History of Methodism in Tennessee

."•%//" Engraved 2>y 'Enulif Ssrta/'.'i . IttSoJMTIE CAMFBISEIL M^FSMIRTrMc TAKEM"WHEN SEVENTH YEARS OF AGE , HISTOEY OF METHODISM IN TENNESSEE. BY JOHN B. M'FERRIN, D.D. VOL. I. FROM THE YEAR 1783 TO THE YEAR 1804. Nasfjbtlle, Cenn.: PUBLISHED BY A. H. BEDFORD, Agent, FOR THE M. E. CHURCH, SOUTH. 1875. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by JOHN B. McFERRIN, n the District Court of the United States for the Middle District of Tennessee. 8TERE0TYPED AT THE SOUTHERN METHODIST PUBLISHING HOUSE, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. ; TO MY HONORED AND BELOVED MOTHER, MES. JANE CAMPBELL BERRY MTERRIN. My Dear Mother:—I wish to dedicate to you this volume as a token of more than filial love. To you, in a great measure, I am indebted for early religious impressions especially to your blameless life and beautiful example do I owe my first conceptions of the excellence of virtue and the bliss of connubial life. Being your first-born, I had the opportunity of witnessing a long life of affection between you and my now sainted father, whose memory to me is like pre- cious ointment ; and it affords me pleasure to record, now that you are four-score and four, that I have no remembrance of an unkind expression between my revered parents, but, on the contrary, words and acts of mutual respect and genuine love. We were not born in the Methodist Church, but in an- other branch of the great family of Christ ; yet through the instrumentality of the Methodists we were brought to a knowledge of sin and led to Jesus, who gave us repentance and remission. It was a happy day when you and my father and your eldest son all together united with the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Since tfrat, you have lived to see (3) 4 DEDICATION. your husband, three sons, two grandsons, a son-in-law, and two grandsons, by marriage, Methodist preachers. More than this : .you have a large posterity, all of whom, this day, are members of the Methodist Church. Of more than ninety souls of your own posterity and those connected therewith by marriage, perhaps there is not more than one who is not in the same Church with yourself. It is true, a portion of your family have crossed the flood and are now in the city of God, but still " One family we dwell in him, One Church above, beneath, Though now divided by the stream, The narrow stream of death." May your few remaining days, my beloved mother, be calm and tranquil, and your last moments joyful and triumphant, and when the great day shall come, may you, with your long train of posterity, stand on the right hand, and say, with joy, "Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me !" Your affectionate son, J. B. McFerein. July, 1869. INTRODUCTION. It was Dr. Chalmers, the great Scotch preacher, I believe, who said, "Methodism is Christianity in earnest" Such a Christianity, of course, has a history, and that history should be written. No man who is impartial in judg- ment, or unprejudiced in feeling, will doubt that John Wesley, under God, projected a great work when he deter- mined to constitute his Societies in America an independent Church. The result has fully verified the wisdom of the measure. American Methodism is without a parallel in modern times. Within the space of one hundred years, the original Society, numbering a few persons, has multiplied into two millions, besides the myriads who have died in the faith. The progress of the Church in Sunday-schools, in Church-literature, in schools and colleges, in church-archi- tecture, and its great missionary enterprises, has in a measure been equal to the increase of numbers. The Methodist Church has become a great moral power in the land ; its influence is felt in all departments of society ; every Prot- estant Church in America recognizes it as a grand wing of the mighty army of the living God. In the South-west the Methodists have been very successful ; and in no portion of O INTRODUCTION. the Valley of the Mississippi have they been more prosper- ous than in Tennessee. The Methodist Church is by far the largest in the State. Its ministers rank with the most intel- lectual and popular preachers of the land, and its membership are inferior to none in all the relations of life. Besides, Tennessee has sent forth to other States many flaming heralds of the cross ; its sons are in every part of the South and South-west, and its laymen have gone to new countries and aided in building up and extending the cause of Christ in "the regions beyond." It has been the cherished purpose of the author for years to perform the task he has now undertaken, but until recently the opportunity seemed to be unfavorable. By the blessing of God, he has been able to complete the first volume, which, God willing, will soon be followed by others. He now submits the result of his labors to a generous Christian public, praying the blessing of God upon the reader and upon the Church that he has served from his youth. The author is indebted to several writers who have con- tributed much to the history of early times in Tennessee. Some of these prepared matter at his special request. Accompanying this volume will be found an engraved likeness of the author's aged and revered mother, for the insertion of which no apology is offered. ^ K McFfiEE™- Na.ht.ll,. July 29, 1869. — CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Tennessee—Its grand divisions—Its soil, minerals, and water - courses—A portion of North Carolina—Its early settlers English, Scotch-Irish — Antiquities Indians—Game—Daniel Boone—James Robertson —Settlement of Middle Tennessee—The descent of the river—Mrs. Robertson—Her children—The first preachers in the West—The growth of Methodism. 13 CHAPTER II. Conference of 1781—Jeremiah Lambert: his appoint- ment to the Holston Circuit in 1783—Presbyterians: their opposition to the Methodists—The doctrines of grace — Henry "Willis on Holston in 17£f£ — Mr. Wesley's views of America—Ordains Dr. Coke Su- perintendent—Mr. Asbury—Formation of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church — The work progresses — New Districts formed—R. Ellis—Mark Whittaker —Mark Moore—J. Watson—N. Moore—John Tun- nell—Nolichuckv 27 — — W CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. Introduction of Methodism in the Cumberland country —Benjamin Ogden — Thomas B. Craighead — Mr. Putnam's testimony—John Carr's statement—Haw, Massie, and others—The first converts to Method- ism : Lindsey, McNeily, Crane, the Carrs, Cages, and Douglass family 36 CHAPTER IV The work progresses—Holston—New River French Broad — Edward Morris — J. Doddridge — Increase of preachers—Prominent men—McHenry—Combs —Controversy between Haw and Burke—Lewis Gar- rett's and John Carr's statements—Haw's withdrawal —His repentance—Prosperity—Thomas Williamson —Thomas Ware 54 CHAPTER V. New fields—New and distinguished preachers—McGee —Wilson Lee—Peter Massie—John West—Encour- aging success — The field enlarges in Holston — Barnabas McHenry—John Sewell 66 CHAPTER VI. Early fruits — Tobias Gibson — John Page — Stephen Brooks—James Ward—William Burke—His sketch of Methodism in Holston—Bishop Asbury's visit The Earnest family—Letters from Messrs. Earnest andMile3 86 —— CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER VII. Opposition to Methodism—Still the cause advances Extraordinary ability of the early preachers—Prog- ress in the South—Hubbard Saunders—Saunders's Chapel—John Kobler—A thrilling sketch—Stith Meade—John Ray—Slavery and antislavery senti- ments 131 CHAPTER VIII. Philip Bruce—Sketches by Dr. Bangs and Dr. Clark The work progresses slowly—Numbers in Society —Francis Acuff—Lewis Garrett—Copious extracts " " from Recollections —Williams Kavanaugh : his family—Jacob Lurton—Moses Speer: his family.... 152 CHAPTER IX. Decrease in the membership—The reasons why—Rev- olutionary War—Indian troubles—Civil history State formed and admitted into the Union— Legisla- ture — Colonel Weakley— Samuel Weakley and family—Tobias Gibson—Benjamin Lakin—Ebene- zer Conference—General fast and thanksgiving 188 CHAPTER X. Conference at Nelson's—Conference in Kentucky Scarcity of preachers—A new circuit—Bishop As- bury visits the country east of the mountains Members returned by States—God with his Church in the wilderness—John Page : his labors and influence—Francis Poythress : his labors and popularity —Obadiah Strange—John Buxton—W- Duzan 214 1* — 1$ CONTENTS. CHAPTEK XI. Six Annual Conferences for 1797 — Holston Confer- ence—Bishop Asbury—Bethel Conference—Uncer- tain statements—Thomas Wilkerson: letters from him — Mrs. Wilkerson — Robert Wilkerson — De- crease in numbers: reasons why 233 CHAPTER XII. The Conference in Holston—Extract from Dr. Pat- ton's Life—Valentine Cook—Discussion with Mr. Jamieson—Dr. Stevenson's sketch—Mr. Burke again on Cumberland — Bethel College — Methodists the friends of education—Methodists in all the learned professions—Early action of the General Conference. 262 CHAPTER XIII. Change in constituency of the Conferences—Six An- nual Conferences — Western Conference — William Lambuth—Success of Mr. Page on the Cumberland Circuit — Alexander Rascoe — John R. Lambuth: his son — Mr. Burke's review of the work — Rev. Colonel Green Hill and his family—Dr. McAnally's remarks 282 CHAPTER XIV. Dr. McAnally's observations—Numbers in Society Explanation—1800 a remarkable year—The great revival—The manner of its beginning—Camp-meet- ings—Their origin—The manner of conducting them — The fruit — The revival begins without much extra effort—Christ preached—Strange power on the — CONTENTS. 11 preachers and the people—How the work was re- garded—The jerks—The origin of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church—Barton W Stone's account Unity among Christians—Rev.

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