USA > Virginia > A history of the valley of Virginia, 1st ed > Part 32
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Even among christians, those founders of religions societies have succeeded best who have prescribed a pro- fessional costume for their followers, because every time the disciple looks at his dress he is put in mind of his obligations to the society to which he belongs, and he is therefore the less liable to wander into strange pastures,
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The English government could never subdue the esprit du cour of the north of Scotland, until, after the rebellion of '45, the prohibition of wearing the tartan plaid, the kilt and the bonnet amongst the Highlanders, broke down the spirit of the clans.
I have seen several of the Moravian Indians, and wondered that they were permitted to wear the Indian dress. Their conduct, when among the white people, soon convinced me that the conversion of those whom I saw was far from being complete.
There can be little doubt but that, if permission should be given by the supreme power of the Mussulman faith, for a change, at the will of each individual, in dress, household furniture, and in cating and drinking, the whole Mohammedan system would be overthrown in a few years. With a similar permission, the Hindoo su- perstition would share the same fate.
We have yet some districts of country where the cos- tume, cabins, and in some measure the household fur- niture of their ancestors, are still in use. The people of these districts are far behind their neighbors in every valuable endowment of human nature. Among them the virtues of chastity, temperance and industry, bear no great value, and schools and places of worship are but little regarded. In general every one "does what is right in his own eyes."
In short, why have we so soon forgotten our forefa- thers, and every thing belonging to our former state? The reason is, every thing belonging to our former state has vanished from our views, and we meet with nothing to put us in remembrance of them. The recent date of the settlement of our country is no longer a subject of reflection. Its immense improvements present to the imagination the results of the labors of several centuries, instead of the work of a few years; and we do not often take the trouble to correct the false impression.
The introduction of the mechanic arts has certainly contributed not a little to the morals and scientific im- provement of the country.
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The carpenter, the joiner and mason, have displaced the rude, unsightly and uncomfortable cabins of our forefathers, by comfortable, and in many instances ele- gant mansions of stone, brick, hewn or sawn timbers.
The ultimate objects of civilization are the moral and physical happiness of man. To the latter, the commo- dious mansion house, with its furniture, contributes es- sentially. The family mansions of the nations of the earth furnish the criteria of the different grades of their moral and mental condition. The savages universally live in tents, wigwams, or lodges covered with earth. Barbarians, next to these, may indeed have habitations something better, but of no value and indifferently fur- nished. Such are the habitations of the Russian Tor- tar and Turkish peasantry.
Such is the effect of a large, elegant and well furnish- ed house, on the feelings and deportment of a family, that if you were to build one for a family of savages, by the occupancy of it they would lose their savage character ; or if they did not choose to make the cx- change of that character for that of civilization, they would forsake it for the wigwam and the woods.
This was done by many of the early stock of back- woodsmen, even after they built comfortable houses for themselves. They no longer had the chance of " a fall hunt :" the woods pasture was eaten up ; they wanted "elbow room." They therefore sold out, and fled to the forest of the frontier settlements, choosing rather to encounter the toil of turning the wilderness into fruit- ful fields a second time, and even risk an Indian war, than endure the inconveniences of a crowded settle- ment. Kentucky first offered a resting place for those pioneers, then Indiana, and now the Missouri; and it cannot be long before the Pacific ocean will put a final stop to the westward march of those lovers of the wil- derness.
Substantial buildings have the effect of giving value to the soil and creating an attachment to the family residence. 'Those who have been accustomed to poetry,
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ancient or modern, need not be told how finely and how impressively the household gods, the blazing hearth, the plentiful board, and the social fireside figure in poetical imagery. And this is not "tying up non- sense for a song." They are realities of life in its most polished states : they are among its best and most ra- tional enjoyments : they associate the little family com- munity in parental and filial affection and duty, in which even the well clothed child feels its importance, claims and duties.
The amount of attachment to the family mansion furnishes the criterion of the relative amount of virtue in the members of a family. If the head of a family should wander from the path of parental duty, and be- come addicted to vicious habits, in proportion as his vir- tue suffers a declension, his love of his home and fa- mily abates, until, at last, any place, however base and corrupting it may be, is more agreeable to him than the once dulce domum. If a similar declension in virtue happens on the part of the maternal chief of the family niansion, the first effect of her deviation from the path of maternal virtue is that "her feet abideth not in her own house." "The same observations apply to children. When the young man or woman, instead of manifesting a strong attachment to the family man- sion, is " given to outgoing," to places of licentious re- sort, their moral ruin may be said to be at no great distance.
Architecture is of use even in the important province of religion. Those who build no houses for themselves, build no temples for the service of God, and of course derive the less benefit from the institutions of religion. While our people lived in cabins, their places of worship were teuts, as they were called, their seats logs, their communion tables rough slabs of hewn timber. and the covering of the worshipers the leaves of the forest trees.
Churches have succeeded to tents with their rude ac- commodations for public worship. The very aspect of those sacred edifices fills the mind of the beholder with
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a religious awe, and as to the most believing and sin- cere, it serves to increase the fervor of devotion. Pat- riotism is augmented by the sight of the majestic forum of justice, the substantial public highway, and the bridge with its long succession of ponderous arches.
Rome and Greece would no doubt have fallen much sooner, had it not been for the patriotism inspired by their magnificent public edifices. But for these, their histories would have been less complete and lasting than they have been.
Emigration has brought to the western regions the wealth, science and arts of our eastern brethren, and even of Europe. These we hope have suffered no de- terioration in the western country. They have contri- buted much to the change which has been effected in the moral and scientific character of our country.
The ministry of the gospel has contributed no doubt immensely to the happy change which has been effect- ed in the state of our western society. At an early pe- riod of our settlements three Presbyterian clergymen commenced their clerical labors in our infant settle- ments, -- the Rev. Joseph Smith, the Rev. John M' Mil- lan, and the Rev. Mr. Bowers, the two latter of whom are still living. They were pious, patient, laborious men, who collected their people into regular congrega- tions, and did all for thom that their circumstances would allow. It was no disparagement to them that their first churches were the shady groves, and their first pulpits a kind of tent, constructed of a few rough slabs, and covered with clapboards. "He who dwelleth not exclusively in temples made with hands," was pro- pitious to their devotions.
From the outset they prudently resolved to create a ministry in the country, and accordingly established little grammar schools at their own houses or in their immediate neighborhoods. The course of education which they gave their pupils, was indeed not extensive; but the piery of those who entered into the ministry more than made up the deficiency. They formned so-
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cieties, most of which are now large and respectable, and in point of education their ministry has much im- proved.
About the year 1792, an academy was established at Canonsburg, in Washington county, in the western part of Pennsylvania, which was afterwards incorpo- rated under the name of Jefferson college.
The means possessed by the society for the underta- king were indeed but small ; but they not only erected a tolerable edifice for the academy, but created a fund for the education of such pious young men as were desirous of entering into the ministry, but were unable to defray the expenses of their education. This insti- tution has been remarkably successful in its operations. It has produced a large number of good scholars in all the literary professions, and added immensely to the science of the country.
Next to this, Washington college, situated in the county town of the county of that name, has been the means of diffusing much of the light of science through the western country.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed on those good men who opened these fruitful sources of instruction for our infant country, at so early a period of its settlement. They have immensely improved the departments of theology, law, medicine and legislation, in the western regions.
At a later period the Methodist society began their labors in the western parts of Virginia and Pennsylva- nia. Their progress at first was slow, but their zeal and perseverance at length overcame every obstacle, so that they are now one of the most numerous and res- pectable societies in this country. The itinerant plan of their ministry is well calculated to convey the gospel throughout a thinly scattered population. Accordingly their ministry has kept pace with the extension of our settlements. The little cabin was scarcely built, and the little field fenced in, before these evangelical teach-
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ers made their appearance amongst them, collected them into societies, and taught them the worship of God.
Had it not been for the labors of these indefatigable men, our country, as to a great extent of its settlements, would have been at this day a semi-barbaric region. How many thousands and tens of thousands of the most ignorant and licentious of our population have they instructed and reclaimed from the error of their ways ! They have restored to society even the most worthless, and made them valuable and respectable as citizens, and useful in all the relations of life. Their numerous and zealous ministry bids fair to carry on the good work to any extent which our settlements and population may require.
With the Catholics I have but little acquaintance, but have every reason to believe, that in proportion to the extent of their flocks, they have done well. In this country they have received the episcopal visitations of their bishops. In Kentucky they have a cathedral, a college and a bishop. In Indiana they have a monas- tery of the order of St. Trap, which is also a college, and a bishop.
Their clergy, with apostolic zeal, but in an unosten- tatious manner, have sought out and ministered to their scattered flocks throughout the country, and as far as I know with good success.
The societies of Friends in the western country are numerous, and their establishments in good order. Al- though they are not much in favor of a classical edu- cation, they are nevertheless in the habit of giving their people a substantial English education. Their habits of industry and attention to useful arts and im- provements are highly honorable to themselves and worthy of imitation.
The Baptists in the state of Kentucky took the lead. in the ministry, and with great success. Their estab- lishments are, as I have been informed, at present nu- merous and respectable in that state. A great and sa- lutary revolution has taken place in this community of
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people. Their ministry was formerly quite illiterate; but they have turned their attention to science, and have already erected some very respectable literary es- tablishments in different parts of America.
The German. Lutheran and Reformed churches in our country, as far as I know of them, are doing well. The number of the Lutheran congregations is said to be at least one hundred; that of the Reformed, it is pre- sumed, is about the same amount.
It is remarkable that throughout the whole extent of the United States, the Germans, in proportion to their wealth, have the best churches, organs and grave- yards. It is a fortunate circumstance that those of our citizens who labor under the disadvantage of speaking a foreign language, are blessed with a ministry so evan- gelical as that of these very numerous and respectable communities.
The Episcopalian church, which ought to have been foremost in gathering their scattered flocks; have been the last. and done the least of any christian community in the evangelical work. Taking the western country in its whole extent. at least one half of its population was originally of Episcopalian parentage ; but for want of a ministry of their own they have associated with other communities. They had no alternative but that of changing their profession or living and dying with- out the ordinances of religion. It can be no subject of regret that those ordinances were placed within their reach by other hands, whilst they were withheld by those, by whom, as a matter of right and duty, they ought to have been given. One single chorea episco- pus, or suffragan bishop, of a faithful spirit, who, tiven- "y years ago, should. have "ordained them elders in every place" where they were needed, would have been the instrument of forming Episcopal congregations over a great extent of country, and which by this time would have become large, numerous and respectable; but the opportunity was neglected, and the consequent loss to this church is irreparable.
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So total a neglect of the spiritual interests of so ma- ny valuable people, for so great a length of time, by a ministry so near at hand, is a singular and unprece- dented fact in ecclesiastical history, the like of which never occurred before.
It seems to me, that if the twentieth part of their number of christian people, of any other community, had been placed in Siberia, and dependent on any other ecclesiastical authority in this country, that that author- ity would have reached them many years ago with the ministration of the gospel. With the earliest and most numerous Episcopacy in America, not one of the eastern bishops has ever yet crossed the Allegany mountains, although the dioceses of two of them comprehend large tracts of country on the western side of the mountains. It is hoped that the future diligence of this community will make up, in some degree, for the negligence of the past.
There is still an immense void in this country which it is their duty to fill up. From their respectability, out the ground of antiquity among the reformed churches, the science of their patriarchs, who have been the lights of the world -- from their number and great resources, even in America, -- she ought to hasten to fulfill the just expectations of her own people, as well as those of other communities, in contributing her full share to the science, piety, and civilization of our country.
From the whole of our ecclesiastical history, it ap- pears, that, with the exception of the Episcopal church, all our religious communities have done well for their country.
The author begs that it may be understood, that with the distinguishing tenets of our religious societies he has nothing to do. nor yet with the excellencies or de- fects of their ecclesiastical institutions. They are no- ticed on no other ground than that of their respective contributions to the science and civilization of the country.
The last, but not the least of the means of our pre-
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sent civilization, are our excellent forms of government and the administration of the laws.
In vain, as means of general reformation, are schools, colleges, and a ministry of the gospel of the best order. A land of liberty is a land of crime, as well as of virtue.
It is often mentioned, as a matter of reproach to Eng- land, that, in proportion to her population, they have more convictions, executions and transportations, than any other country in Europe. Should it be asked, what is the reason of the prevalence of crime in England ? -Is it, that human nature is worse there than else- where ? We answer no. There is more liberty there than elsewhere in Europe, and that is the true and only solution of the matter in question. Where a people are at liberty to learn what they choose, to think and act as they please, and adopt any profession for a living or a fortune, they are much more liable to fall into the com- mission of crimes, than a people who from their infan- cy have been accustomed to the dull, monotonous march of despotism, which chains each individual to the rank and profession of his forefathers, and does not permit him to wander into the strange and devious paths of hazardous experiments.
In America, should a stranger read awhile our nu- merous publications of a religious nature, the reports of missionary and Bible societies, at first blush he would look upon the Americans as a nation of saints ; let him lay these aside, and read the daily newspapers, he will change his opinion, and for the time being consider them as a nation abounding in crimes of the most atrocious dye. Both portraits are true.
The greater the amount of freedom, the greater the necessity of a steady and faithful administration of jus- tice, but more especially of criminal justice ; because a general diffusion of science, while it produces the most salutary effects on a general scale, produces also the worst of crimes, by creating the greater capacity for their commission. There is scarcely any art or science, which is not in some hands and under certain circum-
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stances made an instrument of the most atrocious vices. The arts of navigation and gunnery, so necessary for the wealth and defense of a nation, have often degene- rated into the crime of piracy. The beautiful art of en- graving, and the more useful art of writing, have been used by the fraudulent for counterfeiting all kinds of public and private documents of credit. Were it not for science and freedom, the important professions of theology and physic would not be so frequently assumed by the pseudo priest and the quack without previous acquirements, without right, and for purposes wholly base and unwarrantable.
The truth is, the western country is the region of ad- venture. If we have derived some advantage from the importation of science, arts and wealth : we have on the other hand been much annoyed and endangered, as to our moral and political state, by an immense im- portation of vice, associated with a high grade of sci- ence and the most consummate art in the pursuit of wealth by every description of unlawful means. The steady administration of justice has been our only safety from destruction, by the pestilential influence of so great an amount of moral depravity in our infant country.
Still it may be asked whether facts warrant the belief that the scale is fairly turned in favor of science, piety and civilization-whether in regard to these important endowments of our nature, the present tine is better than the past, and the future likely to be better than the present-whether we may safely consider our political institutions so matured and settled that our personal lib- erty, property and sacred honor. are not only secured to us for the present, but likely to remain the inheritance of our children for generations yet to come. Society, in its best state, resembles a sleeping volcano, as to the amount of latent moral evil which it always contains. It is enough for public safety, and all that can reason- ably be expected, that the good preponderate over the evil. The moral and political means, which have been so successfully employed for preventing a revolutionary
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explosion, have, as we trust, procrastinated the danger of such an event for a long time to come. If we have criminals, they are speedily pursued and brought to justice.
The places of our country, which still remain in their native state of wilderness, do not, as in many other countries, aiford notorious lodgments for thieves. Our hills are not, as in the wilderness of Judea, " hills of robbers." The ministry of the holy gospel is enlight- ening the minds of our people with the best of all sci- ences, that of God himself, his divine government and man's future state.
Let it not be thought hard that our forums of justice are so numerous. the style of their architecture so im- posing, and the business which occupies them so multi- farious ; they are the price which freedom must pay for its protection. Commerce, circulating through its mil- Iion channels, will create an endless variety of litigated claimns. Crimes of the deepest dye, springing from sci- ence and liberty themselves, require constantly the vi- gilance and coercion of criminal justice. Even the poorest of our people are solicitous for the education of their children. Thus the great supports of our moral and political state, resting on their firmest bases, public opinion and attachment to our government and laws, promise stability for generations yet to come,
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SURPRISING ADVENTURES : A COPY OF A PAMPHLET PRINTED ABOUT THE YEAR 1800.
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The affecting history of the dreadful distresses of Frederick Manheim's family.
Frederick Manheim, an industrious German, with his family, consisting of his wife, Catharine a daughter of eighteen years of age, and Maria and Christina his youngest children (twins) about sixteen, resided near the river Mohawk, eight miles west of Johnstown. in the state of New-York. On the 19th of October. 1779. the father being at work at some distance from his ha- bitation, and the mother and eldest daughter on a visit at a neighbor's, two hostile Canasadaga Indians rushed in and captured the twin sisterz.
The party to which these savages belonged, consisted of fifty warriors, who, after securing twenty-three of the inhabitants of that neighborhood, (among whom was the unfortunate Frederick Manheim.) and firing their houses, retreated for four days with the utmost precipi- tancy, till they were quite safe from pursuit. The plice where they halted on the evening of the day of rest. w is a thick pine swamp, which rendered the darkness of an uncommonly gloomy night still more dreadful. The Indian's kindled a fire, which they had not done before, and ordered their prisoners, whom they kept to- gether, to refresh themselves with such provisions as they had. The Indians ate by themselves.
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Instead of retiring to rest after supping, the appalled captives observed their enemies busied in operations which boded nothing good. Two saplings were pruned clear of branches up to the very top, and all the brush cleared away for several rods around them. While this was doing, others were splitting pitch pine billets into small splinters about five inches in length, and as small as one's little finger, sharpening one end, and dipping the other in melted turpentine.
At length. with countenances distorted by infernal fury, and with hideous yells, the two savages who had captured the hapless Maria and Christina, leaped into the midst of their circle, and dragged those ill-fated maidens, shrieking, from the embraces of their con- panions. These warriors had disagreed about whose property the girls should be, as they had jointly seized them : and to terminate the dispute, agreeably to the abominable usage of the savages; it was determined by the chiefs of the party, that the prisoners who gave rise to the contention, should be destroyed, and that their captors should be the principal agents in the execrable business. These furies, assisted by their comrades, stripped the forlorn girls, already convulsed with appre- hensions, and tied each to a sapling, with their hands as high extended above their heads as possible: and then pitched them from their knees to their shoulders, with upwards of six hundred of the sharpened splin- ters above described, which, at every puncture, brought forth screams of distress, that echoed and re-echoed through the wilderness. And then to complete the in- fernal tragedy, the splinters, all standing erect on the bleeding victims, were every one set on fire, and exhi- b ted a scene of monstrous misery beyond the power of speech to describe, or even imagination to conceive. It was not until near three hours had elapsed from the commencement of their torments, and that they had lost almost every resemblance of the human forin, that these helpless virgins sunk down in the arms of their deliverer death.
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