THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST MIND IN TRANSITION: A LIFE OF BASIL MANLY, JR., 1825-1892 BY JAMES M. MANLEY A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 1999 Copyright 1999 by James M. Manley ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In the course of writing this dissertation, I have been aided by several people and owe them far more than 1 can repay. In large measure, Bertram Wyatt-Brown's advice, encouragement, and occasional prodding kept this project alive. His personal advocacy within the History Department and his generosity with funds from his endowed chair, the Richard J. Milbauer, not only brought a large amount of the archive material to the University of Florida library on microfilm, but also provided much-appreciated financial aid throughout my stay at the University of Florida. Without the research assistantship he offered to reduce my teaching load over the past year, the dissertation simply could not have been completed. Professor Wyatt-Brown's scholarship and professional leadership, as well as his personal concern for his students, have set a high standard for his students to emulate. Samuel S. Hill has offered a treasury of encouragement and support, both professional and personal, for the past eight years. His graciousness and the strength of his character have been sources of pleasure throughout my doctoral program. His gift for making criticism sound like compliment continues to amaze me. Not only is the dissertation better for the insight I've borrowed from him, but I am (I trust) a better man for having knovm him. iii Robert A. Hatch forced me to confront epistemological, ontological, ethical, ideological, methodological, and theoretical issues in the practice of history which I otherwise would have avoided. In the process, I learned a great deal about myself and my vocation. In his seminars, I not only gained what understanding I have of the History of Science, but cribbed numerous, invaluable illustrations for lecture material. Eldon R. Turner offered suggestions for exploring Manly' s hymnody at the beginning of this project, most of which I unfortunately remain too musicologically ignorant to investigate. Professor Turner is the only member of the committee for whom I worked as a teaching assistant, and his concern for that area of my professional development is also appreciated. The late Darrett B. Rutman served on my graduate committee at the beginning of this project. A quantitative materialist. Professor Rutman never approved of my choice of a biography for a dissertation; but nevertheless he and his late wife, historian and editor Anita H. Rutman, were tireless in their Herculean efforts to improve my writing style. The Rutmans taught me much about the historian's craft, and for that gift I am grateful. C. John Sommerville replaced Professor Rutman on the committee. He has been a role model for me since his service as graduate coordinator in the History Department when I arrived at the University of Florida. Without his guidance I surely would have floundered hopelessly in my first semester, and perhaps produced diaries far darker than even those of Basil Manly, Jr. iv Jane E. Dysart and James R. McGovem of the University of West Florida encouraged me to pursue doctoral work in history, and each played a role in my coming to the University of Florida and in preparing me for the work I faced here. Professor Dysart convinced me I could be an historian; Professor McGovem convinced me I could be a teacher. Whatever I achieve in either field began with their encouragement. Bill Sumners, director, and Jean Forbis, library clerk, of the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archive in Nashville, Tennessee, were especially helpful in providing working space and information along with the wealth of their archives. Ora Lunceford, who insisted that she was only a volunteer and not a professional archivist, assisted me by locating material in the rich archives of Georgetown College's Anna Ashcraft Ensor Learning Resource Center. Her love of Georgetown's history and her friendliness made my time there both profitable and pleasant. Professor Gregory A. Wills and his staff at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Archives and Special Collections were helpful in suggesting areas of the archives I otherwise would not have known to search. The Judson College Archives were opened for me by Becky Long, who helped me locate information which filled in many gaps in Basil Manly, Jr.'s, life. Friends and fellow graduate students at the University of Florida who read and commented on various chapters in early drafts include Stuart H. Landers (a gifted editor), Andrew Chancey, Daniel W. Stowell, James Mathis, Andrew K. Frank, and Andrew Moore. Susan L. Lewis, Lisa Tendrich Frank, Marcus Harvey, and David McCally helped me keep my priorities in perspective. Robert C. Hampton developed the key to V breaking the code occasionally used by Basil Manly, Jr., in his early diaries. Each of them, in their own ways, made graduate school a little more enjoyable. While I have relied heavily on the help of all those named above, any errors of fact or awkwardness of style are, of course, my own responsibility. "Teaching in two schools is like riding two horses at once." Basil Manly, Jr., once wrote. "It keeps a man's legs pretty well stretched." I have been stretched~and occasionally over-extended-by my teaching at the University of Florida, Santa Fe Community College, and Central Florida Community College. I have been rewarded and surprised, however, by the enthusiastic support of several of my students, most notably at Central Florida, who continued to ask about the dissertation long after the semester was over. From my father. Rev. Jerald L. Manley, I learned a love for the intellectual life, and history in particular. My mother, Julie Ann Manley, taught me the importance of compassion, curiosity, and humor. Their love and encouragement have helped to carry me this far. My sister Joy, one of my best friends, and my brother John, a budding historian of twentieth-century Europe, have performed their sibling duties toward their elder brother admirably. Several friends offered much-needed support and encouragement: Joan and Lou, Ralph and Mary, Craig, Larry, Kate, Jacky, and most especially Leaim. This dissertation is dedicated to Becky, who "knows anyway" that her Daddy loves her. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii ABSTRACT ix CHAPTERS 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 "IT IS MY DUTY TO BE A MINISTER:" CHILDHOOD AND COLLEGE 15 3 "THE HISTORY OF BASIL THE HERMIT:" SEMINARY EDUCATION IN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEW JERSEY 43 4 "WAITING FOR FUTURE GREATNESS:" THE YOUNG PASTOR AND HYMN EDITOR 83 5 "THE REAL TRIAL IS NOW COMMENCING:" TWO CAREERS IN RICHMOND 99 6 "THE PATH OF DUTY IS THE PATH OF SAFETY:" THE DECISION TO LEAVE RICHMOND 126 7 "LIVING IN HISTORIC TIMES:" THE FOUNDING OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND THE CIVIL WAR 156 8 "IMPECUNIOSITY IS THE TROUBLE:" THE SUNDAY SCHOOL BOARD AND RECONSTRUCTION 190 9 "PROGRESS, USEFULNESS, AND HONOR FOR GEORGETOWN COLLEGE" 214 10 "DOCTORS DISAGREE:" THE CONTROVERSY OVER BIBLICAL AUTHORITY IN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 243 vii 1 1 "THIS IS A NEW TRIAL FOR US:" TRAGEDY AND PERSEVERANCE IN THE FINAL DECADE 270 12 "THE MOST VERSATILE MAN:" AN EVALUATION OF BASIL MANLY, JR.'S LEGACY 296 REFERENCES 307 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 319 viii Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST MIND IN TRANSITION: A LIFE OF BASIL MANLY, JR.. 1825-1892 By James M. Manley December, 1999 Chairman: Bertram Wyatt-Brown Major Department: History Basil Manly, Jr., was an influential Southern Baptist leader for much of the nineteenth century. As a pastor, he ministered at the First Baptist Church of Richmond, as well as at smaller rural congregations. As an educator, he served as president of the Richmond Female Institute and Georgetown College and as a founding professor of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He wrote hymns and edited hymnals. He also led the first Sunday School Board of his denomination. Yet throughout his life, he felt that he had not accomplished as much as he could. Indeed, he did not rise to the level of leadership of his father, Basil Manly, Sr. At least three forces limited his "usefullness." His deep melancholy often caused inactivity and procrastination. The Civil War and Reconstruction created a political and economic environment which made it difficuh for the organizations he created or led to flourish. And the shortage of intellectual leadership in the South caused his gifts to be spread over ix several areas of activity, rather than devoted to one pursuit in which he might have attained wider notice. Despite these difficulties, he did leave a mark on the Southern Baptist Convention through his involvement in Sunday School promotion and in reinforcing the conservative, Calvinistic theology of the denomination. His involvement in the controversy surrounding Crawford H. Toy on Biblical inspiration and his authoring of the Abstracts of Principles for Southern Seminary set the stage for conflicts over Biblical authority and Calvinist theology which have affected the denomination in the twentieth century. Most importantly, he helped set the standard for Southern Baptist leadership in his young denomination. X CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION I first envisioned this dissertation as a sweeping history of an obscure but influential Southern family. Although as far as I know, I am not related to them myself, having a similar family name made me notice its members whenever they appeared in the historical literature.