USA > North Carolina > Sketches of North Carolina, historical and biographical : illustrative of the principles of a portion of her early settlers > Part 45
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Synod after consideration directed the First Presbytery of South Carolina to attend to this matter "as duty and discipline may direct."
The Presbytery of Union applied for leave to apply to the Gene- ral Assembly to be connected with the Synod of Virginia : Synod, satisfied that the Presbytery were unanimous in the application, granted the request.
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Dr. Hall made report of his missionary services ; also Mr. Thos. Hall, and Mr. William H. Barr. Their reports were entered on record, exhibiting great industry and much labor. A committee of missions was appointed for the ensuing year, of whom Dr. Hall was to be moderator, to hold their first meeting at Steele Creek church on the third Wednesday of November.
" Ordered, that the Synod send up to the General Assembly the following question :- Whether elders from vacant congregations have the same constitutional right to a seat in Synod which they have in Presbytery ?"
The missionaries this year refer to a state of things in their route, which had called the attention of the missionaries in former years, and is perhaps best expressed in the report of Dr. Hall for this year :- " Approaching the low country (in South Carolina), the professors of religion became less, and the bigoted attachment to party doctrines appeared to be stronger. These doctrines, which they call their principles, are so frequently brought into the pulpit, that sometimes a private member of one of those denominations, when he goes to hear a preacher of the other, expecting what will come forward, has his scriptural notes prepared, and reads them against the doctrines delivered : on which issue is joined, and the doctrines are debated in the presence of the congregation. From these, and other circumstances, it appears that few attend on the preaching of the gospel except the bigoted adherents to their respective parties."
SESSION XXI.
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Sugaw Creek church, Oct. 6th, 1808.
Synod was opened by Rev. Benjamin R. Montgomery, with a sermon on Heb. ii., 3, first clause ; and the Rev. John M. Wil- son was chosen moderator. Presbytery of Orange report W. L. Turner from Virginia, and James K. Burch ; and that they had suspended Leonard Prather from the office of minister of the gospel. The Second Presbytery of South Carolina reported, " lost by death, Rev. John Simpson, and Dr. Thomas Williamson, a licentiate."
The commission of Synod reported, that they had met and ap- pointed Dr. Hall, Rev. E. B. Currie, and Mr. Wm. H. Barr, missionaries in their bounds during part of the past year. The missionaries were called on ; Mr. Currie had not received a com- mission. The others read long and interesting reports, of one of
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which the Synod made the following minute, viz .- " The Rev. Dr. Hall read a report, in which he gave a particular account of the state of that part of the country where he travelled, and stated that he thought it would be more advisable to cherish our own vacancies, than to attempt to establish new societies in these bounds ; and particularly recommended vigorous exertions on the part of Synod, to encourage the education of young men for the gospel ministry. He further stated, that he travelled, during his mission, 1132 miles, and preached forty times, and received $64,68." Mr. Barr united with Dr. Hall, respecting the change of missionary action from the itinerant, to the supplying our vacancies with more regular preaching. The Synod passed a vote of thanks to both these laborious men. In urging the cause of education, Dr. Hall says-" Otherwise, our churches, if any should remain, must be supplied with ignorant and illiterate preachers, or they must receive foreigners, which past experience has for the most part shown not to be very eligible ; as we may expect little besides the dregs of European churches. Should none of these be the case, our people must sink into ignorance and barbarism, and stand exposed to every erroneous wind of doctrine." Mr. Barr appears to have been a most devoted missionary.
A commission of Synod was appointed, "to regulate the whole of the missionary business, to meet the first Wednesday of November, at Unity Church, Indian Lands, of which Dr. Hall was appointed moderator."
The First Presbytery of South Carolina being called on to report their doings respecting Rev. W. C. Davis, on the complaint handed in to last Synod, reported that after hearing Mr. Davis's explana- tions they had not done anything ; and put the following question, viz. : " Whether the holding and propagating any, and what doctrines, apparently repugnant to the letter of the confession of faith, will justify a Presbytery in calling a member to public trial ?" The Synod, not satisfied with this report, appointed a committee consisting of Rev. James Hall and General Andrew Pickens, of Second Presbytery, South Carolina, to propose a minute to direct the Presbytery in its future proceedings. This committee brought in a minute which was amended and adopted, of which the following is all that is important, viz. : "Resolved, that the Second Presbytery of South Carolina be directed to meet immediately on this ground, and if they have any charges to state against Mr. Davis, that they be immediately exhibited according to the discipline of our church, before the First Presbytery of
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South Carolina, together with the names of the witnesses, should they deem it necessary to call witnesses in the case. And that the foregoing purposes may be answered, the First Presbytery of South Carolina is directed to constitute immediately to receive such charge as the Second Presbytery may think dutiful to lay before them : and to furnish Mr. Davis with a copy of the charge, together with the names of the witnesses. That the Synod direct the moderator of the First Presbytery of South Carolina to call an occasional meeting on the third Wednesday of November next, to confer with Mr. Davis on the doctrines specified in the memorial of the Second Presbytery of South Carolina, and such other doc- trines as may be thought by them advisable. And that they take a record of all the questions put to Mr. Davis, particularly relative to these matters, together with his answers, that all concerned may have the fullest information and satisfaction that the nature of the case allows."
Overture .- " Should the qualifications of parents offering their children for baptism be the same as would entitle them to the Lord's Supper ? Answered in the affirmative."
" The committee appointed to draught a minute on the subject of intercourse and communion with the Methodist church, introduced one which was amended and adopted, and is as follows, viz. : ' Whereas, the Methodist church embraces doctrines that we are far from considering orthodox, and as they are in the habit of insinuating that Presbyterian ministers are mercenary in their calling,-of speaking disrespectfully of our church, and endeavor- ing to withdraw members from our communion; therefore, to avoid all feuds, animosities and contentions with that people, the Synod recommend that all unnecessary intercourse with them be avoided,-that our brethren in the ministry be careful to teach all the doctrines of our holy religion as contained in our Confession of Faith and Catechism ; and at particular times, when prudence and duty may direct, to explain and establish those doctrines, which we believe the church alluded to has misunderstood, if not perverted."
" The Synod do highly disapprove of holding communion with the Methodist church, as a church ; but in certain cases occasional communion may be permitted. And we recommend that in those cases in which communion may be requested, that our ministers deal with such applicants, as with those who may make application for the first time, within our church. We also recommend that members of our own church, who, without the approbation of the
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session, invite Methodist preachers to preach in our congregations, and who assiduously endeavor to gain proselytes to the Methodist church, be dealt with by their respective sessions as disorderly."
"And we finally recommend that the several Presbyteries under our care be particularly careful to furnish their vacancies with the means of information upon the peculiar doctrines of our holy reli- gion, by disseminating amongst them catechisms, and other ortho- dox books, and by frequently granting them such supplies as may be in their power."
"The following dissent was tabled, viz .: We, whose names are underwritten, beg leave to dissent from the decision of Synod on the above case, for the following reason ; that the Methodist Church is alone implicated, when it is known that the ministers of other denominations have made impositions on congregations be- longing to our church ; and request that this our dissent be entered on the minutes of Synod."
JAMES HALL, J. D. KILPATRICK.
SESSION XXII.
Poplar Tent, Oct. 5th, 1809.
Synod was opened by Rev. John M. Wilson, with a sermon from Acts xx., 24 ; and the Rev. Robert B. Walker was chosen moderator. The Presbytery of Orange reported John McIntyre, and that the suspension had been removed from Leonard Prather ; the first Presbytery, South Carolina, reported the death of Joseph Alexander, D.D.
At the close of the last session, provision was made for the calling an extraordinary meeting ; the moderator of the last ses- sion informed Synod that he had directed the moderators of the several Presbyteries to issue citations to their respective members, to attend at Steele Creek on the first Tuesday of March, 1809; but high waters prevented a meeting.
The commission of Synod reported that they had commissioned Dr. Hall and Rev. Andrew Flinn, to act as missionaries in the vacancies in the bounds of Synod ; Mr. Flinn did not act, but Dr. Hall had performed service. His report was read to Synod. He was absent four months and thirteen days, preached sixty-nine times, held three communions and several evening societies, and travelled 1545 miles. The following are extracts from his report : " Previously to his departure from home, he had extracted four
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hundred and twenty questions from our Confession of Faith, which embraced the most important doctrines contained in that system, and disseminated them through eight of our vacancies, for the pe- rusal of the people until he should return to finish his mission, at which time they were to be called upon for public examination." The success attending this effort, he reports as having been very encouraging. The following extract refers to the exercises which had prevailed extensively beyond the Catawba among the congre- gations he visited, viz. :
"For the satisfaction of Synod and others to whom this report may come, your missionary begs indulgence in being somewhat particular in the case of Knobb Creek congregation. He visited them with much pleasure, and spent some considerable time among them, both in November and April. Some of the most intelligent and apparently pious of them, told him that since they have come to look back and reason on their past extravagant views, feelings, and exercises, they are filled with horror as to, themselves, and gratitude to God, that they were not given over to the most wild and delusive fanaticism ; that when they hear or read of the horrid and extravagant conduct of the Shakers in the Western States, they are filled with horror at their former situation, as it now appears to them that if those people had then come among them, they seemed prepared to run with them into all their extravagance and enthusiasm. The following account your missionary had from one of their members, who formerly did, and still does sustain an eminently pious character. ‘When I fell into those extraordinary exercises I found such pleasure in them that I would not think of parting with them ; yet when they were off, I found the power of religion so declining in my heart, that I was conscious that in that state I never need expect to enter the kingdom of heaven ; and they have cost me many sleepless hours in prayer and wrestling with my own wretched heart, before I could give them up.' Let none, however, from this statement, take occasion to think unfavorably or even lightly, of those deep and heart-affecting exercises, both distressful and joyous, to which no doubt we have all been witnesses, and many of which, if we judge by their fruits, we have reason to believe, were produced by the powerful operations of the Holy Spirit, by which, from an overwhelming sense of divine things, those effects were produced on the body ; as the exercises of the above society respected not only their spiritual but also their temporal affairs,
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managing their farms, assisting each other in daily labor, and especially the marriage of young people one with another.
" An elder of that congregation whom your missionary and other members of Synod had for many years known to be a man of established religious character, had removed to Tennessee, being then under suspension with many others, by Presbytery, for adhering to those extravagances, and who returned on busi- ness when your missionary was in that neighborhood. He told him that he had steadfastly adhered to his former system ; was filled with the deepest prejudices against Presbytery ; was highly disgusted with his fellow members when he heard that they had submitted to the requisitions of Presbytery, as it appeared to him like giving up the cause of God, until the then last preceding August; without any human means, or anything but what he must ascribe to the sovereign mercy and grace of God, his eyes were opened to see the absurdity of his conduct, especially that of spurning at the government of the church, and of private mem- bers attempting to administer the sealing ordinances of the gospel.
" And your missionary was a witness to his ample and solemn acknowledgment of his error, and to an admonition which he re- ceived before the session of Knobb Creek, in conformity to the judgment of Presbytery ; which admonition he received not only with suitable humility, but expressions of gratitude and thankful- ness in being fully restored to the communion of the church. The above example appeared to be the prevailing disposition of the so- ciety, except a few individuals, who seemed to retain a smack of their former principles ; but without the least appearance in their conduct. Those were so inconsiderable, that they had no influence in the society."
In conclusion, he pressed the subject of an educated ministry, pleading the necessities of the church as reasons for great activity in raising up a proper ministry.
In order the better to understand this report, it may be observed that, in the year 1804, the Presbytery of Orange appointed Rev. Messrs. S. C. Caldwell, John M. Wilson, Humphrey Hunter, and elders, Messrs. John McKnitt Alexander, Thomas Harris, Jacob Alexander, Isaac Alexander, Hugh Parks, and Robert Stephen- son, a committee to visit Long Creek, and take up the irregulari- ties of Long Creek and Knobb Creek, on the subject of religion.
They performed the duty assigned ; and upon inquiry found that some of the laymen laid claim to special divine guidance, and
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had administered the ordinances of the Supper and of Baptism, being moved, as they said, by a divine impulse. For these and other irregularities many were suspended from the privileges of the church.
The case of Rev. Wm. C. Davis before the First Presbytery of South Carolina came up. Upon inspecting the records of the Presbytery it appeared that the Second Presbytery had tabled charges against Mr. Davis, but did not appear to prosecute at the time fixed to meet Mr. Davis. That the First Presbytery heard Mr. Davis, and pronounced sentence. The charges were,-" 1st, He affirms and industriously propagates that what has been termed the passive obedience of Christ is all that the law of God can, or does require in order to justification of the believer, and that his active obedience is not imputed."
" 2d. He also affirms and teaches that saving faith precedes regeneration, and has nothing holy in its nature, as to its first act.
" 3d. That the Divine Being is bound by his own law, or, in other words, by the moral law.
" 4th. That Adam was never bound to keep the moral law, as the Federal Head or Representative of his posterity ; or, in other words, that the moral law made no part of the conditions of the covenant of works."
Mr. Davis admitted the charges, and explained them: That Christ's active righteousness gave efficiency to the atonement, but was not imputed :- that the first act of faith was before regeneration, and of consequence not holy, though acts of faith afterwards might be holy :- that the moral law was the standard of perfection and holiness, and so applied to God without derogation :- that, though the moral law had an immediate consequential connection with the condition of the covenant, either as to the keeping or breaking said covenant, yet it is not the guilt of transgressing the moral law that is imputed to Adam's posterity, but only the guilt of eating the forbidden fruit."
The Presbytery condemned the tenets as contrary to the Con- fession, and unsound ; but, on the score of liberty of opinion and latitude of expression, did not condemn Mr. Davis for holding them as worthy of any church censure, though they considered him guilty and in some degree censurable, for his imprudence in expressing. himself.
The Synod was dissatisfied with this course, as by no means coming up to their directions of last year, or the exigencies of the case ; took up the matter, and were proceeding to investigation
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and trial for decision, having by vote determined they had a right so to do, when Mr. Davis protested, and appealed to the Assembly. The Synod finally remitted the case to the Assembly ; and also an overture respecting the book Mr. Davis had published, denomi- nated the Gospel Plan, in which his sentiments were expressed at large.
On request, the Synod constituted a Presbytery out of the territory of three others, to be known by the name of Harmony, to consist of the following members :- Rev. George Mc Whorter, Andrew Flinn, and John Couser, of the First Presbytery of South Carolina ; John R. Thompson, of Hopewell Presbytery ; to meet for the first time in the city of Charleston, on the first Wednesday of March, 1810, and that Rev. Andrew Flinn, or the senior mem- ber present, preside and open the Presbytery.
Synod appointed a committee, consisting of Rev. James Mc- Ree, Samuel C. Caldwell, John Robinson, and John M. Wilson, to meet at Poplar Tent, the second Wednesday in November, to prepare a pastoral letter for the churches, warning them against the errors propagated by Mr. Davis ; and that they commit the letter, when prepared, to Dr. Waddel, to superintend the printing and circulation, in proper proportion, among the Presbyteries.
SESSION XXIII.
Fair Forest, Oct. 4th, 1810.
Synod was opened by Rev. Robert B. Walker, with a sermon from 2d Corinth. iv., 7; and Rev. Samuel Stanford was chosen moderator. Second Presbytery of South Carolina reported Wm. H. Barr ; the Presbytery of Orange, that they had dismissed John Gillespie to the Presbytery of Transylvania, and James K. Burch to Presbytery of Philadelphia ; and had received Wm. McPhee- ters from Presbytery of Lexington, Va., and had licensed Benjamin H. Rice.
The resolutions and decision of the General Assembly, in the case of Wm. C. Davis, referred to them at the last Session of Synod, were read. After various propositions, and much consulta- tion, it was resolved that the First Presbytery of South Carolina be dissolved, and the members be annexed as follows :- " Rev. W. C Davis, pastor of Bullock's Creek ; Robert B. Walker of Bethesda ; John B. Davies of Fishing Creek and Richardson; Thomas
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Neeley of Purity and Edmonds ; with George Reid without a charge ; and the vacancies of Waxhaw, Unity, Bethel, Hopewell, Beersheba, Yorkville, Shiloh, and Salem, be, and hereby are, joined to the Presbytery of Concord ; and that Rev. Robert Mc- Cullock and John Foster, without charges ; Samuel H. Yongue of Lebanon and Mount Olivet, with the vacancies of Concord, Horeb, Sion, Aimwell, Catholic, Beaver Creek, and Hanging Creek, be, and hereby are, joined to the Presbytery of Harmony." The name of the Second Presbytery of South Carolina was changed to Presbytery of South Carolina.
" Overtured, Are lotteries even for religious purposes, such as building churches, &c., consistent with the morality of the gos- pel ?" referred to the Assembly.
Dr. Hall read his report of missionary service at great length. His first tour commenced October 25, 1809, and ended December 14th. After his return from the General Assembly, to which he was a delegate, he commenced his tour again on the 16th of June, 1810. Of this tour, the following extracts are the most important, and of abiding interest. (He came in contact with two charac- ters who must be noticed.) His tour was among the Scotch be- tween the Cape Fear and Pedee Rivers.
Extracts from the Report.
" Mr. Lindsay, whose name has been mentioned above, and Mr. McDiarmid, still continue to preach and administer sealing ordi- nances, although they have been both deposed, many years since, from the ministry of the gospel, by the Presbytery of Orange. They command influence over thousands of their countrymen from Scotland ; although common fame says they persevere in habits of intemperance in the use of ardent spirits. Mr. Lind- say's adherents acknowledge as to him, and Mr. McDiarmid's say he only takes a refreshment. This is said to be the frequent practice of both ; that they and their parishioners, after worship, even on Sabbath evenings, repair to a house where spirits are sold, and spend the evening in drinking, and sometimes deal out such hard blows to each other, that not long since some of them were adjudged by court to pay $40 each, on one of these occasions.
" Your missionary visited both the above preachers at their own houses, and conversed largely with them in presence of some of their people. Mr. L. complained much to him of the conduct of the Presbytery in his case. He was asked why he did not appeal to Synod. He said there he was in an error. He was in-
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formed that, although the time limited for appealing was long since elapsed, yet, perhaps, he might still have a hearing. To this he replied, that he understood we were all of one sort. And being asked what sort was that, he replied, it was friends to the new religion ; and that for not falling in with that, he had been deposed from the ministry. In short, he seemed to have no relish for conversation on any of those subjects, and endeavored, by every possible means, to turn the current of conversation into some dif- ferent channel.
" Mr. McD. was much more pliant, and professed a strong de- sire to be united to the Presbytery. This also appeared to be the desire of many of his people. Your missionary had three differ- ent conversations with him, the last of which was at his own house, in presence of two elders, and a respectable Scotch mer- chant from Fayetteville. He seemed all submission, and requested your missionary, as did also the above gentleman, to write to Pres- bytery on the subject, which he did, and delivered the letter to Mr. McD. The company were then called to dinner ; but before we arose, Mr. McD. exhibited evident marks of intoxication. To pro- ceed on fair ground, your missionary inquired privately at all the above gentlemen, who were all of the same opinion. The letter lay in an accessible place, from which your missionary took it up and asked Mr. McD.'s pardon for recalling it. He was asked the reason by Mr. McD., and he was pointedly told it was because he had meddled too freely with ardent spirits. He fell into a violent passion and ran out of the house. The gentleman from Fayette- ville followed and pacified him so as to return. Your missionary and the elders then bade him good bye, and withdrew without further ceremony."
(The next day, Sabbath, he read the letter to the people ; explained the circumstances and exhorted them to examine their case; and appealed to the elders who were now there for the truth of his statements. On leaving the place some said, "we have heard the truth to-day ;" others said-" few would have dared to say that.")
" Mr. M'Intyre, whose people live in a blended state with those of Mr. L., is gaining considerable ground on the latter. This need not be thought strange, considering the striking contrast be- tween the characters of the men. Many families have lately come over to Mr. M'Intyre; and frequently young people of families who adhere to Mr. L. are taken with convictions under Mr. M'I.'s preaching. In this case some are afraid to go home, for fear of
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