I had appointed a Congregation to meet me at the Head of
Hanging Rock Creek – Where I arriv’d on Tuesday Evening – Found the Houses filled
with debauch’d licentious fellows, and Scots Presbyterians who had hir’d these
lawless Ruffians to insult me, which they did with Impunity – Telling me, they
wanted no D-----d Black Gown Sons of Bitches among them – and threatening to
lay me behind the Fire, which they assuredly would have done had not some travelers
alighted very opportunely, and taken me under Protection – These men sat up
with, and guarded me all the Night – In the morning the lawless Rabble moved
off on seeing the Church People appear, of whom had a large Congregation. But the Service was greatly interrupted by a
Gang of Presbyterians who kept hallooing and whooping without Door like
Indians.1
To Woodmason, the Presbyterians were the bane of his
existence! I sometimes wonder how much
of his troubles were truly caused by Presbyterian troublemakers and how many
were caused by general troublemakers. It
is interesting in the above-cited passage that the “ruffians” mentioned that
his use of robes was an affront to them.
Could this be in reference to the historic vestments controversy? Those folks who came from a more Reformed
perspective would certainly resent the use of surpluses and other aspects of
high liturgical worship as being Romish.
Could these men be motivated by a sincere desire to maintain the purity
of worship? In all likelihood the
reference to black robes is probably just an excuse to hound Woodmason out of
the region. It is also pretty humorous!
A large Body of Baptists and New Lights with their Teachers attended
– Wanted to preach before me, and to enter into disputes – found them exceeding
Vain and Ignorant – They rode down the Road 10 Miles with me to escort me,
asking Questions on Divinity all the Way.
I found their Reading to be of no greater Extent than the Pilgrims
Progress and Works of John Bunyan.2
Woodmason mentions the Baptists as also being prevalent
along the backcountry. He mentions them
as being “ignorant” but then he generally calls everyone “ignorant!” It is interesting that here at least the
Baptists are more interested in theological debating than in just merely
inconveniencing Woodmason. It is also of
interest to me, as a living history enthusiast, that Woodmason mentions that the
Baptists are familiar with John Bunyan’s works and that they are available
along the frontier. For a Christian reenactor,
these would probably be appropriate to carry in a knapsack or haversack.
Tuesday following we proceeded downward, and gave
Sermon and baptiz’d; and married many Rogues and Whores on Beaver Creek.3
I just found this rather funny! I’m sure there has been many a minister who
has performed wedding ceremonies for couples against his better judgment, but I’m
not sure how many would refer to the wedded couple after the fact as “Rogues
and Whores!” I’m sure Woodmason’s point
is that there was (at least according to his observations) a great deal of
sexual promiscuity along the backcountry at this time. It would not be surprising given that there
was little political or religious social order and, like the Israelites during
the time of the Judges, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Woodmason believed that his duty was to bring
a religious order to those people. It’s
strange that he never seems to mention the Gospel. Like many today, he seems more concerned
about bringing moral reformation to those people than about bringing the
life-changing truth that is found in Jesus Christ.
All in all, this book is really fascinating to me as it
allows the reader to see, through the eyes of an opinionated man (aren’t we
all?), the Southern frontier in colonial days.
Christ, not man, is King!
Dale
1) Richard J. Hooker, ed., The Carolina Backcountry on the Eve of the Revolution (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1953), p. 16-7.
2) Ibid., 22.
3) Ibid., 24.
2) Ibid., 22.
3) Ibid., 24.
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