USA > Ohio > Shakers of Ohio; fugitive papers concerning the Shakers of Ohio, with unpublished manuscripts > Part 3
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As the campmeetings were places where clergymen resorted
· as well as the multitude, it is but natural to assume that kindred spirits were attracted together, and thus were enabled to exchange opinions and advise with one another. The tendency of such communications, when free and unrestricted, would, sooner or later, constitute dissimilar aggregations. Hence it is not singu- lar that other sects should be formed. Out of the Kentucky re- vival there originated three sects, or religious denominations entirely new to the western country. The first to notice is the
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIANS.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church takes its name from the Cumberland Presbytery, which was a part of the Synod of Kentucky. This presbytery was not constituted until 1802, which then was struck off from Transylvania. Cumberland Presbytery was greatly divided on the subject of the great re- vival then in the full force of its existence. The great tide of immigration into the Cumberland Presbytery and the interest awakened by the revival, showed a dearth of preachers and re- ligious teachers. Under the advice of Rev. David Rice, then the oldest Presbyterian minister in Kentucky, a number of men were licensed to preach who did not possess a classical educa- tion. Against this procedure a protest was entered by those not in sympathy with the revival. In the new Presbytery the ma- jority favored the revival work and the licensing of probationers without a classical education.
* Ibid, p. 148.
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KENTUCKY REVIVALS.
During the controversy about the revival, the Cumberland Presbytery licensed and ordained a number who took exceptions to the idea of "Fatality" as expressed in the doctrines of Decrees and Election in chapter 3 of the Confession. The Synod of 1804 cited all the members of Cumberland Presbytery to appear at its next meeting. The citation was disobeyed on the grounds of want of authority. Owing to the action of the Synod, in other matters, a new Presbytery was proclaimed and met March 20, 1810. This Presbytery accepted the Confession of Faith, ex- cepting the idea of fatality; but in 1813 when the first Synod was formed, a brief doctrinal statement was adopted, which gave the points of difference from the Westminster Confession. The points expressed against the idea of "Fatality" are "(I) There are no eternal reprobates. (2) Christ died not for a part only, but for all mankind. (3) That all infants dying in infancy are saved through Christ and the sanctification of the Spirit. (4) The Spirit of God operates on the world; or, as coextensively as Christ has made the Atonement in such a manner as to leave all men inexcusable."
This young denomination did not stretch its arm into the Miami country until long after the ground was preoccupied. The first church was established at Lebanon, in Warren county, in 1835. At the present time there are twelve churches, seven of which sustain preaching all the time. Their buildings repre- sent a value of $40,000. What influence this church has exerted in the Miami could not be told, or wherein it has prepared the way for other thought. Sometimes church literature is more potent than the congregation. Of the literature of this demoni- nation I am absolutely ignorant, not even knowing the title of a single volume. Hence I must rest this part of the discussion with the facts above- enumerated derived from sources without the Church, excepting the statistics.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
The sect, or new denomination, growing out of the Kentucky revival, which has exerted most power over the Miami, is gener- ally called "New Lights," and sometimes "Schismatics." The sect repudiates both these names, and styles itself "The Christian
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SHAKERS OF OHIO.
Church." According to Levi Purviance it assumed the name Christian in 1804 .* The origin of this sect in the West may be said to date its birth at the time charges were preferred against Richard McNemar, although the actual separation did not take place until the month of May, 1803. For some unaccountable reason Richard McNemar passes over his trial, but says that a particular account of the separation "is published in a pamphlet, entitled, An apology for renouncing the jurisdiction of the Synod of Kentucky, printed in Lexington (K.), 1804." This apology is published in full in the "Biography of B. W. Stone," covering one hundred pages. The historical part, with which we are concerned, embraces forty-four pages, written by Robert Mar- shall. The second part pertains to dogma, written by Stone, and part three by John Thompson discusses the Westminster Confession of Faith.
The trial of McNemar brought prominently out the fact that similar views were entertained by John Thompson, John Dunlavy, Robert Marshall and B. W. Stone. To these must be added David Purviance, then a licentiate. Soon after Matthew Houston was added to the list. At the time of the final separa- tion, McNemar, Dunlavy and Thompson were in Ohio and Stone, Marshall, Houston and Purviance in Kentucky. As the Apology is entirely too long to quote in this connection, an epitome of the first part must suffice :
On November 3, 1801, three elders of Cabin-creek Presby- terian church, made formal charges to the Washington Presby- tery, against their pastor, Richard McNemar, which charges are thus stated :
"I. He reprobated the idea of sinners attempting to pray, or being exhorted thereto, before they were believers in Christ.
2. He has condemned those who urge that convictions are necessary, or that prayer is proper in the sinner.
3. He has expressly declared, at several times, that Christ has purchased salvation for all the human race, without dis- tinction.
4. He has expressly declared that a sinner has power to believe in Christ at any time.
* Biography of David Purviance, p. 49.
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5. That a sinner has as much power to act faith, as to act unbelief ; and reprobated every idea in contradiction thereto,. held by persons of a contrary opinion.
6. Hehas expressly said, that faith consisted in the creature's: persuading himself assuredly, that Christ died for him in par- ticular; that doubting and examining into evidences of faith, were inconsistent with, and contrary to the nature of faith; and in order to establish these sentiments, he explained away these words - Faith is the gift of God, by saying it was Christ Jesus, the object of faith there meant, and not faith itself; and also, these words, "No man can come to me, except the Father who hath sent me draw him," by saying that the drawing there meant, was Christ offered in the Gospel; and that the Father knew no other drawing or higher power, than holding up his. Son in the Gospel."
At the meeting of the Presbytery. McNemar made the follow- ing explanation of his ideas :
Upon the first charge, he observed, that faith was the first: thing God required of the sinner; and that he had no idea of him praying but in faith.
On the second, that the question in debate was, whether any other considerations are necessary to authorize the soul to believe than those which arise from the testimony of God, in his word.
On the third, that Christ is by office the Savior of all men.
On the fourth, that the sinner is capable of receiving the- testimony of God at any time he heard it.
' Upon the fifth, that the sinner is as capable of believing as disbelieving, according to the evidence presented to the view of his mind.
The first part of the sixth charge was groundless.
On the second, which respects doubting and self-examina -.. tion, his ideas were, that doubting the veracity of God, and look- ing into ourselves for evidence, as the foundation of our faith, is contrary to Scripture.
On the third part, viz., explaining away those Scriptures,, he replied, if that was explaining them away, he had done it.
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As no person present purposed to substantiate the charges, the same was dismissed as irregular. This action of the Presby- tery quenched the flame of opposition, and all parties became reconciled.
In 1802 McNemar took charge of the Turtlecreek church (near Lebanon, Ohio), where his labors met with abundant suc- cess. At the meeting of Presbytery in Cincinnati, October 6, 1802, an elder of Rev. James Kemper's congregation (Cincin- nati), entered a verbal complaint against McNemar, as a propa- gator of false doctrine. The accused insisted the question was out of order, for charges must be made in writing. Nevertheless Presbytery proceeded to examine him "on the fundamental doc-
CINCINNATI IN 1802.
trines of the sacred Scriptures," which were election, human de- pravity, the atonement, etc. The finding was that McNemar held these doctrines in a sense different from that in which Cal- vinists generally believe them, and that his sentiments were "hos- tile to the interests of all true religion." Notwithstanding this condemnation he was appointed one-half his time at Turtle-creek, until the next stated session: two Sabbath's at Orangeville; two at Clear-creek; two at Beulah; one at the forks of Mad river; and the rest at discretion.
At the next session at Springfield* in April, 1803, a petition from a number of persons, in the congregations of Beulah, Turtle- creek, Clear-creek, Bethany, Hopewell, Dicks-creek, and Cincin- nati, was presented praying for a re-examination of McNemar,
* Springdale, some eleven miles north of Cincinnati.
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and that Rev. John Thompson undergo a like examination. The Presbytery refused to acquiesce. A petition, signed by sixty persons of the Turtle-creek congregation, asked for the whole of McNemar's time, which was granted. Kemper, Wallace, Reader, and Wheeler protested against the action of the Presby- tery. The sentiment of the majority of Presbytery had changed and was now in sympathy with the accused.
In the interval between the meeting of Presbytery and that of Synod, no pains were taken by the disaffected members to bring about an accommodation. Through the committee of over- tures the matter was brought before the Synod, held at Lexing- ton, September, 1803. The Synod sustained the action of the Presbytery at Cincinnati, except that part which assigned ap- pointments to McNemar, and condemned the action at Spring- field. The Synod further voted to enter upon an examination of both McNemar and Thompson. While the Synod was deliber- ating upon the last proposition (September 10), Messrs. Mar- shall, Dunlavy, McNemar, Stone and Thompson, entered the meeting and formally protested against its action. The protest was read, and its advocates retired. Synod then appointed a committee consisting of David Rice, Matthew Houston, James Welsh and Joseph Howe to confer with the aggrieved, which latter offered to answer any questions proposed by Synod, pro- vided all questions and answers should be in writing; that they should be constituted into one Presbytery, and that all charges of doctrine against them should be according to the book of dis- cipline. On a motion to accede to these proposals the following voted in the affirmative: M. Houston, J. Welsh, J. Howe, and W. Robinson, ministers; J. Henderson, J. Wardlow and C. Mc- Pheeters, elders ; those opposed, A. Cameron, P. Tull, J. Blythe, J. Lyle, R. Stewart, S. Rannels, J. Kemper, J. Campbell, S. ' Finley, ministers; J. Moore, John Henderson and T. Benning- ton, elders.
1359790
Immediately, after the action of the Synod, Robert Marshall, John Dunlavy, Richard McNemar, Barton W. Stone and John Thompson, withdrew from the jurisdiction of the Synod of Kentucky, and formally constituted the Presbytery of Spring- . field, and formulated a circular letter addressed to the congrega-
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SHAKERS OF OHIO.
tions under their care. Late in the evening a resolution was received from the Synod which had appointed a committee to inquire into such objections as they might have to the Confession of Faith. Before the answer was received Synod suspended the protesting members, and declared their parishes without min- isters. The Springfield Presbytery was dissolved at Cane Ridge, Bourbon county, Ky., June 28, 1804, by Marshall, Dunlavy, Mc- Nemar, Stone, Thompson and David Purviance.
McNemar has been described to have been a mild and un- assuming man up to the time of charges of heresy being made against him. His trials appear to have awakened all the resources of his strong nature. With enthusiasm he began his work at Turtle Creek, and in summer his congregations were so large that the meetings were held in the grove near his church .. The strange physical phenomena of the revival attended his ministra- tions in Warren county, Ohio. At Turtle Creek almost all the adult persons in a large congregation would fall in a short time and lie unconscious, with hardly a sign of breathing or beating of the pulse.
The dissolution of the Springfield Presbytery launched a new denomination in the West. The preachers carried their churches with them. Every Presbyterian church in southwestern Ohio was swept into this new organization except those at Duck Creek and Round Bottom; and even the church at. Cincinnati was fairly . tainted with the new doctrines and methods. The Turtle Creek church, with uplifted hands, was constituted a schismatic church. The influence of Richard McNemar was irresistible. Before the close of the year 1804, Turtle Creek, Eagle Creek, Springfield (Springdale), Orangedale, Clear Creek, Beaver Creek and Salem had joined the new movement. A demand for more preachers went up. Malcolm Worley became active, and Andrew Ireland, John Purviance, David Kirkpatrick and William Caldwell, were sent out two and two as traveling evangelists. Afterwards Nathan Worley became a tower of strength. Camp meetings were still popular and were used to extend the general influence. The cus- tom of giving the right hand of fellowship was introduced, and the name of "brother" and "sister" applied to church members. The spirit of the Kentucky revival, especially in camp meetings,
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was kept aflame. "Praying, shouting, jerking, barking, or rolling; dreaming, prophesying, and looking as through a glass, at the infinite glories of Mount Zion, just about to break open upon the world." "They practiced a mode of prayer, which was as singular, as the situation in which they stood, and the faith by which they were actuated. According to their proper name of distinction, they stood separate and divided, each one for one; and in this capacity, they offered up each their separate cries to God, in one united harmony of sound; by which the doubtful footsteps of those who were in search of the meeting, might be directed, some- times to the distance of miles." *
The year 1805 opened most favorably to the new sect: Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee were in its grasp. It appeared to be an irresistible force opposed to the older and better organized sects. The name of the sect (Christian) was most charming to the ear. It carried the believer back to Apostolic times. Then there was the pleasing pronouncement that the Bible alone was its creed. Man-made statements and creeds must be trampled under foot. Little did they realize that a creed was a creed just the same whether written or spoken. There was a consensus of opinion, and to this unwritten and unsigned creed they were just as de- voted as was the Presbyterian to his Confession of Faith. I have heard, myself, just as strong doctrinal points discussed from the Christian (New Light) pulpit as I ever listened to from those reputed to be most conservative in theology. Moreover, an old friend of mine, as firm a believer in Christianity as it was possible to believe, was expelled for heresy, from one of the very churches that was wrenched from Calvinism and brought under the new order.
But the year 1805 awoke the revivalists, or schismatics, or New Lights, or Christians, to a sense of their danger. The rude awakening was sudden, powerful and disastrous. It has been sung that
"Five preachers formed a body, in eighteen hundred three, From Anti-christ's false systems to set the people free ;
His doctrine and his worship in pieces they did tear - But ere the scene was ended these men became a snare;"
* Kentucky Revival, p. 73.
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SHAKERS OF OHIO.
but it was doomed that only one of this number should continue with the new order of things. In 1805, both Richard McNemar and John Dunlavy joined the Shakers, and within a few years Robert Marshall and John Thompson returned to the Presby- terian fold. Barton W. Stone-of all the prophets - was left to encourage the saints. The defection placed him at the head of the organization, and he was soon after known as "Father Stone." Nor was the disaster to rest here, for calamity after calamity was in the track of the Shaker propaganda, for church after church, and too the very strongest, were swallowed up by the disciples of Mother Ann Lee. This alarmed several of the preachers and con- verts "who fled from us and joined the different sects around us. The sects triumphed at our distress, and watched for our fall.' "Never did I exert myself more than at this time to save the people from this vortex of ruin. I yielded to no discouragement, but labored night and day, far and near, among the churches where the Shakers went. By this means their influence was hap- pily checked in many places. I labored so hard and constantly that a profuse spitting of blood ensued. Our broken ranks were once more rallied under the standard of heaven, and were soon led on once more to victory." *
The Shaker trial was "a fiery one" to Stone and his remain- ing coadjutors. Five years later (1810), the defection of Mar- shall and Thompson added to the sorrows. They issued a pam- phlet entitled, "A brief historical account of sundry things in the. doctrines and state of the Christian, or as it is commonly called, the New Light Church. - By R. Marshall and J. Thompson, Ministers of the Gospel and members of said church, containing their testimony against several doctrines, held in that church, and its disorganized state. Together with some reasons, why these two brethren purpose to seek for a more pure and orderly connec- tion." This pamphlet induced several young men who had en- gaged in the ministry also to follow into the Presbyterian ranks. The pamphlet brought out a reply from David Purviance.
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During all the troubles that rapidly accumulated upon the infant sect David Purviance and Barton W. Stone stood together and defended their citadel from the repeated assaults and rebuilt
* Memoirs of Stone, p. 62.
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KENTUCKY REVIVALS.
the ramparts as rapidly as they were thrown down. Neither was a leader of great ability. Their success was due more from the momentum created by the revival than any special manage- ment on their part. It is, however, probably true the bark would have sunk beneath the waves had they not piloted it through the storm. The success of this church, during its entire history, is unique; for never has it presented a leader of marked ability. Even its literature is mediocre. The formal existence has cov- ered a period of a hundred years, and yet the literature of the entire organization, East, West, North and South, according to the "Christian Annual for 1903," embraces but two books and two pamphlets in the historical group; in the biographical, twenty; theological and doctrinal, thirty, and miscellaneous, thirty-three.
The present condition of the Christian church, as given by the same Annual is thus related :
Miami conference - embracing parts of Hamilton, Preble, Darke, Shelby, Miami, Montgomery, Warren, Green, Clark and Champaign counties. . Ordained preachers 56; licentiates 5; churches 55, of which 25 are country. Only II have preaching full time. Membership 7,062. Value church property $164,650.
Ohio Central Conference - comprising churches in Cham- paign, Clark, Clinton, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hardin, Mad- ison, Ross, Union, Marion, Morrow and Pickaway counties. Or- dained ministers 21; licentiates I; 33 churches of which 21 are country ; preaching full time, 3; valuation church property, $51,- 750; membership, 2,160. Ohio Conference - covering Jackson, Vinton, Pike, Scioto, Ross, Fayette and Gallia counties. Or- dained ministers 32; licentiates I; churches 32; membership 1,900. To this array must be added Antioch college, which under Horace Mann attained unto great renown, but since his death has undergone a checkered career.
So far as the personnel of the ministry is concerned-speak- ing wholly from personal observation-it has been composed of earnest, devoted and self-sacrificing men. Of the intellectual caliber it has been equal to the average, with here and there one far above the general. In point of scholarship, especially in oriental lore, America has not produced a greater than Austin Craig.
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Notwithstanding the fact that the Christian church started with established churches and possessed with unbounded enthusi- asm, yet the leaders were not equal to the occasion. The early preachers inveighed against a hireling ministry, which forced into the ranks many whose minds were diverted to the question of .sufficient support; there was a want of organization, and a wise administration of government. The power of other churches forced them into intellectual lines, which, they have not been slow, in these later years, to take advantage. Within the last dozen years there has been quite a hegira into the ranks of the ministry of other denominations, especially the Congregational. Some six years ago a conference between the Congregationalists and Christians was held at Piqua, but with no perceptible results.
The Miami country owes much to the Christian church, and the showing of that church, contrasted with other sects, will com- pare favorably. A Presbyterian may not regard the coloring as of the brightest hues; for, in all probability, had it not been for the "Kentucky Revival," Presbyterianism in Kentucky and Southwestern Ohio, would be relatively as strong as it is to-day in Western Pennsylvania.
THE SHAKER CHURCH:
The Kentucky revival paved the way for the establishing of Shakerism in the West. The official title of this sect is "The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing." The name Shaker is universally applied to them and generally used by the members. So it is no longer regarded as a term of re- proach, for it is used in their literature to designate them.
From the year 1801 to 1805, the newspapers of the Eastern 'States gave wonderful accounts of the extraordinary revival in Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. This was a theme of frequent discussion among the then established Shaker communities. The Shaker authorities gave the western movement their most care- ful reflection. During the month of December, 1804, it was de- cided to send, without further delay, a propaganda into Ken- tucky, with ample powers to take such action as would be bene- ficial to their advancement. The men selected were John Meacham, Benjamin Seth Youngs and Issachar Bates. They
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were eminently qualified for their mission. They were pre- possessing in their appearance, neat and plain in their dress, grave and unassuming in their manners, very intelligent and ready in the Scriptures, and of great boldness in their faith. The power of Bates as a missionary, may be gained from the statement* that from 1801 to 1811, as a Shaker missionary he traveled, mostly on foot, 38,000 miles and received the first confession of about 1,100 converts. Benjamin S. Youngs was scholarly and inde- fatigable in his labors. Of John Meacham, I know but little. From a poem I learn that he set out for New Lebanon, August 19, 1806. He afterwards became first in the ministry at Pleasant Hill, Ky., but recalled to the East in 1818. He was born in 1770 and died at Mount Lebanon, N. Y., December 26, 1854.
At three o'clock on the morning of January Ist, 1805, the three missionaries set out on their mission. The first 62 miles they were carried in a sleigh. From that on they were afoot, with one horse to carry their baggage. They went by the way of Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. Arriving in Ken- tucky they passed through Lexington, Abingdon and Hawley; there turning their course they crossed the Holston into Green County, Tennessee; recrossed the Holston, they passed over Clinch mountain; went through Crab Orchard, and about the first of March arrived at Paint Lick, where Matthew Houston was then stationed. From there they went to Cane Ridge, and were hospitably entertained by Barton W. Stone. Whether Stone directed their course into Ohio or not, there appears to be no existing evidence. On the 19th of March the propaganda crossed the Ohio; thence to Springdale, where John Thompson was preaching, and on March 22d, arrived at Turtle Creek, and directed their steps to the house of Malcolm Worley, having trav- eled 1,233 miles.
On the first advent of the Shaker missionaries, Barton Stone's conduct was all that could be desired. "We had much conversation with him and a number more; they sucked in our light as greedily as ever an ox drank water, and all wondered where they had been that they had not seen these things before.
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