USA > Virginia > Sketches of Virginia : historical and biographical > Part 7
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Some Acts of Presbytery.
In the short period of two years and four months, from the time of its formation to its remodelling in 1758, the Presbytery of Hanover held nine . meetings,-met four times by committee ap- pointed for Presbyterial business,-and appointed one committee of peculiar powers, viz-Aug. 25, 1756-" As the members are scattered so that they cannot often meet in stated Presbytery, nor be called pro re nata, the Presbytery appoint Messrs. Todd, Wright, Brown, and Davies, or any two of them a committee for this year, to transact such affairs as may not admit of a delay till the meeting of the Presbytery, and they shall bring in an account of their pro- ceeding to Presbytery." The first act of Presbytery was to appoint a fast, in accordance with the Act of Synod ;- and their last act was to appoint the last Wednesday of June, to be observed by all the members in their congregations as a day of public fasting and prayer, on account of the situation of our public affairs; and the want of divine influence on the means of grace. An, address was presented to the Right Honorable John, Earl of Loudon, Supreme Governor of the Colony-in which-after professing loyalty-they hope-"your Excellency will grant us all liberties and immunities of
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CONGREGATION OF NEW PROVIDENCE.
a full toleration, according to the laws of England, and particularly according to the Act of Parliament, commonly called the Act of Toleration."
An address, with a like expression of hope and desire, was addressed to Governor Fauquier. Earl Loudon made no reply ; Fauquier assured the Presbytery of the protection of the Act of Toleration.
CHAPTER V.
NEW PROVIDENCE.
THE Rev. Samuel Houston, in answer to some inquiries made by the Rev. James Morrison, the third pastor of New Providence, gave in writing the origin of the congregation. He begins with the grants to Beverly and Burden. "The dividing line between their grants crossed the valley near where New Providence church now stands."
" Those families that came first were nearly connected, or large families. For comfort and for safety they generally settled near each other, and with the understanding that as soon as practicable they might have schools for their children; and form religious societies, and have places of public worship. Those first settlers in the valley were mostly Presbyterians ; but those in New Providence, I believe wholly so, at least in name. Near the South Mountain, there were several families of the name of Moore,-others of Steel,-near them M'Clung,-and Fulton,-Beard; and then a little further on, my grand-father, John Houston, and his brother-in-law, John Mont- gomery, and some by the name of Eaken. Near the middle (of the valley), on Kennedy's Creek and its branches were, the Ken- nedys, Wardlaws, Logans ; and another line of Steels, Edmundsons, Buchanans, Pattons, Millars, Stephensons. Towards the North
Mountain, on Hays' and Walker's Creek, were two families of Hays, three or four Walkers of the same stock, and their brother- in-law, James Moore ; two families of Robinsons, one of Kelly, Hudson, Thompson, Smiley, and two of Rheas. In the midst were three of the Berry family, one of Tedford, one M'Campbell, two or three M'Croskys, and a Coalter family. In the course of a few years, other families came and settled amongst them; their names were, M'Nutt, Weir, Campbell, Wilson, Anderson, Culton, Henry, Lowry, and another stock of Edmundsons, and one family named Todd, my grand-father on my mother's side; two of the name of Stuart, one of Alexander, Cowder, Gray, Jamieson, and two Pat- tons. Of all these families, by intermarriages other families were soon formed; also others coming in.
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THE MEETING HOUSE.
"The above settlers commenced, at least many of them, in the woods, and in much fear from the savages and wild beasts. Hence at my grand-father's house, some distance from the South Mountain, but nearer it than the western side of the settlement, and a house most convenient for the whole settlement to collect their families together in case of an invasion, the settlers erected a stockade fort, the remainders of which, I saw around the yard when I was a boy. Near to the fort, at a place called then, and now, Old Providence, they erected a log meeting-house, and had worship occasionally by supplies from Pennsylvania. In those early days, the population of Timber Ridge united with Providence to get supplies, intending as soon as they could to have a settled pastor between them. The lower settlement on Hays' Creek and Walker's Creek, felt them- selves too distant from Old Providence, and urged a more central place between the mountains, and proposed the place, now near Witherow's Mansion. My grand-father prevailed upon his neigh- bors to meet them at the new site; accordingly a log meeting-house was erected on the southern side of the creek. The united congre- gations of Timber Ridge and New Providence, called Mr. John Brown, and he was installed their pastor. The first elders were,-a Mr .. Millar, Andrew Hays, John Logan, Samuel Buchannan, Alexander Walker, my grand-father John' Houston, and Andrew Steel." After the congregation had agreed upon a site for a new church, having had much difficulty in becoming united in the choice, it was proposed to adopt a name-My aged ancestor said, 'neighbors we have hitherto had unpleasant and fruitless meetings, to-day we have had an agreeable and successful one, and we are indebted to a kind providence : let us call it New Providence,' to which all agreed. Then, or soon afterwards they united in efforts ; some contributing, others laboring until they finished the stone walls, roof, doors, win- dows, and floor, and set in benches and a temporary pulpit, and then rested for some years until I was a boy capable of observation. For well do I remember sitting in my father's seat to see the swal- lows flying in and out during public worship, to feed their young ones, in nests upon the collar beams and wall-plates, or cavities in the stone work." When the people after some years finished the work by making a pulpit with a canopy, a gallery, and by glazing the ' windows, he says-"the elders were-Andrew Hays, John Logan, Alexander Walker, John Houston, my father, Saunders Walker, and soon after James Henry, Charles Campbell, and James M'Campbell.
" About the year 1763 an unhappy difference took place between the pastor, Mr. Brown, and some leading men in T'imber Ridge con- gregation, on account of which Mr. Brown talked of removing. This deeply affected many of the New Providence congregation. But at last they agreed to retain his labors entirely, and on his accepting £80 salary from them alone, his connexion and theirs with Timber Ridge was' dissolved. Mr. Brown's labors were continued harmo- niousiy in New Providence, until his powers of body failed, especially
4
60
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
his voice. Therefore mutually he and the congregation agreed for him to be relieved by the congregation becoming vacant, and another called, all which was in due order effected ; and in a short time his successor. Mr. Samuel Brown, was called and installed their pastor, which brings me down to the year 1796.
" A few remarks and I have done. After Mr. J. B. left Timber Ridge many of said congregation retained much affection for him, and through much inconvenience attended almost steadily N. P. meetings and communions as formerly. Another remark is, that before the struggle for independence took place, N. P. kept the Sab- bath with great strictness, and family worship was almost univer- sal. Another remark is, that shortly before the war, some men, whose sons were growing up, felt a desire for having them, or part of them, educated liberally, chiefly with a view to the ministry of the gospel. Accordingly a small grammar school was formed in the neighborhood of Old Providence, composed of Samuel Doak, John Montgomery, Archibald Alexander, James Houston, William Tate, Samuel Greenlee, William Wilson, and others, which greatly in- creased and drew youths from distant neighborhoods. This gram- mar school was moved to the place near Fairfield, called Mount Pleasant; it was, in 1776, established at Timber Ridge meeting- house, and named Liberty Hall.
" Sincerely yours, "S. HOUSTON."
Tradition says the first work after building log-cabins for them- selves, was to erect a capacious meeting-house. For permanency and dignity they determined it should be of stone. Limestone for mortar could be found in any abundance, but sand was brought on pack-horses six or seven miles from the stream called South Fork. Nails and glass were brought in the same way from Philadelphia. A sycamore, for a long time the only one in the neighborhood, sprung from the bank of refuse sand brought from a stream where the tree abounds. The succeeding generations knew the old syca- more, enjoying its shade on Sabbath noon. So intent were many of the people of New Providence that their house of worship should be properly finished, that they forbore not only luxuries, but what are now esteemed the necessaries of housewifery. One old lady apologized to some company that came to eat with her, for not ac- commodating more at a time at the table, and requiring them to eat by turns, that all might have the benefit of her few knives and forks, by saying, "We intended to have got a set of knives this year, but the meeting-house was to be finished, and we could not give our share and get the knives, so we put them off for another year." The only pair of wheels in the congregation for many years was made to draw timbers for the church. In their private concerns the drag and sled sufficed.
Of those persons named by Mr. Houston, students of the first grammar school - Doak, Montgomery, Houston, and Wilson be-
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JOHN BROWN-SAMUEL BROWN.
came ministers of the gospel. Dr. Doak, well known in Tennessee as the laborious patron of literature, and minister of the gospel ; Houston preached in Kentucky, and in the time of the great excite- ment, left the Presbyterian Church; Montgomery preached in Vir- ginia, and died on Cowpasture; Wilson lies buried near Augusta Church, of which he was long a pastor. Houston and Wilson used to tell of Doak, that as his parents lived in the bounds of Bethel, too far from the school to live at home, he erected a cabin near the school house for his convenience; and that the boys in their fun would frequently, while Doak was engaged with his teacher, break into his cabin, and derange his apparatus for cooking, and make sad work with his housekeeping; all which he bore with great good humor, and went on cheerfully with his studies, in preparation for that life of trial and usefulness as a pioneer of the gospel and sound education in Tennessee. The name of the first teacher has been pre- served, but not those of his successors, till William Graham, and John Montgomery; these are preserved in the records of Presbytery. It does not appear that Mr. J. Brown ever himself engaged in teach- ing the school which for years was in operation about a mile from his dwelling, in which his elder children received their education, preparatory for those posts of honor conferred upon them by the community.
The people of New Providence were visited by the missionaries sent out by the Presbyteries of the Synod of New York. And May 18th, 1748, the Records of Synod say, "A call was brought into Synod from Falling Spring and New Providence, to be presented to Mr. Byram, the acceptance of which he declined." The congrega- tion being pleased with the labors of Mr. John Brown, a licentiate of New Castle Presbytery, who remained in the Valley for some time as a missionary, united, in 1753, with the people. of Timber Ridge in making the call for his services. After Mr. Brown with- drew from Timber Ridge, he continued, many years, to preach to New Providence alone. His sketch is given under the head of Tim- ber Ridge. That the congregation of New Providence did not over- value his usefulness, is seen in their prosperity. It went united into the hands of his successors, with a cheering prospect of use- fulness, the standard of piety, an able eldership, a large number of professors of religion, having sent into the ministry some of her sons, and been the nursery of the Academy and the germ of the College.
The second pastor was Mr. SAMUEL BROWN, settled in 1796. We know nothing of the life of John Brown till he left college ; we know but comparatively little of his successor before he entered on his ministry. And that little we know is from the memoranda of a son, now a minister of the gospel. Samuel Brown, of English ori- gin, was born in the year 1766, of a family of moderate circum- stances, in Bedford County, Virginia, in the bounds of the congre- gation of Peaks and Pisgah, the fruitful mother of many ministers of the gospel prominent in the Virginia Church.
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LETTER FROM HENRY BROWN.
Crab Bottom, October 25th, 1853.
DEAR BROTHER-In 1836 I was at the house of Jesse Wit, the brother-in-law of my venerated father, and took down, as directed by him, the following reminiscences. Mr. Wit was intimately ac- quainted with him from childhood, went to school with him, and sub- sequently my father boarded at his house, and went to school in his neighborhood. Mr. Wit lived and died near Liberty, Bedford County, Virginia.
Mr. Wit says :- The first advantages he (my father) enjoyed in the way of mental culture were at schools where the first branches only of an English education were taught. He indulged in such sports as were common at schools, but was entirely free from pro- fanity, and of exemplary morals. He was the fondest boy of his books, and the best scholar of his age I ever knew. He often expressed a desire to obtain a liberal education, but the circum- stances of his father were not such as to enable him to give his chil- dren a better education than would barely fit them to transact their own business in the more ordinary walks of life. About the year 1785 there was a school taught near the Peaks of Otter, by a Mr. Bromhead, in which the higher branches of an English education, such as English grammar, geography, surveying, &c., might be obtained. This was not the case in schools generally at that day. To this school he earnestly requested his father to send him ; but his father did not think his circumstances would justify the expense of boarding his son from home, and declined granting the request. The son being very urgent, the father thought to end the matter by telling him that to enable him to do so, it would be necessary to sell his yoke of oxen. But such was the desire of the son to learn, that, to this measure he strongly urged his father. By some means, now unknown, he got to the school. Being possessed of more than the ordinary talents and fondness for the science of mathematics, and having obtained a magnetic needle, he fitted it to a compass of his own construction, and with this, for want of a better, he practised surveying, for his own improvement.
After leaving the school of Mr. Bromhead, he went to Kentucky, and taught school himself, but at the end of twelve months he re- turned to the house of his father in Bedford County. This was in 1788. Shortly after his return he commenced going to school to the Rev. James Mitchel, who resided in the neighborhood of his father. About this time the congregations of Peaks and Pisgah were blessed with an extensive revival of religion, principally under the instrumentality of the Rev. Drury Lacy. Mr. Brown became one of the subjects of renewing grace. At that time he was very fond of playing on the violin, and was considered a good player. The amusement of dancing also possessed in his estimation peculiar claims. He abandoned both, and returned to them no more. Indeed, such were his subsequent views of the great tendency of dancing to banish serious reflections, and promote licentiousness, that even the sound of the violin was ever afterwards unpleasant. Of the pecu-
63
REV. SAMUEL BROWN.
liar exercises of his mind under his awakening, I know but little. I remember to have heard, however, that like many others, he was for a time greatly perplexed about the distinctive doctrines of Calvin- ism ; and being unable to get the difficulties solved that were sug- gested to his mind, he undertook to read the Scriptures regularly through in reference to that single point, noting down as he pro- ceeded, what he found to favor the Arminian or Calvinistic view. Having found so many passages which would admit of no other than a Calvinistic interpretation, and not one on the side of Arminian- ism but might be interpreted otherwise, he bowed to the doctrines `of divine grace, and gave his heart to God before he had gone half through the Bible. Not long after he made his first public address. Being at a prayer meeting in Liberty, where there was considerable religious excitement, he arose, and with great earnestness repeated Heb. 12: 14: " Holiness-without which no man shall see the Lord ;" and sat down.
In 1790, he boarded in my family, in Liberty, and commenced the study of the Latin language, under a Mr. Andrew Lyle, from Rockbridge County. Mr. L. subsequently removed to Kentucky, and entered the ministry. He was succeeded by a Mr. Houston, from the same county, who subsequently became a minister of the gospel, and removed to Ohio, where he became a Shaking Quaker. In this school, Mr. Brown continued about two years. Thus far Mr. Wit. I am, Dear Sir, yours in the gospel,
HENRY BROWN.
While preparing for the ministry as a candidate, he was a mem- ber of Liberty Hall Academy, under William Graham. At the meeting of, Hanover Presbytery, at Concord, July 30th, 1791, Messrs. Turner and Calhoun read parts of their trial in preparation for licensure; the call from Philadelphia for the removal of J. B. Smith, from Hampden Sidney College, was put in his hands with the non-concurrence of the Presbytery ; and three young men were taken as candidates; "John Lyle, recommended to this Presby- tery as a young man of good moral character, prosecuting his studies, and desirous of putting himself under their care, not as a candidate at present, but for their patronage and direction, was introduced. And the Presbytery having heard an account of his religious exercises, thought proper to encourage him in his studies. Mr. Samuel Brown was also recommended as a young man in nearly the same circumstances, and wishing to be taken under the direction of Presbytery in the same manner. But the Presbytery having heard a detail of God's dealings with his soul, and of his motives to engage in the ministry of the gospel, and considering the progress that he has already made in acquiring an education, thought proper to admit him as a candidate upon trials. They therefore agreed to assign him some subjects as a specimen of his abilities, under this limitation, that he be at liberty to produce them to Presbytery at any of their sessions, when it shall be convenient
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REV. SAMUEL BROWN.
to himself; and appointed him an essay upon the Extent of Christ's Satisfaction." Mr. Moses Waddel, a student at Hampden Sidney College, was also received as candidate, and parts of trial were assigned.
At Bethel, July 27th, 1792, Mr. Brown read his essay upon the Extent of Christ's Satisfaction. This essay was on the 30th con- sidered and sustained, and an essay was appointed him upon the question-" How do men become depraved, and wherein does that depravity consist ;" and also a Presbyterial exercise upon Romans 1st, 18th. At Providence, in Louisa, Oct. 5th, 1792, " Mr. Brown was appointed a popular discourse on Rom. 5th, 1st, in addition to his other parts of trial to be produced at the next meeting." Briery, April 5th, 1793-" The Presbytery was opened with a sermon by Samuel Brown, on the subject assigned him." At this meeting the Rev. Devereux Jarret took his seat as a corresponding member. On the next evening the Presbytery met at 7 o'clock, at the house" " of old Mrs. Morton"- and after consideration, sustained Mr. Brown's popular sermon. The notice of his reading his Essay and Presbyterial Exercise is omitted in the records. "The Presbytery then proceeded to examine Mr. Brown with respect to his knowledge in the doctrines of Divinity, and his answers being satisfactory, it was agreed to license him to preach the gospel. And Mr. Brown having adopted the Confession of Faith as received in the Presby- terian Church in America, and promised subjection to his brethren in the Lord, was accordingly licensed to preach the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ, and recommended to all the churches where God in his Providence may call him." At a meeting in July, at the Cove, on the 25th instant, Presbytery recommended Mr. Brown to the commission of Synod. Under the direction of this com- mission, he performed missionary service until April 21st, 1796, when at Hampden Sidney-" Mr. Samuel Brown, formerly a pro- bationer under the care of this Presbytery, but for some time past a missionary under the direction of the commission of Synod, pro- duced a dismission from that body, certifying his good character and conduct while he acted as a missionary, whereupon he was again received as a probationer under the care of this Presbytery." On the next day-" A supplication was laid before Presbytery from the congregations of Providence, (Louisa), North Fork, and the Bird, to obtain Mr. Samuel Brown to supply them for six months, in order to prepare the way for his final settlement among them. Mr. Brown being asked whether such an appointment would be agreeable to him, answered in the negative, as he had already determined to remove out of the bounds of Presbytery." He then requested and obtained a dismission to join the Presbytery of Lex- ington. The journals of Mr. Brown kept during his missionary travelling and preaching have not, with the exception of a few fragments, been preserved. The range was large; the bounds of the commission extended over Virginia, West Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. With the general extent of their bounds, and a large
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REV. SAMUEL BROWN.
proportion of the particulars, Mr. Brown became fully acquainted. And the selection of a place of living, which he was enabled to make by the good will and choice of the people, was characteristic of the man. For quietness, usefulness, comfort, present success in the ministry, and prospective in-gathering of harvests, New Provi- dence was unsurpassed. by any of the numerous, vacancies, and was equalled by few that had pastors. Honesty of purpose, simplicity of manners, diligence in business, and a liberal economy charac- terized the people of this retired but fertile region of country. The congregation had been famous for its attachment to its minister ; and the condition in which the first minister left it, in his feeble age bore testimony to his fidelity. The activity of a young man was becoming visibly necessary, and Brown the first gave place cheerfully to Brown the second; and the successor as cheerfully honored his predecessor while reaping the fruit of his labors.
For years he pursued the round, monotonous, were it not of eter- nal consequence, of a country pastor, preaching twice on the Sab- bath to a large congregation of hearers in the old Stone Church, having an hour's interval between the sermons; visiting the sick and burying the dead as required, during the week; preaching oc- casionally in retired neighborhoods; catechising the children by neighborhoods annually, giving account to Presbytery of his dili- gence, and the success of the parents and children therein ; and holding communion, or sacramental meeting at stated periods during the year. Add to these recurring duties, the responsibilities of a select classical school, bringing a number of the pupils to be mem- bers of his family, which he taught a greater part of the time he was pastor of New Providence. The excellence of bis teaching and discipline drew pupils from the counties east of the Ridge, and kept his number complete. In teaching - he was, "mild with the mild - and with the froward fierce as fire." Rebellion against the laws of propriety, was in his eyes like the sin of witchcraft, and woe to the unhappy boy that ventured to find out by experience, the manner Samuel Brown could subdue a disobedient boy. One experiment was sufficient for his whole school life, and generally for a whole generation of boys. But with the cheerful and the studious and the law-abiding boy, he was like a spring morning, or the autumn evening. 'T'all, spare, broad-shouldered, and not particu- larly careful at all times whether he stood precisely straight, a thin visage with small deep-set eyes, of a grey color tinged with blue, not particularly expressive till the deep passions of the heart were aroused, "then," said Governor James M'Dowell, "they began to sparkle and glow, and apparently sink deeper in his head, and grow brighter and brighter till the sparkling black was lost in a vivid flame of fire," then the volcano, giving no other sign in muscle or in limb, of its subterraneous workings, was ready to burst. Then, if the explosion was a volume of wrath, it was terrible; if the kindling of a great subject, the burst of eloquence was resistless ; the bolt shot forth and shivered like the lightning.
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