xt7xks6j1m7r https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7xks6j1m7r/data/mets.xml Grasty, John S. 1871  books b92-48-26951904 English Southwestern Book and Publishing Company ; Davidson Brother & Co., : St Louis : Louisville : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. McPheeters, Samuel Brown, 1819-1870. Memoir of Rev. Samuel B. McPheeters ...  / by Rev. John S. Grasty ; with an introduction, by Rev. Stuart Robinson. text Memoir of Rev. Samuel B. McPheeters ...  / by Rev. John S. Grasty ; with an introduction, by Rev. Stuart Robinson. 1871 2002 true xt7xks6j1m7r section xt7xks6j1m7r 








































C  c"

 

            MEMOIR


                  OF



Rev. SAiMUEL B. MoPHEETERS, D. D.



                  BY



REV. JOHN



S. GRASTY,



Author of " Faith's Battles and Victories."



        WITH AN

 INTRODUCTION,

          B Y



   REV. STUART ROBINSON, D. D.




      "My Faithful Afartyr."-Rev. ii. 13.




            SAINT LOUIS:
SOUTHWESTERN BOOK AND PUBLISHING COMPANY.
  LOUTS VILT.E: DAVIDSON BROTHERS  CO.
                x871.

 


































       Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S70, l)y

                     REV. JOHN S. GRASTY,

       In the Office of theLibrarian of Congress, at Washington.


















       Stereotyped end printd by
SOUTHWESTERN BOOK AND PUBLISHING CO.,
      610 -re 512 WASuINGT'M YUN,
            SAINT LOUIS.

 


     INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

                   BY REV. STUART ROBINSON.




  On the death of Dr. McPheeters the desire seemed spontaneous and
very general among those who had intimately known him, especially in the
last years of his life, that some permanent memorial should be preserved of
a man so noble by nature and of a Christian life and character so pure and
lovely.
  Such a desire might, indeed, have been the impulse of a very natural
feeling, akin to that which seeks to preserve the physical lineaments of the
departed loved ones by means of the artist's skill. The Christian men and
women who had contemplated with holy pride so heavenly a character among
them here on earth might naturally enough desire some memorial which
should preserve for them the lineaments of the spirit of this man of God,
with whom and under whose lead they had approached the very gate of
heaven.
  But still other considerations led to this desire of a Memoir of Dr. Mc-
Pheeters. Earnest and intelligent Christians, who looked to the valuable
results of such a life in strengthening the faith and increasing the courage of
the timid and desponding, judged rightly that in a day of rebuke and spiritual
declension it is important to hold up such examples of what the grace of
God is still doing in the Church on earth, notwithstanding the prevalence
of spiritual leanness, by way of demonstrating that the Church is not left
without witness how the Gospel, in its simplicity, is still the power of God
through faith unto salvation.

 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.



  And what more effective " short method" with the scoffer; of our day
can be put into the hands of Christian people-so often assailed with the
charge of the failure of the followers of Christ to come up to the Gospel
standard which they profess to accept-than the spiritual portraiture of a
man concerning whom skeptics were often heard to say, that his life and
character were an insurmountable difficulty in the way of accepting their
own skeptical theories The wish was, therefore, eminently reasonable
that in such a memorial Dr. McPheeters, being dead, should yet speak to
the railers and scoffers of this generation.

  It will not be thought surprising either that the men with whom Dr.
McPheeters stood during the recent ten years' conflict in the Church, to
witness for what they deemed truths vital to the Church of God, and even
to suffer for them as occasion called for it, should earnestly desire to per-
petuate the memorial of one who witnessed so faithfully and suffered so
conspicuously in earnestly contending for the " faith once delivered to the
saints." Indeed, it may be suggested that, aside from considerations of
reverence for his memory, it is peculiarly important to the interests of truth
and righteousness that such an example should be held up before the men
of feeble convictions, that they may see how important the issues involved
were deemed by the wise and gentle servant of Christ-seeing thit, however
averse by nature to strife and controversy, he felt called upon to stake ease
and comfort and personal friendship, in short, his all in this world, upon
issues which these men of feeble convictions have regarded as arising out
of mere personal or sectional prejudices.

  It is not unfrequently the case, moreover, that a true portraiture of the
witness for the truth is highly important, if not essential, to the proper
defense of the truths for which he has testified. While, indeed, good men
often are the advocates of dangerous error, bad men are seldom the advo-
cates of truth. And, therefore, it has ever been the strategy of errorists



IV

 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.



and usurpers, especially when argument fails them, to attack the character
of the witnesses for the truth, relying upon the experience of men to draw
the conclusion that truth and right can hardly be on the side of such advo-
cates and witnesses. Hence that tyrant of Rome, of whom Tacitus tells
us, was but a somewhat exaggerated type of partisan bigotry and violence
in all ages before and since. Speaking of Nero's effort to avert the popular
eye from himself as the great criminal in the conflagration of Rome, the
historian says: " Nero, to silence the rumor, substituted as the criminals,
and executed with terribly ingenious tortures, a people odious for their out-
rageous practices, whom the rabble called Christians, and at their execution
they were made a public sport of and wrapped in the skins of savage
beasts, that, worried and torn of the dogs, they might miserably perish."
  In both points of the strategy-the investing the innocent with the aspect
of the guilty in the eyes of rational men, and with the covering of the
savage beasts in the eyes of the irrational dogs, he seldom fails to find
imitators in every excitement of partisan fury; and it is only what is due to
the truth of history in calmer times that the persecutors and the persecuted
be set in their real light, at least before the rational world.

  But, aside from all this, it is manifestly just that the principles for which
Dr. McPheeters testified should have the benefit of his lofty character as a
man, and his gentle, wise and holy character as a Christian minister.

  With this general conviction of the importance of such a work, the first
inquiry was, " Who shall be selected, or, rather, who shall be found, to
execute the task " For it was needful to find one who should combine in
himself the taste and skill, as a writer, requisite to the work; the industry
to collect and the judgment to arrange and organize the materials collected
from so various quarters; the opportunities to execute the work speedily
enough to gratify the public desire; with the personal knowledge of and
interest in the life and character of Dr. McPheeters that should make this a



V

 

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.



labor of love. Among the large circle of friends there were many who
possessed some of the qualifications in an eminent degree, but few in whom
they all combined. It was determined, after carefully considering the ques-
tion, that his co-Presbyter and nearest ministerial neighbor, Rev. John S.
Grasty, should be requested to undertake the work, and after no little doubt
and hesitation he yielded to the request.
  How the work has been performed must be left to the reader to judge.
It is not, however, risking much to express the opinion that the author has
displayed judgment and skill in his method, and in the arrangement of the
copious materials which his energy and industry had gathered, while excel-
lent good taste is exhibited throughout in the style of execution. His single
aim is to present in full view Samuel B. McPheeters-the man, the Chris-
tian, the minister, the hero. His conception of his office as the biographer
of a good man is just. He aims not to display himself, but his theme; to
present the portraitures of Dr. McPheeters as he appeared tc those who
knew and loved him best, without attempting to retouch or improve them;
to present the facts upon which the public may pronounce a verd ct, without
attempting to play the advocate in coloring, or the judge in pronouncing
upon the facts. Even in detailing the story of strifes and controversies, he
wisely avoids becoming himself, in spirit or word, a party to -he contro-
versies, but leaves each party in its records to tell its own story.
  On the whole, there is every reason to believe that not only the friends
of Dr. McPheeters, but the public at large, will judge that Mr. Grasty has
in this work fairly won a title to their esteem and gratitude.



VI


 


              CONTENTS.





                   CHAPTER I.
                                                  Page.
Ancestry-Origin of the name ...................................      9  

                   CHAPTER II.
Early Days..........................................30

                  CHAPTER III.
Seminary Life .........................................41

                   CHAPTER IV.
Invitation to Virginia-Ministry to the Colored People .............. 67

                   CHAPTER V.
Settlement and Labors in Amelia ................................. 84

                  CHAPTER VI.
Removal to St. Louis-Peaceful Years-Visit to New Mexico-Pastoral
Letters-............................... - ......................  07

                  CHAPTER VII.
Columbus Assembly-Correspondence with G. P. Strong and others.. xII

                 CHAPTER VIII.
Reply to an Attack in Missouri Democrat-Action of Pine Street Ses-
sion.......................................       141

 

CONTENTS.



                    CHAPTER IX.
                                                    Page.
 Dr. McPheeters puts his Resignation into the hands of Presbvtery-
 Why-Erastian Views of Northern Assembly ................... I59

                     CHAPTER X.
 Statement of Doctrine and Principles .........  .................... I68

                    CHAPTER XI.
Interview with Mr. Lincoln-Appeal to Synod ....................1 83

                   CHAPTER XII.
Letter to Gov. Gamble-Letters of Judge Bates, President Lincoln, c. 196

                  CHAPTER XIII.
The Newark Assembly-Speech of Hon. Wm. T. Wood ......         ..... 202

                  CHAPTER XIV.
Speech of Dr. McPheeters before the Assembly in Newark......._ 242

                   CHAPTER XV.
Remarks of Drs. Rice, Junkin, Musgrave and Schenck-Assembly's
  Decision-The Decision Reviewed ............................. 278

                  CHAPTER XVI.
Pittsburg Assembly-Declaration and Testimony ................... 299

                 CHAPTER XVII.
Pastoral Work at Mulberry ..................................... 33

                 CHAPTER XVIII.
Final Visit to St. Louis-Last Days .............................. 345

                  CHAPTER XIX.
Testimonials-Letters of Condolence ............................. 348

                  CHAPTER XX.
The Author's Estimate ......................................     373



Vill


 

               MEMOIR OF


S. B. McPHEETERS, D. D.



                 CHAPTER I.

                       ANCESTRY.
T HE late Rev. Wm. McPheeters, D. D., of Raleigh, N. C.,
1took pains to secure an accurate register of his ancestors
for several generations. This record shall be used freely,
First, because of its intrinsic interest; secondly, for the
reason that it will be agreeable to a wide circle of relatives and
friends to possess in a permanent form a family history so
complete; but, in the. third place, and chiefly, because the prov-
idential dealings with this household illustrate with singular
clearness that it is the way of the Almighty to " confirm to the
children" those rich promises of grace which "he made afore-
time unto the Fathers."
  Dr. Wm. McPheeters says:
  The origin of the name McPheeters, according to a family
tradition, is as follows: A certain man named Peter Hume,
who resided in the Highlands of Scotland, had by his first wife
several children. After her death he married a second wife,
by whom he had one son. If he had other children by her,
nothing is now known respecting them. Peter's second mar-
riage, it is conjectured, took place when he was somewhat

 

MoEMEOIR OF S. B. AI'PHEETERS, D. D.



advanced in years, and after the children of his fi st wife (or
some of them at least) had arrived at maturity. This marriage,
it is supposed gave dissatisfaction to the children of his first
wife. In process of time Peter Hume died, and his landed
estate, it seems, fell into the hands of his first wifes children.
How long after his death the stepmother and her son lived
with the children of the first wife, as one family, is rot known.
A separation, however, after some time took place. The chil-
dren of the first wife, being dissatisfied with their father's second
marriage, and probably regarding the stepmother and her son
as beneath them in point of respectability, so conducted them-
selves toward their half brother as to cause him to withdraw
from the family. It may be that they drove him cif. What
became of the mother is not known, nor is it known how old
her son was at the time. After his separation from the family
he continued to reside in the neighborhood; but instead of
receiving and retaining the name of his father, he_ was called
Mae-Pe/ers-that is, Peter's son, the word Mac, in the
Highland dialect, signifying son. After various changes in the
orthography, the name at length came to be written as at
present. From this son of Peter Hume has descended, accord-
ing to the tradition, the McPheeters family.
IMy paternal great grandfather was named William. But
whether he was the son or the grandson of the so-called Mac-
Peters I have not been able to ascertain. My great grand-
father, William McPheeters, had several brothers, of whom he
was the youngest; and when about sixteen years of age, dur-
ing the time of Oliver Cromwell, left Scotland and passed
over into Ireland. It may be that he and some of his brothers
were soldiers in Cromwell's army. My great grandfather set-
tled in Ireland, and was there twice married. The name of
his first wife is not known, and all his children by her are said



IO

 

            MEMOIR OF S. B. A 'PHEETERS, D. D.       I I

to have died when young. During the lifetime of his first
wife the following incident is recorded of him: One day,
being absent from home, several native Irish came to the
house and demanded of his wife her husband's money, which
being refused, they dragged her out of the house and immersed
her in a spring or pool ot water, threatening to drown her if
she did not give up the money or inform them where it might
be found. During this barbarous treatment she got her thigh
bone dislocated. But her husband, providentially returning
home at the time, fell upon the savages, killed one or two of
them, put the rest to flight, and rescued his wife. After her
death, which it is supposed took place some years after, he
married a second time, when considerably advanced in years.
He is said to have lived to a great age. His second wife's
name was Janett McClellen. By her he had four children,
three daughters and one son. The son was the youngest child
of the family, and was named William, after his father. At the
time of his father's death he is said to have been about eight
years old. This William was my grandfather. He married in
Ireland, and after marriage lived there about seven years pre-
vious to his emigration to America, State of Pennsylvania.
His first wife was Rebecca Thompson, by whom he had ten
children. My grandfather, after living several years in Penn-
sylvania, removed to Augusta county, Virginia. Martha, his
second daughter, while living in Pennsylvania, married Samuel
Donney, and afterward removed with her husband to Augusta
county, Va. She was the mother of fourteen children. Re-
becca Donney married a Mr. McCutchen, of Augusta county,
and had a numerous family. Mary Ann married Captain
Charles Campbell, of Rockbridge county. Besides other chil-
dren, she was the mother of Dr. Campbell of Lexington; of
John W. Campbell of Petersburg, and of William Campbell,

 
MEMOIR OF S. B. Al'PHEETERS, D. D.



who married my youngest sister. Betsey Donney, the sixth
daughter, married Major Wilson, of Rockbridge. She was the
mother of the Rev. James C. Wilson, of Waynesboro. Mary,
or Molly McPheeters, the third daughter of my grandfather,
married Alexander Crawford, and was the mother of eleven
children, two of whom were Presbyterian ministers. The Rev.
Edward Crawford resided near Abingdon, Va. The Rev.
James Crawford removed to the State of Kentucky, and was
pastor of the Walnut Hill Church, near Lexington. Alexan-
der Crawford and Mary his wife, the parents of this family,
were both killed in Augusta county by a party of Indians. He
was shot in his own house, and the house was burnt down over
him. She, in attempting to make her escape, was killed with a
tomahawk a short distance from the house. They wvere both
buried near the North Mountain, in the glebe graveyard, upper
end of Augusta county, Virginia.
  William McPheeters, my father, was born in Pennsylvania
about the year 1729 or r730. He married Rachel Moore, of
Rockbridge county, Va. Both were members of the Church.
My father was also magistrate and a Ruling Elder. The Rev.
A. Scott was his pastor. The family consisted of ten children,
three sons and seven daughters. My father died October 28,
z807, and was buried in the glebe graveyard before mentioned.
James, his fourth child, received a liberal education; com-
menced the study of medicine in Staunton, afterward attended
medical lectures of Dr. Rush in Philadelphia, and for a few
years practiced medicine in the town of Fincastle, Va. Both
he and his wife were members of the Church and esteemed
exemplary Christians. Rebecca McPheeters, the fifth child of
my father, married John Gamble, the brother of Col. Robert
Gamble, of Richmond, Va. She was a woman of decided
piety.



1 2

 
MEMOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



  James Moore, my maternal grandfather, was born in Ireland,
and emigrated with his brother Joseph to America, Pennsyl-
vania, sometime about the year 1726. My grandfather, after
his arrival in America, married Jane Walker. She, too, was
born in Ireland. I have a distinct recollection of both my
maternal grandparents, James Moore and Jane Walker. I
recollect that my grandfather used to retire regularly to a room
up stairs, where, after closing the door, he remained for some
time. Noticing this, when a small boy, and wishing to find
out what he was about, I discovered, through a small aperture
under the door, that he was on his knees engaged at secret
prayer. My grandmother, sometime previous to her death,
remarked, "when I die I shall have a bonny easy death." Ac-
cordingly, during her last sickness, while some of the family
were sitting in the room with her, she either turned herself
over in the bed, or was aided in so doing by some one present.
Thus lying still for some time, the remark was made, " into
what a fine quiet sleep our grandmother has fallen." But when,
after some time, her bed was approached and her situation
examined into, it was found that her spirit had, quietly and
without a struggle, taken its flight to the unknown world.
Mary Moore, the second child of my grandfather, was twice
married. Her first husband was named Paxton, by whom she
had one child, named Samuel.  Her second husband was
Major A. Stuart, by whom she had four children. She and
her husband were members of the Church. They resided near
Brownsburg, Rockbridge county. Major Stuart had two sons
who were Superior Court Judges, viz.: His son Archibald, by
a former wife, and his son Alexander, by Mary Moore, his
second wife. Elizabeth Moore, the third child of my grand-
father, married Michael Coalter. They were both members of
the Church.  A grand-daughter of Michael and Elizabeth



I3

 
J4MENIOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



Coalter married Hon. Wm. C. Preston, of Souti -Carolina.
Her sister married Judge Harper, of the same State. John
Coalter, son of Michael and Elizabeth, was Judge of the Supe-
rior Court of Virginia, and afterward Judge of the High Court
of Appeals. This gentleman was four times married. His
third wife was Frances Tucker, daughter of St. George Tucker,
Judge of High Court of Appeals, Virginia. The eighth child
of Michael and Elizabeth Coalter, my beloved cousin Mary,
after marriage, removed to the State of Missouri. She was the
first wife of Beverly Tucker, youngest son of St. George
Tucker, and half brother to John Randolph, of Roanoke.
  James Moore, the sixth child of my grandfather, married
Martha Poague and had nine children. He removed some
time after marriage from Rockbridge county to a remote fertile
valley among the mountains in the Southwestern part of Vir-
ginia. After the family had resided for some time in their
frontier situation they were broken up and nearly all destroyed
by a party of Indians. James Moore, the oldest ch'Id of the
family, was first taken prisoner by two Indians. He had been
sent to a field some distance from the house for a horse. As
he went along he was seized with an unaccountable panic;
the impression on his mind was that he would be torn to pieces
by a wild beast. He was on the point of returning to the
house, but fearing lest he should be reproached for cowardice
he proceeded onward toward the field.  He had not pro-
ceeded far before two Indians stepped out from behind a tree
and laid hold on him. On looking up and finding himself in
the hands of human beings and not in the paws of savajse beasts,
he, for the moment, was somewhat comforted. The Indians
took him to the field and by his assistance endeavored to catch
one or more of the horses; but in this they were unsuccessful.
The horses would allow the boy to approach them, but when



14

 

MEMOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



he put forth his hand to take hold of a horse one of the Indians
would immediately take hold of him. By this the horse being
affrighted, instantly made his escape. After repeated and un-
successful efforts to get possession of the horses the Indians
commenced their long journey, and conducted their little pris-
oner through a mountainous and pathless desert far North to
the place of their residence.  He immediately fell into the
hands of a French family residing in the Indian country. In
this family he lived for several years, and, if I am not mistaken,
was kindly treated. About two years and a half after the cap-
ture of James Moore, the two Indians who took him prisoner
formed, as it is supposed, a company and conducted them to
the house of his unprotected and unsuspecting father. On a
certain day, early in the morning, the Indians were seen rushing
down an adjacent hill in a furious manner and approaching
the house. James Moore, the father of the family, not being
in the house at the moment, was shot and killed some two or
three hundred yards from the house. The three following
children, Rebecca, Alexander and William, were shot down
near the house. The house was then plundered and burned
down. John, Jane, Mary and Margaret, with their mother,
were taken prisoners. A Miss Evans, who was at the time
residing in the family, was also taken prisoner. John, on the
first day of the march, a few miles from the house, was, on
some account, killed with a tomahawk After traveling some
distance farther the Indians finding Margaret somewhat trouble-
some, she being only about fifteen months old, killed her by
dashing her against a tree. After a tedious and tiresome march
of about forty days, the Indians, with their four remaining pris-
oners, reached their towns, somewhere in the Northern part of
Indiana or Ohio, or perhaps in Michigan, near Detroit. After
their arrival Jane and her mother were given up to a disaffected



I 5

 

z6MEMOIR OF S. D. A 'I'HEETERS, D. D



Indian and cruelly put to death. This, it is supposed, was
done by the Indian in the way of revenge for some injury
received by him from the white people. Joseph, one of the
children of this family, was in Rockbridge, going to school, at
the time when his brothers and sisters were murdered by the
Indians, and, of course, did not fall into their hands. As to
James Moore and his sister Mary and Miss Evans, they were
providentially located, it seems, at no great distance from each
other among the Indians. The brother of Miss Evans, some
years after, with the view and hope of recovering his sister, went
in search of her, and on finding her he succeeded, by purchase
or otherwise, in obtaining not only her liberty, but also the lib-
erty of James Moore and Mary Moore his sister. After a long
and fatiguing journey Mr. Evans, with his rescued captives,
arrived at my father's house sometime about the year 1790.
My aged grandfather and grandmother, being at the house at
the time, were overjoyed and almost overcome at the unex-
pected return of their long lost grandchildren. Being a small
boy at the time, and at school that day, on reaching home I
found the family, as I distinctly recollect, in a state of great
excitement. The dead was alive-the lost was found. In
process of time Mary Moore, the Indian captive, married the
Rev. Samuel Brown, a distinguished Presbyterian minister, the
pastor of New Providence Church, Rockbridge county. She
was the mother of a numerous family; and being a woman of
importunate prayer and devoted piety, it pleased God to give
her five sons, who, after receiving a liberal education, became
preachers of the Gospel. One of her daughters married the
Rev. James Morrison, who succeeded his father-in-law as pas-
tor of New Providence.
  From a credible source I have derived the following infor-
mation as to the ancestors of my maternal grandmother, whose



I6

 

MEMOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



maiden name was Jane Walker. John Rutherford, of Scot-
land' married a wife who was of the family of the Rev.
Joseph Alliene, author of the "Alarm." Her maiden name is
not known.   Said John Rutherford had a daughter whose
name was Catherine Rutherford; she married a man named
Walker. His Christian name is not known. This Walker had
by his wife, Catharine Rutherford, a son whose name was John
Walker. John Walker was born in Wigtown, Scotland, and
was the father of my grandmother, Jane Walker, and, of course,
the grandfather of my mother, Rachel Moore. Thus it appears
that the genealogical line traced from my mother up to John
Rutherford, of Scotland, stands as follows:
   i. MTy Mother .      ............................... Rachel Mfoore.
   - 1er Father ............. .........   James Moore.
   2. Her Mother .------------------------ Jane Walker.
   - 11cr Grandfather .     ............. . John Walker.
   3. 11er Grandmother ... Namc not known.
   - Ier Great Grandfather  ..   .Walker.
   4. Her Great Grandmother ............... Catharine Rutherford.
   - Her Great Great Grandfather .------------- John Rutherford.
   5. Her G. G. Grandmother, of the family of ..   Jos. A'liene.
   This John Rutherford, the great great grandfather ot my
mother, was either the nephew or the ful cousin of that dis-
tinguished divine and author, the Rev. Samuel Rutherford, of
Scotland. My mother's grandfather, John Walker, of Wig-
town, Scotland, had seven children. My grandmother, Jane
Walker, was born in Ireland. Her father, John Walker, of
Wigtown, Scotland, before marriage, settled in Ireland. He
there married.  From Ireland, with his whole family, includ-
ing my grandmother, he emigrated to the state of Pennsyl-
vania, where my grandfather and grandmother were married.
Some years after their marriage, and after the birth ot three or
four of their children, they, with the whole Walker family, or



17

 

MEMOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



the great part of. them, removed to Rockbridge, Va., and
settled on a creek in that part of the country called " Bur
den's Land," and afterward "Walker's Creek," from the several
families of that name which had settled there. These families,
being somewhat numerous and all closely allied, were some-
times pleasantly called "the Creek Nation."
  Rachel McPheeters, my mother, was born in the year 1736,
in the state of Pennsylvania, Chester county, Nottingham
Township. When about three years old she removed with her
father, James Moore, and his family from Pennsylvania to the
state of Virginia, Rockbridge county.  She and her sister
Mary, who was a little older than herself, were carried on a
horse in large baskets swung across the horse's back.  In
this situation, balancing each other and with their heads pro-
jecting from the baskets, they traveled along in comfort. My
mother, when very young, was in some degree impressed on
the subject of religion. One day when set to watch by her-
self in the cornfield, her mind was raised above the world with
delightful devotional feelings.  From her early youth she was
strictly attentive to the duty of secret prayer, but did not
recollect much as to the nature of her prayers. When she
was somewhat older, say between twelve and fifteen years of
age, although gay and lively in her disposition, she could not
bear to listen to trifling or useless conversation, but always
wished for something interesting and improving in the circle
in which at any time she was placed. Having frequent occa-
sion about this period of her life to pass to and from a
neighbor's house, she was often constrained to turn aside for
secret prayer, in which she usually experienced much enjoy-
ment. And at home, during family prayer, she was frequently
melted into tenderness and shed many tears. To the public
means of grace she was always particularly attentive, and



I8

 

MEMOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



took so deep an interest therein that she would sometimes
walk on foot four or five miles to church-New Providence.
After her. marriage, which took place when she was between
nineteen and twenty years of age, she removed from Rock-
bridge to Augusta county, and there, after sometime, joined
the Church, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. Charies
Cummings. The place of worship was called Brown's meet-
ing house. It is now called Hebron church. The Rev. A.
Scott was the successor of Mr. Cummings. Under his pas-
toral care she continued a member of the Church for many
years. But nothing remarkable occurred in 'her religious ex-
perience for eight or ten years after her marriage, with the
exception of what took place when her daughter Jane was an
infant. When Jane was an infant, her mother, sitting one
day in the room by herself with her babe at her breast, was
favored in a remarkable degree with the presence of God's
Holy Spirit, filling her with joy and divine consolation.  She
was melted down in tenderness, and a profusion of tears
flowed from her eyes. She arose from her seat and standing
on the floor enjoyed a soul-refreshing and almost overwhelm-
ing view of the glory of God. In this situation God's ques-
tion to her seemed to be this: "Could you withhold from me
anything that I should ask " Nothing, nothing, Lord,"
was the reply. A further inquiry then seemed to be made:
"Could you withhold from me the infant now reclining on
your breast  " Her answer was again, "s No, no, Lord;" and
she thought that in the ecstacy of her feelings she held out
the child as if to give it away to the Lord forever. My sister
Jane is represented as growing up to maturity, a girl of
great promise. At an early age, however, her mind became
deeply impressed with the idea that her continuance in this
world was to be of short duration. That such was her pre-



I9

 

MEMOIR OF S. B. M'PHEETERS, D. D.



vailing belief is evident from remarks which she occasionally
made respecting herself. One day riding in company with a
Mr. Craig, he took the opportunity of recommending to her
good opinion a gentleman of his acquaintance. She remarked
as follows: " You need say nothing to me respecting him or
any one else. I hope before long to be happier than any
one on earth can make me." " Why do you think so  " said
Mr. Craig. " Oh," replied she, " the Lord has done great
things for me." Not long before her death, and at the time
in her usual health, s