A history and record of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of West Virginia, Part 41

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Allen, on a horse which I had lent him. In just two weeks he returned in high spirits. He had itinerated through the whole of Jefferson and Berkeley counties, found out all the principal families who were still attached to the Church, es- tablished at least twelve places for service, and received a kind invitation from Mr. Whiting and his sister to bring his little family to their house and make it a home for the pres- ent. To Alexandria he immediately returned, where his wife and infant were, and, without delay, in a spell of bitter cold weather in the month of January, brought them up in a road- wagon of Mr. Whiting's, on its return from Alexandria, to which it had carried a load of flour. Mr. Whiting's was his home for a considerable time,-for years indeed; and even after a parsonage was provided his visits to that abode of hospitality were frequent and long. From this time until the year 1821, with feeble health, the pressure of debt upon him, a growing family, he perhaps rode as great a distance, preached as often, studied his Bible as much, and prepared as many things for the press, as any man of his day. No one had a better opportunity than myself of knowing this, for I had often to go the rounds with him, doing more duty from necessity than I ever did before or have done since. Sleeping in the room with him. often I have seen him watch the morn- ing light with his little Bible, and reading it when others were sleeping. I have travelled with him, and seen tha. Bible, or some other book, in his hand on horseback, and dur- ing any little spare time in private hours busy with his pen preparing something for the press. While thus itinerating in these counties, and also in the adjoining county in Maryland, he was conducting a little paper called the "Layman's Maga- zine," and actually abridged and published the History of the Reformation, by Burnet, in a small volume, and compiled a history of the whole Church in two octavo volumes. All this he did while, like an honest man, he was paying his debts out of a small salary and the scanty profits of these publications. if indeed there were any. For nine years he thus laboured,

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contracting his sphere, though not his diligence, by the in- troduction of one or two ministers into some of the numer- ous places he had taken in charge, when he was called to St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia, being the next choice to Bishop McIlvaine. His labours in such a congregation and city were of course not diminished. He again issued a religious maga- zine, 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 collecting 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 diminish, if not destroy, St. Paul's con- gregation. 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 re- sorted to. But it was only used by him on his way to Eng- land, in England, and on his return, as an occasion for greater

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efforts in his Master's cause and for the souls of men. Provi- dence 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 attract- ed more attention, and had, and zealously used, more oppor- tunities of promoting the welfare of all religious and benevo- lent societies, than Mr. Allen. Even the Society of Quakers felt the influence of his zeal in behalf of Sunday-schools, and 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 con- trary 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 ro narrow sepulchre was fit for one of so large a soul.

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, Shepherdstown, Martinsburg, Bunker's Hill and Smithfield. The Rev. B. B. Smith, now Bishop of Ken- tucky, succeeded Mr. Allen in the congregations at Charles- town 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 con- gregations, at the end of which time he confined his services to the congregation at Charlestown. The Rev. Mr. Morrison 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 be- came one of the largest of our country parishes, and two no- ble churches were erected, the first having been consumed by fire, as we have said before. Mr. Jones was followed in Char-

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lestown 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 Shep- herdstown, until a few years since, when the church now standing on an imposing eminence was built. During its ereo- tion, and with much attention on his part, the Rev. Horace Stringfellow, Jr., was its minister. To him succeeded for a time the Rev. Mr. Wilcoxen. The congregation at Martins- burg, after being organized and for a time supplied by Mr. Allen, was put in charge of the Rev. Mr. Horrell, who con- tinued 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 Chis- holm, 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 Hedges- ville. The church at Bunker's Hill, or Morgan's Chapel, has been for the most part supplied by the ministers from Mar- tinsburg 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. Grammer has just taken charge of them. In Smithfield and Leetown two excellent churches have recently been erected, the for- mer by the zeal and liberality of a very few ladies and gen- tlemen, 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. Bartholomew, 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 circum-

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stance peculiar to this neighbourhood which deserves a re- cord. Not only was the property and the residence of Gen- eral 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 follow- ing extract from his will declares the character of him who once enviously sought to dethrone Washington from the con- fidence 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 skep- ticism in religion, than for the colour of his skin."

Extracted from his will, recorded in the court of Berkeley county.

Article LXXV. from Bishop Meade's Book. 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

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established in Hardy in 1785, but of the ministers and church- es 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 Or- ders 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 an- cient language, it must be a long time before he could be prepared for the ministry, if a knowledge of these were req- uisite; that he might die before that period arrived; and that if God should inquire of him wby he had not obeyed his or- ders, 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 or- dained for the county of Hampshire, where the ancient lan- guages were but little known and not much required. Hamp- shire may be truly called the bill-country 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 retain- ed 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 these Western hills had met with some of Bishop Hobart's works, and become a thorough con-

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vert 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 por- tions of it,-even of the prophetical books. At his death he bequeathed them to Dr. Balmaine and myself for publi- cation, 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 under- taking. Into this hilly region 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 him- self, -- -

"Si Pergama dextra defendi possent, Etiam hae defensa fuissent:"

for he was well suited to the work and place. Having spent his earlier days in mechanical pursuits, he diligently employ- ed his skill in helping to erect and complete two log churches, -working with his own hands in various ways. When com- pleted, 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 pow- er of steam prove 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. Sylvested 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 materials more abounded and the prospects for a time were more flourishing, but he was not encouraged to

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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 re- peated the same, with the same result. Since this last ef- fort, 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.

Article LXXVII. from Bishop Meade's Book. Churches in West- ern Virginia; St. Paul's and St. John's, Brooke County.

We introduce our notices of the churches in Western Vir- ginia by the following passage from a sketch of Western Virginia, by the Rev. Dr. Doddridge, whose ministry will be duly noticed :-

"The Episcopal Church, which ought to have been fore- most in gathering their scattered flocks, have been the last and done the least of any Christian community in the evan- gelical work. Taking the Western country in its whole ex- tent, 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 without 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 with- held by those by whom, as a matter of right and duty, they ought to have been given. One single chorepiscopus, or suffra- gan Bishop, of a faithful spirit, who, twenty years ago, should have 'ordained them elders in every place' where they were needed, would have been the instrument of form- ing 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.

"So total a neglect of the spiritual interests of so many valuable people, for so great a length of time, by a ministry

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so near at hand, is a singular and unprecedented fact in ec- clesiastical 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 author- ity in this country, that that authority would have reached them many years ago with the ministration of the Gospel. With the earliest and most numerous Episcopacy in Ameri- ca, not one of the Eastern Bishops has yet crossed the Alle- gheny mountains, although the dioceses of two of them com- prehended large tracts of country on the western side of the mountains. It is hoped that the future diligence of this com- munity 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, on the ground of antiquity, among the Reformed Churches, the sci- ence of their patriarchs, who have been the lights of the ica,-she ought to hasten to fulfill the just expectations of world,-from their number and great resources even in Amer- her own people as well as those of other communities, in contributing her full share to the science, piety, and civili- zation of our country.

"From the whole of our ecclesiastical history, it appears that, with the exception of the Episcopal Church, all our re- ligious communities have done well for their country."

Without questioning the perfect sincerity and honest zeal of Dr. Doddridge in this severe criticism, or desiring to apol- ogize for what was blameworthy in the Episcopal Church in regard to the West, we think that truth and justice require some modification of the sentence. We cannot assent to the fact that one-half of the Western population was ori- ginally of Episcopal parentage. We must remember that even Maryland had a large proportion of Romanists, as well as other Protestant denominations besides the Episcopal. North of this there were scarce any Episcopalians from the

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first settlement of the country. A short time before the war, Bishop White was the only Episcopal minister in Penn- sylvania. The emigrants from all the Northern States, be- ginning with Pennsylvania, were not of Episcopal parent- age. Although Episcopalians abounded from the first of Vir- ginia and the Carolinas, yet it should be remembered that, of the emigrants to the West, immense numbers-far the larger part-liad renounced the Episcopal church be- fore their removal, and only carried with them bitter hatred toward it. I am satisfied that not a tenth part of those who have left the Eastern for the Western States were Epis- copalians at their removal; perhaps a much smaller propor- tion would be a correct estimate. Soon after the issue of Dr. Doddridge's book-perhaps forty years ago,-I prepar- ed something on this subject and offered it for publication.

Owing to various circumstances in her history, the Epis- copal Church may be regarded as the last of all the Churches in our land which began the work of evangelizing. Her race only commenced after the Revolution. All that was done before proved but a hindrance to her. All other denomina- tions were in active operation long before, and were so pre- judiced against her as not to be willing to have her as a co- worker with them. Instead, therefore, of the advantages possessed by the Episcopal Church for establishing herself in the West being greater than those of other Churches, they were less, whether we consider the Bishops and clergy at her command, or the difficulty of the work to be done, by reason of existing prejudices. Justice to the memory of our fathers requires this statement. That of Dr. Doddridge has often been quoted without due consideration.

We must, however, do the justice to Dr. Doddridge to say that, if we had had many such laborious ministers as him- self, the West would have been far better supplied with Episcopal churches and ministrations than it has been. And yet truthı requires us to admit, what will soon appear, that even his zealous labours have not been followed by all the

REV. ANSELAN BUCHANAN.

ST. JOHN'S, BROOKE (O,

REV. HARRIS BUSH THOMAS.

CHRIST CHURCH, WELLSBURG.

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results which we could desire, by reason of the numerous opposing influences with which he and the church had to contend. Nothing that I could draw from any documents or record, or from living witnesses, could so interest the read- er as the following sketch of Dr. Doddridge's life and la- bours, from the pen of a friend, and I therefore adopt it :-

"The following article, with some slight alterations, was sent to me as a friend of the late Rev. Dr. Doddridge, by the Hon. Thomas Scott, of Chillicothe. The writer was among the early settlers of the Northwest Territory,-was Secretary to the Convention which framed the Constitu- tion of the State of Ohio, and has since held important and responsible offices under its government. He is now far advanced in life, and employs a still vigorous intellect in throwing together for publication his reminiscences of early associations and bygone days. D.

"Reminiscences of the first Minister of the Protestant Epis- copal Church who adventured into the Wilderness Re- gions of Western Virginia and Eastern Ohio,-the late Rev. Dr. Joseph Doddridge, of Wellsburg, Brooke county, Virginia.

"Presuming that but few of the present members of the Episcopal Church in the now flourishing diocese in this State are aware that it was owing in a great measure, to the early labours and indefatigable exertions of the individual above named that an Episcopate was obtained in Ohio, we feel persuaded that a few brief reminiscences connected with his seif denying and persevering efforts for the establishment in the West of the Church of his fathers will not be unac- ceptable at the present period: indeed, as the early and inti- mate friend of this pioneer-herald of the Cross in our West- ern borders, we deem it but a measure of justice to the memory of a man who, for a series of years, laboured in the good cause single-handed and almost without remuner-

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ation. We shall, however, only advert to his labours in general, not having at hand the data to enable us to do so in detail.

"My first acquaintance with the subject of this notice com- menced in 1788, in Hampshire county, Virginia. He was then about nineteen years of age, and a successful and highly- esteemed labourer among the Wesleyan Methodists, in con- nection with whom he continued several years. Being re- called from his field of labour to the paternal mansion, in Western Pennsylvania, by the sudden decease of his father, in consequence of which event the younger members of the family-of whom he was the eldest-were placed in circum- stances requiring for a time his personal supervision, the youthful itinerant felt it to be his duty to resign his charge, and, in conformity with the last wish of his deceased parent, -who had appointed him the executor of his will,-to apply himself to the settlement of his estate.

"This accomplished, he found himself in possession of suf- ficient means to enable him to prosecute his education, which as yet was limited, owing to the few facilities for obtaining one afforded by their wilderness location.

"Accompanied by his younger and only brother, Philip,- who subsequently became eminent in Virginia as a lawyer and legislator, dying, while a member of Congress, in Wash- ington City, in 1833,-he entered Jefferson Academy, Can- onsburg, Pennsylvania, they being among the first students at that pioneer literary institution, in what was at that period, in the transmontane States, denominated the ‘Far West.'

"The Wesleyans having now laid aside the Prayer-Book or ritual enjoined to be used on occasions of public worship by the founder of their society, the Rev. John Wesley,- a formula which Dr. Doddridge's judgment sanctioned as being not only beautifully appropriate but highly edifying, -he did not therefore resume his connection with them after his return from college, but diligently applied himself to an examination of the claims of the Protestant Episcopal

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A history and record of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of West Virginia, Part 41

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