USA > North Carolina > Sketches of North Carolina, historical and biographical : illustrative of the principles of a portion of her early settlers > Part 46
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the lash ; and your missionary has seen young people in a state of banishment from their father's house on account of their attach- ment to religion. In short, the state of both the aged and young who are under the influence of those two men baffles description ; nor would such particular history of their and their people's case have been given, were it not to attract the attention of Synod to that unhappy and deluded people. And their unhappiness does not arise only from the examples set before them ; but their teach- ers are said to be industrious in propagating falsehoods among them, to prejudice them against our Clergy ;- asserting that we have cast off the Westminster Confession of Faith, and have made one of our own ; that we are all become Methodists, and have de- parted from the principles of Presbyterianism, and that there is not now a Presbyterian minister in the United States except them- selves, &c. &c. In a particular manner they attempt to prepos- sess the minds of their adherents against the young Scotch minis- ters in those parts, representing them as ignorant, illiterate block- heads, &c., although the fruits of their labors manifest that they are able and successful ministers of the New Testament. And it appears to have been a wise and happy dispensation of Providence for that part of the State, that such a set of young men were raised up and qualified to preach the gospel immediately before the com- mencement of the revival ; especially as they were able to preach in both the English and Gaelic languages. Wherever they have been placed the revival has predominated under their ministry. And notwithstanding the many thousands of miles your missionary has travelled during the last ten years, he has not been in any place where religion has flourished more, nor the power of it kept up with more energy than under their ministrations."
" There have been what may be called miracles of grace among Mr. L.'s adherents. An elder of Mr. L.'s, about 50 years old, had been an early subject of the revival, and became a zealous profes- sor of religion ; but on that account was so persecuted by his neighbors, his wife, and especially Mr. L., his situation became so insupportable to him that he went about forty miles from where he lived and bought a plantation, on which he improved and raised two crops before his family, which he occasionally visited, would remove with him."
" His wife was strongly attached to Mr. L., and consequently bitterly prejudiced against the young Scotch clergy, and all others who were friendly to the revival, until last summer, it pleased God, when your missionary was in these parts, to show her in what a lost
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state she was on account of sin. This was unknown to him until his last winter's tour to that place, at which time he visited her at her own house. She appeared then to be under deep and rational conviction of sin ; and although she was an intelligent woman, and well instructed in the doctrines of the Christian religion, yet it appeared to him he never conversed with a person more anxious to obtain religious instruction than she was at that time. Not long afterwards she professed to obtain the comforts of religion ; and your missionary can better conceive than express his sensations of mind in meeting with her and her husband in his visit to that place last July. She nearly in an ecstasy, and he bursting into tears of gratitude and joy on account of what God had done for his aged companion. During public worship, where your missionary fre- quently saw her, she was almost constantly under bodily agitation ; lifting up her hands, and it is believed her heart, in devotional ex- ercises. As that gave umbrage to some aged professors, and es- pecially to Mr. L.'s people, your missionary spoke privately to her on the subject, and she declared to him that she could not prevent it, and at that instant became agitated through her whole frame, as soon as the subject was mentioned to her. And to whomsoever these lines may come, the writer begs leave to be indulged in making these remarks,-that however some may be thus affected by bodily agitations, by an undue indulgence, and perhaps some may be so presumptuous as to feign them, yet from the above, and many other similar examples, he is well assured that in many cases the subjects of them may as easily suppress their vital breath and support natural life, as under certain states of mind to suppress such bodily emotions ; although at the same time, if it were the divine will that the same state of mind could be exercised, and their outward appearances prevented, it would be more agreeable to him, especially during public worship."
" Resolved, That Dr. Hall be requested to publish in the 'Star' his missionary report, or such parts of it as he may deem suitable for publication."
The Presbytery of Orange overtured Synod for an order to or- dain Mr. Joseph Caldwell, of the University ; and the Synod, in consideration of the prospect of increased usefulness, authorized the ordination.
SESSION XXIV.
Fourth Creek church, Oct. 8th, 1811. Synod was opened by Samuel Stanford with a sermon from
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2 Chron. xviii., 18 ; and Rev. James M'Elhenny was chosen modera- tor. The Presbytery of Orange report, Wm. B. Merony and Joseph Caldwell. "The Presbytery of Concord laid before the Synod their proceedings in the case of the Rev. William C. Davis, and re- quested their advice whether or not the way of Presbytery be fully open to proceed to deposition in said case. Whereupon, after fully attending to the proceedings of the Presbytery of Concord, Synod did, and hereby do, express the opinion that the way is entirely open to proceed to the last step of discipline in the case of the said Wm. C. Davis."
The Committee of Missions reported that they had employed Dr. Hall for four months, two east of Yadkin, in North Carolina, and two west of Ocony River, Georgia. Mr. Hall read his report, which was highly acceptable.
" Presbytery of Orange report that on the 3d day of April, 1811, they suspended Rev. Wm. C. Davis from the exercises of his func- tions as a minister of the gospel; and on the 4th day of October deposed him from the office of the ministry of the everlasting gospel ; also that they have dismissed the Rev. Samuel Morrison to join the Presbytery of West Tennessee ; and that they have on the 21st day of January, 1811, lost, by death, the Rev. Dr. Samuel E. M'Corkle, late pastor of the church of Thyatira."
" Overtured, that this Synod do resign the missionary business to which they have hitherto attended into the hands of the General Assembly, to be conducted by them for time to come; and that it will be the duty of our Presbyteries, from time to time, to inform the assembly where missionary labors appear to be wanted, and what missionaries they may have in their power to furnish. But in the meantime that Synod conduct this business as they have hitherto done till our next session. Ordered, that this overture be sent up to the General Assembly."
The Commission of Missions was appointed as usual.
Upon examining the records of the Presbytery of Harmony it ap- peared that Rev. Ezra Fisk had been ordained sine titulo ; to this the Synod objected; " and do therefore recommend that the several Presbyteries under our care be cautious not to violate the discipline of our church in this respect." Resolved also, " that inasmuch as the said Presbytery have declared, that it is altogether inexpedient to consult the Synod in this case, as has been usual in similar cases, and that the right of ordination, in all cases, is originally inherent in Presbytery, and has never been formally surrendered to the higher
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judications of the church .- Synod cannot but disclaim such a prin- ciple, as having never been granted by our discipline."
" The Synod enjoined on the several members of this Synod to use every prudent and dutiful measure in their power to procure and disseminate Confessions of Faith and Catechisms amongst the congre- gations under our care, and to report their attention and success at our next meeting."
An overture was sent to the Assembly calling attention to the fact, whether the book of discipline was sufficiently explicit about restoring penitent offenders, and also respecting the baptism of Adults.
SESSION XXV.
New Providence, Oct. 5th, 1812.
Synod was opened by Rev. George Reid with a sermon from John v., 34; and Rev. James Hall, D.D., was chosen moderator.
The Presbytery of Harmony reported that they had re- ceived Robert M'Culloch, Samuel Yongue, John Foster, and Murdock Murphy, had ordained and installed Colin M'Iver, and or- dained Aaron W. Leland sine titulo. The names of Henry Kolluck, D.D., and John Boggs, also appear for the first time among the members of Harmony Presbytery.
The Commission of Synod reported that Dr. Hall had been com- missioned for three months to Georgia; and they could have em- ployed three more missionaries had the funds been sufficient. Dr. Hall read his report, which was highly acceptable; during four months and sixteen days he had travelled 1485 miles, and preached 58 sermons.
On inquiry, it appeared that very general attention had been paid to the order of Synod last year respecting the circulation of the Confession of Faith and Catechisms. The order was renewed.
It appearing that the General Assembly had accepted the manage- ment of the missionary business in the bounds of Synod : ordered, " that it be enjoined on the members under the care of Synod to use every means in their power to aid the General Assembly in support- ing the missionary and contingent funds.
Resolved, that the following members of the Presbytery of Orange be set off to form a Presbytery to be known as the Presbytery of Fayetteville, viz. : Rev. Samuel Stanford, Robert Tate, William
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L. Turner, Malcolm McNair, Murdock McMillan, John McIntyre, William B. Merony, Allan McDougald, and William Peacock; to meet in Fayetteville on the first Tuesday of April next; and Rev. Samuel Stanford, or in his absence the senior minister, to preach and preside till a moderator be chosen.
The Presbytery of Harmony having proceeded to ordain another person sine titulo, notwithstanding the order of last Synod, the mat- ter was taken up, and a member, Mr. Couser, announcing that he had received a letter from the moderator of the last assembly, stating that the assembly were dissatisfied with the proceedings of this Sy- nod, and forbore to announce their dissatisfaction, only in the hope that Synod and Presbytery would compromise the matter ; the Rev. James Wallis, John M. Wilson, and Joseph Caldwell, were ap- pointed a committee to bring in a report.
The committee reported at great length ; the substance of which is as follows, viz. : That ordination sine titulo was contrary to the usages of the church of Scotland, " without permission expressly granted by a superior judicatory ;" that some twenty years ago the Presbytery of Orange refused so to ordain till they obtained leave of Synod ; and in 1810 (when Mr. Wilson was member of assembly) the committee of overtures of the assembly, before whom Mr. Wil- son appeared, expressed themselves in favor of the rule-" that or- dination sine titulo ought not to take place without application to Synod, or to the General Assembly, and express authority.obtained from them ;" that when the subject had been sent down to the Pres- byteries, after a long deliberation (several years), only eighteen Presbyters reported, of whom seven were for investing the assembly with original power, and eleven against it : and, that this Synod consulting-" the history of the church, the book of discipline and satisfactory impressions of our own minds," came to the conclusion " that Presbyteries were not entitled to the power which the Pres- bytery of Harmony had exercised."
The committee referred to the minutes of the assembly for 1795, for the following record, viz. : " the following request was overtured, that the Synods of Virginia and the Carolinas have liberty to direct their Presbyteries to ordain such candidates as they may judge ne- cessary to appoint, on missions to preach the gospel; whereupon, resolved, that the above request be granted, the Synods being care- ful to restrict the permission to the ordination of such candidates only as are engaged to be sent on missions."
Without discussing the expediency or disadvantage of ordaining sine titulo, the committee said that on consulting the oldest and
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most experienced of Synod, they find that it has been the unvarying impression that the practice the Synod have been endeavoring to maintain, is the constitution which has been received by the church. The committee referred to the book of discipline for support of their construction, and concluded by recommending that the minute of last Synod be not repealed. In this the Synod " cordially " con- curred.
Overtured, that request be made to the next assembly for divi- sion of this Synod ; the reasons offered were the number of members, and the distance they were compelled to travel to Synod. " That the Presbyteries of Orange, Concord, and Fayetteville, be constituted a Synod to be known by the name of Synod of NORTH CAROLINA ; to meet at Alamance Church on the first Thursday of October next (1813) ; that the Rev. Dr. James Hall, the present moderator, or, in case of his absence, the senior member present, open Synod with a sermon, and preside until a new moderator be chosen."
" That the Presbyteries of South Carolina, Hopewell, and Har- mony, be constituted a Synod to be known by the name of the Sy- nod of SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA : to meet on the first Thurs- day in November, in the year 1813, at Upper Long Cane Church, and afterwards, on their own adjournments. That the Rev. Dr. Henry Kolluck, or in case of his absence, the senior minister pre- sent, preach the opening sermon ; and preside until a moderator be chosen."
Synod adjourned sine die, concluded with prayer. JAMES HALL, Moderator.
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CHAPTER XXXII.
REV. JOHN MAKEMIE WILSON, D.D., AND THE CHURCH OF ROCKY RIVER.
NURTURED in the bloody scenes of the Revolution, Mr. Wilson was pre-eminently a man of peace. "No cases come to court from that part of Mecklenburg," was said significantly of Rocky River and Philadelphia, while he was pastor of these two large and flourishing congregations, numbering, at his death, more members than any other pastoral charge in the Synod, and composing originally but one congregation, by the name of Rocky River. His early years were spent at the place of his birth, about six miles east of Charlotte, in Mecklenburg county, North Carolina, within the bounds of Sugar Creek congregation. The event of his birth took place in the year 1769. His father was from England, and in early life was engaged in mercantile business in Philadelphia. From that city he removed to North Carolina; married, and settled in Mecklenburg county, and was actively en- gaged with the citizens of that section of country, that Tarleton, in his Campaigns, says was " more hostile to England than any other part of America " in carrying on the struggle for Independence. He died before the British army encamped at Charlotte in 1780, leaving three children. When the ravages of the enemy in South Carolina, particularly about the time of Buford's Massacre, drove the inhabitants from their houses to seek refuge in North Carolina, the families on the Waxhaw found refuge in Mecklenburg, and widow Jackson, with her son Andrew, resided for a time at the house of widow Wilson. The two boys, Andrew and John M., were of about the same age, and worked and played together, full of the spirit of independence, little conscious of the part they would afterwards act, one in the church, and the other in the state. The place in which Andrew Jackson passed his early years was claimed by North Carolina for a long time; but is within the bounds of South Carolina, as now settled by the mutual agreement of the States.
The congregation of Sugar Creek had for its pastor Rev. Joseph Alexander, who was one of the five pastors that regularly served
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their congregations during the distressing scenes of the war, be- tween the Yadkin and Catawba Rivers. His compeers in service, Hall, Balch, McCaule and McCorkle, were no common men. In their congregations the regular instructions in the sanctuary, and the religious education of children, were less neglected than in those congregations around that were served by missionaries, and supplies sent out by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia.
An incident in the early life of Mr. Wilson was often referred to by his mother. When just beginning to walk, he strayed away to amuse himself, in a distant part of the yard enclosing the house. After a little time he was seen sitting on the ground apparently greatly pleased with some object lying by his side. His mother's approach but pleased him the more, in his dangerous sport. With breathless haste she seized him, quick as thought, and pressed him to her bosom, overcome with emotion; for he was drawing his hand over the folds of a large rattlesnake, apparently delighted with the smooth skin and bright colors of the reptile. His pre- servation was considered providential ; and the thoughts and re- flections connected with it had an influence on his future life. A pious mother could scarcely refrain from devoting such a boy to God's peculiar service, with an energy that must affect, not only her own, but also the mind and heart of her child. And we are not surprised to find that he was encouraged in early life to com- mence a literary course of study.
The intended college at Charlotte had been denied a charter by the king, though no money or any peculiar privileges had been sought from the government, and the colonial legislature had twice granted the request of the people of Mecklenburg, who were anx- ious for the education of their sons : and the invasion of North Carolina by Cornwallis, in 1780, had broken up the institution which was in active operation under Dr. McWhorter, from New Jersey, without State patronage, under the name of Liberty Hall. After the departure of the invading army, the exercises of the institution to supply the place of a high school and measurably of a college, were resumed under the directions of Dr. Henderson, a physician of eminence. At this school, when twelve years old, Mr. Wilson commenced his classical education. For want of funds the number of teachers was small, and the public attention was so drawn by the efforts to establish Mount Zion College at Winnsborough, South Carolina, under the talented president, the Rev. T. H. McCaule, that little was done for the Charlotte school
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except what might be accomplished by the enterprise of a few individuals.
His literary course was completed at Hampden Sydney College, in Prince Edward county, Va., then having for its Presi- dent, that noted, and eminently successful preacher, John B. Smith, D.D., whose name is connected with that great revival of religion in 1788, and onward, the influence of which was felt in Virginia and Carolina, in bringing multitudes into the church, some few of whom still remain, just on the horizon of life-and in raising up a host of preachers, whose labors have done much to spread the influence of the gospel over the South and West. For a classmate, he had Moses Waddel, afterwards distinguished as a divine and teacher of youth, having trained some of the most eminent men in South Carolina both in Church and State ; and con- tested with him the first distinction at the graduation of the class.
Having heartily embraced the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as containing the principles by which he would be governed, and the truths by which he hoped to be saved, he devoted himself to the work of the ministry of reconciliation ; and chose as his pre- ceptor in Theology, that pioneer of domestic missions in North Carolina, the Rev. James Hall, D.D., of Iredell county, whom he had known from his youth.
The Presbytery of Orange, at that time embracing all North Carolina, in the summer of 1793, gave him license to preach the gospel as a probationer ; and according to a good custom of send- ing candidates on missions, the revival of which would be advan- tageous to the church, the ministers, and the community at large, he was sent by the commission of Synod, on a missionary excur- sion of many months through the counties in the lower part of the State. He then made his residence for some years in Burke county, in the midst of a shrewd, intelligent population, of Scotch- Irish origin, from among whom but few churches had at that time been gathered ; and was ordained pastor about the year 1795. With the people of Burke county, he remained till the year 1801, when he accepted a call from the congregation of Rocky River and Philadelphia. While resident in Burke county, his labors, as a minister, were eminently successful in raising the standard of piety, in planting new churches, and adding to the numbers of the old ones ; and when he left the county, he carried with him the high respect of the community at large, and the reverence of Christians.
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REV. JOHN MACKEMIE WILSON.
While resident in Burke he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Erwin, the daughter of Alexander Erwin, of that county, and found in her an amiable, pious, and intelligent companion, and pastor's wife, for more than thirty years. He survived her about five years.
The congregation to which he removed in 1801, and in the service of which he spent his manhood and his age, originally formed but one, and that among the oldest in the Presbytery of Concord, or in the State. The precise date of the first settle- ments in that part of Mecklenburg included in the bounds of Rocky River congregation cannot now be known, but as early as 1755 a request for supplies from Rocky River appears upon the records of the Synod of New York. Mention is made of the destitute state of the neighborhoods of North Carolina, but the names of places are not given. But in 1755 " Synod appoint Mr. Clark to take a journey into Virginia and North Carolina, to supply the vacancies there for six months, betwixt this and next Synod, particularly at Rocky River and Sugar Creek, at the Hawfields, Eno, Hico, and Dan Rivers." The Rev. Alexander Craighead retreating from the incursions of the Indians that were laying waste the frontiers of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylva- nia, after Braddock's defeat, in 1755, visited this country, to which part of his flock had retreated from the Cowpasture. The time of his first visit cannot be precisely ascertained. In Janu- ary, 1758, the Presbytery of Hanover holding its session at Capt. Anderson's, in Cumberland county, Virginia, directed Mr. Craig- head to visit Rocky River on the second Sabbath of February. In the April following a regular call was presented from Rocky River for Mr. Craighead's services, which he accepted ; an order was taken for his installation by Mr. Martin. This order not being carried into effect, the Rev. W. Richardson was directed, in September, to attend to the installation, while on his way to the Cherokee Indians. This it appears was attended to.
In the year 1761, in the list of places supplicating supplies from the Synod of New York and New Jersey, Rocky River has a place, and the name of Daniel Caldwell, one of the first settlers, was on the list of members of Synod.
The first regular supply after Mr. Craighead of whom there is any account, was the Rev. Hezekiah James Balch, of Revolu- tionary memory, who by order of Synod was ordained in 1769, to accept a call from Carolina by the Presbytery of Donegall, by which he had been licensed as probationer in 1768.
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Rocky River was one of the seven congregations that covered the region of country represented in the convention at Charlotte, of Declaration memory, and was no disinterested spectator of the doings and catastrophe of the Regulation. The first settlers in the bounds of the congregation were all of the Scotch-Irish race, that landed in Pennsylvania, and after tarrying a short time there, or in Maryland, found their way to North Carolina. As was usual, they came in a company : Col. Robert Harris, on Reedy Creek ; his brother, Samuel Harris, on Clear Creek; Andrew Davis, on Reedy Creek ; Moses Shelby, on Clear Creek ; Wm. White and his two brothers, James and Archibald, on or near Rocky River ; David Caldwell, on Caldwell's Creek; and Adam Alexander on Clear Creek. Others probably came with these, but their names are not known. As the tide of emigration was turned by the In- dian depredations to the peaceful streams of Carolina, the settle- ments rapidly increased and formed a vigorous, active and inde- pendent part of the county. The Morrison family came early to Rocky River from Scotland, making a short sojourn in Pennsyl- vania. There were three brothers, two of them lived to a great age. The descendants of the Harris, Alexander and Morrison families have been numerous ; of the latter, nine have entered the ministry, and others are preparing.
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