USA > Tennessee > History of Tennessee from the earliest time to the present : together with an historical and a biographical sketch of from twenty-five to thirty counties of east Tennessee, V.2 > Part 24
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A little before this visit of Bishop Asbury in East Tennessee, minis- ters began to arrive in what was then called Western Tennessee, now Middle Tennessee. In 1786 Rev. Benjamin Ogden was the first Method- ist Episcopal minister to arrive on the Cumberland. After laboring one year he reported sixty members, four of them colored persons. In 1788 the Revs. Mr. Combs and Barnabas McHenry, both faithful and la- borious men, came to the settlement. In 1789 the Rev. Francis Pay- thress was presiding elder, and Revs. Thomas Williamson and Joshua Hartley had charge of the local societies. Besides these there were the Revs. James Haw, Peter Mussie, Wilson Lee and O'Cull. In 1791 a church was organized by Elias Fort and other pioneer Baptists, in the neighborhood of Port Royal, known in history as the "Red River Bap- tist Church." At first, for want of a "meeting-house," meetings were held alternately at the houses of different members; but at length a rude meeting-house was erected on the left bank of Red River, from which stream the church received its name. During the next three or four
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years there arrived in the Cumberland settlements the Revs. Stephen Brooks, Henry Burchett, Jacob Lurtin, Aquilla Suggs, John Ball, Will- iam Burke, Gwynn and Crane. These were all itinerant preachers, and all labored faithfully to warn the people to flee from the wrath to come. They were all Methodists, some of them coming before and some after the Baptists in Robertson and Montgomery Counties. Samuel Mason and Samuel Hollis, the first local preachers that were brought up in this country, commenced preaching in 1789 or 1790. The Rev. Thomas B. Craighead, a Presbyterian divine, preached to a congregation at Spring Hill, about six miles east of Nashville, and the Rev. William McGee, another Presbyterian, preached at Shiloh, near Gallatin, in Sumner County. Between 1795 and 1500 the Methodist Episcopal Church was represented by Rev. John Page, Rev. Thomas Wilkinson, Rev. John Mc- Gee and Rev. John Cobler. Besides these there were the Revs. James McGready, Hodge and Rankin. of the Presbyterian Church, and the Revs. William McKendree, John Sall and Benjamin Larkin, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. Barton W. Stone, a Presbyte- rian, and, like Rev. Mr. McGready. from Kentucky, was also, like him. quite conspicuous in the work of the great revival which commenced in Southern Kentucky and Northern Tennessee, in 1799. Most of the preachers above mentioned were men of burning zeal and of a natural and boisterous eloquence; and hence to their sensitive and sympathetic hearers their preaching was of a novel and attractive kind. Their fame extended to far distant neighborhoods, and drew together, whenever a meeting was announced. thousands of curious, interested and earnest listeners. In 1789 or 1790 the Methodists erected a stone meeting- house in Nashville, between the public square and the river. In 1796 an act of Legislature authorized the town of Nashville to deed to five persons a lot of ground extending twenty feet in all directions from the building, except toward the river. in which direction it extended presum- ably to the river. In October, 1797, an act was passed establishing the "Stone Meeting-House," and reducing the size of the lot to fifteen feet, instead of twenty.
It was not long after ministers began to preach in this western country before discussions and controversies regarding Christian doc- trines began to claim a large share of their, and the people's attentiou. The Presbyterians and Baptists, in those days, were generally very rigid Calvinists, while the Methodists were mostly Arminians. Calvinism is succinctly as follows: It is based upon the idea that the will of God is supreme. The human race, corrupted radically in the fall of Adam, has upon it the guilt and impotence of original sin; its redemption can only
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be achieved through an incarnation and propitiation ; of this redemption only electing grace can make the soul a participant, and the grace once given is never lost; this election can only come from God. and it only includes a part of the race, the rest being left to perdition; election and perdition are both predestinate in the Divine plan; that plan is a decree eternal and unchangeable; justification is by faith alone, and faith is the gift of God.
Arminianism may be briefly set forth as follows: 1. God. by an eternal and immutable decree, before the foundation of the world, de- termined to save in Christ, through Christ and for Christ, those who should believe in Christ. 2. Christ died for all, but no one will enjoy remission of sin except the believer. 3. Man must be born again and renewed in Christ by the Holy Spirit. 4. God's grace is the beginning, increase and perfection of everything good. 5. Man may fall from grace. ( ?)
For several years previous to the ushering in of the present century, these irreconcilable opinions -- which after all in both systems are only opinions -- clashed upon and with each other. Issues were joined; animated debates and acrimonious controversies were frequent, upon doctrinal points, none of which were or are demonstrably true. For this reason the animation manifested in the discussions, the earnestness in the appeals, often from the same platform or pulpit, to the unbeliever to accept the truth, by preachers who contradicted each other as to what was the truth. and the fact that acrimony was so often present in the controversy, all tended to prove that demonstration was not attainable; for where the truth of a proposition in philosophy, ethics, political economy or theology, no less than in physics and mathematics, is demonstrable, even though it be only to the most enlightened reason, controversy with reference thereto must necessarily cease ere long, and the bitterness with the controversy.
But there is another way of eliminating bitterness from controversy besides that of arriving at a demonstration, and that is to eliminate the controversy. This was practically exemplified in the great revival, which took place in the opening years of the nineteenth century. the cause. phenomena and results of which it is now the purpose of this sketch to trace. This great revival was of itself a wonderful phenomenon, worthy the most careful study of the religious philosopher. It was the natural result of a reaction from, a very low ebb of religion and morality, the lowest ebb they have reached in this country. The war of the Revolu- tion left the nation impoverished and prostrate. The influence of the French Revolution and of French infidelity were powerfully felt even among the more intelligent portions of the American people. But the
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masses soon awakened to a sense of their condition, and flocked in great numbers to hear the gospel preached by such earnest, powerful and el- oquent men as have been named above. No building then erected could accommodate the crowds that concentrated from all parts of the adjacent country, to distances of from ten to twenty, thirty and even fifty miles, hence the camp-meeting became a necessity of the times.
In 1799 a sacramental meeting was held in the old Red River Bap- tist Church, near Port Royal, which, considering the sparsely settled con- dition of the country, was quite largely attended. Elders McGready, Hodge and Rankin, of the Presbyterian Church, and Elder John McGee, of the Methodist Episcopal Church were present. After a remarkably powerful address by Elder Hodge, concerning the effect of which upon the congregation writers differ-some saying that the members of the congregation remained through its delivery silent and quiet; others, that their emotions were uncontrollable and that they gave vent to them in loud cries-Elder McGee arose, expressed his conviction that a greater than he was preaching, exhorted the people to let the Lord God Omnip- otent reign in their hearts, and broke into the following song:
"Come Holy Spirit, Heavenly Dove, With all thy quickening powers, Kindle a flame of sacred love In these cold hearts of ours."
Having sang thus far two aged ladies, Mrs. Pacely and Mrs. Clark, commenced tremendously vociferating sentiments of praise and thanks- giving to the Most High for His grace in providing redemption for a fal- len world. For some time the preacher attempted to continue his sing- ing, but the venerable ladies vociferated louder than before; others of the congregation united their voices with theirs in praise; the minister de- scending from the pulpit passed along the aisles vehemently shouting and exhorting; the clamor and confusion increased tenfold; screams for mercy were mingled with shouts of joy; a universal and powerful agita- tion pervaded the multitude; suddenly individuals began to fall pros- trate to the floor as if dead, where they lay for some time unconscious and unable to rise. The Presbyterian elders were so surprised and even astonished at this confusion in the house of the Lord that they made their way outside and quietly queried among themselves "what is to be done?" Elder Hodge concluded that nothing could be done. If it were the work of Satan it could not last; if it were the work of God efforts to control or check the confusion would be vain. He thought it was of God, and decided to join in ascribing glory to God's name. All three therefore re-entered the house and found nearly the entire congregation upon the floor. Soon two or more at a time began to rise, shouting
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praise for the evidence felt for sins forgiven, for redeeming grace and un- dying love. The excitement was so intense that the ministers found their strength taxed to the utmost to supply the demands of the congre- gation. From thirty to forty professed to have been converted that day. Such was the beginning of the religious movement which on account of the strange bodily agitations attending upon, it was looked upon as the most wonderful event of the times.
The next meeting was held on the following Saturday and Sunday at the Beach Meeting-house, ten miles west of Gallatin, Sumner County, where was present a vast assembly and where were witnessed scenes sim- ilar to those above described. * On the Sunday following this meeting a most wonderful meeting was held at Muddy River Church, a few miles north of Russellville, Ky. To this meeting the people came in in all kinds of vehicles, on horseback and on foot, from all distances up to 100 · miles. Long before the hour for preaching came there were present three times as many as the house could seat, and still they came singly, and in companies of tens, fifties and hundreds. A temporary pulpit was erected in the woods, and seats for the multitude made by felling large trees and laying them on the ground. "Preaching commenced, and soon . the presence of the all-pervading power was felt throughout the vast as- sembly. As night came on it was apparent the crowd did not intend to
disperse. * Some took wagons and hurried to bring in straw from barns and treading-yards. Some fell to sewing the wagon sheets together, and others to cutting forks and poles on which to spread · them. Counterpanes, coverlets and sheets were also fastened together to make tents or camps. Others were dispatched to town and to the nearest houses to collect bacon, meal, flour, with cooking utensils to pre- pare food for the multitude. In a few hours it was a sight to see how much was gathered together for the encampment. Fires were made, cooking begun, and by dark candles were lighted and fixed to a hundred trees; and here was the first and perhaps the most beautiful camp-ground the world has ever seen."+
The Rev. Barton W. Stone, a Presbyterian clergyman, pastor of Cane Ridge and Concord congregations in Bourbon County, Ky., hearing of the religious excitement in the southern part of his own State and in Northern Tennessee, started early in the spring of 1801 to attend one of the camp- meetings in Logan County, Ky. Afterward he wrote a book describing what he had seen, and as no one has given a more minute description of
* The meeting held at Red River Baptist Church is said to have been held in 1799, and this at the Beach Meeting-house in 1800. If this be correct the times of holding these two meetings are pretty accurately deter- mined.
tSmith's Legends of the War of the Revolution.
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the bodily agitations, otherwise known as "the jerks" or "epidemic epilepsy," the following extracts from his work are here introduced:
"On arriving I found the multitude assembled on the edge of a prai- rie, where they continued encamped many successive days and nights, during all which time worship was being conducted in some parts of the encampment. The scene to me was passing strange. It baffles description. Many, very many, fell down as men slain in battle, and continued for hours together in a comparatively breathless and motionless state, sometimes, for a few moments, reviving and exhibiting symptoms of life by a deep groan or piercing shriek, or by a prayer for mercy most fervently uttered. After lying thus for hours they obtained deliverance. The gloomy cloud that had covered their faces seemed gradually and visibly to disappear, and hope in smiles to brighten into joy. They would then arise shout- ing deliverance, and address the surrounding multitude in language truly eloquent and impressive. With astonishment did I hear women and children declaring the wonderful works of God and the glorious mysteries of the gospel. Their appeals were solemn, heart-fending, bold and free. Under such addresses many others would fall down in the same state from which the speakers had just been delivered.
"Two or three of my particular acquaintances from a distance were struck down. I sat patiently by one of them (whom I knew to be a care- less sinner ) for hours, and observed with critical attention everthing that passed from beginning to end. I noticed the momentary revivings as from death, the humble confession, the fervent prayer and ultimate deliv- erance; then the solemn thanks and praise to God, the affectionate exhortation to companions and to the people around to repent and come to Jesus. I was astonished at the knowledge of the gospel truth displayed in these exhortations. The effect was that several sank down into the appearance of death. After attending to many such cases my conviction was complete that it was a good work, nor has my mind wavered since on the subject.
"The bodily agitations or exercises attending the excitement
were various and called by various names, as the falling exer- cise, the jerks, the dancing exercise, the barking exercise, the laughing and singing exercises, and so on. The falling exercise was very common among all classes, saints and sinners of every age and grade from the philosopher to the clown. The subject of this exercise would generally, with a piercing scream, fall like a log on the floor or earth and appear as dead. The jerks cannot be so easily described. Sometimes the subject of the jerks would be affected in one member of the body and sometimes in the whole system. When the head alone was affected it would jerk
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backward and forward, or from side to side so quickly that the features could not be distinguished, when the whole person was affected. I have seen & person stand in one place and jerk backward and forward in quick succession, the head nearly touching the floor behind and before. All classes, saints as well as sinners, the strong as well as the weak, were thus affected. They could not account for it, but some have told me these were among the happiest moments of their lives.
"The dancing exercise generally began with the jerks and was pecu- liar to professors of religion. The subject after jerking awhile began to dance and then the jerks would cease. Such dancing was indeed hear- enly to the spectators. There was nothing in it like levity, nor calcu- lated to excite levity in the beholder. The smile of heaven shone on the countenance of the subject and assimilated to angels appeared the whole person. The barking exercise, as opposers contemptuously called it, was nothing but the jerks. A person afflicted with the jerks, especially in the head, would often make a grunt or bark from the suddenness of the jerk. This name of barking seems to have had its origin from an old Presby- terian preacher of East Tennessee. He had gone into the woods for pri- vate devotion and was seized with the jerks. Standing near a sapling he caught hold of it to prevent his falling, and as his head jerked back he gave a grunt, or a kind of noise similar to a bark, his face turned upward. Some wag discovered him in this position and reported that he had found the old preacher barking up a tree.
"The laughing exercise was frequent, confined solely to the religious. It was a loud, hearty laughter but it excited laughter in none that saw it. The subject appeared rapturously solemn, and his laughter excited so- lemnity in saints and sinners. It was truly indescribable. The running exercise was nothing more than that persons feeling something of these bodily agitations, through fear, attempted to run away and thus escape from them; but it commonly happened that they ran not far before they fell, where they became so agitated that they could not proceed any fur- ther. The singing exercise is more unaccountable than anything else I ever saw. The subject, in a very happy state of mind, would sing most melodiously, not from the mouth or nose, but entirely in the breast, the sound issuing thence. Such noise silenced everything and attracted the attention of all. It was most heavenly; none could ever be tired of hearing it."
Elder Stone has been described as a man of respectable bearing. of spotless character and childlike simplicity, and easily attracted to the strange and marvelous. The above extract would seem amply to justify the description, and also that his judgment was somewhat under the do-
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minion of his imagination. Like Elder Hodge he evidently believed that the "jerks" were the work of God. He said that Dr. J. P. Campbell and himself "concluded it to be something beyond anything we had ever known in nature." Other writers besides Elder Stone have given descriptions of the jerks. The celebrated Peter Cartwright says:
"Just in the midst of our controversies on the subject of the powerful exercises among the people under preaching, a new exercise broke out among us, called the jerks, which was overwhelming in its effects upon the people. No matter whether they were saints or sinners they would be taken under a warm song or sermon and seized with a convulsive jerk- ing all over, which they could not by any possibility avoid; the more they resisted the more they jerked. If they would not strive against it and would pray in good earnest the jerking would usually abate. I have seen more than 500 persons jerking at one time in my large congrega- tions. Most usually persons taken with the jerks, to obtain relief. as they said, would rise up and dance. Some would run but could not get away. Some would resist; on such the jerks were very severe. To see these proud young gentlemen and young ladies dressed in silks, jewelry and prunella, from top to toe, take the jerks, would often excite my risi- bilities. The first jerk or so you would see their fine bonnets, caps and combs fly, and so sudden would be the jerking of the head that their long. loose hair would crack almost as loud as a wagoner's whip."
Besides other amusing experiences with the jerks, Peter Cartwright relates an account of a very different nature of a man who was jerked to death, which is probably the only case on record. A company of drunk- en rowdies attended a camp-meeting on what was called the Ridge. The jerks were very prevalent. The leader of the rowdies was a very large. drinking man, who cursed the jerks and all religion. Shortly afterward he himself took the jerks and started to run, but jerked so powerfully that he could not get away. Halting among some saplings he took a bottle of whisky out of his pocket and swore he would drink the jerks to death, but he jerked so violently he could not get the bottle to his mouth. At length, on account of a sudden jerk, his bottle struck a sapling, was broken and his whisky spilled upon the ground. A great crowd gathered around him. and when he lost his whisky he became very much enraged and cursed and swore very profanely. At length he fetched a very violent jerk, snapped his neck, fell and soon expired.
Peter Cartwright looked upon the jerks as a judgment sent from God to bring sinners to repentance, and to show to professors of religion that God could work "with or without means, and over and above means, to the glory of His grace and the salvation of the world." Lorenzo Dow
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has also left his account of the jerks. He preached in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1805, when about 150 of his congregation were affected with the jerks. He says: "I have seen all denominations of religion exercised with the jerks, gentleman and lady, black and white, young and old without exception. I have passed a meeting-house where I observed the under- growth had been out for camp-meeting, and from fifty to a hundred sap- lings were left, breast high. on purpose for the people to hold on by. I observed where they held on they had kicked up the earth as a horse stamping flies. I believe it does not effect those naturalists who try to get it to philosophize upon, and rarely those who are the most pious, but the Jukewarm, lazy professor and the wicked are subject to it." His opinion was that the jerking was "entirely involuntary and not to be ac- counted for on any known principle."
It has been stated above that the first manifestations of this strange phenomenon were witnessed at the old Red River Baptist Church. Some authorities, however, say that they first appeared at a sacramental meeting in East Tennessee, where several hundreds of both sexes were seized with this strange affection. The numbers that were affected at different sac- ramental and camp-meetings were various. At Cabin Creek, May, 1501, so many fell that on the third night, to prevent their being trampled upon, they were collected together and laid out in order, in two squares of the meeting-house, covering the floor like so many corpses. At Paint Creek, 200 fell, at Pleasant Point, 300, and at Cane Ridge, in August, 1801, as many as 3,000 are computed to have fallen.
This great revival lasted through the years 1800, 1801, 1802 and 1803, and resulted in the conversion of many thousands of people, though probably no very accurate estimate of the number was ever made. Per- haps its most prominent peculiarity was that it was a spontaneous out- burst of religious emotion among the masses. There was no great revival preacher like Wesley or Whitefield; there were no protracted meetings, at which by a long-continued and united effort, a revival was grad- ually brought about; but the camp-meetings were the result of the re- vival, which in an unusual manner came upon both preacher and people. Another characteristic of the revival was this: doctrinal and dogmatical discussions were dispensed with. Their value seems to have been for the time being entirely overlooked. The efforts for the ministers were chietly. if not wholly devoted to the excitation of the emotions, to impressing upon the minds of the multitudes the great religious truth of the impos- sibility of escape from punishment for sin, except through repentance and the acceptance of Christ as the Savior of the world; hence, the peo- ple labored under a powerful conviction of the necessity of reformation
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in their daily lives, which is always of infinitely greater importance than the doctrine of the decrees. The doctrines that were uttered were mainly those of Arminians and Pelagins rather than those of Calvin; doctrines which appeal more directly to the heart and the common intellect than those that were temporarily neglected. When the great excitement had died away, however, the discussion of doctrines was again renewed, to some of the features of which especially, such as were results of the re- vival itself, we shall refer after giving an explanation of the probable cause or causes of the jerks. These bodily agitations, which within the State of Tennessee were, strange as it may at first appear. confined almost exclusively to the Methodists and Presbyterians, although they were ex- perienced to some extent by the Baptists. But to the Presbyterians be- long the credit of first putting a check to and largely diminishing this wild extravagance. A minister of this denomination at a great camp- meeting at Paris, Ky., in 1503, arose, and in the strongest language denounced what he saw as extravagant and even monstrous, and imme- diately afterward, a part of the people under his leadership, took decided ground against the jerks. From that moment the wonderful movement began sensibly to decline.
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