Impressions of America and the American Churches: from journal of the Rev. G. Lewis

Preface

. I have called the following pages " Impressions," because, observations gathered in so short a sojourn, I feel to deserve no graver title. Leaving home on the 30th January 1844, I landed again in England in July, after an absence of scarce six months. During that time, in fulfilment of my mission, I made almost the circuit of the Union, and visited both the Canadas. A few years ago such a thing had been impossible. Now it is easy, and accomplished with no unbearable fatigue or hazard to life or limb, other than is encountered by all travellers, by sea and land. The reader cannot estimate more lowly than I do, the opportunities afforded by so rapid a journey ; and I should probably, under such a conviction, have kept my " Impressions" to myself, had I not succeeded in persuading myself that I had somewhat to say that might, at this time, have its use to that Church on whose errand I journeyed.

I would fain contribute my mite towards confirming the attachment ofthe members of the Free Church to that " more excellent way" of a self-sustained Church in opposition to a self-sustained Congregational system, which has hitherto prevailed among the Dissenting Churches, both of the Old and New World. The

PREFACE.

. IV " more excellent way" has been devised with Christian and comprehensive wisdom, and begun in a brave and generous spirit, but it has still to be wrought out in faith and patience, and that steadiness of purpose which is ascribed to our nation over the world. In our united adherence, as a church, to these plans, and their con tinued prosperity, next to our fidelity to the Truth as it is in Jesus, and to the spiritual objects of a Chris tian society, depends, under God, whether we sink down in a few years into another witnessing Church against certain errors and defections, or become, at home and abroad, a great missionary people, haying life in our selves, and the cause of life wherever we are called to prosecute the Christian enterprise. I cannot hope that my " Impressions" have been always such as will gratify my American brethren.

But I trust I will appear to have spoken " in love." The reproof of a friend is " an excellent oil that does not break the head." The exchange of this excellent oil between the churches, on both sides ofthe Atlantic, is-^urely one of the benefits we ought to seek from the re-opening of an intercourse between churches that have a common parentage, a common creed, and in these latter days are, we trust, to war a common warfare for the faith once delivered to the saints, and to provoke each other to love and good works, in their respective spheres. February 10. 1845. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

paK. Leave taking— Feelings in the prospect of Visiting the States — Free Church College— Liverpool and her Trade— Voyage — Storm at Sea— Sabbath at Sta— Halifax— Voyage to Boston — Arrival 1

Chapter II

American Hotel— Boston — Steamer to New York — Approach to the City— Landing — Introduction to American Society — Ramble through the City — Broadway — its Loungers — Gaiety — Celebration of Washington's Birth-day — Temperance Demonstration — Mr Lennox and his Benefactions — Reservoirs of New York— a Croaking Scotchman — Visit to Scotch Emigrants — Scotch Workmen—Ministerial visits — First Sabbath in New York — Gaiety and luxury of the Churches — Statement of the case of the Free Church — Number of Churches in New York —Parties in the Episcopalian Church— Observance of the Sabbath — Absence of Drunkenness — Poverty — Absence of Rags and Filth 21

Chapter III

Journey to Princeton — Anecdotes of Preaching amongst the Baptists — College of Princeton— Theological Education — Return to New York — Journey to Philadelphia — Baltimore and Washington — City of Washington — Alexandria 43

Chapter IV

The Capitol— The Judges of Supreme Court — The Rotunda — Congress —The President — Dinner Part}' — Statistics of Washington — Coloured Population — Churches of Washington — Visit to Mount Vernon — General Washington — Succession of Forest Trees — Methodist Conference — Steps towards Abolition of Slavery — Preaching before Congress — Impressions of Washington — Psalmody — State ofthe Working Classes VI CONTENTS. I'a, 104 134 162 187

Chapter V

Sail on the Potomac — Railway through the Forest — Forest Scenery — Virginia Planters— The Carolinas — Slavery — Charleston— The Woods of Charleston— Domestic Slavery —Visit to Columbia, in South Carolina— Return to Charleston—Christian Liberality— Sail to Savannah— Presbyterianism in Savannah— Slavery— Coloured Pastors —Woods of Bonaventue

Chapter VI

Journey to Augusta— Forest Scenery— Night Travelling through the Woods— City of Augusta— Slave Entertainments— Route to Madison— Forest on Fire— Staging — Slave Trade — Leanness of Men and Cattle — Columbus — American Coachmen — Fireflies — The Baptist Association — Missionary Contributions — Montgomery — Alabama — its Statistics — The Sick Child— Slave Market

Chapter VII

Steamer from Montgomery to Mobile — Whig Songs — River Alabama — City of Mobile — Negro Communion — Methodism — Yellow Fever — Happy Change in Mobile — Murder of a Planter by his Slaves — Negro Intelligence — Liberality to tbe Free Church — Medical Essay on the Negro Race, &c. ...

Chapter VIII

iiail from Mobile — Railway from Lake Ponchartrain to New Orleans — Society of New Orleans — The Scotch in New Orleans — Change for the Better — Dying Scotch Soldier — Increasing Zeal and Energy of Protestantism in the City — Coloured Congregation — Education in New Orleans — Expense of Living — Prospects of its Trade — Banks — the Mississippi—The Markets — Louisiana State — Coloured Population — Mr Macdonogh and his Negroes — The Cemetery of New Orleans — The Temperance Cause — its Good and Evil...

Chapter IX

Leaving New Orleans— Appearance of the Mississippi— Sugar Plantations — Various Climates on this River — Natchez Liberality of the Presbyterian Church— Gamblers— Lynch Law— Vicksburgh— Monotony of the Banks— Memphis- Squatters— Passengers of Steamer — Beauty of the Banks near St Louis— Cape Gerardo— Chester — No Money — St Louis CONTENTS. VII

Chapter X

page St Louis — Surprise of the Traveller— The Church of Rome — Hospital — Sisters of Charity — Sisters of the Sacred Heart — Jesuit College — Library— Luther — Popular Schools of the Jesuits — Protestant Churches — Roman Catholic — School Statistics — Fur Company — Temperance Cause — Meeting of the Missouri and Mississippi — Farm of a Scotchman— An Irish Family — Mormonites — Mineral Treasures of Missouri — French Population— Anecdotes — State of Religion in St Louis — Revivals 248

Chapter XI

Leaving St Louis — The Prairies of Illinois — Passengers — Indiana — Louisville — General Assembly — Revival Preacher — Missionary Sermon — Sabbath School Meeting 272

Chapter XII

Deputation heard by the Assembly — Fate of the Slavery Question in the Assembly — Reflections on the General Assembly —Missionary Contributions of its Churches — Preachers — Church Statistics of Louisville — State of Religion — Factories — Jeffersonville — Sail on the Ohio to Cincinnati — Cumberland Presbyterians — City of Cincinnati — its Churches — — Schools — Kapid Rise — Ohio a Free State 295

Chapter XIII

Stage to Pittsburgh — Interior of Ohio — Columbus — Zanesville — Wheeling — Coal Region — Decay of Trade in Wheeling — The Ohio — Beautiful Farms — Floods on the Mississippi — Approach to Pittsburgh — Opinions of the South — The Two Rivers — Pittsburgh — Seceders — Missions — A Roasted Lady — Leaving Pittsburgh — Fellow Passengers — Methodist Preaching — Bankruptcies of America — Pennsylvania — Lake Erie — Town of Erie — Buffalo — Niagara River— The Falls of Niagara — Last Look — Lord Morpeth 313

Chapter XIV

Route from Niagara Falls to Lewiston — Rival Nations — Lake Ontario — Toronto — Churches — Coloured Population — King's College — Union of Roman Catholic and Episcopal Parties — Presbyterianism — The Banner Newspaper — News from Scotland — Kingston — Sail amongst the Thousand Islands — Queen's College — Students — Brockville — Methodist Conference — The Rapids of the St Lawrence — Montreal— Cathedral — Power and Prevalence of Romanism — Quebec — Country Church — Falls of Montmorency — Return to Montreal — Departure — Reflections CONTENTS.

Chapter XV

Page Leaving Montreal — Lake Champlain — Saratoga Springs — The Hudson— New York — Synod of Seceders — Schools of New York — The Abbotts— New York Friends— Boston — Schools — Lowell — Factories — Harvard College — Congregationalism — Passage by the Acadia — Halifax — Newfoundland — Voyage — Coloured Passenger — Home 368

Chapter XVI

First Impressions — Advantages and Disadvantages — Political Condition of United States — Doctrines of Equality — Popular Caprice — Treatment of Public Men — The Union — Its Extension — Its Danger of Dissolution — Religious Condition of the States — Multitude of Sects — The Clergy — Their Incomes — Dependence — Sufficiency and Insufficiency of Private Enterprise in Religion — Experiment Unfinished — Missions — Revivals — Education — Diffusiveness in New England — Defects — Unchristian Character — Slavery — Progress of Abolition — Views in its States — In its Churches — Sentiments of the Presbyterian Church on Slavery — Temperance Reform — America the Land for the Labouring Man 393

Appendix

. Political Franchise 423 Education 424 Prussian Schools, AMERICA AND AMERICAN CHURCHES.

Chapter I

Leave taking— Feelings in the prospect of Visiting the States— Free Church College— Liverpool and her Trade— Voyage— Storm at Sea— Sabbath at Sea— Halifax— Voyage to Boston— Arrival. This day took leave, in the words of Nehemiah iii. 28-30, presenting the example of the Jews on returning from the captivity — " Each man building not only his own house, but the part of the wall opposite his own house ;" and so Je rusalem was rebuilt and fortified in troublous times. I en couraged my people to pray with Nehemiah, that God would think of them for good in the absence of their pastor, remember their sacrifices, and grant them their heart's wish to see the Free Church standing erect out of the ruins, a witness to posterity — the sanctuary of the truth — the nurse of a godly generation at home, and a missionary people abroad.

In spite of a half sense of shame, at making much ado about nothing, I felt the adieus more than I should have cared to acknowledge. Our untravelled hearts imagine all sorts of evils, and all sorts of changes ; yet, last century, Whitefield crossed the Atlantic thirteen, and I know mer cantile men who have crossed it thirty times. An Atlantic A FEELINGS IN VISITING THE STATES. voyage is become less perilous than a journey to London in the days of our grandfathers. I have attempted to analyze the state of mind in which I am about to visit America — very different from that in which I should have visited the States a few years ago, when a minister of the Establishment, and taking part in its defence and extension. Then, I fear, I should have attracted to myself only the evil things of America; now, I may hope to see the good as well as the evil.

Surely the Establish ment controversy, on the one side, whose waves have hardly subsided, and this new enterprise of our Free Church, have induced a state of mind favourable to a larger observation of the civil and ecclesiastical condition of the United States. No subject has been of late years more pressed on the observation of all public men, resident in the cities of Scot land and England, than the state and prospects of the work ing classes of Great Britain. The increasing multitudes of fallen and falling Scotchmen in our great towns — the decreas ing returns to labour, amidst increasing capital — the frequent reverses of trade, so fatal to steady habits — the intemperance aud filth that are settling down as characteristics of our mercantile cities — have opened an ever-widening gulph between the different classes of Society, rendering British civilization more insecure, the higher it towers, and converting differences of rank and fortune, designed by Providence to be the parent of improvement, into the parent of social antipathies and mutual distrust.

Such a state of society suggests as the foremost inquiry in visiting the United States and Canadas, What is " the state of common life, which is the true state of every nation ? " H ow fare American workmen — what are their manners, habits, education, and principles, compared to our own ; and what changes does America work in the fortunes, character, and habits of the emigrant Scotchman ? DEPARTURE. Left Dundee on the morning of 30th January 1844. In crossing the Ferry at Pettycur, we encountered more real danger than I shall probably meet in crossing the Atlantic. The small boat that conveyed us to the steamer was deeply laden both with passengers and luggage — the sea rough, the wind high and gusty — each succeeding wave seemed ready to break over and swamp us — nothing would have been more easy, and nothing seemed nearer for twenty minutes of row ing against wind and tide.

Every man would have grasped his neighbour, and all would have sunk encumbered and en tangled by their struggles. I thought — can it be the will of God that I should end at the beginning ? But time and toil brought us to the steamer, and before we were half-way across the sun broke out, the wind fell, and the sea looked as if it could never be angry. In Edinburgh, I visited the College of the Free Church for the first time. No more yet than a school of Theology ; it contains above 200 students, more, I suppose, than ever were gathered into one hall of Divinity in Scotland. The halls of Theology within my time were the dormitories of professors and students. Intellectual life might be found in the lecture rooms of Logic and Metaphysics, in discussing the standard of taste or the speculations of Hume and Berkley — but the student who entered the department of Theology entered on a dead sea.

There he lay, breezeless and motionless, until the time appointed by the Church for certifying his re gular attendance. These days of lounging and listlessness in the study of God's word are for the present over and gone. The students look at least alive — in earnest ; they have shared in the general quickening of recent events — many of them I trust, in a quickening from above. The sound of the work man's hammer on all sides mingles with the hum of the students, not unlike the new settlers in the new country FREE CHURCH COLLEGE. whither I am going. If there are no signs of antiquity, there are not wanting signs of vigorous life — of young Scotland preparing for new enterprises in behalf of old principles. No man has more of what the French call " the power of intel lectual irritation" than the head of our new school of Divinity — he has a furnace power, and can raise the glow which softens and subdues that it may afterwards forge the metal into a useful instrument.

The recent disruption has exerted a furnace power over us all — the oldest metal amongst us is yielding to its influence, and losing some of its obduracy. May we not anticipate a more decided change still in the character ofthe newer materials, and that a higher order of things will last " all the days oi Joshua and all the days ofthe Elders that overlived Joshua, and which have known all the works of the Lord that he had done for Israel !" Not the least interesting sight in this nursery of the Free Church, is the Parsi student from Bombay, and the young Jewish students from Hungary. Their presence declares that not Scotland, but the world is the field, and that we have taken up the Saviour's commission, " to preach the gospel to every creature." Reached Liverpool on Thursday morning, travelling all night with stage coach and railway speed — the snow falling through the night, but the engine clears its own way before it — all comfortless without, but wrapped up in a great coat and windows closed, all is snug — but for these changes from one car to another about the nervous hour of midnight, it were as pleasant as a long nap in one's arm chair at home.

Struck at Liverpool with an illustration of the overbearing character of the mercantile spirit, and that, too, in a country that consecrates the sanctuaries of the dead, and is taught to regard them with religious reverence even before they become places of sepulture. A large church-yard, paved with tomb- LIVERPOOL. 5 Uones, has been converted into a thoroughfare, in order to ihorten the walk to the harbour by one minute. The stones jf the church-yard are used as a pavement, and the intervals are converted into puddle. This is surely worse than any thing I shall see in the United States. It needs no Puseyism or superstition to teach a nation to respect the mansions of the dead, and to lay an arrest on this hurry-skurry pell-mell spirit, that despatches its business and constructs its short cuts for the living, over the grave stones of their ancestors.

I am told that the oldest and most prosperous merchant now in Liverpool can only enumerate one individual in the city who has retired from the American trade worth £50,000, and very few worth £20,000. The American is the greatest trade, next to the East Indian. Larger fortunes are made and lost in Liverpool than in any other English town. There are few old merchants — very few of twenty years' standing. Those who made fortunes and preserved them retired soon, and invested them in land, and have disappeared from the Exchange, afraid lest their mountain of gold might suddenly be transmuted into a mountain of paper. As I strolled along the vast docks, crowded with shipping, which lie so securely within their breastwork of stone, I thought of the warning allusion made by Lord F. Egerton, at laying of the foundation of the new college, to the shores of ancient Phœnicia, tlong which he had lately sailed, and sought in vain the ruins of Tyre and Sidon, whose merchants were the princes of the earth, and whose merchant vessels first frequented our shores.

Is time thus to pass her destroying hand over this busy Liverpool, and leave her, like ancient Tyre, a name to " point a moral or adorn a tale ?" We sailed by the Hibernia steamer on the 4th February, being a Sabbath morning. The 4th is the regular day of sailing, and the Post-office suffers no delay though it fall on STEAMER AT SEA. the Lord's Day. Strange ! when our voyage is shortened, not by days but by weeks, we should be as impatient as ever of His least restraints ; at one moment trampling on the sanctuaries of our dead ancestors, and now on the sanctuary of the Sabbath ! To begin a voyage on this day is inexcus able, besides the bustle and confusion caused on shore. The day shines no Sabbath on ship-board, either to passengers or crew. The snow has fallen through the night and wrapped every thing in its mantle except the River.

Every thing looks cold and wet, which, along with the noise and confusion of e ave-taking, and berth-finding, and baggage-arranging, obli terates all Sabbath recollections, and Sabbath feelings. The crowd on board the small steamer that conveyed us to the Hi bernia looked alarmingly great, but when we weighed anchor, the Atlantic passengers appeared to be about eighty ; their friends returning by the River steamer, and bidding us adieu with three hearty cheers, the English way of keeping up our own and other's courage, and putting the best face on what cannot be helped. But a little way into the Channel, and the wind knocked up a nasty jumble of a sea, short and quick, which, along with the cold and sleet of a February morning, soon prevailed over the griefs of parting, and substituted physical for sentimental ills.

One passenger began to change countenance after an other, until the decks were left to a few veterans, or to those who preferred sickness above to sickness below. I braved it out so long as I could, but was at length compelled to retire to my berth — a state room it is called — by which is meant, I suppose, that it is not one of the smallest. It looks, how ever, a very small estate, yet larger than the six feet by three to which even kings are consigned at last. As the night closes in, the commotion increases — sounds of sea sorrow wax louder PASSENGERS. 7 and louder from the neighbouring cribs — the children squal ling — the vessel creaking — the bell ringing — the sailors shout ing — form a novel kind of concert. I lie stretched on my back, under a deep consciousness that, in lowliness is the only safety, and that a high head precedes a fall.

But this enforced humility, like hypocrisy, has no graciousness about it ; a depressing and loathsome necessity keeps you down. Is this humiliating condition to last twelve or fifteen days P I feel sicker at the thought ; yet how small will all sea sorrows appear when the foot is once more upon the land ! I committed my way to God, my Saviour, on whose errand I am here, and, after hours of tossing, I got some sleep ; awoke at seven o'clock next morning, and found the ship moving easily and gently through the waters, and the wind lulled. We have made good speed through the night, and are off Waterford in Ireland, above 180 miles from Liverpool. It is said to be a good start. The passengers are too numerous for the best kind of social intercourse. A dozen would much sooner take to each other, but, like all other large parties, the evil will ultimately remedy itself.

The eighty passengers will, in a few days, separate themselves into groups, according to the rule of the ancients, which is the rule of nature, not more numerous than the Muses, nor fewer than the Graces, nine or three. Already I see the separation beginning, as business, or disposition, or country draws them. The great majority appear to be mer cantile men, going out for the spring trade, and have the look of those accustomed to rough it and jostle it through life. On Tuesday, passed Cape Clear, the most westerly land we shall see until we cross the Atlantic. But the wind is changed to the west, and begins to blow a gale. Out sails are down, top-masts lowered, and, with bare poles, we are prepared to buffet the rising tempest, though rushing into our A STORM AT SEA. very bosom. We have bound one of the elements to our chariot wheels, that by the elements we may overcome the elements — daring exploit ! yet we prevail and advance on our way in the face of the rising winds and waves.

One glance at the ocean and sky is enough to humble the swell ings of pride at the thought of our prowess. As yet we see but " the hidings of his power." If He bare his arm, we shall perish from before him. " Thus far" he permits human science to go — " thus far" to wield his elements, and bind them to our service ; yet, at any moment, by opening the treasures of his power, He can turn us back the way we came, and overwhelm man and his inventions. Yet to us it must ever appear a noble triumph of human genius to be thus advancing against the elements, and these let loose on the vast ocean. The short wave, and quick disagreeable jumble of the Channel is gone, and we are now borne on the long roll of the Atlantic wave. The ship bears herself gallantly, pushing her head into the waves, or mounting over them.

The sea takes her first on one side, like a wrestler, then on the other, but fails to give her a fall, or turn her back from her purpose. As the wind freshens, and the waves mount higher, I think less of human genius, and more of the insigni ficance of man, who lives, and moves, and invents, by the sufferance of Him who gives us the use of a little of his power, which, at any moment, he lets loose to our own destruction. The first day of bad weather, we bore with resignation, but the second and third day, though still advancing at the rate of four or five miles an hour, our spirits began to fail. The dinner table was deserted, and every man turned in as early as possible. The ladies seem the best sailors, keeping up the chat until midnight in their little parlour adjoining to my berth. Some of them must be old sailors.

The third day of our sea miseries was the worst, but the wind turned to THE OCEAN — JONAH'S PRAYER. 9 the north-east, and our rate of going improved to seven and eight miles. Still the wind blew a gale. The ship rolled from side to side, staggering from sea strokes night and day. It was like the tread-mill, from whose ups and downs there was no escape, except in the thought that every billow's heave brought us nearer to Halifax. The third day I recovered so far as to be able to enjoy at intervals the magnificence of the ocean — got on deck, and holding by the railing, had a full view of the sea and the waves roaring. As one roarer rose up and spent its rage against us after another, I said to an American passenger who was clinging, like myself, and gazing on the troubled deep — " What care these roarers for the name of King !

" He replied with the deepest gravity, " It is a fact, sir !" I read to-day Jonah's prayer at the bottom of the ocean. How simple and sublime ! The images few, yet each con tains a picture. " I saw the bottom of the mountains ; the earth with its bars were round about me ; the sea-weed wrap ped my head." Then the desolation of his soul ! " I am cast out of thy presence, yet will I look again to thy holy temple." I lead also Isaiah xl., where the Prophet describes the majesty of Jehovah, and felt more than ever that God alone could thus describe himself. When realising on ship board, as we seldom do on land, our own littleness and de pendence on an invisible arm, how full of all consolation the thought that He who sitteth on the circle of the earth, and before whom all its inhabitants are as grasshoppers, became one of us, and shared our earthly cup, that he might deliver us from a worse than ten thousand deaths, by flood or field.

What a doom to be condemned, time without end, to toss in this ship, no sight of land or hope of harbour, from bil low to billow tossed, the sport of winds and waves, rolling and staggering, ever in motion, yet no progress, ever near to a THE OCEAN — A CALM. 10 destruction, yet never overwhelmed ; the sun shining only to reveal our miseries, and the night by its darkness only add ing to its mysterious and never ending horrors. Yet is not this like that second death, from which we shrink less than from the momentary agony of one fatal plunge into this de vouring sea. Happy they who can say in the view of both the first and second death — " when deep calleth unto deep" — " The Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life."

Christ walking on the sea and meeting his disciples when overtaken by a storm, is to the mariner a lively sign of his office as the Peace-maker, who " stilleth the noise of the waves and the tumults of the peo ple," and can say with sovereign authority, " Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee !" The ocean presented all yesterday, and for two days before, a universal blank of animal life ; none of its innumerable creeping things, small or great, appeared — no ship came in sight — nor aught but a few sea birds that seemed to have their home in the deep, and to find their sport in our dangers. On Thursday morning the wind became still more favourable, though the sea was high. Roused myself earlier, and felt an appetite for breakfast, and got thus far with my jour nal. Reported to be sailing nine miles an hour, and still have the prospect of a twelve-days' passage to Halifax.

In the afternoon we had a delightful lull; the sun set sweetly in the western sky, the spirits of all rose, the berths were abandoned, and the deck frequented until late. Several of the ladies and gentlemen gathered into knots on deck in the moonlight, and sang, " Scots' wha hae," " Auld lang syne," and "Ye banks and braes." Our national airs and songs never rose so sweetly on the ear. I thought of my school children and their joyous meeting on the evening of the New NATIONAL SONGS. Year, when they surprised me with " Scots' wha hae," to words adapted to recent struggles in behalf of the ancient liberties of our Church — substituting modern for ancient worthies and patriots. I was more than ever convinced ofthe importance of reviving our national music in the hearts of our people. While restoring the " grave sweet melody" of our ancient psalmody, we must revive some of our fine old patriotic and national songs, with their simple and touching airs, to be sung, at times, by those that love still better to sing the " Songs of Zion."