by J. R. Hutchinson, 1874
Reminiscences, Sketches and Addresses Selected from My Papers During a Ministry of Forty-five Years in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas by J. R. Hutchinson, b. 1807. Publication date - 1874
Submitted by Sue Burns Moore sbmoore@swbell.net Material taken from the “Making of America,” University of Michigan.
PRESBYTERIANISM IN THE SOUTHWEST
(Page 21)OAKLAND COLLEGE
is located in Claiborne County (Mississippi), thirty-five miles
north of the city of Natchez, and five miles east of the Mississippi
River. Rodney is the nearest landing. Bruinsburg, three miles north,
is the spot where General Grant crossed the river and gained
possession of the rear of the city of Vicksburg, and soon that city
fell. Oakland is situated in a region of country rendered
interesting from many reminiscences of early times. Here was the
scene of some characteristic incidents in the life of General Andrew
Jackson. A few miles from the college was the residence of
Blennerhassett. Here was the place of the capture of Aaron Burr. In
this vicinity was the plantation of the amiable, patriotic, and
lamented General Zachary Taylor.
This region also derives
much interest from the visits and labors of some of the earliest
pioneers of Presbyterianism in the Southwest. Rickhow, and Smylie,
and Montgomery-the last lately gone to his reward after a long life
of labor in the Master's vineyard, the two former still living at an
advanced age-here came, when the dew of their youth was upon them,
and laid the foundation of our churches. Here visited and preached
Schermerhorn, and S. J. Mills, and Larned, and Bullen, and many
others whose praise is in our Southern Zion. The eccentric Lorenzo
Dow here rode his mule and blew his horn, and attracted (page 22)
crowds of the first settlers, preaching on housetops and haystacks,
resembling Peter the Hermit, who once marshaled all Europe under the
Crusader's banner.
The origin of Oakland College may be
traced to a meeting of Presbyterian ministers, held in the town of
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in April, 1829. Some circumstances had
occurred previous to this meeting which had particularly attracted
the attention of Presbyterians to the subject of Southern education.
There was not, at that time, a single college, prepared to give a
regular collegiate education, within the States of Louisiana,
Mississippi, and the territory of Arkansas-containing a population
at that time of more than three hundred thousand souls, and a tract
of country of more than one hundred and forty-five thousand square
miles, embracing the growing city of New Orleans and other cities
with a soil capable of sustaining a vast population. Efforts had
been made by the Legislature of Louisiana, with princely liberality,
to establish several institutions of learning, all of which had
virtually failed. In the State of Mississippi exertions had been
made for nearly thirty years, and large donations from the general
government, and from corporations and individuals, had been
expended; and yet not one individual was known to have been
graduated. The religious community had done nothing. After viewing
these facts, and having a full interchange of sentiments, the
clergymen above referred to concluded that they would fail in their
duty, and forfeit the character of their Church, as the great
champion of learning, if they did not make an effort to meet the
claims of the country, and provide means for a thorough Southern
education. A committee was accordingly appointed who, after an
extensive correspondence, continued through several months, called a
meeting of the (page 23) friends of education at Bethel Church, two
miles from the present location of the college, on the 14th of
January, 1830. This meeting was composed of gentlemen from the
parishes of East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, and West Feliciana,
Louisiana; and from the counties of Claiborne, Amite, Wilkinson,
Adams, Jefferson, Warren, Hinds, and Madison, in Mississippi, and
continued six days. The following resolution was presented:
Resolved, That it is expedient to establish and endow an institution
of learning within our bounds, which, when complete, shall embrace
the usual branches of science and literature taught in the colleges
of our country, together with a preparatory English and Grammar
School, and Theological Professorship, or Seminary. This resolution
was sustained by gentlemen from every part of the country
represented in the meeting; and after considering it for three days,
it was unanimously adopted. A subscription was immediately opened to
supply the requisite funds. Twelve thousand dollars were contributed
for the purchase of a site and the erection of necessary buildings.
Committees were appointed to prepare a constitution, to view the
various locations which had been spoken of, and to make all
necessary arrangements for opening the school.
The Presbytery
of Mississippi, embracing, at that time, all the Presbyterian
ministers in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas, received the
proposed seminary under its care, adopted a constitution, appointed
a Board of Trustees and the President of the college, and fixed the
location within three miles of Bethel Church, in Claiborne County,
Mississippi. On the 14th of May the school opened with three pupils,
who had accompanied the President, the Rev. Jeremiah Chamberlain, D.
D., from Jackson, Louisiana, where he had been presiding for some
time over the "College of Louisiana."
(page 24) On the 2d of July, 1830, the first clearing was
begun on the magnificent Oak Ridge, now occupied by the college
buildings. At the end of the session, March 28th, the school
consisted of sixty-five pupils. The two more advanced formed a
sophomore class, and there were five in the freshman class; the
remainder were in the English and classical schools. The President
instructed the two college classes and the classical school in the
languages; and his brother, Mr. John Chamberlain, afterwards
professor of chemistry and natural philosophy, instructed the
classes in mathematics and in the English school. In the winter of
1831, a charter was received from the legislature of the State. In
1833, the first commencement was held; and Mr. James M. Smylie,
recent Vice-Chancellor of the State of Mississippi, was the first
graduate of Oakland College. His classmate, William Montgomery, son
of Rev. William Montgomery, one of our oldest ministers, who
expected to receive his degree at the same time, was removed by
death about three weeks before the commencement. This is believed to
be the first commencement south of Tennessee, and Judge Smylie is
the first native Mississippian who received the degree of A. B. in
his own State. Such was the origin of Oakland College, an
institution which has aided in the education of nearly one thousand
native youth, and which now has on the roll of its graduates one
hundred and twenty alumni, who are scattered throughout the
Southwest, and occupied in the cultivation of the soil or in the
learned professions. And the writer believes that there is not on
the list of the graduates of Oakland College a single name upon
which rests a blemish of dishonor or immorality. And the large
number of those educated young men who assemble annually in the
groves and halls of their alma mater, is a pleasing token of their
interest, and (page 25) affection, and a guarantee of what the
institution may hereafter expect from the influence and character of
her own sons.
The necessary buildings and accommodations for
students and teachers have been provided as the wants of the
institution have required. There are, at this time, about thirty
cottages for the occupancy of the pupils; residences for the
President and professors; two handsome halls for the literary
societies, with libraries attached; a college library of upwards of
four thousand volumes; a philosophical, chemical, and astronomical
apparatus, which cost nearly $4,000; a main college of brick, one
hundred and twelve by sixty, containing a college chapel, prayer
hall, lecture rooms, and other requisite accommodations. The
institution has never received any aid from the State or general
government. Its funds have been provided entirely from private
liberality. And these funds would now be sufficient to sustain the
college, were it not for some unfortunate investments a few years
since in the banks of the State.
We shall conclude this
brief history of Oakland College, by stating a recent occurrence,
which, at the time, cast a deep gloom over the institution, and
filled the whole land with astonishment and grief. The President and
professors had been performing their quiet and laborious duties,
unconscious of being the objects of any great amount of popular
dislike or favor, when, during the pendency of the election in the
State of Mississippi, in the summer of 1851, for members to the
State Convention, the faculty were accused by individuals, and by
some of the State Rights papers, of giving in their teachings undue
favor to the sentiments of the Union Party. These clamors gained
ground, until, during the election in September, handbills were
circulated directly charging the faculty with highly (page 26)
improper conduct in this respect. These charges were -mildly but
firmly repelled in a card signed by the President of the college.
The leaders of the two parties were General H. S. Foot and Jefferson
Davis.
A citizen of the neighborhood, who had no connection
with the college, either as a student or in ally other respect, but
who deemed himself either personally or politically implicated in
the denial of the President, stopped at Dr. Chamberlain's house, on
the evening of the 5th of September (at a time when the professors
and students were absent enjoying the vacation), and called the
doctor to his gate. Retaining his seat in his vehicle, he commenced
denouncing the doctor in very abusive terms, and made some charge
against him, the nature of which was not distinctly heard. Dr.
Chamberlain, quietly leaning upon the top rail of his gate on the
inside, denied the charge, and said that it could not be proved.
Instantly the assailant sprang from his carriage, and knocked the
doctor down with the butt-end of a loaded whip. As the doctor rose,
or attempted to rise, he was knocked down again; and as he attempted
to rise the second time, he was stabbed to the heart with a
bowie-knife. All this took place in the presence of the female
members of the family, whose screams were heard at a distance, and
brought the doctor's son-in-law to the spot. He found the doctor
standing up, but bleeding, and the murderer, outside of the gate,
wiping his bloody knife upon his handkerchief. The doctor had
strength to walk to the house, but, on reaching the middle of the
open passage, he exclaimed, " I am killed;" and, sinking on the
floor, he immediately expired.
Thus fell a great and good
man. Conciliatory in all his intercourse, bland and courteous in his
manners, even when smarting under unmerited obloquy, but brave and
firm as a martyr for principle, and ready to (page 27) stand in his
lot for the cause of truth and right, at all times and against any
odds, he at last fell to appease the bitterness of partisan malice
and personal hate. For more than a quarter of a century he devoted
himself, with a zeal, a self-abnegation, and a success unparalleled,
to the cause of Southern education. Mainly by his efforts and
sacrifices, a college has been founded in Mississippi which has
educated and graduated more young men than all other colleges south
of Tennessee. And after all the labors, the trials, and the
temptations of his long career, he has left the memory of no one act
which his bitterest enemy will now venture to censure.
We
would here simply remark that a coroner's jury, consisting of
fourteen citizens, pronounced the act by which Dr. Chamberlain came
to his death, murder. The perpetrator of the crime, on the second
day after the deed, committed suicide, and passed beyond the reach
of all human tribunals.
Although President Chamberlain thus
fell, so cruelly, so suddenly, yet Oakland College did not fall with
him. It still lives, and shall live, a monument of his fame, and a
blessing to the present and future generations. And as it -is the
ordainment of heaven that martyr blood becomes precious seed, whence
springs undying truth, we doubt not that the great principle, in
this instance as in others, will be fully developed. No sooner was
Oakland's chief founder and first President cut down, than the true
and firm friends of the institution began to rally. Precisely one
year has elapsed since the sad event occurred; and in that year much
has been done to place the college upon a firm and permanent basis.
Upwards of $60,000 have been contributed to pay its debts, and meet
its more immediate wants. The name of its first President is to be
perpetuated, (page 28) by the investment of a permanent fund, to be
called the "Chamberlain Fund," the interest of which is to pay the
salary of his successor. Overtures have been made from a distant
source to found a professorship of Natural Science; and from various
other sources are cheering indications that this infant seat of
learning, which has struggled so long and done so much, will yet
become the glory of the South, and a rich blessing to the future
generations.
The present faculty are: Rev. R. L. Stanton, D.
D., President, and Professor of Moral Sciences; Rev. J. R.
Hutchison, D. D., Professor of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew Languages;
T. Newton Wilson, A.M., Professor of Mathematics; W. Le Roy Brown,
A.M., Professor of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy; II. B.
Underhill, A.M., Principal of the Preparatory Department; James
Collier, Esq., Steward.
September 6, 1852
(Page 29)
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH OF BETHEL AND RODNEY, (NEAR OAKLAND COLLEGE,
MISS.)
In the year 1828 the Legislature of Mississippi
granted a charter to that portion of Bethel Congregation now
worshiping in Rodney, under the name of the "Presbyterian
Congregation of Petit Gulf," and designated David Hunt, John H.
Savage, John Watt,
and James Couden as trustees, with the power
of appointing their successors. At the same time and in the same
act, the Legislature granted a charter to that portion of the
congregation worshiping at Bethel, two miles from the college, under
the style and name of the "Presbyterian Congregation of Bethel," and
named William Young, Lewellin Price, John Magruder, and Smith C.
Daniel trustees of the same, with similar power of electing their
successors.
The first building for public worship erected
by this double congregation was located in the rear of the
plantations of the late Smith Hubbard and James M. Batchelor, about
three miles east of the town of Rodney. The prominent actors in this
new enterprise were Daniel Hunt, John Bolls, Smith Hubbard, Dr. Rush
Nutt, John Murdock, Sen., M. McClutchy, and also Matthew Bolls. The
last named was the son of John Bolls, who was a man distinguished in
the early annals of the church in this region, and whose name
appears on several church books-a man who, though little in stature,
was mighty in faith, swift of (page 30) foot, great at a bear-hunt
or in taming wild steers, the first to hear of a new preacher coming
to the settlement and ride thirty miles to see him; mighty in
cutting down trees to build meeting-houses, and who had the honor of
being imprisoned in the calaboose in Natchez for being a heretic,
having been betrayed to the priest by a stranger whom he had
sheltered and nursed in sickness.
His son Matthew was as
large again as his father, tall and gaunt, a wit and a poet, whose
quaint sayings, famous "book of chronicles," and imitations of
Burns' poems convulsed many a circle with laughter. Forty years ago,
he had much to say about early times -how he soon outgrew his
father, but still dared not disobey him-how he never regularly wore
shoes and stockings until after he was married - how, for the want
of saddles and bridles, he and his companions would seize wild
horses, noose them with grape-vines, and ride furiously to
merry-makings. He knew something by experience of the toilsome mode
of removing cotton from the cotton-seed, before the introduction of
the cotton-gin. Then every little boy and girl, white and black, had
to bend themselves to the task, just as in picking wool; and when a
sufficient amount was prepared, a large barrel, like an empty
tobacco hogshead, was filled, shafts were attached to each end, and
it was trundled across hills and cane-brakes to Selsertown, to be
pressed into bags. Cotton was precious in those days, bringing forty
cents per pound.
Matthew Boll's account of the first
meeting to build the church building, of which we are speaking, was
characteristic of the men and the times. One thought that it would
come to nothing. Another, that it would break up the races down at
Greenville and spoil their Sunday sports. Another, that it might
help to keep the women and children in order. But all concluded to
try it, and each (page 31) put down a dollar to begin with. Noble
effort! In that little gathering were men who learned from that time
to give their thousands to the cause of Christ and education. In a
short time, "the little church down Hubbard's lane-the little church
round the corner"-became inconvenient; and about 1824 efforts were
made to build two houses, one at Bethel cross-roads, two miles from
Oakland College, and another at Rodney.
The first stated
minister of the church was Rev. Samuel Hunter, a native of Ireland,
who preached at different points in the vicinity; and about 1826
organized "Bethel Church," an offshoot of the Old Bethel, near
Fayette, made up of members principally from the old "Bayou Pierre
Church," which worshiped formerly in a log building on the road now
leading from Mrs. Crane's residence to Port Gibson, and near the
residence of Mr. Venable. The place where the house stood can only
now be identified by a few old trees and sunken graves. I know the
spot. As early as 1824, the old Presbytery of Mississippi met in
session there. There were Rickhow, and Montgomery, and Patterson,
and Chase, and others.
A young man from New England offered
himself as a candidate for the ministry, was licensed (the first
licensure ever witnessed by the people), and after laboring a short
time at St. Francisville and Baton Rouge, returned to his home, and
within two years past has ceased from his labors. He was the Rev.
Thomas Savage, late of Londonderry Presbytery.
A later
incident connected with this lonely spot is familiar from personal
presence. Nearly twenty years ago, two horsemen, on a sultry day,
turned aside at these old graves to repose beneath the shade, and
have time to get to Oakland at sundown. Plucking some wild grapes
from overhead, they stretched themselves on the grass to rest and
talk. Being both given to being merry and (page 32) sad as occasion
offered, the time and the place gave food to both extremes of
temperament. They talked about the past, the present, and the
future. They then arose and departed. One remains until this day to
record the past. The other (three days after) fell by the hand of an
assassin! (See History of Oakland College.)
The original
members composing the " Bayou Pierre Church," and then incorporated
into Bethel Church, were John Bolls, elder (noble old man, with a
little body but a big soul, and who loaned himself about among the
churches as an elder until other elders arose), Mrs. Catherine
Crane, Lewellin Price (grandfather of Rev. Robert Price), William
Young, Clara Young, Dr. Rush Nutt, Mrs. Nutt, Mrs. Elisa -Kerr,
David Hunt, Mrs. Ann F. Hunt, and others.
Early in the
spring of 1828, Mr. Hunter retired from the care of Bethel and
Rodney churches, and the Rev. Zebulon Butler took charge of the
congregation in conjunction with the church of Port Gibson, for one
year. In November, the Rev. J. R. Hutchison came from Princeton
Theological Seminary, and preached at Rodney as stated supply until
the following July, when he removed to Baton Rouge and succeeded
Rev. John Dorrance, who returned to Pennsylvania.
While J.
R. Hutchison preached at Rodney, there were but two members of the
Presbyterian Church residing in the place, although the village
contained a larger population than at present. Yet almost all the
heads of families in the town formed themselves into a Bible Class
and were instructed weekly in the Holy Scriptures. The first place
used for public worship was the bar-room of a house of
entertainment. On Sabbath morning the landlord would ring the dinner
bell, wipe the stains of decanters and bottles from the table, bring
out an old Bible, and the people would come in. Some objected to the
preacher because he was too (page 33) young; but Matthew Bolls, the
great oracle, thought that "if they would give the young man a
little time, he would get over that defect." The young man has long
since got over that fault. The writer has now lost his raven locks,
has put on gray hairs, and is old enough.
Early in 1829 steps
were taken to erect the present brick church at Rodney. It was
dedicated to the worship of God on the first day of January, 1832,
by the preaching of a sermon by Rev. Dr. Chamberlain from Exodus XX
24: "In all places where I record my name, I will come unto thee
and I will bless thee." After the house was finished, it appeared
that the builder still held a claim against it of $1,500-which debt
was quietly paid by Mr. David Hunt, a princely man, and the building
released from all embarrassments.
Early in the spring of
1830 a new element of life and vigor was introduced into this
church, by the location of Oakland College within its bounds,
towards which the members of the congregation subscribed $12,000.
Afterwards the same individuals multiplied their donations to the
amount of tens of thousands. The reason why the college was located
in so retired a spot, was this: at that time no town or city in the
Southwest was deemed sufficiently healthy or sufficiently moral to
be the seat of a college. In addition to his position as president,
Dr. Chamberlain preached at Rodney and Bethel alternately for seven
years. During that time, in addition to the support of their
preacher, the people contributed to the different boards of the
church about $1,000 annually. On the 11th of November, 1837, the
Rev. J. T. Russell was installed pastor, and resigned in 1842. For
the twelve next succeeding years, Rev. J. R. Hutchison, having
removed from Vicksburg, acted in the capacity of both professor of
ancient languages and pastor of the church. During those years the
congregation (page 34) in its spiritual aspects assumed many
interesting features. In 1837, about twenty were added to the
church, principally young men connected with the college. In 1845,
about fifty persons were added to the communion. During the long
term of thirty years, the congregation contributed largely to the
boards of the church - to the Tract cause, the Bible Society, Sunday
School Union.
The American Colonization Society always was
a favorite, and sometimes received from individuals contributions
amounting to thousands of dollars. For many years, a few noble
planters supported a minister to labor exclusively among their
slaves. At one time, forty negroes, valued at $330,000, were
liberated and sent to Liberia. An individual (Thomas Freeland)
contributed, from 1833 to 1843, $333 annually, to support a
missionary in China. The students in the college gave about $300 for
the boards of the church. Besides, the Theological Seminary at
Maryville (Tennessee), the Natchez Orphan Asylum, etc., received
large contributions. O! Those were balmy days, gone, never to
return.
HOUSTON, TEXAS, August 28, 1871.