BEGINNINGS OF

PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE SOUTHWEST.

The modern facilities for travel were unknown at the beginning of the present century. The only mode of travel was on horseback. The route was first to Nashville, and from that place to Natchez, through the nations of the Shawnee, Cherokee, Chickasaws, and Choctaw Indians, over a road known as "The Natchez Trace "the only road known in the country. It was infested by a numerous band of robbers, under the celebrated Mason; and the stories of Mason and the Harpes, handed down by tradition, were as romantic as the adventures of Robin Hood. It was not unusual for travelers on the road to be killed and robbed. So common were these deeds of violence, that to see a human body covered with blood by the roadside, the pockets and saddle-bags rifled, gave no surprise; and such were the perils of that long journey through the wilderness, that travelers always set out well armed, prepared to meet the most dangerous emergencies. The thought of adventuring on it under other conditions never occurred to the most daring men. But these missionaries were prompted by motives different from other travelers. Their motives were not to become owners of any of those large tracts of fertile land which were thrown open to ordinary adventurers. They set out on that road without carnal weapons or defensive armor, save an unwavering faith in their Divine leader, and the protection of an overruling Providence. They traveled on horseback, with an extra horse as a pack-horse, on

which they carried their provisions and camp-fixtures. They cooked their own provisions, camped out at night, and forded the rivers and swollen streams. When they pitched their tents at nightfall, and sat round their blazing fire, the lonely forests rung with their hymns of lofty cheer.

In the northern part of the present State of Mississippi, near the site of the modern town of Pontotoc, which was then occupied by the Chickasaw Indians, they called and spent the night at the mission station, which three years before Rev. Joseph Bullen had established among the Indians. To a late hour in the night they sat up, and talked over their plans for extending the Redeemer's kingdom in the great South. Mr. Samuel Bullen, recently deceased, near Fayette, Mississippi, at an advanced age, related this visit of the missionaries to his venerable father as one of the most pleasing reminiscences of his life. He was then a boy. Soon after leaving Nashville they fell in company with some men who were driving horses to the South for some families who had gone down the river in boats. These travelers contributed their company and security, but were not well supplied with provisions, supposing that they could easily purchase all they might need from the Indians. But the Indians at that season had mostly gone west of the Mississippi, on their fall hunt. Consequently the travelers were nearly reduced to starvation. The missionaries shared their provisions with. them. Their stock of provisions became exhausted, and at last all was gone except a little meal, which was equally divided. This they mixed with a little water, and ate with thankful hearts, calling it "gruel." At one time they caught a racoon, which they ate without salt or condiments, giving God the glory. They pressed forward night and day, as fast as their horses could

carry them, in the hope of relief. On the morning of December 4, 1800, about two o'clock, they drew near to a dwelling on Big Black River. The first intimation they had of their proximity to a human habitation was the crowing of a cock, which sounded in their ears like music. They hastened to the house, and without ceremony aroused the inmates, alleging starvation as their apology. They were kindly received, and bacon, corn-bread, and coffee were furnished them. Rev. William Montgomery, forty years after, in referring to this night's adventure, remarked, "It was a night never to be forgotten." "But light cometh in the morning."

At Big Black the missionaries established a preaching station; a few miles farther south, they established another station at Grindstone Ford; a few miles farther south, they established another at Clark's Creek. The first town they reached was Port Gibson. In this town they did not find a single member of the Presbyterian Church, and not a professor of any other denomination. But they met with an intelligent and hospitable people, who treated them with great kindness. A few hours before their arrival, Mrs. Gibson, the wife of the original settler whose name was given to the town, had died. At the request of Mr. Gibson, Mr. Montgomery preached the funeral sermon. It was the first sermon of any description ever preached in the town, unless some one may have previously heard Rev. John Gibson or Rev. Mr. Curtis.

A few miles southwest of the town, they found many Presbyterian families, exceedingly anxious for religious privileges. Here the people united and built a log church, and called it Bayou Pierre church. They continued their course south, along the Natchez trace, until they crossed Coles's Creek. Here they found a small town, called Uniontown, to which they were attracted

by the name of Montgomery, where they found two brothers of that name, Samuel and Alexander Montgomery, who had emigrated to that vicinity from Kentucky, and originally from Georgia. They were planters of influence. Alexander Montgomery had been the speaker of the first territorial legislature of Mississippi. They were Presbyterians, and found others, anxious, with them, to secure religious privileges. Among their neighbors, there were seven families, who had emigrated from New Jersey with Rev. Samuel Swayze, and had united with him in forming the church at Kingston. After this church had been broken up by the Spaniards, these families had settled at Uniontown. Their names were Jeremiah Coleman, Israel Coleman, Ephraim Coleman, John Griffing, Alexander Callender, Archibald Douglass and Stephen Douglass.

A few miles distant was Felix Hughes, an intelligent Irishman of Episcopal education, whose wife had been a devout member of the Presbyterian Church in North Carolina. Sufficiently near to unite with them, was the renowned John Bolls, of blessed memory, and who shall often appear in this volume, who, under the Spanish rule, had braved the tyrants' wrath in behalf of religion, and suffered imprisonment for holding prayermeetings. He had been a ruling elder of Hopewell church, in South Carolina, before the Revolutionary War, was in the Mecklenburg Convention when the first Declaration of Independence was adopted, had served as a soldier in the Revolutionary army, was a man of devout piety and heroic courage, and helped to lay the foundation of many churches in Mississippi.

Three years after, in 1804, the foregoing named families were organized into the first Presbyterian church ever organized in the Southwest, with Alexander Montgomery, John Bolls, Alexander Callender, and

John Griffing as ruling elders. In 1817, John Alesworth, Daniel Huey and Joseph Parmalee were added to the session. The church has never become extinct, but exists at this time, in an enlarged form, and in a contiguous locality, under another name. "It shall be said of this man and of that man, he was born there." A true narrative of the first Presbyterian church ever organized in the great Southwest will relate the number and names of the men who have become eminent in church and State, and who have planted the church in other sections, received in this church and under the influence it diffused, that moral training, which made them blessings to their country. The three missionaries, however, did not organize this church. They collected these families into a congregation, and formed the nucleus for a future church. These persons united and built a log house of worship on land belonging to Alexander Callender, and called it Callender's meetinghouse. It was located near the southern bank of Coles's Creek, in sight of the road leading from Port Gibson to Natchez, in a cluster of beautiful trees, on land which now belongs to Wade Harrison. The house of worship has long since gone to decay; but the graveyard is sacredly preserved, and on the rough gravestones are engraved precious names, which are doubtless written in the book of life, and ought to be held in lasting remembrance by all who love the founders of Southern Presbyterianism.

The missionaries continued their course south, along the Natchez trace. The next point which they reached was Washington, the capital of the territory. Here they found the state of things still more interesting. In the vicinity were many Presbyterian families of wealth, intelligence and high social position, to whom they proposed to establish a place of worship.