USA > Virginia > Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia, Vol. II > Part 33
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again issued a religious magazine, and engaged in every plan for promoting Sunday-schools, infant-schools, Bible-classes, missionary societies, and all such things, being especially interested in Bishop Chase's college in Ohio. His house was the Bishop's home. The increase of Episcopal churches in Philadelphia soon attracted his mind. At a time when a narrow and selfish policy kept ministers and vestries in a state of fear and trembling whenever a new church was talked of, lest its establishment might somewhat interfere with their monopoly, his large soul, disdaining all petty considerations, determined on at least one other church, under the patronage of St. Paul's. Mr. Bedell was about leaving North Carolina, and wished some situation in the North. Mr. Allen, learning this, immediately determined to secure him for Philadelphia, and proposed it to a few friends. Alarmed at the thought of such a great work, they shrunk back from it; but Mr. Allen persevered and succeeded, and St. Andrew's Church was the result. While Mr. Bedell was col- lecting the congregation and the house was rising up, Mr. Allen insisted that he should use St. Paul's during a part of each Sabbath. Some of his people and friends were alarmed, and predicted that the popularity of Bedell would ruin Mr. Allen's prospects, and di- minish, if not destroy, St. Paul's congregation. But nothing of this kind moved such a man. His reply was, "Let me decrease, so the Church increases." By God's blessing on such a Christian course, both increased, though Mr. Allen's pulpit-talents were only of the moderate order. At length, under the pressure of mental and bodily labour, his health so failed that a voyage to Europe was resorted to. But it was only used by him on his way to England, in England, and on his return, as an occasion for greater efforts in his Master's cause and for the souls of men. Providence found work for him in a foreign land, and gave him favour with the most zealous of the Christian philanthropists in England. It may be safely affirmed that, within the same short period, no minister from this country had ever attracted more attention, and had, and zeal- ously used, more opportunities of promoting the welfare of all reli- gious and benevolent societies, than Mr. Allen. Even the Society of Quakers felt the influence of his zeal in behalf of Sunday-schools, "nd to this day speak of him as "that wonderful man." After these dying labours, which were like the last notes of the swan, he returned toward America in a vessel which, by contrary winds, was detained nearly one hundred days on the deep, the crew suffering for provisions. Mr. Allen's grave was the great deep, as though no narrow sepulchre was fit for one of so large a soul.
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We now draw to a close these notices of what was once Berkeley county and Norbourne parish, but which in the year 1801 became Berkeley and Jefferson counties, and in time has been divided into six parishes,-those around Charlestown, Harper's Ferry, Shep- herdstown, Martinsburg, Bunker's Hill, and Smithfield. The Rev. B. B. Smith, now Bishop of Kentucky, succeeded Mr. Allen in the congregations at Charlestown and Shepherdstown, and continued to serve them most acceptably for nearly two years. The Rev. Alexander Jones succeeded in 1823, and for fifteen years served the same congregations, at the end of which time he confined his services to the congregation at Charlestown. The Rev. Mr. Morri- son took his place at Shepherdstown and continued for two years, and was succeeded by the present rector, the Rev. Mr. Andrews. Dr. Jones continued in Charlestown until his removal to Richmond a few years since. During his long ministry in that parish the congregation steadily increased, until it became one of the largest of our country parishes, and two noble churches were erected, the first having been consumed by fire, as we have said before. Mr. Jones was followed in Charlestown by the Rev. Dudley Tyng, and he was succeeded by its present rector, the Rev. Charles Ambler.
The small number of Episcopalians at Harper's Ferry had, from the time of Mr. Allen, been occasionally-sometimes regularly- visited by the ministers at Charlestown and Shepherdstown, until a few years since, when the church now standing on an imposing eminence was built. During its erection, and with much attention on his part, the Rev. Horace Stringfellow, Jr., was its minister. To him succeeded for a time the Rev. Mr. Wilcoxon. The congre- gation at Martinsburg, after being organized and for a time sup- plied by Mr. Allen, was put in charge of the Rev. Mr. Horrell, who continued for several years, and was succeeded in 1819 by the Rev. Enoch Lowe. The Rev. Mr. Lippitt succeeded him. The Rev. Dr. Brooke, now of Ohio, the Rev. James Tyng, the Rev. Mr. Johnson, the Rev. Mr. Taliafero, the Rev. James Chisholm, the Rev. D. F. Sprigg, and the present minister, the Rev. Richard Davis, have successively for the last thirty years supplied the two congregations at Martinsburg and Hedgesville. The church at Bunker's Hill, or Morgan's Chapel, has been for the most part supplied by the ministers from Martinsburg and Winchester, but of late years has united with the congregations of Smithfield and Leetown, each about five miles off. The Rev. Mr. Brown was the first who had charge of these three in conjunction, who, after some years, was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Callaway. The Rev. Mr.
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Grammer has just taken charge of them. In Smithfield and Lee- town two excellent churches have recently been erected, the former by the zeal and liberality of a very few ladies and gentlemen, and the latter at the expense of the Rev. Lewis Balch, of Baltimore, with the aid of some of his people in the church of St. Bartholo- mew, of New York, while he ministered to them. It being the birthplace or early home of some of his ancestors, and the present residence of his parents, Mr. Balch has sought to confer upon it an honour far higher than the proudest and most expensive monument. There is a circumstance peculiar to this neighbourhood which de- serves a record. Not only was the property and the residence of General Charles Lee, of Revolutionary memory, from whom it took its name, in sight of the church, but not far distant were the estates of General Gates, General Stephens, and General Darke, all of them officers in the American army. It was meet that a Christian church should tower above the abode of such a wretched blasphemer as General Lee. The following extract from his will declares the character of him who once enviously sought to de- throne Washington from the confidence of the nation, and to have the chief command of the American army conferred on himself, who wellnigh lost us the victory on the field of Monmouth, and who ingloriously terminated his days, a selfish celibate, in the midst of dogs for his most familiar friends, and an enemy to God and man :-
"I desire most earnestly that I may not be buried in any church or churchyard, or within a mile of any Presbyterian or Anabaptist meeting- house, for since I have resided in this country I have kept so much bad company when living, that I do not choose to continue it when dead. I recommend my soul to the Creator of all worlds and all creatures, who must, from his visible attributes, be indifferent to their modes of worship or creeds, whether Christians, Mahometans, or Jews, whether instilled by education or taken up by reflection, whether more or less absurd, as a weak mortal can no more be answerable for his persuasions, notions, or even skepticism in religion, than for the colour of his skin."
Extracted from his will, recorded in the court of Berkeley county.
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FAMILIES OF VIRGINIA.
ARTICLE LXXV.
Parishes in Hampshire and Shenandoah Counties.
HAVING disposed of Berkeley county, I come to Hampshire, which was formed into a county and parish in the year 1753. I perceive how the parish of Hampshire was divided and one established in Hardy in 1785, but of the ministers and churches of the same I have but little to say. In the year 1771 the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, and in the year 1772 the Rev. Mr. Manning and the Rev. Mr. Kenner, were all ordained, in England, for Hampshire. Mr. Manning alone ever reached there,-the others settling in parishes below the Ridge. About the year 1812, or 1813, I remember to have seen a Rev. Mr. Reynolds, who said that he was the minister in Hampshire and Hardy. No churches, I expect, were ever built in these counties until those I am about to mention. The Rev. Norman Nash, a friend of Mr. Allen, desired to become a candidate for Orders in . Virginia, and be ordained without the knowledge of the languages. To this Bishop Moore objected. Mr. Nash strongly declared his conviction that he was called of God and moved by the Holy Ghost to the work, but that he was advancing in years, and, having never studied the ancient languages, it must be a long time before he could be prepared for the ministry, if a knowledge of these were requisite ; that he might die before that period arrived, and that if God should inquire of him why he had not obeyed his orders, he could only say that Bishop Moore would not let him, until he had studied Latin and Greek. Without entering into the merits of the question between him and the Bishop, suffice it to say that the latter yielded. Mr. Nash was ordained for the county of Hampshire, where the ancient languages were but little known and not much required. Hampshire may be truly called the hill-coun- try of Virginia,-not surpassed in high hills and deep valleys by that of Judea itself. In one of its deep narrow valleys, and on its hill-sides, a few families of plain people had settled, who retained a strong attachment to the Church while all around had forsaken her as the Babylon of prophecy. There was added to them one which had emigrated from Scotland, with all the Scottish prejudices against the Church; but the father of the family, on his way to
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these Western hills, had met with some of Bishop Hobart's works, and become a thorough convert to his views of Episcopacy and the Church. The old man was also a great reader of Scripture, and spent many of his latter years in writing a full paraphrase of large portions of it,-even of the prophetical books. At his death he bequeathed them to Dr. Balmaine and myself for publication, if we deemed them worthy. A box of considerable size was full of these manuscripts, in very close, small hand. We were, of course, afraid to venture on so great an undertaking. Into this hilly re- gion did the Rev. Mr. Nash enter, and never did man labour more faithfully than he did, It might have been said of him, if he could not say it of himself,-
"Si Pergama dextra defendi possent, Etiam hac defensa fuissent;"
for he was well suited to the work and place. Having spent his earlier days in mechanical pursuits, he diligently employed his skill in helping to erect and complete two log churches,-working with his own hands in various ways. When completed, he used every proper effort to fill them with Episcopal worshippers, and, for a time, did in a measure succeed. But there are some winds and tides against which even the power of steam proves ineffectual, and there are some places and societies where the excellencies of our Church system and service cannot avail against violent and long- established prejudices, even though the Gospel be faithfully preached in connection with it. Such was the case in relation to this part of Virginia, where not only Norman Nash laboured zealously and preached faithfully, but where his nephew,-Mr. Sylvester Nash,- who succeeded him, did the same, and where other ministers have lent their aid, and Bishops have not failed in their peculiar offices. Bishop Moore visited these churches several times. Mr. Sylvester Nash not only officiated for some years at these log churches, but, by much solicitation and perseverance, succeeded in building a neat brick church in Romney, the county seat of Hampshire, where ma- terials more abounded and the prospects for a time were more flourishing, but he was not encouraged to make a permanent abode there. The Rev. Mr. Hedges also made a few ineffectual efforts after the resignation of Mr. Nash, and, within a few years past, the Rev. Mr. Irish repeated the same, with the same result. Since this last effort, the church has been consumed by fire. In the many changes which are continually going on in society, we will not despair of seeing her old bare walls clothed again with garments of praise, and a crown once more on her head.
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I come now-if not in the order of time, yet of geography-to the county of Shenandoah,-originally called after Lord Dunmore, but changed to its present title by reason of the conduct of Dun- more, which made his name so hateful to Virginia. The parish was named Beckford. All this region was settled by Germans and Swedes. Hence it was that a Swedish congregation was here col- lected, and that the Rev. Peter Muhlenburg-son of the Rev. Mr. Muhlenburg, father of the Lutheran Church in America-was sent to take charge of it. A brief sketch of his history is necessary to the proper understanding of his settlement at Woodstock, the county seat of Shenandoah. He was born in the village of Trappe, in Pennsylvania, in the year 1747, and baptized John Peter Gabriel Muhlenburg. His father emigrated from Germany in 1742, and became the founder of the Lutheran Church in this country,-living at first, and for some years, in Philadelphia, then moving to Mont- gomery county, Pennsylvania, and thence back again to Philadelphia. His son was early destined in his father's mind and purpose to the ministry, and educated with a view to the same. In the year 1763, Peter, then sixteen years of age, and his two brothers,-Frederick and Henry,-were sent to Halle, in Germany, for their education. Before this time, his father had begun to fear that Peter's disposi- tion and habits were not suited to the ministry. In writing to a friend, to whose care he consigned him, he says :-
" My son Peter has, alas, enjoyed but little of my care and control, on account of my extensive official duties; but he has had no evil example from his parents, and many reproofs and counsels. His chief fault and bad inclination has been his fondness for hunting and fishing. But if our most reverend fathers at Halle observe any tendency to vice, I humbly beg that they will send him to a well-disciplined garrison-town under the name of Peter Weiser, before he causes much trouble or complaint. There he may obey the drum, if he will not follow the Spirit of God. My prayers will follow him, and if his soul only is saved,-be he in what condition he may,-I shall be content. I well know what Satan wishes for me and mine."
I take the following account of him, until his settlement in Vir- ginia, from his life, written by Mr. Henry Muhlenburg, who was either his brother or some near relative :-
"These anticipations were soon realized. Perhaps the young Americans were looked upon as demi-savages by their German fellow-students, and perhaps Peter's disposition was too fiery to submit to the strict discipline of a German school,-at that time strict even to the verge of cruelty. Be that as it may,-whether caused by one or the other reason, or by a combina- tion of both,-Peter was continually in trouble. Things went on from bad to worse, until some time in the year 1764, upon the occasion of a public
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procession in the presence of the heads of the University, some insult was offered to him by his tutor, which his hot temper would not brook, and it was revenged upon the spot by a blow.
" This outrage rendered his expulsion inevitable. He did not, however, wait for its official notification, but, collecting his little property, fled from the University. A regiment of dragoons was passing through the town, in which, upon the spur of the moment, he enlisted, little thinking that his father had recommended that very remedy to cool his hot blood. Although not eighteen, he was tall and well proportioned, and so desirable a recruit was readily accepted. He thus left the University, little caring what be- came of him, so rejoiced was he in being freed from what he deemed the tyranny of rectors and proctors.
" The precise length of time he remained with this regiment, the writer has no means of ascertaining. , He must, however, have fully upheld the character he had gained at the University, as appears from the following anecdote connected with this regiment, related by himself, and still pre- served as a family tradition. Ten or eleven years after, the battle of Brandywine was fought. In that action General Muhlenburg commanded a brigade of Virginians, which, with Weedon's, was thrown forward, at the close of that hard-fought day, to repel the victorious advance of the enemy and give time to our shattered columns to retreat. The struggle was at the point of the bayonet, and it so happened that this very regiment dis- mounted was one of those opposed to Muhlenburg's command. The General, mounted on a white horse, tall and commanding in his figure, was very conspicuous at the head of his men leading on the long line of Continentals : when the contending parties came near enough to be recog- nised, many of the older soldiers (German enlistments being for life) remembered their former comrade, and the cry ran along their astonished ranks, 'Hier kommt teufel Piet!' (Here comes devil Pete !) Finally he was freed from the obligations he had so rashly assumed, in the following manner. A colonel in the British army, whose name is unfortunately forgotten, was leaving Hanover, where he held some official appointment, for America. He had been, prior to this, long stationed in that country, was a frequent visitor at the house of Dr. Muhlenburg, and knew the family and Peter well. On his journey he happened to pass through the town in which this regiment was then quartered, and, to his utter surprise, recognised his young American acquaintance among its soldiers. He sought him out, and learned the cause of his present position, after which, , by representing the matter in its true light, as a boyish student's freak, and certifying to the respectability of his family, he easily procured his discharge. Peter took leave of his comrades and accompanied his kind friend to America, where he arrived some time in the year 1766. This interposition was probably the most fortunate event of his life ; for, although his family would sooner or later have procured his discharge, yet, from the rarity of intercourse and length of time necessarily occupied, he might have remained there a year or two longer and become utterly dis- qualified for any other pursuits. As it was, the occurrence had a beneficial effect upon his character and disposition, rendering him more tractable, although most probably the taste for military life here acquired influenced his whole future career.
"His father, who, as we may well conceive, had suffered much anxiety on account of his son, in his joy at the lost being found, received him with open arms, and granted him forgiveness for, and oblivion of, the past.
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For some time Peter remained at home, his father personally superintend- ing the completion of his education.
"It was now time for him to turn his thoughts to the selection of a profession, and, had his own wishes only been consulted, he would doubt- less have chosen the army; but his father very earnestly desired that the Church which he had founded in America should be supported and sus- tained by the efforts of his sons. The uniform kindness which his many youthful follies had met with at his father's hands inclined him to yield to his wishes; and accordingly he commenced the study of theology, under his father's directions.
" Early in the year 1768, he was ordained a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, according to the rules and discipline of that sect, and on the 12th of May was appointed assistant rector of Zion's and St. Paul's Churches, in New Jersey. These congregations, commonly known as the Valley Churches, were situated at New Germantown and Bedminster, in Hunterdon and Somerset counties. On the 5th of February in the ensuing year, he commenced officiating, and remained in that capacity for several years.
"Retaining his strong partiality for hunting and fishing, (the bad in- clinations referred to earlier by his father,) he become thoroughly acquainted with that part of the country,-a knowledge which, during the long stay of the army at Morristown and its subsequent operations in New Jersey, became of great value. While situated in New Jersey, his marriage with Anne Barbara Meyer took place, the ceremony being performed on the 6th of November, 1770.
"For some years prior to this, the German inhabitants of the Middle States commenced emigrating in considerable numbers to Virginia, set- tling principally in the Valley of the Blue Ridge. These German settle- ments gradually became large, particularly those in Dunmore; and, being Lutheran, a congregation was formed at Woodstock, the seat of justice for that county. This congregation desired a pastor, and accordingly appli- cation was made to Dr. Muhlenburg to appoint one, with the request that his son might be assigned to that situation. Some difficulties, however, presented themselves. In order to meet the peculiar laws of the Colony of Virginia on the subject of Church establishment, these Germans had organized themselves as members of the Swedish branch of the Lutheran Church, there being no difference between that and the German, save in point of form only. Some congregations of the former existed at this very time in Pennsylvania, and were in close connection with the Lutheran Church proper. The Swedish Church, at the Reformation, differed from the German in retaining its Bishops, and their discipline required that pastors should be ordained and consecrated by a Bishop. This had not been done in Mr. Muhlenburg's case, who had been ordained by his father in accordance with the rules and discipline of the German Lutheran Church. Another obstacle arose from the union of Church and State in Virginia, where the Church of England was established by law, and, in order that the rector might enforce the payment of tithes, it was necessary that he should have been ordained by a Bishop of the English Church, in which case he came under the provisions of the law, although not a member of the Established Church. To meet these difficulties, it was deemed neces- sary that Mr. Muhlenburg should be ordained anew, according to the dis- cipline prescribed by the Swedish Lutheran Church. Accordingly, he resigned his charge in New Jersey, and made preparation for a voyage to
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England to receive Episcopal ordination, any properly-consecrated Pro- testant Bishop being competent for that purpose. He sailed from Phila- delphia for London on the 2d of March, 1772, and arrived at Dover on the 10th of the following month. During this journey, Mr. Muhlenburg kept a daily journal, now in the writer's possession, which is in many parts highly interesting ; but space forbids any extracts being here made. From this journal, however, we learn that, if any scruples did exist in his mind with respect to his profession at the time of his entering upon the study of it, they were now entirely removed, and he seems to have been fully impressed with the serious nature of the duties he had assumed, and to have brought to their discharge a spirit of pure and humble Christianity."
His biographer informs us that his stay in London was brief, and that he was ordained at the same time with a Mr. Braidfoot and Mr. White, the latter being afterward Bishop of Pennsylvania. He further adds, that the disputes between the mother-country were just commencing to be of intense bitterness, when Mr. Muh- lenburg removed with his family from Pennsylvania to take charge of his congregation in Virginia. Arriving among them in the fall of 1772, sufficient time was given him, before the breaking out of hostilities, to become extensively acquainted throughout the valley. With Washington and Henry he was soon on terms of personal intimacy, for in June, 1774, he was with them in the House of Burgesses, being sent as representative by the people of his county. This friendship had afterward much weight in determining Mr. Muhlenburg to enter the army. Dunmore county, afterward She- nandoah, under the controlling influence of Mr. Muhlenburg, was one of the first to step forward in opposition to British usurpation. At the first meeting of its citizens he was chosen moderator, and one of the committee of correspondence. Although still a minister, he was sent to the House of Burgesses and Convention again and again, and with all his zeal supported Mr. Henry in the boldest measures he proposed. His character became so well known that in 1775 he was elected Colonel of the 8th regiment, without any other knowledge of military matters than he had acquired when a truant youth in Germany. Washington and Henry both urged his appoint- ment, for they had doubtless seen in which direction his talents moved. His was the first regiment completed on the field. His biographer endorses the tradition of his last sermon, which concluded with the words that there was "a time for all things; a time to fight, and that time had now come." The sermon finished, he pronounced the benediction. A breathless silence brooded over the congrega- tion. Deliberately pulling off the gown which had thus far covered his martial figure, he stood before them a girded warrior, and, de-
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