CHAPTER XX. FIRST VISIT TO THE SOUTH.

The next day after the Western Conference adjourned the two bishops and myself started for the South Carolina Conference, which was to meet in Liberty Chapel, Green County, Georgia, on December 6, 1808.

There was a novelty and variety about my present large field of labor which made it peculiarly interesting. I had been to what was then the West, (it would be difficult to tell where it is now,) and I was highly delighted, and now I was on my way to the sunny South. And I had the wisest and best companions in the world. This was the first tour which M’Kendree made with Bishop Asbury after his ordination to the episcopal office. Everywhere the old and the new bishop were objects of interest, and their appearance hailed with joy.

On Monday we reached Dr. Henry Tooley’s. This was a family of note, and their house one of the best of homes. Here we rested and refitted, and prepared to climb the mountains and to penetrate the wilderness, for all this must be done before we could reach Georgia. On we went, preaching every evening, till on Saturday we fell in with a camp-meeting at Ohaver’s.

On Sunday morning Brother Learner Blackman, Presiding Elder of Holston District, preached at sunrise, I preached at ten o’clock, and then Bishop M’Kendree gave one of his overwhelming discourses, after which I preached again in the German language. Bishop Asbury then preached with great liberty. We were at it five hours without intermission, during which time the people heard four sermons in English and one in German, and yet we were not through, for in the evening John Henninger preached, and Nathan Barnes exhorted. Thus ended this memorable day. It was a time of uncommon power, and many were converted. What would people think now of listening to six sermons in one day? How would they get along who can hardly endure one?

The next morning the bishops preached again: Bishop Asbury first, and Bishop M’Kendree immediately after him. I have written, “It was a solemn, searching time.”

To benefit the Germans I took a little tour by myself, while the bishops went forward. Bishop Asbury makes this entry in his journal: “Henry Boehm has gone to Pigeon River to preach to the Dutch.” I preached six times, and then rode on to overtake the bishops. After riding twenty miles I learned they were still far in the advance of me, and had gone on to Buncombe. On Thursday I hastened on to overtake them. I went over the lofty hills and mountains and solitary valleys along the banks of the French Broad. This is an astonishing river in its meanderings through beautiful valleys and mountain gorges, with overhanging rocks. Here nature is seen in her beauty and grandeur, and I wonderfully admired that day the works of nature as one scene after another broke on my delighted vision.

That night I lodged at Barnett’s Station.⁠[19] This was a public house, partly over the mountain, where multitudes of travelers put up. We carried our religion wherever we went, and always hoisted our colors. Bishop Asbury taught us, both by precept and example, to be valiant for the truth. So the travelers were called together, and I gave them an exhortation, and prayed with the family. All were civil, respectful, and attentive to what was said.

On Friday I rode to Buncombe, expecting to find the bishops there. Buncombe County is in the western part of North Carolina, joining Tennessee. It was nine days before I overtook them. On Monday, November 2, I found them at Samuel Edney’s,⁠[20] one of the bishop’s choice homes. We were overjoyed to see each other.

It was a tremendous task to descend from the lofty mountain. The ascent was rough and fatiguing, but the descent still more difficult. On we went, the bishop preaching every day and several times on the Sabbath till we reached Waxhaw, South Carolina, famous for being the birthplace of Andrew Jackson. Here at this time Bishop Asbury ordained Robert Hancock, who was a respectable local preacher. There were many private ordinations of that kind in those days.

We arrived at Camden and put up with Samuel Matthis. On Sabbath morning Bishop Asbury preached from Ephes. v, 8, on walking as children of the light. At three I held forth from John i, 9, and in the evening Bishop M’Kendree preached from “worship God.” Immediately after the first sermon Brother Jackson, who was the preacher, met the colored people, about three hundred in number, to whom I preached from Luke ix, 62, on putting the hand to the plow and looking back. The colored people are fond of figures; such a text suited them. I told them if a man was plowing and he should look back, he would make a very crooked furrow. A circle of smiles passed over their black faces when they heard this. A colored brother in a love-feast said, “I have put my hand to the Gospel plow, and I am determined to plow my furrow clean up to glory.” Another, in relating his experience, said, “Bredren, I cannot exactly tell it, but when I was converted two suns rose dat morning sartin.” This was a beautiful figure. He was converted just as the natural sun was rising, and that moment the Sun of Righteousness arose with healing in its wings and shone into his dark soul, and he was all light in the Lord.

The next day we went to James Rembert’s. Camp-meeting began here on Wednesday, November 23. Bishop M’Kendree opened the campaign by preaching at seven o’clock from 1 Cor. xv, 48, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast,” etc. A mighty man was Bishop M’Kendree on great occasions: they woke up the giant, and he put forth all his strength. In the afternoon Bishop Asbury preached one of his massive sermons from “Go through, go through the gates, prepare ye the way of the people,” etc. The next day there was preaching by James Jenkins, Morris Mathis, Bishop M’Kendree, and myself. I wrote in my journal: “The Lord was in his word through the day and evening. A general shout in the camp this evening; some powerfully converted.”

On Friday there were five sermons, the preachers being Lovick Pierce, Bishop Asbury, Henry Boehm, James Jenkins, and I again at night. There were forty tents and cabins. It being very late in the season they had fireplaces in the tents, so the people kept very comfortable. The meeting was held late in the year, not only because the people were in the spirit of camp-meetings, but also to have the presence of two bishops. There was a cabin neatly fitted up with its chimney and fireplace for the bishops.

In regard to the result of this meeting Bishop Asbury says: “There was a powerful work among white saints and sinners, and the poor oppressed, neglected Africans.” And Bishop Capers says: “The camp-meeting was one of the best I have ever known.” I had attended four camp-meetings in the West, and this was the first in the South.

It was here I first saw the Southern preachers, and for the first time that beautiful and amiable youth, William Capers. He, as my readers know, became one of the strong men of the South. At this time he had not been licensed to preach; he had traveled as an exhorter, and at a quarterly conference held at this camp-meeting he was licensed to preach and also recommended to the Annual Conference. Two of William Capers’s brothers, John and Gabriel, were here converted, and his father was reconciled with Bishop Asbury. Mr. Asbury used to preach at his father’s house years before, but Mr. Hammett had prejudiced his mind against the bishop, and for seventeen years he had been estranged from him. But I prefer that William Capers tell his own story. “At this camp-meeting I first saw Bishop Asbury. I was introduced to him immediately on his first coming to the camp-meeting, as I happened to be in the preachers’ tent at the time of his arrival. I approached him timidly, and with a feeling of veneration; but, ‘Ah,’ said he, ‘this is the baby; come and let me hug you,’ meaning that I was the baby when he was last at my father’s house. On my father’s entering the tent, he rose hastily from his seat and met him with his arms extended, and they embraced each other with mutual emotion. It had been seventeen years since they had seen each other, and yet the bishop asked after Sally and Gabriel, as if it had been but a few months, and repeated, gleefully, ‘I have got the baby!’ It was evident no common friendship had subsisted between them; and how much happier had those years of estrangement been to my honored father if they had been passed in the fellowship he had been seduced to leave.” Mr. Capers well adds the following, worthy to be written in a conspicuous place: “I hate schism; I abhor it as the very track and trail of him who, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour.”⁠[21]

All the preachers who were at that camp-meeting in 1808 have gone the way whence they will not return, except Lovick Pierce and myself.

James Rembert, with whom we were staying, was a large man in body, and equally large in soul. He was very wealthy and very benevolent. He lived in a place called Rembert’s Settlement; there was a church called Rembert’s Chapel, and James Rembert was the honored patriarch. Bishop Asbury had been here to Rembert’s Hall several times before, and always had a hearty welcome.

On Monday the 28th we left Rembert’s Hall and started for Charleston. On our arrival we were the guests of Dr. William Phœbus, who was the stationed preacher. In former years I preached at his brother John’s, on the eastern shore of Maryland. The doctor was a most eccentric genius. There was dignity about him, and yet he was peculiarly odd. He was, however, quite a philosopher, and did noble service for Methodism.

We remained in Charleston for several days, and both bishops preached almost daily. I also preached there several times. Never was I more delighted than with my visit to Charleston and the Charleston Methodists. There was a zeal and warmth among them I much admired. They not only lived in a warm climate, but had warm hearts. I wrote thus in my journal: “The Lord has a kind and loving people in this city. The prospects of Zion are very promising in this place.” Wonders has God done for the Methodists in Charleston since I made this record. But alas, what a change has come over the city! How has the fine gold become dim! It was a sad day for them when secession was born, and they fired upon Fort Sumter and the old time-honored flag.

We were several days in reaching the seat of the South Carolina Conference, and crossed several rivers on the way. On Wednesday the 15th Bishop M’Kendree preached a very ingenious sermon on 1 Peter i, 13, “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind,” etc. He was perfectly original in his mode of illustration. He said the loins were the weakest part of the body, and therefore the necessity of strengthening them. We were to gird the weak places. He applied to diligent attention, watchfulness, etc. It was a striking discourse, impressive both in matter and manner.

On Saturday we reached Augusta in Georgia. This day we dined in the woods. It was nothing new; and the bishops were just as grateful over their dry morsel, and would ask a blessing as fervently over it as over some of the sumptuous dinners of the wealthy.

Bishop Asbury preached in Augusta in the morning, M’Kendree in the afternoon, and I in the evening. Mr. Asbury makes this mournful record: “Sunday, 18, my flesh sinks under labor. We are riding in a poor thirty-dollar chaise, in partnership; two bishops of us, but it must be confessed it tallies well with the weight of our purse: what bishops! Well, but we have great views, and we have great times, and the Western, Southern, and Virginia Conferences will have one thousand souls truly converted to God; and is this not an equivalent for a light purse? And are we not well paid for starving and for toil? Yes. Glory to God!” This record is characteristic of the sainted Asbury. The bishops rode in a carriage, and I on horseback, a kind of body-guard.

On Saturday the 24th we reached Liberty Chapel, near Milledgeville, the seat of the conference. It was held in the house where the bishops were entertained, commencing on Monday, December 26, 1808. The day before being Christmas, Bishop Asbury preached a sermon from John iii, 17, on the design of God in sending his Son into the world.

At the opening of the conference Bishop Asbury, in a very appropriate manner, introduced the new bishop to them. The preachers received him joyfully. Every member, one after another, went forward and gave the bishop his right hand, and bade him welcome. The scene was beautiful, and to Bishop M’Kendree it was as refreshing as the dews of heaven. Sixteen were received on trial, among others the excellent and eloquent William Capers. They are all dead. Nine deacons were ordained and six elders. There were nearly seventy preachers, and the sweetest spirit prevailed.

In connection with the conference they held a camp-meeting. I had never thought of attending a camp-meeting between Christmas and New Year’s. I wrote thus: “My heart feels united to my southern brethren in the bonds of a peaceful Gospel.” Peace and harmony continued throughout the progress of the conference; preaching, praying, exhortation, shouting, crying, rejoicing. There were about forty or fifty converted. There were quite a number of tents and fifteen cabins, and about a thousand people attended every day.

On the last day of the year a love-feast was held, and it was a precious time both with preachers and people. Bishop Asbury preached at noon from 1 Peter i, 10-12, “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired,” etc. It was a masterly sermon, delivered to three thousand people. We had the sacrament in the evening. There was over three thousand increase in the South Carolina Conference during the year. It was a glorious year for the South.

There was a noble class of men in this conference who helped lay the foundation for the future prosperity of Methodism in the South, James Jenkins, Hilliard Judge, Lewis Myers, Daniel Asbury, and many others that we might name.