USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. I pt 2 > Part 17
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The MOUNT ZION SOCIETY received new members to the 8th of May, 1780, just four days before the surrender of Charleston to the British army. Down to that time about fifty new names had been added to the list, among which is that of Charles Pinckney, chief-justice of the province, and president of the provincial congress. There is no record after this for about two years. Early in 1783 the society met in Charleston and elected John Huger president, appointed John Winn and six others directors in Winnsboro and its vicinity, and Charles Pinckney and five others, directors in Charleston ; and wrote, on the 7th of March, a letter to the committee in Winnsboro informing them of their action, addressing them as " the com- mittee on Sion Hill." This committee replied, informing them that the temporary school had been broken up by the enemy, but the buildings were safe and in the custody of Col. Richard Winn. In the same year there were two committees in the country -- " the committee of the Congarees," and "the com- mittee of Turkey Creek," near the line between Chester and York. Twelve new names appear on the roll this year, and lands given by Col. John Vanderhorst and by Gen. Richard Winn were run out. More than seventy-four names were added to the membership of the society in 1784. The Rev. Thomas Harris McCaule was called from the large congregation of Centre church, North Carolina, to preside over the school. He accepted the invitation, but proposed to erect the institu- tion into a college upon the plan of the college of New Jersey, where he had been educated. His plan was adopted and the institution was incorporated March 19th, 1785; and the col- lege of Cambridge, at Ninety-Six, and the college of Charleston, were incorporated in the same Act.
Mr. McCaule had been ordained in 1776, and was in the prime of life. In person he was scarcely of medium height, but of a stout frame and full body, of dark piercing eyes, a pleasant countenance and winning manners, with a fine voice, and popular both as a preacher and a man. When the country was invaded he went with his flock to the camp, and was by the side of Gen. William Davidson when he fell on the banks of the Catawba by the rifle of a Tory. He was once run as a candidate for the gubernatorial chair of North Carolina. Under his superintendence the college was opened under favorable auspices. He became a member of the newly-formed presbytery of South Carolina at its first meet-
505
THE "LOG COLLEGE."
1780-1790.]
ing at Waxhaw, April 12th, 1785, by dismission from the pres- bytery of Orange.
The accommodations of the college at first were of the most primitive kind. Mr. McCaule commenced his instructions in an old log-cabin about twenty-five feet by twenty, a story and a half high, with a single chimney. The English school was kept in a small outbuilding. Another cabin was built by the society to range with the first, at a distance of about thirty or thirty-five feet ; the space between was filled by a framed building, and the roof of the additions was made to correspond with that of the original structure. The students who boarded with the steward had their lodgings in the upper part of the house. In this humble edifice the larger portion of those educated by Presi- dent McCaule had their abode.
The routine of academic life in this " Log College" of the South was such as the students of the present day can well understand. The blast of a horn at daybreak was a signal to rise, perform their ablutions, and dress. Another signal at sunrise summoned them to roll-call and prayers, after which they went to their studies. At eight o'clock they were dis- missed for breakfast ; from nine to twelve they were brought together for study. After an intermission, study hours began at two and continued till five, when they were again dismissed after roll-call and prayers. On Wednesdays there was public speaking and the reading of compositions from nine to twelve. At nine o'clock A. M. the students were formed in line and were marched to the college building, where one half delivered declamations, and the other half read compositions, which were left with the president until the following Wednesday for his private examination and criticisms. There were two public exhibitions in the course of the year-one on the fourth of July, and one on the first of December, each followed by a month's vacation. " At these exhibitions diplomas, conferring the usual degree, were given to those who had completed the curriculum of study. The form of the diploma has been pre- served by Dr. Foote in his Sketches of North Carolina, p. 427, in the biography he there gives of one of the graduates of the college at this period of its history. The original is in beautiful German text.
" Præfectus et Curatores Collegii Montis Sionis, Omnibus et singulis ad quos hac litera pervenerint,
Salutem in Domino.
Notum sit quod nobis placet Auctoritate publico Diplomate nobis com- missa, Humfredum Hunter, candidatum primum in Artibus Gradum compe-
506
NEW EDIFICE .- FIRST GRADUATES.
[1780-1790.
tentem examine sufficiente prævio approbatum Titulo graduque Artium li- beralium Bacalaurei adornare. In cujus Rei Testimonium Literis Sigillo Collegii munitis nomina subscripsimus.
THOMAS H. McCAULE, Prof .- ]. JOHN WINN, Trustees. JAMES CRAIG, S
Datum in Aula Collegii, apud Winnsburgium, in Carolina Meridionale, quarta Nonas Julii, Anno Arce Christi millesimo septuagentesimo et octoge- simo septimo."
After the defeat of General Gates, when Cornwallis occupied Charlotte, North Carolina, the Liberty Hall Academy at Charlotte, North Carolina, of which Mr. McCaule had been a trustee, was discontinued, and had never been revived. Many young men of North Carolina came down and sought their education here. In 1785-6 the students of the college num- bered from sixty to eighty, and the faculty were Rev. Mr. McCaule, Mr. Samuel W. Yongue, and William C. Davis, who was both student and tutor.
As the old college building was small, the larger students had arbors in the summer season under grape-vines and shady trees (of which there was no small store at that time), fur- nished with tables and chairs, where they pursued their studies, seeking the shelter of the college roof when the rain drove them in.
A new and more stately college edifice was projected, and its foundations were laid early in the year 1787, fifty-four feet in length by forty-four in breadth, to be two lofty stories in height. The foundation was laid with stone, rising some little above the surface, the remainder of the basement story with brick. The society sent oyster-shells from Charleston to be burnt for lime. But the workmen not being acquainted with the manufacture of lime, the greater portion of the lower story was laid in mortar made with tar instead. Saw-mills were few and distant, the timbers were fashioned by the broad axe and whip-saw, and the plank had to be hauled from twenty to thirty miles. So slowly did the work advance, that the second tier of joists was not laid in the opening of the year 1790. Mean- while the college had already graduated its first class of students. William C. Davis, Robert McCulloch, Humphrey Hunter, and James Wallis, had received their baccalaureate and been licensed to preach the gospel; so that the first fruits of the college were consecrated to the work of the ministry of recon- ciliation. No one might be a trustee of the college unless he professed "the Christian Protestant religion." It was restricted to no particular Protestant denomination, but it so
1780-1790.] MT. ZION CONGREGATION .- CATHOLIC AND PURITY. 507
occurred that its first teachers were Presbyterians, and its in- fluence tended to promote the interests of this branch of the church. Some preparations were also made for the estab- lishment of Presbyterian worship in the town of Winnsboro, for the MOUNT ZION CONGREGATION of Winnsboro was in- corporated by the legislature in 1787. To what degree it was organized, and whether it worshipped in connection with the college, no evidence has been obtained, though this is the most probable conjecture .- (Statutes at Large, vol. viii., p. 139.)
. CATHOLIC AND PURITY CHURCHES in Chester, whose congre- gations are contiguous, had been supplied, we have seen, by Rev. William Martin, a Covenanter, and by Rev. James Camp- bell. They remained vacant a considerable time, and the con- gregation of Purity especially was almost dissolved by the troubles of the times. It petitioned presbytery in 1785, under the name of "Bull Run," which was represented as unformed. It was reorganized by Rev. John Simpson under its present name in 1786. It petitioned for supplies in October, 1787. Previous to this, in 1784, Rev. James Templeton, of the pres- bytery of Orange, came as a missionary and labored for some time in these congregations and their vicinity. He became connected with the presbytery of South Carolina at its first meeting at Waxhaw, April 12th, 1785, and labored still among them. His residence was in Catholic, but his missionary field was a wide one. They had before this and after, enjoyed the occasional services of Rev. John Simpson, of Fishing Creek, who frequently administered the sacraments, especially that of baptism. About this time, several preachers, who were re- garded as "New Lights," came from Ireland into this region. Among them was Robert McClintock, who preached some- times in the church and sometimes in private houses, but was not engaged as regular pastor. Associated with him as com- panions were John McCosh and Hugh Morrison. The latter boarded in the house of Abraham Miller, where he sickened and died, and was buried in the graveyard at Catholic. About 1787 the Rev. Mr. Lynn, a missionary of the Associate Re- formed, visited this neighborhood, and the year following Rev. James Boyce commenced preaching at the house of Ed- ward McDaniel, and afterwards at a stand where Hopewell church is now built, and where Thomas McDill and David McQueston were installed elders. This tended to draw some from the worship at Catholic, but the body of the people re- mained firmly attached to their original organization, and
508
FISHING CREEK .- REV. JOHN SIMPSON. [1780-1790
erected a new and commodious frame house, sufficiently large to accommodate the whole congregation.
On March the 18th, 1788, the two congregations, Catholic and Purity, petitioned presbytery for William C. Davis, their licentiate, as a supply. They again applied in October, 1788, and April and October, 1789, and Messrs. McCaule and McCulloch were appointed. In 1792 and 1793 they appear to be supplied, though it is not known by whom. In 1794, April 9th, the Rev. Robert McCulloch was installed as the joint pastor of the two churches. The house of worship of the Purity congregation was built of logs, after the most primitive model.
The congregations of UPPER AND LOWER FISHING CREEK (the latter being sometimes called RICHARDSON, after its founder) were still ministered to by Rev. John Simpson till the 17th of September, 1789. The manner of his administra- tion as pastor, and the part he took in public affairs, are set forth in the following extract from the recollections of his life, written down from the lips of his son by his grandson, A. N. Simpson, of Marietta, Georgia, to be made use of in this history :- " The order in which the communion was conducted by the churches in that day was briefly as follows : first, the Sabbath preceding communion Sabbath was observed as 'preparation Sabbath ;' a sermon was preached in view of the approaching communion. . The Thursday preceding was ob- served with fasting, humiliation, and prayer, by all the church. A neighboring minister was always called to aid, who gener- ally preached the forenoon sermon on Saturday. On Saturday afternoon candidates for admission into the church were ex- amined and received, publicly avowing their faith in Christ, and their adherence to the 'Westminister confession of faith.' 'Tokens' were given to all church-members who intended communing on next day. These 'tokens' (being pieces of copper) were used to prevent imposition, and were evidences of the right of communion by those who held them. They were collected again by the elders immediately after commu- nicants had taken their seats around the table.
"On Sabbath morning the 'action sermon' was preached by the pastor, who also introduced the table service and con- ducted the service at the first table-the assisting minister the second, who, with some remarks to the congregation, then closed the service. On Sabbath afternoon, sermon by the aiding minister. The Monday succeeding the Sabbath was observed as thanksgiving day. A sermon for the occasion was
509
REV. JOHN SIMPSON.
1780-1790.]
preached by the aiding minister, who was followed by the pastor in an appropriate and feeling address to Christians, which closed the meeting. These communions were held twice a year.
"The minister whose services Mr. S. generally procured on these occasions was the Rev. Mr. Alexander, of Turkey Creek congregation, on Broad river,-a man of great power in the pulpit, overwhelming in argument, eloquent in speech, having the happy faculty of chaining his audience down in noiseless and earnest attention while he spoke. .
"It was an invariable rule with Mr. Simpson to visit every family and member of his church during the year, as a pastor. Having supplied the adult portion of the families with certain written questions, his second visit would then be to examine the adults upon these questions, and also upon experimental religion. To the children he gave catechetical instruction in the longer and shorter catechism, with brief explanations. For these examinations he appointed regular places of meet- ing in certain neighborhoods, where all convenient to the place would meet, and where all were examined.
" As to his manner of preparing for the pulpit, his usual mode in reference to his sermons was, never to write them, but make notes containing the heads of his subject, and these were mostly in short-hand. From these briefs he generally preached about an hour. His custom was to preach in the forenoon and lecture in the afternoon. His sermons were mostly doctrinal, full of divinity, practically and clearly illus- trated, pungent and impressive-so that his subject was gen- erally carried home to the heart of the hearer. His manner of speaking was easy and pleasing. He was fluent in speech -yet his tone was solemn and deeply impressive, his voice clear and strong, his pronunciation and words distinct and well-timed. At times, when warmed with his subject, he would break out with feeling bursts of eloquence, which, like an elec- tric shock, never failed to move the hearts of his hearers. His ministerial labors were generally blessed in the conversion of many under his preaching. His faith was strong. He was, physically, a strong, healthy man, about five feet six inches in height, stoutly built, having a constitution, mental and physi- cal, just suitable for the arduous duties of the day in which he lived. In personal intercourse he was always agreeable, but by no means disposed to be very talkative. He was a kind and indulgent father, and an affectionate and tender husband.
" During a portion of the time of which we have spoken, the
510
REV. JOHN SIMPSON.
[1780-1790.
people were deeply engaged in the Revolutionary struggle. As Mr. S. was a zealous Christian, he proved himself to be no less a devoted patriot ; nor was he a small sharer in the pri- vations of a camp life and the loss of property. Though the enemy had threatened him, yet dauntless and fearlessly did he march in the van, encouraging and urging his fellows to meet their common enemy. He was in several conflicts and skir- mishes. In some of these contests he was regarded as the leader and adviser.
"In the campaign of 1780 he was with Sumter, who, after having taken a strong redoubt on the Wateree, the day pre- vious to the battle of Camden, and on the next day hearing of the fatal result of that battle, instantly began his retreat, and after a rapid march, in a hot summer day, came to the Catawba ford. Believing that he was then safe, Sumter halted and allowed his men to rest awhile during the heat of the day, for it was then about twelve o'clock.
"Tarleton having heard of his retreat, making a forced march, came up with Sumter, and found his men altogether unpre- pared-no sentinels out, a great part of the men asleep, all lying about separate from their guns, their horses all unsad- dled. Mr. Simpson had placed his gun at the side of a tree, and at this moment was busily engaged in mending his bridle. He had taken the bridle off, and was standing by the side of his favorite mare when the alarm was given. Roused from their slumber, there was such a fearful panic and confusion that but one company succeeded in forming, under command of Capt. John Maffit. He rallied his men, and, with other parts of companies, made a desperate resistance; but the struggle was short. About half of the men were captured, numbering upwards of three hundred. They lost one hundred and fifty, killed and wounded ; the balance dispersed, but few getting their horses. All their stores were taken, and the British captains recovered, whom they had taken previously.
"In this struggle, which occurred at Fishing Creek, August 13th, Mr. Simpson narrowly escaped being taken prisoner. He fortunately got hold of his mare, mounted her without bridle or saddle, and by striking her on the side of the head, gave her the direction he wished to go. She instantly started at almost her utmost speed, in company with no one. Running a short distance, he came to a brush-fence made around a turnip-patch ; but scarcely halting at all, his noble animal leaped the fence, ran through the patch, cleared the other side, and made her way to a public road a short distance be-
.
511
1780-1790.]
HIS DWELLING AND LIBRARY BURNED.
yond. As she was about taking that, he discovered two Brit- ish soldiers coming up the road, armed with guns, who called on him to stop and surrender; his spirited animal heeded not the command, but instantly, upon a slight touch on the side of her head, sprang across the road, and was soon lost from the British in the thick foliage, and running on a short dis- tance further, came to a branch; here his mare came to a gradual halt, and in crossing the branch, a short distance be- yond, in the bushes, he was suddenly alarmed, but was soon agreeably relieved by meeting two of his fellow-soldiers, who had likewise escaped thus far. Here they held a consultation, the result of which was their determination to return home. Yet it was more dangerous for them at home than in the army, particularly to Mr. S., as the enemy had sworn vengeance against the Presbyterian clergy.
"Mr. S. remained but a short time, when he again sallied out into North Carolina.
"On one occasion, the 11th of June, 1780, on a bright Sab- bath morning, the enemy moved upon the church of Mr. S., expecting to find him and his congregation there, but were disappointed. Providence had otherwise directed his steps. The church was but a short distance from the dwelling of Mr. S. They marched to the house. Mrs. S. seeing their ap- proach, retired with her four children, and concealed herself in the orchard. 'They rifled the house of everything valu- able, took out four feather-beds and ripped them open in the yard ; and gathering up all the clothing and other articles that they fancied, they finally set fire to the house, whichi was soon burned down .- (See Memoir of Jane Boyd; Women of the Revolution, vol. iii., p. 217.) They set fire to Mr. S.'s study, containing a valuable library of books, and important manu- scripts. These were all consumed, except what was saved by Mrs. S., who ran up after the enemy left and took out two aprons full-all she could save. In doing this she was very much burned, and came near losing her life.' She also succeeded in saving enough feathers to make one bed. She then went with her children to a neighboring house, where she remained until after her confinement, that day four weeks. On her recovery she went back and took up her residence in a small out-house that escaped the fire. Here, with her five children and a certain Miss Neely, she contrived to live, as- sisted much by the devoted people of her husband's charge. Having procured some cloth to make clothing for her little ones (for they had not a change left them by the enemy), she
512
MURDER OF WILLIAM STRONG.
[1780 -- 1790.
was proceeding to make them up, when a company of Tories robbed her of these. Some of this gang were dressed in Mr. Simpson's clothes. They would exultingly strut before her, and ask her if they were not better looking men than her hus- band ! at the same time telling her that they would some day make her a present of his scalp. In this distressed situation she awaited her husband's return.
" This was indeed a sad picture for him to look upon on his return home. What horror must have seized him on suddenly beholding his ruined, his desolated home ! But how thankful to find his much-loved family safe! It was not long after this event when peace was declared. His houses were rebuilt, and he was again comfortably fixed with his family at home, and at peace with the enemy.
"After peace was restored, Mr. S. commenced collecting together his scattered flock, and ministering to them. He continued to preach at Fishing Creek through this decade."
In the third volume of Mrs. Ellet's Women of the Revolu- tion, in the sketch of the history of Jane Boyd, who was a daughter of Mr. Simpson, it is said that Mr. S. was regarded as the head and counsellor of the band of heroes who defeated the enemy at Becham's Old Field, in the immediate vicinity of Fishing Creek and at Mobley's meeting-house-and it was determined that his punishment should be speedy. In pursuance of this resolution, on Sabbath morning, June 11th, 1780, before mentioned, a party took their way to the church, where they expected to find the pastor with his assembled con- gregation, intending, as was believed at the time, to burn both the church and people, by way of warning to other " disturbers of the king's peace." Mrs. Simpson, who was sitting at the break- fast table, heard the report of a gun, which caused her much alarm, for such a sound was unusual in that vicinity. She after- wards heard that it was at the house of William Strong,* and
,
* This William Strong was an inoffensive and pious young man, and was read- ing his Bible on the Sunday morning when lie was killed, with circumstances of great atrocity .- (Life of General Edward Lacey, by Dr. M. A. Moore, senior.) The same writer (Women of the Revolution, iii., p. 212) informs us that it was a plundering party of Capt. Huck's men, who were concerned in these transactions, They burned Mrs. McClure's house as well as Mr. Simp- son's, and a short time previously had burned down Col. Wm. Hill's iron- works (who was casting ordnance and cannon-ball for the patriots), which was a great calamity to the Whigs, and a general misfortune to the farmers for forty or fifty miles around. Many of thein expected that they would have to return to the wooden plough.
" This reminds us," says the Doctor, " of John Miller, of Rutherford county, North Carolina, a true Hibernian Whig, who was noted for his originality and
513
THE REAPERS.
1780-1790.]
that he had been killed by the enemy on their way to the church. Their design of murdering more victims was frustrated. On the Friday previous, Mr. Simpson had shouldered his rifle and marched to the field, under the command of Capt. McClure, who had been reared from infancy under his min- istry. There the pastor, taking his place in the ranks with the brave men of York and Chester, encouraged and stimu- lated them by his counsel no less then his services, performing the duties of a private soldier, and submitting to the rigor- ous discipline of the camp. " He remained with the army," says his daughter, "till the Tories were quieted, and the coun- After the try delivered from the power of the aggressor. war he continued in charge of Fishing Creek and Bethesda churches, occasionally supplying Catholic and other small congregations. He could never feel confidence in those among his hearers who had sided with the oppressor, though no remains of enmity were in his heart. They appeared to per- ceive this, and withdrew from his charge when churches of other denominations sprang up around him."
In the memoirs of Katharine Steele, and in those of Jane Boyd, Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Strong, Mary Mills, and Isabella Wylie-(Vol. iii. of the Women of the Revolution), all of whom lived in the Fishing Creek congregation, a lively picture may be found of the troubles and harrowing cruelty of these times. It will be seen that the young women of the congre- gation, among whom are mentioned Mary, Margaret, and Ellen Gill, Isabella and Margaret Kelso, Sarah Knox, Mar- garet, Elizabeth, and Mary Mills, Mary McClure, and Nancy Brown, formed themselves into a company of reapers, and went day after day from one farm to another and with the aid of the matrons and a few old men, gathered the crops of all the men who were absent under arms. The various services
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