Missionary Tour

MR. HUNT WILLIAM COWAN NOTTOWAY AMELIA PETERSBURG MR.

GARRATT — MECKLENBURG MR. PATILLO.

FROM Prince Edward the young preachers went towards Lunenburg. Before sunset they arrived at the house of a Mr. Yarborough, a Baptist of some wealth, who received them with Christian and Virginian hospitality. Here they gained acquaintance with a man whose case is too remarkable and characteristic of the times to be omitted. And as the memorandums of Dr. Alexander respecting his contemporaries furnish facts which would otherwise be entirely lost, we feel justified in frequently turning aside to diversify our story by such episodes.

“Mr. Yarborough took occasion to inform us that there was a Baptist preacher in his employment as a millwright, who would be at the house as soon as his work was finished. Accordingly about the dusk of the evening, an old man in coarse garb, with leathern apron, and laden with tools, entered the house and took his seat on the stairs. Neither Mr.

Grigsby nor I had ever been acquainted with uneducated preachers, and we were struck with astonishment that this carpenter should pretend to preach. When we retired, Mr. Shelbume, such was his name, was put into the same room with us. I felt an avidity to question him respecting his call to the ministry, taking it for granted that the old man was ignorant. I therefore began by asking him what he considered a call to the ministry. Mr. Shelburne perceived the drift of my question, and instead of giving a general answer proceeded to a narrative of his own experience, and to state the circumstances which led him to suppose that God had called him to be a preacher. The substance of his story was as follows:

“eI was born in one of the lower counties of Virginia, and when young was put to learn the carpenter’s trade. Until I was a man grown and had a family, I never heard any preaching but from ministers of the Established Church, and did not even know that there were any others. About this time came into the neighbourhood a Presbyterian minister, by the name of Martin, whom I went to hear; and before he was done I was convinced that I was in a lost and undone condition. He made no stay, and I heard no more of him. But a wound had been left in my conscience which I knew not how to get healed, and no one about me could give any valuable advice as to a cure. I went from day to day under a heavy burden, bewailing my miserable state, till at length my distress became so great that I could neither eat nor sleep with any peace or comfort. My neighbours said that I was falling into melancholy or going mad, but not one of them ha,d any knowledge from experience of the nature of my distress. Thus I continued mourning over my miserable case for weeks and months. I was led, however, to read constantly in the Bible; but this rather increased than lessened my distress; until one Sunday evening I saw as clearly as I ever saw any thing how I could be saved, through the death of Christ. I was filled with comfort, and yet sorrow for my sins flowed more copiously than ever. I praised God aloud, and immediately told my wife that I had found salvation; and when any of my neighbours came to see me, I told them of the goodness of God, and what he had done for my soul, and how he had pardoned all my sins. As I spoke freely of the wonderful change I had experienced, it was soon noised abroad, and many came to see me, and to hear an account of the matter from my own mouth.

“• On Sabbath evenings my house would be crowded, and when I had finished my narrative I was accustomed to give them a word of exhortation. And as I could be better heard when standing, I stood and addressed my neighbours, without any thought of preaching. After proceeding for some time in this way, I found that several others began to be awakened by what they heard from me, and appeared to be brought through the new birth much as I had been. This greatly encouraged me to proceed in my work, and God was pleased to bless my humble labours to the conversion of many. All this time I did no more than relate my own experience and then exhort my neighbours to seek unto the Lord for mercy. Thus was I led on from step to step, until at length I actually became a preacher, without

intending it. Exercised persons would frequently come to me for counsel, as I had been the first among them to experience the grace of God; and that I might be able to answer their questions I was induced to study the Bible continually; and often while at work, particular passages would be opened to my mind; which encouraged me to hope that the Lord had called me to instruct those who were more ignorant than myself; and when the people would collect at my house, I explained to them those passages which had been opened to my mind. All this time I had no instruction in spiritual matters from any man, except the sermons which I heard from Mr. Martin. But after a few years there came a Baptist preacher into our neighbourhood, and I found that his doctrine agreed substantially with my experience, and with what I had learned out of the Bible. I travelled about with him, and was encouraged by him to go on in the exercise of my gift of public speaking, but was told by him that there was one duty which I was required to perform, which was that I should be baptized according to the command of Christ. And as we rode along we came to a certain water, and I said, See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized? Upon which we both went down into the water, and he baptized me by immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. From that time I have continued until this day, testifying to small and great, to white and black, repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and not without the pleasure of seeing many sinners forsaking their sins and turning unto God.

“‘Now,’ said he, ’ you have heard the reasons which m

induce me to believe that God has called me to preach the Gospel to the poor and ignorant. I never considered myself qualified to instruct men of education and learning. I have always felt badly when such have come to hear me. But as for people of my own class, I believed that I could teach them many things which they need to know; and in regard to such as had become pious; I was able, by study of the Bible and meditation, to go before them, so that to them also I could be in some measure a guide. I lament my want of learning, and am deeply convinced that it is useful to the ministry of the Gospel; but it seems to me that there are different gifts now as of old, and one man may be suited to one part of the Lord’s work, and another to another part. And I do not know but that poor and ignorant people can understand my coarse and familiar language better than the discourses of the most learned and eloquent men. I know their method of thinking and reasoning, and how to make things plain by illustrations and comparisons adapted to their capacities and their habits/

“When the old millwright had finished his narrative, I felt much more inclined to doubt my own call to the ministry, than that of James Shelburne. Much of the night was spent in this conversation, while my companion was enjoying his usual repose. We talked freely about the doctrines of religion, and were mutually gratified at finding how exactly our views tallied. From this night James Shelburne became an object of my high regard, and he gave abundant testimony of his esteem for me. Whenever I visited that part of the country, he was wont to ride many miles to hear me

preach, and was pleased to declare that he had never heard any of the ministers of his own denomination with whose opinions he could so fully agree as with mine. I had the opportunity of hearing him preach several times, and was pleased not only with the soundness of his doctrine, but the unaffected simplicity of his manner. His discourses consisted of a series of judicious remarks expressed in the plainest language, and in a conversational tone, until he became by degrees warmed with his subject, when he fell into a singing tone, but nothing like what was common with almost all Baptist preachers of the country at that time. As he followed his trade from day to day, I once asked him how he found time to study his sermons; to which he replied, that he could study better at his work, with his hammer in his hand, than if shut up and surrounded with books. When he had passed the seventieth year of his age he gave up work, and devoted himself entirely to preaching. Being a man of firm health, he travelled to a considerable distance and preached nearly every day. On one of these tours, after I was settled in Charlotte County, I saw him for the last time. The old man appeared to be full of zeal and love, and brought the spirit of the Gospel into every family which he visited. He was evidently ripening for heaven, and accordingly, not long after, he finished his course with joy. Thus I have anticipated much that relates to my old friend, although his end did not occur until many years after this time,” *

* See also an account of the same man, in the “New Orleans Protestant” for 1846 or 1847.

At Reedy Creek the travellers met with some persons from whom they acquired many important facts as to the early plantation of our church in Virginia. Distinguished among these was Captain William Craighead, an intimate friend of the Rev. Samuel Davies of Hanover, with whom he served as an elder. He cordially welcomed the missionaries, as his family and that of William Cowan, Esq., were the only Presbyterians of the neighbourhood. He produced a file of letters received from President Davies after his removal to Princeton, and said it was his custom to read them over on a certain day in every year. From his ardour of disposition, activity, fluency of speech and religious zeal, the Captain was well fitted to be a useful officer in the church. In all the negotiations touching Mr. Davies’ s removal he bore a prominent part, and afterwards was several times a commissioner to convey a call to other northern ministers; among the rest to Mr. Kirkpatrick of New Jersey. After many disappointments the Hanover people were at length visited by the Rev. David Rice, who became their pastor. After Mr. Rice’s departure, the congregation remained many years vacant, and the church declined more and more.

The notices respecting another old Christian of that country aid our conceptions of the type of religion which prevailed. This was Mr. Hunt, the father of Craighead’s second wife. He was a subject of the work of grace in Hanover, before they had any preaching. He was old enough to have a family around him, when the awakening began, in consequence of finding and reading certain old books. He remembered Mr. Robinson’s visit, and gave a particular account of the circumstances attending his arrival. He had a notion that when a young man God had called him by name, it is believed in Williamsburg. Sitting up till midnight he heard a voice from above distinctly calling him, James Hunt, James Hunt! Contrary to what is usual in such visitations, the voice was distinctly heard by two women who were ironing in a room near at hand. From that time he had very serious thoughts about religion, but was ignorant of its nature, until the famous “reading;” commenced at Mr. Morris’s house, in the neighbourhood of which he lived. The genuineness and sincerity of Mr. Hunt’s religion were rendered evident by a life of even, humble piety, during seventy years. “In his ninety-second year,” says Dr. Alexander, “he read Fame’s Age of Keason, not long after which I visited him, at the house of his son Gilbert, on Staunton River; and was struck with the remarks which he made on that infidel performance. At that time he related to me an experience which he had had many years before. One morning as he arose from his bed, he had so ravishing a view of the glory of God, that for some time he stood in mute astonishment. And when this passed away he enjoyed for a fortnight such a peace, that he could conceive of no greater happiness.”

Another person whom the missionaries found in Lunenburg was William Cowan, a Scotchman by birth, a lawyer of some eminence, and a man of eminent piety. Having come to this country when a lad, with an elder brother, he fell in with the Methodists, exhorted in public, and was elated with his supposed success in public speaking. He used to relate that he felt sure he could produce a ser- mon off-hand on any text in the Bible; and that to make a trial, he opened the book at random, and alighted on these words, Obadiah 3, “The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee,” &c. This came home to his conscience and feelings with a power so convincing that he fell prostrate on the ground, and from that hour a great change was wrought in his character, and he became an humble man for the rest of life. When a suitable occasion offered itself he returned to the bosom of the Presbyterian Church, in which he had been baptized. “Mr. Cowan,” says our manuscript,” was certainly one of the most uniformly serious men I was ever acquainted with. In his arguments at the bar, his solemn voice and formal manner of dividing his subject much resembled preaching. Though always grave he was not austere, and the impression which he made on men of the world, and especially on his associates, was exceedingly favourable, while his profound skill in jurisprudence was universally acknowledged. He was no orator, but in causes requiring legal acumen and judgment, he was by many preferred to Patrick Henry, with whom he practised in the same courts for many years, living in habits of intimacy with that great man. When the war was ended he was almost entirely occupied in collecting moneys due to the Scotch merchants,’who had generally gone off at the commencement of the Kevolution; a business which was attended with little difficulty after the confirmation of Jay’s Treaty. But immediately after the Kevolution the payment of these debts was resisted, and Patrick Henry, as I have been informed, never made a greater display of his extraordinary abilities, than in a speech before the Supreme Court against the equity of these claims; so that the British agents who were in court said to one another, ‘We had better go home, for this man, before he is done, will make us the debtors instead of the creditors/

“When Mr. Cowan retired from the bar, and confined himself to collecting the aforesaid debts, he came often into the part of the country where I resided, and I had the opportunity of being much with him. And having observed his solemn manner at the bar and his uniform seriousness and devotion, I, as well as others, concluded that he ought to become a preacher of the gospel. One day, therefore, when riding with him from the place of worship, I ventured to broach the subject. He said it had often been suggested to his mind, but that after the most mature deliberation he had come to the conclusion that it would be unwise for him to enter the ministry. That the habits of one profession long fixed could not be easily laid aside to assume those of another; that he had had much to do in worldly business, and had been obliged in the course of his profession to offend many persons; that many were prejudiced against him on account of his being the attorney for British merchants, to whom almost all were indebted; and especially that he still was concerned in cases which could not be terminated for many years. I was much impressed with the solid weight of these reasons.

“He was deeply sensible of the evils of slavery, and one day said to me that there was a secret policy in the minds

of some leading men in the state, to tax slaves very heavily, so as by degrees to render them unprofitable; as they were convinced that the mass of slaveholders would never consent to emancipate them while they were profitable,”

After Mr. Grigsby had preached at Keedy Creek, to a small congregation, he and his companion were met by Capt. Craighead, who took them to his house and entertained them with much kindness. On the next Sabbath they went to Lunenburg Court House, two or three miles distant, where Bishop Madison was to preach. They heard him discourse on standing in the old paths. The object of this visitation — and he made but few — was to win back the people into the old church. The state of episcopacy in Virginia at this period may be learnt from the history of Dr. Hawks. Captain Craighead and Mr. Cowan expressed the opinion that there was no vitality in the body, except in the parish of old Mr. Jarratt, of whom more will be said hereafter. In the afternoon both the young Presbyterians preached in the Court House, to a large and attentive audience, of whom most had never heard a minister of this persuasion. The youthful appearance of the speakers attracted much attention. In the county of Amelia they found no Presbyterians, but were warmly entertained by an old Col. Brooking, who, with his wife, had been accustomed in their youth to hear Mr. Davies. “They informed us that John Bodgers Davies resided near them, and was frequently their guest. Old Mrs. Brooking added, that she had once asked him to do her a special favour, and on his consenting, informed him that she desired him to take home and read the

little poem which his father had written on the occasion of his birth. He answered that he could not do it, and that he had never perused any of his father’s writings.

“Six or seven years after this, I made a tour through the counties south of James Kiver, and found that he had removed to Sussex. The man with whom I staid, a Mr. Chapel, a Methodist, told me that there was a Presbyterian gentleman near him, who never attended any of their meetings, and that he was glad I had come. Mr. Chapel urged me to preach in the evening; and went himself to inform Mr. Davies of the service. But he could not by all his arguments prevail on him to come. And finally, to get clear of his importunity, he said, c If the Apostle Paul was to preach at your house to-night, I would not go; nay, if my own father was to preach there I would not go,”

It deserves to be mentioned that great assemblies were gathered to the preaching of Mr. Alexander during this visit to Amelia. A report had been circulated that he was only fifteen or sixteen years of age, which indeed his appearance seemed to justify, though at this time he was nearly twenty. From all the accounts which we have been able to obtain during a residence in the same region nearly thirty years ago, when many were surviving who remembered these juvenile efforts, we are induced to believe that at no period of his ministry was the preaching of Mr. Alexander more attractive and powerful than at that very time. With little of that culture which he afterwards received in large measure, he had the glow and exuberance of youth, a fund of brilliant imagery and copious words, a magical fascination of voice, and above all a spirituality of mind, which was the chief endowment in the apprehension of those aged persons who gave the report. His labours were abundant, sometimes involving successive days of preaching, at places far apart; and they were doubtless instrumental in promoting the growth of that Church to the service of which his whole energy both in youth and age was consecrated.

Continuing their journey in the direction of the rivers towards tidewater, our missionaries went next to Petersburg. They were consigned by letter to Mr. Thomas Shore, of Pocahontas, on the side of- the Appomatox opposite to the town. This gentleman’s father, Dr. Shore of Hanover, had been one of Mr. Davies’s elders. They took up their abode, however, with a Mr. Dodson, who proved to be an obliging and serious man, but unconnected with any religious body. The good man informed the young preachers that there would be no difficulty in procuring them a place in which to hold meetings, assuring them that they might have either the Episcopal church, or the Methodist church in Blandford. He accordingly agreed to go and see the principal local preacher of the Methodists, a considerable merchant, of whose liberality he spoke in high terms. “It was also agreed/7 says Mr. Alexander,” that Mr. Grigsby should go to Blandford and secure the Episcopal church there, so that each might have a place of preaching. We thought every thing was to go on swimmingly. After dinner we stepped into a store in the old town, as Mr. Grigsby wanted a pair of black silk gloves for the pulpit. While he was chaffering at the counter, the owner of the store said to me, e When

I saw you ride into town, I thought you were Methodist preachers, but now I find I was mistaken; pray, to what denomination do you belong? ‘On our replying, he said, 6 Ah! Presbyterian! ’ with a peculiar tone and expression of countenance; f We have a man in town who was once a Presbyterian preacher, but is now a merchant; for he says he can’t sell goods and preach too, I replied, that I thought the man was perfectly right, as no man could fulfil the duties of the sacred office and be a merchant at the same time. His colour rose at this, and he said, with a smarter tone, ‘Then you do not agree with the Apostle Paul, for he preached and wrought at the trade of tent making.’ I answered that I did agree with Paul, who had given solemn directions to Timothy that ministers should give themselves wholly to their work; and that Paul’s labouring was from necessity, and to take away all occasion of prejudice from his enemies. Here we left the store, and on relating what had passed to Mr. Dodson, were informed that this man was a preacher and a leading person among the Methodists.”

There is much naivete in the description of these first attempts to exercise their gifts in a large town.” On Saturday, Mr. Grigsby proceeded to Blandford and Mr. Dodson applied to the local preacher, requesting their house at hours which would not interfere with their worship, and was confounded to find that it could not be had. Mr. Dodson was greatly mortified, as he said he and many others who were not of their society had helped to build the house. When Mr. Grigsby returned from Blandford, he told us he had visited Mr. Cameron, the rector, from whom he had re-JOHN baptist’s spring. 145

ceived an unceremonious refusal. He had, however, met with a Dr. Hull, born in Augusta and bred a Presbyterian, who insisted that we should dine with him the next day. I hesitated, but thinking a private house would be more agreeable than Mr. Dodson’ s boarding house, I consented. The question as to a place of preaching was not yet satisfactorily answered. We made many inquiries, but nothing presented itself. At length I asked Mr. D., if they never had field-preaching about the town. He said there was a spring about a mile off called John Baptist’s Spring, because an old Baptist, a black man named John, sometimes held “forth there. I replied that this should be our preaching place; but how to give notice was the difficulty. At length Mr. Dodson suggested that he had a smart negro boy, who could go through the town with a bell, carrying the notice in his hand to be read by all who might meet him. I was much pleased with this scheme, and we prepared in a large legible hand a notice that two young Presbyterian ministers would preach at the - stand ’ of John the Baptist, at four o’clock in the afternoon. Our little black was already summoned, when information came that Mr. Prentiss, the printer, had offered for our use a large unfurnished house in Bolingbroke Street.

“In the morning I went with Mr. Dodson to the Methodist church, and Mr. Grigsby went to Blandforcl to hear Mr. Cameron. The circuit rider who attended in Petersburg on that occasion was no indifferent speaker. He was either an Englishman, or had caught the swell and rotundity of English elocution from preachers who had come over from 10

that country. But after he had proceeded some length in his discourse, he went out of his way to warn the people against a set of preachers who taught that the righteousness of Christ was imputed to the believer. He said this was a dangerous doctrine, and before he was done called it imputed nonsense and blasphemy. I was astonished, not being then aware of the Methodist hostility to this doctrine. After sermon I went over to Blandford to meet Mr. G. at Dr. Hull’s. Here I learned that Mr. Cameron also had uttered a violent tirade against Calvinists, and warned the people against hearing them, as he understood some preachers of that description had come to the place. Thus were we met with opposition on all sides.

“Soon after our arrival the company began to come in, carriage after carriage. We found to our chagrin that a large party had been invited, and as Archibald Gracie of New- York and some other guests were late, the hour for preaching had nearly come before we sat down. We expressed our uneasiness to the host, who said we should be there in full time. But before we had made our way half through the elegant dinner, which did me no good, the hour arrived. WTe unceremoniously rose from table, in the midst of a smart thunder shower. The rain prevented many who would have come, for the refusal to let us preach had excited much feeling. The house, however, which was in a very rough state, was well filled, and Mr. Grigsby preached a plain, solemn and impressive sermon, on John iii. 3. The people were very attentive, and an old Mr. Angus took us cordially by the hand, and in a strong Scotch accent asked us to go home with him, to which we agreed. He informed us that the majority of Parson Cameron’s hearers were Scotch people, who had been brought up Presbyterians; c Yes, he added, c and he also was brought up a Presbyterian, Before the people were dismissed, we learned that application had been made for the use of the Masonic Hall, a spacious building in Blandford, but that an old lady, who taught a dancing school there, strongly objected, fearing lest we should injure her craft. But when the Master Mason heard this, he brought the key of the Hall and delivered it to one of our friends. The next day, therefore, I preached to a very large congregation in this fine room; and Mr. Grigsby preached on the day following. During these days an earnest application was made, for one of us to remain and preach there statedly. And if we could have staid, a Presbyterian congregation might have been gathered fifteen years before such an organization actually took place. But each of us had a tour of six months before him.

“We now took our leave of Petersburg and of one another. This last we were very reluctant to do; for we had found that c two are better than one, and that the plan adopted by our Saviour was better than any other. No sooner had I turned my face westward, than I began to feel solitary and dejected. Grigsby’s exuberance of spirits had previously kept me up, but now I was left to my own gloomy forebodings of innumerable difficulties.”

The name of the Reverend Devereux Jarratt is well known by all the friends of evangelical religion in Virginia, where he shone as a light in a dark place, during a season

when the Episcopal Church had few to declare the gospel in its simplicity. Having heard much of his piety and eloquence, Mr. Alexander determined to spend the next Sabbath with him. The good old man had lately attended the diocesan convention at BichmOnd, and had preached a pungent and faithful discourse, which was then fresh from the press. He was found in his spacious old-fashioned house, in the midst of a large plantation, without children, but surrounded by sleek, happy-looking servants. “But I confess,” says the narrative, “I was much better pleased with Mrs. Jarratt. There was so much of sweetness and kindness in this old lady, that I have seldom seen the like. Mrs. Grammar, of Petersburg, known to me long afterwards, was in affability, goodness, and Christian courtesy the exact resemblance of Mrs. Jarratt. Indeed, she was brought up under her tuition, and her son now occupies Mr. Jarratt’s place in the parish of Bath. The old gentleman seemed at first reserved and austere. I was a perfect stranger to him, very young, and younger in appearance than in reality, and as far as I remember, brought no introductory letters; they were less common in those clays than now. He did not leave his study to keep me company, but left the good lady to attend on me, which she did in a manner that could not but be most soothing to the heart of a stranger, much disposed to melancholy thoughts. After a little, however, Mr. Jarratt began to unbend; and the first thing he did was to examine me on the Evidences of Christianity, and to get something of my history, and of my purpose in visiting that part of the country. Finding me not altogether ignorant, he proceeded to converse with me freely. He related a controversy which he had had the week before with the Methodist Presiding Elder of the district; in the course of which the latter asked in regard to something which he had asserted, c How should you know any better than I? ’ i Because, answered Mr. Jarratt, c I had read more books before you were born, than you have done in your whole life/

“He said his parish was much reduced, and that the state of religion was very low; but he described scenes of a truly animating kind which had been witnessed there. When he first preached there, as the people were gay and careless, he prepared a few flowery discourses, ad captandum, and brought out but little of the gospel plainly. This he justified by the case of Paul, who became all things to all men. But it was a doubtful expedient, and an experiment replete with danger. As to his own church, he knew but one man in the ministry whom he regarded as an experimental Christian; this was a Mr. Ball. But as he has published an account of his own life, which is a curious picture of manners in Virginia at that period, I will not attempt to sketch his character. His zeal, together with a voice of great power and melody, carried him forward and raised him high as a preacher; and as he and Mr. McRoberts were the only two who zealously preached the gospel in the church as by law established, their prominence was marked. Some years afterwards I heard him preach at Hampden Sidney College; the sermon was evangelical and fervent, without signs of care in the preparation, and his voice was then broken. A good idea of his labours may be obtained from his printed sermons. His theological opinions, as he informed me, were in conformity with those of Kichard Baxter, except that he held, and in several publications endeavoured to maintain, the possibility of attaining sinless perfection in this life.”

The path marked out for Mr. Alexander lay in the direction of the North Carolina border. From Petersburg, therefore, he retraced his steps through the counties of Amelia, Nottoway, and Lunenburg, where he fulfilled engagements made in the former visit. He then entered Mecklenburg, where the Kev. Mr. Patillo was accustomed to preach once in the month. Here the Methodists had enjoyed much success for a time. A lady is remembered, who a few years before had made much noise. Such was her zeal and enthusiasm, that she spoke and exhorted in public assemblies, even when a number of preachers were present. Her figure was commanding, and her address won public admiration. The young missionary here records a misadventure not uncommon in such itinerations; his horse escaped, and was missing for some days. In this great embarrassment, his gloomy thoughts were dispelled by a discourse which he casually opened upon in a friend’s house, on the words, “Shall we receive good at the hands of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil?” It was in Bennet’s Oratory, a work on Prayer, for which he always retained a strong attachment.

At the Blue Stone Meeting-House, he first fell in with the Bev. Henry Patillo, who had come over from Granville County in Carolina, to administer the Lord’s Supper; and of whom he gives the following notices. Mr. Patillo was born in Scotland, and was brought to this country by an elder brother, when only nine years old. While yet a young man, he became acquainted with Mr. Davies, and having experienced the power of grace he entered on studies preparatory to the ministry, receiving aid from some persons of benevolence. But his chief resource was in his own labours as a teacher, by which he was enabled to sustain himself. In due time he was licensed by the Presbytery of Hanover, at that time the only one in Virginia. This was probably about the year 1760. For some years he preached in Cumberland, Prince Edward, and Charlotte; but on receiving an invitation to North Carolina, he removed to Granville County, and had for his charge the congregations of Grassy Creek and Nutbush, with which he remained till the close of his life.

Mr. Patillo was above the middle size, of robust constitution and uninterrupted health. His aspect was benevolent, and his manners were simple and affectionate. He was free from envy and jealousy, and even in old age had no austerity or moroseness. He was especially affable with young ministers, delighting in their gifts, for which he gave thanks to God. The most untutored and the youngest were perfectly at ease in his company; as he seemed to esteem himself the least of all God’s servants. Yet he was an incessant reader, and remembered almost all that he read. In the pulpit, he was plain and practical; but it was evident that much pains had been bestowed on his discourses. His voice was commanding, and he was generally heard with attention. His disposition was so contented, that nothing seemed to disturb the serenity of his mind. As far as was possible for the head of a family, he divested himself of all worldly cares. He was always poor, and used to express his thankfulness to Grod for having kept him entirely exempt from the snares of wealth. The only kind of property on which he set much value, was books. He had a great avidity for learning, rather than for accumulating a fine library; but was generous in parting with his treasures to those who needed them more than he. “Until this period of my life,” says Mr. Alexander, “I had never seen a Hebrew Bible, or any other Hebrew book; and some time after this, having found a mutilated copy among the relics of old Robert Henry’s books in Charlotte, I begged it of the family, and then travelled into North Carolina, to procure a By timer’s Lyra Prophetica, from old Mr. Patillo.” On a certain occasion, while Mr. Patillo was absent, his house was consumed by fire. On his return, he exclaimed to his wife, “0 my dear, are’ my books safe?” And on being assured that they were, he devoutly praised God.

Late in life, Mr. Patillo became an author. His principal work was an abridgment of Leland’s Deistical Writers; a very seasonable production, at a time when French infidelity was rife. The other was a series of plain sermons. A note appended to one of these, broached the same doctrine concerning Christ’s human nature, which has since been so offensively taught by the famous Edward Irving. It will cast light on the ministerial fife of those days, here to insert a statement of Dr. Alexander’s, though out of its chronological place. “While I was minister in Charlotte, the old gentleman came once to pay his last visit to his friends in Virginia. I made a string of appointments for him, reaching from Cub Creek to Cumberland, and accompanied him the whole round. It was previously suggested to a few as we passed from place to place, that it would be well to make a contribution, to aid the aged servant of God. When we had finished our tour, I had in my saddle-bags about thirty dollars, which the people had freely given. As I handed him the silver coin (for we had then never seen a bank-note), the good old man appeared to be penetrated with gratitude.” Mr. Patillo is supposed to have been more than seventy years of age at the time of his death.

Among the early settlements of Presbyterianism in this region, Mr. Alexander occasionally found persons of character so marked, as to deserve a passing notice. He names a Mr. John Young, a warm friend of Mr. Patillo, and a person of plain unassuming manners, who was remarkable, in years of scarcity, for selling corn at a uniform price, even when it would bring twice as much in the market. Col. Smith was another leading Presbyterian of the same neighbourhood, who had a daughter of extraordinary knowledge and piety. The personal narrative says of her: “She understood the Calvinistic doctrines better than any woman I ever saw. I have spent days in conversation on theological points with Polly Smith. Her religion was not merely theoretical, but deeply practical. She was a truly devout and humble person. She became the wife of the Kev. William Williamson, of Ohio,” Chesley Daniel and an old Mr. Lewis, are also mentioned as pious friends of this period. The only contemporary journal of this tour which remains to us, is a fragment of just six pages; which nevertheless contains two somewhat interesting entries. “Tuesday, August 7, 1792. I preached at Sandy Kiver. The house was very full of people, who seemed desirous to hear. 1 don’t remember that any to whom I have preached since I was on my tour, were apparently more affected than these.” “Thursday, Aug. 30. I preached at Chestnut Meeting-House, to a small congregation. In the time of sermon, the people appeared to be impressed, and to drink in the Word with greediness. I therefore continued my discourse for nearly two hours, and then dismissed the congregation. I sat in the pulpit about fifteen minutes, but no person in the house offered to go away. After some time I arose and told the people, that as they were not disposed to leave the house of God, their meditations might be assisted by singing a hymn; after which I again spoke about three quarters of an hour. There were few individuals in the house who did not appear deeply affected.”

From the borders of North Carolina, Mr. Alexander returned by the way of Charlotte, in Virginia. In fulfilling his appointments, it is believed in Mecklenburg, he met with the following interesting occurrence; “A young man named William Boyd was afraid to come into the house of worship, lest he should be seized with religious impressions; but feeling a strong curiosity to hear the young preacher, he at length returned and took a seat near the door, that he might go out immediately if any thing touched him. Though the bow was drawn at venture, the arrow took effect; he went home under strong convictions and was soon hopefully converted, and at an early age became an elder in the church. This account I received from his own mouth. He was a man of a tender and gentle spirit.” In Charlotte, he fell in with Moses Waddel, afterwards the Kev. Dr. Waddel of Georgia, but then a tutor at Hampden Sidney College.