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.

FIFTEEN [cont.] 

A Chapel for the Slaves

	After our new church was finished, the old one, in which we had so many
glorious revivals- the birthplace of so many souls- was turned over to
the Negroes and used by them with results as marked as ours. The next
interesting event was the dedication of a neat and beautiful chapel,
built by Capt. Jno. W. Walton, a man of real wealth, benevolence and
Christian charity. This chapel was for the use of his own slaves, and
was included in my circuit of four appointments.

	On the day set apart for the dedication, Capt. Walton and family, Dr.
Wightman, late our Bishop, Rev. Jef. Koger and myself, repairing to the
new church. Dr. Wightman declined to preach the sermon, and claimed that
it was the duty of the missionary, so yielding to his view, in the
presence of a large concourse of colored people, with the assistance of
Bro. Koger, the chapel was soon dedicated in a solemn manner to the
service of God. Dr. Wightman wrote an account of the interesting
occasion and had it published in some of the Northern papers. Capt.
Walton merits the gratitude of his many slaves for this act of
magnanimity, while, no doubt, he receives their unanimous execration.
After the war he sold his cast possessions in Alabama, and removed to
Gallatin, Tennessee, where he now lives in the enjoyment of domestic
bliss, and consciousness of success in life.

[To be continued]

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