indian Creek, and Duncan's Creek ; and motions for sup- plies for Edenton, Newbern, Fourth Creek, Upper Hico, Haw River, Goshen in the forks of Catawba, the south fork of Catawba, the forks of Yadkin and Salisbury; the following record is made, viz. : " The following congregations in North Carolina, viz. : Sugar Creek, Fishing Creek, Bethel, the Jersey settlement, Centre congre- gation, Poplar Tent, and Rocky River, united in a petition for one or more of the Rev. Messrs. Spencer, Lewis, McWhorter, and James Caldwell, to be sent there, promising for their encourage- ment that the sum of eighty pounds be paid by any of these con- gregations in which he shall choose to spend half of his time, and another eighty pounds by the vacant congregations he shall supply." Neither of the ministers referred to was willing to accept the call, and as Mr. Craighead of Sugar Creek was dead, there was no set- tled minister south of the Yadkin for a few years.
Secluded in the forests of Rowan, alike ignorant of the knowledge . and the follies of the great world, James Hall grew up under the watchful care of pious parents, and the instructions he could receive from these faithful and laborious missionaries, whose visits to the congregation were, less often than welcome, about once a quarter. He was made familiar with the Bible and the Westminster catechism in his early days, and his mind stored with the best of truth before he could appreciate the excellence of the truth itself, or
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the motives of the pious parents who so assiduously taught him. The coming of a missionary was an event of magnitude, an epoch in the current of time, in these Carolina settlements of Protestant- Irish. He brought news from a far country, for Philadelphia, in those days, was at the distance of a horseback journey of two or three weeks, and no current of passengers in stages or rail cars, no daily or weekly mail, brought the latest information; he was messenger from friends and acquaintances left behind, or coming on ; he proclaimed the truth many were desirous of hearing, pouring in the oil of grace to the wounded spirit, comforting the bowed down ; he administered the ordinances, called the children to catechual in- struction, and visited the sick. The impressions made by these visitations were of the most happy and religious kind, and were followed by hopeful conversions. The more important matters of discipline and church order were particularly attended to during the excursions of the missionaries ; for instance,-in the records of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, in 1756-" The Synod more particularly considering the state of many congregations to the southward, and particularly North Carolina, and particularly the great importance of having those congregations properly organized, appoint the Rev. Messrs. Elihu Spencer and Alexander McWhorter, to go as our missionaries for that purpose ; that they form societies, help them in adjusting the bounds, ordain elders, administer sealing ordinances, instruct the people in discipline, and finally, direct them in their after conduct, particularly in what manner they shall proceed to obtain the stated ministry, and whatever else may appear useful or necessary for those churches, and the future settlement of the gospel among them." This mission was fulfilled to such entire satisfaction that these gentlemen were importuned to settle in Carolina ; and Mr. McWhorter was ultimately chosen president of the college erected at Charlotte. From the term of this visit, we may consider the bounds of the old churches in Orange and Concord Presbyteries as settled, and the sessions as generally duly organized. Previous to this the settlements acted independently in their religious matters. At this time numbers were united into one congregation. It was probably during this visit that Mr. Hall made profession of religion, as it is stated that he united with the church when he was about twenty years old. Of the exercises of his mind previously to that event little more is known than that he had been a subject of religious impressions, from term to term, commencing in his eighth year. In a paper drawn up by him in the year 1787, it appears that from his first entrance on a religious life, he was diligent and faith-
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ful in self-examination ; that his conduct, and motives, and feelings, were all often tested by the word of God. His enjoyments in religion were often sweet, and his hope of salvation strong. " Not long," says he, " after my first comforts, I felt a strong desire towards the ministry of the Gospel. Of this I considered it in vain to think, when I took a view of my family circumstances. My father, at that time aged, and in a declining state of health, my two elder brothers married, and my two younger brothers were in a measure children-so that as a means, I was almost the only support of the family, which was in comfortable, but not affluent circum- stances. It was, however, my constant prayer to God, that he might, in some way, open a door in the course of his providence, that so I might obtain my wished-for object, even when I saw no prospect of an answer. After about four years I communicated my sentiments to my parents, whom, contrary to my expectations, I found willing to support me in a course of study."
About the time he communicated his wishes to his parents, he entered into a solemn covenant with God to devote his whole life to the preaching of the gospel, if he could be suitably qualified by a proper preparatory education.
After it was determined in the family that he should commence a course of education for the ministry, a dangerous sickness, with other causes, delayed his actually entering upon his studies for about a year. During this interval an event, or train of events, oc- curred, which caused him bitterness of soul, and which led him ulti- mately to determine to spend his life an unmarried man, in direct opposition to that tenderness of heart, and affectionate disposition, he was known to possess from his earliest boyhood, to his latest breath. Attending the wedding of a young friend, he enjoyed to a high degree the company of an amiable, pious lady, in all the loveliness of youth, rendered more lovely by the excitement of the occasion. On his return home, his thoughts were so busied about this absent fair one, that he visits her, and frankly declares his attachment, and is made very happy in the anticipation of that union she permitted him to hope for. He seemed to have forgotten his devotion to the work of the ministry, and his projected educa- tion, in the ardor of his first love. As he said afterwards, " he thought of nothing but the object of his affections, he saw in her piety and amiableness, every quality to make him happy, and he revelled in his anticipated felicity." But when he began to reflect how he was to dispose of himself for life, he called to mind his for- mer purposes, and felt the difficulties in his path. His perplexities
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increased upon reflection. One sabbath, after attending preaching, he walked out by himself to indulge in meditation. He thought of his having devoted himself to God in the ministry, and the obli- gations of that covenant he had voluntarily made and solemnly imposed upon himself, to preach the gospel during his whole life, if he could be prepared by a suitable education ; that God, on his part, had ratified the covenant by opening the way, unexpectedly, for his attaining the desired education ; and that he had now rashly and voluntarily declined from the object of his prayers and desires, and had involved himself in difficulties from which he saw no escape. As he was meditating on these things, his former back- slidings came up to his recollection one after another, and rushing upon him like a mighty torrent overwhelmed him with a sense of guilt. His conscience goaded him with agonies inexpressible. He stood in amazement, and trembled under the stings of remorse. He was afterwards heard to say-that the experience of that day had given him some conceptions of the sufferings that could be in- flicted on a lost soul by the remembrance of its former guilt, and that it might be intolerable. He sought an interview with the lady and stated the case to her, and by mutual consent, the matrimo- nial engagement was dissolved, and he returned to his former pur- pose to prepare for preaching the gospel, with an humbled and chastened spirit, less inclined to self-dependence, and more fearful of sinning against God. This was his first and last effort towards the matrimonial life. The scheme of action he proposed to himself, and which was carried out by him through life, was not compatible with the duties of the head of a family. He saw the wants of his countrymen ; he knew little of preachers but as travelling mission- aries ; and his devotion to God to preach the gospel his whole life, appeared to him to stand directly in the way of his performing the duties of a husband and a father. Had he been a married man he might have been more happy, and probably would have been; he might have been as useful, and even more so; but it would have been usefulness of a different kind, and probably very many that heard the gospel from his lips in his various long journeys, would never have seen his face. In his determination that no matrimo- nial engagements should be a barrier to his preconceived purpose of preparation for the ministry he is worthy of all praise; and in his determination to hold himself in readiness for a missionary life . in the state in which he had grown to manhood, he is not lightly to be blamed when the vacancies and desolations are surveyed by
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the eye of faith and benevolence, and the little band of laborers are numbered up.
In his twenty-sixth year he commenced the study of the classics, and made rapid progress, as his mind was matured, and his appli- cation unremitting. He had been accustomed to study by himself, and had acquired habits of mental application, while unaided by an instructor. When about seventeen years of age, a treatise on geometry fell in his way and excited his attention. He applied himself to study during his leisure from his daily avocations on the farm, till he became possessed of the principles, and master of the contents. By the help of the plates he constructed a quadrant with which he amused himself and his friends by measuring the height of trees, and the distance of objects. The taste for the exact sciences acquired by him at this time, in the midst of the labors and toils of a farmer's life, remained with him through life. The mathematics were his favorite study, and such was his estimation of them, he could not be persuaded to think favorably of the intel- lectual powers of any man who lightly esteemed this branch of education, or consider his course of study liberal whose progress in mathematics was small.
He pursued his collegiate studies at Nassau Hall, Princeton, then under the direction of President Witherspoon ; and his proficiency, particularly in the exact sciences, attracted the attention of that clear-sighted man. He took the bachelor's degree in the year 1774, in his thirty-first year. Soon after, Dr. Witherspoon ex- pressed his desire to have him employed in the college as teacher of mathematics. Such a proposition from such a man was the highest encomium. But however gratifying the offer of employ- ment by such a man as Dr. Witherspoon might have been to him, the recollection of his early dedication to God for the ministry-of the mental agony he had endured, when, by his imprudent matrimo- nial engagement, he had, to all appearances, thrown himself out of the way of preparation for the sacred office, and the already ad- · vanced period of his life, together with the great necessity for ministers of the gospel in North Carolina, forbade his connection with the college as a teacher.
The theological reading of Mr. Hall was pursued . under the di- rection of Dr. Witherspoon, that eminent minister and patriot, whose views in religion, morality and politics, were thoroughly im- bibed by his scholar. The Presbytery of Orange licensed him to preach the gospel as a probationer some time between the meeting of the general assembly in 1775, and the meeting in 1776 ; tradition
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says in the spring of 1776. In the entire loss of the records of the Presbytery of this date, we take the following minute from the records of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, May 28th, 1776. " A letter from the Presbytery of Orange was brought in and read, informing that they have, since the last Synod, licensed Messrs. Robert Archibald, Thomas Harris McCaule, and James Hall, to preach the gospel, and requested the Synod to send as many supplies as they can to the relief of the numerous vacancies in those parts."
There were at this time the following ministers in North Caro- lina, viz. : JAMES CAMPBELL, who commenced his labors among the Scotch on Cape Fear, 1756 ; his name appears on the roll of Synod in 1746, as member of Newcastle Presbytery: HUGH MCADEN, who visited Duplin County, 1755, as a licentiate of Newcastle Presby- tery ; his name first appears on the roll of Synod as member of New- castle Presbytery, 1757; he was received into Hanover Presbytery, 1759, October 4th. HENRY PATTILLO, licensed by Hanover Pres- bytery, in 1755, ordained 1758, and accepted a call from Hawfield, 1765 : JAMES CRISWELL, licensed by Hanover Presbytery, 1764, and was ordained pastor of Nutbush, Grassy Creek, and Lower Hico, 1765; DAVID CALDWELL, ordained by New Brunswick Presbytery, 1765, received into Hanover 1767, pastor of Buffalo and Alamance, 1768 : JOSEPH ALEXANDER, ordained by Hanover Presbytery, March, 1768, as pastor of Sugar Creek, having been received as licentiate from Newcastle Presbytery. HEZEKIAH JAMES BALCH, ordained by the Donegal, and reported to Synod 1770, pastor of Poplar Tent. These were in connection with Orange Presbytery, which then ex- tended over North and South Carolina, and had in all twelve members, eight in North Carolina, and four in South Carolina. To these may be added MR. JAMES TATE, who was living in Wilming- ton, but not connected with the Presbytery. The congregations and neighborhoods that required the labors of a Presbyterian minis- ter, were more than five times that number. It is not wonderful, therefore, that numerous invitations to become pastor should be given to Mr. Hall ; and that his intention to pursue the study of divinity still longer before becoming a pastor, should be overruled by the pressing calls for the word of life.
The neighborhoods composing Fourth Creek church, in the bounds of which he had passed his youth, persuaded him to take his resi- dence with them, to become their pastor. Some time previously the church had been divided, and into three distinct organizations ; one of which retained the naine, the preaching place being at Statesville the county seat,-one was called Concord, the place of preaching
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about six miles west of Statesville,-the other Bethany, the preaching place about six miles east of Statesville. On the 8th of April, 1778, Mr. Hall was installed pastor of the united congregations of Fourth Creek, Concord and Bethany. There is no record of the time of his ordination ; it is probable the ordination took place at the time of installation. In the records of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia, there is no list of the ministers in Orange Presbytery, after 1774, till 1780; and for the years 1777, 1778, 1779, there is no report of any kind. Mr. Hall's name appears on the list given for 1780. -
The names of the elders at Fourth Creek were James Barr, William Stevenson, John Stevenson, Andrew McEnzie, John Murdock, Mussentine Mathews and John McLelland.
During the exciting scenes of the Revolution, in which he had been licensed and ordained, Mr. Hall held the office of pastor of these three congregations, which extended from South Yadkin to the Catawba, and some members of the congregation coming from beyond these rivers; and after the Revolution he served them till the year 1790, when wishing to devote more time to the cause of domestic missions than could be consistent with so large a charge, he was released from his connection with Fourth Creek and Concord. His connection with Bethany continued till his death, July 25th, 1826, a period of twenty-six years.
A full account of his actions during the Revolution would fill a volume ; his active, enterprising spirit would not let him be neuter ; his principles drawn from the Word of God and the doctrines of his church, and cultivated by Dr. Witherspoon, carried him with all his heart to defend the ground taken by the convention in Mecklenburg, May, 1775, and by the Continental Congress in 1776. He gave his powers of mind, body and estate in the cause of his country. As the citizens would assemble to hear news and discuss the politics of those trying times, and were making choice of the side they would espouse, Mr. Hall was accustomed to meet with them, and addressing them, infused his own spirit and inflamed their love of liberty, and strengthened their purpose of maintaining their rights at all hazards. The tradition about him, in these cases, is that he was eminently successful ; and the fact that there was great unanimity in that sec- tion of country, in a measure the effect of his exertions, would of itself show that he was both influential and eloquent.
When the adjacent State, South Carolina, was overrun by the British forces, under Cornwallis, Mr. Hall's spirit was stirred within him as he heard of the massacres, and plunderings, and battles, and
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varied distress and sufferings of the inhabitants of the upper part of the State, from the same stock as himself, of the same re- ligious creed, and holding the same general principles of govern- ment, and civil and religious liberty. He assembled his flock, and addressed them on the occasion. He painted to their view in a most thrilling manner the wrongs of his country, and the sufferings of their friends and countrymen in the neighboring state, and called upon them to take arms in their defence, the defence of all that was dear. A company of cavalry, composed of choice men, was immediately organized. By general consent he was demanded for their leader ; all his objections were overruled, and to encourage his countrymen to act rather than to talk, he ac- cepted the command. In the year 1779, he led them on an ex- pedition into South Carolina, of several months' continuance, performing the double office of Commander and Chaplain, and marched over a large part of the western section of the State.
During this expedition two of his men were taken prisoners. As he could not recover them by force of arms, he made their case a subject of prayer, both in private, and in public, with his men. In a few days they rejoined the company, having made their escape. As their captors lay encamped one night on the· banks of Broad River, in South Carolina, their sentinel at the door of the guard-house, their place of confinement, was observed to be drowsy; they remaining quiet, he fell asleep. Stepping noiselessly over the soldier, as he lay with his .gun folded in his arms, they run for the river. The noise of their plunge called the attention of the other sentries ; the alarm is given; boats are manned for pursuit, but the active swimmers reach the opposite bank first, and escape their pursuers, to the great joy of the praying Captain and the company.
Going one day on a reconnoitring expedition, accompanied by an officer of the company, his friend Mathews, as they emerged from a dense forest into an open field, near to and in full view of a house, they observed some fifteen or twenty British dragoons around the house, some walking about, and some ready mounted. In a moment they observed the peril of their situation, from the number of the enemy, and the position of the house and open fields ; that it was as impossible to escape by flight, as reckless to make an attack on ten times their number, fully aware of their approach. They halted ; Mathews drew his sword, and turning in his saddle towards the wood, waves it as if summoning a com- pany to advance. The dragoons take the alarm, and dashing off
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at full speed, were soon out of sight, leaving our two officers to make good their retreat.
On another occasion there was a call for a volunteer company, to break up a nest of tories on the rich lands of the Uwharree River, in Montgomery county, who were infesting the country greatly. Mr. Hall attended the meeting of the citizens assembled upon the occasion, and delivered them an address full of patriotism and feeling. At the close of his speech a greater number offered their services than were called for the expedition.
When it was necessary for the American forces to march into the Cherokee country, in Georgia, to quell the Indians, a company was raised in Iredell for that expedition, and Mr. Hall went with his friends as chaplain to the army. During the expedition, which lasted about two months, the chaplain offered public prayers very regularly morning and evening ; but had but one opportunity of preaching. On that occasion he took his stand under a large shady tree ; the army, consisting of about four thousand men, was drawn up around him ; the soldiers brought from the neighboring woods, each a young sapling, or long branch of a tree, with all the foliage, and as they were drawn up around in close ranks, seating them- .selves on the ground, and resting their shady branches upon the earth, they formed a dense shade, and under this novel shelter from the sun listened to the sermon. In honor of that first gospel ser- mon in the Indian territories, the adjacent country was named after the chaplain, Hall county, of which Gainsville is the seat of justice.
Mr. Hall possessed all the attributes necessary for a military commander. His fine person, his stature above six feet, his great muscular strength and action, rendered his appearance command- ing. His courage, both moral and physical, undaunted, he was cool in council, intrepid in danger, and decided in action. His acquaintance with the mathematics, both scientifically and practi- cally, his great capability for mechanical pursuits and his acquaint- ance with the details, and his skill in the operations, enabled him to form his plans with readiness and execute them with precision. His kind and tender feeling, and enthusiastic love of liberty, hav- ing the control of a fine voice and pleasing manner, together with his great attention to personal appearance, fitted him to gain and to hold the affections of men. His stern morality, undoubted piety and practical religion, carried everywhere with him, combined with an amiable disposition, called forth the reverence of the good and the respect of all. But he delighted not in the warlike camp
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