Memorials of Methodism in Virginia : from its introduction into the state in the year 1772 to the year 1829

Front matter

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MEMORIALS

OF

Preface

Soon after the writer of this volume entered the ministry, now above twenty-five years, he conceived the purpose of writing a history of Methodism in Virginia. The field was large, and its exploration vastly more difficult than youthful ardor had imagined. But it was extremely inviting, and promised a rich reward to patient research. The main difficulty lay in the collection of suitable materials. These reposed in the memories of the older ministers and members, or were scattered through the Journals of Asbury and the detached writings of his contemporaries and successors.

To the applications made to those who were familiar with the early history of our Church in Virginia, he received the most favorable responses, and to these contributions the author is indebted for many of the most interesting incidents in this volume. Most fortunately, the family of Rev. Stith Mead placed in his hands the manuscript Journal of that eminently useful man, extending through a period of nearly forty years. This was found to contain a record of facts in connection with early Methodism of the greatest value, besides copies of documents of an official character that had escaped the notice of every other writer. This Journal was destroyed, with the library of the author, in the great fire at Richmond in April, 1865.

4 PREFACE.

The Journals of the Virginia Conference, which were kindly placed in his hands for examination by the accomplished Secretaries, were of much service, and enabled him to trace the progress of Conference business from the earliest and simplest forms, which proved sufficient for our fathers, to the more elaborate and complex methods of our times.

The constant aim of the author has been to give a faithful record of the movement of Methodism in the State from its earliest period, to the date at which the volume closes. The critical reader will find many departures from exact rules, but he must bear in mind that Methodism, like every other system, has passed through formative stages, each of which has been marked by measures which to us appear anomalous, but were, in fact, the best and wisest that could have been adopted under existing circumstances.

The work has been carried forward in the midst of the daily engagements of the regular pastorate, and though nearly completed before the outbreak of the late civil war, it has since been revised with care. It is now sent forth with the earnest prayer that it may contribute to the spiritual well-being of those who sit peacefully under their own " vines and fig trees," in the fields won by the heroic deeds of the early Methodist preachers.

W W B.

Ashland, Va., 1870.

Contents

i.

Settlement at Jamestown. Rev. Robert Hunt, chaplain of the Colony. First place of worship. Sufferings of the colonists. Arrival of Lord D e. La War. Rev. Mr. Bucke— re-openiug of the Church — description of the service. Rev. Messrs. Whittaker, Glover and Wickham. Settlements in the Colony. Founding of a college for the education of the Indians. Massacre of the colonists in 1622. Assembly of 1624— laws in reference to religious matters. Strict enforcement of the Act of Uniformity. Appearance of Puritan preachers in the Colony — their expulsion by act of Assembly. Laws against the Quakers. Low state of religion — action ot the vestries. Charter of William and Mary College. Introduc tion of Presbyterianism. Francis Makemie. The Great Awakening. Whitefield in Virginia. Samuel Morris — effect of his "readings." William Robinson, John Blair, John Roan, William Tennent. Whitefield again in Virginia. Samuel Davies — his labors. Baptists in Virginia. Persecutions against them. Rapid increase of Dissenters. Whitefield's preaching. Growing dislike to the Established Church. Bill for Religious Freedom. Great struggle over it in the Assembly. Its final passage 9

II

Robert Williams. Emigration to America. Labors in New York, and other places. First appearance in Virginia in 1772. His preaching at Norfolk and Portsmouth. Visits Petersburg in 1773. Gressett Davis -his letter to Mr. Wesley. First preaching place in Petersburg. Archibald McRoberts. Devereux Jarratt. State of Religion. Startling sermons of Jarratt. His faithful labors. First American Methodist Conierence. First regular Circuit in Virginia. Revival under Williams and Jarratr. Methodist Church built in Petersburg. Marriage and settlement of Williams. His death. Estimate of his Character 47

III

The new Circuit in Virginia— Its preachers — its extent. Great revival. Francis Asbury in Virginia— Poor prospects in his field . George Shadford — Wonderful revival under his preaching in Virginia. Jarratt heartily joins in the work — his estimate of it. ThomaB Rankin— His preaching in Virginia. Extent of the revival. Increase in the membership. Sad effect of the war. Prejudices against English preachers. Conference at Leesburg. — First ever held in Virginia. Decrease in the membership. Edward Dromgoole. Isham Tatum. New circuits. Agitation on the question of Ordinances. 72

IV

Conference at Broken-back Church. "Contest about the Ordinances." Reasons which impelled the Methodists to seek the Ordinances at the hands of their own preachers. Decision of the Conference on the question. Efforts of Asbury to arrest the movement. Two Conferences in 1780. Strong opposition of the Conference at Baltimore to the measures of the Conference in Virginia. Asbury, Watters, and Garrettson sent to the Manakintown Conference. They offer conditions of Union. Rejected by the Virginia preachers. Sad scenes. An unexpected compromise. Asbury makes a tou In Virginia and North Carolina — His unceasing labors. Plan for a Kingswood school. John Dickens. Happy result of Asbury's visit in quieting the people on the subject of the Ordinances 104

Vlll CONTENTS.

V

Opening of the Slavery Question. Influence of Mr. Wesley's opinioHS. Ace tion of the Conference at Baltimore. The apple of discord thrown &ow>. Conference of 1781. Important measures of Church economy adopted. Ihe churches in Virginia. Desolations of War. Asbury again in the State—His description of Weyer's Cave — His incessant labors. Conference at '^ia Meeting House. Final settlement of the question of Ordinances. Method of equalizing quarterage receipts. Asbury chosen to preside over the Conferences—His travels in the circuits. Conference of 1782 at Ellis'— Adjourned to meet at Baltimore. Action on slavery. Decided measures against intemperance. Close of the War. Spread of Methodism. Conference of 1784. Arrival of Dr. Coke. Call for a General Conference 129

VI

American Methodist preachers. John Easter— His parentage — His entrance upon the regular work. Extraordinary success. Thrilling scenes under his preaching. Failure of health. His death. Philip Bruce— His early life. Incidents during the Revolutionary war. Personal appearance and character as a preacher. Interesting incident. Jesse Lee. His conversion. Call to preach. In the Army. Refuses to bear arms. Labors among the soldiers. Attends a Conference. Impressions. Becomes an Itinerant. Laborers in the South. Sent to New England. Trials and triumphs. Anecdotes. Personal appearance. View of his character 168

VII

The Christmas Conference— Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church — Hearty unity among the societies — Action against slavery— Influence of Dr. Coke— Plan for a college — Opening of the Institution — Its destruction by Are— Re-establishment of the college at Baltimore — Again destroyed by fire — Visit of Dr. Coke to Virginia— His zeal agaiDSt slavery— Excitement against him— Discussion at Conference — Petition to the Legislature— Asbury and Coke visit General Washington — The interview — Conference of 1785 — Preachers sent to Virginia— Joseph Everett — Sketch of his life— Origin of the Presiding Elders' office — Extensive revivals — Asbury's travels in Virginia— Conference of 1786 — Call for missionaries for Georgia — Financial operations of the Church — Conference for 178.7 — Richard Owing* — Revival — Conferences of 1788 — Valentine Cook — William McKendree— First Conference in the Holston country — Success in that year — Conversion of General Russell 210

VIII

Series of Conferences— Journey of Asbury and Coke— Prosperous state of the Churches— Revivals— Rev. S. G. Roszell— Extension of the work in Virginia— Size of a District— Quarterly Meetings— Establishment of "The Council"— lis powers— The first Meeting— Dissatisfaction— Abandonment of the plan— Conferences of 1790— John Tunnell— His labors and death- Enoch George— Daniel Hall— Asbury in Virginia— Rev. Thomas Scott's view of his character— Efforts to establish Sunday Schools — Conferences of 1791-'2— Stith Mead— Sketch of his life— Conference in Greenbrier— Method of conducting business — Remarkable Conversion— Perilous journey of Asbury through the mountains 271

IX

First schism in AmericanMethodism— James O'Kelly— His success as a preacher—His influence in Virginia— Opposition to '• The Council"— Assails Asbury. General Conference of 1792— O'Kelly proposes an amendment to the rules— A heated discussion— The amendment fails— O'Kelly retires from the body— Returns to Virginia and raises a party— Formally withdraws from the Church— " Republican Methodists"— Painful results of Vhe schism— O'Kelly

CONTENTS. IX

changes the name of his Church — New parties — Causes of failure— Pierce attacks on Asbury — Reaction — Meeting of Asbury and O'Kelly— Death of O'Kelly. Conferences of 1793— Methodism in Western Virginia— Edward and Samuel Mitchell. Conferences of 1794 — Pastoral Address — Discontent in the Churches. Conference of 1795 — Heavy decrease in Members. Conference of 1796 — Happy influence of the Session— Loss of Preachers — Reuben Ellis— Richard Joy— Stephen Davis— Asbury in the wilderness— Thrilling Narrative 313

X

Districting the Conferences — Asbury on his Southern tour— Failure of health — He winters in Virginia — Employment of his time — Indoor life— Sermonizing—Great Revival of 1797. Conferences of 1798-9 — John Dickens — Methodism in Richmond. Conference of 1800— Statistics— Third General Conference—Measures adopted— Purpose of Asbury to resign his office — He is dissuaded from it — Election of Whatcoat to the Episcopacy — Progress of Methodism in Virginia — Rich fruits of Ministerial toil 353

XL

Revival of 1801— Con Terence at Dromgoole's Chapel— John Tolleson— Thomas Logan Douglass — Jesse Lee labors in Virginia. Conference of 1803— Revival scenes — Progress of the work in the Valley — General Daniel Morgan — A Methodist dinner party. Conference of 1803— John C. Ballew— Elizabeth Dandridge Ballew — First Camp Meetings in Virginia — Account of their origin— "The Jerks" and other remarkable exercises — Popularity of Camp. Meetings — Description of the ground and exercises 887

XII

Asbury's plan for aiding worn-out Preachers — His Travels in Virginia. Conference of 1804— William Ormond — Nathan Jarratt — Action on the Slavery Question — Petition of the Virginia Conference on the subject. Fourth General Conference — Measures adopted — Revivals in Virginia — Methodism in Lynchburg— Appearance of Lorenzo Dow in the State— Sketch of his life — Revival in Winchester and adjacent circuits — Rev. Mr. Crtim — " I must be Converted in Dutch" 439

XIII

The two Veterans— Conference of 1805. at Edmund Taylor's— Pastoral Address — Asbury and Whatcoat in Virginia — Joseph Carson — Recollections of Methodism in Winchester— Labors of Mr. Carson — A Quarterly Meeting — Camp Meeting — Persecution — Awful judgment on a scoffer— Louis R. Fechtig. Conference of 1806 — Benjamin Devany — Anecdotes — Work of Grace among the Churches — Impressive scenes. Conference of 1807— Proposal of the New York Conference for calling a General Conference— Rejected by the Conference — Richard Whatcoat — His Labors and death— Kdward Cannon — John Early— Labors of theearly preachers. Conference of 1808— Trials of an Itinerant. General Conference of 1808 475

XIV

Conference of 1809— Bad effects of the Anti-slavery Doctrines — Address of the

Erisoners in the Penitentiary— Scenes at the Harrisonburg Conference— A nake bite— First Camp Meeting in the Northern Neck — Conference of 1811 Asbury's labors— His visit to Richmond — A Prayer Meeting — Plan of Asbury for a History of Methodism in America— Gracious Revivals— Great Camp Meeting near Winchester— Conference of 1812— Asbury on the road— Anecdote of Wesley— Camp Meeting near Richmond— Stratagem of Jesse Lee— First delegated General Conference — New measures proposed. Conference of 1813— Lewis Skidmore. Conference of 1814— Feebleness of Asbury— His devotion to first work— Death of Dr. Thomas Coke. Conference of 1815 — Decrease in numbers— Conference of 1816 — Death of Asbury— His character and labors— Death of Jesse Lee 546

X CONTENTS.

XV

General Conference of 1816— The Presiding Elder and other Questions— Election of Bishops— Protest againBt Slavery. Conference of 1817— Report of Committee on Slavery— Movement on the subject of Education — Progress of the work— Revival scenes. Conference of 1818— Peter Donb— Hezekiah G. Leigh— George W. Charlton— New church in Petersburg— Fletcher Harris- Increase of the church in the Valley— Thomas Kennedy— Power of Prayer — Conference oi 1819 — Action on Slavery— Walker Timberlake— Work in Botetourt and adjacent circuits— Samuel Kennedy— Camp Meeting scenes. Conference of 1820— Moses Brock— Philip Courtney. General Conierence of 1820 Virginia Conference of 1821— Thomas CrcAvder— Revivals. Conference of 1822— Address of Bishop McKendree on the Presiding Elder Question—Response of the Conference — General outpouring of the Spirit — Great Revival in Petersburg— Conference of 1823 — William Hamtnit— Peyton Anderson , , 886

XVI

Conference of 1824. Revivals. General Conference of 3824. Lay Delegation and other measures. Virginia Conference of 1825. Incipient movements for a College. Colonization and Missionary Societies. Great work of Grace in Hanover circuit, Greensville and other places. Christopher S. Mooring. Conference of 1826. Revival on James River District. Death of Philip Brace. Conference of 1827. Progress of the work in Norfolk, Suffolk and other places. Death of Thomas Howard. Conference of 1848. Martin P. Parks. Abram Penn. "Radical Controversy." Death of Bishop George , ,,. 790

MEMOKIALS

OF

METHODISM IN YIRGINIA.

Chapter I

Settlement at Jamestown. Rev. Robert Hunt, chaplain of the Colony. First place of worship. Sufferings of the colonists. Arrival of Lord De La "War. Rev. Mr. Bucke — re-opening of the Church — description of the service. Rev. Messrs. Whittaker, Glover and Wickham. Settlements in the Colony. Founding of a college for the education of the Indians. Massacre of the colonists in 1622. Assembly of 1624 — laws in reference to religious matters. Strict enforcement of the Act of Uniformity. Appearance of Puritan preachers in the Colony — their expulsion by act of Assembly. Laws against the Quakers. Low state of religion — action of the vestries. Charter of William and Mary College. Introduction of Presbyterianism. Francis Makemie. The Great Awakening. Whitefield in Virginia. Samuel Morris — effect of his '• readings." William Robinson, John Blair, John Roan, William Tennent. Whitefield again in Virginia. Samuel Davies — his labors. Baptists in Virginia. Persecutions against them. Rapid increase of Dissenters. Whitefleld's preaching. Growing dislike to the Established Church. Bill for Religious Freedom. Great struggle over it in the Assembly. Its final passage.

ON" the 13th day of May, 1607, the first permanent settlement on the soil of Virginia, was made at Jamestown. The colonists brought with them the forms and ceremonies of the Church, of England. They regarded their enterprise as a work, which, 1 tinder the providence of God, might tend "to the glory of his Divine Majesty and the propagating of the Christian religion." Their chaplain was the Rev. Eobert Hunt, an exemplary and pious man, whom they loved and venerated. Wingfield, the first president of the Colony, speaks of him as "a man not any waie to be touched with the humour of a papist spirit, nor blemished with the least suspicion of a factous schismatic." He had been instrumental in suppressing a mutiny while the little fleet lay for six weeks on the English coast, baffled by adverse winds, and he was equally successful in settling the disputes that arose among the chief men, in the infancy of the colony.

The first place of worship at Jamestown was of the rudest sort, and not unlike the arrangements of a camp-meeting. Captain John Smith thus describes it : "We did hang an awning (which is an old sail) to three or four trees, to shadow us from the sun ; our walls were rails of wood, our seats unhewed trees, till we cut planks; our pulpit a bar of wood nailed to two neighbouring trees ; in foul weather we shifted into an old rotten tent."

Such was their church, till, through the exertions of Hunt, they " built a homely thing like a barn, set upon crotchetts, covered with rafts, sedge and earth, so was also the walls."

" The best of our houses," says Smith, "were of the like curiosity, but the most part far much worse workmanship, that could neither well defend wind nor rain."

They had morning and evening service daily, two sermons on the Sabbath, "and every three months, the holy communion." Such was the practice while Hunt lived ; after his death they still had daily prayers, and a homily read by some competent person, on the Sabbath. It is uncertain when Mr. Hunt died. Dr. Havvkes supposes that he lived long enough to perform the first marriage ceremony in Virginia, in 1608 ; he died probably the same year. His zeal, devotion, and courage are fully endorsed by an early writer. During a fire, that destroyed nearly the whole of Jamestown, " the minister, Hunt, lost all his library, and all that he had, but the clothes on his back ; yet none ever heard him repine at his loss. Upon any alarm, he was as ready for defence as any, and till he could not speak, he never ceased to his utmost to animate us constantly to persist ; whose soul, questionless, is with God."

Captain Smith's eulogy is not less complete. He speaks of him as, " an honest, religious and coui*ageous divine, during whose life our factions were oft qualified, our wants and greatest extremities so comforted that they seemed easy in comparison of what we endured after his memorable death."

The colony was without a minister until 1610, when the Rev. Mr. Bucke came over with the new Governor, Lord De la War. When this expedition reached Jamestown, the colony was in a wretched condition ; many had been slain by the Indians, and the few that remained were at the point of starvation. The church bell was rung, " and such as were able to crawl out

Of their miserable dwellings, repaired thither to join in the zealous and sorrowful prayer of their faithful minister, who pleaded in that solemn hour for his afflicted brethren and himself before the Lord their God."

The stock of provisions being exhausted, the colony resolved to seek a refuge in Newfoundland. As they were sailing down the river " with sorrowful hearts," they met the fleet of Lord De la "War coming up " with provision and comforts of all kinds." All returned joyfully to Jamestown. On landing, the Governor "fell down on his knees, and in the presence of all the people made a long and silent prayer."

When he arose, the whole company moved in procession to the church, and heard a sermon from the new minister. At the close of the discourse, Lord De la War read his credentials, and made an encouraging address to the people.

Never was an arrival more opportune. The colonists were reduced to the last extremity. The record of their sufferings almost exceeds belief. " So great was our famine," says one of the historians, "that a savage we slew and buried, the poorer sort took him up again and eat him, and so did divers one another, boiled and stewed with roots and herbs. And one of the rest did kill his wife, powdered her, and had eaten part of her before it was known, for which he was executed, as he well deserved."

Lord De la War at once gave orders for the repairing of the church. It was sixty feet long, by twenty-four wide, its chancel was of cedar, the communion table black walnut ; all tbe pews were of cedar, "with fair, broad windows, to shut and open, of the same wood." The pulpit was of the same materia.!, "with a font hewn below like a canoe. " The ch urch was very light within ; it had two bells at the west end. By oi'der of the "Lord-Governor it was kept passing sweet, and trimmed up with divers flowers." They had two sermons on Sunday, and one on Thursday ; there being two preachers, who held service by turns. "Every morning at the ringing of the bell about ten o'clock, each man addresseth himself to prayers, and so at four o'clock, before supper."

On Sunday the Governor went to church in great state. He was "accompanied by all the counsellors, captains, and other officers, and all the gentlemen, with a guard of Halberdiers, in his lordship's livery, fair red cloakes, to the number of fifty, on each side and behind him."

His lordship sat in the choir, ' 'in a great velvet chair;" a cloth was spread before him, and on this was placed a velvet cushion, on which he kneeled. On either side were the officers of his household, each in his place. At the close of the service he marched back in the same manner.

The next minister that came over was Alexander Whitaker. He was no obscure adventurer. His father, the Rev. "William Whitaker, was Master of Saint John's College, Cambridge, and Regius Professor of Divinity. He was one of the ablest theological writers of his day. His son was a graduate of

14 MEMORIxlLS OP METHODISM

Cambridge, and held a living in the North of England, where he was greatly esteemed.

"He, without any persuasion but God and his own heart, did voluntarily leave his -warm nest, and to the wonder of his kindred and amazement of them that knew him, undertook this hard but heroical resolution to go to Virginia, and help to bear the name of God to the Gentiles."

In the same year, Rev. Mr. Glover came over. He was also a graduate of Cambridge, and had held a good position as a preacher in England. Reaching the country in the sickly season, he soon died.

Whitaker was the minister at " New Bermuda," now Bermuda Hundred ; he also preached at Henrico City, six miles above, on the opposite side of the river.

It is supposed that he officiated at the marriage of John Rolfe and Pocahontas.

In an interesting historical paper, found in the British Museum, entitled, "John Rolf's Relation of the State of Virginia, 17th century," and supposed to have been written in 1616, we have an account of the settlements in the Colony at that date.

At Henrico City, the farthest inland settlement, there were thirty-eight men and boys, twenty-two of these were farmers, the rest officers and others ; "all whom maintayne themselves with food and apparell."

William Wickham was the minister, probably Mr. Whitaker's curate. He was a man " who in his life and doctrine,gave good examples and godly instructions to the people." At Bermuda Nether Hundred there were one hundred and nineteen settlers. Whitaker, " a good divine," had the ministerial charge here. At West and Shirley Hundred, on the north side of the river, three or four miles below Bermuda, there were twenty-five colonists employed in the cultivation of tobacco. At Jamestown there were fifty, of whom thirty-one were farmers ; "all theis maintayne themselves with food and rayment." Richaixl Burd was the minister, " a verie good preacher."

At Kequoughtan, (Hampton) not far from the mouth of the river, there were twenty settlers, eleven were farmers. William Mays was their minister.

There was a fishing station called Dale's Gift, on the ocean, near Cape Charles ; seventeen men were there stationed, whose " labor was to make salt and catch fish." The population at this period amounted to three hundred and fifty-one.

A college for the education of the Indians was founded at Henrico City, and some native children were placed under instruction. The company in England granted 15,000 acres of land hying between Henrico and Richmond, for the support of the church and the college. The East India school, preparatory to the college, was also established in Charles City, and both were in a fair way to be permanently endowed by liberal contributions in England ; but a direful calamity ruined all these plans. On Friday the 22nd of March, 1622, the Indians massacred one-twelfth of all the inhabitants of the colony. At noon the savages, " rising suddenly and everywhere at the same time, butchered the colonists with their own implements, sparing neither age, nor sex, nor condition. In a few hours three hundred men, women and children had fallen. " The infuriated savages wreaked their vengeance even on the dead, dragging and mangling the lifeless bodies, smearing their hands in blood and bearing off the torn and yet palpitaing limbs as trophies of a brutal triumph. " This horrible slaughter struck such a panic into the hearts of the remaining settlers, that they seriously contemplated seeking a refuge on the Eastern shore, thus putting the Bay between themselves aud the bloodthirsty savages.

But after more mature deliberation this plau was abandoned, and the people were withdrawn from the defenceless plantations, and concentrated in a few well fortified places.

la the month of March 1624, an Assembly was held whose records have been preserved. The action of previous Assemblies in reference to religious matters is not recorded, but from subsequent allusions it appears that the ministers were allowed "ten pounds of tobacco and a bushel of corn per poll, provided the whole allowance did not exceed fifteen hundred pounds of tobacco, and sixteen barrels of corn."

The acts of 1624 were very stringent in regard to church duties. Provision was to be made in every plantation for a house or a room sequestered for the worship of God, and not to be used for any temporal purpose, " and a place empaled in for the buryal of the dead."

"Wnoever absented himself from "divine service any Sunday without an allowable excuse," was fined one pound of tobacco; if he absented himself a month, he was fined fifty pounds.

Conformity " to the canons in England" was enjoined, and all persons commanded to " yield readie obedience to them under paine of censure."

A minister absent from his charge ' 'above two months in all the yeare," forfeited "halfehis means ;" if absent above four months, he forfeited "his whole means and cure."

No man was allowed to sell any of his tobacco until the minister was satisfied, under the penalty of forfeiting " double his part of the minister's means;" one man was appointed in every plantation to collect the parson's portion, out of "the first and best tobacco."

In 1632 the laws were revised. The act of uniformity was ree'nacted, differing in words, but remaining the same in spirit. The non-attendance penalty was now made " one shillinge for every tyme of any persons' absence from church, having no lawfull or reasonable excuse to bee absent."

The ministers were required to preach at least one sermon every Sunday — "having no lawful impediment." It was also made their duty to catechise the congregation every Sabbath " halfc an houre or more before evening prayer." It was ordered that "all preachinge, administeringe of the communion, baptizinge of children, and marriages, shall be done in the church except in cases of necessitie."

Ministerial character must have been at a heavy discount in the Colony at that period, as the following Act will attest:

"Ministers shall not give themselves to excess in drinking or ryott, spending their tyme idelie by day or by night, playinge at dice, cards and other unlawful game, but at all times convenient they shall heare or reade somewhat of the Holy Scripture, or shall occupie themselves with some other honest studies, or exercise, always doinge the things which shall appertayne to honestie, and endeavour to profit the Church of God, havinge alwayes in mynd that they ought to excell all others in puritie of life, and should be examples to the people, to live well and Clmstianlie." We may fain hope that all the clergy were not included in this dark picture ; but that the majority were " blind leaders of the blind" can hardly be doubted by any one acquainted with our colonial history. The Assembly feeling the need of spiritual guides, "began to provide and send home for gospel ministers, and largely contributed for their maintenance , but Virginia savouring not handsomely in England, very few of good conversation would adventure thither (as thinking it a place wherein surely the fear of God was not) yet many came such as wore black coats and could babble in a pulpit, roar in a tavern, exact from their parishioners, and rather by their dissoluteness destroy than feed their flocks." These statements should, perhaps, be taken with some allowance. The planters were generally remiss in the erection of churches and in supporting the clergy ; many of them were vicious and profligate, caring for none of these things and dishonoring religion in the sight of the heathen among whom they lived.

In 1642 the Act of uniformity was made more stringent. It was enacted, in order to preserve "the puritie of doctrine and the unitie of the church, that all ministers whatsoever, which shall reside in the colony are to be conformable to the orders and constitution of the Church of England, and the laws therein established, and not otherwise to be admitted to teach or preach publicly or privately." The Governor and counsel were directed to enforce the law rigidly against "all non-conformists, compelling them to depart the colony with all convenience."

It is supposed that this severe measure was directed against the Puritans, who about this time began to make some stir in Virginia.

"In the year 1641," says Cotton Mather, "one Mr. Beunet, a gentleman from Virginia, arrived at Boston, with letters from well-disposed persons there, unto the ministers of New England, bewailing their sad condition, for the want of the glorious gospel, and entreating that they might hence be supplied with ministers of that gospel." This call was responded to by the New England churches, and three missionaries were sent "unto a people that satin the region and shadow of death." On reaching the province they found " little encouragement from the rulers of the place, but they had a kind entertainment with the people ; and in the several parts of the country where they were bestowed, there were many persons brought home to Grod."