 | Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia. |  |
ARTICLE LXXIV.
Norbourne Parish, Berkeley County.—No. 2.
In a previous article I spoke of Morgan's Chapel, in old
Frederick county and parish, and of Morgan Morgan as lay reader
there and elsewhere. The site of that chapel is near the dividing
line between Frederick and Berkeley, and the family of Morgans
has always been round about it. The foundation of the old chapel
may still be seen in the graveyard, though two churches have since
been built within a few paces of it. The following family sketch
is taken from a pamphlet published many years since by the Rev.
Benjamin Allen, and is so much better than any thing from my
pen, that I shall make no apology for borrowing it:—
"MORGAN MORGAN.
"It is but justice to departed piety to hold up to the view of survivors
its beauty and its value. Affection to the living also prompts us to depict
the character of the Christian dead, in order that their holy examples may
light others the way to happiness and peace. Actuated by these motives,
we present our readers with an obituary of Morgan Morgan, a man by
many of them respected and beloved already. Colonel Morgan Morgan,
the father of him we propose to notice, was a native of Wales, whence
he emigrated in early life to the then Province of Pennsylvania. There he
married, and there his first son was born, in the year of our Lord 1715.
Thence, about the year 1726, he removed to Virginia, to the place where
his descendants now reside in the county of Berkeley. He there erected
the first cabin built on the Virginia side of the Potomac, between the
Blue Ridge and the North Mountains. Of course the country was a
wilderness, the dwelling-place of bears, wolves, and Indians. But in this
wilderness did he find the God of the Christians present, for here, in the
spirit of the patriarchs, did he wait upon Him, and here did he experience
His providential care.
"In or about the year 1740, he—associated, as we are informed, with
Dr. John Briscoe and Mr. — Hite—erected the first Episcopal Church
in the valley, at what is now called Mill Creek, or Bunker's Hill. In
that building he had the satisfaction of seeing his son, Morgan Morgan,
(who was born to him March 20, 1737,) perform the service of the Church
as lay reader at the early age of sixteen. With the religious education of
this son he appears to have taken peculiar care. He took him with him in
his usual visits to the sick and dying. At seventeen, he induced him to
act as clerk to the Rev. Mr. Meldrum, then rector of the parish at Winchester.
He lived a pattern of piety and good citizenship until the advanced
age of seventy-eight, when, under the roof of his son Morgan, he
was spent in close communion with his God, in fitting himself for the
change at hand, and in impressing the precious Gospel on the minds of his
descendants. When on the bed of death, so anxious was he for the pious
walk of his children, that he thus expressed himself.—`I hoped I should
have lived to see Morgan's children old enough to say their catechism and
read the word of God; but I must depart.' One of his expressions,
uttered with the greatest humility, was, `Lord Jesus, open the gates of
heaven and let me in.' He fell asleep in that Jesus, leaving on the countenance
of death the smile of the triumphant soul. He died the 1st of
November, 1766.
"The mantle of the father was caught by the son. Morgan Morgan, the
subject of our present notice, lived also a pattern of piety. He served his
fellow-citizens in various public capacities. He officiated as clerk for the
successive rectors of the parish, and as lay reader when there was no rector.
He was the friend of the needy, and the comforter of the afflicted. Was
any one sick with so contagious a disorder that their neighbours fled from
them with alarm, Morgan Morgan was ready to attend their house of suffering,
and to watch over their bed. In public ministrations, he officiated
chiefly in his immediate neighbourhood, until within a few years of the
close of his life, when, in consequence of the destitute state of the country
generally, he was often called far from home to perform the religious duties
proper for a layman. At length, from the frequency of those calls, he
gave himself entirely to the work of a labourer in the vineyard. While
the Church to which he belonged exists in this land, his labours will be
remembered with gratitude. In a dark day, when desolation and death
seemed brooding over her interests, he commenced a career of active exertion,
which revived the attachment of her friends and kept her from
descending to the dust. Though encumbered with the weight of years,
and but a layman, he, by constant exhortation and incessant labours of
love, through the blessing of God, impressed the minds of many of the
young with the truths of the Gospel, and revived the spirit of piety generally
in the land. Through Jefferson and Berkeley, and part of Frederick,
Hampshire, and Maryland, his labours extended. He visited alike the
mansions of the rich and the cottages of the poor,—everywhere acting in
the spirit of a crucified Master. To the prosperous he was the messenger
of warning,—to the afflicted, of consolation. Many are there now living,
who can testify to his faithfulness; many are there, we trust, in heaven,
who have hailed him as their spiritual father. His course through this
country may be traced by the fruits of his labour,—fruits that still arise to
call him blessed. He died, as he had lived, in the faith of his Redeemer.
He was buried at the Mill Creek Church, which was named, after him,
Morgan's Chapel."
Mr. Morgan died in the year 1797. An excellent sermon was
preached on the occasion by Dr. Balmaine, of Winchester. He
does ample justice to his personal piety, his active zeal, and his
evangelical views, as displayed in the sermons which he read. To
the latter I can testify. I have a large number of the sermons
which he used as lay reader, and have read not a few of them.
They are faithful, and deeply experimental. He has evidently
the occasions on which they were preached. By the notes on the
outside leaf, they appear to have been preached at funerals, in
private houses, on thanksgiving-days, on the first opening of Morgan's
Chapel, and other special subjects. Had all the sermons
preached in Virginia, from its first settlement, been like these, and
all the ministers and readers been like Morgan Morgan, the history
of the Church of Virginia would have been different from that which
truth now requires it to be. So well calculated was he for the
ministry, and so esteemed by the people whom he served, that they
united in a letter of recommendation to some Bishop, (supposed to
be Bishop Madison, not long before Mr. Morgan's death,) begging
that he might be ordained as their pastor, notwithstanding his deficiency
in human learning. The paper lies before me, and is very
strong in his praise. His age, infirmities, and the distance to be
travelled, prevented his application. The effect of his example and
ministrations has been felt to this day, where his services were
more frequent, and are to be seen especially among his own descendants,
who have been among the chief supporters of the church
at Mill Creek, or Bunker's Hill. At my last visit there, a few
months since, the congregation was called to mourn the sudden
death of one of his grandsons, William G. Morgan, who had followed
the pious example of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
I mention, as one of the effects of Morgan Morgan's
example and exhortations upon his descendants and neighbours,
that when Mr. Allen first visited the neighbourhood he found no
difficulty, though twenty years after the death of this good man, in
raising a large catechetical class, among whom were full-grown
young men and women, repeating the Church catechism and hearing
it explained. This my eyes have seen, in a public tavern at
Bunker's Hill, the old church being unfit for use.
Having thus brought the history of the ministers and churches of
Norbourne parish to the time when, by God's blessing, a new order
of things commenced, I now proceed to make mention of the chief
instrument by which the revival was effected. On Christmas eve,
in the year 1814, a little after dark, there entered into my house a
gentleman who introduced himself to me as Mr. Allen, from New
York, with letters of introduction from Bishop Moore and Dr. Wilmer,
certifying that he was a candidate for Orders, and wished
employment in the valley as a lay-reader. Although the roads
were in their worst condition, much rain having fallen, he had in
two short days walked from Alexandria to my house, about sixty
we met with Mr. Beverley Whiting and his sister, Miss Betsy,
from Jefferson county, who had, as they and others near them
afterward did, come about fifteen miles to church through bad
roads. Into their hands I consigned Mr. Allen, on a horse which
I had lent him. In just two weeks he returned in high spirits. He
had itinerated through the whole of Jefferson and Berkeley counties,
found out all the principal families who were still attached to the
Church, established at least twelve places for service, and received
a kind invitation from Mr. Whiting and his sister to bring his little
family to their house and make it a home for the present. To
Alexandria he immediately returned, where his wife and infant
were, and without delay, in a spell of bitter cold weather in the
month of January, brought them up in a road-wagon of Mr. Whiting's,
on its return from Alexandria, to which it had carried a load
of flour. Mr. Whiting's was his home for a considerable time,—for
years indeed; and even after a parsonage was provided his visits to
that abode of hospitality were frequent and long. From this time
until the year 1821, with feeble health, the pressure of debt upon
him, a growing family, he perhaps rode as great a distance, preached
as often, studied his Bible as much, and prepared as many things
for the press, as any man of his day. No one had a better opportunity
than myself of knowing this, for I had often to go the rounds
with him, doing more duty from necessity than I ever did before
or have done since. Sleeping in the room with him, often I have
seen him watch the morning light with his little Bible, and reading
it when others were sleeping. I have travelled with him, and seen
that Bible, or some other book, in his hand on horseback, and during
any little spare time in private hours busy with his pen in preparing
something for the press. While thus itinerating in these counties,
and also in the adjoining county in Maryland, he was conducting a
little paper called the "Layman's Magazine," and actually abridged
and published the History of the Reformation, by Burnet, in a small
volume, and compiled a history of the whole Church in two octavo
volumes. All this he did while, like an honest man, he was paying
his debts out of a small salary and the scanty profits of these publications,
if indeed there were any. For nine years he thus laboured,
contracting his sphere, though not his diligence, by the introduction
of one or two ministers into some of the numerous places he had
taken in charge, when he was called to St. Paul's Church, Philadelphia,
being the next choice to Bishop McIlvaine. His labours
in such a congregation and city were of course not diminished. He
promoting Sunday-schools, infant-schools, Bible-classes, missionary
societies, and all such things, being especially interested in Bishop
Chase's college in Ohio. His house was the Bishop's home. The
increase of Episcopal churches in Philadelphia soon attracted his
mind. At a time when a narrow and selfish policy kept ministers
and vestries in a state of fear and trembling whenever a new church
was talked of, lest its establishment might somewhat interfere with
their monopoly, his large soul, disdaining all petty considerations,
determined on at least one other church, under the patronage of
St. Paul's. Mr. Bedell was about leaving North Carolina, and wished
some situation in the North. Mr. Allen, learning this, immediately
determined to secure him for Philadelphia, and proposed it to a
few friends. Alarmed at the thought of such a great work, they
shrunk back from it; but Mr. Allen persevered and succeeded, and
St. Andrew's Church was the result. While Mr. Bedell was collecting
the congregation and the house was rising up, Mr. Allen
insisted that he should use St. Paul's during a part of each Sabbath.
Some of his people and friends were alarmed, and predicted that
the popularity of Bedell would ruin Mr. Allen's prospects, and diminish,
if not destroy, St. Paul's congregation. But nothing of
this kind moved such a man. His reply was, "Let me decrease, so
the Church increases." By God's blessing on such a Christian
course, both increased, though Mr. Allen's pulpit-talents were only
of the moderate order. At length, under the pressure of mental
and bodily labour, his health so failed that a voyage to Europe was
resorted to. But it was only used by him on his way to England,
in England, and on his return, as an occasion for greater efforts in
his Master's cause and for the souls of men. Providence found
work for him in a foreign land, and gave him favour with the most
zealous of the Christian philanthropists in England. It may be
safely affirmed that, within the same short period, no minister from
this country had ever attracted more attention, and had, and zealously
used, more opportunities of promoting the welfare of all religious
and benevolent societies, than Mr. Allen. Even the Society of
Quakers felt the influence of his zeal in behalf of Sunday-schools,
and to this day speak of him as "that wonderful man." After
these dying labours, which were like the last notes of the swan, he
returned toward America in a vessel which, by contrary winds, was
detained nearly one hundred days on the deep, the crew suffering
for provisions. Mr. Allen's grave was the great deep, as though no
narrow sepulchre was fit for one of so large a soul.
We now draw to a close these notices of what was once Berkeley
county and Norbourne parish, but which in the year 1801 became
Berkeley and Jefferson counties, and in time has been divided into
six parishes,—those around Charlestown, Harper's Ferry, Shepherdstown,
Martinsburg, Bunker's Hill, and Smithfield. The Rev.
B. B. Smith, now Bishop of Kentucky, succeeded Mr. Allen in the
congregations at Charlestown and Shepherdstown, and continued
to serve them most acceptably for nearly two years. The Rev.
Alexander Jones succeeded in 1823, and for fifteen years served
the same congregations, at the end of which time he confined his
services to the congregation at Charlestown. The Rev. Mr. Morrison
took his place at Shepherdstown and continued for two years,
and was succeeded by the present rector, the Rev. Mr. Andrews.
Dr. Jones continued in Charlestown until his removal to Richmond
a few years since. During his long ministry in that parish the
congregation steadily increased, until it became one of the largest
of our country parishes, and two noble churches were erected, the
first having been consumed by fire, as we have said before. Mr.
Jones was followed in Charlestown by the Rev. Dudley Tyng, and
he was succeeded by its present rector, the Rev. Charles Ambler.
The small number of Episcopalians at Harper's Ferry had, from
the time of Mr. Allen, been occasionally—sometimes regularly—
visited by the ministers at Charlestown and Shepherdstown, until
a few years since, when the church now standing on an imposing
eminence was built. During its erection, and with much attention
on his part, the Rev. Horace Stringfellow, Jr., was its minister.
To him succeeded for a time the Rev. Mr. Wilcoxon. The congregation
at Martinsburg, after being organized and for a time supplied
by Mr. Allen, was put in charge of the Rev. Mr. Horrell,
who continued for several years, and was succeeded in 1819 by the
Rev. Enoch Lowe. The Rev. Mr. Lippitt succeeded him. The
Rev. Dr. Brooke, now of Ohio, the Rev. James Tyng, the Rev. Mr.
Johnson, the Rev. Mr. Taliafero, the Rev. James Chisholm, the
Rev. D. F. Sprigg, and the present minister, the Rev. Richard
Davis, have successively for the last thirty years supplied the two
congregations at Martinsburg and Hedgesville. The church at
Bunker's Hill, or Morgan's Chapel, has been for the most part
supplied by the ministers from Martinsburg and Winchester, but
of late years has united with the congregations of Smithfield and
Leetown, each about five miles off. The Rev. Mr. Brown was the
first who had charge of these three in conjunction, who, after some
years, was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Callaway. The Rev. Mr.
two excellent churches have recently been erected, the former
by the zeal and liberality of a very few ladies and gentlemen, and
the latter at the expense of the Rev. Lewis Balch, of Baltimore,
with the aid of some of his people in the church of St. Bartholomew,
of New York, while he ministered to them. It being the
birthplace or early home of some of his ancestors, and the present
residence of his parents, Mr. Balch has sought to confer upon it an
honour far higher than the proudest and most expensive monument.
There is a circumstance peculiar to this neighbourhood which deserves
a record. Not only was the property and the residence of
General Charles Lee, of Revolutionary memory, from whom it took
its name, in sight of the church, but not far distant were the
estates of General Gates, General Stephens, and General Darke,
all of them officers in the American army. It was meet that a
Christian church should tower above the abode of such a wretched
blasphemer as General Lee. The following extract from his will
declares the character of him who once enviously sought to dethrone
Washington from the confidence of the nation, and to have
the chief command of the American army conferred on himself,
who wellnigh lost us the victory on the field of Monmouth, and
who ingloriously terminated his days, a selfish celibate, in the midst
of dogs for his most familiar friends, and an enemy to God and
man:—
"I desire most earnestly that I may not be buried in any church or
churchyard, or within a mile of any Presbyterian or Anabaptist meetinghouse,
for since I have resided in this country I have kept so much bad
company when living, that I do not choose to continue it when dead. I
recommend my soul to the Creator of all worlds and all creatures, who
must, from his visible attributes, be indifferent to their modes of worship
or creeds, whether Christians, Mahometans, or Jews, whether instilled by
education or taken up by reflection, whether more or less absurd, as a weak
mortal can no more be answerable for his persuasions, notions, or even
skepticism in religion, than for the colour of his skin."
Extracted from his will, recorded in the court of Berkeley
county.
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