Subject: INCIDENTS #17 From: ELIZABETH RUSSO Date: October 28, 1998 INCIDENTS AND CHARACTERS IN THE EARLY HISTORY OF METHODISM By The Reverend John Elmore DuBois Edited by Elizabeth A. DuBois (c) 1998 DuBois Publishing Co, Simsbury, Connecticut. All rights reserved. Six Schism I will now resume my narrative at the point at which I left off, when I introduced the incident in the life of Rev. E.V. Levert, as furnished by Col. Earnest of Birmingham. "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." Such was the harmony of our little village at the time of which I write, that we fully appreciated the beautiful sentiment contained in this passage. We were all of one heart and one mind; and rejoiced in the smiles of true friendshipand the delights of social life. So beautiful was the spirit of peace and the hallowed influences of Christian charity and unity, that even visitors were impressed and spoke the praises of our society. Mr. Win. Jemison was a brother-in-law of Seaborn Mims. He owned lands and mills on the Scipsy, and in passing to and from Georgia, spent several days with us. He was a gentleman of intelligence, a close observer of men in the domestic and social relations of life, and we esteemed it no ordinary compliment when he said he almost envied us our happiness. But the brightest day is sometimes followed by cloud and storm. It wsa in 1823, that the local preachers agitated the subject of reform. Eli Terry, Jacob and Henry Whetstone, and Joesph Walker met in council in Vernon, to petition the General Conference to give local preachers representation in the Annual Conferences. This was the first move in South Alabama for what is known in our history as the reform. Moses Andrew, an eloquent local elder, a polished gentleman and an able writer, took a decided stand against the movement, and fought it with all the force of his vigorous intellect and the influence of a noble character. Wm. Terry, also a local preacher of avility and extensive influence sent in a strong protest, and did all he could to avoid a rupture. But, notwithstanding all this, the split came, and the reformers began to preach in churches held in common. The result was that conflicting appointments occurred, and we had to relinquish many for the sake of peace, and to avoid disgraceful rencounters. Party spirit ran high. Strife and contention, crimination and recrimination, dicord and disunion, were all around us and our peaceful Eden was soon the scene of many unpleasant and adverse events. Some of our young men--our Vernon converts--went with them. Among these were Absalom Jackson and Edmund Harrison. Jackson became a preacher among them. The Bibbs, also, near Montgomery and many others, became reformers. This unfortunate schism marred the peace amd happiness of many a soul, and checked for a while, for still it rolls, and will continue to roll when reformers are forgotten and the "iron wheel" man has faded even from the minds of Anabaptists. [to be continued] ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |