of tte 
 
 ©nibersitp of ilovti) Carolina 
 
 CoUection of iSortfj Caroliniana 
 
 €nbota cb fap 
 
 Sfofjn ^prunt WH 
 
 0i tfjc CIa£<fi of 1S80 
 
 "^-1^(09 
 
This book must not 
 be taken from the 
 Library building. 
 
 IHiS TJTLE HAi BEEN MICROFILMED 
 
 THiS ITEM 
 ON THESE 
 
 MAY 
 
 NOTBECOPIE) 
 F-SERVlCECOPlEi; 
 
 Form No. 471 
 
LIFE 
 
 OP 
 
 REV. aEORGE DONNELL, 
 
 FIRST PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN LEBANON; 
 
 WITH 
 
 31 mtit\ at t|« ^tff{:|-|ris| %m. 
 
 BY 
 
 PRESIDENT T. C. ANDERSON. 
 
 PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR. 
 
 1858. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by 
 
 T. C. ANDERSON, 
 
 In the District Court of the United States for the Middle District of Tennessee. 
 
 STEREOTVrED. AND PRINTED BY A. A. STITT, 
 SOUTHERN METHODIST PUBLISHING HOUSE, NASHVILLE, TENN. 
 
€onttntB. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Utility of religious biography— Examples in Scripture— Birth of 
 George Donnell— His parents Scotch-Irish— Most of the ministers 
 and members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of the same 
 race— How explained— Religious and political principles of the 
 race— Reasons for a sketch of the race .'. 11 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE SCOTCH-IRISH. 
 
 Christianity in Britain in the second century— How introduced— Bar- 
 barism of Ireland— First convert to Christianity— Saxon invasion- 
 Saxons converted— Theological school at lona— Papacy in England 
 — Presbyterian opposition— Ascendency of Catholicism— Relapse 
 into barbarism— The Bible dispels the darkness — Th« Papacy 
 abolished and episcopacy established— Ireland colonized by Scotch 
 Presbyterians— Their character— Influence of climate— Revivals in 
 Ireland — Persecutions 19 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 feCOTCH-IRISH IN AMERICA. 
 
 Emigration to America— Encounter Episcopacy in Virginia Tolera- 
 tion in North Carolina — Alamance organized in 1764 — Dr. Cald- 
 well pastor— Persecution— Battle of Alamance— Revolution— For- 
 mality— McGready 4q 
 
 (iii) 
 
IV CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTEK IV. 
 
 REVIVALS IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 McGready in North Carolina — A revival — Opposition — McGrcady 
 driven to Kentucky — Old Side and New Side — Watts's Hymns an 
 olTence — Scotch-Irish New Side — McGready in Kentucky — llevival 
 — Tide rolls back to North Carolina — Great camp-meetings — Ex- 
 citement — Bodily exercises — Converts numerous — Prejudice over- 
 come — Views of Dr3. Caldwell, Hall, and McCorkle 54 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SCOTCH-IRISn IX TENNESSEE. 
 
 Indian Tribes — French Treaty — Fort Loudon first Anglo-Saxon set- 
 tlement west of the Alleghany Mountains — Scotch-Irish in Tennes- 
 Bee — Watauga — French Lick — Cumberland counrty — Emigration to 
 Cumberland — Navigation of Tennessee river — Settlement of Nash- 
 ville in 1780 — Indian hostilities — Scotch-Irish triumph — Termina- 
 tion of the war — Organization of counties 75 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 STATE OF SOCIETY IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTBT. 
 
 Privation? of the settlers — Salt ten dollars per bushel — Without 
 schools or churches — Peace brought teachers and ministers — McGeo 
 at Shiloh — Hodge and McAdoo — Dr. Hall — Revival in Kentucky — 
 Extends into Tennessee — Camp-meetings at the Ridge, Shiloh, and 
 Beech, in 1800 — Many church members converted — Great demand 
 for preaching — Anderson, Ewing, and King licensed — Rejected the 
 doctrine of fatality 87 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SPRING CREEK CHURCH. 
 
 Organized by Dr. Hall, in 1801 — Rev. Samuel Donnell becomes pas- 
 tor, in 1802 — His character — George Donnell, senior — Charges pre- 
 ferred against revival ministers by Craighead — His character — 
 History of proceedings — Organization of the Cumberland Presby- 
 terian Church — Spring Creek church remains Old School — Seces- 
 sion and orgamzation of a Cumberland Presbyterian church 101 
 
CONTENTS. V 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 YOUTH AND CONVEESION OF GEORGE DONNELL. 
 
 Nothing in his boyhood indicating future distinction — Religious edu- 
 cation — Death of his mother — A stepmother — George's disposition 
 — An incident — George in school — On the farm — Put to a trade — 
 Ill-health — Conviction and conversion 110 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CHEISTIAN LIFE AND LABOR. 
 
 Solicitude for his companions — Efforts for their conversion — Labors 
 at night meetings — At camp-meetings — Skill in instructing mourn- 
 ers — Great success — Gifted in prayer and exhortation — A sweet 
 singer — An incident — Conversion of his brother and sister — Call 
 to the ministry — Joined presbytery 119 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 HIS LABORS WHILE A CANDIDATE. 
 
 Placed at school — His studies — Activity in religious efforts — An inci- 
 dent — Sent on the Overton Circuit — Displays a talent for useful- 
 ness — Returns to school — Licensed 129 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 MISSIONARY LABORS ON THE CIRCUIT. 
 
 Extent of the circuit — Forest-born sermons — Revivals — Incessant 
 labor — Close of first term — Reiinion with friends — Sent to Overton 
 — Growing popularity — Revivals all around the circuit — Close of 
 second term — Returned to Overton — Winter revivals — Close of 
 third term — Ordered to East Tennessee 138 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MISSIONARIES IN EAST TENNESSEE. 
 
 Geographical position — First minister — Formalism — M'Gready in 
 East Tennessee — Letter of M'Gready — Robert Donnell and Tho- 
 mas Calhoun in East Tennessee in 1818 — J. S. Guthrie — Robert 
 Baker — Abner Lansdon and William Smith 150 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 DONNELL IK EAST TENNESSEE. 
 
 Responsibilities of the mission — Anecdotes of Donnell — Old and New 
 School dissensions — Private houses opened to the missionaries — 
 Many join the Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Dr. Doake — An 
 incident — Camp-meetings at Concord and Jerusalem — Presbytery 
 — Donnell sent again to East Tennessee — Preparations for ordi- 
 nation 164 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 OEDINATION AND MINISTERIAL SERVICES IN EAST TENNESSEE. 
 
 Ordination services — First administration — Excitement among the 
 Baptists — A camp-meeting — Great interest — Incident — Dr. Ander- 
 son in a strait — Disappointment — Called upon God, and he helped 
 them — Good meeting — Presbytery 181 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 DONNELL IN SYNOD — MISSIONARY LABORS. 
 
 Donnell's first appearance in Synod — An incident — Appointed to visit 
 the Choctaw school — Returns to East Tennessee — Presbytery in 
 East Tennessee — Goes on his mission to the Choctaws — Incidents 
 in Alabama — Incident at Winchester — Revivals in East Tennessee 
 — Synod in 1826 — Statistics — Donnell in Wilson — Marriage in 1827 
 — Pastor of Concord church — Knoxville Presbytery constituted — 
 — Donnell first Moderator— Returns to Wilson county 194 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 RESIDENCE IN WILSON COUNTY. 
 
 Synod divided, and Assembly constituted — Donnell commences preach- 
 ing in Lebanon — Policy of the older ministers — Rev. Amzi Brad- 
 shaw — Franklin Synod at Big Spring — Rev. H. B, Hill — Church 
 Society formed in Lebanon — Methodist church closed — New church 
 commenced — Church organized — New Hope church — Synod in 
 Lebanon — Great revival — Donnell elected pastor — Letter from Gen. 
 Jackson 215 
 
CONTENTS. Vll 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE PASTOR AND HIS CHURCHES. 
 
 Wholly devoted to the work— Familiarity with each member— Confi- 
 dence of all — Access to all classes — Solicitude for each — Improved 
 every opportunity — An incident — The sick-room — Concern for the 
 church at large — First camp-meeting at Lebanon — Camp-meeting 
 at New Hope — Many conversions — Concern for young converts — 
 Work for each — Illustrations — Incident — Camp-meetings at New 
 Hope and Lebanon — Revivals 233 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 PASTORAL DUTIES, CONTINUED. 
 
 Moved into Lebanon — Increased devotion to his charge — The material 
 of his sermons — Cholera in Lebanon — Organization of Chapman 
 Presbytery — ^An incident — Campbellism — General revivals — Salary 
 — A present — Good meeting — Camp-meeting at Cairo — Three hun- 
 dred converts — General Assembly in Lebanon , 253 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 VINDICATION OF CHARACTER. 
 
 Death of J. B. M'Murry— His will— Mr. Donnell's agency — Dissatis- 
 faction — Suit entered to set aside the will — A compromise — Discon- 
 tent with the compromise — Suit renewed — Testimony of Rev. Tho- 
 mas Calhoon — Testimony of Donnell, M'Murry, Anderson, and Dr. 
 James White — ^Will established — Calhoon's charge against Donnell 
 and M'Murry — Investigation in Presbytery — Donnell and M'Murry 
 acquitted of the charge 278 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 A CHURCH PAPER — DONNELL THE EDITOR. 
 
 Failure of Rev. James Smith — Suspension of the Cumberland Pres- 
 byterian — A convention — Plan for a Church paper — Donnell elected 
 editor — Lebanon to be the place of publication — Cumberland Pres- 
 byterian revived — Scheme for a Church paper defeated 288 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PASTOEA.L LABORS, CONTINUED. 
 
 Oak Grove and New Hope camp-meetings — Rencontre with a Uni- 
 
 versalist — Test of the truth of his doctrine — Donnell in the Assem- 
 bly of 1840 — Death of David and Anna McMurry — Letter fi*om 
 Donnell — Origin of Cumberland University — General revival in 
 1842 — Increased responsibility — Donnell studies the Greek lan- 
 guage — Revival in Lebanon — Correspondence with young converts 
 — Mortal affliction — Patience in suffering — Parting with friends — 
 Taking leave of his family — The death-scene 296 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 TESTIMONIALS OF WOETH. 
 
 Communication from the church session — Editorial by Dr. Cossitt — 
 Obituary notice — Resolutions of the Presbytery 319 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE FAMILY — CONCLUSION. 
 
 The widow — Andrew K. Donnell — The widow's death — Death of An- 
 drew — Other children — Monument 327 
 
 Conclusion 381 
 
^^xthtt. 
 
 After earnest and repeated solicitations, the 
 author reluctantly consented to attempt a biogra- 
 phy of the Eev. George Donnell, first pastor of the 
 church in Lebanon. The little volume now offered 
 to the public is the result of the savings of the 
 fragments of time amid the pressure of laborious 
 official duties. 
 
 The loss of important presbyterial and synodical 
 records, the want of opportunity to collect material 
 in the field of his early labors, and the inexperience 
 of the author, necessarily render the narrative de- 
 fective and incomplete. 
 
 Whether judiciously or not, the author has yield- 
 ed to the temptation to incorporate with the bio- 
 graphy a sketch of the S.cotch-Irish race, from 
 which the subject of this memoir, and almost all 
 of the primitive members of the Cumberland Pres- 
 byterian Church, sprung. It is hoped that the 
 sketch will be interesting, and afford material for 
 the future historian. 
 
 In the preparation of this part of the work, 
 D' Aubigne's History of the Reformation, Macaulay's 
 History of England, and Foote's Sketches of Vir- 
 1* (9) 
 
10 PREFACE. 
 
 giuia and Xorth Carolina, have been consulted. 
 Hcspecting tlie emigration of the Scotch-Irish from 
 Virginia and IS'orth Carolina to Kentucky and 
 Tennessee, and the difficulties they encountered in 
 settling the vast wilderness, Foote's Sketches, 
 Ramsay's Annals, and Haywood's History of Ten- 
 nessee, have been quoted as authority. In refer- 
 ence to the great revival of religion which originated 
 with the Scotch-Irish, and prevailed through Ken- 
 tucky and Tennessee, and which led to the organ- 
 ization of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 
 the author has made free use of Foote's Sketches, 
 Smith's History of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
 Church, Cossitt's Life of Ewing, and his Review 
 of Davidson, together with original sources of infor- 
 mation. 
 
 In the preparation of the biography. Rev. S. M. 
 Aston and Rev. William Smith, co-laborers of Mr. 
 Donnell during his missionary operations in East 
 Tennessee, have kindly furnished material aid, for 
 which the author returns unfeigned thanks. Many 
 other brethren have laid the author under lasting 
 obligations, by furnishing items and incidents of 
 interest. Dr. Langdon has conferred a special 
 favor by furnishing files of the Religious Intelli- 
 gencer, the Revivalist, and the Cumberland Presby- 
 terian ; and Dr. Cossitt, by furnishing bound 
 volumes of the Banner of Peace. 
 
 Hoping that this little volume may do some 
 good, the author submits it to the judgment of the 
 Cliurch. 
 
 The Author. 
 
THE LIFE 
 
 REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 
 
 CHAPTEE I. 
 
 Should any question the propriety or the utility 
 of religious biography, they are referred to the 
 Sacred Scriptures. Biographical sketches of the 
 great and the good make up large portions both of 
 the Old and the 'New Testaments. Some glimpses 
 of antediluvian life are revealed. E"6ah, the chief 
 survivor of the old world and the patriarch of the 
 new, is honored with a full portraiture. The faith 
 of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has been recorded 
 for the instruction of all succeeding ages. Millions 
 have read with tender emotion the inimitable bio- 
 graphy of the beloved Joseph. The patience of 
 Job, the admirable institutions of Moses, the 
 heroism of Joshua, the equitable administration 
 
 (11) 
 
12 THELIFEOFTUE 
 
 of Samuel, the songs of David, the wisdom of Solo- 
 mon, and the zeal of the prophets and apostles, have 
 imparted impressive lessons of instruction to all 
 succeeding generations, and will minister incentives 
 to virtue through all future time. 
 
 But of all the characters portrayed in the Scrip- 
 tures, or elsewhere, that which has shed the purest 
 light upon the world, and contributed most to 
 reform, elevate, and purify mankind, is the imma- 
 culate life of the meek and lowly Saviour, so beau- 
 tifully delineated in the Gospels of the four Evan- 
 gelists. 
 
 But why so much biography in the Scriptures ? 
 Because Infinite Wisdom saw it to be the most 
 impressive manner of imparting instruction, and 
 prompting others to imitate the life of the good 
 and the great. Xations learn wisdom from the rise 
 and foil of empires; but individuals are inspired 
 with lofty aspirations and prompted to generous 
 deeds of renown by noble examples of magna- 
 nimity and heroism. Alexander and Ccesar have 
 filled the world with heroes. Paul, Peter, Stephen, 
 and John have a long line of worthy successors. 
 The Saviour came not only to redeem the world, 
 but to inspire his disciples with a self-sacrificing 
 spirit, and to leave for their imitation a perfect 
 model of Christian and ministerial character. 
 And hence the delineation of his character in 
 all its loveliness and majesty by four of the Evan- 
 gelists. 
 
 If God has graciously favored us with sketches^ 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 13 
 
 of the lives of patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and 
 saints, for our edification, ought not the deeds of 
 the good and the great of every age to be recorded 
 for the benefit of, succeeding generations ? And 
 if we are so edified by the examples furnished us, 
 will not the biographies of holy men of our day 
 edify our successors ? Will not character faithfully 
 delineated on the printed i)age speak to the heart 
 as effectually as living example ? and will it not 
 reflect upon the hearts of those who contemplate it 
 something of its own likeness ? 
 
 Entertaining the hope that the light of unobtru- 
 sive, yet earnest, ardent, resistless piety, may re- 
 produce its like, the author has undertaken the 
 very difficult task of attempting to portray the 
 character of Rev. George Donnell ; yet he has a pain- 
 ful consciousness of his utter inability to do the 
 subject justice. 
 
 George Donnell was born August 9th, 1801, in 
 Alamance congregation, Guilford county, ]N'orth 
 Carolina. He was the third son and the seventh 
 child of a family of twelve children. His father, 
 George Donnell, senior, was a ruling elder of 
 the Alamance church, and George was dedicated 
 to God in baptism by that celebrated minister, 
 David Caldwell, D. D., who was for nearly sixty 
 years pastor of the Alamance church. 
 
 George Donnell, senior, his wife, Isabella Kerr, 
 the venerable pastor, and almost all of the members 
 of the Alamance church, were of Scotch-Irish de- 
 scent. And it is remarkable that nearly all of the 
 
14 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 ministers and most of the members of the early 
 Presbyterian churches in Virginia and Xorth Caro- 
 lina were of the same race. And from these 
 churches proceeded the ministers that planted and 
 the members that constituted the primitive churches 
 in Kentucky^, Tennessee, and the South-western 
 States. The honored agents in originating and 
 promoting the great revival of 1800, the founders 
 of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and 
 nine -tenths of its early members, were Scotch- 
 Irish. McGready, the two McGees, McAdo, Hodge, 
 Anderson, Ewing, King, McLean, Bell, Porter, 
 Kirkpatrick, Foster, Calhoon, Donnell, Harris, 
 Chapman, McLin, and the Barnetts, were all 
 Scotch-Irish, and all emigrants from the churches 
 in Western Virginia and North Carolina. 
 
 Of the same race and from the same churches 
 proceeded almost all of the first generation of 
 Cumberland Presbyterian preachers, who entered 
 the ministry after the organization of the Church. 
 McSpadden, Bumpus, Morrow, the Guthries, Sloan, 
 Lowry, Hunter, Knight, Berry, Beard, Baker, 
 Ealston, the Donnells, Peed, Burney, Aston, Bird, 
 Bone, Hill, Bryan, Downy, the Tates, Douglass, 
 the Eussells, the Smiths, the Lansdens, the Mc- 
 Dowells, Feemster, Cowan, McCord, Morgan, Wicr, 
 "Wilson, Davis, and many more of the first and a 
 large majority of the present generation of Cum- 
 berland Presbyterian ministers have descended 
 from the Scotch-Irish race. 
 
 It is very remarkable that so large a majority of 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 15 
 
 the ministers and members of any Cliurcli in this 
 country, filled up, as it is, with a mingled popula- 
 tion from all climes, should be able to trace their 
 ancestry up to a province in the north of Ireland. 
 But it is almost incredible that the Cumberland 
 Presbyterian Church, which was organized, not 
 upon the sea-coast, nor by a colony direct from Ire- 
 land, but in the heart of the wilderness, almost a 
 thousand miles inland, should, nevertheless, be 
 composed almost entirely of one race ; yet, strange 
 as it may appear, it is nevertheless true. And 
 whoever will take the pains to inquire into the his- 
 tory of the various families composing the body of 
 the Church at its organization, or at the present 
 time, may verify the statement. 
 
 But how shall we account for that which seems 
 so singular and inexplicable ? Shall we explain it 
 upon the principle of national affinity? The 
 Scotch and the Irish are both clannish. But these 
 clannish affinities have not at any other period, or 
 in any other quarter of the globe, originated a new 
 Church and an original system of theology. Can it 
 be that the Scotch-Irish emigrants, after a residence 
 in this country for nearly a century, and after 
 various migrations through the Atlantic States, 
 penetrated the depths of the wilderness, and there 
 organized a new Church upon a new theological 
 basis, for the sole purpose of maintaining the iden- 
 tity of their race, or perpetuating their clans? 
 The inquiring mind will not be satisfied with this 
 explanation ; it will seek a more adequate cause — 
 
16 TIIELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 some radical, deep -seated religious principle — 
 some guiding providence working out the pur- 
 poses of the Divine Will hy the operation of 
 such secondary causes as usually govern human 
 actions. 
 
 There must have been a reason why the Scotch- 
 Irish did not commingle with other races in the 
 Atlantic States, and thus lose their identity — a 
 reason why they came to the Western wilds, and. 
 braved contact with the savage — a reason why 
 they withdrew from the Presbyterian Church, and 
 organized the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
 And that reason is to be sought, not in a clannish or 
 gregarious sympathy, but in the religious and poli- 
 tical principles of that singular people. 
 
 But principles, and especially religious prin- 
 ciples, like races, have their history. Not unfre- 
 quently they are a part of our inheritance, which 
 has descended to us through several generations. 
 If, therefore, we would understand the present, we 
 must know the past. Principles, like men, have 
 their origin, their growth, their maturity, and, 
 sometimes, their decay. This gradual develop- 
 ment is the work of time. Ages may elapse be- 
 tween the origin and the maturity. And if we 
 would comprehend the force and power of prin- 
 ciples in controlling the destiny of races, we must 
 trace their history, and note the several stages of 
 development. But to do this understandingly, wo 
 must study the history of those races which have 
 held and have been governed by those principles. 
 
REV. aEORaE DONNELL. 17 
 
 Seeing, then, that the subject of the contem- 
 plated memoir, and the principles which formed 
 the basis of his Christian character, were of Scotch- 
 Irish origin ; seeing, moreover, that a lange major- 
 ity of the ministers and members of the Church 
 in which he lived and labored till death were 
 also Scotch-Irish, some knowledge of the religious 
 history of this peculiar people would seem to be 
 indispensable to a proper appreciation of the 
 character and labors of the subject of the bio- 
 graphy. 
 
 An additional inducement to take a brief sur- 
 vey of the religious history of the Scotch-Irish 
 race, is found in the conviction that such inves- 
 tigation will shed light upon the origin and 
 early history of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
 Church. 
 
 It is admitted that history is not the province 
 of the biographer. Yet if a brief sketch be indis- 
 pensable to a proper elucidation of the subject, he 
 may be indulged — especially when it is believed 
 that the digression will afford to the future histo- 
 rian a clue to a field rich in material for the vindi- 
 cation of the fathers of the Cumberland Presbyte- 
 rian Church against the oft-repeated charge of 
 disorder, delusion, and fanaticism. 
 
 Under the deliberate conviction that a more 
 intimate acquaintance with our ancestors — the 
 Scotch-Irish — is essential to a right understanding 
 of our own history ; and being persuaded that it will 
 be acceptable to the Church, and at the same time 
 
18 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 favor the author's plan of treating the subject in 
 hand, he will adventure a hasty sketch of the 
 religious histoty of that peculiar race, even though 
 it should ^provoke uncharitable criticism. 
 
REV. GEOEGE DONNELL. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. • 
 
 ORIGIN OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH RACE. 
 
 Christianity was propagated in England and 
 Scotland during tlie first half of tlie second cen- 
 tury. Already the fame of the rich mines of Corn- 
 wall had reached Asia Minor, and the opulent cities 
 on the Levant were prosecuting a lucrative trade 
 with the savage Britons. Merchant-vessels, laden 
 with the products of the East, came every summer 
 to the coast of England, to barter for the tin and 
 copper of Cornwall. 
 
 The missionary, following in the wake of com- 
 merce, bore to our pagan ancestors the gospel of 
 peace. Roman legions were, at this period, sta- 
 tioned in every district of England; and it is said 
 that some of the soldiers who had learned Christ, 
 imparted to their heathen vassals a knowledge of 
 the Christian religion. It is said, moreover, that 
 certain British captives at Rome, having received 
 the gospel, were liberated, and returned to preach 
 Christ to their pagan brethren. 
 
 But through whatever channels the natives of 
 the island may have received the gospel, it is cer- 
 tain that, previous to the reign of the Emperor 
 
20 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 Dioclcsiap, many ch-iirchcs had been planted in 
 England and Scotland, far beyond tbe Roman 
 dominion ; as, during the perseoutions of tllat cruel 
 Emperor, many Christians fled from England to 
 their brethren in Scotland.* 
 
 But Ions: after the rude Briton and ferocious 
 Scot had abandoned their bloody rites and meekly 
 yielded to the benign "influence of Christianity, 
 gross darkness still brooded over ill-starred Ire- 
 land. Her benighted barbarians continued to 
 offer human sacrifices to their gods. The first 
 convert to Christianity in Ireland was Succat, a 
 Scotch youth, who had enjoyed the instructions and 
 prayers of a pious mother. 
 
 But whilst yet a boy, when playing one day on 
 the sea-shore, he was seized by Irish pirates, hur- 
 ried away, and sold into slavery. His master 
 "sent him into the fields to feed swine;" where, 
 enduring his hard lot, with no other companions 
 than the swine, like the prodigal, "he came to 
 himself," and remembering, with gratitude and 
 contrition, the pious lessons which a Christian 
 mother had taught him, he poured out his soul in 
 prayer to God. It was the first prayer ever offered 
 up in Ireland ! The Lord heard and answered 
 in mercy. Succat became a solitary Christian in a 
 heathen land. "The love of God," says he, "in- 
 creased more and more in me : the Spirit urged mc 
 to such a degree, that I poured forth as many as a 
 
 * Tertullian. 
 
REV. aEORQE DONNELL. 21 
 
 hundred prayers in one day. And during tlie 
 night, in the forest, and on the mountain, where I 
 kept my flock, the rai^, and snow, and frost, and 
 the sufferings which I endured, excited me to seek 
 God."* 
 
 Longing to impart the glad news to his parents, 
 and commune with pious Christians, he escaped 
 from the land of darkness, and fled to Scotland. 
 But, whilst enjoying the pleasures of home and 
 Christian fellowship, he felt an irresistible impres- 
 sion to preach the gospel to the Irish pagans, 
 among whom he had found a precious Saviour. 
 Parents and friends endeavored to restrain him ; but 
 by day and by night the Spirit pursued him : he tore 
 himself away from home and friends, and returned 
 to the land of his captivity. Summoning the wild 
 Irish "in the fields by beat of the drum," he nar- 
 rated to them in their own tongue, and in simple 
 apostoMe style, the story of the cross, and his own 
 happy conversion, while serving them as a captive 
 slave. His simple narrative reached the hearts of 
 the rude peasantry ; many were converted to God, 
 and the son of the chieftain joined him in preach- 
 ing Christ. 
 
 So enduring were the labors of this evangelist, 
 that, for two centuries, primitive Christianity 
 maintained firm footing in Ireland, despite the op- 
 position of pagan superstition. But when Roman 
 Catholicism overran the island, primitive Chris- 
 
 * D'Aubign($, vol. v., p. 22. 
 
22 THELIFEOFTnE 
 
 tianitj was extinguislied, and Succat was canon- 
 ized as a Catholic saint, under the familiar appella- 
 tion of "Saint Patrick," the patron saint of 
 Ireland. 
 
 About the time that Succat terminated his labors, 
 the Saxons overran England, drove the Britons 
 into the mountains of Wales, and erected heathen 
 temples dedicated to their gods, Thor and Wooden. 
 A century of warfare between the Saxons, Brito»s, 
 and Scots, had well-nigh exterminated primitive 
 Christianity, when Columba, a member of one of 
 the churches planted by Succat in Ireland, was 
 impressed to revive Christianity in Scotland. 
 Taking a few devoted Christians with him, he em- 
 barked in a frail craft, constructed of osier bushes 
 and hides : landing upon lona, a small island near 
 the coast of Scotland, they established a missionary 
 station, and preached the gospel to the Scots and 
 Picts. The King of the Picts, and many of his 
 nobles and subjects, were converted. Many copies 
 of the Scriptures and other precious manuscripts 
 were collected and conveyed to lona, which be- 
 came the seat of a theological school for the study 
 of the Scriptures. From this school missionaries 
 were sent through all the provinces of England, and 
 the idolatrous Saxons were evangelized. Another 
 school was established at Bangor, which sent mis- 
 sionaries to the Continent to preach the gospel to 
 the heathen tribes of Germany. 
 
 As England and Scotland had originally received 
 the gospel from the Asiatic Churches, before the 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 23 
 
 primitive forms of Chnrcli organization had been 
 abolished by ambitious prelates, the Presbyterian 
 form of government and ordination were cotJval 
 with the introduction of Christianity into Britain. 
 They ordained elders in every church, and set 
 apart evangelists to their work " by the laying on 
 of the hands of the presbyterj^" And when the 
 Pope of Rome claimed supremacy, the British 
 churches resolutely rejected his dictation. 
 
 As the British Church had sent missionaries to 
 the Continent, who had planted Presbyterian 
 churches in Germany and Switzerland, the Pope 
 thought it time to subject them to his authority. 
 About the close of the sixth century, Pope Gre- 
 gory dispatched to England Archbishop Augustin, 
 charged with the double mission of subjecting the 
 British churches to the Papal supremacy, and of 
 converting the pagan Anglo-Saxons to the Roman 
 faith. The latter 'part of the commission was 
 promptly executed. Though the haughty Saxon 
 nobility had spurned the gospel when preached 
 by their slaves, the subjugated Britons, yet Catho- 
 licism, arrayed in Roman magnificence, and intro- 
 duced by an archbishop and his imposing retinue, 
 met a welcome reception. 
 
 Ethelbert, the chief of Saxon kings, had married 
 a French Catholic. Through the queen, Augustin 
 sought and obtained an interview with the king. 
 Attended by forty monks, bearing a huge cross, 
 upon which the Saviour was represented, and 
 chanting Latin hymns, Augustin approached the 
 
24 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 kiflg. After the interview, the king and a thou- 
 sand nobles received baptism in one day. 
 
 But the subjugation of the British churches was 
 not so easily accomplished. After several inter- 
 views with the elders, failing to seduce them to 
 acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope, Augustin 
 called a general assembly of the elders and bishops. 
 The assembly declined- submission to the Pope. 
 The haughty archbishop replied, "K you will not 
 receive brethren who bring you peace, you shall re- 
 ceive eneniies who will bring war." From that day 
 a war of extermination was waored as^ainst those un- 
 offending and defenceless churches. The sword of 
 the Saxon was now employed for their conversion. 
 Instigated by the archbishop, Edelfried marched 
 against Bangor, the seat of primitive Christianity 
 in England. The Christians betook themselves to 
 prayer; and while twelve hundred, assembled in 
 the woods, were prostrate in prayer, Edelfried fell 
 upon them, and put every one to death ! Bangor 
 was demolished, and all Christians slain! Eng- 
 land was thus subjugated to the Roman See by the 
 sword of a heathen king ! Such was Popery in its 
 infancy, and such it is in its dotage. 
 
 But primitive Christianity was not extinct. 
 Scotland was unsubdued, and it now became the 
 stronghold of Christian liberty. Thousands who 
 escaped the Saxon sword fled hither, and found an 
 asylum among brethren. Scotland still defied the 
 Pope. The sword, Pajtal authority, intrigue, flat- 
 tery, and lying miracles, were all employed; but 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 25 
 
 tlie Scotclimaii cleaved to Lis liberty and the word 
 of God. The contest was protracted for centuries, 
 but Caledonia proved invincible. 
 
 This protracted contest fostered in the Scots a 
 spirit of independence and self-reliance ; it engen- 
 dered hostility to all encroachments upon their 
 rights, and eternal hatred toward the Roman 
 hie;;ftrchy. >. As they opposed the word of God to 
 the ^autlionty of the Pope, they were, sustained by 
 the conviction that they w^ere contending for the 
 DiVine authority against the pretensions of an im- 
 pious imposture. Thus religious principle, with 
 all its sustaining povrer, came to the support of 
 their patriotism aiKl innate love of liberty. - And 
 whether they rose up against the encroachments 
 of a foreign priesthood, or battled with a prince, 
 known to be favorable to the Catholics, or sought 
 seclusion from a conquering foe in the wild glens, 
 or pined away in a loathsome dungeon, faith in 
 God and a righteous cause sustained theni.' In 
 the school of adversity they learned "to cc: lend 
 earnestly for the faith once delivered to the 
 saints." 
 
 But the king of the Scots was at length reached 
 through his vanity. " How much more glorious to 
 belong to the powerful Church of the universal 
 Pontiff than to a congregation superintended by 
 miserable elders!" "The Roman Church is a 
 monarchy, and it ought to be the Church of ever}^ 
 monarch." The king was converted, and Ro- 
 manism for a time established in Scotland. 
 2 
 
^b THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 loii^, alone, remained the "light of the western 
 ^vorld." . 
 
 Eut she too must he converted, though it cost a 
 miracle. A devoted monk is sent with rich pre- 
 sents and flattering words. These alone would 
 have been unavailing ; but he comes with a lie in 
 his mouth: an angel from heaven had sent him 
 with a message to the elders of lona. It was 
 enough. Even lona could not refuse a heavenly 
 message : she fell, and left Eome mistress of the 
 western world. The light of primitive Christianity 
 was, for a time, extinguished, and gross darkness 
 covered the earth. 
 
 In addition to the universal ascendency of Eoman 
 superstition, the Danish invasion brought down 
 upon the Eritish isles northern barbarism, and for 
 two centuries the land was steeped in crime and 
 soaked in blood. 
 
 Eut the Sacred Scriptures survived the general 
 devastation, and the word of God redeemed Eng- 
 land from barbarism, and, ultimately, from the 
 more weighty curse of Catholicism. The Eible 
 had been translated into the Saxon tongue, 
 which had become the prevailing language, and 
 the Catholics had a Latin version. When order 
 was somewhat restored, and the schools reopened, 
 the Scriptures began again to be read. A retired, 
 m-edttfttive priest would occasionally study the 
 Eible more than was meet for a good Catholic, and 
 thereby fall into the heresy of showing more defer- 
 ence to the word of God than the word of the 
 Pope Grostete, when ordered by Pope Innocent 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 27 
 
 to celebrate tlie canonry of his infiint ncplicw, re- 
 plied, " Though tlie chief of the angels should order 
 me to commit such a sin, I would refuse." A pro- 
 fessor in Cambridge, enlightened by the word of 
 God, would occasionally venture an opinion at war 
 with the pretensions of the Pope, and such expres- 
 sions excited thought, and put mind in motion. 
 Light and knowledge increased, and therewith a 
 manly independence of thought. Finally, Wycliffe, 
 perceiving that the Saxon version was 'unintel- 
 ligible to many in his day, dared to translate the 
 Scriptures into the English language as then 
 spoken,. though the Pope had forbidden the read- 
 ing of them in any other tongue than the Latin. 
 
 The kings of England had repeatedly resisted 
 the encroachments of the Pope upon the royal pre- 
 rogative. A rauteil joi^^u^^had grow^i- -tt^r be- 
 tween the Pope and the king, and for a centary 
 there "had been a struggle for the ascendency, 
 when Henry the Eighth proclaimed independence, 
 abolished Papacy, ajid established Episcopacy. 
 
 ISTotwithstanding Succat, and after him other 
 faithful evangelists, had preached the gospel in Ire- 
 land, yet the last vestiges of their labors were 
 obliterated by the Danish invasion; and during 
 the dominance of that barbarous race the island 
 was "wholly given to idolatry." And thus it re- 
 mained until Koman:>ingeiiuity invented a more 
 expeditious mode of converting heathen than the 
 preaching of the gospel. 
 
 Li the year 1156, Pope Adrian issued a bull 
 
28 TnELIFEOFTHE 
 
 authorizing and urging Ileiny the Seventh of 
 EngUmd to invade Ireland, and extirpate idolatry 
 by the sword, compel the natives to submit to the 
 Papal authority, and to pay tribute to the Catholic 
 Church. The Irish were at that date destitute of 
 implements of war, exeept the most rude; with- 
 out discipline, and ignorant 'Of tli,e tactics of sys- 
 tematic warfare. Untutored, barbawans could not 
 withstand a regular army iimred to service. Henry 
 had an easy conquest. Ireland' was annexed to 
 the British crown, and subjected to tlij Eoman 
 Be^ Though converted by the sword instead of 
 the word of God, priestcraft found little difficulty 
 in reconciling the wild Irish to the exchange of 
 pagan for Roman idolatry. 
 
 For three centuries Ii-eland vied with Italy in 
 loyalty to the Pope. And when Henry the Eighth 
 renounced the Papal supremacy and established 
 Episcopacy, Ireland rejected Episcopacy and ad- 
 hered to the Pope. Then originated between Eng- 
 land and Ireland an antagonism, which even to 
 this day has not entirely subsided. Instead of 
 giving the Irish the Scriptures in their own lan- 
 guage, and thereby inducing them to renounce the 
 absurdities of Catholicism, the English government 
 relied upon its authority. It ,co7nmandcdlvfAim(\ to 
 renounce Papacy and embrace Episcopacy. A 
 college of bishops and clergy were sent over to 
 enforce this command. Ireland rebelled, and hence 
 tlie estrangement between Ireland and England. 
 Though centuries had elapsed since Ireland 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 29 
 
 became ii*fi^mi-nal appendage of the British crown, 
 no attempts had been made to elevate and improve 
 the condition of the natives. They were bigoted 
 Catholics, but they were savages, without learning, 
 and destitute of the arts and comforts of civiliza- 
 tion. And when the English clergy were obtruded 
 upon them as their pastors, the first book placed 
 X ill their hands — -the finst ever published in Ireland. 
 — was the Liturgy of the Episcopal Chureh. Five 
 years afterward, the Bible was introdubed b}^ a 
 bookseller, and, as it was a great novelty, seven 
 thousand copies were sold in a few weeks. But 
 the Catholic priests stirred up opposition, and ill- 
 fated Ireland became the field of conflict between 
 Episcopacy and Catholicism. During the long 
 reign of Elizabeth, it was the scene of incessant 
 warfare. A few weeks previous to her death, 
 Mounljoy completed its subjugation — the last 
 O'Donnell and the last O'l^Tielle had submitted. 
 
 AVTien James the Eirst came to the throne, he 
 conceived the idea of providing against future re- 
 bellions by colonizing Ireland with Protestant 
 subjects in sufiicient number to keep the rebel 
 Catholics in subjection. As the Province of Ulster 
 had been almost depopulated by the protracted 
 war, it was selected as the seat of the projected 
 colony. 
 
 . As James was King of Scotland, when the regu- 
 lar succession brought him to the throne of Eng- 
 land, the two kingdoms were thus united. And as 
 he had made proof of the loyalty of the Scots, and 
 
30 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 could confidently rely upon them, they were chiefly 
 chosen to colonize Ireland. The lands which had 
 been held by the Irish nobility were confiscated, 
 and ofitered to emigrants, upon condition tl:"t they 
 would settle on them in a specified time. As tlie 
 districts which had been lu'ld by" the chieftains 
 were extensive, such v- v.vc now claimed by Span- 
 ish cavaliers in ALxico and South America, whole 
 counties were thus ofifered for the occupation of the 
 colonists. 
 
 Al)0ut the year 1610, the emigration from Scot- 
 land to Ireland commenced. All the northern 
 and central parts of Ulster were settled by Scotch 
 emigrants. Some Englishmen settled the southern 
 part, and built Londonderry, Coleraine, and Ilils- 
 boro. 
 
 The early emigrants encountered many trials. 
 The limited tracts of land that had once been in 
 cultivation, had, during a century of warfilre, re- 
 lapsed into a wilderness, infested with wild beast§. 
 The savao;e Irish were ever hoverino- about the 
 little colony, plundering whatever they could seize 
 by day or by night ; the rank vegetation had ob- 
 structed the streams, causing a great increase of 
 marsh lands, which rendered the country very 
 unhealthy to immigrants. iTevertheless, the colony 
 prospered; and in eight years after the first settle- 
 ment, it numbered eight thousand fighting men : at 
 a subsequent period the colony could marshal eighty 
 thousand tried soldiers. 
 
 The colonists, in order to distinguish themselves 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 31 
 
 from the Scots, on J.lie one hand, and the native 
 Irish on the other, called themselves Scotch-Irish 
 And this appellation they brought with them 
 when they emigrated to America. Taken in its 
 limited sense, the term applies only to the descend- 
 ants of the Scotch emigrants. But the English dis- 
 senters in Ireland, and the Scotch Presbyterians, 
 being compelled to make common cause against 
 the encroachments of the Episcopacy on the one 
 hand, and the insurrections of the wild Irish on the 
 other, gradually coalc>- ' 1. and melted into one 
 race. Hence the English names found among the 
 Scotch-Irish. And, therefore, in its comprehensive 
 sense, the term includes all the Protestant Irisji 
 whose ancestors were Britons, whether English 
 or Scotch, whether resident in Ireland or America. 
 
 Emigration ever causes a change in the habits 
 of life, and not unfrequently a radical change of 
 character. The emigrant, in his new home, finds 
 himself encompassed by new circumstances : " old 
 things have passed away" — all is new and strange. 
 The climate is different, requiring a corresponding 
 difference in the habits of life. The state of society, 
 the manners and customs of the people, are dif- 
 ferent; and, with-, all his- -predilections f or eai' ly ; 
 associations-he cannot long resist the constant 
 temptation to conform to the prevailing customs 
 of society. "We are prone to imitation, and he 
 must possess a strong will who is not moulded in 
 some degree by the influences around him. 
 
 The Scots who emigrated to Ireland, though 
 
32 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 they had only crossed the ISTorth channel, found 
 themselves in a new world. At home they liad 
 been rigid Presbyterians — S'O- strict iliat they iiad- 
 iQjig borne the epitliet ptlii-i-mi tans ;" nnd many of 
 them.-vrero, doubtless, truly pious. . Ikit th^ went 
 to Ireland to better their temporal condition — to 
 acquire extensive tracts of fertile land. They did 
 not take their pastors with them ; for the govern- 
 ment having established Episcopac}^, Presbyterian 
 ministers wBre not allowed to preach in the colony, 
 unless they would first submit to Episcopal ordina- 
 tion. There were a few Episcopal churches and 
 ministers in the province, and Presbyterians and 
 Catholics were taxed for their support^ but they 
 had imbibed prejudice toward their formalities, and 
 they would not attend the services of ministers 
 toward whose support they were compelled to 
 contribute ; so they were as sheep without a 
 shepherd. 
 
 Deprived of the public means of grace, religion 
 would have declined, though they had been subject 
 to no corrupting influenoo-. But Catholic licen- 
 tiousness and English ^liilidelity were prevalent; 
 and Scotch Pur>taris soon lost all claim to that 
 distinction. lTtM.h Yew exceptions, they became 
 grossly immoral. The English clergy were formal 
 and spiritless ; while the ,Roman priests were "Ht^en- 
 ■4iaxis, intriguing, "a4id full of all- manner of 
 sijbtl^y." It seemed inevitable that, without a 
 speedy reformation, vital piety must soon become 
 extinct in the colony, and in all Ireland. 
 
REV. GEORQE DONNELL. 83 
 
 The state of society in the colony awakened soli- 
 citude, both in Scotland and England, and several 
 Presbyterian ministers from the former, and Dis- 
 senters from the latter, went over to labor among 
 the emio-rants. Some of the t)issenters had re- 
 ceived Episcopal ordination, and they had no diffi- 
 culty in obtaining from the Bishop of Ulsteyli cens e 
 to preach in his diocese. But the Presbyterian 
 ministers were required to submit to Episcopal 
 ordination, or abstain from preaching in public. 
 They , submitted to the restriction, but preaclied 
 clandestinely in x^rivate houses or in the woods. 
 , Most of these missionaries were evangelical, iitid 
 some of them had been "tried as by fire" informer 
 persecutions. Of one of them the historian says : 
 "In all his preaching he insisted on the life of 
 Christ and the light of his spirit and word in the 
 mind." Of another he says: "To my mind, he 
 was the one man who most resembled the meekness 
 of Jesus Christ, in all his carriage, that I ever saw." 
 Of Mr. Blair it is said, " He spent many days and 
 nights in prayer alone and with others, and enjoyed 
 great intimacy with God." 
 
 Mr. James Glendenning, though tlie weakest of 
 all those missionaries, deserves, on acco^unt of his 
 peculiar piety, a more formal notice. 
 
 He received Episcopal ordination, and settled in 
 one of the towns occupied l)y English emigrants. 
 Mr. Blair havfng heard him preach, and discover- 
 ing some talent for usefulness, but regarding him 
 as too weak-minded to sustain himself in an Eng- 
 2* 
 
34 TIIELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 lisli town, wliere infidelity was rife, advised him to 
 retire to the countiy, and labor in a Scotch com- 
 munity. The good man, following this advice, re- 
 tired to the country, and commenced preaching in 
 private dwellings. But moved by the great wicked- 
 ness of the people, he preached the terrors of the 
 law, and exhorted them to repentanceV Many of 
 hi&^trdT"<5iTcol^camC|tlie subjects of most pungent 
 convictions, "^'o use the language of a quaint his- 
 torian, "they fell into such anxiety and terror of 
 conscience, that they looked upon themselves as 
 altogether lost and damned." "I have seen them 
 m^^self," says he, "struck into a swoon with a, 
 word ; yea, a dozen in a day carried out of doors as 
 dead — so marvellous v. =; the power of God, smiting 
 their hearts for sin.'' "And these were none of 
 the weaker sex or spirits; but, indeed, some of 
 the boldest spirits, who formerly feared not, with 
 their swords, to put a whole market-town in a fray." 
 The excitement which originated at Oldstone, 
 under the preaching of Mr. Glendenning, extended 
 to other neighborhoods, and awakened great re- 
 ligious interest throughout the country. " Th^e 
 demand for preaching was unceasing, and the 
 labors of the ministers unremitting, and great num- 
 bers were aw^akencd and hopefully converted." It 
 is added that this revival was accompanied by 
 "new and strange bodily exercises: the subjects 
 were violently alFected with hard breathing, and con- 
 vulsions of the body." The young conver><fs gave 
 the usual manifestations of joy and transport. 
 
R E y. GEORGE DONNELL. 35 
 
 Hugh Semple, tlie clerk of one of tlie Scotcli- 
 Irish congregations, while waiting for the arrival 
 of the minister, engaged in singing ; and after he 
 had sung a psalm witli much spirit and fervor, he 
 begrrn commenting upon the sentiment with " such 
 light -^nd, liberty as astounded all present." The 
 minigfer made "private trial of his capability to 
 teach, and gave him license to exercise his gifts in 
 private houses and families. With this license, 
 he went through the country with grea1> accept- 
 ance : the people flocked to hear him, filling 
 dwelling-houses and barns ; and to very many he 
 was the happy instrument of God in their conver- 
 sion." 
 
 Another subject of this gracious revival, Hugh 
 Campbell, a man of intelligence and influence, feel- 
 ing deep concern for those who were anxiously 
 seeking salvation, invited them to meet at his 
 house for prayer and conversation. The meeting 
 was greatly blessed, and other appointments were 
 made; and such was the interest, that Campbell 
 was constrained to keep up his anxious-meetings, 
 till they were superseded by meetings of a similar 
 character held by the regular ministers. 
 
 Thus was Mr. Glendenning, though a weak man, 
 made the honored instrument in exciting one of 
 those powerful and widely-extended revivals, which, 
 in different ages and countries, have waked the 
 Church to life and activity — such as has been wit- 
 nessed among the same race in America. And, like 
 those in our own country, it was attended by 
 
36 T II E L I F E F T II E 
 
 certain bodily exercises, tlie mention of which will 
 not fail to arrest the atte'htion of those who wit- 
 nessed the ' great revival of 1800 in Kentu\^ky 
 and Tennessee, and that of I'802 in ISTorth Carolina. 
 Those under conviction swooned, fell down, were 
 carried out as dead, had " convulsions" — the jerks — 
 lay in a swoon for hours, waked to newness of life, 
 and praised God aloud ! How like a "Western 
 revival ! -But they had Lay preachers whoTo^fe the 
 circuit, iv< 1 preached in private houses. They held 
 anxiouf^iie^ings, and gave the mourners personal 
 instructions, and thousands were converted, and 
 the whole face of society was changed — -just as it 
 was in 1800.*^ How striking the coincidence ! 
 I^cligion, when freed from the trammels of dull 
 formality, is the same in every age and clime. 
 
 When the news of this remarkable revival 
 cached Scotland, it awakened an unusual interest 
 here. The Scotch ministers caus-ht the revival 
 spirit, and began to preach w^itli a power and 
 energy^Iiitherto unknown. Five hundred persons 
 attributed tjieir conversion to one sermon, pi*eached 
 hj John, Livingston. The excitement attracted 
 the attention of the Episcopal bishops, and, under 
 the charge of a violation of Church order, Mr. 
 Livingston was suspended from the ministry. He 
 then went to Ireland, where he was allowed to preach 
 for a time. But he was presently suspended by 
 the Bishop of Ulster. 
 
 The Eeformation in Ireland continued for several 
 years. It wrought such a thorough transformation, 
 
REV. GEORGE^ DONNELL. 37 
 
 as to extort from Mr. Hu^ie, the celebrated histo- 
 rian, the admission tha^ ^ Ulster, from heinc^ the 
 wildest and most disorderly Province of all Lvland, 
 soon became the most highly cultivated /and the 
 most civilized;" and if he had not been a skeptic, 
 ke would have added, th^ most religious. An in- 
 telligent traveller said, i*You need not a k when 
 you are to pass/from the Catholic to the I'rotestant 
 counties : you will see and feel it in every thing 
 around you." r 
 
 But the piety and zeal of the Presbyterian minis- 
 toys- was a^ standing reproach upon tKe worldly- 
 mindednes^,- pride, and avarice of the Episcopal 
 clergy, who made complaint to Bishop Laud, whose 
 zeal for order prompted him to silence all ministers 
 who would not strictly conform* to the Liturgy. 
 The ministers, and many of their ilock^ rather 
 than yield the right of worshipping God according 
 to the dictates of conscience, returned to Scotland; 
 and many who did not remove were in the habit 
 of visiting their friends in Scotland, that they 
 might enjoy the privilege of communing at the 
 Lord's table. \ '^ 
 
 The colony being greatly weakened by the re- 
 turn of multitudes to Scotland, and tlie atrmy 
 having been withdrawn from Ireland to aid King 
 Charles against his English subjects, then in a state 
 of rebellion, the Catholics deemed it a favorable 
 opportunity to regain their liberties by exterminat- 
 ing both Episcopalians and Presbyterians. Ac- 
 cordingly, an indiscriminate and a murderous. 
 
38 T II E -L I F E F T n E 
 
 warfare was waged against all Protestants, and 
 tliousands fell by the sword of the relentless Catho- 
 lics. The Scotch army was ordered into Ireland to 
 quell the rebellion there, and, after many hard-fought 
 battles, the Protestants finally subdued the rebel- 
 lious Catholics. 
 
 The government having granted toleration to 
 Presbyterians, as the reward^ of their loyalty and 
 courage in subduing the rebellion, the ministers 
 who had attended the Scotch army in the capacity 
 of chajlains, availing themselves of the toleration 
 thus £;"anted, constituted the first presbytery of Ire- 
 land,] I lie steel-clad soldiers and the plumed officers 
 staiiduig around and taking a lively interest in 
 the solemn exercises. Enjoying temporary tole- 
 ration, this presbytery, thus constituted in the 
 midst of a military encampment, soon expanded 
 into the Synod of Ulster. 
 
 But when Charles the Second came to the throne, 
 he received from Louis the Fourteenth of France 
 a pension of two hundred thousand pounds per 
 annum, upon the condition that he would establish 
 a despotic government and the Catholic religion. 
 "With a view to this object, stringent measures were 
 adopted to enforce upon ^1 classes of Dissenters 
 strict observance of the Liturgy. Two objects were 
 to be accomplished by this show of zeal for the 
 national Church : firstj Dissenter? were to be put 
 down in the name qi' Episcopacy, without discover- 
 ing his ultimate desi,ii"n, and- without reproach to 
 the Church which he intended to establish; and. 
 
REV. a E It ».; E- D N N E L L . 39 
 
 secondly, having brought all parties to submit to 
 Episcopacy, there ^vould then be but one step be- 
 tween tliem and the Papacy. 
 
 It was, therefore, soon apparent that Scotch- 
 Irish Presbyterians had nothing to hope= fro in 
 Charles the Second but persecution and ojoctment. 
 And as James the Second, the heir to the throne, 
 was known to be an avowed Catholic, the Presby- 
 terians, seeing no prospect for the enjoyment of 
 their rights, and already wearied with frequent per- 
 secutions, began seriously to meditate emigration 
 to America, to seek, amid its solitudes, the I'epose 
 they had so long sought in vajn in their native 
 land. 
 
40 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 CHATTER III. 
 
 THE SCOTCII-imSH IN AMERICA. 
 
 During the reign of Charles the First, the Scotch- 
 Irish, harassed by the persecutions of Archbishop 
 Laud and the exactions of Deputy ^Yentworth, 
 attempted to emigrate to America. John Living- 
 ston and Robert Blair, who had been twice de- 
 posed from the ministry for nonconformity to the 
 Liturgy, headed the expedition. An agent had 
 been sent over, and a site for the location of a 
 colony selected on the Merrimac. The "Eagle 
 Wing" set sail from Loekfergus in September, 
 1636, freighted with Scotch-Irish emigrants and 
 their effects. "WHien in mid-ocean, the vessel en- 
 countered a violent storm, which drove her back to 
 port in a disabled condition. 
 
 ]^o further attempt was made till about the close 
 of the reign of Charles the Second : in the year 
 1686, a colony came from Ulster, and settled in 
 Pennsylvania and Jersey. As James the Second 
 was a bigoted Catholic, this colony received large 
 accessions during his reign. The fertile valley of 
 the Susquehanna was soon settled with a mixed 
 population of various creeds. The Scotch-Irish 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 41 
 
 Presbyterians, desiring to constitute a community to 
 themselves, and being inured to the privations of 
 border life, began to sell out their improvements 
 to more wealthy but less hardy immigrants, and 
 retire into the depths of the wilderness, where the 
 wild beast and the savage were their only neigh- 
 bors. From Pennsylvania they passed to the valley 
 of the Potomac and the Shenandoah, in Western 
 Virginia. Here they found a delightful country — 
 fertile prairies covered with tall grass, mountain 
 streams wooded with a dense forest, and game of 
 q}l kinds in great abundance. Here, fenced in 
 on either hand by gigantic ranges of the Alleghany 
 Mountains, they imagined they would enjoy that 
 exemption from ecclesiastical oppression which 
 they had hitherto sought in vain. Dwellings were 
 erected, farms enclosed, schools established, and 
 churches organized. The inviting prospect drew 
 thousands not only from Pennsylvania and Jer- 
 sey, but from Ireland, to this lovely valley, where, 
 in their seclusion, they anticipated long years of 
 the quiet enjoyment of Christian liberty. 
 
 But these reveries were soon to be dispelled. 
 Episcopacy was the established religion of the Vir- 
 ginia colony ; and though Dissenters were tolerated 
 for a time, as the Presbyterians extended their 
 settlements and multiplied their churches, they 
 soon came in contact with the clergy of the Estab- 
 lished Church, whom they found to be as bigoted 
 and intolerant as their brethren in the mother 
 country. And notwithstanding the Governor of 
 
I. 
 
 42 TIIELIFEOFinE 
 
 the colony had granted the Presbyterian ministers 
 license to preach as Dissenters, yet the clergy in- 
 vented many means of annoying them, and in some 
 instances they had influence enough with the gov- 
 ernment to have them silenced and even im- 
 prisoned for pretended breaches of the law. 
 
 Restricted in their worship, and harassed b}- 
 the frequent interference of the clergy, the Presby- 
 terians began to meditate another removal. Some 
 of them, wearied with vain attempts to avoid 
 Episcopal oppression by retiring from its presence, 
 and reluctant to forsake their pleasant homes m 
 the beautiful valley of the Shenandoah, resolved 
 to abide, and withstand, as far as practicable, all 
 encroachments upon their rights; while others 
 determined once more to brave the dangers and 
 the privations of the wilderness, for the privilege 
 of worshipping God according to the dictates of 
 conscience. 
 
 And as the colony of North Carolina held out 
 promises of toleration and protection, the tide of 
 emigration set in that direction. From the valleys 
 of the Potomac, the Shenandoah, and the James, 
 it flowed towards the Dan, the Yadkin, the Haw, 
 and the Catawba. The fertile plains soon became 
 fruitful fields ; and conspicuous among the log- 
 cabins of woodsmen, arose the school-house and 
 the "meeting-house." Pastors were called from 
 Pennsylvania and Virginia, and churches were 
 organized. As each was composed of comj^ara- 
 tivel}^ few members, of limited means, two or three 
 
REy. GEORGE DONNELL. 43 
 
 churches united in settling and sustaining one 
 pastor. 
 
 In 1764, Alamance church was organized by 
 David Caldwell, then a licentiate and a missionary^ 
 BuiFalo had been organized some years previous By" 
 Mr. Patillo. These two churches united in Calling 
 Mr. Caldwell to be their pastor, which call he 
 accepted, and in 1765 he settled in the bounds of 
 the Alamance congregation. 
 
 George Donnell, Senior, was -Q-ve years of age* 
 when his parents became members of the Ala- 
 mance church, at its organization. His wife, 
 Isabella Kerr, was one of the first children bap- 
 tized by Mr. Caldwell after he became pastor of 
 the church. As he was teacher for the congrega- 
 tion, as well as pastor, they were both educated by 
 him, and were regular attendants on his ministry 
 for thirty years. 
 
 The same year that Mr. Caldwell settled in 
 Guilford county, Mr. Patillo accepted a call to 
 Hawfield, Eno, and Little Eiver, in Orange. About 
 the same time McAdan settled in Caswell, Mc- 
 Corkle in Kowan, Hall in Iredell, Craighead in 
 Mecklenburg, and Alexander in Balch count}^) 
 While the Scotch-Irish were organizing churches 
 and establishing schools inr-the western counties, 
 a colony of Presbyterians direct from Scotland 
 located upon Cape Fear river, in the eastern section 
 of the State. 
 
 Under temporary toleration, these churches flou- 
 
44 T ri E L I F E F T H E 
 
 rislied and received annual accessions "by immigra- 
 tions from Virginia, Pennsylvania, Jersey, Ireland, 
 and Scotland. But wlien the colonial government 
 liad accomplislied its design in offering toleration, 
 namely, the settlement of the colony, then com- 
 menced a system of opposition calculated to force 
 Presbyterians either to conform to Episcopal 
 usages, or to drive them out of the colon^^ 
 
 Presbyterians, in common with other subjects, 
 were taxed for the support of the Episcopal Church. 
 Had the tax been limited to the support of the 
 government, they would most cheerfully have paid 
 it. But when, in addition to a heavy State tax, 
 they were compelled to aid in sustaining a Church 
 which for centuries had oppressed their race, and 
 toward which they had inherited from their ances- 
 tors uncompromising hostility, the opposition which 
 they cherished toward the Established Church was 
 transferred, in part, to the tax which was extorted for 
 its support. The tax was opposed as wrong in prin- 
 ciple ; but the manner of collecting it gave more 
 offence than the tax itself: the collectors of Gov. 
 Tryon were notorious swindlers, extorting from the 
 people dou])le the sum authorized by law, with a 
 view of enricliini!: themselves. 
 
 The western counties were subjected to much 
 greater annoyance and oppression than those lying 
 nearer the seat of government. Tryon 's minions, 
 either mistaking the spirit of the Scotch-Irish, or 
 hoping to conceal their fraudulent exactions, ex- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 45 
 
 tortcd money under various fixlsc pretexts.* A 
 spirit of insubordination was excited in Guilford, 
 Orange, and other western counties. Public meet- 
 ings were held, and petitions were addressed to 
 the Governor, setting forth their grievances, and 
 praying the removal of those corrupt officers. Re- 
 dress was promised, but never granted. The 
 official pets of Gov. Tryon were permitted to repeat 
 their extortions, and quietly to enjoy their ill-gotten 
 gains. Continued oppression generated open rebel- 
 lion. A public meeting was held at Murdock's 
 Mill, which solemnly adopted the following resolu- 
 tions : 
 
 "Resolved, That we will pay no more taxes until 
 we are satisfied that they are agreeable to law, and 
 applied to the purpose therein mentioned, unless 
 we cannot help it. 
 
 '"•Resolved, That we will pay no officer any more 
 fees than the law allows, unless we are obliged to 
 do it ; and then to show our dislike and bear our 
 open testimony against it." 
 
 Acting upon these and similar resolutions 
 adopted at various public meetings, the "Regu- 
 lators,'' as they were called, resisted the sheriffs, dis- 
 persed the courts, and drove the whole troop of 
 Tryon's unprincipled appointees out of the countrj^ 
 The Governor came at the head of the army to quell 
 the Regulators. The parties met on Alamance 
 Creek. Dr. Caldwell interposed to prevent blood- 
 
 * Foote's Sketches. 
 
46 THELIFEOPTHE 
 
 shed, but in vain : the firing commenced while he 
 was between the lines, interceding with the par- 
 ties : a battle ensued : nine of the Regulators and 
 twenty-seven of Tryon's party were left dead on 
 the field, while many more on both sides w^erc 
 severely wounded. Thus, as early as 1771, Rye 
 years before the Declaration of Independence, 
 Alamance was baptized with the first blood of the 
 Revolution. 
 
 The Regulators had assembled without order, 
 without ofiicers, without discipline, and many of 
 them without ammunition, and, consequently, they 
 were soon dispersed ; and as no commanding offi- 
 cers had been appointed, each returned to his 
 home, or sought refuge in some secure hiding- 
 place, as inclination prompted or discretion dic- 
 tated. Order was soon restored, and hundreds of 
 the Regulators were compelled to take the oath 
 of allegiance ; while some that fell into the hands 
 of Tryon atoned for their rashness with their 
 lives. 
 
 But the circumstances attending these public 
 executions tended only to enhance abhorrence of 
 Tryon and his detestable administration. The 
 "rebels" were dispersed, and, for a time, discour- 
 aged ; but the spirit of rebellion was not quelled, 
 but intensified. The western counties continued 
 to cherish a spirit of unyielding opposition to all 
 unlawful exactions, till, finally, a public meeting 
 was called, which assembled at Charlotte, on the 
 19th of May, 1775, to consult measures for the pub- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 47 
 
 lie welfare. The result of that consultation-was a 
 "Declaration of Independence," which would do 
 honor to the heads and hearts of any assembly of 
 any age or country. Two resolutions selected from 
 the Declaration will show the spirit and tendency 
 of the whole : 
 
 '^■Resolved, That we, the citizens of Mecklenburg 
 county, do hereby dissolve the political bonds which 
 have connected us with the mother country, and 
 hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the 
 British crown, and abjure all political connection, 
 contract, or association with that nation, who have 
 wantonly trampled upon our rights and liberties, 
 and inhumanly shed the blood of American patriots 
 at Lexington. 
 
 ^'JResolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves a 
 free and independent people ; are, and of right 
 ought to be, a sovereign and self-governing associa- 
 tion, under the control of no power, other than that 
 of our God and the General Congress; to the 
 maintenance of which independence we solemnly 
 pledge to each other our mutual cooperation, our 
 lives, our fortunes, and our most sacred honor." 
 
 Here we have an open and formal Declaration of 
 Independence, more than a year in advance of the 
 celebrated Declaration of the Continental Con- 
 gress. And this was no empty bravado. The spirit 
 of the Regulators was abroad: hundreds of them 
 were in that meeting ; other hundreds would have 
 been there, but for the oath of allegiance which 
 Tryon had imposed upon them, at the point of the 
 
48 TIIELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 bayonet. The tliousauds who that day pledged 
 their "most sacred houor," stood prepared to re- 
 deem that pledge with the sacrifice of life and for- 
 tune. 
 
 Troubles continued to thicken till the Eevolution 
 Avas fully developed, and then the authors of the 
 Mecklenburg Declaration remembered, and nobly 
 redeemed, their plighted honor. Many of the 
 Regulators w^ho had been restrained by their oath 
 of allegiance from participating in the Mecklen- 
 burg Declaration, felt themselves absolved when 
 Congress proclaimed independence, and threw 
 themselves into the thickest of the fight. The hour 
 for vengeance had come, and they remembered 
 their wrongs at Guilford Court-house, at King's 
 Mountain, and in numerous spirited forays against 
 the Tories. 
 
 The section of country where the spirit of opposi- 
 tion to Tryon's unlawful exactions had been most 
 prevalent, suflered most during the revolutionary 
 struggle, especially the congregations of Alamance 
 and Buffalo. The Tories remembered the blood 
 shed at Alamance in 1771 ; and Dr. Caldwell had 
 delivered several patriotic discourses to those 
 churches, and the people of his charge were known 
 to be uncompromising "WTiigs. They were an in- 
 dustrious, thrifty people, and supplies for the sol- 
 diers were known to be abundant in that section. 
 These considerations induced Lord Cornwallis, 
 when he invaded North Carolina, to direct his 
 march toward Alamance. (lie encamped for many 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 49 
 
 days on the farm of Dr. Caldwell. He and liis 
 staff of officers took possession of Dr. Caldwell's 
 dwelling, capturing him, and driving liis family to 
 the smoke-house for lodgings. But the Doctor had 
 the good fortune to make his escape, and to con- 
 ceal himself for ten days in the woods. All the 
 male memhers of the Alamance and Buffalo 
 churches who were able to bear arms were mus- 
 tered into service, and joined the American army. 
 Major John Donnell, "a man of great respecta- 
 bility and moral worth, a staunch Whig, and an 
 ^ enterprising officer, commanded a company which 
 gained distinction in the service."* 
 
 Amid scenes of civil warfare, George Donnell, 
 Senior, passed his youth. When the enemy ap- 
 proached the neighborhood, and his relative. Major 
 Donnell, raised a company, George Donnell joined 
 the ranks, though he had previously served one 
 campaign, and remained in service to the close ol 
 the war, acquitting himself honorably in several 
 spirited conflicts with the enem;^ 
 
 Independence having been achieved, and peace 
 restored to the country, the soldiers of the Revo- 
 lution began once more to turn their thoughts to 
 the attainment of domestic comforts. During the 
 seven years of conflict, the ordinary pursuits of life 
 were interrupted, and social pleasures were seldom 
 enjoyed. The youth of the country had ceased to 
 seek matrimonial alliances, and those already con- 
 
 * Caruthers' Life of Caldwell. 
 
50 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 tracted were postponed to a more auspicious day. 
 But so soon as peace was restored, preexisting ex- 
 gagements were consummated, and new alliances 
 were formed. (George Donnell, Senior, and Isabella 
 Kerr were united in matrimonj^, August 13, 1784. 
 Having assumed the weighty responsibilities devolv- 
 ing upon the head of a family, Mr. Donnell, noted 
 for sobriety and Christian propriety, was elected 
 ruling elder of Alamance church, and clerk or 
 leader in the singing exercises. This latter office 
 has been abolished in modern churches, but in the 
 days of our fathers it was a position of some dis- 
 tinction. The clerk, after the hymn had been read 
 by the minister, rose up in front of the jDulpit and 
 " lined it out," raised the tune, and led the singing^^ 
 During the war the regular ministrations of the 
 gospel were frequently interrupted, and in some 
 sections wholly suspended. Several pastors raised 
 volunteer companies in their congregations, and 
 led them to battle and to victory. But when im- 
 munity from oppression and persecution was at- 
 tained, the war-worn pastors most gladly resumed 
 their sacred office, and sought to collect their scat- 
 tered flacks, and lead them again to the house of 
 God. But how afflicting to contrast their mea- 
 gre congregations with the full houses that were 
 wont to assemble in former days ! Many a vacant 
 seat called up sad memories of the waste of war. 
 The manly forms that had occupied those seats 
 now vacant, constituted a part of the price of liberty : 
 some had nobly fallen on the battle-field, others had 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 51 
 
 ■wasted away with disease. But some were absent 
 who were not dead : they had imbibed French infi- 
 delity. The pastors shed tears over departed worth, 
 but they grieved most over the living who had re- 
 nounced the religion of their fathers, and embraced 
 a cold skepticism that promised only a life of licen- 
 tiousness and the vain hope of annihilation. 
 
 Dr. Caldwell labored assiduously to purge out 
 the leaven of infidelity, infused by intercourse with 
 the French allies, and to restore the time-honored 
 customs of strict Presbyterianism. The Sabbath 
 was reclaimed from profanity, and sanctified as a 
 holy day. All of the families of the church were 
 required to study the Scriptures and the Catechism, 
 and at stated times public examinations were held, 
 when every man, woman, and child was questioned 
 as to his or her attainments in religious knowledge. 
 Twice a year communion-meetings were held in 
 each church. These meetings uniformly com- 
 menced on Friday, which was observed as a fast- 
 day, and closed on Monday evening. The doctrines 
 of human depravity, sovereign grace, repentance 
 and faith, were preached with great plainness and 
 cogency. In all his measures for the reformation 
 of morals and the promotion of piety. Dr. Caldwell 
 had the cooperation of an exemplary eldership. 
 
 But while the outward forms of religion were 
 restored, the tone of vital piety remained very low. 
 Many were admitted to Church privileges with no 
 other pretension to religion than the observance of 
 its outward forms, and some of these formalists 
 
bZ TIIELIFEOFTHE 
 
 were promoted to the holy ministry. The case of 
 E,ev. James McGread^^ affords a familiar example of 
 the practice of the day. 
 
 AYhile he was yet a child, his parents settled in the 
 Buffalo congregation, where he enjoyed for many 
 years the instructions and ministrations of Dr. Cald- 
 well. And, as he was noted for sobriety and strict 
 morality, at seventeen he was admitted to Church pri- 
 vileges. Shortly after his admission, an uncle of his, 
 being on a visit to the family, was so much pleased 
 with the boy's steady habits and ardent desire for a 
 liberal education, that he conceived the idea of pre- 
 paring him for the ministry. Application being 
 made to his parents, he readily gained their consent 
 to take James home with him and put him to school 
 in Pennsylvania, to be educated for the ministry. 
 
 After young McGready had been in college a 
 year or two, he accidentally overheard a conversa- 
 tion between the gentleman with whom he was 
 boarding and one of his neighbors. "Do you 
 think," said the neighbor, "this young man you 
 have here studying for the ministry has got any 
 religion?" "jSTo, not a spark," was the prompt 
 reiAj of the other. 
 
 McGready was at first much offended, and re- 
 solved that he would no longer board with one who 
 entertained such opinion of his piety. But when 
 passion had subsided, reason and conscience dic- 
 tated a careful examination of the grounds of his 
 hope. Accordingly, he examined first his creed, 
 and satisfied himself that it accorded with his un- 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. bO 
 
 derstanding of tlie Scriptures. :N'ext, lie reviewed 
 his conduct, and, as lie liad ever been strictly moral, 
 here again tlie verdict was favorable. But when 
 he came to scrutinize the exercises of his heart, 
 and compare them with the word of God, his con- 
 science condemned him: his Christian experience 
 did not correspond with that of David, Paul, Peter, 
 and John. He discovered more spirituality, more 
 joy in the Holy Ghost, more of communion with 
 God, in the Scriptures, than he had ever realized 
 in his experience. Like Paul, '-when the com- 
 mandment came, sin revived," and his hope died. 
 ^'The sins of his w^hole life stood up before him in 
 awful array;" especially the sin of having repeat- 
 edly approached the table of the Lord without due 
 preparation of heart— the sin of having essayed to 
 teach others while he was ignorant of the first prin- 
 ciples of vital godliness. The conflict was pro- 
 tracted. He sought rest, but found none until, as 
 a guilty, self-condemned sinner, he cast himself 
 -upon the mercy of God in Christ. Then he expe- 
 rienced, for the first time, the joys of salvation. 
 
54 TIIELIFEOFTUE 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 REVIVALS IN NORTH CAROLINA. 
 
 His own experience deeply impressed upon the 
 mind of McG ready the solemn conviction that 
 thousands, like himself, had been received into the 
 Church upon an external morality who had never 
 experienced regeneration. Believing that such 
 persons were content with the outward forms of 
 religion, while they were destitute of spiritual life 
 in the soul, he seems to have felt more concern 
 for such than for sinners out of the Church. Ac- 
 cordingly, so soon as he had completed his pre- 
 paration for the ministry, he returned to jS'orth 
 Carolina, and commenced preaching to the Church, 
 urging upon its members the necessity of a radical 
 and experimental change of the heart, wrought by 
 the Spirit of God. 
 
 At first, some ridiculed and abused him, as 
 presumptuous; whilst others were amazed at his 
 doctrine, and the zeal with which it was urged upon 
 their consideration. But, regardless alike of ridi- 
 cule and personal abuse, he continued to press the 
 consciences of members of the Church with the 
 necessity of regeneration, and to enforce the truth 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 55 
 
 with a vehemence and power that were overwhehii- 
 ing. The result was that many Church members, 
 who had long been'*recognized as exemplary Chris- 
 tians, acknowledged that they had been deceived, 
 and, under the pressure of the most pungent 
 convictions, renounced their hope, and earnestly 
 sought and finally experienced regeneration. 
 
 This success in converting members of the 
 Church, only rendered the opposition more violent. 
 A mob assembled at Stony Creek church, and 
 burned the pulpit, broke up the seats, and left a 
 letter written with blood, warning him that " unless 
 he desisted from his way of preaching, their ven- 
 geance would not be satisfied with the destruction 
 of the pulpit." McGready, unintimidated by 
 threats of personal violence, continued preaching 
 to the Church, with enhanced energy and power. 
 The revival which his pungent, experimental 
 preaching had originated in the Haw River and 
 Stony Creek churches, continued to expand until it 
 embraced Alamance, Bufialo, Bethlehem, Haw- 
 field, Eno, Cross Roads,_ and other churches in 
 Orange and Guilford counties ; and hundreds of 
 Church members, as well as ungodly sinners, were 
 converted. 
 
 Though Mr. McGready had charge of Stony 
 Creek and Haw River churches, yet his labors were 
 rather missionary than pastoral. He often visited 
 Alamance, and was ever welcomed by the pastor 
 and the congregation. He is said to have taken 
 great interest in Dr. Caldwell's school, and to have 
 
56 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 exerted a happy influence upon tlie students, many 
 of whom were brought to repentance by his faith- 
 ful and pungent appeals-^soirft of whom became 
 influential ministers of the gospel. lie visited 
 many other churches, and wherever he labored, 
 convictions and conversions were common. Most 
 of the pastors of the churches visited by him were 
 favorable to the revival, and Eev. William Ilodge 
 was his travelling companion and fellow-laborer in 
 the revival. 
 
 After having labored for three years in the pro- 
 motion of this gracious work, annoyed with the 
 continued opposition of a portion of the Church, 
 Mr. IMcGready, in 1796, emigrated to the "West, 
 and after spending some months in East Tennessee, 
 he settled in Logan county, Kentucky, where we 
 shall hear from him again. 
 
 The divisions of Old and JSfew School, as now 
 known, had not then marred the peace of the Pres- 
 byterian Church. In doctrine, all were Calvinistic ; 
 but two parties existed then, as now. They difl:ered, 
 not in doctrine, but in measures. They were then 
 denominated " Old Side" and "JS'ew Side." They 
 might more aptly have been distinguished as the 
 Revival and Anti-Revival parties. 
 
 The existence of two parties may be traced back 
 in the history of the Church for centuries. Per- 
 haps they are coeval with the prevalence of revi- 
 vals ; for whenever and wherever an extensive 
 and gracious revival prevails, that portion of the 
 Church under its influence will become more 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 57 
 
 spiritual in tlieir devotions, and energetic in eiForts 
 for the promotion of religion, than those portions 
 of the Church which have not participated in the 
 revival. Then the active party, forgetting tlieir 
 former coldness and apathy, may be disposed to 
 censure those who now manifest the same listless- 
 ness and inactivity which themselves had recently 
 indulged. And the lukewarm will be sure to look 
 upon the newborn zeal of the revival party as the 
 offspring of fanaticism, rather than an increase 
 of spirituality. This want of charity and forbear- 
 ance will originate distrust, opposition, and strife. 
 
 Moreover, Christians, in the excitement of a re- 
 vival, will not be content with ordinary efforts for 
 the salvation of their friends. They will either 
 employ extraordinary measures ; or then, they will 
 be more assiduous and faithful in the use of ordi- 
 nary means. And whether they employ new 
 measures, or the ordinary means in an unusual 
 degree, the cold and formal members of the Church 
 will be offended. 
 
 Hence, it may be expected that every genuine 
 revival will develop two parties in the Church : 
 one that approves and cooperates, another that 
 condemns and opposes ; one that does not hesitate 
 to employ such measures for the promotion of the 
 revival as experience and present circumstances 
 indicate; another that opposes all neio measures, 
 and denounces them as unwarranted innovations, 
 tending to mar the peace and sap the piety of the 
 Church. 
 
 3* 
 
58 THELIFEOPTUE 
 
 Such were the Old Side and ISTew Side parties, 
 in the days of TennentjWhitefield, Edwards, Davies, 
 and McGready. The revival party were spiritual 
 in their devotions, and they were not so wedded to 
 forms as to forhid a departure from the stereot}7)ed 
 modes of worship ; for example, they preferred to 
 use Watts's Hymns, instead of David's Psalms. 
 But this gave mortal oftence to the Old Side, who 
 used the Psalms only, and would not tolerate hymns 
 nor songs. 
 
 It may appear strange at this day that the singing 
 of Watts 's Ilymns was ever regarded hy orthodox 
 Preshyterians as an offence of such magnitude as to 
 call for Church discipline. Yet, strange as it may 
 he, it is nevertheless true that it caused McGready 
 no little persecution and reproach. It was the 
 suhject of frequent petitions to the preshyteries, 
 synods, and the General Assemhly. And when a 
 complaint came up to synod from one of ^Ic- 
 Gready's churches, the suhject was regarded as 
 involving so much delicacy, that the synod declined 
 an opinion, hut referred the petition to the Assem- 
 bly. Party spirit became so intolerant that, in some 
 instances, churches were severed. It became a 
 source of serious embarrassment to Dr. Caldwell. 
 Alamance was ISTew Side, and Buffalo was Old 
 Side. When he preached at Alamance, he sang the 
 melodious strains of Watts ; but when at Buffalo, 
 he was constrained to chant the Psalms of David. 
 
 The Scotch-Irish were generally ^N'ew Side, and 
 favorable to revivals ; while the Scotch, who had 
 
EEV. GEORGE DONNELL. 59 
 
 emigrated directly from Scotland, were great stick- 
 lers for order, and their time-lionored forms of wor- 
 ship ; aud, consequently, they were generally Old 
 Side. Whilst they were hold in defence of the 
 taith, and strenuous for a sound morality, they were 
 equally firm in resisting any innovation upon their 
 venerated modes of worship. And as the revival 
 spirit is a great reformer, dispensing with cumber- 
 some formalities, and evolving the life and power of 
 religion by the use of any appropriate means, 
 whether new or old, and attracting all hearts into 
 unity of spirit, instead of a uniformity in the out- 
 ward acts of devotion, it follows, as a legitimate 
 consequence, that the uncompromising Scotchman, 
 with his adhesiveness to cherished forms, would 
 oppose revivals, as revolutionary and subversive of 
 order. Though pious he may be, and rigidly ortho- 
 dox, yet he is wont to manifest his piety by a bold 
 and manly defence of the doctrines of the Church, 
 and by unfaltering adherence to its established 
 usages. But whilst intent upon maintaining, un- 
 changed, his doctrines and modes of worship, he 
 has overlooked the cultivation of the benign, for- 
 bearing, tolerant spirit of the gospel. He is a fear- 
 less Israelite, but not a " good Samaritan." 
 
 But the Scotch-Irishman, though originally of 
 »the same stock and faith, has become diverse in 
 temperament and character. An exile from the 
 privileges and hallowing influences of the ^^kirk," a 
 homeless pioneer amid the wilds of Ireland, his first 
 care was a cabin for his family and a stall for his 
 
GO T II E L I F E F T II E 
 
 cattle; and next to this, the protection of both 
 from the nifirauding incursions of the wild Irish, 
 and the ferocious beasts of the forest. Beginning 
 life anew, in a wilderness, physical wants filled his 
 heart and his hands, l^either the minister nor the 
 venerated kirk, with its stately proportions and 
 impressive services, invited him to the sanctuary. 
 The Scot in Ireland ceased to be himself. He may 
 have remembered the ^'kirk, the creed, and the 
 covenant," but they had ceased to be the better 
 part of his inheritance : his broad fields and 
 blooming meadows filled his heart with hopes of 
 worldly gain. And when, finally, religion sought 
 him out in his wild retreat, she came divested of 
 her regalia, in the simplicity of the humble mis- 
 sionary, preaching Christ in the cabins of the wil- 
 derness. A glorious revival ensued ; thousands 
 were converted, and lay members held meetings 
 with heart-stricken mourners : the Scotchman was 
 happier in the prayer-meeting than he ever had been 
 in the kirk. 
 
 Having enjoyed, during the long continuance of 
 the great revival, the spiritualities of religion — 
 rapturous, unutterable, heaven-born felici-ty — at- 
 tachment to outward forms abated, while ardent 
 desire for the higher and holier joys of spiritual life 
 gathered strength daily. Henceforth religion was 
 associated, not Avith the formal services of the kirk, 
 but with the fervent supplications and rapturous 
 songs of tlie prayer-meeting — the heavenly peace 
 and holy delight enjoyed in the cabins of Ireland. 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 61 
 
 And when the descendants of those who had 
 participated in those hallowed scenes came to 
 America, cabins in the wilderness were again their 
 homes. To them also religion came divested of 
 formality, and clad in the humility of the humble, 
 self-sacrificing missionary. He was welcomed as a 
 messeno:er from God. Their cabins became their 
 sanctuary, where they worshipped in simplicity, 
 and enjoyed communion with God. Kevivals en- 
 sued, and they realized in the wilds of America 
 all they had heard of the presence and powe'r of 
 God in Ireland. 
 
 Thus, for more than a century, this peculiar peo- 
 ple, in the providence of God, had been undergoing 
 a gradual but thorough transformation in their reli- 
 gious sympathies. The circumstances around them 
 tended to wean them from outward forms, and lead 
 them to the spiritual consolations of religion. 
 "Whether in Ireland or America, they were in the 
 woods, where no tall steeple or chime of bells 
 guided them to the splendidly-furnished sanctuary. 
 They worshipped in the cabin, or in the woods, not 
 in forms, but in the spirit; no studied harmony 
 to charm the ear, no elegance of diction to please 
 the fancy, nothing addressed to the outward senses, 
 but all tending to strengthen the inner life. 
 
 ]^or was this transformation limited to the reli- 
 gious character. The comparatively milder climate 
 of "green Ireland," with its soft sea-breezes, had 
 relaxed the rigidity and mollified the sternness of 
 the Scotchman, and resolved him into a milder 
 
62 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 type of humanity. Transported to the intermina- 
 ble wilds of America, where the whole face of 
 nature is laid out on a grander scale, where a 
 brighter heaven and a warmer sunlight shed tlieir 
 genial influence, the Scotch-Irishman experienced 
 a second transformation. His views were expanded, 
 his heart enlarged, his sympathies embraced a wider 
 range, his spirit was ennobled : he became an Ameri- 
 can freeman. 
 
 But while the Scotch-Irish race had been under- 
 going these tranformations, the inflexible, unchange- 
 able Scotchman had been engaged in a fierce 
 struggle with Episcopacy for the maintenance of 
 his stereotyped forms and modes of worship. And 
 so often had he drawn his sword and shed his 
 blood in their defence, that with him they were 
 sacred, and so essential, that he would have cou- 
 rageously sacrificed his life for them. It is not 
 strange therefore that the Scotchman should be so 
 tenacious of the externals of religion as to depre- 
 ciate its spirituality. 
 
 These premises being admitted, we should expect 
 the Scotchman to regard revivals with distrust, 
 and tolerate them only when constrained to recog- 
 nize the presence and power of God. He would 
 not object to a revival, 2')rovided it should conform 
 to his notions of order; but transcend what he re- 
 gards the limits of propriety — adopt any new mea- 
 sure, sing a hymn or song, instead of a psalm — and 
 he is against the revival, and down upon the mover 
 of new measures. 
 
REV. QEORaE DONNELL. 63 
 
 But a crisis was approaching, destined to try the 
 faith even of a Scotchman. In 1796, McGrcady 
 emigrated to the "West, and, after spending some 
 months in East Tennessee, he passed Cumberkmd 
 Mountain, and settled in the southern part of Ken- 
 tucky. Here he found "sheep without a shep- 
 herd," many of whom were his old acquaintances 
 from Carolina, and some of his former charge. 
 Several small churches were organized, three of 
 which. Gasper, Muddy, and Eed River, engaged 
 him as their pastor. 
 
 As early as 1798, the budding of the great re- 
 vival of the age appeared first in the congregation at 
 Gasper, and subsequently the excitement extended 
 to the other churches under his charge. Its fame 
 soon reached Carolina, and, in 1799, William 
 McGee removed to the West, and settled in Sum- 
 ner county, Tennessee, and in the following year 
 William Hodge located in Sumner. They were 
 both faithful and efficient co-laborers with IMcGrea- 
 dy, and in the fall of 1800 the revival extended to 
 all the churches in Sumner, and prevailed through- 
 out the " Cumberland country." 
 
 As a majority of the population had emigrated 
 from Carolina, constant intercourse was kept up, 
 and many who had witnessed the wonderful dis- 
 plays of Divine power in the West returned on 
 business or family visits, and nai rated to their 
 friends in Carolina what God had wrought in the 
 wilderness — the thrilling scenes of interest, the im- 
 pressive displays of the majesty and power of God 
 
64 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 whicli they had witnessed. General interest was 
 thus awakened, and great solicitude was felt that 
 God would visit them in like power and grace. 
 The churches in Orange and Guilford, where 
 McGread}^ had lahored, and which had, under his 
 ministry, enjoyed a gracious revival, were engaged 
 in earnest, agonizing prayer that God would visit 
 them again. 
 
 In August, 1801, a sacramental-meeting was held 
 at Cross Koads church, in Orange county. The 
 pastor. Rev. William Paisley, was assisted by Dr. 
 Caldwell and others. The services were unusually 
 interesting ; the church prayed most fervently for a 
 revival, hut the time for closing the meeting had 
 arrived without any manifestation of a revival. 
 When the pastor rose to dismiss the services, greatly 
 distressed that the meeting was about to close 
 without an}^ special interest, he essayed to give ut- 
 terance to his feelings, but, overcome with emotion, 
 he sat down without uttering a word. It was a 
 solemn moment — manifest emotion pervaded the 
 congregation. He rose again, but still, unable to 
 speak, he stood silent, struggling with his feelings. 
 At that moment a 3'oung man from Tennessee, who 
 had been in the great revival, raising both hands, 
 with a loud voice exclaimed : '' Stand still, and see 
 the salvation of God!" In an instant intense ex- 
 citement thrilled the entire congregation, " and, as 
 if by an electric shock, a large number, in every 
 direction, fell down." "Mingled groans, sobs, and 
 cries for mercy, arose from every part of the 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 65 
 
 house." "All tlioiiglit of dismissing tlic congre- 
 gation vanished. The remainder of the day was 
 spent in prayer, exhortation, singing, and personal 
 conversation, and midnight came before the con- 
 gregation could be persuaded to retire. The ex- 
 citement continued for a length of time, and many 
 were hopefully converted to God."* 
 
 In October following, a communion-meeting was 
 held at Ilawfields. Those from a distance came in 
 their wagons, furnished with provisions, and pre- 
 pared to camp on the ground, in imitation of the 
 great camp-meetings which had been held in the 
 Cumberland country the preceding year, the won- 
 derful results of which were known in Carolina. 
 The meeting continued five days, and such was the 
 interest, and such the results, that camp-meetings 
 soon became as common among the Scotch-Irish m 
 western Carolina as in the Cumberland country, 
 where they originated. 
 
 Dr. Caldwell appointed a camp-meeting to be 
 held at Bell's Meeting-house on Deep river, and in- 
 vited Dr. McCorkle and Dr. Hall to attend, and 
 bring their congregations with them. Though it 
 was "midwinter, multitudes came. The ministers, 
 and many of their flocks, reached the encampment 
 on Friday evening, but those of Dr. Hall's congre- 
 gation who came in wagons stopped five miles short 
 of the encampment. At evening prayers, a man 
 thirty years of age, who had long been a member of 
 
 * Foote's Sketches. 
 
66 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 the Church, became deeply concerned about his 
 soul, and in a short time almost all the young peo- 
 ple in the company were in distress, and the most 
 of the night was spent in prayer, singing, and per- 
 sonal conversations with those under conviction. 
 
 IS'ext day, when they arrived at the meeting, the 
 excitement soon spread over the whole assembly. 
 That afternoon, towards the close of the public ser- 
 vices, a large number fell, in great mental agony. 
 Many obtained comfort, but some lay prostrate all 
 night. On Sabbath morning a number of the 
 anxious retired to the woods for prayer, where 
 many of them "were struck down," and lay pros- 
 trate all day and all night, and until nine o'clock 
 Monday morning. As it was midwinter, their friends 
 had to furnish them with fire and bedding in the 
 woods. 
 
 The excitement continued till the close of the 
 meeting. "What number experienced regeneration 
 is not known, but Dr. Hall says: "More than 
 nine -tenths of the young people were deeply im- 
 pressed with a sense of the great importance of 
 salvation." Speaking of his own congregations, 
 he adds : "As the greater part of our young people 
 received comfort before they returned home, it is 
 easier to conceive than to describe the joy of the 
 parents and the children at their meeting." 
 
 The last week in January, 1802, a camp-meeting 
 was held in Iredell county. Dr. Hall says, " The 
 number of wagons which came to the ground, be- 
 sides riding-carriages, was about 180 ; the number 
 
KEY. GEORGE DONNELL. 67 
 
 of persons who attended on Sabbath, was about 
 4000." As an evidence of the intensity of the ex- 
 citement, it is stated that "on Saturday a heavy 
 sleet began to fall about nine o'clock, then snow, 
 which turned into a heavy rain ; this lasted till four 
 in the. afternoon ; and the day was, without excep- 
 tion, the most unpleasant of any during the whole 
 winter. Notwithstanding this, the people collected 
 at ten, in two assemblies, and all ages and sexes 
 stood there exposed until sunset." "The work 
 went on, gradually increasing, until Tuesday morn- 
 ing, except a few hours before day on Monday 
 morning, when the camp was chiefly silent." "No 
 attempt was made to ascertain the number of those 
 who were aflected w^ith religious exercises, but 
 there must have been, during the meeting, several 
 hundred." 
 
 Another meeting was held in Iredell the second 
 week in March. The number of wagons present, 
 262 ; the number of persons in attendance, 8000 to 
 10,000. The multitude was divided into four as- 
 semblies, in all of which services were conducted 
 simultaneously. The meeting continued four days, 
 and great excitement prevailed. " Many hundreds 
 were constrained to cry aloud for mercy, of whom 
 many went home rejoicing." 
 
 Another encampment was held in Mecklenburg 
 county about the first of April, 1802. Six or seven 
 thousand were supposed to have been in attend- 
 ance. Services were conducted simultaneously in 
 five different places. Religious exercises were kept 
 
68 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 up clay and night, at tlie stands, in the tents, and 
 in the woods, from Friday till Tuesday. On Mon- 
 day the excitement was most intense. At the close 
 of the sermon six ministers prayed in succession, 
 and during these prayers " many more than a hun- 
 dred sank down in less than half an hour." At 
 this time "there was scarcely a cry to be heard," 
 but shortly afterwards one of the ministers rose to 
 address the assembly, when the excitement was so 
 great that he failed to arrest the attention of " more 
 than twenty persons, and he sat down." 
 
 Many other meetings of similar character were 
 held during the summer and autumn of 1802. The 
 revival extended over a tract of country two hun- 
 dred miles in length and one hundred in breadth, 
 and the following year it prevailed over a large 
 portion of South Carolina. 
 
 The practice of inviting mourners to present 
 themselves before the pulpit, for pra^^er and per- 
 sonal instruction, had not as yet been introduced, 
 either in the Cumberland country or Carolina, and 
 as to " anxious-seats," they were not thought of till 
 twenty years afterwards. 'No means whatever were 
 adopted to induce the serious to distinguish them- 
 selves. They were left to struggle with their con- 
 victions, till, overcome by conflicting emotions, they 
 fell prostrate ; then they were recognized as fit sub- 
 jects for prayer and personal instructions. This 
 seems to have been almost the only mark of dis- 
 tinction between those under conviction and the 
 careless. Hence the custom of estimating the sue- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 69 
 
 cess of a meeting by the number that were stricken 
 down, instead of the number of professions, as at 
 the present day. As in the West, so also in Caro- 
 lina, intelligent, strong-minded men fell as sudden- 
 ly, and lay many hours as powerless, as if stricken 
 by lightning. Those thus affected did not always 
 receive comfort before they rose, but they generally 
 persevered till they were comforted. 
 
 These meetings were also attended by those 
 " bodily exercises" w^hich were so common in the 
 Cumberland country, such as "jerks, swooning, 
 falling into a trance, audible groans, and shout- 
 ing." Of all these affections, the jerks are the 
 most unaccountable. Mr. Foote, in his Sketches 
 of JS'orth Carolina, gives the following instance : 
 *'A venerable clergyman, returning from a meet- 
 ing, stopped for the night with a friend. During 
 the evening his mind was deeply impressed with a 
 sense of the presence, holiness, and majesty of 
 God. After family worship, a sense of the presence 
 of a pure and holy God overawed him ; it seemed 
 to him he should sink under it. He walked out to 
 get by himself, and started to go across a little 
 piece of corn, towards a small retired valley. Be- 
 fore he could reach the retirement, he was seized in 
 a most surprising manner. Suddenly he began 
 leaping about, first forward, then sidewise, and 
 sometimes, standing still, he would swing backward 
 and forward, see-saw fashion. This motion of the 
 bod}'- was both involuntary and irresistible at the 
 commencement, afterwards there was scarcely a 
 
70 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 disposition to resist it, and in itself the motion was 
 neither painful nor unpleasant. The people in the 
 house, hearing the noise, came to his relief, and 
 carried him to the d\velling. The parox3'sm lasted 
 about one hour, during which, if the attendants let 
 go their hold, he would jerk about the room, as he 
 had done in the field. Gradually it passed away, 
 and he retired to rest, humbled at the exhibition 
 he had made." The next day, while calmly con- 
 versing with a friend about the meeting, " he was 
 suddenly seized again and jerked across the room, 
 and continued under the influence of the exercise 
 about fifteen minutes." 
 
 And these strange and stirring scenes, these 
 bodily exercises, jerks, falling down, swooning, 
 trances, raptures, transports, and shouting, that 
 made the welkin ring, were all exhibited among a 
 people who, ten years previous, would not endure 
 the singing of Watts's hymns ; a people that were 
 ready to rend the Church because some pious souls 
 would sing songs instead of psalms ; a people that 
 had actually petitioned the judicatures of the Church 
 upon the momentous subject, praying the interdic- 
 tion of songs and hymns. IIow changed ! 
 
 Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Hall, Kirkpatrick, Currie, Wil- 
 son, and the Scotch-Irish generally, whose religious 
 history was identified with the great revival in Ire- 
 land, where falling down, swooning, jerks, loud 
 cries for mercy, and shouts of joy, had been com- 
 mon, recognized, at once, the revival of Carolina 
 as a gracious but a strange work of Grod ; while 
 
REV. GEORaE DONNELL. 71 
 
 tlie Scotch population generally, and some of the 
 more fastidous of the Scotch-Ii^ish, regarded it at 
 first with alarm and disgust, and for a time set 
 themselves in opposition to it. The experience of 
 Dr. Samuel McCorkle, as given by himself, wilJ 
 show how some good men, of unquestionable piety, 
 regarded this strange work at its commencement. 
 
 He did not attend any of the meetings held in 
 the fall of 1801, but accepted, as we have seen, the 
 invitation of Dr. Caldwell to join in holding the 
 meeting in Randolph county, an account of which 
 is given on a previous page. He brought many of 
 his flock with him to that meeting, hoping that 
 they might become subjects of the revival. But 
 when he saw people falling down by the hundred, 
 and heard their dismal groans and loud cries for 
 mercy, mingled with prayers, exhortations, songs 
 of praise, and shouts of joy, the scene was so 
 strange, so different from any thing he had ever 
 witnessed before, that he was utterly confounded. 
 Said he : " This, to me, perfectly new and sudden 
 sight, I viewed with horror, and, in spite of all my 
 previous reasoning upon revivals, with some degree 
 of disgust. Is it possible, said I, that this scene of 
 seeming confusion can come from the Spirit of 
 God ? Can He who called light from darkness, and 
 order from confusion, educe light and order from 
 such a dark mental and moral chaos ?" 
 
 But despite the prejudices of Dr. McCorkle, he 
 found, amid this "confusion and chaos," an angel, 
 in the person of a " little girl, about seven years 
 
72 TIIELIPEOFTnE 
 
 old, reclining, with her eyes closed, in the arms of 
 a female friend. And O, what a serene, angelic 
 smile was on her face ! K ever heaven was en- 
 joyed in any little creature's heart, it was enjoyed 
 in hers. "Were I to form some notion of an angel, 
 it would aid my conception to think of her." 
 
 But so strong were his prejudices, that he 
 deharred this little angel from the communion, he- 
 cause he found her deficient in " doctrinal know- 
 ledge." But he had the candor to acknowledge 
 his error, for he says : " This I have since re- 
 gretted, for I do believe, on cool reflection, that 
 she possessed that experimental knowledge of salva- 
 tion, which is infinitely preferable to all doctrinal 
 or systematic knowledge in the world without it." 
 A sensible conclusion. 
 
 Toward the close of this most interesting meet- 
 ing, while the Doctor mused upon the exciting 
 scene around him, still in doubt what to think of 
 it, he was called to his own son, who was down and 
 in great distress. TVliile praying over his son, 
 he became so deeply interested, not only for his 
 conversion, but for the conversion of the world, 
 and so overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness 
 and inefl:able glory of God, that all doubt was dis- 
 pelled, and ever after he engaged cordially and 
 zealously in the promotion of the gracious work. 
 
 "Wlien such a man as Dr. McCorkle, with all his 
 predilections for revivals, could view this wonderful 
 work of God with "horror and disgust," it is not 
 Btrange that some less tolerant, and more strenuous 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 73 
 
 for order, sliould have condemned and opposed it. 
 But, notwithstanding the opposition of some, and 
 the honest misgivings of others, the revival pre- 
 vailed in all the Scotch-Irish churches in the west- 
 ern section of the State, and even invaded some of 
 the order-loving Scotch churches on Cape Fear river 
 and the Atlantic coast. 
 
 Wherever its influence was felt, puhlic morals 
 w^ere reformed, infidelity was silenced, religion re- 
 spected, the house of God crowded with attentive 
 and devout worshippers, thousands were converted, 
 and Christians rendered more conscientious in 
 duty and more spiritual in devotion. Many feeble 
 churches were strengthened, and some new ones 
 organized ; ministers preached w^ith more unction 
 and power, and many were called of God to aid 
 them in their arduous labors. In the language of 
 Mr. Foote : "Throughout Carolina, w^herever the 
 revival prevailed, the community received unspeak- 
 able blessings, and the Church, in succeeding ages, 
 can but remember with thanksgiving the mercy of 
 God, and bear in her heart, and preserve on her 
 records, the names of men whom God honored as 
 the instruments of so many blessings to their fel- 
 low-men." 
 
 About the time this great revival commenced in 
 Guilford county, a child was born in Alamance con- 
 gregation, destined, in the providence of God, to 
 jjreach Christ with a winsomeness and an unction 
 that should woo thousands to the Saviour, and gain 
 for himself a starry crown. Had the mother fore- 
 4 
 
74. THELIFEOFTnE 
 
 seen the extent of liis labors of love, doubtless 
 August 9, 1801, would have become an era in the 
 history of the family, each returning anniversary of 
 which would have been celebrated as a day of 
 thanksgiving. But the future is wisely veiled from 
 mortal vision. There was nothing in the appear- 
 ance of the infant George indicative of his future 
 career of usefulness. He was presented in old 
 Alamance church, and baptized by that good man, 
 Dr. Caldwell. Had the venerable patriarch known 
 the future of that child, how his benevolent heart 
 would have filled with unutterable emotion ! Had 
 angels known it, methinks they would have been 
 present to witness the consecration. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 75 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 SCOTCH-IRISH IN TENNESSEE. 
 
 When the Britisli kings granted charters for the 
 settlement of colonies in America, it was customary 
 to grant the territory between specified parallels of 
 latitude, ''from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean." 
 JSTorth Carolina, in common with her sister colonies, 
 obtained a grant from " ocean to ocean ;" and what 
 is now the State of Tennessee was originally part 
 of her territory. But the grant conferred nothing 
 more than the royal permit to conquer, or acquire 
 from the Indians by purchase, the vast domain thus 
 ostentatiously ceded to the feeble colony. And 
 for a century after this munificent grant, all the 
 territory west of the Alleghany Mountains was 
 the favorite hunting-ground of the red man, who 
 was prepared to defend his rights to the last ex- 
 tremity. 
 
 The beautiful valley of the Upper Tennessee, 
 lying between the Alleghany and the Cumberland 
 Mountains, was claimed by the Cherokees, a power- 
 ful and warlike tribe. The Creeks and Chickasaws 
 contended with the Cherokees for the possession of 
 the fertile valley west of the Cumberland Moun- 
 
76 TUELIFEOFTHE 
 
 tains and south of the Cumberland river; while 
 the Shawuees held the country lying between the 
 Cumberland and Ohio rivers ; and the Chickasaws 
 occupied the territory between the Lower Tennes- 
 see and the Mississippi rivers. 
 
 The Canadian French, the implacable enemies 
 of the British colonies, had descended the Missis- 
 sippi, and erected trading-houses at convenient in- 
 tervals from the Lakes to the Gulf. They had also 
 explored the eastern tributaries of the Mississippi, 
 and erected trading-houses on the Ohio, the Cum- 
 berland, and the Tennessee. And they claimed 
 the jurisdiction and right of trading with the 
 aborigines in all the vast territory between the Ap- 
 palachian Mountains and the Mississippi river. 
 
 Thus, the moment thatXorth Carolina attempted 
 to pass the crest of the Blue Eidge, she was met by 
 adverse claims. The French had already con- 
 ciliated the natives, and instilled into their minds 
 a prejudice against British encroachment. So, 
 notwithstanding the ostentatious grant from " sea 
 to sea," for a century, the jurisdiction of Carolina 
 was virtually limited to the Atlantic slope. 
 
 Nevertheless, a passion for hazardous enterprise, 
 and the hope of gain, led many' adventurous 
 spirits over the mountain into the heart of the 
 solitary wilderness in quest of game and peltry. 
 Hunters and traders had visited the towns of the 
 Cherokees as early as 1740 ; and as the trade 
 proved lucrative, the number of adventurers in- 
 creased yearly. "With the view of protecting the 
 
REV. GEORaE DONNELL. 77 
 
 traders, the Governor of Virginia, in 1756, erected 
 Fort Loudon on the Tennessee, thirty miles below 
 Knoxville. " This was the first structure erected 
 in Tennessee by the Anglo-Americans."* Two 
 centuries previous, De Soto, a Sparfish explorer, 
 had camped for twenty days on the eastern margin 
 of the Mississippi, where the town of Randolph 
 now stands ; and a century later, the French ex- 
 plorer, La Salle, erected a trading-house where 
 Memphis now crowns the bluff; and still later, 
 Charleville, from 'New Orleans, built a trading- 
 house near ^' French Lick," where the proud capital 
 of the State now stands. But Fort Loudon was the 
 first building erected by the race w^hom God in his 
 providence had prepared for the occupation of this 
 lovely land, and the introduction of a purer reli- 
 gion and a higher civilization than France or 
 Spain had yet attained. 
 
 The treaty of 1763, which terminated the Cana- 
 dian war, extinguished the French claim to all 
 the territory east of the Mississippi river. But the 
 Indian title remained in all its force, and its ex- 
 tinction was beset with serious difficulties. The 
 country was not occupied by any tribe. From the 
 Tennessee to the Ohio there was not a solitar}^ 
 wigwam — all was a vast unbroken wilderness, where 
 the buffalo, the bear, and deer roamed unmolested. 
 This boundless park was claimed as a common 
 hunting-ground by the Cherokees, the Creeks, the 
 
 * Ramsay's Annals. 
 
78 TIIELIFEOFTHE 
 
 Chickasaws, and the Sliawnees ; and a treaty with 
 
 any one of these would not extinguish the chums of 
 the other trihes. 
 
 [N'evertheless, a treaty was contracted with those 
 trihes supposed to have the hest claim ; and the 
 heautiful valleys watered hy the Watauga and the 
 Holston were acquired, and cahins were soon 
 erected along the margin of those crystal mountain- 
 streams. Little did the red man dream that in 
 thirty years these feehle settlements would expand 
 into an independent State, stretching from the 
 Blue Ridge to the Mississippi. Had he foreseen 
 the giant growth of the infant colony, he would 
 have strangled it in its cradle. 
 
 After the hattle of Alamance, in 1771, hundreds 
 of the Eegulators, disgusted with the tyrannical 
 and hloody administration of Governor Tryon, re- 
 tired over the mountain, there to await in the quiet 
 vale of Watauga the day of vengeance. It came 
 sooner than they had anticipated. The Scotch- 
 Irish, whose hrethren had fallen at Alamance, 
 rallied to King's Mountain, and there they met 
 their old Tory foes, and terrible was the conflict : 
 fall atonement was exacted for every drop of blood 
 shed at Alamance. 
 
 During the first year of the Revolution, many of 
 the Scotch- Irish whom Tryon had compelled to 
 take the oath of allegiance to King George, not 
 feeling at liberty to violate a solemn oath, and re- 
 solved not to seem to favor British oppression by 
 remaining idle spectators of the contest, or by sub- 
 
REV. GEORG.E DONNELL. 79 
 
 mitting to enlistment against tlie patriots, retired 
 over tlic mountain, where Try on' s press-gangs could 
 not find tliem. And tliey swelled tlie tide of 
 emigration to Watauga. And at tlie close of the 
 war, thousands of the patriots came to locate the 
 land-warrants which they had received for their 
 service in the war ; and many of them settled upon 
 their lands. Yery soon the population became too 
 dense for the roving pioneers, who began to sell 
 out to the more timid, and retire lower down into 
 the valley of the Tennessee. 
 
 In the meantime, the hunters and traders had 
 passed the Cumberland Mountain, and having pene- 
 trated the dense wilderness as far as the "French 
 Lick," brought back such glowing accounts of the 
 unparalleled luxuriance of the soil, and the innu- 
 merable hordes of buffalo that roamed through the 
 interminable cane-brakes, that all Watauga was in 
 commotion, and emigration to the " Cumberland 
 country" became the ruling passion of the day. 
 As early as 1779, a colony set out from Watauga to 
 the Yalley of the Cumberland. One party, num- 
 bering three hundred souls, with their horses and 
 cattle, passing the mountain at Cumberland Gap, 
 emerged upon the vast prairies of Kentucky, and 
 entering the Cumberland valley from the north, 
 reached French Lick early in 1780. Another part}-, 
 having constructed a fleet of thirty boats, and having 
 taken on board the women and children, and pro- 
 visions for the colony, adventured the hazardous 
 passage by water down the Tennessee to its mouth. 
 
80 TIIELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 and up the Ohio and the Cumberland to French 
 Lick. 
 
 Wlien it is considered that no craft, save the 
 Indian's bark, had ever passed the "Suck," at 
 Chattanooga, or the "Shoals," at Florence; and 
 that the margin of the rivers, through the whole of 
 the voyage, was lined with hostile savages, the 
 enterprise must be regarded as not less adven-, 
 turous than the romantic voyages of De Soto and 
 La Salle. 
 
 Leaving "W^atauga in the fall, the fleet passed 
 unmolested till they reached the " Suck," where 
 they were attacked by a large body of Indians col- 
 lected on the brow of the overhanging bluiF. Bear- 
 ing toward the opposite shore, they were fired 
 upon by a party concealed in the cane. Borne 
 down by the rapid current, the boats were dashed 
 upon projecting rocks, and one was lodged. In 
 attempting to get it afloat, one man was killed, 
 several wounded, and three taken captive. An- 
 other boat, the inmates of which were suftering 
 with small-pox, was captured, and every soul on 
 board was lost. 
 
 The fleet passed the shoals without loss or molest- 
 ation. Having reached the Ohio, they constructed 
 sails for their boats, and after months of toil against 
 the current at spring tide, they finally arrived at 
 French Lick, the last.of April, 1780. Of the many 
 adventurous enterprises attending the settlement 
 of the wilderness, this voyage must be regarded as 
 the most hazardous. It was conducted by Colonel 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 81 
 
 Donelson, wlio settled on Stone's river, ten miles 
 east of tlie Lick, and improved the place afterwards 
 known as " Clover Bottom." 
 
 The main body of the emigrants erected a fort 
 on the bluff where IS'ashville now stands, A-small 
 party built another on the north side of the river ; 
 and several other small settlements were made 
 around the principal fort, at the distance of several 
 miles. But these were only outposts of the central 
 fort, whither all rallied when an attack was anti- 
 cipated. A feeble colony was planted at the mouth 
 of Red river, forty-five miles below, and another at 
 Bledsoe's Lick, forty-five miles above. 
 
 Thus, a defenceless colony of less than three 
 hundred was planted in the heart of a boundless 
 wilderness, three hundred miles from "Watauga, 
 and six hundred from the seat of government in 
 J^orth Carolina, whence alone they could look for 
 protection. And feeble as they were, they were 
 dispersed over a territory nearly a hundred miles 
 in extent, surrounded on all sides by hostile savages, 
 ever hovering about their cabins, lying in ambush 
 along the paths and around the fields, seeking 
 opportunity to fall suddenly upon the unwary and 
 defenceless. The colony lived in constant dread, 
 and well they might, for massacres were distress- 
 ingly frequent. 
 
 Such was the daily waste of life by an invisible 
 foe, that the colonists were driven within their 
 fortifications, not venturing abroad to seek supplies 
 4* 
 
82 THELIFEOPTHE 
 
 till reduced to extreme want. So hopeless was 
 their condition, that a strong party were in favor 
 of breaking up the colony, and returning to Wa- 
 tausra; but Colonel James Eobertson, and other 
 brave .spirits, insisted on defending their position 
 till relief came. 
 
 Had the colony been located within the territory 
 of any one tribe, they would not have been so 
 much exposed: that tribe would have been held 
 responsible for all depredation. But situated as 
 they were, upon the common hunting-ground of 
 four tribes, and within gun-shot of the Lick, the 
 great resort of the buffalo and the deer, whither all 
 these tribes came in quest of game, the colony was 
 the prey of all ; and all were exasperated that the 
 ^'pale faces" should obtrude themselves into the 
 very "Eden of the red men." 
 
 But Providence had ordained that this goodly 
 land — this Canaan of the West — which for un- 
 known centuries had been the home of the buffalo, 
 and the hunting-ground and the battle-field of the 
 red man, should become the home of a vigorous 
 civilization, and of primitive Christianity. The 
 Scotch-Irish had entered the Cumberland country, 
 and it was time for the buffalo and the red man 
 to retire. Had the Indian received him as a 
 brother, he would have proved a father to protect, 
 and an angel of light to guide him to salvation. 
 But he lay in wait for him by day, and stealthily 
 invaded his domicile by night; he murdered his 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 83 
 
 wife, and carried his children into hopeless cap- 
 tivity. The white man knew his rights, and he had 
 the courage to defend them. 
 
 Yet the occupation of this goodly land was des- 
 tined to verify the prediction of the war-worn 
 Occonostota, when he signed the treaty ceding it 
 to the white man. "Brother," said he, "we have 
 given 3^ou a fine land, but I believe you will have 
 much trouble in settling it." A fine land it was, 
 and much trouble they did have^-such privation, 
 hazard, and sufi^ering, as only the race that occupied 
 it would have patiently endured. They had been 
 trained to hardships for more than a century. They 
 had civilized Ireland, subdued the wilderness of 
 the Atlantic slope, and made it " blossom as the 
 rose." They had fought the battles of the Revolu- 
 tion, then scaled the rugged heights of the Alle- 
 ghanies, and came down on Watauga as the " dew 
 on Hermon." A broader and a richer land in- 
 vited, and they penetrated the vast solitudes of the 
 West. Their mission was " to subdue the earth and 
 replenish it," and nobly did they fulfil that mis- 
 sion. 
 
 After fourteen years of incessant warfare, sig- 
 nalized by the most revolting barbarities, the 
 colony had so increased by immigrations from Wa- 
 tauga, Carolina, and Virginia, that they were now 
 able to carry the war into the strongholds of the 
 enemy. The Chickasaws and Choctaws had made 
 peace, and become faithful allies of the white man. 
 Strong settlements in Kentucky had driven the 
 
84 TIIELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 ShawncGs beyond the Ohio. But the Creeks and 
 the Cherokecs continued their depredations. Des- 
 peradoes and outlaws from both these tribes occu- 
 pied the Kickajack towns situated on the southern 
 bank of the Tennessee river, whence they made 
 frequent marauding incursions into the settlements, 
 murdering inofiensive women and children, and 
 driving oif the horses and cattle. 
 
 In 1794, a company was organized for the pur- 
 pose of demolishing those towns, and dispersing the 
 horde of robbers and desperadoes congregated there. 
 The company crossed the mountain where the tun- 
 nel now penetrates it. They reached the river op- 
 posite the towns late in the evening, and during the 
 night the principal part of the force silently passed 
 the river, and gained a position in rear of the town. 
 About daylight next morning they attacked the 
 town, while the enemy yet slept. Taken by sur- 
 prise, the enemy fled : some attempted to escape by 
 swimming the river, but such fell into the hands of 
 the party on the northern bank. ' A general rout 
 and great destruction of the enemy ensued : the 
 towns were burned, and those who had not escaped 
 were dispersed. 
 
 This expedition was piloted by Colonel Joseph 
 Brown, of Maury county, who had been, when a 
 boy, a prisoner among those Indians for a long time, 
 an<l was acquainted with the face of the country, 
 the paths, streams, and mountain-passes. While he 
 was a prisoner, there was a proposition made in his 
 liearing to kill him, lest he should escape, and 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 85 
 
 subsequently lead an army into tlieir country. But 
 more humane counsels iDrevailed : liis life was spared, 
 he did escape, and did pilot an army to their strong- 
 hold, which demolished their towns, and visited 
 upon the guilty inhabitants a terrible retribution for 
 all their atrocities. Colonel Brown still lives, and 
 he is one of the oldest ministers of the Cumberland 
 Presbyterian Church, highly respected by all who 
 
 know him. 
 
 This signal victory terminated the Indian war. 
 Treaties of peace were concluded between the 
 colony and the Cherokees and the Creeks, rehn- 
 qnishing all claims to the Cumberland country. 
 All fears of future depredations being removed, an 
 immense immigration from East Tennessee, Caro- 
 lina, Virginia, and Kentucky flowed in, and settled 
 the rich valley of the Cumberland. And in 1T96, 
 Tennessee was admitted into the Union as a sove- 
 reign State, with a Constitution pronounced by 
 Mi\ Jefferson to be more republican than that of 
 any other State in the Union. 
 
 At this period there were but three counties in 
 the Cumberland valley— Davidson, Sumner, and 
 Montgomery, then called Tennessee county. Long 
 after Davidson and Sumner had been settled, Wil- 
 son remained an unbroken cane-brake, the common 
 hunting-2:round of the white and the red man. 
 
 In the^year 1797, William McClain, Esq., Mher 
 of J. S. McClain, Esq. ; and John Foster, father of 
 James Foster, Esq., made the first settlement in 
 Wilson county, at Drake's Lick, near the mouth 
 
86 THELIFEOPTIIE 
 
 of Spencer's Lick Creek. Two years later, Mr. 
 Foster, William Donnell, father of Rev. Robert 
 Douuell, and Alexander Barkly, made a settle- 
 ment on Spring Creek, seven miles south-east of 
 Lebanon.* The following year settlements were 
 made at the Big Spring, on Cedar Creek, and on 
 Round Lick Creek. 
 
 In 1799 the county was organized, and the first 
 court was held at the residence of Captain John 
 Harpool, four miles north of Lebanon. Charles 
 Cavenaugh was Chairman, Robert Foster, Clerk, 
 and Charles Rosborough, Sheriff. 
 
 Li the fall of 1802, there w^as a large immigration 
 from Alamance and Bufialo, in Carolina. Rev. 
 Samuel Donnell, and several other families of the 
 Donnell connection, settled on Spring Creek, and 
 became members of the first church in Wilson 
 county. Rev. Samuel Donnell was chosen pastor. 
 Two years later, George Donnell, Senior, came out 
 and settled on Spring Creek, and he and his family 
 became members of Spring Creek church. As he 
 had been for many years a ruling elder in Ala- 
 mance church, and as many of the congregation on 
 Spring Creek liad emigrated from that church, on 
 his arrival he was added to the eldership of Spring 
 Creek church. 
 
 * Mrs. William McClaiu. 
 
REV. QEORQE DONNELL. 87 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 STATE OF SOCIETY IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTRY. 
 
 In this age of steamboats and railroads, it is diffi- 
 cult, even for the border pioneers, to conceive of 
 the privations and discomforts endured by the 
 early emigrants into the Cumberland valley. Those 
 who first traversed the great plains of the West, 
 passed the Rocky Mountains, and planted the first 
 colony on the Pacific slope, in the midst of hostile 
 savages, may realize, in part, what it cost to settle 
 the Cumberland country; but only in part, for 
 they had the protection of the ocean on one side, 
 and navigable streams penetrating the interior, and 
 afibrding the means of transporting ample supplies 
 from the coast; while the pioneers in the Cum- 
 berland country were encompassed on all sides by 
 ruthless savages, with no means of obtaining sup- 
 plies, except such articles as could be transported 
 from the Atlantic on pack-horses. 
 
 At the present day, emigrants embark for the 
 frontier on board of steamboats, laden with farm- 
 ing utensils, household furniture, and lumber pre- 
 pared for constructing comfortable dwellings. And 
 in five days after they have reached their destina- 
 
8S TUELIFEOFTUE 
 
 tion, a house is erected, furnished, and the family 
 snugly lodged in their new home, enjoying the 
 comforts and even the luxuries of life. The minis- 
 ter, the teacher, the phj'sician, the lawyer, the mer- 
 chant, the printer, and the various artisans that 
 minister to the wants of refined society, follow in 
 the wake, and presently the frontier settlers are en- 
 joying all the comforts of advanced civilization. 
 
 isTot so with the hardy pioneers in the Cumher- 
 land country. Until 1799, when the first wagon- 
 road was opened from Knoxville to Kashville, the 
 country had been approached by a solitary "Indian 
 trail," or path through the dense forest and the in- 
 terminable cane-brake, barely wide enough to ad- 
 mit a single pack-horse. Along this path, salt, iron, 
 and whatever the colony derived from the Atlantic 
 States, had to be transported on pack-horses. Of 
 course the supply of the most essential articles was 
 meagre, and the price enormous. Salt was dis- 
 tressingly scarce at ten dollars per bushel, and iron 
 was worth twenty-jive cents per pound ! Every article 
 made of iron was proportionably dear. Kails, 
 though deemed indispensable in our day, were not 
 to be had at any price. Planks, boards, and shin- 
 gles were fastened with wooden pegs. 
 
 "Wliatever a virgin soil and a teeming forest pro- 
 duced, they had in abundance ; but all things else 
 were rare, and those essential to personal security 
 were chiefly sought after. Powder and lead were 
 in greater demand than books and stationery. The 
 wants of the physical superseded those of the intel- 
 
REV. OEOEGK DONNELL. 89 
 
 lectual and moral man. Ever exposed to the depre- 
 dations of a savage foe, they were depnved of he 
 ordinary facilities for mental and moral cnltuic. 
 " School-houses on the horder settlements were un- 
 known : teacher and pupils would alike have become 
 the victims of Indian cruelty." Manyayouth grew 
 up to manhood without seeing a church or hearing 
 
 a sermon. „ i n^. • , 
 
 Lon- familiar with savage warfare, and often in- 
 stigated hy the most revolting atrocities to unre- 
 lenting revenge, the heart of the pioneer had gowii 
 callous. He was an intrepid soldier, a faithful 
 friend, a jovial companion, but a relentless enemy. 
 Having taken vengeance into his own l^ands he 
 executed it with a promptness and a severity that 
 rendered his name a terror to his ^ajage foe 
 However indispensable to the public safety may bo 
 the cultivation of heroic daring and the stern in- 
 fliction of merited chastisement, yet it must be ad- 
 Sed that the mode of life to which the pioneer 
 Zts subjected tended to harden his heart and blunt 
 
 his moral sensibilities. „ , „f l,;= 
 
 In addition to the demoralizing tendency of his 
 mode of life, infidelity was abroad in the and, sap- 
 pin-, the verv foundation of all morahty and religion. 
 In the fort "and in the camp, the youth were ex- 
 pos d to its baneful influence. Many of the lead 
 Lg men of the colony had participated m he 
 Ervolutionary War, and had, by contact with he 
 Fi-ench troops, imbibed their *eptical principles^ 
 These licentious sentiments were presented with an 
 
90 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 ability, and propagated witli a zeal, Tvortliy of a 
 better cause. In the absence of the ministry of the 
 gospel, and the ordinary facilities for the acquisition 
 of biblical and theological knowledge, it argues no 
 unusual perverseness to admit that many of the 
 youth were caught with the enticing bait, and 
 boasted themselves "free-thinkers." Deprived of 
 the services of the sanctuary, and compelled to em- 
 ploy the Sabbath as other days, it is not strange 
 that many professors of religion had become for- 
 mal in their devotions and lax in their morals. 
 
 Such was the state of society in the colony at the 
 close of the Indian war. But so soon as peace was 
 established, the fort was converted into a school- 
 house, and the church rose above the log-cabins of 
 the settlers. The teacher and the preacher found a 
 moral w^ilderness, as rude and uncultivated as the 
 dark forest that environed the cabin and the corn- 
 field. The sturdy youth of six feet had yet to learn 
 the alphabet, and the man of years had forgotten 
 his "Catechism." But there was mind of vigor- 
 ous growth, energy of character, habits of industry, 
 fixedness of purpose, and great eagerness for im- 
 provement. 
 
 The preachers that had long been forted with the 
 colony, and had occasionally preached in the 
 "block-house," when the men came with their 
 guns, duly appreciated the privilege of assembling 
 a congregation without fear of molestation. But 
 what could two or three preachers do toward sup- 
 plying a population dispersed over a territory 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 91 
 
 larger than some of tlie Eastern States ? The 
 necessity for ministerial aid soon drew preachers 
 from the Atlantic States. As early as 1796, Mr. 
 McGready settled in Logan county, Kentucky, 
 upon the waters of Red river, a tributary of the 
 Cumberland. And in 1799, Mr. McGee located at 
 Shiloh, near Gallatin, Tennessee, and the following 
 year Mr. Hodge took charge of Shiloh, and Mr. 
 McGee removed to the Beech, in Sumner county. 
 
 As early as the summer of 1797, Mr. McGready 
 began to witness the first fruits of his labors at 
 Gasper, and in 1798 the three churches of his 
 charge were blessed with reviving influences. But 
 these seasons of refreshing were not signalized by 
 any remarkable displays of Divine power until 1799, 
 when the influences of the Spirit became so over- 
 whelming that men of stout hearts and iron will 
 fell down as dead, and, after lying speechless and 
 powerless for hours, would wake to newness of life 
 in Christ. 
 
 As the practice of calling out the anxious, and 
 conversing and praying with them, had not been 
 introduced, those who were laboring under convic- 
 tion generally suppressed their feelings until they 
 were overpowered and fell to the ground. And while 
 some lay silent and motionless, others rolled and 
 tossed as one in great agony, uttering the most 
 distressing groans and piteous moanings. The 
 muscles of the face were contracted, as when one 
 is sufi*ering intense pain, and in some cases the 
 whole frame was convulsed with spasmodic action, 
 
92 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 wliilc the mind was agonized with convictions of 
 sin and awful apprehension of heU. But when a 
 consciousness of pardon was realized, the muscles 
 relaxed, a heavenly radiance lighted up the coun- 
 tenance, and the tongue became vocal with praise 
 and adoration. 
 
 The news of this strange work spread through 
 the Cumberland country, arresting the attention 
 of all classes, and disposing the public mind to 
 thoughtfulness. And many from Tennessee at- 
 tended the first meeting in Kentucky, in June, 
 1800. The multitude was so great that all could 
 not be accommodated, and some who had come iu 
 wagons camped on the ground during the meeting. 
 Great excitement prevailed ; many were stricken 
 down, and some, who came to deride, remained to 
 pray, and, after a season of great agony, returned 
 rejoicing in hope of heaven. 
 
 Having observed that those families who camped 
 on the ground were peculiarly blessed, and fore- 
 seeing that it would be impracticable to furnish 
 lodgings for the growing multitudes that congre- 
 gated to the sacramental-meetings, Mr. McGready 
 conceived the idea of a camp-jneeting. He there- 
 fore made proclamation that at the next meeting, 
 to be held in July, all who were disposed should 
 come in their wagons, furnished with provisions, 
 and prepared to camp on the ground during the 
 meeting. 
 
 The news that there was to be a eamp-meeiing at 
 Gasper was circulated in Tennessee. McGee and 
 
REV. GEORaE DONNELL. 9B 
 
 Hodge, accompanied by many of their congrega- 
 tions, attended this meeting. A vast multitude 
 congregated, the most of whom remained en- 
 camped during the meeting. The excitement was 
 intense ; many fell prostrate, and some of them lay 
 all night. About forty-five gave evidence of hav- 
 ing passed from death in sin to newness of life in 
 Christ. Such, after lying prostrate for hours, would 
 arise with the most brilliant and heavenly expres- 
 sion of countenance, glorifying God for his pardon- 
 ing mercy. Many left the meeting under the most 
 pungent convictions, some of whom professed on 
 the road, and others after they reached home. 
 
 It was a remarkable feature of this great revival, 
 from first to last, that convictions for sin, and pro- 
 fessions of faith in Christ, were not limited to those 
 beyond the pale of the Church. Many who had 
 maintained for years a fair standing in the Church, 
 and had never seriously doubted their interest in 
 Christ until they witnessed the displays of Divine 
 power manifested in the progress of this strange 
 work, abandoned their hope, and publicly pro- 
 claimed their destitution of spiritual religion; 
 and after days of anguish and despondency, they 
 experienced regeneration and "joy in the Holy 
 Ghost." Five of the members of the Shiloh 
 church professed at the meeting at Gasper, and 
 many others at subsequent meetings. 
 
 When the Shiloh people returned, they brought 
 the revival with them, and the evening they reached 
 home, a revival commenced in the congregation. 
 
94 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 Samuel King was one of the five cliurcli mem- 
 bers tliat had professed at Gasper. Solemnly 
 impressed with the conviction that many of the 
 members of the Church were resting upon a false 
 liope, content with the outward form of piety while 
 they were destitute of spiritual life in the soul, on 
 his arrival at home he began to warn his friends 
 of the necessity of a radical change of heart, assur- 
 ing them that religion is a conscious experience of 
 spiritual illumination, revealing the glory of the 
 Saviour, and filling the heart with peace and joy. 
 The fervor of his exhortations soon brought some 
 of his associates to their knees, and before the 
 morning light dawned, the Sun of righteousness 
 shined into their hearts, revealing the glory of 
 God ; and they too were enabled to testify that reli- 
 gion is not a "dead faith," but a living principle 
 in the soul. 
 
 The next day, the neighborhood came together 
 for prayer, and some fell prostrate and were unable 
 to rise, until they were regenerated and raised to 
 newness of life in Christ. The revival became 
 general, and by the next Sabbath about twenty 
 had experienced a change of heart, most of whom 
 had been for years orderly and acceptable members 
 of the Church. Among the converts within the 
 jjale of the Church was Eichard King, the elder 
 brother of Samuel, and an intelligent and influen- 
 tial man, in the prime of life. His wife, a sister of 
 Dr. James Blythe, and an acceptable member of 
 the Church, became deeply concerned about her 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL 95 
 
 soul, and after a season of prayer, without having 
 experienced a change, she fell into despair, and for 
 weeks believed herself doomed to perdition. Her 
 friends induced her to attend one of Mr. McGrea- 
 dy's meetings in Kentucky. She seemed indis- 
 posed, for a time, to engage in the exercises of the 
 meeting. But her mind became so impressed with a 
 sense of her hopeless condition, that, under the 
 agony of her feelings, she mounted a bench, and 
 began, in a most impressive manner, to exhort the 
 unregenerate to repentance while there was hope, 
 lest despair should overtake them. A crowd 
 gathered around, while she admonished with a 
 fervor and solemnity that carried conviction to 
 the heart. Many inquired, " Who is that speaking 
 so much like Dr. Blythe?" She exhorted sinners, 
 till, overcome with exhaustion, she sank down, and 
 remained prostrate till she experienced pardon, and 
 then she rose to proclaim a Saviour's wondrous 
 love. 
 
 During the fall of 1800, camp-meetings were 
 held at the Ridge, Shiloh, and the Beech, in Sum- 
 ner county, and at Craighead's church in David- 
 son. Great excitement prevailed. At Shiloh, Mr. 
 McGready, Hodge, McGee, and his brother, John 
 McGee, a Methodist minister, were in attendance. 
 The congregation was the largest that had ever 
 been assembled in the country on any occasion, 
 and the excitement exceeded all that had hitherto 
 been witnessed. On Sabbath evening, more than 
 a hundred fell prostrate. The exercises of singing, 
 
96 THELIFEOFTUE 
 
 prayer, exliortation, and personal conversation, 
 were kept up tlirough the night. Monday morn- 
 ing witnessed a "glorious resurrection:" more 
 than one hundred were translated from the bondage 
 of sin to the light and liberty of the sons of God. 
 During the preceding night, the whole encamp- 
 ment resembled a battle-field, resounding with the 
 groans and piteous wailings of the dying ; in the 
 morning, it became vocal with shouts of joy and 
 rapturous songs of praise. 
 
 Much has been said and written, in latter days, 
 respecting the origin of camp-meetings. The meet- 
 ing held at Gasper, in Logan county, Kentucky, 
 July, 1800, of which we have given an account on 
 a previous page, was the "first camp-meeting ever 
 HELD IN Christendom." 
 
 And such were the happy results of this, and 
 similar meetings held in Kentucky and Ten- 
 nessee during the summer and fall of 1800, and so 
 admirably adapted were they to the wants of a 
 sparsely settled country, that they were at once 
 adopted by all the principal denominations in the 
 Cumberland valley; and for many years they 
 were the chief reliance for the promotion of revi- 
 vals. In the towns and densely populated districts, 
 protracted-meetings have, of late years, superseded 
 in part the camp-meetings, but in sparsely settled 
 sections, they are, to this day, the favorite meetings 
 with Cumberland Presbyterians. 
 
 A revival spirit went out from the great camp- 
 meetings of 1800, which pervaded the whole 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 97 
 
 country. Th^ public mind was excited, Christians 
 were prayerful and conscientious, sinners were 
 serious, and every neigliborhood was anxious for 
 preacliing, and a majority of the principal house- 
 holders were ready to open their doors to receive 
 the minister and his congregation. Had the num- 
 ber of the ministers been increased tenfold, each 
 would have had an inviting field. The few in the 
 country could not supply a titJie of the demands for 
 preaching. 
 
 In this emergency, lay-members, gifted in prayer 
 and exhortation, were encouraged to make appoint- 
 ments in destitute sections for prayer-meetings and 
 social exercises. Vast crowds attended, hundreds 
 of penitent sinners sought the prayers and in- 
 structions of the Church, and scores were converted. 
 But so far from supplying the demand for preach- 
 ing, and the ministration of the ordinances of the 
 Church, these meetings only increased the demand. 
 What was to be done ? All the ministers in the 
 country who participated in the revival had be- 
 come evangelists, and were riding and preaching 
 all the time, and yet the demand far exceeded their 
 ability to afford supplies. 
 
 At this crisis. Rev. David Eice, the eldest and 
 most influential member of Transylvania presby- 
 tery, then residing near Lexington, Kentucky, 
 visited the Cumberland country; and after wit- 
 nessing the destitution, and hearing the earnest 
 petitions of the people for preaching, he advised 
 his brethren, resident in the region where the revi- 
 5 
 
98 TIIELIFEOFTHE 
 
 val was prevailing, to select from the laity men of 
 undoubted piety, talents, and gifts for exhortation, 
 and encourage such to present themselves to 
 presbytery as candidates for the ministry, though 
 destitute of some of the qualifications required by 
 the discipline of the Church. Accordingly, Alex- 
 ander Anderson, Finis Ewing, and Samuel King, 
 all of whom had exhibited remarkable gifts in 
 prayer and public exhortation, were selected, and 
 induced to present themselves to the presbytery, in 
 the fall of 1801. 
 
 A difference of opinion was expressed in the 
 presbytery as to the regularity and the propriety 
 of the measure, in consequence of which those 
 brethren were not, at that time, received as candi- 
 dates for the ministry. But they were authorized 
 to exercise their talents in public exhortation, and 
 instructed to prepare written discourses, to be read 
 at the next session of the presbytery. When they 
 appeared before presbytery in the spring of 1802, 
 and read their discourses, Mr. Anderson, who 
 was a man of more than ordinary natural endow- 
 ments, and about forty years of age, was then 
 received as a candidate for the ministry. At the 
 fall session in 1802, Ewing and King were received 
 also; and these three brethren were licensed to 
 preach the gospel. At a subsequent session they 
 were ordained to the whole work of the ministry. 
 Mr. Anderson's course was brief but brilliant. 
 He survived his licensure only one year and a half, 
 but he still lives in the hearts of those whose privi- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 99 
 
 lege it was to have heard his hurniug eloquence. 
 Ewing and King, after years of toil and privation, 
 became the founders of the Cumberland Presbyte- 
 rian Church. And after more than thirty years of 
 active and efficient labor in building up and ex- 
 tending the borders of that Church, each went 
 down to the tomb covered with hoary honors, and 
 the memory of each lives, and will live, in the affec- 
 tions of Cumberland Presbyterians. 'No minister 
 of the gospel, of any denomination, has exerted so 
 wide an influence in the West as Finis Ewing. 
 
 These ministers were ordained with the full 
 knowledge that not one of them had acquired all 
 of the literary qualifications required by the discip- 
 line of the Presbyterian Church. And in adopting 
 the "Westminster Confession of Faith, they were 
 all permitted to except the idea of fatality, as 
 taught under the doctrines of election and repro- 
 bation. And having publicly and solemnly rejected 
 the doctrine of a limited atonement, they were 
 careful, in their preaching, to dwell upon the ful- 
 ness of the atonement, and thence infer man's free 
 agency, and consequent accountability; and upon 
 this basis they urged upon all the offer of free sal- 
 vation. Many others were subsequently licensed 
 who had not acquired a classical education, and 
 they were also jDcrmitted to make the same excep- 
 tion to the Confession of Faith. 
 
 With these accessions to the ministry, they were 
 enabled more fully to occupy the extending field, and 
 partic ularly to supply the growing demand for preach- 
 
100 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 ing. The young men were full of zeal, and they 
 were wholly consecrated to the work. And wher- 
 ever they went, for they were all evangelists, they 
 were not only acceptable to the people, but their 
 labors Avere efficient in extending the revival. In 
 two years after they entered the field, churches 
 were planted in all the principal settlements west 
 of the mountains. 
 
 But this great revival w^as not to be confined to 
 the western settlements. It passed into East Ten- 
 nessee, and thence into Xorth and South Carolina, 
 as previously noticed. And everywhere it was dis- 
 tinguished by unusual displays of Divine power. 
 In East Tennessee, and in the Carolinas, it was the 
 same strange, awful, and gracious work of God, 
 attended by the same peculiar manifestations. The 
 jerks, falling down, swooning, trances, and trans- 
 ports of rapturous joy, were as common in Caro- 
 lina as in Cumberland, and as they had been a 
 century before in Ireland. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 101 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 SPRING CREEK CHURCH. 
 
 As the oldest cliurcli in tlie county, and the 
 foster-mother of Rev. George Donnell and other 
 distinguished ministers, Spring Creek Church is 
 entitled to notice. 
 
 Rev. William McGee has the credit of having 
 preached the first sermon in Wilson county, in the 
 fall of 1798, at the residence of "William McClain, 
 Esq. Dr. James Hall, of ^orth Carolina, preached 
 the first sermon in the Spring Creek settlement. 
 He had been sent out as a missionary to the West, 
 with instructions to extend his tour to I^atchez. 
 In the fall of 1800, he passed through Sumner and 
 Davidson, and labored for a time in the great re- 
 vival then in progress. Having spent the winter 
 at N'atchez, he returned early in the summer of 
 1801, and stopped, for a time, in the newly formed 
 settlement on Spring Creek. He preached several 
 times, and organized the few Christians in the 
 settlement into a society. 
 
 The sending of a missionary from Carolina to 
 'Natchez, so early as 1800, speaks well for the mis- 
 sionary spirit of the Presbyterian Church of that 
 
102 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 day. And it is ample proof of the zeal of the 
 missionary, that he performed a tour of a thousand 
 miles, through a \vilderness, labored in the field 
 nine months, and received for his services only 
 three hundred dollars. 
 
 In the fall of 1802, Rev. Samuel Donnell and 
 several other families of the Donnell connection 
 emigrated from Carolina, and settled on Spring 
 Creek. Mr. Donnell became pastor of the church, 
 and established a classical school in ' his congre- 
 gation. 
 
 ]Mr. Donnell is represented by Dr. Davidson, in 
 his History of the Presbyterian Church in Kentucky, 
 as a " man neither qualified by nature nor education 
 to be conspicuous or influential." This, in some 
 sense, may be true, and yet, without explanation, 
 it is likely to mislead those who had no acquaint- 
 ance Avitli him. As to education, he was a credit- 
 able classical scholar, educated and introduced 
 into the ministr}^ by that celebrated teacher and 
 divine. Dr. Caldwell, of ISTorth Carolina. As to 
 natural endowment, he possessed a logical mind, 
 and could write and rehearse a systematic, ortho- 
 dox, and logical sermon. Yet he was so tedious 
 and spiritless — so cold and monotonous in his de- 
 livery, that those who heard him once, were willing 
 to avoid a second infliction. 
 
 In the fall of 1804, George Donnell, Senior, and 
 other families of connection, emigrated from Caro- 
 lina, and settled in the Spring Creek congregation. 
 As Mr. Donnell had long been an elder in Alamance 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 103 
 
 church, on his arrival he was added to the elder- 
 ship of Spring Creek church. 
 
 While Mr. Donnell was on the road to Tennessee, 
 Craighead, Samuel Donnell, and Bowman were 
 prosecuting, before the Kentucky Synod, a charge 
 against McGready, Hodge, McGee, McAdoo, and 
 Eankin, for irregularity in ordaining Anderson, 
 Ewing, and King, without requiring all the literary 
 qualifications prescribed in the discipline of the 
 Presbyterian Church; and allowing them, in 
 adopting the Confession of Faith, to except so much 
 as seemed to teach the doctrine of eternal election 
 and reprobation. This prosecution originated in 
 opposition to the great revival of 1800, and the 
 measures adopted by the revival party for the pro- 
 motion of that gracious work. 
 
 It has been shown, when treating of revivals in 
 Carolina, that there always has been a party in the 
 Presbyterian Church in America who are sticklers 
 for order, and opposed to all "new measures." 
 This party opposed the great revival of IlTew Eng- 
 land which originated under the preaching of Ed- 
 wards. They opposed the revival awakened by 
 Whitefield and the Tennents, in Jersey and Penn- 
 sylvania. They opposed the revival in Virginia 
 under President Davies. And when McGready, 
 by his pungent preaching in the churches of Orange 
 and Guilford counties in I:Torth Carolina, awakened 
 a general revival, this party stirred up opposition, 
 raised a clamor about new measures and disorder, 
 
104 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 burned his pulpit, and threatened him with pcrsojial 
 violence ! 
 
 That good man, deeply grieved that members of 
 his own denomination should oppose, by deeds of 
 violence, a gracious work of God, retired to the 
 western wilderness, hoping there, amid its solitudes, 
 to escape the opposition of men professing godli- 
 ness, but zealous only for order. This faithful 
 servant of God had not labored long in that dis- 
 tant region, when the hardy sons of the forest 
 began to yield to the Spirit's influence. An ex- 
 citement originated in the far West which surpassed 
 in power any thing that had hitherto been witnessed 
 on the continent. It spread eastward through 
 Tennessee into the Carolinas, gathering strength as 
 it advanced, until it reached those very churches 
 where McGready had formerly labored. Opposition 
 again croaked for order; but its voice was un- 
 heeded: the great revival had assumed a majesty 
 and grandeur which no human power could w^ith- 
 stand; its resistless tide rolled onward, bearing 
 down all opposition, till it reached the Atlantic 
 Ocean. 
 
 It is no novelty, therefore, that a party in the 
 Presbyterian Church in Kentucky and Tejinessee 
 (some of them the very men that opposed McGready 
 in Carolina) should be found opposing the great 
 revival of 1800. Craighead was brought up under 
 " Old Side," or what has more recently been styled, 
 "Old School" influences. By education, and by 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 105 
 
 constitutional temperament, lie was a stickler for 
 order, and opposed to "new measures;" and as 
 a consequence, he was, at heart, opposed to the 
 revival from its origin; but while it was in the 
 ascendant, he judiciously restrained his opposition 
 within prudent bounds. Donnell and Bowman 
 came to the country toward the close of the re- 
 vival, when its power and spirituality had some- 
 what abated; and seeing some thinsrs and hearina- 
 
 ' CD ^ O 
 
 of much that they disapproved, and knowing that 
 Dr. Craighead, who had witnessed it in all its 
 stages, was never cordial in its support, they cau- 
 tiously kept themselves aloof from contact or 
 identity with it. Had they witnessed the early 
 stages of this gracious work ; or had they possessed 
 the spirit of a McGready, a Hodge, or a Hall, instead 
 of opposing, they might have cooperated with the 
 revival party. But, regarding all "bodily exer- 
 cises," and all loud outcries, whether of joy or grief, 
 as the offspring of fanaticism, they were annoyed 
 with what they were pleased to denominate " dis- 
 order" and "wildfire." 
 
 It is quite natural that these men should take 
 measures, when the revival began to subside, to 
 redress supposed grievances which they had long 
 endured, because resistance at an earlier date 
 would have proved unavailing. But now that the 
 revival spirit was abating, they hoped to bring 
 back the usages and worship of the Church to the 
 rules of order and formality which were so congenial 
 to their phlegmatic temperaments. Hence the 
 
106 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 charge preferred by Craighead, Samuel Donnell, and 
 Bowman, against McGready, Hodge, McGee, and 
 others. 
 
 The history of the proceedings of the Kentucky 
 Sj^nod against the revival party, presents some 
 strange anomalies in ecclesiastical government, 
 which no well-informed Presbyterian can be pro- 
 voked to defend. Those who may wish to see a 
 triumphant vindication of the revival party, are 
 referred to Smith's History of the Cumberland 
 Presbyterian Church, and the Life and Times of 
 Ewing, by Dr. Cossitt. 
 
 All who are informed on the subject, know that 
 the revival party refused to submit to the uncon- 
 stitutional assumptions of power by the synod, 
 and memorialized the General Assembly. And 
 after years of patient endurance, without obtaining 
 redress, McGready and Hodge submitted to the 
 synod ; while Ewing, King, and McAdoo constituted 
 the first presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
 Church. 
 
 McGee declined to unite with them in the con- 
 stitution of the independent presbytery, because he 
 was then engaged in an earnest investigation of the 
 doctrines of the Bible, to satisfy himself of the 
 truth of a medium system of theology between Cal- 
 vinism and Arminianism. And so soon as he had 
 harmonized a system, which was neither Calvinis- 
 tic nor Arminian, he joined the newly organized 
 presbytery. 
 
 All of the Presbyterian churches in the Cumber- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 107 
 
 land country s^mipatliizecl with the revival party ; 
 and when the Cumberland Presbytery was organ- 
 ized, all, except Hodge's church, at Shiloh, Craig- 
 head's, at IlTashville and Ilaysboro, and Donnell's, 
 on Spring Creek, recognized the jurisdiction of the 
 new presbytery. Though McGready returned to 
 the Presbyterian Church, he could not take his 
 flock with him. The churches in which the re- 
 vival had its origin were among the first to recog- 
 nize the jurisdiction of Cumberland Presbytery; 
 and to this day Gasper and Red Piver churches 
 are flourishing, with all their early partiality for re- 
 vival measures. 
 
 Though the pastor of the Spring Creek church, 
 and a few of the more formal members, were op- 
 posed to revival measures, the body of the church, 
 especially the j'ounger members, all of whom had 
 professed in the revival, were its advocates ; and 
 they were not backward in manifesting their pre- 
 ference for the revival ministers. The pastor was 
 careful to secure the aid at his sacramental-meet- 
 ings of some of his anti-revival brethren, and then 
 the lovers of order were not annoyed with excite- 
 ment. But occasionally one of the revival minis- 
 ters would come up unbidden ; and then the 
 anxiety to hear him would be so great as to con- 
 strain the pastor to invite him to preach. And 
 then his XDreaching would be attended with such 
 heavenly unction and power as to cause some good 
 Christians to break the prescribed rules of order, 
 and shout for joy; while poor stricken sinners 
 
108 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 would be so pressed as to cry aloud for mercy. 
 Sucli disorder was very annoying to the orthodox 
 pastor and his formal members, and they finally re- 
 solved to protect themselves against it, by refusing 
 permission to the revival ministers to preach in 
 the church. Thus deprived of the occasional gra- 
 tification of a spiritual sermon, the revival party in 
 the church withdrew, and organized a separate 
 church, a few miles distant, and invited the ser- 
 vices of the revival ministers. 
 
 This secession of a large part of his flock ren- 
 dered the pastor more hostile than ever. It was 
 annoying to have " these enthusiasts" to call occa- 
 sionally and preach their "wildfire" in his church ; 
 but they had now drawn ofi" half of his flock, and 
 secured a permanent organization within the limits 
 of his congregation, where his people would be 
 constantly exposed to their seductive influences. 
 And to those who were familiar with the manner of 
 his preaching, the danger would appear imminent; 
 for however logical his discourses may have been, 
 his delivery was so monotonous and spiritless, as 
 to have gained for him the sobriquet of "Uncle 
 Sammy Dry." On the other hand, the revival 
 ministers generally, and especially his cousin, Kobert 
 Donnell, then a boy in the ministry, preached with 
 an unction and subduing pathos which captivated 
 and overcame all who heard without prejudice. 
 
 George Donnell, Senior, resided near the old 
 church, and being one of the ciders, he continued 
 his membership there, notwithstanding his sym- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 109 
 
 pathies were with the revival party, as manifested 
 by his frequent attendance at the new church. It 
 was in the okl church, then, and under the minis- 
 try of his uncle Samuel, that the subject of the 
 biography, Rev. George Donnell, passed his boy- 
 hood and youthful days. 
 
110 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER YIII. 
 
 YOUTH AND CONVERSION OF GEORGE DONNELL. 
 
 However distinguislied at maturity, no man is 
 celebrated at his birth : each works out his distinc- 
 tion. Usually, celebrity is the fruit of long years 
 of toil and conflict with the stern duties of life, 
 realized only at mature manhood or in advanced 
 age. But if we could trace the history of mind as 
 God sees it, doubtless we should often find the foun- 
 dation of after distinction laid in early youth. But 
 the means of tracing the successive steps by which 
 mind ascends to eminence are usually wanting ; we 
 can seldom do more than note the development of 
 those peculiar traits of character which lead to dis- 
 tinction. 
 
 Such is the case in relation to Eev. George Don- 
 nell. Though a distinguished preacher in his day, 
 there was nothing remarkable in early life, fore- 
 shadowing his future celebrity: of his boyhood and 
 youth but little is known. His parents wore Scotch- 
 Irish Presbyterians, pious, and warmly attached to 
 the doctrines and usages of the Cliurch. Both 
 received their education and religious training under 
 Dr. Caldwell, of Carolina. They were plain, unprc- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. Ill 
 
 tending, and very domestic in their habits of life, 
 more solicitous to raise their children in the fear 
 of God than to gain for them the admiration 
 and applause of the world. Being in moderate 
 circumstances, they trained all their children to 
 habits of industry and economy. Much care was 
 bestowed upon their religious education. They 
 were gathered, morning and evening, around the 
 family altar, a portion of Scripture was read, a hymn 
 sung, and a prayer offered for daily blessings and 
 constant guidance and protection. At an early 
 age, the children were taken to church, and the 
 Sabbath evening was spent in catechizing them 
 upon the sermon and the Scriptures. So soon as a 
 child had learned to read, if not sooner, it was 
 required to begin the labor of committing the 
 catechism, and this was prosecuted every Sabbath, 
 till the whole was so fixed in the memory, that the 
 child could begin at the first and go through with- 
 out prompting. 
 
 George was the third son and the seventh child 
 of the family. The oldest son, after he attained 
 to manhood, studied medicine, and bade fair to 
 become eminent in his profession ; but while he 
 healed others, he could not heal himself — he died 
 in early manhood. The second son died in his 
 youth, leaving George the oldest surviving son of 
 the family. 
 
 When only six years of age, he sustained an irre- 
 parable loss, in the death of his amiable and fond 
 mother. Naturally affectionate and susceptible, he 
 
112 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 realized his great loss, aDd, for a time, was incon- 
 solable. Thus early deprived of a mother's affec- 
 tion, and her earnest, subduing prayers, George's 
 religious training devolved, for a time, wholly upon 
 the father. Of course, it was not so influential as 
 if the mother had shared the responsibility ; but he 
 received much religious instruction, and was the 
 subject of many prayers. 
 
 Two years after this bereavement, his father mar- 
 ried a second wife, and George again had a mother. 
 But he never forgot his first love — the cherished 
 image of his own dear mother lived in his heart. 
 Though he rendered respect and obedience to his 
 step-mother, she never gained the place in his affec- 
 tions held by his own beloved mother, and conse- 
 quently she never could exercise the same restraining 
 influence over him. 
 
 Sprightly, inventive, ardent, George was not 
 likely to be idle, or uninfluenced by those around 
 him. Affectionate and obliging, he became the 
 idol of the family, and the centre of a wide circle 
 of associates. A younger brother, the child of his 
 own sainted mother, was his inseparable compa- 
 nion and constant charge. Dearly as he loved him, 
 and vigilant as he was to shield him from all harm, 
 with his own hands he inflicted a wound which was 
 a source of regret while he lived. 
 
 In one of his boyish plays, he was conducting a 
 sham Indian fight, when he charged upon his little 
 brother, and shot off his pop-gun. Unfortunately, 
 the wad struck the little fellow in the eye, and 
 
KEV. GEORGE DONNELL. 113 
 
 injured tlie sight. George bitterly repented liis 
 rashness, tenderly sympathized with the little suf- 
 ferer, and a thousand times assured him of his sor- 
 row. But neither tears nor regrets could restore 
 vision to the injured eye — it remains a witness of 
 the thoughtlessness of boyhood. Whatever atone- 
 ment a thousand kind offices and the warmest 
 affection of a brother's heart could make, David 
 has received and reciprocated. The injured eye 
 seems to have been, through life, the occasion of a 
 peculiar attachment. 
 
 In the school of his uncle, Samuel Donnell, 
 George made rapid progress in the acquisition of 
 the rudiments of an English education. But he 
 gained quite as much distinction on the play- 
 ground as in the school-room. Prominent in every 
 sport, expert at every game, full of hilarity, humor, 
 and wit, ever pleasant and affectionate, he was the 
 favorite of all his companions. One of his school- 
 mates, who knew him well, and loved him as a 
 brother, says : " George was a warm-hearted, manly, 
 honorable boy, mischievous and wild, but he never 
 did a mean thing, was never profane, and always 
 abhorred a lie."* 
 
 On the farm, he was industrious, ingenious, and 
 skilful in the use of tools, both in repairing and 
 constructing the implements of husbandry and the 
 fixtures on the farm. He was faithful in business, 
 and careful of the interests of the family, and in 
 
 * Foster Doake, Esq. 
 
114 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 various ways rendered, himself an almost indispen- 
 sable aid to his father, in conducting the farm and 
 managing the hands. Consequently, he was kept 
 at home during the farming season, and sent to 
 school during the winter. 
 
 As he advanced in years, he became the ruling 
 spirit among the youth of the neighborhood. 
 Though free from- every species of dissipation, yet, 
 full of humor and mischief, he was ever ready to 
 lead off in any sport or frolic that promised amuse- 
 ment. 
 
 As George had exhibited mechanical skill and 
 genius, and as he was of slender frame, and his 
 health rather feeble, his father thought that a trade 
 would suit him better than farming. At that day, 
 the trades of the country were few and simple, such 
 only as ministered to the necessities of society ; the 
 carpenter, the blacksmith, the joiner, the shoemaker, 
 the hatter, the millwright, and the wheelwright, were 
 the principal. As all classes j at that day, manufactured 
 their clothing at home, each family was compelled 
 to have at least two wheels — one for cotton and 
 wool, and another for flax — while many had a half 
 dozen or more. The wheel-making was a thriving 
 trade, and it required no heavy or disagreeable 
 labor. It was therefore selected as the most suita- 
 ble trade for George. Accordingly, at the age of 
 seventeen, he was placed with Mr. Elihu Bone, who 
 had a shop in the neighborhood. 
 
 During his stay here, he received his first abid- 
 ing religious impressions. What circumstances 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 115 
 
 awakened conviction is not known. He has left 
 no memoranda of his religious experience, and all 
 that the surviving members of the family recollect 
 is, that after he had been with Mr. Bone about a 
 year, he came home in feeble health, and in a de- 
 jected and desponding state of mind, and asked 
 permission to quit the trade, as he thought it was 
 injuring his health. His request was granted, and 
 he remained at home. As his health was feeble, 
 he was not put to any regular business, but spent 
 his time chiefly in reading, and in gloomy medita- 
 tion. His former hilarity, humor, and mischief, 
 had given place to thoughtfulness, melancholy, and 
 despondency. He read the Bible, prayed much, 
 and attended upon the public means of grace, but 
 his convictions of sin gathered strength daily. 
 Months wore away in deep gloom and despondency. 
 Weighed down with a sense of guilt and condem- 
 nation, such was the anguish of his soul, that he be- 
 came incapable of attending to business, and fears 
 were entertained lest his mind should be impaired. 
 Wan, emaciated, and desponding, "the arrows of 
 the Almighty seemed to be drinking up the life of 
 his spirit." 
 
 Had his pastor, Eev. Samuel Donnell, been as 
 familiar with the workings of mind when under 
 pungent conviction as he was with the doctrines 
 of the Calvinistic creed, and had he been as intent 
 upon leading mourners to Christ as he was in 
 teaching the Catechism, he would have discovered 
 the seat of poor George's disease, and would have 
 
116 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 administered the promises of the gospel with a 
 faith and suasiveness that would have led him to 
 the Saviour. But George had been a wild boy, 
 and perhaps the old man did not regard him as one 
 of the " elect." Be that as it may, George was left 
 to mourn in solitude, until he obtained permission 
 to attend a Cumberland Presbyterian camp-meet- 
 ing, held at Sugg's Creek, in Wilson county. ILere 
 he presented himself among the mourners on Satur- 
 day night, and from that hour until about ten 
 o'clock Sunday night, he was in great agony. But 
 a sympathizing friend spoke encouragingly of Jesus, 
 and gently led him, "by away he had not known," 
 to the foot of the cross, then bade him look and 
 live. He was enabled, by the grace of God, " to 
 lay hold upon the hope set before him," and, in be- 
 lieving in Jesus as his Saviour, to realize remission 
 of sins and peace with God. And 0, such peace ! 
 " It was sweeter than life, and stronger than death." 
 
 The height of his joy was proportionate to the 
 depth of his despair. His convictions had been 
 agonizing — his transport was rapturous ; darkness 
 had long enveloped his mind — the light of the glory 
 of God, in the face of Jesus, shone upon his heart. 
 Though prostrate upon the ground, he seemed to 
 be at the very gate of heaven.* 
 
 The camp-meeting at which he experienced re- 
 generation was held in August, 1819 ; consequently, 
 George had just completed his eighteenth year. 
 
 * Rev. Thomas Calhoon. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 117 
 
 He returned home so buoyant in spirit, and with 
 such an expression of heavenly serenity in his coun- 
 tenance, that all knew, on sight, that he had ex- 
 perienced a great and salutary change. His friends 
 no longer feared derangement. He discoursed of 
 Jesus with the familiarity of a mature saint, and 
 with the sweetness and rapture of a seraph. To 
 his late companions in sin, his appeals were so 
 tender and earnest, as to subdue the most obdurate 
 and resolute.* 
 
 Among the youth of the neighborhood, George 
 had been a leader in all manner of innocent mis- 
 chief, and with them he had acquired a character 
 for the originality of his inventions, and for tact 
 and shrewdness in executing his plans. In jest 
 and joke, wit and humor, anecdote and comic song, 
 he had no equal. This faculty for fun had made 
 him the favorite of all; but when he put on Christ, 
 this was a snare to him : he was sorely tempted to 
 indulge his propensity to humor, and often did his 
 companions endeavor to entice him away from his 
 sobriety. But grace triumphed. Abiding, anxious 
 solicitude for the souls of those he loved, restrained 
 his proclivity toward the humorous, an'd prompted 
 many a touching and subduing appeal to the hearts 
 of his associates. 
 
 Believing that Cumberland Presbyterians had 
 been instrumental in his conversion, approving 
 their doctrines, and recognizing in them a spirit 
 
 * Thomas Bell. 
 
118 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 congenial with liis own, he asked and obtained the 
 consent of liis father to join the Cumberland Pres- 
 byterian Cliurch. lie applied and was received 
 into the communion of the Bethesda church, the 
 same that had been formed by the revival i)arty 
 which withdrew from the Spring Creek church. 
 Having publicly professed Christ, and taken upon 
 liimself the obligations of a disciple, he became at 
 once a consistent, active, zealous Christian. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 119 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CHRISTIAN LIFE AND LABOR. 
 
 Shortly after his conversion, George resumed 
 labor on his father's farm. But not forgetting that 
 he owed service to him who had redeemed him from 
 bondage, at the price of blood, he improved every 
 favorable opportunity of religious conversation with 
 his young companions, especially his sister and 
 younger brother. Night meetings during the week 
 were common in the neighborhood. George was a 
 punctual attendant. After the labors of the day, he 
 would ride three and four miles to one of those meet- 
 ings, and after laboring in the meeting till a late hour, 
 he would then return home, that he might be at 
 his post in the morning, ready for the labor of the 
 day. 
 
 "When called upon, he would lead in prayer and 
 in singing; and he was ever active, when there 
 were mourners, in giving them personal instruc- 
 tions, and in private conversations with his asso- 
 ciates, to induce them to seek salvation. Some- 
 times, when deeply interested, he would adventure 
 a public exhortation to his youthful companions ; 
 and then, such was the earnest wooing of his 
 
120 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 spirit, that none but a heart of steel could remain 
 unmoved. Already the winsome manner of his 
 pleading with his young friends began to attract 
 the attention of observant Christians ; and the ap- 
 propriateness of his instructions to mourners, and 
 his singular success in winning them to Christ, be- 
 came the subject of general remark. 
 
 Ilaving passed the winter and spring succeeding 
 his conversion laboring on the farm, during the 
 summer of 1820 he was permitted to attend all the 
 sacramental and camp-meetings within the limits 
 of his acquaintance. At all these meetings he 
 attracted public attention by the fervor and pathos 
 of his prayers, by his peculiar tact in leading the 
 anxious to trust in the Saviour, and by the rap- 
 turous spirit of his songs. The following nar- 
 rative, furnished by Rev. S. M. Aston, will give 
 the reader a better idea of his labors at this period 
 than any description the author could present : 
 
 " During the summer of 1820, while attending 
 a camp-meeting held at Moriah camp-ground, 
 Wilson county, the writer (S. M. Aston) first saw 
 George Donnell. As well as he now recollects, it 
 was on Monday of the meeting. A sermon had 
 been preached, and the mourners were invited to 
 the altar for prayer. And as the writer had gone 
 to that meeting to seek religion, he was found 
 among the anxious inquirers for salvation. 
 
 " During the progress of the service, his attention 
 was arrested by the appearance of a young man 
 who seemed to be most deeply interested in behalf 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 121 
 
 of those who were crying for mercy. The warmth 
 of his feelings was unusual, his manner so kind 
 and affectionate — his directions, encouragements, 
 exhortations, and prayers were so appropriate — that 
 notwithstanding the writer was truly anxious to 
 obtain the blessing of God upon his own soul, yet 
 he could but notice that young man, and mark 
 him as one truly skilled in directing sinners to 
 Christ, and as being well qualified to encourage 
 all who might be in any degree discouraged in 
 striving to enter the strait gate. 
 
 "The writer was also particularly interested 
 the first time he heard him sing one of the songs 
 of Zion. The song is yet sweet to his ear; and 
 scarcely ever does he read it, or hear it sung, with- 
 out referring to the time and place where he first 
 heard it. It was that rapturous song : 
 
 " * Sweet rivers of redeeming love 
 
 Lie just before mine eye ; 
 Had I the pinions of a dove, 
 
 I'd to those rivers fly. 
 I'd rise superior to my pain, 
 
 With joy outstrip the wind; 
 I'd cross bold Jordan's stormy main, 
 
 And leave the world behind.' 
 
 Yes, he sang this song with such a full soul, and 
 in a manner that seemed as though the heavenly 
 land was really in his view, and that he was truly 
 anxious to go and realize its blessedness. The 
 writer could but mark him as one destined to that 
 goodly land. 
 
 "As yet the interesting young stranger was un- 
 6 
 
122 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 known to the writer, nor did lie during tlic meet- 
 ing learn his name. But as the camp-meeting 
 season advanced, he often heard of George Don- 
 nell, as a very zealous and promising yoath; but 
 formed no personal acquaintance with him till the 
 camp-meeting at the Big Spring. That meeting 
 was one of great interest, as it was the last for the 
 season. And being rather a central point in re- 
 spect to surrounding churches, many, very many 
 were in attendance ; and to the honor of God be it 
 said, many poor sinners found the pearl of price 
 unknown, and will look back from the heavenly 
 land to that meeting, as the time and place of 
 their espousal to Christ. But to return to my 
 narrative. 
 
 " Wlien Tuesday morning came, and the people 
 were preparing to leave — some eager to bear home 
 the glad tidings that they had found the Saviour 
 precious to their souls — one young lady seemed 
 as though she could not leave, as she had not ob- 
 tained the blessing. And it further appeared that 
 if she were willing, her brother (my interesting 
 stranger) would not suffer her; and how could 
 he, when she was not comforted ? He prayed for 
 her, talked to her, encouraged her, wept over her, 
 and in every way helped her to Christ. 0, it was 
 an interesting moment! The scene is all plainly 
 before my mind, and I fancy I can almost hear 
 the sweet persuasive voice of a brother to his sister, 
 saying, * Come to Jesus!' And when she gave 
 evidence that the Saviour had blessed her soul, her 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 123 
 
 brother clapped liis hands, gave a loud shout, aud 
 fell prostrate to the ground, where he lay some 
 time, seemingly overcome with a sense of the good- 
 ness of God. He then said he could go home 
 satisfied, now that his sister had found the Saviour. 
 I then learned that my young stranger was George 
 Donnell." 
 
 Such is the testimony of Eev. S. M. Aston as to 
 the efficiency of Donnell's labors at two meetings, 
 Moriah and Big Spring. 
 
 Eev. William Smith, who was at this period one 
 of Donnell's associates, and subsequently his co- 
 laborer in the ministry, says of him : 
 
 "During the summer of 1820, Brother Donnell 
 labored much among the mourners at the several 
 camp-meetings w^hich I attended. He appeared, 
 even then, to be very successful in leading the in- 
 quiring mind to the Saviour ; and he seemed also 
 to enjoy much of the real comforts of religion in his 
 own soul." 
 
 The testimony of many living witnesses estab- 
 lishes the fact that, during the year 1820, he was 
 very active and persevering in endeavors to influ- 
 ence his companions, and particularly his relatives, 
 to seek religion ; also, that his effiDrts in instruct- 
 ing inquirers were eminently successful. Many 
 over whom he wept burning tears of sympathy, 
 and for whom he travelled in agony of spirit, till 
 " Christ the hope of glory was formed in the soul," 
 have joined him in paradise, and many still live 
 
124 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 to testify to liis fidelity and zeal in the service of 
 his Master. 
 
 The beloved sister for whom he manifested so 
 much solicitude at the Big Spring camp-meeting, 
 was not the only member of the family he won to 
 Christ during the summer of 1820. At the Moriah 
 camp-meeting he shed tears of gratitude and in- 
 dulged rapturous joy at the conversion of his 
 beloved brother David. This was a source of 
 unspeakable pleasure. "When a boy, he had thought- 
 lessly deprived him of an eye, and then he wept 
 tears of bitterness on account of the irreparable 
 loss ; but now he had been instrumental in open- 
 ing the eyes of his understanding, to behold the 
 glory of God in the face of Jesus. And now the 
 two brothers rejoiced together, as though heaven 
 had already been gained. This is the case George 
 had on hand when he first attracted Mr. Aston's 
 attention ; it was over him he sang in such seraphic 
 strains that heavenly song : 
 
 " Sweet rivers of redeeming love.' ' 
 
 Such was his zeal, and his wonderful aptitude 
 in winning souls to Christ, that public sentiment 
 generally marked him as a promising subject for 
 the ministry. Already the leading traits of the 
 future man were manifested in the youth of nine- 
 teen, namely, unusual solicitude for the salvation 
 of souls, incessant eflTorts for the conversion of 
 sinners, yearning sympathy with the mourner in 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 125 
 
 all his distress and despondency, untiring zeal and 
 unequalled skill in leading him to Christ, a cordial 
 participation in his joy in the Spirit, and a sweet 
 singer in Israel. 
 
 He has left no memorandum concerning the 
 exercises of his mind in relation to a call to the 
 ministry ; but as he often conversed with his 
 brethren upon the subject, it is known that he 
 labored under great embarrassment. Ilis father 
 was an elder 'in the Presbyterian Church, and held 
 the sentiment of that Church, that a classical edu- 
 cation is indispensable to a minister of the gospel. 
 George had only a common English education. 
 His father did not oppose his preaching, but in- 
 sisted that he should first acquire a classical educa- 
 tion. George knew that the views of his father 
 were in conflict with the practice of the presby- 
 teries. Such was the demand for preaching, that 
 candidates, after a short probation, were licensed, 
 and immediately placed upon a circuit, to learn to 
 preach by daily practice. And he foresaw that he 
 could not comply with the wishes of his father, and 
 at the same time meet the expectations of presby- 
 tery. Then again, the responsibilities of a minis- 
 ter seemed to him overwhelming, and he shrank 
 from the thought of assuming that responsibility, 
 even with thorough preparation. On the other 
 hand, the love of Christ and sympathy for souls 
 constrained him. The conflict was protracted; 
 but after much prayer, and intense mental agony, 
 on the 5th of April, 1821, he appeared before pres- 
 
126 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 bjterj, then in session at Old Moriah, a few miles 
 distant from the residence of his father. After a 
 simple narration of the exercises of his mind, he 
 was received as a candidate for the ministry, under 
 the care of the Xashville Preshytery. 
 
 On the same day presbytery received four other 
 candidates, Samuel M. Aston, Abner W. Lansdon, 
 John Beard, and John Grier. The same day pres- 
 bytery licensed Robert S. Donnell and Francis 
 Johnston, and ordained John L. Dillard. That 
 was a blessed day for the Church that recorded the 
 reception of Donnell, Aston, Lansdon, and Beard, 
 the licensure of R. S. Donnell, and the ordination 
 of J. L. Dillard. How seldom do presbyteries of 
 the present day exhibit such a record ! And why 
 do they not ? Because they do not pray the Lord 
 of the harvest to send laborers, as our fathers did. 
 At the time Donnell joined, when presbytery 
 was about to afford an opportunity for candidates 
 to present themselves. Rev. Thomas Calhoon rose 
 and delivered a most pungent address upon a call 
 to the ministry, at the same time setting forth in 
 strong terms the wants of the Church, and the per- 
 ishing condition of the world, destitute of the 
 bread of life. During this address the members of 
 presbytery were in tears and an agony of prayer ; 
 the whole congregation was convulsed ; and the re- 
 sult was that eight youths presented themselves to 
 converse with the presbytery, ^yq of whom were at 
 that time received, and the others subsequently. 
 If we at this day would pray the Lord to impress 
 
E, EV. GEORGE DONNELL. 12T 
 
 young men, and if we would often preacli upon a 
 call to the ministry, the Church would be better 
 supplied with ministers, and probationers • would 
 recognize through life the solemn responsibilities 
 of the sacred office. 
 
 Having been received as a candidate for the holy 
 ministry, George felt that he must be about his 
 Master's work. As Francis Johnston, who was 
 licensed in the morning, made an appointment to 
 preach that night, Donnell accompanied him, and 
 at the close of the sermon he delivered a most 
 pathetic exhortation to the young men in the con- 
 gregation, and then called mourners. Many came, 
 and general interest prevailed in the congregation. 
 During the progress of the exercises, Donnell, 
 impressed with the conviction that there was a 
 want of faith in the Church, and impelled by his 
 solicitude for the mourners, arose to encourage 
 Christians to the exercise of more faith. With this 
 view, he drew a picture of the Prophet Elijah 
 praying for rain. "Wliile the old prophet prayed, 
 he sent his servant toward the sea, to look out 
 for the appearance of a cloud. The servant re- 
 turned, and reported no cloud in view. Elijah 
 prayed again, but still no cloud appeared. The 
 prayer was six times repeated without signs of rain. 
 The venerable prophet, loath to give up in despair, 
 was represented as reverently bowing himself to the 
 ground the seventh time, and pouring out his full 
 soul before God in fervent, faithful, iwevailing 
 prayer. The servant reported a cloud in the dis- 
 
128 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 tance, as large as a man's hand. The old prophet 
 rose up calm and serene, confidently awaiting an 
 answer from God. The cloud gathered, advanced, 
 and poured down in torrents a most copious rain. 
 
 Mr. Aston says the representation electrified the 
 congregation. " Though thirty years have now 
 elapsed, the whole scene is most vividly before my 
 mind : the efiect upon the audience was most thril- 
 ling and impressive. Such exhibitions soon evinced 
 to the Church that Donnell was destined to be a 
 ready, moving, and successful minister of the 
 gospel.'* 
 
REV. GEORaE DONNELL. 129 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 HIS LABORS WHILE A CANDIDATE. 
 
 Having been received under the care of pres- 
 bytery, George was placed at school with his uncle, 
 Rev. Samuel Donnell, of the Presbyterian Church, 
 not with any expectation of acquiring a classical 
 education, but to study those branches of science 
 required by the Discipline of the Cumberland Pres- 
 byterian Church. In this school he studied English 
 Grammar, Geography, ISTatural and floral Philoso- 
 phy, Astronomy, Rhetoric, and Logic. This was a 
 limited course, as compared with that of the present 
 day. But if the course was limited, more labor was 
 bestowed upon each branch than is bestowed upon 
 those branches now. And those who direct the 
 education of youth should never lose sight of the 
 fact, that a few branches thoroughly studied do more 
 to develop and strengthen the intellectual powers 
 than an extended course superficially studied. 
 
 George Donnell did not, as too many of our col- 
 lege students do, postpone eiforts to do good until 
 he acquired his education, but during his stay at 
 school he was active in the field, so far as opportu- 
 nity admitted. He rightly judged that the study 
 6* 
 
130 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 of science would not make him a practical preacher. 
 He proceeded upon the common maxim that prac- 
 tice alone can give efficiency and skill. And then 
 higher considerations than that of self-improve- 
 ment urged him into the field : the worth of souls 
 and the danger of delay pressed upon his spirit, 
 llis warm sympathy went out after many a youth- 
 ful companion still living in sin, without hope and 
 without God. The idea of postponing a warning 
 to such, until he should finish his education, was, 
 to his mind, cruel and wicked. He conferred not 
 with flesh and hlood, but resolved to do his duty, 
 to follow the dictates of conscience and the prompt- 
 ings of his sympathetic heart. 
 
 During the summer of 1821, and while at school, 
 he had apjDointments for prayer-meeting one or 
 more nights in every week. Rev. AYilliam Smith 
 says: ^'Ile made many appointments that were 
 near enough for me to attend, at which meetings 
 he would exhort, and frequently call mourners, 
 then pray with and for them; and sometimes, 
 when the interest seemed to justify it, he would 
 continue the meeting till a late hour of the night." 
 Rev. S. Y. Thomas says : " From the time Donnell 
 joined presbytery, he was the most zealous and suc- 
 cessful laborer with mourners I ever saw. lie 
 manifested great concern for his associates, ex- 
 erted great influence over them, and labored most 
 faithfully for their conversion." 
 
 Rev. S. M. Aston says : " During the summer of 
 1821, I attended a camp-meeting on Fall Creek, 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 131 
 
 wliere Little George, as lie was usually called, distin- 
 guished himself in exhortatioiij prayer, and other 
 camp-meeting exercises, winning for himself un- 
 fading laurels for a young soldier in the service of 
 Jesus Christ, and inducing sinners to forsake 
 the ranks of Satan, and enlist under the banner of 
 their lawful Sovereign. There was so much of tlie 
 spirit of Christ in his exhortations, prayers, and 
 singing, that the influence was always impressive." 
 
 In September, 1821, George Donnell, S. M. Aston, 
 and other candidates for the ministry, accompanied 
 Rev. Robert Guthrie, John Provine, and James 
 McDonald, to the Mountain district, to aid them in 
 the camp-meetings on the Overton Circuit. '' There 
 it was," says Aston, " that an intimate acquaintance 
 between Brother Donnell and myself began, wdiich 
 enkindled love like that which bound together the 
 hearts of David and Jonathan, and which increased 
 as our acquaintance advanced. Brother Donnell 
 being a more experienced Christian than myself, 
 was put forward with more confidence. And soon 
 did he win the favor of the people, and demon- 
 strate, by repeated exhibitions, that he was destined 
 to be a burning and a shining light in the Church." 
 
 As there were but three preachers in the com- 
 pany, and they were all aged men, much of the 
 labor of the meetings devolved upon the candidates. 
 For the singing, exhortations, prayers, and instruct- 
 ing of the mourners, they were held responsible. 
 And as it was the custom at that day to have a ser- 
 vice before breakfast every morning, that exercise 
 
132 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 devolved upon tliem. Aston says : " Brother Don- 
 nell usually held the morning meeting, and assisted 
 in the services of the evening ; and whenever, by 
 day or night, exhortation was needed, to give in- 
 terest to the exercises, he was ready in spirit and 
 at his post. He faltered not, nor grew weary in the 
 duties of singing, exhortation, and prayer. lie was 
 emphatically a laboring man in the cause of his 
 Master. "Would to God we had many such candi- 
 dates in these days as was Donnell, who felt that 
 he was called of God to labor for the good of souls, 
 that he had no time for ease or gallantry, while one 
 poor sinner cried to God for mercy." 
 
 It was the custom of that day to commence a 
 camp-meeting on Friday, and close it invariably on 
 the following Tuesday. Time was thus afforded to 
 the preachers to recruit their wasted energies by 
 repose and social intercourse. But this recreation, 
 however necessary, was denied to Donnell and 
 Aston. The time for the fall session of presby- 
 tery was approaching, and their discourses were not 
 prepared. The leisure day or two, in the middle 
 of each week, that should have been given to re- 
 pose and recreation, had to be employed in pre- 
 paring their discourses to be read in j^resbytery. 
 It was not with them, as with some modern candi- 
 dates, a hurried preparation, intended as a formal 
 compliance with the requisition of presbytery, 
 without any appreciation of its importance, or any 
 expectation of solid improvement thereby. They 
 regarded the exercise as a real test of their abilities 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 133 
 
 and pretensions to the ministry. They therefore 
 labored to do their best; they read, and studied, 
 and prayed, and wrote and re-wrote their pieces 
 several times, and then they carefully compared 
 what they had written with the Scriptures and the 
 Confession of Faith ; and even then, such was their 
 sense of the responsibilities devolving upon a can- 
 didate for the holy ministry, and such their distrust 
 of their abilities, that it was with great hesitancy 
 and misgiving that they could bring themselves to 
 submit their poor productions to the scrutiny of the 
 presbytery. 
 
 But when Donnell had read his first discourse to 
 the presb}i:ery, prepared as it was by piecemeal 
 while in the mountains, it was manifest to all that 
 he possessed a mind of a fine mould. The compo- 
 sition indicated discrimination and judgment in 
 treating the subject, and great facility in communi- 
 cating his thoughts with perspicuity and point. 
 The style was so perfectly natural, so free from all 
 afiectation or studied modes of expression, as to 
 give the discourse, when read, the semblance of a 
 spontaneous effusion, rather than the recital of a 
 carefully prepared treatise. The subject of the dis- 
 course gave occasion for an appeal to his irreligious 
 friends, and with such pathos did he pour forth the 
 sympathies of his soul as to move the whole 
 audience to tears. From that moment the presby- 
 tery regarded George Donnell as destined to be a 
 suasive advocate for Christ ; and those who, in after 
 years, have hung upon his melting strains of love 
 
13-4 TUE LIFE OF THE 
 
 till their hearts Avcre dissolved, can testify that the 
 anticipations of the presbytery were more than 
 realized. 
 
 This discourse was read to presbytery^ at Big 
 Spring church, in October, 1821. At this session 
 William Smith was received as a candidate for the 
 ministry. At the close of the presbytery, Smith 
 accompanied Donnell to an appointment at Alex- 
 ander Foster's, near Bethesda church. Many of 
 Donnell's relatives and youthful associates were 
 present. He addressed them with a yearning soli- 
 citude for their souls which they could not resist, 
 and several vowed that night to seek the Saviour. 
 
 The following winter was passed in the school of 
 his uncle, Samuel Donnell, prosecuting the study 
 of the sciences. Though much interested and oc- 
 cupied with his studies, he did not forget his obli- 
 gations to Him that had bought him, nor abate his 
 zeal for souls. He had appointments for night 
 meetings every week, conversions were common, 
 and general seriousness prevailed. As his appoint- 
 ments were in different neighborhoods, the reli- 
 gious interest was extended, and a wide field was 
 thus cultivated while he was in school, many souls 
 saved, and many stars planted in his crown. 
 
 In March, 1822, presbytery met at Stoner's Creek 
 church, when he read his second discourse, which 
 was so satisfactory that presbytery was disposed to 
 license him, and place him on a circuit. But anxious 
 as he was to be warning sinners, and preaching the 
 unsearchable riches of Christ, he was reluctant to 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 135 
 
 abandon his studies, as lie must do if placed upon 
 a circuit. Presbytery therefore consented that he 
 might remain at school one session longer. Aston 
 was licensed and placed upon the Overton Circuit, 
 to cooperate with Robert S. Donnell. George re- 
 turned to his studies and his evening appointments. 
 
 Had the presbyteries allowed their probationers 
 to remain at school after licensure, many of them 
 might have acquired a liberal education, and, with 
 the zeal of a Donnell, they might have been instru- 
 mental in the conversion of scores of souls, while 
 prosecuting their studies. But the Church was 
 expanding so rapidly, and the field of labor so en- 
 larged, that presbyteries were constrained, in order 
 to meet the growing demand for preaching, to place 
 their probationers upon the circuit, where they were 
 compelled to preach every day, in order to get 
 around the circuit once a month. Such incessant 
 labor in the pulpit left no time for literary studies. 
 Licensure was therefore regarded as the termina- 
 tion of all literary pursuits, and the commencement 
 of incessant labor. 
 
 In the fall of 1821, Cumberland Synod divided 
 JSTashville Presbytery, and ordered a new presbytery 
 to be constituted out of the eastern section, to be 
 known as Lebanon Presbytery. Shortly after the ad- 
 journment of the E'ashville Presbytery, in the spring 
 of 1822, the ministers within the territory to be 
 embraced in the new presbytery assembled at Big 
 Spring church and constituted the Lebanon Pres- 
 bytery. The ministers were Thomas Calhoon, 
 
136 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 Samuel ^IcSpadden, John L. Dillard, John Pro- 
 vinc, and James McDonakl. The tcrritoiy em- 
 braced portions of Sumner, Wilson, and Rutherford 
 counties, and the whole of Smith, Warren, White, 
 Jackson, Overton, and Fentress counties. Five 
 ministers and a few licentiates and candidates were 
 responsible for the cultivation of a territory seventy- 
 five miles in breadth, and more than one hundred 
 in length, with an indefinite extension eastward. 
 
 But in the primitive days of our infant Church, 
 the presbyteries necessarily embraced a wide extent 
 of territory. The original Cumberland Presbytery, 
 at its organization in 1810, included all the Presby- 
 terian churches in the Cumberland country which 
 had embraced the views and sought the ministra- 
 tion of the revival party. Hence, that presb^'tery 
 embraced the southern portion of Kentucky and all 
 Middle Tennessee. Three years after its organiza- 
 tion, this territory was divided into three sections, 
 and two new presbyteries were constituted — Logan, 
 embracing the revival churches in Kentucky, and 
 Elk, embracing the southern counties in Tennessee. 
 And when these presbyteries constituted a synod, 
 in 1813, the name of the original presbytery was 
 changed from Cumberland to that of E'ashville 
 Presbytery. Each of these presbyteries enlarged 
 their bounds as they extended their operations and 
 planted new churches. Lebanon Presbytery was 
 the first organized by the extension of the I^ash- 
 ville Presbytery. 
 
 The first regular session of Lebanon Presbytery 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 137 
 
 was held at Betbesda cliurcli in October, 1822. As 
 George Donnell resided within its bounds, he fell 
 under its jurisdiction. His third discourse was 
 therefore read to this presbytery during its session 
 at Bethesda. It was sustained as popular, and he 
 was regularly licensed to preach the gospel, and 
 ordered to the Lebanon Circuit, to cooperate with 
 Eobert Baker, who had been licensed by the Il^asli- 
 ville Presbytery, previous to the organization of the 
 Lebanon Presbytery. 
 
138 TUB LIFE OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 MISSIONARY LABORS ON THE CIRCUIT. 
 
 The Lebanon Circuit, upon wliicli Donnell was 
 placed, extended through Sumner, "Wilson, Ruther- 
 ford, and Smith counties. It included about thirty 
 appointments, which had to be met once in every 
 four weeks. Mr. Baker, who was on the same cir- 
 cuit, preceded Donnell about two weeks. Though 
 travelling the same circuit, and preaching at the 
 same places, they seldom met : each had his own 
 appointments, for which he alone was responsible. 
 
 Mr. Baker was a most amiable man, an humble, de- 
 vout Christian, and a persuasive, eloquent preacher, 
 and could Mr. Donnell have enjoyed his society, it 
 would have been a great advantage as well as a 
 great satisfaction to him. But this privilege Avas 
 denied him. It was the custom, however, to grant 
 each licentiate the privilege of taking with him a 
 candidate for the ministry ; and if at any time the 
 circuit-rider was unable to fill his appointment, the 
 candidate held meeting as best he could. Donnell 
 was attended by Samuel Y. Thomas, and to him 
 we are indebted for any definite information respect- 
 ing Donu ell's first efibrts in the ministry. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 139 
 
 He says : ^'Dounell prepared liis sermons in tlic 
 woods, the Bible being almost tlie only book lie 
 used. He read, and studied, and prayed in tlie 
 woods, till the hour for preaching arrived. O.ne 
 thing is worthy of remark: I never knew him to 
 enter the pulpit to preach without going directly 
 from secret prayer ; and to this I attribute his great 
 success in preaching." 
 
 As his discourses were chiefly drawn directly 
 from that pure fountain of truth, the Bible, they 
 were characterized by great simplicity of composi- 
 tion and style. His manner of delivery was peculiar 
 to himself. Oppressed with the solemn responsi- 
 bility of an embassador for Christ, he was humbled 
 under a sense of his unworthiness ; inspired with 
 an unusual measure of the sympathy of the cross, 
 he yearned for souls, as Jesus wept over Jerusalem. 
 Consequently, deep humility, great earnestness, and 
 winning affection for souls, marked his delivery. 
 
 But when the melting strains of dying love failed 
 to win and subdue the heart, he knew how to be 
 pungent and withering, in warning the sinner of 
 his doom, and imploring him to heed the calls of 
 mercy, pleading with him with the moving pathos 
 of one pleading for the life of his own soul. He 
 never preached for applause, never made an effort 
 at display, never seemed to conciliate the favor of 
 man, but, always intent upon saving souls, he 
 preached as though he expected himself and his 
 audience to pass directly from that service to the 
 judgment-seat of Christ. Though not lauded as 
 
140 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 an orator, his preaching was resistless — none could 
 hear him unmoved. Interest was awakened wher- 
 ever he preached : all around the circuit, Christiajis 
 were revived, and the unregenerate were yielding 
 to their convictions. At almost every appointment, 
 mourners came to the altar of prayer, and not un- 
 frequently it was his privilege to participate in tlie 
 joy of new-born souls, which to him was the most 
 exquisite pleasure of life. 
 
 Such had been his activity in Hie service of his 
 Master, from the hour that he experienced the joys 
 of salvation, and such his untiring zeal in address- 
 ing his youthful companions in public and private 
 exhortations, in the school, and at his night meet- 
 ings, that when he entered upon his circuit, he had 
 more experience and skill in addressing himself to 
 the heart and the conscience, than some ministers 
 acquire in a whole lifetime of formal pulpit ser- 
 vices ; and when he commenced preaching, all were 
 astonished to observe with what facility and direct- 
 ness he wound himself into the hearts of his 
 audience. Had they witnessed with what agony 
 of soul he toiled night after night, toiled till a late 
 hour, for the conversion of his associates, while at 
 school, half of the mystery would have been dis- 
 solved. Let candidates for the ministry learn that 
 indolence and indifference may fill the pulpit with 
 prosing sermonizers, but never can make efiicient 
 ministers of Jesus Christ. 
 
 The success attending his labors is remarkable. 
 A youth in years, limited in attainments, clad in 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 141 
 
 homespun, diffident to a fault, without reputation, 
 he went forth among strangers an unpretending, 
 simple-minded circuit-rider. Infidels curled the 
 lip of scorn, and fops wagged the head, but wher- 
 ever "Little George" told the simple story of the 
 cross, in his own peculiar and tender style, the 
 hearts of the people were subdued ; and though he 
 provoked no loud applause, yet he won the affec- 
 tions of all. iNo man could hear him once without 
 desiring to hear him again, and though opposed to 
 religion, and cherishing contempt for its ministers, 
 yet he loved and respected Donnell. And when 
 once he had gained the heart to himself, he seldom 
 failed to lead it to Christ. His first six months' 
 labor on the circuit brought many souls to Jesus, 
 and planted many a gem in his crown. 
 
 It would be difficult for the self-indulgent, plea- 
 sure-loving circuit-rider of the present day to form 
 any just conceptions of the exhausting labors and 
 crushing responsibilities of the self-denying, hum- 
 ble-minded missionary of that day. A youth with 
 limited attainments, and without experience, was 
 required to preach every day, and then ride from 
 ten to twenty miles to his next appointment ; and 
 whenever the interest seemed to call for it, he was 
 expected to preach at night also, and then labor 
 with the mourners till a late hour. Sometimes the 
 interest would be so general that he would desire 
 very much to remain, and encourage disconsolate 
 mourners, but he was compelled to hasten on to the 
 next appointment. 
 
142 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 But Mr. Astou says: "Thoiigli the life of tlie 
 circuit-rider was laborious, yet was it truly plea- 
 sant, for the Lord was with us in those days : gene- 
 rally, on some part of the circuit, there was a 
 revival in progress, sinners were inquiring the way 
 of salvation, happy converts were rejoicing in the 
 glorious hope of the gospel, while Christians were 
 striving together for the conversion of their chil- 
 dren and friends. This religious interest kept the 
 preacher from becoming formal or lukewarm, and 
 from worldly-mindedness and vanity. In a word, 
 it was sweet and pleasant labor. Ministers of that 
 day can with propriety sing : 
 
 ' What peaceful hours I then enjoyed ! 
 How sweet their memory still!' 
 
 How many there are even now, in the middle of the 
 nineteenth century, who call to mind the former 
 times, and then adopt the prophet's prayer, ' Lord, 
 renew our days as of old !' " 
 
 The first six months of labor on the circuit hav- 
 ing closed, Donnell and the other missionaries re- 
 turned to -enjoy a happy reunion at presbytery, 
 which convened at Smith's Fork church, in April, 
 1823. Reports of revivals and general prosperity 
 came up from all the circuits, but the report from 
 Lebanon Circuit, where Baker and Donnell labored, 
 elicited the deepest interest. Bobert Baker was or- 
 dained and sent as a missionary to East Tennessee ; 
 Robert S. Donnell retired from the missionary field 
 and became local ; George Donnell was placed upon 
 the Overton Circuit, Aston upon the Lebanon, and 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 148 
 
 Lansdon was sent to a new circuit in Sequacliee 
 valley, a romantic vale, nearly a hundred miles in 
 length, with an average width of not more than 
 four miles, lying hetween two ranges of Cumber- 
 land Mountain. 
 
 After a few days of repose and social intercourse 
 with friends at home, the missionaries repaired to 
 their respective fields of labor. The Overton Cir- 
 cuit included those counties lying on the first bench 
 of the mountain — Warren, White, Jackson, Over- 
 ton, and Fentress. It was a new field to Donnell, 
 but a good report of his zeal had gone before him, 
 and wherever he went he met a most cordial wel- 
 come. Encouraged by his kind reception, he com- 
 menced his labors in faith, and soon he witnessed 
 the fruit thereof. Mr. Aston says : "He had many 
 precious revivals on his circuit, and many souls 
 were added unto the Lord. It was truly a season 
 of triumph to the cause of Christ, through his in- 
 strumentality. When he would leave his circuit to 
 attend a camp-meeting, it was manifest to the 
 brethren present that he was growing strong in the 
 Lord, and truly skilful in his work. There are 
 many who, even at this day, will remember his ser- 
 mon on the new birth, founded on the words, 
 'How can these things be?' and another discourse, 
 founded on the words, ' Thy kingdom come.' His 
 manner convinced all that he was in solemn ear- 
 nest, and that he preached in full view of his fear- 
 ful accountability to God." 
 
 Mr. Aston says again: "His preaching was not 
 
144 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 with the enticing words of man's wisdom, but in de- 
 monstration of the Spirit and of power. 0, there was 
 a power tliat reached the hearts of the people ! And 
 perhaps no man ever labored among the people of 
 the Mountain district with more success, or with more 
 universal approbation, than did Brother Donnell." 
 
 Such is the testimony of one who had *' personal 
 knowledge of the facts," having exchanged a round 
 on the circuit with Donnell toward the close of 
 the term, and witnessed the result of his labors. 
 When one so competent to judge, bears such testi- 
 mony to his efficiency, in less than one year after 
 his licensure, it must be admitted that he possessed 
 more than ordinary talent for usefulness. 
 
 It is remarkable that one with so little experience 
 should, in so short a time, acquire such power of 
 speech and such reputation. And if we would 
 seek an explanation, we will not' find that he be- 
 stowed any attention upon the study or practice of 
 elocution, but the secret of his power and infl.uence 
 lies in the cultivation of a devotional spirit, of in- 
 tense sympathy, and an overwhelming sense of re- 
 sponsibility. Rev. "William Smith, his associate in 
 youth and his co-laborer in the ministry, says : 
 " When he was going to preach, and felt his sub- 
 ject, as he usually did, it seemed to affect him all 
 over. The awful power and presence of God which 
 he appeared to realize, together with the weight 
 and worth of souls, seemed so to affect him that his 
 hands, even in warm weather, felt cold, and I have 
 heard an elder remark that he could always tell 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 145 
 
 when Donnell was going to preach, by shaking 
 hands with him — his hand would feel so cold." 
 
 The explanation of the cold hand is, that the 
 mind worked so intensely as to lay the whole body 
 under contribution, and cause a flow of blood from 
 the extremities to the brain ; and if the elder had 
 felt his head, he would have found it warm in the 
 same degree that the hand was cold. 'Nor was the 
 mind thus intensely wrought up with the matter 
 and form of the sermon, but the pangs of Zion 
 were upon him : he travailed for souls, his spirit was 
 in an agony, and hence it was that his preaching was 
 as resistless as the wooings of the Spirit of Christ. 
 
 Having fulfilled the term of his appointment 
 upon the Overton. Circuit, Mr. Donnell returned to 
 meet the presbytery at its fall session, which was 
 held at Providence church. He enjoyed a pleasant 
 reunion with his fellow-laborers, the young mis- 
 sionaries who, like himself, had just completed 
 another six months of incessant labor, and had 
 come up to presbytery to make their reports and 
 receive appointments 'for the future. He also met 
 many of his old friends of the Lebanon Circuit. 
 Presbytery, in those days, was the circuit-rider's 
 jubilee. He rested from his labors for a few days, 
 and this to him was grateful repose. He renewed 
 his acquaintance with many endeared to him by 
 former associations, and received the advice and 
 counsel of his fathers in the ministry, and, if he 
 had been faithful, their cordial approval ; if unfaith- 
 ful, their kind admonitions. 
 7 
 
146 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 At this session, October, 1823, presbytery licensed 
 "William Smith, Hugh E,. Smith, A. M. Young, 
 John ^I. Gricr, and Kobert Randolpli. Mr. Don- 
 nell was reappointed to the Overton Circuit, and A. 
 M. Young was ordered to cooperate with him. 
 Kobert Baker and A. W. Lansdon were sent as 
 missionaries to East Tennessee, "William Smith 
 was placed upon the Scquachee Circuit, and S. M. 
 Aston upon the Lebanon Circuit. 
 
 After spending a few days at home, interchang- 
 ing salutations and hearty greetings with the com- 
 panions of his youth, Mr. Donnell returned to the 
 Mountain district. His circuit friends were de- 
 lighted that presbytery had been so considerate as 
 to send them their favorite preacher, and expressed 
 their gratification by most cordial welcomes. He 
 entered at once upon his labors, encouraged by the 
 approbation of the people and the presbytery, the 
 "answer of a good conscience," and the smiles of 
 his Saviour, in whose service he would willingly 
 have sacrificed, if need be, life itself. 
 
 Having a companion in labor, A. M. Young, they 
 were enabled to enlarge the field of operation, and 
 afford additional services at some of the more im- 
 portant stations already occupied. Though it was 
 the winter term, and many of the " meeting-houses" 
 were open and uncomfortable, yet the fire of pure 
 religion kept the preacher and the congregation 
 warm and comfortable. There are those yet living 
 in the mountains who love to tell, with tears of 
 delight, of the "good meetings" which "Little 
 
KEV. GEORGE DONNELL. 147 
 
 George" had on dreary winter days and dismal 
 cold niglits. The revival spirit which had been 
 awakened during the preceding summer and fall 
 was kept up during the winter, and at almost every 
 meeting mourners were called to receive the 
 prayers and instructions of the church ; and often 
 the circuit appointment, though it were in an open 
 log-house or a private dwelling, became the scene 
 of great rejoicing over some soul for whom the 
 faithful little band had often prayed ; and many a 
 stout-hearted mountaineer, who had bravely with- 
 stood the heavy artillery of the camp-meeting, had 
 the mortification of acknowledging himself over- 
 powered by the small-arms of " Little George," and 
 constrained to yield himself up a prisoner of hope. 
 
 With the opening spring came another session of 
 presbytery, and another reiinion of the missiona- 
 ries. All gave encouraging accounts of the pro- 
 gress of the good work on their respective circuits, 
 but none so encouraging as the report of Donnell 
 and his fellow-laborer, A. M. Young : the fire still 
 burned in the mountains. 
 
 The presbytery convened in the spring of 1824 at 
 Smyrna church, in Jackson county. Samuel Y. 
 Thomas was licensed, and, as usual, changes were 
 made in the appointments of the missionaries. 
 Brother Baker's health was impaired by the expo- 
 sure and toil of the East Tennessee mission, and he 
 was placed upon the Lebanon Circuit, A. M. Young 
 upon the Overton, "William Smith upon the Sequa- 
 
148 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 chee, and Donnell and Aston were sent to East 
 Tennessee. 
 
 Though it was an unequivocal expression of more 
 than ordinarj^ confidence in the abilities and pru- 
 dence of the young licentiates, Donnell and Aston, 
 to confide to them the important interests of the 
 East Tennessee mission, and though they may have 
 felt themselves flattered by the appointment, yet it 
 was a sore trial. Lebanon and Overton circuits 
 had been not only their field of labor, but their 
 home, since the day they were licensed. Beyond 
 this field they were unknown, without character, 
 without friends or even acquaintance : within this 
 field they could number friends by the thousand. 
 All the endearing recollections of life bound them 
 to this field : here were their homes and the compa- 
 nions of their school-days ; here the scenes and 
 associations of early Christian life and love, rap- 
 tures and transports; here the theatre of their 
 labors of love, and here w^ere their spiritual chil- 
 dren. All these endearments they were called 
 to leave, for a distant field where all were stran- 
 gers, and many cherished strong prejudices against 
 the denomination they were to represent. 
 
 But if the young missionaries were reluctant to 
 leave the scenes of their early labors, the people 
 were yet more unwilling to give them up. Some 
 looked upon them as their spiritual fathers and 
 guides, others had often entertained them in their 
 families, and strong personal attachments had been 
 
REV. aEORGE DONNELL. 149 
 
 formed, and all loved tliem for tlieir devotion to 
 the work of the ministry. 
 
 Mr. Aston says of Donnell's labors on the Over- 
 ton Circuit, and the attachment of the people : 
 " He had seals to his ministry that year, and when 
 he left the circuit for a new field, many eyes wept 
 and many hearts bled, when the thought entered 
 their minds that they might see his face no more. 
 Many fervent prayers followed him to the field to 
 which his Master called him." 
 
150 THE LIFE OF TUE 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MISSIONARY LABORS IN EAST TENNESSEE. 
 
 TnE eastern division of tlie State is separated 
 from the Valley of the Cumberland by the Cumber- 
 land Mountains, a high table-land stretching across 
 the State from north to south, varying in breadth 
 from forty to seventy-five miles. This region was, 
 at the time missionaries were first sent to East Ten- 
 nessee, wholly destitute of inhabitants, with the 
 exception of a solitary mountaineer here and there 
 along the public roads. 
 
 The valley of the Tennessee lies between the 
 Cumberland and Alleghany Mountains. Though 
 not so fertile as the valley of the Cumberland, it is 
 one of the most lovely and desirable regions in 
 the United States. As it is contiguous to Vir- 
 ginia and ^North Carolina, it was settled twenty 
 years prior to the settlement of the Cumberland 
 valley. The pioneers into this inviting region 
 were chiefly Scotch-Irish from the Presbyterian 
 churches in Virginia and North Carolina. Eev. 
 Samuel Doak was the first minister of the gospel 
 who made a permanent settlement in East Ten- 
 nessee. II(? came from Virginia, and settled on 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 151 
 
 tlie Ilolston, in 1777. Subsequently lie removed 
 to Washington county, and established a school, 
 which was chartered by the Legislature of ^North 
 Carolina in 1788, under the name of " Martin 
 Academy," which was subsequently changed to 
 *' Washington College." This is the oldest literary 
 institution west of the Alleghanies. 
 
 The next minister that settled in the country 
 was Rev. Samuel Carrick. He organized the first 
 Presbyterian Church at Knoxville, and established 
 Blount College, now known as East Tennessee 
 University, which was the second institution estab- 
 lished in Tennessee. 
 
 These two ministers, and the institutions they 
 founded, gave tone and caste to the morals and 
 religion of East Tennessee. The decided and per- 
 sistent advocates of education and staid piety, 
 they devoted their lives to the cultivation of the 
 mind and the heart, and they have left their im- 
 press upon society. Both were what was then 
 called "Old Side" Presbyterians, strict Calvinists, 
 and devoted to the creed. Mr. Eoote says of Doak, 
 "He was a rigid opposer of all innovation in re- 
 ligious tenets ; very old-school in all his notions 
 and actions ; uncompromising in his love of the 
 truth, and his hostility to error and heresy." Mr. 
 Carrick is represented as more tolerant, urbane, 
 and courteous. 
 
 The churches planted by these men and their 
 co-laborers, Cummings, Balch, Crawford, Hender- 
 son, and Blackburn, were strenuous for the Cal- 
 
152 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 vinistic system and a strict morality, but adverse 
 to all "new measures." As early as 1796, Mr. 
 McGready, when on his journey to Kentucky^, 
 spent some time in East Tennessee. Leaving 
 liis family with Colonel Francis A. Eamsay, an 
 elder of the Knoxville church, he visited the 
 churches in the region, and sowed some good seed 
 which, years afterward, brought much fruit. 
 
 After he settled in Kentucky, he kept up a 
 regular correspondence with Colonel Eamsay ; and 
 while the great revival of 1800 was prevailing in 
 that State and West Tennessee, he wrote him glow- 
 ing descriptions of the strange work, and kept 
 him informed as to its progress. And as those re- 
 turning from the Cumberland country to Xorth 
 Carolina passed through East Tennessee, and 
 usually made some stay there, the revival spirit 
 extended into that section in 1801. But it brouo-ht 
 with it " new measures" and "bodily exercises," 
 and on that account it encountered violent opposi- 
 tion. 
 
 * 
 
 Mr. McGready, in his correspondence with 
 Colonel Eamsay, laments this opposition to a work 
 of God, and warns his brethren of the consequences. 
 Dr. J. G. M. Eamsay, son of Colonel Eamsay, and 
 author of the "Annals of Tennessee," has politely 
 intrusted to me several of McGready's letters, 
 addressed to his father. Colonel Eamsay ; and has 
 kindly authorized me to make any extracts from 
 them that may be useful. The following extracts 
 will indicate the extent of the opposition to the re- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 153 
 
 vival, and McGready's concern for his brethren in 
 East Tennessee. 
 
 lie says to Colonel Eamsay: "I awfully fear 
 that the Presbyterian Church has contracted guilt 
 which will not be easily blotted out, by their car- 
 nal prudence, and resistance of the present un- 
 common mode of God's work in our land. They 
 call themselves friends to the work of God ; but 
 the uncommon bodily exercises they term the 
 excrescences of it, and wish to suppress them. 
 Alas ! shall crawling worms of the dust pretend to 
 direct the Almighty? or lay down plans for in- 
 finite, unerring Wisdom to carry on his w^ork ? I 
 am often shocked and terrified, when I hear minis- 
 ters and sober professors speaking of jerks, falling 
 down, loud outcries, dancing, shouting, etc., with 
 contempt and ridicule; and wishing to see a re- 
 vival of religion carried on in another form. But 
 they say these things are not religion, nor essen- 
 tial to it. I say the same. But it is evident that 
 an infinite God, for wise purposes, has permitted 
 falling down, loud outcries, jerking, dancing, shout- 
 ing, laughing, etc., to attend this mighty revival 
 of his work, in every part of our country where it 
 has prevailed; and though these exercises and 
 bodily agitations are not essential to the work, yet 
 Jehovah has thought it proper that they should 
 be attached to it. Therefore is it not fit and pro- 
 per that such creatures as we are should submit to 
 his sovereign will, and rejoice to see the Lord's 
 work going on in whatever form Eternal Wisdom 
 
154 THE LIFE OF TUE 
 
 thinks best ? Is it not daring presumption for the 
 potsherds of the earth to call the Almighty to 
 order? to direct the operations of his Spirit? or 
 to demand of him why or what he does ? But I 
 have often seen ministers and private Christians 
 a thousand times more alarmed at the work of the 
 Lord, tlian they are at carnality, hardness of heart, 
 and stupid inattention to religion. 
 
 " My dear friend, I do not write thus to you from 
 any apprehension that you are unfriendly to the 
 work of God. ]N"o : your letters to me, and the 
 reports of all Christians from your country, declare 
 you to be a friend. I mention these things to you, 
 because my mind is burdened and distressed on 
 account of observations of this kind that I have 
 made, and what I fear will be the fatal conse- 
 quence." 
 
 Thus writes Mr. McGready to his friend Colonel 
 Ramsay, an elder of the Presbyterian Church. 
 And in a subsequent letter to Colonel Eamsay, he 
 sends the following message to his brethren in East 
 Tennessee : 
 
 " Tell my Christian friends and brethren to let 
 the Lord choose his own way of working; to bid 
 the Spirit of God welcome, even though he should 
 choose to work among them as he works among 
 the Methodists. Tell them to be more afraid of 
 sinners being damned for the want of religion, than 
 of going into what they call disorder, by falling 
 down and crying out for mercy. The blessed 
 Jesus is welcome to come and convert my peo- 
 
REV. GEORQE DONNELL. 155 
 
 pie in whatever form or mode of operation he 
 pleases." 
 
 Such are the terms in which McGready — the 
 man whom God was pleased to employ as the in- 
 strument in awakening the greatest revival that has 
 blessed the Church since the days of Luther— speaks 
 of the strange work of God then prevailing in East 
 Tennessee. 
 
 From these extracts and other reliable sources, 
 it is known that the revival encountered great 
 opposition in East Tennessee. But the power of 
 Jehovah was not to be restrained by the opposition 
 of men. The revival pervaded almost all the 
 churches in that section of the State, attended 
 by the same "bodily exercises" which everywhere 
 accompanied it. And falling down, swooning, 
 jerks, outcries for mercy, and shouts for joy, were 
 as common there as elsewhere. Hundreds were 
 converted, and Christians were revived and greatly 
 blessed, though some would "call God to order." 
 
 The revival subsided; but from that day there was 
 an Old School and a :N'ew School party in the Pres- 
 byterian Church in East Tennessee— a party favor- 
 able toward revivals even at the hazard of a little 
 noise, and a party that must have order, and opposed 
 to any excitement that would transcend that silence 
 which they deemed essential to order and decorum 
 in the house of God : a party which, had they been 
 in the west, would have adhered to McGready, 
 McGee, and Ewing ; and a party that would have 
 raised a commotion for order, and would have 
 
156 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 joined Craighead, Bowman, and Samuel Donnell 
 in their unholy persecution. 
 
 But the broad belt of the Cumberland Mountains 
 intervening, separated the churches in East Ten- 
 nesse'e from those in the west, by an unbroken 
 wilderness which, at that day, was at " least one 
 hundred miles in extent, even where the settle- 
 ments made the nearest approximation. Conse- 
 quently, there was but little communication between 
 the churches in the east and those in the west, 
 and the ministers in the west had too wide a field 
 around them to find time to visit the eastern 
 churches. ISTevertheless, such was the s}Tiipathy 
 of some generous spirits in the eastern section with 
 the revival party in the west, that persons have 
 been known to come from the vicinity of Knoxville 
 to attend camp-meetings in the Cumberland valley. 
 And during the protracted controversy between the 
 revival party and the Kentucky Synod, many in 
 the east sympathized with those noble spirits whose 
 only ofience was the promotion of the most power- 
 ful and extensive revival that has blessed the Church 
 since the days of the Reformation. 
 
 When the controversy was finally terminated, 
 by the organization of the Cumberland Presbyte- 
 rian Church, the remoteness of the churches in 
 the east, the small number of ministers identified 
 with the new organization, and the extent of terri- 
 tory over which the churches in the west were 
 dispersed, forbade any efibrt to induce churches or 
 individuals in the east to connect themselves with 
 
REV. GEOKGE DONNELL. 157 
 
 the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. After the 
 Confession of Faith had been adopted and pub- 
 lished, and the new denomination began to assume 
 a respectable position before the public, invitations 
 were sent to Cumberland Presbyterian ministers 
 to visit East Tennessee.* But owing to the 
 unparalleled expansion of the field of labor in the 
 west, these invitations were not accepted till the 
 
 year 1818. 
 
 In compliance with repeated solicitations, in the 
 summer of 1818, Kev. Robert Donnell and Rev. 
 Thomas Calhoon visited East Tennessee. They 
 had sent on a series of appointments, and when 
 they reached the first one, at "Washington, they 
 found a vast multitude congregated in a grove, 
 there being no house in the place of sufficient capa- 
 city to receive all that had assembled. Mr. Don- 
 nell preached, expounding the distinctive doctrines 
 of the new Church with a lucidness and suavity 
 that enchained the multitude for two hours ; then 
 closing with a pathos and solemnity that moved 
 the hearts of all. 
 
 The assembly was bathed in tears ; expressions 
 of rapturous joy welled out from many Christian 
 hearts ; while sighs and groans heaved the bosoms 
 of sinners who had never before been known to 
 manifest any religious interest. This was the first 
 sermon ever preached by a Cumberland Presbyte- 
 rian in East Tennessee. 
 
 * Rev. Thomas Calhoon. 
 
158 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 From "Washington the evangelists passed to 
 Morgantown. Ilere both preached to a large as- 
 sembly: much excitement prevailed, and many 
 seemed to be amazed at the novelty and solemnity 
 of the scene. The next appointment was on Baker's 
 Creek, where the congregation were interested 
 with the impressive manner of the speaker, and 
 the reasonableness of the doctrines. On Sabbath, 
 Donnell preached at Maryville, in Dr.. Anderson's 
 church. The audience was convulsed with feeling : 
 descending from the pulpit, singing as no other 
 man, even in that day of song, could sing, and 
 shaking hands with the people, some shouted for 
 joy, and many flocked around him, bidding him a 
 cordial welcome, and entreating him to make an- 
 other appointment. Calhoon preached the next 
 day to a crowded house, and great solemnity per- 
 vaded the audience. Donnell preached the day 
 following, at Mr. Houston's, a few miles in the 
 country. Some of the old men shouted for joy. 
 Dr. Anderson called on one of them to pray, hop- 
 ing, as it was thought, to stop the shouting. But 
 the old man prayed with such power and heavenly- 
 mindedness that the shouting greatly increased, 
 and the Doctor was constrained to let the Spirit 
 work in his own way. 
 
 From Maryville they proceeded to Knoxville, 
 and preached to a very attentive and interested 
 audience, and lodged with Dr. N^elson, by whom 
 they were kindly entertained. Passing to Camp- 
 bell's Station, Donnell preached with unusual power 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 159 
 
 and spirit. Great excitement prevailed: some 
 shouted, and others were affected with the jerks. 
 One man was jerked under the benches, and con- 
 tinued jerking while under them, till he was ex- 
 tricated by his friends. 
 
 This strange affection was common in East Ten- 
 nessee, as elsewhere, during the prevalence of the 
 great revival in 1801 ; and had been occasionally 
 witnessed from that date up to the visit of Donnell 
 and Calhoon in 1818. It is said that Dr. Samuel 
 Doak, who was much prejudiced against the 
 exercise, was sometimes subject to it; and that 
 on one occasion, while in the pulpit, he was seized 
 with a paroxysm, and jerked so violently as to 
 throw his wig from his head into the congregation. 
 
 From Campbell's Station the missionaries passed 
 to a vacant church on Bullrun, where Calhoon 
 preached with such power, as to leave an impress 
 there that subsequently resulted in the organiza- 
 tion of a Cumberland Presbyterian church at that 
 place. At Kingston, Donnell preached to a vast 
 multitude assembled in a grove. Great excitement 
 prevailed in the congregation, and at the close of 
 the sermon, Calhoon rose from a sick-bed, and, with 
 a fever upon him, delivered a most powerful ex- 
 hortation. Donnell preached the next day at Post 
 Oak Springs ; and as Calhoon was still sick, they 
 set out for home, travelling slowly — Donnell 
 preaching at Washington and other places on the 
 road. 
 
 The visit of these missionaries greatly enhanced 
 
160 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 tlie solicitude of a portion of the Presbyterian 
 Chiircli, and others, for the ministrations of the 
 Cumberland Presbyterian Church. And so urgent 
 were the solicitations, that Mr. Calhoon- made a 
 tour through that section in the summer of 1819. 
 lie passed over the same field, and visited also the 
 Iliwassee Purchase, where he found a very sparse 
 population in detached settlements. 
 
 jSTotwithstanding the abiding solicitude for the 
 labors of Cumberland Presbyterian ministers, such 
 was the urgent demand in the newly-settled terri- 
 tories west and south, that no arrangements were 
 made to occupy East Tennessee till 1821, when 
 Pev. James S. Guthrie was sent out to labor there 
 as a missionary. He was a young man but rccentlj^ 
 ordained : though of unpolished exterior, and near- 
 sighted, he possessed the faculty of analysis, and 
 by intense study of the Scriptures he had made 
 unusual attainments in biblical knowledge for one 
 of his age. Comprehending fully the distinctive 
 doctrines of the Church, he was prepared to ex- 
 pound them in a manner so lucid and forcible as to 
 commend them to the unbiased judgment; and 
 then his great familiarity with the Scriptures gave 
 him influence with the people, whilst his bold and 
 independent manner rendered him a valiant de- 
 fender of the truth. Grave and solemn, in and out 
 of the pulpit, though deficient in culture, he was 
 otherwise a fair exponent of the new Church ; and 
 his labors were so acceptable in East Tennessee, 
 that when the term for which he was appointed had 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 161 
 
 expired, the people petitioned for a renewal. Tlie 
 petition was granted, and lie continued liis labors 
 as a missionary in that section until the spring of 
 1823, when he was succeeded by missionaries from 
 Lebanon Presbytery. 
 
 While Mr. Guthrie was in East Tennessee, the 
 Lebanon Presbytery was organized by striking off 
 the eastern section of the territory of the old :N'asli- 
 ville Presbytery, and consequently the duty of sup- 
 plying missionaries for East Tennessee devolved 
 upon the Lebanon Presbytery. Accordingly, in 
 the spring of 1823, Rev. Robert Baker, recently 
 ordained, and Abner Lansdon, a licentiate, were 
 sent to that field. Mr. Baker was a young man of 
 no ordinary promise. Amiable, conciliatory, easy 
 and agreeable in manners, sedate, deeply pious, 
 afl:ectionate and sympathetic, he was a model mis- 
 sionary. Possessing respectable talents, a voice 
 combining with the volume of the trumpet the soft 
 melody of the lute, and a sympathy of soul that 
 wooed his audience in the tenderest strains of the 
 gospel, he was such a preacher as we are apt to 
 imagine the beloved disciple that reclined upon his 
 Master's bosom. His manner was in striking con- 
 trast with that of Guthrie; yet in ability to 
 expound and defend the doctrines of the Church, 
 Guthrie was greatly superior to Baker. 
 
 Mr. Lansdon was a young man of some promise, 
 who was sent to occupy the Sequachee vallej^ and 
 cooperate with Mr. Baker in the valley of the 
 Upper Tennessee, the field which Mr. Guthrie had 
 
102 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 occupied. For the first term of six months they 
 labored separately, except on special occasions. 
 But in the fall, William Smith was sent to Sequa- 
 chce, and then Lansdon was Bent to cooperate with 
 Baker in the valley of the Upper Tennessee. This 
 gave Baker an opportunity of extending his opera- 
 tions into sections that had not hitherto been visited 
 by Cumberland Presbyterian ministers. He made 
 a tour through Blount, Sevier, Jefferson, Green, 
 Hawkins, and Grainger counties, in all of which 
 he found many that gladly received the Cumber- 
 land Presbyterian doctrines. They said: "It is 
 just what we have long believed, but we have never 
 before heard it preached so plainly." But the 
 ministers and some of the laity treated him coolly, 
 and spoke of the doctrines as a novelty. Is'ever- 
 theless, he sowed some good seed, which, when 
 mature, was gathered by those who succeeded him 
 in that inviting field. 
 
 Though it was the winter season, and the houses 
 were uncomfortable, that term of six months was 
 attended with more success than any 'previous 
 term. But the extensive travel, the incessant 
 labor, and the constant exposure, had made alarm- 
 ing inroads upon Mr. Baker's health. From his 
 youth he had been predisposed to pulmonary affec- 
 tion, and friends doubted the propriety of his 
 entering the ministry. But the Lord had a work 
 for him, and he felt that he must be engaged in his 
 Master's service. And hitherto he had suffered 
 little inconvenience fi'om the exposure and hard 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 163 
 
 toil of missionary life; but when lie returned to 
 meet the presbytery at Smyrna, in the spring of 1824, 
 his health was so feeble that it was deemed advisa- 
 ble to place him in a field where he could have 
 more comforts, less exposure, and less labor. Ac- 
 cordingly, he was placed upon the Lebanon Circuit, 
 where he could be at home if his health became too 
 delicate for active labor, and, as has been stated, 
 Donnell and Aston were appointed to succeed him 
 and Lansdon in East Tennessee. 
 
164 THE LIFE OF TUB 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 DONNELL IN EAST TENNESSEE. 
 
 When we consider the remoteness of the field, 
 the magnitude of the interests involved in the suc- 
 cess of the East Tennessee mission, the youth and 
 inexperience of the missionaries to whom these in- 
 terests were committed, we shall regard the appoint- 
 ment as a flattering expression of confidence in the 
 prudence, ability, and efficiency of the young licen- 
 tiates. Had it been a frontier settlement, where 
 society was but partially organized, and the desti- 
 tution such as to insure acceptance, we would be 
 prepared to expect the appointment of inexpe- 
 rienced young men ; but the Tennessee valley had 
 been settled nearly half a century, and society was 
 completely organized ; the various denominations 
 had strong and flourishing churches, enjoying the 
 labors of a talented and a learned ministry, some 
 of whom were known to entertain inveterate pre- 
 judices towards Cumberland Presbyterians. Under 
 these circumstances, the appointment must be- re- 
 garded as conclusive evidence of a high degree of 
 confidence in the young missionaries. 
 
 With what feelings, what sense of responsibility, 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 165 
 
 what hopes and fears, these young' licentiates en- 
 tered upon their distant mission, may be inferred 
 from the following reflection of Mr. Aston : 
 
 " This was, to us, truly a trying time. We were 
 young men, and inexperienced in the gospel, minis- 
 try; now sent among strangers, in a strange land, 
 where our doctrines were not well known, nor 
 kindly received. Calvinism, in its maturity, its 
 strength, and sophistical forms, was there, and had_ 
 gained the popular ascendency. But the presbytery 
 had said to us : ' Go, my sons, and the Lord go with 
 3^ou and bless you in your labors.' So we ^ conferred 
 not with flesh and blood,' but straightway took our 
 journey, judging that the Lord had called us, and 
 if so, he would go with us and be with us in our 
 labor, according to his good word of promise." 
 
 Baker and Lansdon had left a series of appoint- 
 ments, which our missionaries had been ordered to 
 fill. So soon therefore as they reached the field, 
 they entered at once upon their appointed work. 
 By mutual agreement, Donnell filled the outstand- 
 ing appointments, and Aston preached at night, 
 whenever it was deemed advisable. Thus, for the 
 first two weeks, they travelled together, leaving a 
 series of appointments for Aston, to be filled two 
 weeks thereafter. While travelling together, Aston 
 says : " Feeling that there was much at stake, we 
 carefully and kindly watched over each other at 
 every step, seeking to aid and scrupulously guard 
 the matter, manner, and spirit of each performance, 
 so that, as much as possible, we might commend 
 
166 TUE LIFE OF THE 
 
 ourselves to the favorable consideration of the peo- 
 ple among whom our lot had been cast." 
 
 Having travelled together till the time arrived 
 when Aston must enter upon the series of ap- 
 pointments which had been made for him, the mis- 
 sionaries now separated, and each took his solitary 
 round on the circuit. But separation neither severed 
 nor weakened the bands that had long united their 
 hearts and their aims. They were not rival candi- 
 dates for popular favor; they felt that they were en- 
 gaged in a common cause, that together they must 
 stand or fall. Each therefore felt an abiding and 
 anxious solicitude about the acceptability and suc- 
 cess of the other: so far from depreciating, each 
 labored to build up and sustain the reputation of 
 the other. Mr. Aston says: "Knowing that every 
 thing was suspended upon the propriety of our 
 course, and that every step and action was w^atched 
 by those who were eagle-eyed to discern, but indis- 
 posed to cover, a brother's faults, we thought it 
 important to help each other by all possible means. 
 Therefore, as often as practicable, we met and spent 
 a day or a night in council, and when separate, w^e 
 kept up a most intimate correspondence. As we 
 labored in concert, our attachment grew stronger 
 daily, till we became true yoke-fellows, knowing 
 by sweet experience how David and Jonathan 
 could love so intensely." 
 
 Guthrie and Baker had organized several churches, 
 and many individuals had identified themselves 
 with the Cumberland Presbyterians where no or- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 167 
 
 ganization had been formed, and many more re- 
 ceived the doctrines who hesitated to connect with 
 a Cliurch of recent origin, of whose usages they 
 knew but little. Much prejudice had been excited 
 in the Presbyterian Church, and many arguments 
 were employed to prevent their members from join- 
 ing the Cumberland Church. It was said they had 
 sent out their best preachers first ; that when they 
 had succeeded in organizing a few churches, they 
 w^ould be supplied with such as they would be 
 ashamed to own, and then they would see the folly 
 of leaving the Presbyterian Church to join "those 
 boisterous Cumberlands." 
 
 As Donnell pursued his solitary round upon the 
 circuit, filling the appointments left by Baker, he 
 reached Blount county, in quest of an appointment 
 at the residence of a Mr. Cowan, a gentleman of 
 influence who had recently joined the Church, and 
 opened his house for preaching. Meeting a gen- 
 tleman on the road, Mr. Donnell inquired the way 
 to Mr. Cowan's, and having received directions, he in- 
 quired whether there was an appointment for preach- 
 ing there ? He said there was, and asked if he was 
 the preacher? Donnell told him he was. The 
 gentleman then informed him that he was Cowan, 
 and that if he would ride back a short distance to 
 the town, he would accompany him out. The invi- 
 tation was accepted, and the business in town hav- 
 ing been dispatched, they set out for the appoint- 
 ment. 
 
 Donnell had the appearance of a boy, and he was 
 
1G8 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 dressed iu homespun jcaus. Cowan eyed him 
 rather coolly, looked disappointed and chagrined. 
 "Sure enough, as the Presbyterians said, the presby- 
 tery have sent their best preachers first, and now 
 they have sent a green boy. The Presbyterians will 
 have fine sport when they see him." He drew him 
 into conversation, and was somewhat encouraged 
 to find that he could converse with propriety; but 
 surely he cannot preach. 
 
 Thus distrustful of the ability of his new preacher, 
 they arrived at the place for preaching. Donnell 
 preached a creditable sermon, with a commendable 
 spirit, but nothing extra. Cowan was relieved in 
 part ; but to-morrow (the Sabbath) everybody will 
 be out to hear the new preacher, and surely he can- 
 not meet expectation. The Sabbath came, and 
 Cowan went with him to a church on Little river. 
 A very large and intelligent congregation had as- 
 sembled. Guthrie and Baker had left their names 
 embalmed in the affections of this people, and ex- 
 pectation was up to high-water mark; but the sight 
 of a boy in homespun cast a damper over the con- 
 gregation. The boyish preacher rose calm and col- 
 lected, sang as none but George Donnell could 
 sing, prayed as if he were really holding converse 
 with God, announced his text in impressive tones : 
 * 'Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." 
 The sermon was irresistible. Amazement spread 
 over the face of the audience, rapturous joy lighted 
 up the countenance of his friends, sinners were 
 subdued, all were lavish of praise. Cowan said 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 169 
 
 lie wonld never indulge anotTier fear as to the kind 
 of preacher the Cumberhands might send, when a 
 boy could preach such a sermon. 
 
 At the period when our missionaries entered 
 East Tennessee, the Presbyterian Church was agi- 
 tated by two parties, viz. : the Old School Calvimsts 
 and ]^ew School Ilopkinsians. Dr. Doak was at 
 the head of the Old School, and Dr. Anderson was 
 leader of the Kew School. Controversy between 
 the parties had excited prejudice, and weakened 
 the attachment of many worthy members of the 
 Presbyterian Church. As the Cumberland mis- 
 sionaries were spiritual, experimental, and practi- 
 cal those who had become disgusted with the 
 prevailing discussion of abstract doctrines were 
 pleased with the spirituality of our missionaries, 
 and not only entertained them in their families, but 
 promptly tendered them the use of their dwelhngs 
 for preaching. These kind offers were gratefully 
 accepted, and regular circuit-preaching was kept 
 ' up in the private dwellings of several members of 
 the Presbyterian Church. Of those who thus 
 favored the missionaries, we may mention John 
 and Samuel Houston, uncles of General Sam. 
 Houston, of Texas, Colonel Andrew Cowan, Colo- 
 nel Campbell, grandfather of Governor Campbell, 
 John and James Gillespie, the Eussells, Lows, Gal- 
 lahers, and others, who opened their houses lor 
 circuit-preaching. 
 
 Thomas Gallaher, the father of Rev. James Gal- 
 laher, a celebrated revivalist of the ^ew School 
 8 
 
170 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 Church, received our missionaries with great kind- 
 ness, and his house was, for years, a reguhir preach- 
 ing-place on the circuit. Mr. Donnell, on his first 
 round on the circuit, reached Mr. Gallahcr's on 
 Saturday evening, and, having spent the evening in 
 the family circle, he was so impressed with the 
 staid sohriety, the dignified bearing of the family, 
 and the general intelligence and biblical know- 
 ledge possessed by every member, that he felt 
 great embarrassment at the thought of preaching 
 before them. The Sabbath came, and a very large 
 and intelligent audience assembled. He arose 
 under embarrassment, and announced as the text, 
 "Wilt thou be made whole?" He soon became 
 absorbed in his subject, and forgot his embarrass- 
 ment. He gave a thrilling picture of the scene at 
 Bethesda, portraying with moving tenderness the 
 compassion of the Saviour toward the "impotent 
 man," that had been afilicted for "thirty and eight 
 years," and then the exhibition of Divine power 
 that restored him by a word. He then made the 
 application to the sinner, as suffering an inveterate 
 and hopeless malady. Christ is then present as 
 addressing him: "Wilt thou be made whole?" 
 The sinner is made to respond : "Yea, Lord." The 
 Saviour commands him to rise : the sinner rises 
 from death in sin to newness of life in Christ, re- 
 joicing in hope of heaven. At that moment, old 
 Mr. Gallaher, throwing up both hands, exclaimed,* 
 at the top of his voice, "Glory to God!" "Ah," 
 said Donnell, "I have heard the like before: there 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 171 
 
 is no confusion in that; it is the perfection of order T' 
 He thought no more of his embarrassment. That 
 sermon sowed the seeds of a revival in that com- 
 munity, in which four of Mr. Gallaher's children, 
 all that were not in the Church, professed religion, 
 and joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
 During the summer of 1824, each of the mission- 
 aries made a tour beyond the limits of the regular 
 circuit. Mr. Donnell spent several days in Green 
 county, among some relatives, in the congregation 
 of Kev. S. AY. Doak, son of Dr. Samuel Doak, and 
 his successor in the pastoral charge of the church. 
 As Mr. Donnell was distantly related to the Doaks, 
 he called upon both. "When leaving, the Doctor, 
 taking him by the hand, gave him a serious lecture 
 upon the impropriety of entering the ministry 
 without a classical education, and receiving license 
 from an unauthorized and a heretical Church, and 
 closed by beseeching him, if he must preach, to go 
 to some other region, as he did not wish him to 
 come here "preaching your new-light doctrines to 
 stir up division among our people." Donnell re- 
 plied that he should not have thought of preaching 
 in the neighborhood if there had been no sinners 
 in the congregation, and when they were all con- 
 verted he would leave without attempting to in- 
 fluence any in determining their Church relations. 
 The Doaks were Old School in all their sympa- 
 thies, and high-Calvinists in their creed, and they 
 honestly regarded every system that excluded high- 
 Calvinism as heretical. They felt it to be their 
 
172 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 duty therefore to discountenance Cumberland Pres- 
 byterians, and to discourage their people from 
 hearing them preach ; and as Donnell had an ap- 
 pointment in the neighborhood, they thought to 
 embarrass him, by requesting him to preach upon 
 the passage, " Give none offence, neither to Jews, 
 nor to Gentiles, nor to the Church* of God." Mr. 
 Donnell accepted the text, and promised to make 
 it the foundation of his discourse. It was soon 
 noised abroad that the little missionary was going 
 to preach upon a text furnished by Dr. Doak, and 
 the multitude came out, expecting some entertain- 
 ment. 
 
 Donnell rose and announced the famous text ; he 
 said he deprecated the giving of offence, but as- 
 serted his right to preach the truth as he conceived 
 it taught in the Scriptures, and consoled himself 
 with the assurance that his Calvinistic brethren — 
 the Church of God — would take no offence, how- 
 ever the Jews and the Gentiles might take it. For 
 if Calvinism be true, all tilings are foreordained, 
 and are brought to pass in accordance with the 
 Divine purpose, and by Divine agency. It was 
 therefore foreordained that he should preach to 
 them that day upon that text, and the matter of the 
 sermon he should preach was all arranged in the 
 Divine mind before the foundation of the world. 
 "Whatever might be said, would be but the develop- 
 ment of the Divine purpose, and could not therefore 
 give any offence to his Calvinistic brethren, for op- 
 position to his preaching, with those that believe 
 
REV. aEORGE DONNE LL. 173 
 
 the Calvinistic creed, would be opposition to the 
 decree of God. 
 
 Having fortified himself against the possibility 
 of giving oflence to his Calvinistic brethren, he had 
 no fears of ofiending either Jew or Gentile by tell- 
 ing them that Christ tasted death for every man, 
 that he died for all that all might be saved, that he 
 has no pleasure in the death of any, but willeth 
 that all men might be saved. Having shown that 
 the Scriptures authorize a tender of salvation to all, 
 he proceeded to urge upon all the claims of the 
 gospel, assuring them that ample provision had 
 been made for all ; that the Spirit operated upon 
 all ; that all might come to Christ and be saved ; 
 that if any were finally lost, it would not be in con- 
 sequence of any secret purpose or decree of God, 
 but solely on account of their unbelief and impeni- 
 tence. Unusual solemnity pervaded the congre- 
 gation, and many who had never been seen to 
 weep before, wept burning tears of contrition, 
 whilst many Christians, instead of taking " offence," 
 shed tears of delight, and rejoiced in a full and a 
 free gospel. After that day, Mr. Donnell was per- 
 mitted to select his own text.* 
 
 But there were some who, if not offended, never- 
 theless opposed the doctrines preached by Cumber- 
 land Presbyterians. And as Mr. Donnell had a youth- 
 ful appearance, one of those who opposed thought 
 to cast ridicule upon him, by asking him, in the 
 
 * Aston and others. 
 
174 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 public congregation, if he knew how many com- 
 mandments there were ? He instantly answered, 
 eleven. The gentleman laughed in derision at his 
 supposed ignorance. Donnell stepped upon a 
 bench, and calling the attention of the congrega- 
 tion, announced to them that when he should again 
 visit that neighborhood, he would preach upon the 
 eleventh commandment. 
 
 The appointed time came, and the populace as- 
 sembled to hear the eleventh commandment, and 
 the promised discourse. The youthful preacher 
 rose to redeem his pledge. lie said it was to be pre- 
 sumed that the congregation were all familiar with 
 the decalogue or ten commandments, but that the 
 decalogue did not embrace all the commandments 
 which God had delivered to his people; that the 
 Saviour had added another, which was as binding 
 as any of those in the decalogue. He then read 
 ilia words of the Saviour: "A new commandment 
 give I unto you, that ye love one another; as I 
 have loved you, that ye also love one another." 
 "This," he said, "is the eleventh commandment;" 
 which he proposed to make the subject of his dis- 
 course. 
 
 He then proceeded to portray, in melting strains, 
 the love of Christ toward a fallen world, and the 
 tenderness of that love toward his own chosen dis- 
 ciples. He showed how Christ had manifested the 
 depth of his love for his people, and then reminded 
 his congregation that they were commanded to love 
 one another, even as Christ had loved them. It is 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 175 
 
 said that siicli were his feelings whilst he dwelt 
 upon the unspeakable love of Christ, and the dire 
 consequences of disregarding the eleventh com- 
 mandment, that he wept freely, and almost the 
 entire congregation were bathed in tears. It is 
 added that prejudice gave way, and from that day 
 he had unusual success in preaching to that people : 
 no sermon ever preached in that section was so 
 blessed of the Lord.* 
 
 "When Mr. Donnell returned from his tour through 
 the upper counties, he had the happiness to meet, 
 in Knox county, Calhoon, McSpadden, and Baker, 
 who had crossed the mountain to aid the young 
 brethren in holding two camp-meetings. The pre- 
 vious week they had met Aston and Smith in Se- 
 quachee valley, and assisted them in holding a 
 camp -meeting in the little church in Bledsoe 
 county, about five miles below Pikeville. This was 
 the first camp-meeting held in Sequachee; and 
 though the congregations were comparatively small, 
 owing to the limited population in that narrow 
 vale, yet.it was a meeting of much interest : there 
 were a number of professions, and several acces- 
 ■ sions to the Church. 
 
 From Sequachee they had come to Knox to hold 
 a meeting at Concord, a few miles from CamiDbell's 
 Station. This was the first camp-meeting at this 
 place. Rev. William Smith says there had been a 
 camp-meeting at Low's Ferry, on the Tennessee, 
 
 * Eev. Joseph Brown. 
 
176 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 the previous fall, 1823 ; but the meeting of 1824 
 was the first at Concord. At this meeting Andrew 
 Russell, the Low family, Mr. Douglass, and the 
 widow Love, were camp-holders. Mr. Evans came 
 with his family in a wagon from the upper part of 
 Eoane, and Thomas Gallaher, with his family, from 
 Anderson county. Both of these families remained 
 encamped during the meeting, and were amply re- 
 warded for their zeal in God's service, as four of 
 Mr. Gallaher's and several of Mr. Evans' family 
 professed during the meeting. Services commenced 
 on Friday, and continued with increasing interest 
 till Tuesday morning ; and had it been customary 
 in those days to protract camp-meetings, they might 
 have been continued much longer. There is no 
 record of the number of professions ; but many 
 living witnesses agree that it was a meeting of un- 
 usual interest. The Eev. William Smith says: 
 " The number of professions was large, and that 
 meeting laid the foundation for several flourishing 
 churches in the surrounding country. It was con- 
 ducted on the oldfashioned plan : the grove was 
 made to resound with the groans of sinners and the 
 prayers of Christians, agonizing with their friends 
 who had no religion; at other times, shouts of 
 triumph were heard throughout the encampment 
 from some new-born soul, whose very countenance 
 seemed to be lit up by a faith's view of the glory 
 of God as reflected in the face of Jesus. Brother 
 Donnell preached several times during the meet- 
 ing, and each time, he really appeared to preach 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 177 
 
 in demonstration of the Spirit and power. Ilia 
 labors were not confined to the pulpit ; for while 
 there was a mourner in the altar, his voice could he 
 heard directing him to Christ, or pleading with God 
 to have mercy upon him." 
 
 From Concord, the elder brethren and the mis- 
 sionaries proceeded to Jerusalem, a camp-ground 
 about one mile from Athens. There were but a 
 few members of the Church in Athens and the 
 vicinity, as it had been but recently settled. The 
 meeting was, therefore, principally sustained by 
 unconverted men. John Miller, Esq., and Joseph 
 Robertson were principal camp-holders, and upon 
 them, of course, the burden of sustaining the meet- 
 ing rested. Neither of those gentlemen, or any 
 member of either family, was at the time a profes- 
 sor of religion. But they served the Lord with 
 their substance, and that was acceptable, as it en- 
 abled his faithful servants, the ministers,' to preach 
 to the people, day and night, for many successive 
 days. The congregations were small, as the popu- 
 lation was sparse, but much good was accomplished, 
 and Mr. Robertson and family shared largely in the 
 blessing, as he and his family professed, and sub- 
 sequently became members of the Church. Mr. 
 Miller, though a devoted friend to the Church, 
 never made a public profession of religion, though 
 his family did. "We have no statistics as to the re- 
 sults of the meeting ; but, doubtless, it was at least 
 the seed-time of a flourishing church that was sub-^ 
 sequently organized at Athens* 
 8* 
 
178 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 Mr. Aston says : " The visit of the elder brethren 
 to East Tennessee, and their labors while there, 
 were truly advantageous to our cause, tending 
 greatly to strengthen and confirm the members in 
 the doctrines and usages of our Church. It had 
 the good effect to render the missionaries thankful 
 to God, and to take courage in our arduous 
 labors." 
 
 From the meeting at Jerusalem, the missionaries, 
 in company with the elder brethren, set their faces 
 homeward, filling a few appointments on their 
 route. Mr. Aston doubtless gives a true expres- 
 sion of their reflections on the road. He says: 
 " "Wliat an unspeakable pleasure fills the mind of 
 the servant of Christ, when he has gone out in his 
 name and by his authority, bearing messages of 
 grace and peace to dying sinners, and returns with 
 an approving conscience, having the witness that he 
 has pleased his Master, and the evidence of the ful- 
 filment of his gracious promise, 'Lo, I am with 
 you alway.' Such was the happiness of the young 
 missionaries. They had been among strangers, 
 but they had found friends and brethren. They 
 had witnessed during the summer and fall many 
 seals to their ministry, and they were now return- 
 ing to receive the approbation of presbytery, and 
 the counsel and instructions of older brethren in the 
 Lord ; then to enjoy for a few days the felicities of 
 the home circle." 
 
 Presbytery convened in the fall of 1824 at 
 "Kelton's Meeting-house," in the vicinity of Mur- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 179 
 
 freesboro. The missionaries made tlieir report, and 
 the presbytery expressed their gratitude to God for 
 the success that had attended their labors. And 
 in view of the expansion of the field, and the grow- 
 ing demand for the administration of the ordinances 
 of the Church, the presbytery ordered Donnell, 
 Aston, and Lansdon to review during the winter 
 their theological and scientific studies, preparatory 
 to examination for ordination the next spring. 
 
 But whilst they were directed to prepare for 
 ordination, they were at the same time ordered to 
 return to their respective circuits, and prosecute 
 their labors in the field, as hitherto. The reader 
 can form some idea of the labor assigned them, 
 when he is informed that the East Tennessee Cir- 
 cuit extended through Rhea, McMinn, Monroe, 
 Blount, Knox, and Roane counties, embracing about 
 forty appointments. But arduous at it was, Aston 
 says: "We entered upon the responsible charge 
 submissively and zealously. Taking our books of 
 science, history, and theology with us, we preached 
 by day and frequently at night, and then we em- 
 ployed the intervening hours, and hours late at 
 night and before light of mornings, in our studies, 
 that we might be able to meet the orders of presby- 
 tery." 
 
 From journals kept by the missionaries, it ajD- 
 pears that each preached more than one hundred 
 and fifty times between the fall and spring sessions 
 of presbytery ; and during the same period they 
 reviewed all the branches of science, theology, and 
 
180 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 history required by the Discipline of the Church, 
 as preparatory to ordination. Of the success of 
 their labors in the field, we have no particulars : it 
 is only said in general terms that usual interest 
 was maintained, and some professions were wit- 
 nessed. But as it was the winter term, and the houses 
 in which they preached were uncomfortable for a 
 congregation, it is not presumable that they could 
 have accomplished much beyond the keeping up 
 of the regular circuit appointments. With the 
 opening spring the missionaries returned to the 
 west to meet the presbytery, and undergo the 
 contemplated examination preparatory to ordina- 
 tion. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 181 
 
 CHAPTER XIY. 
 
 ORDINATION AND MINISTERIAL SERVICES IN EAST 
 TENNESSEE. 
 
 The young missionaries having returned from 
 East Tennessee, in the spring of 1825, enjoyed a 
 few days of repose at home, after which they 
 repaired to Big Spring church, to meet the presby- 
 tery, feeling no little solicitude about the result of 
 the pending examination. During the fore-part of 
 the session, they were taken through a protracted 
 examination upon all the branches of science and 
 literature required by the Discipline of the Church ; 
 for the presbytery had not yet learned to slight its 
 work by a sort of mock examination upon a few 
 branches, skipping the more important, with the 
 charitable presumption that the candidate was 
 familiar with them. All the candidates in this 
 case were thoroughly examined, and all acquitted 
 themselves creditably. Aston says : " Donnell 
 passed a very popular examination." 
 
 On Saturday, Aston and Lansdon preached their 
 trial sermons, which were very acceptable. On 
 Monday, Donnell preached on the text, "I am not 
 ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the 
 power of God unto salvation, to every one that 
 
182 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 believeth." Aston says: " It was a masterly effort, 
 perspicuous, forcible, and attended witlisuch unction 
 of the Holy Spirit as rendered it soul-stirring." 
 McSpadden preached the ordination sermon, and 
 Calhoon presided and gave the charge. "It was 
 an interesting, a solemn, and a memorable day in 
 the history of the Big Spring church." 
 
 When all the facts are taken into view, it may 
 truly be regarded as an interesting day. McSpad- 
 den, Dilliard, Provine, and Baker, had long been 
 members of that Church, and gone out from its 
 bosom, to preach Christ to the perishing ; Calhoon 
 had been, for nearly twenty years, its revered pas- 
 tor; Aston had sat under his ministry from child- 
 hood; Donnell and Lansdon were members of 
 neighboring churches, but their earliest recollec- 
 tions of camp-meeting scenes hovered about Big 
 Spring, and here each had made some of his first 
 efforts toward preaching. And now the presbytery, 
 the most of whom had sustained endearing rela- 
 tions to this church, were within its sacred walls, 
 and in the midst of its membership, about setting 
 apart to the whole work of the ministry one of its 
 own and two neighboring sons, all of whom had 
 already won laurels. And could they have fore- 
 seen what those young men would accomplish, 
 how it would have intensified the interest of that 
 day ! 
 
 The solemn ordination services having closed, 
 those three young ministers were ordered back to 
 the field where they had already won the hearts of 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 183 
 
 thousands, who had so often sat under their moving 
 and melting exhibitions of Divine love. 
 
 A few days after the ordination, the young min- 
 isters hade adieu to friends and home, and returned 
 to East Tennessee. Clothed, now, with the highest 
 authority of the Church, and charged with the 
 government and guardianship of numerous and 
 growing young Churches, dispersed over an exten- 
 sive territory, none but those upon whom like 
 responsibilities have been devolved can realize the 
 pressure upon the feelings of those young ministers 
 when first assuming these crushing responsibilities. 
 Hitherto, they had labored as licentiates, preaching 
 the gospel, but now they must administer the or- 
 dinances of the Church, ordain elders, preside in 
 Church sessions, superintend cases of discipline, 
 and perform the whole work of the ministry, with- 
 out the counsel of older and more experienced 
 brethren. It was a fearful responsibility, but they 
 sought the guidance of unerring Wisdom, and went 
 forward in duty. 
 
 They had left appointments upon the circuit, and 
 so soon as they reached the field they entered upon 
 their regular labors. ITothing of interest occurred 
 until they reached Roane county. Here they had 
 had a gracious revival a short time before they left 
 the circuit for presbytery, and many had signified 
 their desire to join Church ; and now the ordinance 
 of baptism had to be administered upon a number 
 of the young converts. A council was held, and 
 the duty devolved upon Donnell. Baptist influence 
 
184 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 was prevalent in the neighborhood, and many of 
 the Baptist brethren were present; this rendered 
 it proper to explain the nature and design of the 
 ordinance. This Donnell did, with great plainness, 
 fortifying every position by apposite quotations 
 from Scripture. Aston says : '' There was light 
 and point in all he said." But the Baptists were 
 greatly aggrieved, and complained that he had taken 
 the very passages upon which they relied for proof 
 that immersion is the only baptism, and explained 
 them away, and that "was more than they could 
 patiently b.ear." Indeed, one went so far as to pro- 
 nounce it "ungentlemanly." 
 
 But though the Baptists were offended, the Lord 
 was not: he graciously manifested his presence 
 and favor by blessing the labors of the young 
 ministers, and giving them favor with the people. 
 A gracious revival ensued, and on the evening of 
 the very day the baptism was administered, many 
 anxious mourners crowded the altar, and a goodly 
 number that night and the subsequent day and 
 night professed faith in Christ, and young con- 
 verts, experienced Christians, and ministers, to- 
 gether sang and shouted the praises of God. 
 
 At the close of this meeting, Mr. Aston took 
 leave of his brethren for a time, and made a tour 
 through the eastern counties, Jefferson, Green, 
 Washington, Sullivan, and Hawkins. In some 
 sections he encountered strong prejudice against 
 Cumberland Presbyterians. In one congregation, 
 a communion-meeting was in progress. He at- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 185 
 
 tended on the last day; was solicited by many to 
 preach ; but having received no invitation from the 
 pastor, he, of course, declined. Finally he con- 
 sented to have an appointment at a private house 
 that night, as the sacramental-meeting was about 
 to close. The pastor was requested to publish the 
 appointment, but promptly declined, upon the 
 ground that "the Cumberlands were seeking to 
 make innovations into Presbyterian churches." 
 ]^ot the least intimidated by the opposition of the 
 pastor, Mr. Aston found other means of giving 
 publicity to the appointment ; and at night he met 
 a large and respectable congregation — the pastor 
 among them. And notwithstanding the manifest- 
 ation of clerical prejudice, the people evinced 
 unusual interest in the new doctrines. Many 
 solicited him to remain, and voluntarily tendered 
 the use of their houses for public preaching. And 
 when informed that he could not prolong his 
 visit, they urged him to return, and favor them 
 with the regular ministrations of the word and 
 ordinances. 
 
 While Aston was travelling as a pioneer through 
 the upper counties, Donnell and Lansdon were 
 filling the regular circuit appointments, i^othing 
 of special interest occurred till Donnell returned 
 to Roane, where he had made the talk on baptism 
 which had given so much ofience to the Baptists. 
 Here it so happened that his appointment con- 
 flicted with an appointment for Baptist preaching. 
 He at once proposed that all should assemble in 
 
186 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 the church, and that both should preach. But the 
 Baptist minister was so prejudiced tliat he would 
 not consent to preach with him. The Baptists, 
 therefore, retired to the grove, and held their meet- 
 ing. This caused considerable excitement, as it 
 separated those that had long been accustomed to 
 Avorship together — those who had labored and re- 
 joiced together in the gracious revival which they 
 had recently enjoyed. Donnell was greatly grieved 
 that any thing he had done should be the occasion 
 of such unpleasant excitement; yet, in reviewing 
 his course, he was unable to perceive wherein he had 
 erred ; for he had done nothing more than assign 
 reasons why he administered baptism by affusion, 
 instead of immersion. He had carefully avoided 
 assailing the sentiments or practices of others, con- 
 tent to explain the views and defend the practices 
 of his own Church. 
 
 Oppressed in feeling that so great commotion 
 should have grown out of the mode of water bap- 
 tism, Donnell called upon God to guide him in 
 such a course as should tend to allay the excitement, 
 and his mind was directed to the words of the 
 apostle, "Let this mind be in you which was also 
 in Christ Jesus." He preached with unusual ten- 
 derness and pathos, inculcating a spirit of kindness 
 and brotherly love, with a suasiveness that subdued 
 all hearts, endeared him to the people, and greatly 
 enlarged the circle of his friends. Thus, the effort 
 to turn the tide of public sentiment against him 
 tended only to enhance his reputation, and confer 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 187 
 
 a popularity whicli drew crowds to his ministry. 
 Aston says: "Every round lie made upon the cir- 
 cuit extended his fame, and enlarged the field of 
 usefulness. Like the forerunner of Christ, "he 
 was a burning and a shining light." 
 
 Shortly after this, Donnell and Lansdon attended 
 a camp-meeting at a church under the pastoral 
 charge of Dr. Anderson, of Maryville Seminary. 
 As they were not personally acquainted with the 
 Doctor, and did not choose to seek an introduction, 
 they were permitted to pass the day in the congre- 
 gation without an interview. The meeting was 
 conducted in some respects in the same manner as 
 among Cumberland Presbyterians. Mourners were 
 invited to " anxious-seats," where they received the 
 instructions and the prayers of the Church. At 
 the close of the exercises, one young lady retired to 
 the tent in great distress. Her father, who was 
 acquainted with Mr. Donnell, and had witnessed 
 his tact in instructing mourners, solicited him to 
 walk to the tent and talk to his daughter. He 
 went, and engaged the mourner in an earnest con- 
 versation. His sympathetic and melting tones of 
 voice soon drew a crowd around the tent, and, 
 among others, Dr. Anderson. After conversing with 
 the young lady till his feelings became much enlisted 
 for her conversion, Donnell proposed prayer. All 
 kneeled, and he offered one of his most impressive 
 and yearning supplications. The company were 
 melted to tears, and Dr. Anderson, on rising from 
 prayer, remarked to a member of his church : " It 
 
188 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 grieves me to the licart that I am not at liberty to 
 take to my bosom one who can pray and talk as he 
 does." ^'And why can you not?" inquired the 
 Church member. *' Should I do so, what would be 
 the use of denominational distinctions?"* 
 
 Dr. Anderson had a reason for declining to fellow- 
 ship Cumberland Presbyterian ministers, to which 
 he could not allude without self-condemnation, 
 lie had, previous to this date, preached a sermon 
 in Maryville, Madisonville, Athens, Grassy Valley, 
 and other places, in which he had attacked Cum- 
 berland Presbyterians with great virulence, and 
 grossly misrepresented their doctrines. lie said he 
 had heard one of their preachers labor for two 
 hours to prove that "the influence of the Iloly 
 Ghost is a fiction." He said "their Confession of 
 Faith was compiled by three ignorant boys." He 
 ridiculed their pretensions to be recognized as a 
 regular branch of the Church of Christ. lie said 
 "they had put to sea without chart or compass." 
 He compared them to " mushrooms that had sprung 
 up, as it were, in a night, and would soon wither 
 and die in the sunlight of Divine truth, "f 
 
 Any one who is familiar with the history and 
 doctrines of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 
 will now readily understand why Dr. Anderson 
 could not take Mr. Donnell, or any other minister 
 of our Church, to his bosom. Having thus pub- 
 
 * Dr. Cossitt relates this anecdote, representing that Aston was 
 DonncU's companion. That is a mistake — it was Lansdon. 
 f Major Andrew Cowan. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 189 
 
 licly and repeatedly denounced a Churcli about 
 wliicli lie evidently knew but little, beyond the fact 
 that some of its young ministers — " ignorant boys," 
 as he chose to call them — had not only convinced 
 many of the members of his Church that their doc- 
 trines were scriptural, but that they possessed more 
 of the spirit of Christ than the Doctor himself, and 
 those that joined with him in denouncing them, 
 the Doctor could not, with any show of consist- 
 ency, recognize as authorized ministers of Christ 
 those whom his own people had heard him so often 
 denounce as irregular and heretical. 
 
 Having spent the summer in missionary labors, 
 the young ministers assembled in the early part of 
 the fall to unite in holding several camp-meetings. 
 At presbyteiy, some more experienced ministers 
 had been appointed to go over to East Tennessee 
 in the fall to assist the young men in conducting 
 the camp-meetings. Upon this assistance they had 
 confidently relied ; and w^ithout the supervision of 
 at least one experienced minister, neither the mis- 
 sionaries nor the churches would have favored the 
 appointment of camp-meetings. 
 
 At the appointed time the young brethren and 
 the people assembled, in high hopes of there meet- 
 ing some of the fathers in the ministry. But they 
 m.et a sad disappointment : none of the aged minis- 
 ters came. There they were, two hundred miles 
 from home, in the midst of a cultivated commu- 
 nity, that had long enjoyed the labors of an intelli- 
 gent ministry, some of whom would attend the 
 
190 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 meeting, not to assist the "ignorant boys," but to 
 criticize, and to gather material for another attack 
 upon them. And, to add to their mortification, 
 some of the principal camp-holders had but re- 
 cently withdrawn fi'om this intelligent ministry, 
 and joined the "boys," with the expectation that 
 the fathers would be out to aid them at the camp- 
 meetings. 
 
 Discouragement and gloom overshadowed the 
 encampment for a time ; but preachers and people, 
 despairing of human aid, felt the more pungently 
 their need of Divine aid ; and being thus shut up to 
 the happy necessity, they put their trust in God, and 
 called upon him for help in this time of great 
 need. Their prayers were heard in heaven, and 
 answered in a most gracious outpouring of the 
 Spirit. Great excitement pervaded the entire con- 
 gregation, and scores were brought to inquire the 
 way of salvation. An eye-witness says : "Almost 
 all who were not professors were at the mourners' 
 bench. You may have some idea of our meeting, 
 if you will fancy yourself looking over the weeping 
 congregation, and beholding here an Old School 
 man on his knees, bending over four children, 
 all come to years of maturity, and all crying for 
 mercy; and there, an old gray-headed sire, with 
 streaming eyes, in great agony for a whole 
 family of children ; and yonder, a mother in Israel, 
 on her knees, bending over a husband and four 
 children, all grown, and all unconverted."* 
 
 * Major Andrew Cowan. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 191 
 
 The meeting was one of great interest, and a 
 great many professed faith in Christ, but how- 
 many, our informant does not know ; but the chil- 
 dren of the gray-headed sire, and the four children 
 of the Old School man, and the husband and four 
 children of the mother in Israel, all professed and 
 joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; and 
 many more, that came to the meeting through 
 curiosity, careless and unconcerned, returned with 
 tidings of great joy. And what was of still greater 
 moment, the young preachers and the people 
 learned that, the Lord being present, they could 
 have a most gracious meeting without the aid of 
 the fathers in the ministry. 
 
 Thus encouraged, they went through the series 
 of the camp-meetings, trusting in God ; and though 
 not one of the ministers had been ordained six 
 months, the people had no occasion to regret the 
 absence of more experienced ministers. Each 
 meeting was attended with more than usual inter- 
 est, and resulted in numerous conversions, and ac- 
 cessions to the Churches contiguous. The young 
 men acquired much reputation, not only as elo- 
 quent and influential speakers, but as prudent, effi- 
 cient ministers of Christ ; and, notwithstanding all 
 that had been said against Cumberland Presbyte- 
 rians, as ignorant, disorderly, and heretical, no 
 other denomination enjoyed a larger measure of 
 public confidence, and many influential members 
 of the Presbyterian Church gave expression of 
 
192 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 their confidence by uniting with the Cumberland 
 Presbyterian Church. 
 
 The missionary labors for the summer of 1825 
 closed with the camp-meetings. The young brethren 
 received the parting blessing of the churches they 
 had planted and watered, and then set out to attend 
 the fall presbytery, which met at Bethesda, in 
 "Wilson county. At this session of the presbytery 
 Robert S. Donnell was ordained : he w^as cousin to 
 George Donnell, and a young man of great pro- 
 mise. An orator by nature, and possessing more 
 than ordinary talent, had he been as exclusively 
 devoted to the ministry as his distinguished rela- 
 tive, Rev. Robert Donnell, of Alabama, he might 
 have rivalled him in usefulness ; but having married 
 early, and becoming encumbered with the cares of 
 this life, he never attained the distinction for which 
 his eminent talents qualified him. 
 
 It was at this meeting I first saw George Donnell. 
 About a month previous I had professed religion, 
 and had gone with a young friend who was ear- 
 nestly seeking salvation. When we arrived at the 
 camp-ground, George Donnell, Aston, and Lans- 
 don were sitting in the stand, and Robert S. Don- 
 nell was jjreaching his trial sermon. George was 
 clad in a black suit of very fine homespun jeans, 
 with a red bandanna silk handkerchief thrown 
 loosely over his head. All were strangers to me, 
 and I was curious to make up an opinion as to the 
 preaching talents of the trio. After a careful sur- 
 vey, I finally settled upon Donnell as my favorite. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 193 
 
 The selection was not determined by any indication 
 of superior talents, so much as an expression of un- 
 usual susceptibility ; and Avhen I heard him sing, and 
 pray, and converse with mourners, I was confirmed 
 in my first impression. There was a tenderness, a 
 moving sympathy, and a heavenly unction, in all 
 that he said or sang, such as I had never heard 
 before ; and when he preached, I felt sure that my 
 friend would mourn, and so he did. A number 
 professed religion, and I had great hopes of my 
 friend, and doubtless the day of eternity will reveal 
 the fact that he was converted at that meeting, but 
 he did not profess there. 
 
194 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 DONNELL IN SYNOD — MISSIONARY LABORS. 
 
 Immediately after the adjournment of presby- 
 tery, the young brethren proceeded to synod to take 
 their seats for fhe first time as members of that 
 body. The General Assembly had not yet been 
 organized, and the synod was, therefore, the highest 
 judicature of the Church. It was composed of a 
 convention of all the ordained ministers of the 
 Church ; and in the fall of 1825, it held its annual 
 meeting at Princeton, Kentucky. The young 
 brethren were not only in a strange community, 
 but they were unacquainted with a large majority 
 of the members of synod. 
 
 It was the custom to appoint a committee com- 
 posed of one aged minister from each presbytery 
 to regulate the public services during the session 
 of synod, and to select the ministers that should 
 occupy the pulpit. It was customary to make ap- 
 pointments for the pulpit from the several presby- 
 teries ; and when the time came to make an 
 appointment from the Lebanon Presbytery, Eev. 
 Tliomas Calhoon, who represented the presbytery 
 in tlie committee, nominated George DonnelL He 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. lUt) 
 
 was unknown to tlie otiier members of^the com- 
 mittee, and as lie was young and ratlier boyisli in 
 appearance, they were rather indisposed to ratify 
 the nomination. But Mr. Calhoon declined to 
 withdraw it ; so, to gratify him, the appointment was 
 reluctantly made, but not with the cordial approval 
 of the committee. 
 
 When the hour came for Donnell to occupy the 
 pulpit, several of the fathers in the ministry, ex- 
 pecting that "the boy would make a failure," and 
 wishins: to screen from observation their mortifi- 
 cation, took a seat behind the pulpit, as the congre- 
 gation was in a grove. Donnell was evidently eni- 
 barrassed, and his commencement was rather 
 unpromising. The old fathers hung their heads, 
 and Calhoon did not appear easy in his seat. But 
 as the speaker advanced upon an ascending scale, 
 the fathers began to hold up their heads : the 
 speaker grew animated, and began to pour out his 
 soul in melting strains of heavenly love : the 
 fathers began one by one to slide around in front 
 of the stand, and ere the speaker closed they were 
 all in front, and enraptured with the sermon and 
 the young preacher.* 
 
 At this session of the synod the propriety of 
 establishing a college, under the supervision of the 
 synod, for the education of probationers for tke 
 ministry, was under consideration. After a pro- 
 tracted discussion, it was decided in the affirm- 
 ative, and a committee was appointed to draft a 
 
 * Rev. Thomas Calhoon. 
 
196 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 plan to be reported to the next session of the 
 synod. Mr. Donnell warmly advocated the mea- 
 sure. 
 
 Another subject of equal importance was under 
 discussion, namely, the propriety of dividing the 
 synod, and organizing a General Assembly, as the 
 highest judicature of the Church. The young 
 and growing denomination had, in fifteen years 
 after its organization, planted churches in every 
 section of Tennessee and Kentucky, and in some 
 sections of Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Mis- 
 souri, Illinois, and Indiana. To require all the 
 ordained ministers dispersed over this vast terri- 
 tory to assemble in synod once a year, was thought 
 tp be an impolitic waste of time, especially when 
 the demand for ministerial labor far exceeded the 
 ability of all the ministers, though they should de- 
 vote the whole of their time to the work. In view 
 of this waste of time in travelling several hundred 
 miles to synod, all parties admitted the propriety 
 of a division of the synod. But while some were 
 in favor of a Gleneral Assembly as the bond of union, 
 others favored a delegated synod. Rev. Finis 
 Ewing and other distinguished members favored a 
 synod, but opposed warmly the organization of a 
 General Assembly. The discussion was animated 
 aad protracted. Mr. Donnell, though a 3'outh, 
 mildly, though firmly, advocated an Assembly. 
 As the synod was much divided in sentiment, after 
 a protracted discussion, the whole subject was post- 
 poned indefinitely ; and three years thereafter. Cum- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 197 
 
 berland Synod was divided into four synods, and a 
 General Assembly constituted. 
 
 Mr. Donnell preached with such general accept- 
 ance, that the synod appointed him and Eev. 
 David Foster a committee to visit the Mission 
 School in the Choctaw IS'ation, which had been 
 established some years previous, and to report its 
 condition to the next synod. 
 
 After synod, Donnell, Aston, Lansdon, and S. 
 T. Thomas, a licentiate, returned to East Tennes- 
 see. Thomas was placed upon the Sequachee 
 Circuit, Smith having been transferred to the 
 Lebanon Circuit. Aston spent the winter in the 
 eastern counties; and on one tour, he penetrated 
 as far as Abingdon, in Western Virginia. Lans- 
 don and A. M. Young supplied the regular circuit 
 appointments in the Tennessee valley ; while Don- 
 nell travelled at large through the Tennessee and 
 Sequachee Circuits, and cooperated with the other 
 missionaries in holding two-days' and sacramental- 
 meetings. Thus passed the winter, without elicit- 
 ing any thing worthy of special notice. 
 
 Li the spring of 1826, Lebanon Presbytery met 
 at the residence of Major Andrew Cowan, in 
 Grassy Yalley, East Tennessee. The young mis- 
 sionaries had taken pains the previous fall to have 
 all the churches in the east represented in presby- 
 tery, -and their influence, in connection with a 
 spirit of indulgence on the part of the ministers 
 and churches west of the mountains, had availed to 
 take the presbytery to East Tennessee. It was a 
 
198 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 great satisfaction, not only to the missionaries, but 
 to the members of the eastern churches, to have the 
 aged ministers with, th^m'-.once more, and to wait 
 upon their ySOuMnspirin^- ministrations. The de- 
 liberations of the pr.esb;^5;tery did much -toward 
 building up and confirming tlie newlj-planted 
 churches. At this presbytery, Ediilander Y. Davis 
 and G. 0. Lewis were licensed to preach. After a 
 pleasant and harmonious session, presbytery ad- 
 journed to meet at Flat Creek church, in Overton 
 county. 
 
 Shortly after the adjournment of presbytery, Mr. 
 Donnell set out on his mission to visit the Indian 
 school among the Choctaws, in Mississippi. He 
 passed through :N"orth Alabama, and called upon 
 his distinguished relative, Eev. Robert Donnell. 
 His stay here was very brief, but Father Donnell 
 could not allow him to depart without sowing some 
 seed in that field, which he had so long cultivated 
 with singular success. He circulated an appoint- 
 ment for preaching at night in the church near his 
 residence. 
 
 A good congregation came out, and the young 
 missionary preached. There was in the congrega- 
 tion that night an intelligent young man from 
 Tennessee, who was teaching a classical school in 
 the neighborhood. He was then a stranger to 
 Christ, and to his messenger, George Donnell; 
 though, by the grace of God, he subsequently knew 
 the Saviour, and became the true yokefellow witli 
 Donnell in the ministry. Yet at this period he 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 109 
 
 ^vas fastidious in his taste, and as he was familiar 
 ivith some of the first preachers of the day, he was 
 disposed to look upon the "lesser lights" with a 
 feeling of commiseration approaching contempt. 
 And when "Little George" presented himself in 
 kis soiled jeans garb, and with a diffident and hesi- 
 tating manner entered upon the services of the 
 evening, our young teacher could not repress a 
 feeling of pity, bordering on disgust. But before 
 the sermon closed, he says he felt such convictions 
 -for sin as he never had before experienced, though 
 he had often sat under the preaching of Calhoon 
 and Eobert Donnell ; and he thinks that the close 
 of the discourse equalled in pathos and pungency 
 any thing he ever heard from the pulpit. 
 
 As the country between Alabama and the In- 
 dian school was at that day unsettled, no further 
 opportunity for preaching was offered. And as 
 Donnell could not preach to the Lidians, except 
 through an interpreter, and there were no white 
 people in the vicinity, except those connected with 
 the mission, it is probable that he accomplished 
 little more than the business part of his mission — 
 the delivery of the contributions of his presbytery, 
 and the inspection of the condition of the school. 
 
 On his return, he called upon Eev. Eobert Don- 
 nell again, and accompanied him to a camp-meet- 
 ing in Madison county. He was appointed to 
 preach at the most public hour on Sabbath ; but 
 some of the elders and camp-holders were so dissat- 
 isfied with the appointment, that they would not 
 
200 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 go out to the stand, but lingered in their tents, that 
 they might not witness, or become in any way iden- 
 tified with, the fiiihire which, from the unpromis- 
 ing appearance of the preacher, they deemed inev- 
 itable. But long before tlie close of the sermon 
 the tents were empty, and all had gathered as ne»r 
 the stand as possible, fixed in amazement, to hear 
 a sorry-looking boy preach with such pathos and 
 power. Christians were transported to ecstasy, and 
 sinners were crying for mercy. 
 
 Father Donnell had left a sick family at home, 
 and was compelled to return; but such was the in- 
 terest manifested, and so encouraging the prospects 
 for a general revival, that the thought of leaving 
 the meeting at such a crisis so overcame him, that, 
 on parting with the preachers in whose charge ho 
 was leaving the interests of the meeting, he wept 
 freely. A wag standing by, and noticing the weep- 
 ing, said: "Uncle Bob went ofi" crying, because 
 Little George had laid him in the shade preaching." 
 
 From the camp-meeting, Mr. Donnell came to 
 Winchester, and assisted Rev. Samuel King in a 
 meeting then in progress in the village. This com- 
 munity had been blessed with a gracious revival, a 
 small church had recently been organized, and a 
 revival spirit was still prevalent. Donnell was a 
 stranger to all except Father King, and as he was 
 still clad in his soiled jeans, now worn through at 
 the elbows, the principal citizens w^ere sorely vexed 
 when King put him up to preach. lie perceived 
 the aversion of the congregation, and determined 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. '201 
 
 to dispel it before entering upon the subject of the 
 contemplated discourse. After the introductory 
 service, and before announcing his text, he said 
 that a false and slanderous rumor had gained cur- 
 rency in that community ; that some of the mem- 
 bers of the Church, and all of the men of the 
 world, believed it, and were acting under its perni- 
 cious influence ; that it had already done much in- 
 jury, and, if permitted to go unrefuted, it would 
 yet do much more injury; and as the slander in- 
 volved himself, as well as members of the congre- 
 gation, he had determined, stranger as he was, to 
 meet and expose it. 
 
 Curiosity was on tip-toe ; the people stared at 
 him and each other in amazement, all wondering 
 who had been slandering the shabby little preacher. 
 Seeing he had the concentrated attention of the 
 whole congregation, he then announced his text: 
 "Ye have said it is a vain thing to serve God." 
 "This," he said, "was a vile slander;" and then 
 he proceeded, in a most masterly strain of argu- 
 ment, to demonstrate that it was not a vain thing to 
 serve God. Then he showed that the men of the 
 world, and inconsistent Christians, acted as though 
 they believed it was vain to serve him, and thereby 
 they gave currency to the slander upon the Divine 
 character; and persisting in this course, they not 
 only influenced others to believe the service of God 
 a vain thing, but ultimately persuaded themselves 
 that it was vain, and so died in their sins. 
 
 After showing that all undevout persons were 
 9* 
 
202 THELIFEOFTIIE 
 
 contributing their influence to tlie propagation of 
 tins slander, the belief of which was ruining death- 
 less souls, he told the people he was commissioned 
 of God to warn them to desist from propagating an 
 error so ruinous, and to counteract, by repentance 
 and faith, the evil they had already done. 
 
 When he closed, the congregation was bathed in 
 tears, and many were groaning in bitterness of 
 spirit. Mourners were called, and the altar w^as 
 crowded, many of w^hom never rose till they had 
 experienced remission of sins, and then they rose 
 to testify publicly that it is not vain to serve God. 
 One man, who sat in the window^, would not go to 
 the altar, but he mourned and prayed in the win- 
 dow, and refused to retire until he experienced the 
 pardoning love of God. The little stranger w^as 
 long a favorite with many good people in Win- 
 chester.'-^ 
 
 After some days of grateful repose, our 3'oung 
 missionary took. an afiectionate leave of the young 
 converts and the kind brethren, and set out on his 
 return to East Tennessee, where he joined his com- 
 panions in labor. The summer of 1826 was spent 
 in attending sacramental and camp-meetings on the 
 several circuits. These meetings w^ere attended 
 with unusual interest; a revival spirit pervaded 
 the churches generally, and never had the labors 
 of the missionaries been so successful. Converts 
 were numerous at every meeting, and, during the 
 
 * JuJge Green aud Benjamin Declicrd. 
 
REV. GEOIIGE DONNELL. 203 
 
 summer and fall, several hundred were added to 
 the churches in the east. Indeed, it seems to have 
 been a season of revivals in almost every section 
 of the Church, as the synod of 1826 reported three 
 thousand three hundred and five converts during 
 the year. And as there were but eighty ministers 
 in the whole Church, the total increase would give 
 an average of more than forty to each minister. 
 
 After the close of the camp-meetings, the mis- 
 sionaries crossed the mountains to attend presby- 
 tery at Flat Creek church, in Overton county. In 
 this section, Donnell, Aston, and Lansdon had 
 labored as missionaries when first licensed, and, 
 though young and inexperienced, they had souls 
 for their hire, and as many devoted friends in the 
 Mountain district as in any other field in which 
 they had labored. After an absence of three years, 
 a relinion with old circuit friends was mutually 
 agreeable and edifying. The old folks were de- 
 lighted to see their favorable predictions about 
 the boys verified in the manly bearing and able 
 sermons of the young ministers. 
 
 From X3resbytery, the ministers, with their elders, 
 set out for synod, at Eusselville, Kentucky. In 
 those days, the meeting of synod was an occasioii 
 of unusual interest, as it was a convocation of all 
 the ministers of the whole Church, afibrding oppor- 
 tunity to each of forming a personal acquaintance 
 with all the ministers. And then, as the Church had 
 no paper or public organ of communication, all were 
 anxious to attend synod, to hear the reports of the 
 
204 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 several presbyteries, detailing the revivals, the ac- 
 cessions to the Church and the ministry, the mis- 
 sionary enterprises, and the general advancement 
 of the good cause, in their respective bounds. 
 
 At the synod of 1826, cheering reports of exten- 
 sive revivals came up from every section of the 
 Church, but none elicited so much interest as the re- 
 ports of the young missionaries from East Tennessee. 
 For here was a demonstration that the new theo- 
 logy, even in the hands of inexperienced young 
 men, could maintain its medium ground, in the 
 face of Calvinistic and Arminian opposition. It 
 had prevailed gloriously, in the very shade of the 
 schools of the Calvinistic prophets, and the " illiter- 
 ate boys," as they were tauntingly called, had van- 
 quished learned doctors of divinity. 
 
 From the synod, the young missionaries returned 
 to the east, and resumed their labors. The winter 
 was passed, as preceding winters had been, in visit- 
 ing, instructing, building up, and fortifying the 
 numerous and widely-dispersed churches which 
 had been planted by their labors. In neighbor- 
 hoods where there were no churches, meetings were 
 held at private houses, by day or by night, and 
 many precious little reviving seasons were enjoyed. 
 But the days of protracted meetings had not yet 
 been ushered in, nor did the life of the missionary 
 allow^him to remain long in any one place : ap- 
 pointments were always in advance of him, and he 
 must be on the wing to meet them. Could he 
 have delayed wherever buddings of a revival were 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 205 
 
 developed, he might have accomplished more, but 
 much time would have been lost in getting out a 
 new series of appointments. So he left the mourn- 
 ers to strive in solitude until his next visit. 
 Generally he found them still serious, and some 
 anxiously awaiting his return, while others had 
 grown callous and indifferent. Under this system 
 of operations, mourners were longer in obtaining 
 comfort than in the days of protracted meetings, 
 but the evidences of conversion were more satis- 
 factory. 
 
 With the opening spring, the missionaries assem- 
 bled at Andrew Russell's, to take their departure 
 across the mountain to attend presbytery. Mr. 
 Russell was an elder of the Concord church, and 
 his house had been the home of the missionary 
 from the commencement of their operations in that 
 country, and the young men revered and loved him 
 as a father. Parting with him and his amiable 
 family was like leaving home. On this occasion, 
 Aston had spent the night with the family ; Donnell 
 arrived after breakfast, and when they were about 
 to take leave, he signified that he would like to 
 X^ray with the famil3\ All were assembled: he 
 sang and prayed with a pathos and tenderness 
 peculiar to himself; the whole family, white and 
 black, were in tears ; he sang a farewell song, pass- 
 ing round and shaking hands with each member as 
 he sang: some wept and sobbed aloud, others 
 shouted, and all were excited. The missionaries 
 
206 TUE LIFE OF THE 
 
 departed witli the blessings of the family upon 
 them. 
 
 After presbytery, Aston, Lansdon, and Smith 
 returned to East Tennessee, but Donnell remained, 
 and spent the summer of 1827 in Wilson county, 
 assisting the brethren wherever aid was most 
 needed, but having no regular charge. After live 
 years of incessant toil, a partial respite from labor 
 was most grateful ; but repose was not the only con- 
 sideration that induced him to remain in "Wilson. 
 He had a matrimonial engagement with Miss Eli- 
 zabeth E. McMurry, eldest daughter of David 
 ISIcMurry, an elder of the Big Spring church, and 
 the chief object of his stay was the consummation 
 of this delicate negotiation. Early in the summer, 
 lie and his chosen bride were united in wedlock. 
 Of course, some time was spent in visiting relatives 
 and friends ; but such was the anxiety to hear him 
 preach, that appointments were made and congre- 
 gations assembled, and his bridal tour was attended 
 by a series of meetings. 
 
 The latter part of the summer, and a portion of 
 the fall, were passed in attending camp-meetings in 
 Wilson and the adjoining counties. It was a rare 
 treat to his ministerial brethren and his old circuit 
 friends to have his labors once more at their 
 camp-meetings ; and it was a common remark that 
 lie preached better since his marriage than for-s 
 merly. Many who had not heard him for several 
 years, were agreeably surprised to observe the 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 207 
 
 growth and development of his intellectual powers. 
 At no period in his ministerial career did he ac- 
 quire so much reputation in so short a time, as dur- 
 ing the few weeks he spent attending the camp- 
 meetings m Lebanon Presbytery. 
 
 His amiable companion accompanied him to 
 several of those meetings, and public opinion every- 
 where approved his choice. Having enjoyed the 
 prayers and instructions of a mother distinguished 
 for intelligence and piety, having moved in the 
 better circles of Christian society, being naturally 
 amiable, and so refined by grace as to be in sympa- 
 thy with him in all his care and labor for souls, she 
 was just the lady he should have chosen to be the 
 companion of a devoted, self-denying minister of 
 Christ. 
 
 Before the close of the camp-meeting season, the 
 popular young minister and his amiable com- 
 panion took an afiectionate leave of numerous 
 fi'iends, and set out for East Tennessee. Mr. Don- 
 nell had made arrangements to locate as pastor of 
 the Concord church. The journey completed, the 
 young pastor and his bride were received with 
 great kindness, and snugly located in a house be- 
 longing to Father Russell, the principal elder of 
 the church. Here the young wife took her first 
 lessons in housekeeping, and the young pastor his 
 first in pastoral duties. 
 
 At this date, 1827, comparatively few Cumber- 
 land Presbyterian churches had settled pastors. 
 Each minister usually supplied three or four 
 
208 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 churches, and as these churches were dispersed 
 over a wide territory, the minister was a missionary 
 rather than a pastor; and as the churches were 
 generally feehle, the population heing sparse and 
 in moderate circumstances, it required the contri- 
 butions of several churches to sustain one minister. 
 Concord was the first Cumberland Presbyterian 
 church organized in East Tennessee, and when Mr. 
 Donnell became pastor, it had more members and 
 moj-e wealth than any of the churches in that sec- 
 tion of the State ; and, as its members were dis- 
 persed over a large territory, he declined the charge 
 of any other church. 
 
 But the limited contributions which were com- 
 mon at that day, soon proved insufficient to sustain 
 the pastor and his small family. And as the 
 church was in want of a teacher, it was proposed 
 that he should take a school, and thereby make up 
 the deficiency. Accordingly, he opened a school 
 in the congregation, the income of which, in addi- 
 tion to the contributions of the church, afforded a 
 competency. 
 
 Mr. Donnell was a charming singer, and pas- 
 sionately fond of sacred music. Attaching great 
 importance to this delightful exercise, and discover- 
 ing a deficiency among his members, and being 
 thoroughly versed in the science of music, he was 
 induced to open a singing-school for the purpose 
 of instructing the members, and thereby improv- 
 ing the church music. The school soon awakened 
 a general interest in sacred music ; and to this 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 209 
 
 day some of Lis old pupils are tlie sweetest singers 
 in Israel. 
 
 The synod of 1827 divided the Lebanon Presby- 
 tery, and ordered a new presbytery to be con- 
 stituted in East Tennessee. The following is an 
 extract from the Minutes of the first session of the 
 new presbytery : 
 
 "Agreeably to an order of the last synod, George 
 Donnell, "William Smith, Samuel M. Aston, and 
 Abner W. Lansdon, formerly members of the 
 Lebanon Presbytery, met at Concord meeting-house, 
 in Knox county. State of Tennessee, on Thursday 
 the 17th of April, 1828, and constituted by prayer 
 the presbytery to be known by the name of the 
 JInoxville Presbytery ; which opened its session by 
 a sermon delivered by Kev. George Donnell, who 
 was appointed the first Moderator." 
 
 It was a merited distinction and privilege, that 
 the first Cumberland Presbyterian church organ- 
 ized in East Tennessee should witness the consti- 
 tution of the first presbytery in that section of the 
 State. Little did they imagine, when they hesi- 
 tatingly gave in their names, and therewith their 
 adhesion to an obscure and despised denomination, 
 of little more than ten years' standing, and not a 
 congregation within one hundred and fifty miles of 
 them, that in six brief years they would see a 
 presbytery constituted at that place, gathering 
 under its fostering care numerous thriving churches, 
 planted over the valley of the Tennessee by a few 
 
210 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 inexperienced missionaries. Truly, God hatli em- 
 ♦ l^loyed the weak to confound tlie miglity. 
 
 Mr. Donnell's connection witli the Concord 
 church was pleasant and agreeable. The commu- 
 nity was respectable, plain, but intelligent and sub- 
 stantial, noted for kindness, hospitality, and all the 
 social virtues. They idolized their pastor, and he 
 was warmly attached to his people. There was 
 one, and only one, cause of discontent — the school 
 was too confining. He longed to be out among his 
 flock, making pastoral visits, preaching and hold- 
 ing prayer-meetings in neighborhoods remote from 
 the church, visiting the serious and the sick, and 
 laboring for the spiritual advancement of his charge. 
 But if he gave up the school, the contributions o^ 
 the church would not supply his family with the 
 ordinary comforts of life. The struggle between a 
 passion for souls and affection for his family was 
 painful and protracted ; but when the camp- meet- 
 ing season came on, a sense of obligation to be en- 
 gaged in his Master's work overcame all considera- 
 tions of temporal comforts. lie gave up his school 
 and took the field, devoting himself wholly to the 
 work of the ministry. 
 
 During the season of the camp-meetings, he was 
 incessantly engaged, and never were his labors 
 more successful. But the close of his first year'^ 
 euGfasrement with the Concord church now drew 
 near, and the propriety of renewing the engage- 
 ment must be decided. It was an embarrassing 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL 
 
 211 
 
 question. He had demonstrated that the contribu- 
 tions of the church, independent of the school, 
 woukl not support his family. The school tram- 
 melled him in his ministerial labors, and on that 
 account he was opposed to the confinement. ^ lie 
 desired to remain at Concord, yet if he remained 
 he would be compelled to teach. 
 
 Ever since he had spent the summer of 1827 
 west of the mountain, great solicitude had been 
 expressed to secure his services in "Wilson county ; 
 and there was great need for more efficient labor 
 there, for some of the churches were sinking into 
 a state of apathy. His father and father-in-law 
 had proffered assistance if he would return: he 
 could have a little farm of his own, and servants to 
 cultivate it. This promised a support without any 
 curtailment of his labors in the ministry. This 
 settled the question, and he decided to resign the 
 charge of Concord, and return to his native county, 
 where he could be wholly devoted to his ministerial 
 labors. 
 
 As the fall session of the Knoxville Presbytery 
 was to be held at Clear Spring church, in Ehea 
 county, fifty miles west of Concord, on the road to 
 Middle Tennessee, Mr. Donnell determined to set 
 out on his removal to Wilson county, and attend 
 the presbytery on his journey. He therefore made 
 the necessary preparations for the removal of his 
 little family, and taking an affectionate leave of the 
 good people of Concord, he set out for presbytery, 
 and thence to Wilson. At presbytery he met his 
 
212 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 brethren with whom he had been so long associated, 
 and sat with them in presbytery for the last time. 
 After the adjournment, he bade adieu to his friends 
 in East Tennessee, and his co-laborers in the min- 
 istvy, and resumed his journey. His departure 
 caused universal regret, but none were disposed to 
 censure his course. 
 
 From the spring of 1824 to the fall of 1828, he 
 had labored to plant and build up churches in 
 East Tennessee. And could we duly appreciate 
 the discouragements under which he and his com- 
 panions labored, and then contemplate the results, 
 we might then be prepared to judge of his fidelity 
 and efficiency. But we cannot, at this day, appre- 
 ciate the embarrassments that Cumberland Presby- 
 terian ministers had to encounter in East Tennessee 
 at that date. The Church had only reached the 
 fourteenth year of its existence ; its doctrines and 
 usages were unknown, but strange rumors of 
 heres}^ and disorder, "wildfire and fanaticism," had 
 preceded them, and prejudiced the public mind 
 against the new Church and its doctrines. It had 
 no papers, colleges, or doctors of divinity, as expo- 
 nents ; in a word, nothing to give it character, save 
 the piety of its members, the zeal of its ministers, 
 and the purity of its doctrines. The missionaries 
 themselves had enjoyed no advantages. They were 
 young men with but limited attainments, and with- 
 out experience; but they went forth armed only 
 with the gospel message, and trusting alone in the 
 power of God, who gave them the victory. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 213 
 
 One of his co-laborers, Rev. William Smith, has 
 presented the embarrassments under which they 
 labored, and the success attending the first mission- 
 aries, in a light that will aid us in attaining an ade- 
 quate conception of the difficulty encountered, and 
 the magnitude of their labors. 
 
 He says : " Let any one look over the map of 
 East Tennessee, and then reflect that when Donnell 
 first went there, in the spring of 1824, there were 
 only two small societies in all that section of the 
 State, and those two erfibracing only a few mem- 
 bers scattered over a wide territory ; and then re- 
 member that each county was dotted over with 
 Presbyterian and Methodist churches — the Presby- 
 terian ministers noted for their extensive learning, 
 and the Methodists equally noted for their vigi- 
 lance to guard against any and every thing not 
 Methodistical — and then the labor necessary to 
 build up churches under such circumstances must 
 be apparent. Yet that labor Donnell, and three 
 or four other boys, as they were called, performed, 
 without extensive attainments or experience to aid 
 them. But boys as they were, without much 
 human armor to defend them, they went forth to 
 meet the enemies of God or Cumberlandism. 
 They feared them not, though they might have ac- 
 quired all the human learning to be attained in the 
 schools. And what was the result ? Why, from 
 two small churches, in the spring of 1824, the 
 membership was so increased, that, in the fall of 
 1827, the synod ordered them to organize a new 
 
214 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 presbytery, with Donnell as the first Moderator. And 
 I doubt not his influence did its full share in train- 
 ing our members in that section of the State in 
 theology and Church polity; so that one of the 
 fothers of the Church, after having travelled 
 eighteen months through the whole Church, re- 
 ported to the General Assembly, in 1835, that the 
 churches of the Knoxville Presbytery were in a more 
 flourishing condition than any he had visited." 
 
 Though Donnell retired from East Tennessee, he 
 left Aston, Lansdon, Smith, and S. Y. Thomas in 
 the field, all preachers of no mean reputation, and 
 three of them familiar with the habits of the 
 people. He left them with a presbytery fully organ- 
 ized, and churches and members dispersed from 
 Sequachee to the Blue Eidge, from AVatauga to 
 Hiwassee, and the character of the Church chal- 
 lenging comparison with any other denomination. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 215 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 RESIDENCE IN WILSON COUNTY. 
 
 Having removed from East Tennessee to "Wilson 
 county, Mr. Donnell left liis family witli his fatlier- 
 in-law, and proceeded to synod, wliicli convened 
 in Franklin. Here lie met once more all tlie or- 
 dained ministers of the whole Church, excepting 
 those detained by sickness or some other ^Drovi- 
 dence. These reunions were very grateful to the 
 brethren, and not without substantial advantages 
 in promoting fraternity and unity in doctrine and 
 usages. But they were enjoyed at an immense 
 sacrifice of time and means ; and all began to feel 
 that the time had come when duty demanded a 
 relinquishment of the pleasure of a general convo- 
 cation of all the ministers — that the time thus con- 
 sumed might be devoted to the growing want of 
 an increase of ministerial labor. 
 
 Accordingly, the question of the division of the 
 synod, and the organization of a General Assembly, 
 came up again for consideration. It had been dis- 
 cussed in the synod of 1825, and, in consequence 
 of the opposition of Father Ewing and a few other 
 influential members, it had been indefinitely post- 
 
216 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 poned. But the borders of the Church had in the 
 meantime been so extended, and the number of 
 ministers had so increased, that even those who had 
 opposed the measure in 1825, were now convinced 
 that it was inexpedient longer to require all the 
 ministers of the Church to leave their respective 
 charges, and travel from one to six hundred miles 
 to attend synod. When, therefore, the proposition 
 to divide the synod was made in 1828, it met gen- 
 eral favor. The only subject of discussion was, 
 whether the highest judicature should be a dele- 
 gated synod, as in the Lutheran Church, or a 
 General Assembly. Mr. Donnell now, as in 1825, 
 advocated a General Assembly. The measure car- 
 ried by a large majority, and the original Cumber- 
 land Synod was divided into four synods, namely, 
 Franklin Synod, embracing a large portion of 
 Middle Tennessee, and all of East and West Ten- 
 nessee ; Columbia Synod, embracing several coun- 
 ties in Middle Tennessee, all Alabama and Mis- 
 sissippi ; Green River Synod, embracing Kentucky, 
 Indiana, and a part of Illinois ; and Missouri Synod, 
 including Missouri, Arkansas, and a part of Illinois. 
 It was also pro\dded that the presbyteries should 
 elect delegates to meet in Princeton, Kentucky, 
 the next May, and constitute a General Assembly. 
 On his return from synod, Mr. Donnell settled on 
 a small farm, lying seven miles east of Lebanon, 
 and two miles south of Big Spring. Though his 
 relatives and many friends had solicited his re- 
 turn to "Wilson county, no church had given him a 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 217 
 
 call, as tliey were all supplied, either with pastors 
 or a temporary supply. Rev. Thomas Calhoon was, 
 and had been for many years, the pastor of the Big 
 Spring church ; Rev. John L. Dillard had charge 
 of Providence ; Rev. John Provine preached at 
 New Hope and Bethesda, though he resided near 
 Big Spring; Rev. David Foster had charge of 
 Stoner's and Sugg's Creek churches ; and Robert 
 S. Donnell preached at Moriah and Smith's Fork. 
 Each of those churches had a camp-ground at- 
 tached, where a camp-meeting was held every fall. 
 
 N'otwithstanding there were eight churches in 
 the county, each of which could sustain a camp- 
 meeting, there was no church in Lebanon, nor was 
 there any stated preaching in the place by any 
 minister of our Church. Father Calhoon and Mr. 
 Dillard had preached there occasionally, but it is 
 not known that either ever kept up regular ap- 
 pointments there. And as neither was preaching 
 in the place when Mr. Donnell settled in the vicin- 
 ity, he commenced about the first of the year 1829 
 a regular monthly appointment, usually preaching 
 on Saturday and Sabbath. Much of his time was 
 occupied in aiding other brethren at their two-days' 
 and sacramental-meetings ; and the remaining por- 
 tion was bestowed upon neighboring towns, Gal- 
 latin, Hartsville, Carthage, and Murfreesboro. 
 
 Up to this date Cumberland Presbyterian minis- 
 ters had strangely neglected the towns. They had 
 organized respectable churches in almost every 
 populous section of the country, and had borne the 
 10 
 
218 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 message of salvation into every glen and mountain 
 cove ; but tlie towns had received little more than 
 an occasional sermon, and, in some instances, a tvro- 
 days' meeting. As a legitimate consequence of this 
 policy, there was not in 1829 an organized church 
 of our denomination in any town of ^liddle Ten- 
 nessee, excepting Winchester, where a church had 
 been organized about 1825. 
 
 Mr. Donnell, dej^loring this policy, determined 
 to bestow a large share of his labors upon the 
 towns. For this devotion to communities too much 
 neglected by his seniors in the ministry, he was 
 sometimes jeered; but, conscious of the rectitude 
 of his motives, and encouraged with the prospect 
 of accomplishing much good, he heeded not an 
 occasional intimation of personal vanity. 
 
 "When he commenced preaching in Lebanon, it 
 was a village of some seven or eight hundred in- 
 habitants; and, though not so immoral as some 
 other towns, it had but one church. The Method- 
 ist brethren had a comfortable house of worship, 
 and a respectable membership, and they kept a 
 minister stationed in the place. No other deno- 
 mination had either an organized society or a 
 place of worship. There were a few Baptist, Pres- 
 byterian, and Cumberland members in the town, 
 who sometimes solicited and obtained an occa- 
 sional sermon from the ministers of their own 
 Church. 
 
 Rev. Amzi Bradshaw, a respectable Presbyte- 
 rian minister, preached in the place occasionally. 
 
REV. aEORGE DON NELL. 219 
 
 And shortly after Mr. Donnell commeuced preacli- 
 ing there, it so happened that their appointments 
 conflicted. Mr. Donnell promptly gave way, and 
 Mr. Bradshaw preached in the forenoon ; and, con- 
 trary to his usual custom, he chose to animadvert 
 with some severity upon the doctrines and usages 
 of Cumberland Presbyterians, intimating that they 
 had been ejected from the Presbyterian Church 
 for heresy and disorder. Mr. Donnell announced 
 that he would answer the charges in the afternoon, 
 and explain the origin of the Cumberland Presby- 
 terian Church. At the appointed hour the house 
 was crowded, and he proceeded to set forth and 
 defend the faith and practice of his Church, with 
 a lucidness and force of argument that surprised 
 and delighted his audience. They knew that he 
 could preach the gospel with a tenderness and 
 pathos that was hard to resist ; but they had not 
 supposed that he possessed the power of anal^^sis 
 and the theological research which he displayed 
 in defending his creed, and contrasting it with 
 the Calvinistic system. They were not aware of 
 the fact that, from his boyhood, he had been com- 
 pelled to defend his Church against the assaults of 
 such giants of the Calvinistic faith as Drs. Ander- 
 son and Doak, and that in every rencontre he had 
 come off victorious. After this hasty pass, Brad- 
 shaw discontinued his appointments in Lebanon. 
 
 During the summer and fall of 1829, Mr. Don- 
 nell was almost incessantly engaged in camp and 
 proiraded-meetings, which about this time first 
 
220 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 came in vogue. AMierever he went, and in what- 
 ever service he engaged, wliether in the pulpit 
 or the altar, he was a favorite with all parties. 
 The churches generally were in a languid state ; 
 but toward the close of the season some indica- 
 tions of a general revival were manifest. 
 
 In October, 1829, the Franklin Synod held its 
 first session at Big Spring church. This synod em- 
 braced East and West and more than half of Mid- 
 dle Tennessee, and consequently it brought to- 
 gether a large assemblage of ministers and elders. 
 And as the ministers had been accustomed to meet 
 all their brethren in general synod, they could not 
 at once forego the pleasure of such association, and 
 on this occasion several of the ministers of the 
 Green Eiver Synod were present. Mr. Donnell's 
 house was the home of so many as he could lodge ; 
 and among the number Rev. Hugh B. Ilill, of Ken- 
 tucky. This was their first introduction, and the 
 commencement of that intimacy which was main- 
 tained through life. Mr. Hill says : '' I was kindly 
 received into his family, and, as I thought, to his 
 heart and confidence." Their first interview in- 
 spired mutual confidence, which after years of 
 intercourse matured into a fraternity as intimate 
 and stable as the affection of twin-brothers ; and 
 when separated by death, the survivor mourned as 
 for an only brother. 
 
 When Mr. Donnell commenced preaching in 
 Lebanon, his congregation for a time assembled in 
 the Court-house*. But his popularity soon drew 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 221 
 
 out more than could be accommodated there ; and 
 as the Methodist brethren had service only on 
 alternate Sabbaths, they inyited him to preach in 
 their church. The invitation was gratefully ac- 
 cepted, and for several months his meetings were 
 held there. Toward the close of 1829 he had a 
 two-days' meeting, and on Saturday he organized 
 the few members in town and vicinity into a little 
 society. The members were Mrs. Colonel Finley, 
 Mrs. Golladay, Mrs. Tolivar, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. 
 George and Mrs. Charles Cummings, and Miss 
 Ibby Martin. These seven members composed the 
 nucleus of the church which was subsequently or- 
 ganized. The majority of these have doubtless joined 
 the Church above. Mrs. Tolivar is the only 
 one of the original members who still holds mem- 
 bership in the church in Lebanon ; and she and 
 Captain Tolivar are now the oldest citizens in the 
 place. 
 
 The little society, being now organized, invited 
 Mr. Donnell to continue his services, promising 
 such remuneration as they might be able to con- 
 tribute. The meeting closed with encouraging 
 indications of a revival. But when he returned to 
 his next appointment, to his great surprise and 
 mortification, he found the doors of the Methodist 
 church closed against him. The preacher in 
 charge had taken offence because he had organ- 
 ized a society in their church, and had ordered 
 the doors to be closed. Mr. Donnell, not the least 
 disconcerted by this exhibition of opposition, re- 
 
222 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 tired to the Court-lionse, where he held his meet- 
 ings as formerly. 
 
 This discourteous and unhrotherly conduct on 
 the part of the minister in charge, awakened in 
 the community a general sympathy for Donnell 
 and his few houseless memhers. Early in 1830, 
 Mr. Donnell appointed another two-days' meeting, 
 and secured the services of his friend, Rev. II. B. 
 Ilill, to assist him. And on this occasion, for some 
 cause not now known, they were denied the use 
 of the Court-house also, and were driven to the 
 necessit}^ of holding their meeting in a little old 
 log-schoolhouse in the suburb. Public indigna- 
 tion was now aroused, and the irreligious swore 
 that Donnell should have a church. 
 
 Many of the influential business and professional 
 men of the town were Freemasons, and they pro- 
 posed to Donnell to unite with him in building *a 
 two-story house, the Masons to occupy the upper 
 story, and the lower story to be a Cumberland 
 Presbyterian church. He promptly accepted the 
 proposition, and engaged to get up a public sub- 
 scription for the purpose. The original subscrip- 
 tion reads as follows : 
 
 " The undersigned promise to pay to the follow- 
 ing persons, to wit, Isaac Golladay, Thomas Hunt, 
 11. L. Douglass, James Rucks, Edward E. White, 
 and John S. Topp, Trustees, the sums annexed to 
 our names, for the purpose of building a Cum- 
 berland Presbyterian church in the town of Leb- 
 anon, to be open for all denominations of Chris- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 223 
 
 tians holding the essentials of religion, until such 
 time as those denominations may build churches 
 for themselves." 
 
 Colonel H. L. Douglass headed this subscription 
 with $50 ; then follows Colonel 0. G. Finley and 
 Thomas Hunt with $50 each. Various other per- 
 sons in town and the country subscribed smaller 
 sums, ranging from $40 down to $2. 
 
 The buildins: of a neat brick church in those 
 days was a great enterprise, requiring as much 
 canvassing and electioneering as the building of a 
 college or a railroad in our day. Mr. Donnell was 
 indefatigable in his efforts to raise the means ; but 
 he did not complete them in time to secure the erec- 
 tion of the building that season ; but the means 
 being secured, arrangements were made for its 
 erection the next spring. In the meantime preach- 
 ing was continued in the Court-house. Interest 
 was increasing; general seriousness prevailed; 
 mourners were frequently invited: many came, 
 and some professions adorned and consecrated the 
 old Court-house. 
 
 In the spring of 1830, several members of the 
 Cumberland Presbyterian Church residing in the 
 country' were induced to join the little society 
 in town. Among these accessions were Colonel 
 David Campbell and wife, formerly of Campbell's 
 Station, East Tennessee, John Peyton and wife, 
 Eachel White, and David IT. Berry. Dr. H. C. 
 Crutchfield had settled in town, and he and his 
 wife joined. 
 
224 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 In May, 1830, the society entered into the fol- 
 lowing covenant, preparatory to the organization of 
 a church : 
 
 "TVe, a part of the citizens of Lehanon and its 
 vicinity, feeling desirous of enjoying the means 
 of grace in a regular manner in the Cumberland 
 Presbyterian Church, do agree to organize a church, 
 to be known by the name of the Lebanon Church, 
 under the care of the Lebanon Presbytery, to which 
 we submit ourselves in the Lord, and to which 
 we will look for such supplies of preaching, and 
 the administration of the ordinances of the Lord's 
 house, as the said presbytery can supply." 
 
 John Peyton, Esq., and Dr. H. C. -Crutchfield 
 were elected ruling elders. Thus was organized, 
 in May, 1880, a church which has already done 
 more to advance the interests of the Cumberland 
 Presbyterian body than any other single church. 
 
 In the spring of 1830, Mr. Donnell commenced 
 preaching at I^ew Hope, a church nine miles north- 
 west of Lebanon. This was an old church, and, 
 like all the old churches of our denomination, it 
 was originally a Presbyterian church, and was re- 
 cognized as a branch of the Shiloh congregation in 
 Sumner county. • It had enjoyed the ministrations 
 of McGee, Alexander Anderson, Hodge, and others. 
 And when Hodge went back to the Presbyterian 
 Church, it adhered to the revival party, and in 
 1812 it was reorganized as a Cumberland Presby- 
 terian church. From that date until 1816, Rev. 
 Hugh Kirkpatrick had charge of it; then the Rev. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 225 
 
 John Provine served it until 1830, wlien Mr. Don- 
 nell was called to tlic pastoral charge. 
 
 Kev. Malchijah Yaughn says: "From its organ- 
 ization up to 1830, they had no special revival ; 
 consequently, it was in a languishing condition. 
 Having had but few accessions, it numbered only 
 twenty-five members." 
 
 The old camp-ground was so dilapidated that it 
 was deemed impracticable to have a camp-meeting 
 in the year 1830 ; but they had a protracted-meet- 
 ing in the fall, which resulted in twenty accessions 
 to the Church, and such increase of zeal as induced 
 them to purchase a beautiful site, and erect a new 
 and commodious church, with a spacious camp- 
 ground adjoining. These improvements being 
 completed, they held, in 1831, a camp-meeting, 
 which resulted in more than one hundred conver- 
 sions, and a large accession to the Church. 
 
 During the summer of 1831, the new church in 
 Lebanon was erected, covered in, and furnished 
 with temporary seats and pulpit ; in October, the 
 Franklin Synod held its sessions in the new church. 
 In addition to the members of the Franklin Synod, 
 Kev. David Lowry, H. B. Hill, and several others 
 of the Green River Synod, were in attendance. It 
 was the first time a synod had convened in Leba- 
 non ; there were a number of strange preachers 
 present : a new church, erected chiefly by the means 
 of gentlemen of the world, and for months previous 
 indications of a revival had been manifest. All 
 these circumstances combined to impart special in- 
 10* 
 
226 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 terest to tlic meeting. The preaching was solemn 
 and pungent, and, from the first day, the congrega- 
 tions wore a serious aspect, and many seemed to be 
 unusually interested. Mr. Donnell was in an 
 agony, so great was his solicitude ; and, before the 
 sessions of the synod closed, several prominent 
 citizens had bowed at the altar of prayer, in deep 
 anguish of spirit, and Mrs. Gen. Caruthers, Mrs. 
 Gov. Houston, Mrs. Topp, Mrs. Burton, and others, 
 had professed faith in Christ. 
 
 The indications of a general revival were such, 
 that Mr. Donnell resolved to continue the meeting 
 after the adjournment of synod, though, at that 
 day, the protraction of public services beyond a few 
 days was unusual, and, by many, deemed inadvisa- 
 ble. He solicited a number of the brethren to re- 
 main and aid him in the meeting ; but all declined 
 except his friend, Rev. Hugh B. Hill, who remained 
 some two weeks, and labored with unusual success. 
 
 In relation to the character of the meeting, Mr. 
 Hill says : "At the solicitation of Brother Donnell, 
 I remained, after the adjournment of synod, a num- 
 ber of days. The signs of a general revival were 
 strongly marked, and soon began to be developed 
 in a most triumphant work of conversion. Very 
 many were the hopeful subjects of this most gra- 
 cious' revival, which laid the foundation, as I be- 
 lieve, of one of the most important churches in the 
 West ; and I believe that the working, revival 
 spirit which has so distinguished that church, re- 
 ceived its type in that ever-memorable revival of 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 22T 
 
 1831. I shall never forget tlie spirit of the chief 
 actor in that scene — the deep fervor, the untiring 
 zeal, the heavenly unction, that were manifest in his 
 Bongs, his prayers, and exhortations. The labor was 
 all our own, for there were none to aid us; but 
 God was with us, and his presence made the work 
 easy and the results triumphant." 
 
 After the meeting had been continued about two 
 weeks, it was suspended for two weeks, when the 
 services were resumed, and continued for a week ; 
 and for months, whenever they would have a ser- 
 vice at church, so much interest was manifested, 
 that the services were protracted. Mr. Donnell 
 sj)ent the most of his time in town, laboring with 
 the serious, by day and by night, in public and in 
 private, conversing with and encouraging the young 
 converts, visiting persons seriously disposed who 
 had not as yet given any public expression of so- 
 licitude, and urging upon them the importance of 
 immediate action. 
 
 "When his regular Sabbath appointment came on, 
 he usually had a two-days' meeting, and generally it 
 was protracted for a week. Occasionally, one or 
 more of the brethren would assist him, but gene- 
 rally he was alone. As a consequence, there was a 
 necessity for employing the young converts in the 
 singing, prayer, and conversation with the mourn- 
 ers, and hence the "working spirit," to which Mr. 
 Hill alludes in his letter, from which we have given 
 an extract. 
 
 The revival continued, with partial suspensions, 
 
228 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 throughout the winter of 1831-32; and all who 
 were of sufficient age must recollect the severity 
 of that winter. Snows were frequent, and of unu- 
 sual depth ; the ground was covered to the depth 
 of six to eight inches for eight weeks, and the cold 
 was intense. But neither snow-storms nor cold could 
 arrest the revival. One of the most violent snow- 
 storms of tlie season came while a meeting was in 
 progress. The congregations were but little dimin- 
 ished ; the house was crowded by day and by night ; 
 professions were frequent; some young converts 
 returned from church shouting the praises of God 
 along the streets, and admiring newly discovered 
 beauties in the falling snow. The fact that the re- 
 vival could live through such a winter, is conclu- 
 sive evidence of the strong hold it had upon the 
 public mind. 
 
 At the opening of the spring, Mr. Donnell found 
 himself pastor of a large and respectable church, 
 embracing many of the more intelligent and influ- 
 ential citizens of the town, gathered from the world 
 amid the snows of the severest winter within the 
 memory of man. The congregation were worship- 
 ping devoutly in a commodious church, built 
 chiefly by means contributed while they were yet 
 strangers to the blessedness of the gospel of peace. 
 And these gratifying results had been realized in 
 eighteen months after the doors had been closed 
 against him for organizing a little society of seven 
 members in the Methodist church. Truly he 
 could say, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.'* 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 229 
 
 " N"ot by miglit nor by power, but by my Spirit, 
 saith the Lord of hosts," hath this great work been 
 accomplished. Let all learn not to despise the 
 day of small things. 
 
 John S. Topp addressed a communication to the 
 Keligious and Literary Litelligencer, under date 
 of April 13, 1832, in which he says : 
 
 " Truly the Almighty has been gracious to this 
 village : the work of grace has been going on here 
 since the commencement of the synodical meeting, 
 and is still progressing with a good degree of suc- 
 cess, both with the Cumberland Presb^^terians and 
 the Methodists. 
 
 " The Cumberlands number about fift}^ members 
 in their church here, and the Methodists probably 
 about seventy. I would suppose that the number 
 that have made profession since the synodical meet- 
 ing commenced may be safely estimated at fifty. 
 Many are deeply concerned about the salvation of 
 their souls, and they are not ashamed to manifest 
 it before the world on all j)roper occasions; and 
 although many are still halting between two opin- 
 ions, yet I can truly say that religion and virtue 
 are advancing and gaining ground among the en- 
 lightened and intelligent class of our citizens." 
 
 The principal subjects of this gracious revival 
 were John S. Topp and lady, Mrs. Gen. Caruthers, 
 Mrs. Gov. Houston, of Texas, Mrs. Col. Burton, 
 Mrs. Col. Smith, of Statesville, Mrs. Britton, Mrs. 
 Davis, Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Freeman, Sarah Ann Golla- 
 "day, Col. Finley, Isaac Golladay, Mrs. Bullard, 
 
230 TnELIFEOFTHE 
 
 Mrs. Martha Hall, ^Irs. Thankful Cage, Mavj Bre- 
 vard, William Massey and wife, Lewis D. Berry, 
 ^Y. S. Foster, Mrs. Barbary White, W. P. Foster, 
 Elizabeth Chandler, Mrs. Judith Harrison, James 
 "Warmick, Sina Warmick, Mary Bradley, and Xancy 
 Stainbridge. 
 
 This revival gave occasion to a private letter 
 from General Jackson, written while he was Presi- 
 dent of the United States, to Col. Burton, of Leba- 
 non, which will be read with thrilling interest. 
 Col. Burton, whose wife is a niece of General Jack- 
 son, had written to the General, informing him 
 that Mrs. Burton had professed religion and joined 
 the Church. Here is the General's reply: 
 
 "Washington City, November 24, 1831. 
 
 "I am truly gratified to hear that your lady, and 
 
 Mrs. C , and many other ladies, have joined 
 
 the Church. I Avould to God that you and Mr. 
 C would follow this good example. Xo peo- 
 ple can flourish without true, genuine religion, 
 which expels hypocrisy and deceit from their walks, 
 purifies society, and calls down upon a nation bless- 
 ings from above. How jo^^ful to my departed wife, 
 if she had been living, would this union of her 
 nieces to the Church have been ! If angels are per- 
 mitted to know what mortals here below are doing, 
 my dear wife, at the joyful tidings, is praising her 
 Redeemer, and thanking him that so many of her 
 dear friends have been awakened by the Spirit, and 
 brought to experience the blessed change from' 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 231 
 
 death unto life, and to exclaim, in the language of 
 the Scriptures, that they now know that their Re- 
 deemer liveth. May you and Mr. C , and hun- 
 dreds more of your friends, neighbors, and connec- 
 tions, follow this examiDle. 
 
 " Present me to your lady and Mrs. C , and 
 
 assure them that I rejoice with them on their happy 
 change— a change that will give them peace and 
 happiness in this world, firmness to meet misfor- 
 tunes and visitations in this life, give them confi- 
 dence that they can smile in Satan's face, and meet 
 a frowning world. There is no real content and 
 happiness in this world, except the consolations of 
 religion derived from the promises contained in the 
 Scriptures. Have my little namesake (Andrew 
 Jackson Burton) presented to the Church in bap- 
 tism. 
 
 "Andrew Jackson." 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. C , mentioned in the letter, 
 
 are General Caruthers and his lady, who is a niece 
 of General Jackson. Let those who lightly es- 
 teem the religion of the Bible, ponder the senti- 
 ments of that great man, expressed from the presi- 
 dential chair, the most exalted position on earth. 
 He enjoyed a measure of the world's favor, honor, 
 and glory, which no other man since Washington 
 has attained. And yet, in the very meridian of his 
 glory, from the pinnacle of his world-wide fame, 
 he proclaims that there is "no real content and 
 
232 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 happiness in this world, except the consolations of 
 religion derived from the promises contained in the 
 Scriptures." Will the admirers of that great man 
 still show contempt for the Bible and religion ? 
 
REV. aEORGE DONNELL. 233 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE PASTOR AND HIS CHURCHES. 
 
 Until tlie spring of 1832, Mr. Donnell had re- 
 sided on liis farm, seven miles from Lebanon ; but 
 finding it impracticable to give tbe church that at- 
 tention which he and they desired, he sold his 
 farm, and purchased a small place two miles from 
 town. Hitherto, his regular appointments in town 
 had been monthly, but he now engaged to preach 
 on alternate Sabbaths, and to attend the evening 
 prayer-meetings. For this service he was to receive 
 a salary of three hundred dollars per annum. 
 Though a very small salary for one-half of his tirae, 
 it was considered, at that day, respectable ; and it 
 certainly was more than any other member of the 
 presbytery was receiving for a like portion of 
 time. 
 
 We may date the commencement of regular pas- 
 toral labors, both in Lebanon and 'New Hope, from 
 the spring of 1832. For although Mr. Donnell had 
 been preaching three years at the former, and two 
 at the latter place, his regular appointments had 
 been only monthly, and his residence was so remote 
 that he could not often visit either except at his 
 
234 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 regular appointments. Then the compensation was 
 so limited, that he had been compelled to labor on 
 the form, in order to eke out a support for his 
 family. 
 
 But now he was so convenient to town, that he 
 could visit his members there almost daily; and his 
 salary was such that he could aftbrd to dispense 
 with his personal labor on the farm. Accordingly, 
 he now devoted himself to reading and to pastoral 
 visitation. It is true, he was still some nine miles 
 from Xew Hope, but he visited that church on 
 alternate weeks, and spent some two or three days. 
 And as he was actuated both by a sense of duty 
 and the impulses of social feeling and religious 
 sympathy, he managed to have frequent personal 
 interviews with every member of each of his 
 churches. 
 
 Thus, in little more than three years after he re- 
 turned from East Tennessee, and settled without a 
 charge or the prospect of one, we find him the pas- 
 tor of two vigorous and flourishing churches, one 
 of which he had hewn out of the quarry by his 
 own toil, and the other he had revived and invig- 
 orated. 
 
 It was his custom to cultivate a frank, kind, and 
 confidential familiarity with every member of his 
 charge, the old and the young, the rich and the 
 poor, the influential and the obscure, the bond and 
 the free. lie not only visited each at his house, 
 office, or shop, and conversed freely and kindly with 
 him, respecting his spiritual condition, his trials and 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 235 
 
 conflicts, Ms hopes and liis fears, his consolations 
 and discouragements, but whenever he met one of 
 his flock, he was as certain to inquire after his reli- 
 gious state as he was to inquire about his bodily 
 health. 
 
 By this familiarity, he not only acquired the con- 
 fidence of all, but he overcame that timidity and 
 reluctance which all experience in conferring freely 
 upon the subject of personal religion; and, by the 
 frequency of his conferences, he impressed each 
 one with the importance of looking well to the 
 state of the heart, of maintaining a spirit of living 
 piety, and striving for the consolations of religion. 
 He also acquired an intimate knowledge of the pe- 
 culiar temperament and the consequent besetments 
 of each member of his flock, and was thereby ena- 
 bled to give such advice, encouragement, or kind 
 admonition as suited each individual case. 
 
 His conferences were not limited to the Church ; 
 he possessed, in a preeminent degree, the faculty 
 of rendering himself agreeable to the men of the 
 world, without depreciating his reputation for piety 
 and spiritual-mindedness. His humor, pleasantry, 
 and wit rendered him acceptable, and he would 
 converse and joke about the common topics of the 
 day, till he had gained the confidence of the sin- 
 ner, and thrown him oft* his guard; then he would 
 pleasantly, but aftectionately, approach him upon 
 the subject of religion. If he discovered the least 
 disposition to repulse him, he would gently waive 
 the subject, by inviting him to attend church, or 
 
236 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 to read some book wliich he judged suited to his 
 case. 
 
 If he discovered any indications of seriousness, 
 he would frequently visit such an one, and in those 
 interviews he would endeavor to cultivate those 
 serious impressions, affectionately urging upon him- 
 the importance of cherishing his convictions, and 
 warning him of the fearful consequences of delay- 
 ing attention to his religious interests. And when 
 once induced to take action, or publicly commit 
 himself, he would manage to cut off all retreat, and 
 kindly urge him forward in the path of duty, till he 
 was brought to unconditional submission to the 
 claims of the gospel. 
 
 If misfortune befell any, he was sure to seize the 
 occasion to turn the afflictive dispensation to good 
 account. He would visit them in their affliction, 
 and encourage them with the hope that the calam- 
 ity might prove to be a blessing in disguise, and, if 
 improved, might be the means of leading them to 
 Christ. One of the first converts in the great re- 
 vival of 1831 will illustrate his assiduity and final 
 success in improving these adverse providences, so 
 as to bring great good out of a most afflictive dis- 
 pensation. 
 
 A lady of distinction, and of the most honorable 
 connections, wedded a gentleman of high official 
 station ; but she had the misfortune, very soon, to 
 find him so uncongenial and impracticable, that she 
 was reduced to the painful necessity of withdraw- 
 ing from all association with him, and secluding 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 237 
 
 herself from society, under the protection of a fond 
 father. In her desolation she persistently declined 
 to see company, or receive the kind sympathies of 
 respected friends. ]^othing discouraged by her 
 known seclusion, Mr. Donnell visited her father, 
 and solicited an interview. She promptly declined, 
 lie renewed his request, and, by the solicitation of 
 a fond mother, she finally consented to give him 
 audience. Veiled in deep mourning, she presented 
 the picture of hopeless dejection and settled melan- 
 choly. He proffered her the consolations of reli- 
 gion, as the only solace to a grief so profound and 
 peculiar, and, after many expressions of sympathy 
 and kind encouragement to seek consolation in 
 Christ, he closed the interview with a prayer that 
 would have softened the adamant. She was melted 
 to tears, and thanked him for his kind solicitude. 
 He visited her repeatedly, and was always welcome, 
 but she was too desponding to hope for an interest 
 in the Saviour. Despairing of success in these pri- 
 vate interviews, she was finally prevailed upon to 
 visit a near relative in Lebanon, and attend the 
 synodical meeting. She came, and when mourners 
 were invited, she meekly bowed at the altar. Many 
 hearts responded to the pastor's melting supplica- 
 tions. Divine light penetrated the deep gloom, the 
 day dawned, and the Sun of righteousness shed 
 beams of glory upon her soul. She retired from 
 the altar full of the hope of heaven. 
 
 The sick-room was cheered by his daily visits 
 
238 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 and soothing instructions. If it was a member of 
 any denomination, he labored assiduously and 
 prayed most fervently to bring the patient to an 
 undoubting realization of a saving interest in Christ, 
 and the enjoyment of a full measure of the consola- 
 tions of the gospel. If it vrere a poor sinner with- 
 out hope, he seemed to feel that, in the providence 
 of God, his conversion was devolved upon him, and 
 if he had been his brother or his father, he could 
 not have manifested more solicitude. He would 
 kindly warn him of the necessity of an immediate 
 preparation for death, would unfold the beauty and 
 simplicity of the plan of salvation, its adaptation to 
 all cases, but especially to his, would urge its claims 
 upon him, encouraging him to lay hold upon the 
 hope set before him in the gospel. If the case 
 seemed to be approaching a crisis, his anxiety 
 grew into an agony, his efforts became unceasing, 
 and prayers and songs breathed a sympathy that no 
 heart could withstand. Few within the field of his 
 labor died in despair, and when it was his misfor- 
 tune to witness such a case, gloom overshadowed 
 him for days. 
 
 While he was thus engaged in the cultivation of 
 his own field, he was not unmindful of the wants 
 of other sections. Whenever there was a sacra- 
 mental or a two-days' meeting in the bounds of the 
 presbytery, his attendance was solicited, and, when 
 consistent with a sense of duty, always met a ready 
 compliance. And when camp-meetings came on, 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 239 
 
 his regular services were suspended for two months, 
 that he might attend a camp-meeting every week 
 during the season. 
 
 As it was the custom of that day for each church, 
 possessing the ability, to fit up a camp-ground, and 
 hold an annual camp-meeting, early in the summer 
 of 1832, Mr. Donnell began to discuss the propri- 
 ety of having a camp-ground in the vicinity of 
 Lebanon. It was a bold move for a church consist- 
 ing chiefly of females, most of whom had been con- 
 verted in the recent revival ; a church having but 
 three male members possessing the ability to erect 
 and furnish a camp. But Donnell was not the man 
 to yield to discouragements, when religious inter- 
 ests were to be promoted. He had in the church 
 several good sisters, ardent in their first love, whose 
 husbands, though unconverted, were generous, and 
 able to furnish camps. He soon succeeded in in- 
 spiring these ladies with a desire for a camp-meet- 
 ing, and, with their aid, the assent of the gentle- 
 men was easily gained, and it was determined to 
 have a camp-meeting in the fall of 1832. 
 
 The site selected for the camp-ground was a grove 
 with a good spring, one mile and a half from town, 
 on the Gallatin road. Three acres of land were 
 purchased, the encampment laid out in a square, 
 tents erected, enclosing three sides, a large shed, 
 furnished with seats and a plain pulpit, occupying 
 the centre. The fatted calves, pigs, lambs, and 
 fowls were killed and dressed, vegetables and other 
 necessaries collected, and on the appointed day the 
 
240 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 families, with their servants, bedding, and cooking 
 utensils, moved out to the encampment, and ere the 
 setting of the sun, each was established in his 
 newly-erected cabins, ready to greet and entertain 
 his friends. 
 
 The camp-holders, at the first meeting, were 
 John S. Topp, Esq., General E-. L. Caruthers, Colo- 
 nel Burton, Isaac Golladay, George and Charles 
 Cummings, and Esquire Bullard. 
 
 The meeting embraced the third Sabbath of Sep- 
 tember. Rev. Hugh B. Hill and E.ev. James 
 Smith, and the brethren of the Lebanon Presby- 
 tery, were in attendance. Rev. James Smith, in a 
 communication to the Revivalist, the organ of the 
 Church, says : 
 
 ^'Although on some occasions I have witnessed 
 more conversions, yet I have seldom seen a more 
 pleasant and profitable season. The converts were 
 from among the most intelligent and influential of 
 the community. There were twenty-five profes- 
 sions, and, with one or two exceptions, we received 
 them all into the Church before the close of the 
 meeting. 
 
 "I would do injustice to my feelings, were I to 
 conclude without expressing my high opinion of 
 the liberality and gentlemanly conduct of the 
 camp-holders, most of whom are not professors of 
 religion, who put themselves to much trouble and 
 expense to promote the cause of Christ, and gra- 
 tify the feelings of their ladies, who arc devoted 
 followers." 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 241 
 
 Of the accessions at this meeting, the following 
 are some of the principal : William L. Martin, Esq., 
 Mrs. Saunders, of Sumner county, and her daughter 
 Ann, Mrs. McClain, Mrs. General Anderson, Henry 
 Trigg, of Sumner, and his sister Mary, Caroline Fig- 
 ures, now Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Il^orvell Douglass, Frank 
 Saunders, of Sumner, J. W. White, John Finley, E. 
 A. White, Amos Bone, Martha Berry, Jane Irwin, 
 Margaret Bettis, G. J. Mann, and I^ancy Hunt. 
 
 One sister, who had entertained a number of 
 friends at her camp, said she had been amply com- 
 pensated for all her trouble, as thirteen of her com- 
 pany had professed during the meeting. 
 
 The next week, the camp-meeting at ]N'ew Hope 
 came on, and as the Lebanon church were generally 
 in the spirit, many of them attended the I^ew Hope 
 meeting. A revival spirit was prevalent, and the 
 attendance was unusually large. Rev. James Smith 
 was there, and as he had just removed from Ken- 
 tucky to JS'ashville, he was a stranger, and his man- 
 ner of preaching was so peculiar that he attracted 
 universal attention. His preaching on this occa- 
 sion will be remembered by many who date their 
 first pungent convictions for sin to his celebrated 
 ^'Brickkiln Sermon," which carried terror to the 
 hearts of hundreds. Terror alone will not con- 
 vert, though it is usually the first step in that direc- 
 tion ; but Donnell and Hill were there, to present 
 the promises of the gospel, and woo the terror- 
 stricken sinner to Christ ; and more than fifty date 
 their conversion at that meeting, many of whom 
 11 
 
242 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 were mature men, who liad long indulged a species 
 of skepticism. But they were arrested, convicted, 
 subdued, and led to embrace the hope of the gos- 
 pel. Sucli was the interest awakened in the com- 
 munity, that after the meeting had been protracted 
 ten days, they dispersed with the determination to 
 hold another camp-meeting in two weeks. 
 
 At the appointed time, wagon after wagon, 
 packed to its utmost capacity, rolled in, till every 
 camp vras crowded. The people congregated from 
 every quarter, some having come as far as twenty-five 
 miles. For many days the exercises were intensely 
 interesting; mourners crowded the altar at every 
 call, young converts made the encampment and 
 the grove resound with glad shouts of joy and 
 songs of praise. The w^orld's follies, its hollow for- 
 malities, its pride and vanity, were forgotten ; the 
 social intercourse was not restricted to one caste, 
 but a common sympathy drew all classes into oaie 
 common brotherhood. After a jubilee of one week, 
 they again dispersed, with the regret that they 
 could not always be at camp-meeting. 
 
 Under date, Lebanon, ITovember 5, 1832, Mr. 
 Donnell makes the following communication to the 
 Revivalist, a paper published in ISTashville, by Rev. 
 David Lowry and Rev. James Smith : 
 
 " Our second camp-meeting at 'New Hope com- 
 menced on the evening of Thursday, the 25th of 
 October, and closed on Wednesday following. We 
 had fine weather, a large, intelligent, and inter- 
 ested congregation, and that unanimity of feeling 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 243 
 
 among Cliristians which always promises success 
 to their eflbrts in the cause of Christ. The gospel 
 was preached plainly, spiritually, and powerfully, 
 and the consequences were, God's children were 
 refreshed, inquiring souls directed to Christ, and 
 careless sinners awakened to a sense of their dan- 
 ger. The duty of secret prayer was promptly at- 
 tended to during the meeting by the people of 
 God, who took their serious friends with them to 
 the grove, to encourage them to look to Christ, and 
 to pray for them. The communion was interesting 
 and comfortable, and from that time until the close 
 of the meeting, the consolations of Divine grace 
 gently distilled into almost every believing heart, 
 and all looked with childlike confidence unto God 
 for his salvation. And did the Lord disappoint the 
 hopes he inspired in their hearts ? l^o I be it said 
 to the honor of his good name, he came down in 
 sight of all the people. We have seen God in 
 creation and in providence, in the whirlwind, 
 storm, or tornado, exhibiting himself to his crea- 
 tures in such a point of light as ought to inspire 
 every heart with awe and admiration ; but never did 
 I see God in such awful grandeur as on this occa- 
 sion, while he rode in glorious triumph in the 
 chariot of his salvation, and led captive, in chains of 
 love, scores of deathless souls. O, blessed captivity ! 
 Who would not be led away thus, from darkness 
 and bondage, to the light and liberty of the gospel 
 of Christ? 
 
 "At the close of this meeting, it was ascertained 
 
244 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 that one hundred and seventeen were happily con- 
 verted to God during the meeting, and about sixty- 
 joined the church. The work is still progressing, 
 and may it progress until every knee shall bow, and 
 cverj' tongue confess to God." 
 
 Although the camp-meeting was the great feast 
 of tabernacles, and none esteemed it more than Mr. 
 Donnell, yet,. unlike some who are active only in 
 the camp-meeting season, and supine or in chase 
 of the world the balance of the year, he was 
 stimulated by a successful campaign to redouble 
 his efforts at home. The ordinary services of the 
 sanctuary, and the various branches of pastoral 
 duties, acquired additional interest, and called forth 
 an increase of zeal and fidelity. And in addition 
 to the regular services on the Sabbath and the 
 weekly prayer-meeting, he always had out extra ap- 
 pointments for evening meetings, at private houses 
 or school-houses in neighborhoods remote from 
 church. Wherever he had a member, a mourner, 
 or a serious friend, there he managed to have an 
 evening meeting. And those private meetings 
 were not unfrequently gladdened with the shout of 
 the new converts, and in some instances they led to 
 a general revival in the neighborhood. 
 
 Young converts were not left then, as now, to 
 battle single-handed with the world ; or, yielding 
 to their doubts and fears, to walk in darkness with- 
 out the light of experience, and finally to abandon 
 their hope and fall into unbelief. But with more 
 than a father's solicitude, or a mother's sympathy, 
 
REV. GEORQE DONNELL. 245 
 
 lie watched over tliem, conversed witli tlicm freely 
 and affectionately,' comforted the disconsolate, en- 
 couraged the feeble and faltering, cautioned the 
 self-confident and inconsiderate, wept over the 
 backslider, and wooed him back to his first love. 
 He kindly discovered to the deceived soul his fixtal 
 error, and urged him to begin anew, and do his 
 first works over : he boldly unmasked the hypocrite 
 and drove him to repentance. Such was the fre- 
 quency and the confidential character of his inter- 
 views with each convert and member of his church, 
 that he knew intimately the temperament and the 
 weak points of each ; and as all were sure of the 
 lively sympathy of the pastor, whenever difficulties 
 arose from any quarter, each fled to him for counsel 
 and trusted implicitly to his guidance. Enjoying 
 the unlimited confidence of all, he was mentor to 
 each, and so faithfully and aftectionately did he 
 advise, admonish, and rebuke, that his church was 
 never distracted with personal feuds. 
 
 How different the practice of some nominal pas- 
 tors at the present day! Converts are carefully 
 counted in the reports of revivals, and perhaps 
 some pains are taken to induce them to join the 
 church ; but after that, no further account is taken 
 of them, till their irregularities call for the discip- 
 line of the Church, when they are thrust out upon 
 the charity of a heartless world. 
 
 Mr. Donnell esteemed it a privilege, as well as a 
 duty, not only to acquire a knowledge of the tem- 
 perament and religious life of his members, but to 
 
246 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 find appropriate work for each. One must attend 
 the young men's prayer-meeting and participf^te in 
 its exercises; another must join the Bible-class; a 
 third must he a teacher in the Sahhath-school ; a 
 fourth must be a deacon; a fifth an elder in the. 
 church. And if there was a young man of more 
 than ordinary piety and promise, he was urged to 
 inquire of the Lord whether it might not be his 
 duty to preach the gospel. Knowing the pecu- 
 liar talent of each, he displayed wonderful skill in 
 assigning each his appropriate field, and engaging 
 him in such duties as were adapted to his capacity, 
 lie held that it was indispensable to the proper de- 
 velopment of Christian character to have each at 
 work in his appropriate sphere ; and hence the 
 reputation of his church for activity and efii- 
 ciency. 
 
 One means of employing his members was some- 
 what peculiar to himself. He always had some 
 individual for whose salvation he was making spe- 
 cial efforts ; and he was devising ways and means 
 to encompass his aim. Not content with his own 
 efforts, he employed the agency of others. And 
 herein he displayed great discernment. Invariably 
 he would select the member most likely to have 
 influence with the individual upon w^hom he was 
 to operate ; and then he would manage to enlist 
 that member's feelings in behalf of that individual; 
 and when properly enlisted, then he would indicate 
 the course to be pursued. And then the whole 
 matter was managed with so much tact and deli- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 247 
 
 cacy, that wlicn the conversion of the individual 
 was finally secured, the member whose agency he 
 had employed would imagine himself the prime 
 agent in the case. 
 
 In the summer of 1833 the encampment at N'ew 
 Hope received considerable additions. The con- 
 verts of the previous year erected camps, and be- 
 came very active in sustaining the meeting. The 
 annual encampment came on in August; Rev. 
 James Smith and other foreign ministers were pre- 
 sent. It was a gracious season, and many who had 
 withstood the great revival of the previous year 
 were reached and brought in. About forty were 
 added to the church. Among the number was 
 James Davis, Esq., a gentleman of intelligence and 
 influence ; but, unfortunately, he had been skeptical, 
 and had collected some of the most noted infidel 
 works, all of which he had studied diligently. 
 And delighted to find his favorite creed so ably 
 sustained, he had taken pains to commend his 
 favorite authors to his family and friends ; and he 
 had the satisfaction of claiming his lady, and a 
 number of his friends, as his disciples. But this 
 apostle of infidelity, fortified as he was, was van- 
 quished. Driven from every refuge, and exposed 
 to the shafts of Divine truth, hurled with unerring 
 aim at the heart, he fled to the cross of Christ, 
 yielding himself a willing captive to dying love. 
 "No sooner had he experienced remission of sins, 
 and realized the ]ojq of salvation, than he began 
 to denounce his infidel books, and to warn his 
 
248 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 friends against their seductive influence. Con- 
 vinced of their fallacy and ruinous tendency, he 
 avowed his purpose to bring them all next day to 
 the encampment, and burn them in the presence 
 of the great congregation. But a council being 
 held, it was decided that, instead of committing 
 them to the flames, he should deliver them up to 
 Mr. Donnell, that by perusing them he might be 
 the better prepared to expose their sophistry and 
 combat their doctrines. Mr. Donnell received them 
 as an acquisition to his library, and having made 
 himself familiar with their principles, he became 
 noted for his skill in combating infidelity. 
 
 The result of this meeting was so encouraging, 
 that, at its close, the congregation resolved to have 
 a second meeting. But all the Sabbaths in Sep- 
 tember and October were occupied with appoint- 
 ments for other meetings ; yet so intent were they 
 upon having a second meeting, that they appointed 
 it on the second Sabbath in ISTovember. And as 
 they might expect cold w^eather so late in the fall, 
 they determined to prepare for it by putting floors 
 and chimneys in their camps. The meeting was 
 held at the appointed time. Great excitement 
 prevailed, and converts were numerous, but the 
 number is not known. 
 
 The next week after the first meeting at 'New 
 Hope, the annual camp-meeting at Lebanon came 
 on. Additions had been made to the encamp- 
 ment. Wm. L. Martin having professed at the 
 meeting in 1832, had erected a spacious camp, and 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 249 
 
 Mr. ISTorvell Douglass, whose lady had also pro- 
 fessed, had established another. Mr. Donnell had 
 secured the services of Revs. Alfred Bryan, H. B. 
 Hill, and J. A. Copp, three of the most popular 
 young ministers in the Church. Many had gone 
 to the meeting with the purpose of seeking religion, 
 and the character of the preaching influenced many 
 more to join the large band of mourners. But the 
 number of professions for several days was not 
 proportionate to the number of the anxious. Mr. 
 Donnell became much concerned lest the results of 
 the meeting should fall far below what had been 
 anticipated : he therefore announced that at a speci- 
 fied hour he would "make a talk" for the benefit 
 of the mourners. 
 
 At the appointed hour the congregation assem- 
 bled, and the anxious were invited to occupy seats 
 immediately in front of the stand. He preached, 
 or rather talked as no other man could, in a simple, 
 tender, wooing, conversational style. His motto 
 was: "Look unto me, and be ye saved." He be- 
 gan by enumerating the difficulties and discourage- 
 ments that beset the mourners. One was too un- 
 feeling, and therefore he must pray till his heart 
 yielded, before he could venture upon Christ. An- 
 other had sinned away his day of grace, and 
 therefore there was no hope for him, A third was 
 waiting God's good time, and promising himself 
 that when God should give him faith, he would be- 
 lieve and be saved. A fourth was such a sinner 
 that it would be presumption for him to approach 
 11* 
 
250 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 the Saviour. A fiftli was afraid of being deceived, 
 and lie was seeking with great caution and dis- 
 trust. They all earnestly desired salvation; but 
 each doubted the willingness of Christ to save him 
 in the condition he then was — each had a prepara- 
 tory work to perform before he could venture his 
 all upon the Saviour. 
 
 He then proceeded to set forth, in a most lucid 
 and convincing manner, the full and free atone- 
 ment of Christ for all sin and all sinners ; and 
 then demonstrated that no previous preparation 
 was needful or practicable — that each must re- 
 nounce his sins and come to Christ in his guilt and 
 pollution : that all effort to make his heart better 
 was a presumptuous attempt to do for himself what 
 Christ promises to do for him. 
 
 He then showed how they must come to the 
 Saviour. But any attempt to follow him through 
 his inimitable exhibition of the simplicity of faith 
 in Christ and its power to save, would be futile. 
 Suffice it to say, that he made the way so plain, 
 that the blind did see and the simple did under- 
 stand. And as he proceeded, pouring floods of 
 light along his path, unveiling the glories of the 
 Saviour, and calling upon all to "behold the Lamb 
 of God that taketh away the sin of the world," 
 the excitement grew intense ; and as he urged the 
 mourner to " look unto Him and be saved" — to look 
 and live — several, almost at the same instant, cried 
 out; one exclaiming: "I see him, I see him!" 
 Another, "I have found him, I have found him!" 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 251 
 
 The excitement became general, and in a short time 
 almost all the mourners were rejoicing in hope of 
 salvation. 
 
 The meeting closed with more than twenty con- 
 versions, and about the same number of accessions 
 to the church. Among the number were. General 
 Caruthers, iJTorvell Douglass, Samuel Lauderdale 
 and lady, Mrs. Davis, wife of James Davis, Esq., 
 Francis Anderson, ISTathaniel Bell, and Jane Eobb. 
 
 In October, 1833, Mr. Donnell attended a camp- 
 meeting at Liberty, near McMinnville, where he 
 preached with unusual power and effect for a week, 
 when the meeting was removed to town, and the 
 services continued another week. Several of the 
 influential citizens were among the converts, and 
 the whole number approached one hundred. Forth- 
 with a subscription was commenced for the erection 
 of a church in town, and the organization of a 
 society. The enterprise, with the aid of the church 
 at Liberty, succeeded. The congregation in Mc- 
 Minnville still worship in the neat two-story house 
 which was, in part, the product of that revival. 
 
 The year 1883 was one of unparalleled pros- 
 perity throughout the bounds of the Lebanon 
 Presbytery. For four months in the summer and 
 fall, Mr. Donnell was incessantly engaged in pro- 
 tracted and camp-meetings, leaving his family and 
 his churches to the care of a kind Providence. Re- 
 vivals were general and powerful. Jjcbanon Pres- 
 bytery reported more than a thousand conversions, 
 
252 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 all the churches strengthened by accessions, and sev- 
 eral new ones organized. 
 
 The winter and spring were devoted to the 
 churches of his charge. Two services each Sab- 
 bath and Sabbath-school, a Bible-class on one even- 
 ing, a prayer-meeting on another, and preaching 
 in some destitute neighborhood on a third evening, 
 together with almost daily pastoral visits, made up 
 the round of weekly labors which engaged the 
 energies of his ardent temperament. Odd hours 
 were occupied with the preparation of spirited 
 articles for the columns of the Revivalist, the only 
 religious paper then published in the Church, and 
 to w^hich he was a regular and a welcome con- 
 tributor. 
 
 The summer and fall of 1834 were, as usual, 
 devoted chiefly to protracted and camp-meetings. 
 But after two years of almost incessant revivals, the 
 churches seem, froin the reports of presbytery and 
 synod, to have relapsed into a state of apathy. 
 The Lebanon Presbytery did not report half as 
 many conversions as had been reported during each 
 of the two preceding years. The only additions to 
 the Lebanon church were Elizabeth Eobb, J^arcissa 
 Allen, Obadiah and Frances Gordon, Elizabeth E. 
 Donnell, Harriet Abbee, Sophrina Kilborn, Charles 
 and Elizabeth Cartmell, and Mrs. Allen. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 253 
 
 CHAPTER XYIII. 
 
 PASTORAL DUTIES, CONTINUED. 
 
 At the close of 1834, Mr. Donnell sold his little 
 farm in the vicinity, and moved into town, that he 
 might he in the midst of his people, and have daily 
 intercourse with them, and that he might free him- 
 self from the care and perplexities of the farm. 
 From this date he was exclusively devoted to pas- 
 toral and ministerial duties. While on a farm, a 
 portion of his time was necessarily occupied with 
 the supervision of his farming operations ; but hav- 
 ing moved to town, and taken hoarding in a private 
 family, he was freed of all care, and his charge, and 
 the interests of the Church at large, occupied his 
 mind and heart. 
 
 He did not devote as much labor to the preparation 
 of his sermons as those pastors who write out their 
 discourses and then commit them to memor}^ The 
 only use he had for the pen, in his preparation, was 
 to put down the heads of the discourse, and the 
 topics under each head; and even that was de- 
 signed for preservation, rather than an aid in the 
 pulpit. He carefully studied, digested, and arranged 
 the matter of his discourses in his mind, relying 
 
254 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 upon the suggestions of tlie moment for appropriate 
 language for the expression of the thought. And 
 as his sermons were always eminently practical, 
 looking to present effect, he did not depend upon 
 books so much as the reflections of his own mind. 
 He always had a definite aim in view — the reaching 
 of some sinner in the congregation, and bringing 
 him to repentance at that hour, the extirpation of 
 some vice then prevalent in the community, or the 
 calling into immediate action some Christian vir- 
 tue, or the elevation of the tone of religious feel- 
 ing, or some other specific object which his obser- 
 vation of the community had suggested. And as 
 he was intent upon attaining that end, ordinarily, 
 books could afford him but little assistance. A 
 knowledge of human nature, the working of the 
 passions and prejudices, the means of operating upon 
 the mind and the heart, were the chief subjects of 
 thought. And as books could shed but little light 
 upon these interesting topics, he depended more 
 upon prayerful meditation, and Divine illumination, 
 than upon the information derived from books. 
 
 True, he kept a good library, and read much, for 
 the purpose of acquiring general information, and 
 a critical knowledge of the Scriptures ; but when 
 it came to making a sermon adapted to a definite 
 end, the books were not specific enough — he read 
 and studied the hearts of those upon whom he 
 would operate. And as he was in the habit of 
 daily, intimate, and confidential intercourse with 
 his congregation, he knew the spiritual condition, 
 
REV. GEOIiaE DONNELL. 255 
 
 the temperament, the weaknesses and prejudices 
 of every individual, and from this source he derived 
 much interesting material for his sermons. Few 
 perhaps possess the exquisite sensibility to use pro- 
 fitably such delicate material, but he was most feli- 
 citous in adapting parts of his discourses to the 
 known condition of certain individuals; and to 
 this intimate knowledge of his audience, in connec- 
 tion with his skill in ministering to individual 
 cases, is to be attributed much of his success in 
 preaching. 
 
 Early in the summer of 1835, that fearful scourge 
 of nations, the cholera, first visited Lebanon. A 
 number of the citizens and transient persons were 
 attacked, and not a few died. Mr. Donnell took 
 the precaution to convey his family to the country, 
 but returned himself, and devoted his whole time 
 to the sick and dying, visiting and waiting on 
 them, conversing with and praying for them. JSTone 
 of his flock fell victims to the "pestilence that 
 walketh in darkness and wasteth at noonday," but 
 several of them had deaths among their servants, 
 and some in their families. Among the victims 
 w^as Gen. McGregor, the brother-in-law of Col. 
 Burton, at whose residence he died. The pestilence 
 prevailed in several neighborhoods in the county, 
 and many were suddenly called to eternity. Mr. 
 Donnell was much exposed, but he escaped a 
 serious attack. 
 
 The epidemic subsided before the opening of the 
 camp-meeting season, and iSTew Hope held its an- 
 
256 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 niial meeting at the usual time ; and though not so 
 successful as some previous meetings, yet there 
 were about twenty professions, and so much inter- 
 est toward the close, that they determined to have 
 a second meeting, which was accordingly held late 
 in the fall. It was a most gracious season, and re- 
 sulted in about one hundred and twenty conver- 
 sions. 
 
 The camp-meeting at Lebanon was not as inter- 
 esting as usual. There were but few conversions, 
 and tliose few were mostly persons from a distance. 
 The only additions to the Lebanon church were 
 AY. W. Crenshaw, Alfred Foster, J. Hawkins, A. 
 Provine, and ISTancy Provine. 
 
 In the fall of 1835, Mr. Donnell resigned the 
 pastoral charge of the church at I^ew Hope. The 
 great body of the congregation parted with him 
 with deep and abiding regret. As the town of 
 Lebanon was yet too small to afford two good con- 
 gregations, he and the Methodist minister preached 
 on alternate Sabbaths, and he divided the remain- 
 ing portion of his time between Gallatin and Mur- 
 freesboro. 
 
 The synod of 1835 organized a new presbytery 
 out of portions of the territory of the ^N'ashville and 
 Lebanon Presbyteries. The town of Lebanon was 
 embraced within the bounds of the new presbytery, 
 and consequently Mr. Donnell and the Lebanon 
 church were transferred from the Lebanon to the 
 Chapman Presbytery. 
 
 The winter season, when not called off to dis- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 25T 
 
 tant meetings, was his favorite time for pastoral 
 visitation and personal conferences. And no man 
 ever more enjoyed sucli interviews, or rendered 
 them more agreeable and profitable to the memljers 
 of his charge. The most obscure received as much 
 of his kind attention as the more conspicuous ; the 
 weak and the erring were his special care, and often 
 were they reclaimed by his affectionate admoni- 
 tions ; but when kind attentions failed, he invaria- 
 bly brought offenders before the session, and sub- 
 jected them to the Discipline of the Church. 
 During the winter and spring, the columns of the 
 Cumberland Presbyterian, formerly the Revivalist, 
 were enriched with racy and spirited articles from 
 his pen, but he always wrote on practical sub- 
 jects, and with the sole design of promoting the 
 interests of the Church. 
 
 In August, 1836, Mr. Donnell and the author at- 
 tended a camp-meeting at l^ew Moriah, in Ruther- 
 ford county. Rev. Robert S. Donnell was pastor of 
 the church, and consequently he had the manage- 
 ment of the meeting. He appointed Mr. Donnell 
 and myself to preach on Sabbath forenoon. There 
 was in attendance a certain distinguished judge, 
 who had recently become a preacher, and as he was 
 known to be a little vain of his preaching talents, 
 we besought the pastor to change his order, and 
 appoint the judge to preach. But he refused to 
 make the change. The judge received information 
 of the order of the day, and instantly ordered liis 
 carriage, and left the encampment in a huff. Mr. 
 
258 THE LIFE OF. THE 
 
 Dounell was greatly distressed that lie should have 
 Leeu the occasion of the dissatisfaction, and enter- 
 tained fears that the judge would reflect upon him as 
 well as his cousin Robert, the pastor. In this state 
 of mind I left him when called to the pulpit to preach 
 the morning sermon, and when I returned to the 
 camp, he told me he could not preach. I inquired 
 the reason. He said that the occurrence of the 
 morning had so distressed him that he had lost the 
 spirit of his sermon, and he could not preach it. 
 I told him he must preach something. He said the 
 only subject that interested his feelings was one ad- 
 dressed to sinners, and as it was the hour for com- 
 munion, that would not be suitable. I asked him 
 what it was. He said it was a discourse founded 
 upon the text, " Ye generation of vipers ! how can 
 ye escape the damnation of hell?" I told him 
 that was a terrible text for a communion service. 
 But nevertheless he would have to preach some- 
 thing, and that in a very few moments. 
 
 "What shall I do?" he exclaimed; "I cannot 
 preach the sermon I had prepared for the com- 
 munion ; it is as cold as a rock 1" 
 
 "Then preach whatever is impressed on your 
 mind," I replied, "and trust the results to the 
 Lord." 
 
 The bell rang, and he went out to the pulpit, and 
 after the introductory service, he read the text, 
 " Ye generation of vipers ! how can ye escape the 
 damnation of hell?" The congregation stared in 
 amazement ; but he commenced preaching without 
 
BE v.. GEORGE DONNELL. 259 
 
 any expianation. And sucli a sermon I never 
 lieard— sucli mingling of yearning tenderness and 
 unsparing severity, such withering sarcasm and 
 afiectionate sympathy, such hold denunciation and 
 tender wooing of the sinner to Christ. 
 
 At the close of that strange, unparalleled dis- 
 course, the whole congregation was convulsed. 
 Sinners were groaning in spirit and sohhing with 
 anguish, while Christians were weeping, praying, 
 and hurdened with solicitude for the ungodly. He 
 paused, as in douht what to do, and then remarked 
 that he had heen instructed to invite communi- 
 cants to the tahle ; but that he felt more like call- 
 ing mourners, and weeping and praying over them, 
 than feasting with Christians. Then he ex- 
 claimed : 
 
 "Christians, how can we feast together, while 
 these poor sinners are perishing around us ! "What 
 shall I do?" 
 
 I responded in a voice audible to the congrega- 
 tion : " Call mourners." 
 
 "Well," said he, "if the elders will remove the 
 elem-ents, I will call mourners." 
 
 The emblems were removed, and in three minutes 
 more than one hundred sinners were on their knees, 
 crying for mercy. There was no more preaching 
 that day or night. The exercises with the mourn- 
 ers continued through the day, and late in the 
 evening Christians were invited to take their irre- 
 ligious friends to the grove, and pray with them. 
 For one half hour the encampment was deserted, 
 
260 TUE LIFE OF THE 
 
 and unbroken silence reigned there. But tiie grove 
 was vocal with the prayers of Christians and the 
 wail of sinners, the songs of Zion and the shouts 
 of new-born souls. 
 
 Arrangements had been made for the communion 
 at night; but the mourners returned from the 
 woods in such a state of excitement that it was 
 deemed unadvisable. And again the table was re- 
 moved and' mourners called. The exercises in the 
 altar were continued till a late hour, and many a 
 poor sin-sick soul was made to rejoice in hope of 
 salvation. 
 
 The communion table was spread the next day ; 
 but at the close of the first sermon, the excitement 
 was so great that it was again removed, and the 
 anxious invited. The work went on through that 
 day and night without cessation. On Tuesday 
 morning it was raining so that persons from the 
 country could not get in ; and as the shelter was 
 leaking badly, the congregation assembled in the 
 church, and after sermon the day was spent in in- 
 structing the mourners. The congregation did not 
 retire for dinner till a late hour in the afternoon, 
 .and more than a score of souls were born of God 
 during that blessed day. 
 
 As the mourners were nearly all converted, after 
 supper the table was once more spread, and the 
 communicants, in great peace, partook of the sacred 
 emblems of the body and blood of the Son of God. 
 Scores that on Sabbath were in the gall of bitter- 
 ness, now sat down with Christians to coramemo- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 261 
 
 rate for the first time tlie siifterings wliicli had 
 procured the pardon and peace they had so recently 
 realized. At the close of the meeting on AVednes- 
 day morning, it was ascertained that eighty-five 
 had professed faith in Christ. 
 
 The next week he attended a camp-meeting at 
 Jerusalem, in Rutherford county. Camphellism 
 was prevalent and somewhat obtrusive in that 
 vicinity. Mr. Donnell selected as his subject the 
 parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, praying 
 in the temple. He first demonstrated that it was 
 the privilege and duty of the sinner to pray, a doc- 
 trine denied by the Campbellites. He next showed 
 that the unregenerate must present themselves 
 before God as siymers, confessing their sins, abasing 
 themselves in the Divine presence, and recognizing 
 the justice of their condemnation. The Publican, 
 « standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his 
 eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, 
 God be merciful to me a sinner !'' 
 
 He then contrasted the Pharisee with the Publi- 
 can. He came, in the pride of his heart, to justify 
 himself before God by his good works. He boasted 
 of his morality, thanking God that he was not as other 
 men, or even as the poor sin-stricken Publican at 
 his side: he fasted twice in the week, and gave 
 tithes of all that he possessed. And, well pleased 
 with himself, he justified himself before God and 
 man, and returned from the temple without ofter- 
 ing one solitary petition, or asking one favor of his 
 God. 
 
262 ^ THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 The self-riglitGousncss, self-conceit and vanity of 
 the modern Pharisee were brought out so distinctly 
 and so lifelike, that no one could mistake as to the 
 original of the picture, though there was no direct 
 allusion to the "Disciples." And yet the manner and 
 spirit of the speaker were so winsome and unobtru- 
 sive, that no one could take offence. Wliilst cogent, 
 logical reasoning constrained conviction, a tender 
 sympathy touched the hearts of all ; and those who 
 had hitherto been the advocates of Campbellism 
 were moved to tears, and many of them were that 
 day found at the altar of prayer, crying, " God be 
 merciful to me a sinner P ' And ere the meeting closed, 
 some of them were heard to praise God for his 
 grace and pardoning mercy. The meeting con- 
 tinued six days, and closed with about fifty con- 
 versions. 
 
 The camp-meetings at Lebanon had not, for two 
 years past, been attended with any special interest, 
 nor had the church, within that period, enjoyed a 
 general revival. But, for months preceding the 
 meeting of 1836, Mr. Donnell had been laboring to 
 prepare the church for the occasion. It was made 
 the subject of special prayer, in public and in pri- 
 vate. He visited all of the members, and urged 
 upon them the importance of a spiritual prepara- 
 tion for a holy convocation. He enlisted them in 
 prayer for the conversion of certain individuals, 
 and for a general revival. And such were the in- 
 dications of interest, for weeks previous to the 
 meeting, that the author, when addressing a con- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 263 
 
 gregation in the State of Ohio, upon the subject of 
 employing means to attain a revival, predicted that 
 the church at Lebanon were then enjoying a most 
 gracious revival, at their annual camp-meeting then 
 in progress. This prediction was predicated upon the 
 known preparation for the meeting, and the revival 
 was anticipated as the legitimate fruit of that 
 prayerful state of feeling known to exist ; and such 
 was my confidence in the indications witnessed at 
 Lebanon weeks before, that the congregation which 
 I was then addressing were authorized to publish 
 me as a fanatic, if they did not, in two weeks, re- 
 ceive intelligence of a most gracious revival at 
 Lebanon, Tennessee. The bold prediction was 
 verified. Before I reached Tennessee, the papers 
 published accounts of ' a revival, and upward of 
 eighty converts at the camp-meeting, and a number 
 more in town after the camp-meeting closed. 
 
 A majority of those who professed at the camp- 
 meeting resided in remote neighborhoods, and such 
 did not join the church at Lebanon, and many of 
 those that professed joined other denominations, 
 but the following names were added to the Lebanon 
 church : 
 
 David Thomas, J. H. Fisher, Elizabeth Sumor- 
 hill, Elizabeth Hallam, Sarah Martin, Sally Penny- 
 baker, Cassandria Pennybaker, John, Eliza, and 
 Sophronia Allen, T. "W. McDonald, Mary Dixon, 
 Lucy J. Bullard, Churchwell Anderson, Pobert 
 Garrison, Prank Drake, "William Hallam, James 
 Crenshaw, Martha Penny, Mary Hawkins, Patience 
 
264 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 Hall, James Malone, Eufus Foster, Pleasant Irby 
 and lady, W. II. Ore, Charles Chambers, Delia 
 Chambers, Mrs. Burk, Josiah S. McClaiu, Mrs. 
 Dew, Mrs. Aun Chandler, James and ISTancy 
 Cowan, Mrs. Xancy Hibbitts, David and Ann 
 McMurry, John and Mary Hall. 
 
 In October, 183G, Mr. Donnell attended a camp- 
 meeting at Providence, and being invited to preach 
 the funeral of a young lady who had died in the 
 triumph of faith, he delineated in such rapturous 
 strains the triumphant death of the Christian, as 
 transported them to ecstasy; and then he con- 
 trasted the death of the Christian with the death 
 of the despairing sinners, with such pathos and ten- 
 derness as convulsed the whole audience. Mourn- 
 ers were called, and a hundred came to the altar of 
 prayer. A revival ensued, which continued for a 
 week, and, at the close, numbered two hundred 
 professions.* 
 
 During the fall of 1836, a general religious inter- 
 est prevailed throughout the bounds of the Chap- 
 man Presbytery. And though the smallest, in 
 territory, of all the presbyteries, embracing not 
 more than a dozen of churches, the records show 
 an increase of about seven hundred communicants, 
 besides a great number who were converted under 
 Cumberland Presbyterian injfluence, but joined 
 other denominations. 
 
 Mr. Donnell was at this period residing in town 
 in a rented house, and devoting the whole of his 
 
 * D. C. Hibbitts, Esq. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 265 
 
 time and energy to the interests of the Church. 
 But inasmuch as he only occupied alternate Sab- 
 baths in Lebanon, his salary was only three hun- 
 dred dollars for the half of his time ; and as he had 
 given up the charge at ^N'ew Hope, he had no other 
 regular charge. He preached at Gallatin and Mur- 
 freesboro, but as there was no organized church in 
 either place, he received little or nothing for these 
 services. As a consequence, he began to experience 
 a want of means to meet current expenses ; and as 
 he abhorred debt, he resolved to curtail expendi- 
 tures by building him a house upon a vacant lot 
 which he had bought. A good friend gave him the 
 timber, and as he possessed more than ordinary 
 mechanical skill, and had acquired the use of tools, 
 he resolved to be his own architect. So, taking his 
 negro man, he went to the woods, got out the tim- 
 bers^ had them hauled to his building site, and had 
 commenced framing his house, when one of his 
 ruling elders passing by, found his pastor toiling 
 away in the hot sun, and inquired what he was 
 doing. He told him that he was building himself 
 a house, as he was not able longer to pay rent. The 
 elder asked why he did not employ a workman to 
 build it for him ? He said he had no means to pay 
 a workman, and he would rather do the work him- 
 self than incur a debt, with no reliable means of 
 paying it. 
 
 The elder passed on, but with a heavy heart, as 
 he contrasted his own ease and comfort with the 
 toil and anxiety of his beloved pastor. No doubt 
 12 
 
266 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 lie formed some generous resolutions that evenings 
 for when he came down in town next mornincr, he 
 held in his hand a subscription, proposing to raise 
 means to purchase a house and lot for his pastor. 
 He passed around, related the interview of the pre- 
 vious day, presented his subscription-paper, and hy 
 ten o'clock the sum required was secured, and the 
 house in which the pastor was living was purchased 
 at a cost of twelve hundred dollars. Then he 
 sought his pastor, and found him, as before, toil- 
 ing upon his house. - He presented him with a 
 title-deed to the house and lot upon which he was 
 -residing, a gift from the congregation, by way of 
 atonement for past neglect, with the assurance that, 
 in the future, his wants should be supplied. The 
 only condition connected with the presentation of 
 this substantial donation was, that the pastor should 
 forihoiih give up his hard toil, and confine himself 
 to the appropriate duties of his office, which was 
 promptly accepted, and the project of building 
 abandoned. 
 
 In 1837, Mr. Donnell represented Chapman Pres- 
 bytery in the General Assembly. Several exciting 
 questions were agitated. Cumberland College, at 
 Princeton, Kentucky, was before the Assembl}'^, with 
 all its woes and wants, audits noted superintendent, 
 Kev. John Barnett, was clamorous for relief But, 
 instead of appealing to the liberality of the mem- 
 bers of the house, he sought to establish a legal 
 claim upon the Assembly, insisting that it was 
 under obligations to assume and liquidate the debts 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 267 
 
 of tlie college, amounting to eight thousand dollars. 
 This claim was unfounded ; but quiet, logical argu- 
 ment, such as Mr. Donnell deemed proper in de- 
 bate, did not terrify, and therefore failed to silence 
 the blustering advocate of this unfounded claim, 
 who still pressed it, in his peculiar style. Mr. Don- 
 nell intimated to the elder from his presbytery, "W. 
 L. Martin, a professional lawyer, that he was the 
 man to manage that case. Martin took the hint, 
 and at the next sitting he took off Barnett and his 
 claim in such handsome style as to call forth gen- 
 eral applause. Barnett was so chagrined that he 
 threatened to have Martin " ducked in the creek." 
 
 "When the claim was voted down, and the college 
 freed of Barnett' s supervision, it was proposed 
 to make up, by voluntary contribution, a sum suffi- 
 cient to liquidate the indebtedness. To this pro- 
 position Mr. Donnell responded promptly and with 
 commendable liberality. 
 
 The subject of a Church paper was discussed, 
 and he warmly advocated the jDolicy of one paper 
 for the whole Church, published by a committee 
 of three, upon the responsibility of the Assembly, 
 the net proceeds to be appropriated to missionary 
 purposes. 
 
 During the sessions of the Assembly a revival 
 was awakened in the church, the credit of which 
 was mainly awarded to the preaching of Alfred 
 Bryan and George Donnell. By whomsoever 
 awakened, they certainly did much to promote it. 
 
 During the summer of 1837, Mr. Donnell was 
 
268 THE LIFE or THE 
 
 engaged in several revivals. The camp-meeting at 
 Lebanon was a season of more than usual interest. 
 The Methodist brethren had a good meeting in the 
 vicinity the week previous, and general seriousness 
 pervaded the community. On the first night of the 
 meeting there were a number of mourners, and 
 several interesting conversions. The interest in- 
 creased as the meeting advanced. Sabbath was a 
 solemn day. In the evening Christians conducted 
 their irreligious friends to the grove for prayer, and 
 from many a copse the wail of the desponding sin- 
 ner and the fervent pleadings of the devout Chris- 
 tian ascended up to heaven. Presently the grove 
 resounded with the rapturous song and the joyous 
 shout of the young convert. Many that retired to 
 the grove that evening, bowed down under the bur- 
 den of sins unpardoned, returned rejoicing in sweet 
 hope of heaven. 
 
 The excitement was so general that a sermon was 
 deemed unnecessary. A brief exhortation and a call 
 for mourners brought scores to the altar ; among 
 them, one who has long been on the walls of Zion, 
 E,ev. Joel E. Davis. His cousin, John Davis, had 
 professed the first night of the meeting. They 
 were classmates, and as intimate as twin-brothers. 
 Joel had manifested no special interest during the 
 meeting, and that evening the writer had had a long 
 interview with him, but left him with the impres- 
 sion that he was strangely indifferent ; and when I 
 saw him walk into the altar with his hat on, still 
 seemingly unmoved, I was shocked. But when I 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 269 
 
 saw him deliberately dispose of his hat, and, after 
 finding a vacant spot, quietly kneel down in prayer, 
 I was both surprised and delighted. The truth was 
 manifest that a calm countenance is not always the 
 index of a quiet conscience. 
 
 At a late hour, my attention was arrested by the 
 exclamation, "Jesus!" oft repeated; and looking 
 round, I saw Joel on his feet, jumping up and 
 extending both arms, as though he would grasp 
 something overhead, and at every leap exclaiming, 
 " Jesus !" with a sweetness and a pathos that electri- 
 fied the whole congregation. 
 
 Toward the close of the meeting, the session was 
 convened to hear the experience of the young con- 
 verts, and receive them into the Church. A 
 numerous band presented themselves. Mr. Don- 
 nell conducted the examination in his inimitable 
 style. Each convert was kindly led out into a 
 full expression of the exercises of his mind, a few 
 words of encouragement were fitly spoken, and a 
 verse or two, the most appropriate in the whole 
 range of song, were sung in strains sweet and melt- 
 ing as the song of seraphs. Then another convert 
 was called upon to relate what the Lord had done 
 for him; and thus the exercises proceeded for 
 several hours. When Joel Davis was interrogated, 
 he detailed briefl}^ the exercises of his mind from 
 the monient his cousin John professed till he 
 resolved to present himself as a mourner, and then 
 proceeded in the exposition of his mental struggle 
 up to the moment when, out of deep despair, ho 
 
270 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 looked up to Christ : the exclamation, "Jesus !" ter- 
 minated his narrative. Several times he attempted 
 to resume it, but as often it was speedily cut 
 short with the same exclamation. Mr. Donuell, 
 perceiving that his feelings had the ascendency, 
 remarked : " Well, Joel, I suppose it was all Jesus 
 from that point ?" The only response he could give 
 was, "Jesus! Jesus!" 
 
 In a letter published in the Cumberland Presby- 
 terian, under date, September 2Gtli, 1837, Mr. Don- 
 nell says ; " We had not much preaching during 
 the occasion, but what we had was pointed, plain, 
 and commonly owned of the good Spirit in carry-- 
 ing forward his work. During the meeting there 
 was much prayer in secret, and much attention 
 paid in the gi'ove to those who were seeking an 
 interest in Christ. We had some of the most 
 striking cases of conversion I have ever witnessed ; 
 and I hope they have made impressions upon the 
 minds of the unconverted that will not be easily 
 erased. 
 
 "From the best information we could obtain, 
 there were at least sixty-five conversions during the 
 meeting, and many left inquiring. What. must we 
 do ? May they all believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 that they may be saved. How our hearts should 
 be humbled before God in view of his amazing 
 goodness to us ! The Lord has done great things 
 for us, whereof we are glad. May his blessed work 
 still go on until his name shall be glorious on all 
 the earth." 
 
REV. GEOnaE DONNELL. 271 
 
 As at that day many persons attended camp- 
 meetings from the distance of twenty to twenty- 
 five miles, of course, comparatively few joined the 
 Church where they professed ; the majority returned 
 home, and joined Church in their respective neigh- 
 borhoods. The following names were added to the 
 Lebanon church during the meeting, and shortly 
 after its close : 
 
 James and Kitty Goostree, Agnes Saunders, 
 Fathan and Sarah Cartmell, Elizabeth and Almira 
 Cartmell, Britton B. Hunt, Mrs. Elizabeth Phipps, 
 Miles and Kitty McCorkle^ George Briggs, Ben. 
 Cage, Martha Hancock, John Lewis, James C. and 
 Sarah Jones, Matilda Hudson, Edwin Munford, 
 Ann Hallum, Swift Dew, Eliza Fitzlin, Sarah 
 Courtland, Jane Cox, James M. Irwin, Ed. Sum- 
 merhill, Eliza Summerhill, Mary L'by, L-ena Alex- 
 ander, Elizabeth Saddler, Catherine Davis, Eachel 
 A. Anderson, John and Elizabeth Williams, and 
 Mr. Tarpley. 
 
 A few days after the close of this meeting I 
 accompanied Mr. Donnell to Oak Grove camp- 
 meeting, in the vicinity of Cairo, Sumner county. 
 As this proved to be one of the most remarkable 
 meetings on record, an allusion to the history of the 
 congregation may be in place. 
 
 In the year 1833, Rev. H. B. Hill organized a 
 small society in Cairo, and as he was a vigilant and 
 zealous pastor, the little church increased yearly 
 until 1837, when they, in connection with Hope- 
 well, a society five miles north of Cairo, determined 
 
272 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 to hold a camp-meeting. Great difficulty was ex- 
 perienced in procuring a suitable location. Finally 
 a site was purchased in the heart of a dense forest 
 of majestic oaks, two or three miles east of the vil- 
 lage, in a neighborhood where the people had nevfer 
 enjoyed much preaching. The ground was cleared 
 of undergrowth, and a shed and camps w^ere erected. 
 Many of the irreligious in the vicinity came in and 
 assisted, and some of them built camps for them- 
 selves. 
 
 As it rained incessantly throughout the day on 
 which the meeting was to have commenced, camp- 
 holdei-s did not move in until Saturday, and the 
 first sermon ever preached on the ground was 
 delivered by the author at three o'clock. Eev. J. 
 M. McMurry preached at night, and made the first 
 call for mourners; many came to the altar, and 
 eight professed that night. On Sabbath, Mr. Don- 
 nell preached to an immense congregation, and, 
 at the close of the sermon, about one hundred 
 mourners crowded to the altar. All could not 
 gain admittance within the enclosure, but they 
 mourned without ; and that day was as one of the 
 days of the Son of man on earth. Conversions oc- 
 curred at every hour through the day, and half of 
 the night, not only in the altar, but in the congrega- 
 tion, in the tents, in the grove, and wherever sin- 
 ners prayed and Christians encouraged them to 
 faith in Christ. 
 
 On Monday, duty called me home. The pastor, 
 Donnell, and McMurry, continued the meeting 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 273 
 
 througli the week. On Saturday I returned, and 
 found tlie meeting progressing with unabated inter- 
 est. The altar was full, and many in the congregation 
 were in deep distress; the Christians were all 
 engaged, and the unconverted were all serious. 
 The exercises were continued throughout the 
 day without intermission. When any grew weary, 
 they retired, and having taken refreshment, re- 
 turned to the work, and others retired. About 
 sunset all retired to the grove for prayer, and 
 then assembled for public service. A song, a 
 prayer, a brief exhortation, and a call for mourners, 
 brought a crowd to the altar, and all were engaged 
 till weariness of body constrained them to retire 
 for repose. 
 
 On Sabbath, Eev. H. M. Bone preached to an 
 assembly of at least three thousand persons. When 
 the invitation to mourners was given, I was busily 
 engaged in keeping the aisles open, that ingress 
 into the altar might not be obstructed. I had just 
 cleared one aisle, and a minute afterwards I saw 
 eight corpulent old ladies, the youngest of whom 
 seemed to be at least fifty, moving slowly down the 
 aisle. I could not imagine with what intent they 
 came, and, through deference to age, I stood aside, 
 and awaited their movements. Having arrived at 
 the altar, all passed in and kneeled at the same 
 bench, filling its entire length. !N"ever before nor 
 since have I witnessed such a sight. They had 
 been brought up under Baptist influence, and had 
 long been waiting the "Lord's good time." The 
 12* 
 
274 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 preacher had insisted that now is the Lord's time, 
 and the old ladies had come to test the truth of the 
 sermon. AVhen they had been in the altar about 
 an hour, one of them found the Lord, and imme- 
 diately began to encourage the others, telling them 
 that she had been for thirty years waiting the 
 Lord's good time, and that all that while the Lord 
 had been willing every day. They gladly received 
 the intelligence, and, ere the meeting closed, the 
 last one of them professed. 
 
 The meeting closed on Monday, after having en- 
 joyed a continued effusion of the Spirit for ten 
 days. The following extract from a communica- 
 tion published in the Cumberland Presbyterian, 
 under date of October 24, 1837, will show the re- 
 sults of this wonderful meeting : 
 
 ^' Our brethren in the ministry commenced in the 
 spirit, the Church at once went unanimously to 
 work, and God seemed at once to pour out his 
 Spirit, and sinners to obey his voice and turn to 
 him. It was the judgment of many who were pre- 
 sent during the whole of the exercises, that such a 
 time of ingathering of souls to Christ had rarely, 
 if ever, been witnessed in the "West. Among the 
 converts were very many old persons, mostly old gen- 
 tlemen, some of whom were the first emigrants to 
 Sumner county. It was truly affecting to look 
 along the mourners* bench, and see so many gray 
 heads bowed in prayer and supplication, seeking 
 pardon for the sins of many years. The converts 
 were all grown persons, except two boys about the 
 
REV. GEORGE DON NELL. 275 
 
 age of thirteen or fourteen years ; and we should 
 sa^^, for the encouragement of the world, that ten 
 of our camp-holders were unconverted persons at 
 the commencement of the meeting, but left it rejoic- 
 ing in the pardoning love of the Saviour. 
 
 " The judgment of those present varied from two 
 hundred and fifty to three hundred converts, for no 
 eye hut that of our guardian angel, or that of the 
 Omniscient God, could have counted the converts. 
 In view of w^hat God has done for us, as a Church 
 and a community, we should bless the God of 
 camp-meetings, and, adopting the language of the 
 Psalmist, should say, '^N'ot unto us, not unto us, 
 but unto thy name, Lord ! be the glory.' 
 
 "H. B. Hill." 
 
 It was the general belief at that time, and it is 
 the prevailing tradition to the present day, that not 
 less than three hundred persons professed religion 
 at that meeting. Certainly no meeting ever 
 wrought a greater reformation in any community. 
 Previous to that meeti-ng,. drunkenness and gam- 
 bling, and kindred vices, were lamentably preva- 
 lent, and a comparatively small proportion of the 
 community made any pretensions to religion; but 
 from that date, year after year, so long as their excel- 
 lent pastor remained with them, larger and more 
 successful camp-meetings were held at Oak Grove 
 than at any other encampment within the presby- 
 tery. And though death, and removals to other 
 sections, have left but few of the converts of 1837, 
 
276 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 yet at this day there is a large and respectable 
 church in the vicinity, still famous for extensive 
 revivals. 
 
 At the fall session of Chapman Presbytery, eleven 
 hundred and twenty-four conversions were reported 
 as having occurred during the preceding six months. 
 And subsequent to the session of presbytery, Mr. 
 Donnell had about twenty professions within the 
 bounds- of his congregation. 
 
 Mr. Donnell's influence in the Assembly of 1837, 
 and the reputation which the Lebanon church had 
 acquired, secured the meeting of the Assembly of 
 1888 in Lebanon. It was the first time that body 
 had convened at any other place in Tennessee than 
 N"ashville, and as none of the enterprises of the 
 Church were at that time located in Lebanon, there 
 was nothing except the known hospitality of the 
 church, and the popularity of its pastor, to draw 
 the Assembly to this place. Though not as acces- 
 sible nor as central as some other places, there was 
 nevertheless an unusually large Assembly. And 
 though the town was then small, the hospitality of 
 the citizens made the members so much at home, 
 that all were delighted, and when, six years after- 
 wards, Lebanon was again put in nomination, it 
 carried by a very large vote. 
 
 The camp and protracted meetings held ^luring 
 the summer and fall of 1838 were not attended 
 with usual interest, and the Minutes of the presby- 
 tery represent the churches as being in a state of 
 apathy. Reaction usually follows great excitement, 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 277 
 
 and after the unjDaralleled success of the meetings 
 of 1837, it is not strange that those of 1838 should 
 be less interesting. But other causes were at work, 
 among the members and churches of the presby- 
 tery, calculated to bring on a state of apathy. The 
 demon of discord had entered, and marred the 
 peace and confidence of brethren once united and 
 harmonious. 
 
 It is painful to recur to the unhappy difficulty, 
 but, inasmuch as it was the subject of presbyterial 
 action, it becomes the duty of a faithful biographer 
 to place the subject in such light as will enable 
 posterity to render a just verdict. 
 
278 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 VINDICATION OF CHARACTER. 
 
 In July, 1834, James B. McMurry, brotlier-in- 
 law of itev. George Donnell, and son-in-law of Rev, 
 Thomas Calhoon, died of consumption. His de- 
 cline was protracted, and for months previous to his 
 death he was conscious of his approaching dis- 
 solution. He often conversed with intimate friends 
 about the proper disposition of his property ; hut 
 deferred the execution of his will till within a day 
 or two of his death. He was still able to sit up, 
 and to walk across the room ; but becoming con- 
 scious that he was liable to strangulation in the 
 paroxysms of coughing, he deemed it prudent no 
 longer to delay that disposition of his property 
 which he had long contemplated. 
 
 Knowing the sensibility of his only brother, 
 Rev. J. M. McMurry, and solicitous to spare him 
 unnecessary pain, he called upon his brother-in- 
 law, Mr. Donnell, to aid him in preparing his will. 
 Calling him to his bedside, he detailed to him the 
 disposition he wished to make of each item of his 
 property. Mr. Donnell made a memorandum of 
 the several items, with the disposition of each. 
 
REV. GEORQEDONNELL. 279 
 
 This memorandum was read to Mr. McMurry, and 
 received his approvaL Mr. Donnell then retired 
 to another room to prepare the will, according to 
 the instruction received. Finding some difficulty 
 as to the legal forms, Mr. Donnell called to his aid 
 Kev. J. M. McMurry, and they jointly wrote out 
 the will in due form, and when completed they re- 
 turned and read it to J. B. McMurry, item by item, 
 and when each and all had received his approval, 
 as in perfect accordance with his wishes, it was 
 then read to his wife for her approval, after which 
 he sat up and signed it as his will. 
 
 The author was present when the will was made, 
 but having been connected with the family only 
 one month, I did not participate in its preparation. 
 After it had been signed, I had a long and very sat- 
 isfactory conversation with J. B. McMurry, respect- 
 ing his religious interests, and his prospects in view 
 of approaching dissolution. He expressed un- 
 wavering confidence in his Saviour, and a willing- 
 ness to go at his bidding. He congratulated him- 
 self that he had disposed of his temporal matters, 
 and could now devote his whole mind to his spirit- 
 ual interest. He sat up that evening in his arm- 
 chair, and partook of refreshments, and then 
 participated in the family devotions, which seemed 
 to afford him much comfort and peace. A day 
 or two afterward he felt himself sinking, and re- 
 questing the presence of the family and servants, he 
 took an affectionate leave of all; and while, at 
 his request, Mr. Donnell sang: "0 Jesus, my 
 
280 THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 Saviour, I know thou art mine," he expired, look- 
 ing steadfastly up into heaven, and whispering the 
 name of Jesus. 
 
 When the provisions of his will were known 
 to Rev. Tliomas Calhoon and his family, they were 
 dissatisfied. The widow was not as well provided 
 for as they had anticipated. James B. McMurry 
 had no title to the farm upon which he had re- 
 sided, and consequently he did not will his widow 
 any landed estate, but provided that his father 
 should give his little son whatever he had intended 
 for him. He emancipated two negro boys which 
 his father had given him, provided they should con- 
 sent to go to Liberia. But he had willed to his wife 
 all that came by her, and all his personal property ; 
 and notwithstanding the will had been read to her, 
 and received her approval at the time, yet she 
 was induced to bring suit to set it aside. 
 
 Her lavt^er, John S. Topp, Esq., after a careful 
 examination of the case, proposed a compromise. 
 David McMurry, the father of the deceased, was 
 opposed to a compromise ; but finally, for the sake 
 of peace among brethren and ministers of the 
 same Church, he consented, and John S. Topp, 
 Esq., Seymour Powell, and the author, were chosen 
 to compromise the matter. For a time peace was 
 restored, but there was a want of cordiality and 
 fraternal feeling. Finally, in 1838, the widow, disre- 
 garding the compromise, instituted suit to set aside 
 the will. 
 
 It came to trial in the Circuit Court, in June, 
 
11 EV. GEORGE DONNELL. 
 
 281 
 
 1838. Eev. Thomas Calhoon, Eev. J. M. Mc- 
 Muny, Mr. Donnell, the attending physician, Dr. 
 James White, and the author, were the principal 
 witnesses in the case. Rev. Thomas Calhoon tes- 
 tified that, in his judgment, James B. McMurry was 
 not at the time the will was made of a sound and 
 disposing mind— that the instrument which he was 
 induced to sign was the will of George Donnell 
 and J. M. McMurry. All of the other witnesses 
 named concurred in testifying that the deceased was 
 of sound and disposing mind when the will was 
 made, and throughout his illness up to the last 
 moment of his life. The writer, moreover, testi- 
 fied that James B. McMurry had told him, four 
 months before his death, that he intended to 
 emancipate his negro boys. The will was estab- 
 lished without difficulty, and thereby the characters 
 of Donnell and J. M. McMurry were vindicated 
 from the unfounded charge of fraud. But unkind 
 feelings were engendered ; and it was soon blazon- 
 ed abroad that ministers of the same Church had 
 given in court conflicting testimony. Mr. Calhoon 
 was an aged and venerable minister— one of the 
 fathers of the Church, whose reputation was in all 
 its borders. Mr. Donnell, though favorably known 
 within the sphere of his operations, and beloved as 
 far as known, was comparatively a young man ; 
 while McMurry and the author had not been in 
 the ministry more than three or four years. It 
 was natural, therefore, that those who had long 
 known and revered "Father Calhoon," but knew 
 
282 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 little of DoDiiell, and less of McMurry and Ander- 
 son, should be disposed to credit the testimony of 
 the venerable father. Then there were those who 
 knew both parties, who seemed to think it incum- 
 bent upon them to sustain the character of one 
 of the fathers of the Church, regardless of the rights 
 of younger ministers, whom they were pleased to 
 regard as "lesser lights/' 
 
 The presbytery was divided in sentiment — the 
 majority of the ministers and the laity endorsing 
 the decision of the court, and acquitting Donnell 
 and McMurry, of the charge of fraud; while a 
 minority, diminutive in number, but respectable in 
 position and influence, were disposed to sustain 
 Calhoon, though they did not profess to believe the 
 charge of fraud. The parties themselves could not 
 cordially cooperate in the ministry. Mr. Calhoon 
 refused to withdraw the offensive charge; and 
 yet he would not enter a prosecution, either in 
 the court or the presbytery. In this state of the 
 case, Donnell and McMurry, unwilling longer 
 to rest under an imputation of such serious im- 
 port, petitioned the presbytery to take up the 
 charge upon the ground of common fame, and in- 
 vestigate it. 
 
 Accordingly, a presbytery was called for the 
 purpose, which convened in Lebanon, September 
 4, 1838. The members present were Francis John- 
 son, Moderator, George Donnell, E,. D. Bell, John 
 M. McMurry, J. L. Dillard, John Provine, II. B. 
 Hill, and Thomas Calhoon, ministers: Ephraim 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 283 
 
 Pursley, T. C. Beard, Tliomas Davis, J. J. Hibbitts, 
 and D. C. Hibbitts, -elders. 
 
 The presbytery having constituted, adopted the 
 following resolution : 
 
 "Whereas, George Donnell and John M. McMurry 
 consider themselves involved by public fame in a 
 charge of fraud by their agency in the business 
 of James B. McMurry, deceased ; 
 
 ''Besolved, That presbytery, at their request, take 
 up the matter for investigation. 
 
 "Upon examination, it appeared that the par- 
 ties were not ready for the final action of the 
 presbytery; and therefore it was resolved that a 
 committee of ^ve be appointed and empowered 
 to act in procuring testimony relative to the case 
 now pending, who shall report to a session of this 
 presbytery, which shall meet in this place on Tues- 
 day after the fourth Sabbath in this month ; and 
 that brethren John Provine, J. L. Dillard, Francis 
 Johnson, H. B. Hill, and D. C. Hibbitts compose 
 said committee. 
 
 "Presbytery adjourned to meet in Lebanon, 
 "Wilson county, Tennessee, on Tuesday, the 25th 
 instant, at 10 o'clock. Concluded with prayer. 
 "Francis Johnson, Moderator. 
 
 "E. D. Bell, Clerk." 
 
 - The presbytery met according to adjournment. 
 Ministers present, Thomas Calhoon, J. L. Dillard, 
 John Provine, Francis Johnson, George Donnell, 
 H. B. Hill, J. M. McMurry, and R. D. Bell. Ee- 
 
284 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 presentatives present, E. B. "Wheeler, Stephen Mc- 
 Daniel, Thomas Davis, T. J. Statton, Ephraim 
 Pursley, J. W. Smith, and D. C. Hibhitts. 
 
 " The committee appointed at the former ses- 
 sion of the presbytery to act in procuring testimony 
 in the case pending, report that they have attended 
 to the duty assigned them." 
 
 After the report vras considered, the following 
 Minute was adopted : 
 
 " Whereas, Brethren George Donnell and John 
 M. McMurry, at a previous presbytery, alleged that 
 they were charged by public rumor with fraud in 
 the transactions connected with James B. Mc- 
 Murry's will, which rumor grew out of a discrep- 
 ancy in the testimony given in court, in the town of 
 Lebanon, Wilson county, Tennessee, by George 
 Donnell and John M. McMurry, of the one part, 
 and Thomas Calhoon of the other ; and presbytery 
 having heard the statements and views of those 
 brethren, unanimously believe that they, the said 
 George Donnell and John M. McMurry, are not 
 guilty of that crime. 
 
 ^^Hesolvedy therefore, that the presbytery dismiss 
 the case without further investigation." 
 
 Thus we have the innocence of the party charged 
 established beyond the possibility of a reasonable 
 doubt. In the first place, it is highly improbable 
 that two self-sacrificing ministers, noted for con- 
 scientious devotion to the cause of Christ, should 
 conspire to rob a dying brother of his right to dis- 
 pose of his earthly eftects, and thereby defraud his 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 285 
 
 disconsolate widow. Then we have the corrobo- 
 rating testimony of the attending physician, the 
 author, and other reliable witnesses, that, through- 
 out his decline, James B. McMurry was at all times 
 rational, as all consumptive patients usually are. 
 Then the solemn decision of the court and the jury 
 in establishing the will, and thereby refuting the 
 charge of fraud, and sustaining the testimony in 
 favor of the competency of the deceased. And, 
 finally, the unanimous decision of the presbytery ac- 
 quitting them of the charge, their accuser voting 
 for their acquittal, thereby sustaining their testi- 
 mony in court, and virtually condemning his own. 
 
 The truth is, there was no need that Donnell and 
 McMurry should have petitioned the ]Dresbytery for 
 an investigation. Though the charge of fraud had 
 been made by a venerable father in the ministry, 
 public opinion did not, at any time, endorse the 
 charge to an extent that called for investigation. 
 But Mr. Donnell was sensitive, and careful of his 
 reputation, and having been charged with fraud by 
 one whom all had revered, whose influence had 
 been unbounded, he deemed it prudent to have so 
 grave a charge adjudicated in the ecclesiastical 
 court, that the evidence of his innocence might be 
 placed upon the records of the Church as well as 
 the State. 
 
 After the acquittal of Donnell and McMurry, 
 some of Calhoon's personal friends, solicitous lest 
 the decisions of the judicial and ecclesiastical 
 courts should seriously depreciate his character, in- 
 
286 . THELIFEOFTHE 
 
 troduced into presbytery, and succeeded in procur- 
 ing the adoption of the following resolution : 
 
 *' Whereas, Brother Thomas Calhoon, though 
 not immediately connected with the action of the 
 presbytery, is yet indirectly involved : 
 
 ^'Hesolved, That the presbytery hereby express 
 their belief that he was conscientious and strictly 
 honest in all that he testified before the court relat- 
 ing to the transaction of James B. McMurry's 
 win." 
 
 Though this resolution may seem, to those unac- 
 quainted with the circumstances, to conflict with 
 the resolution iinaniDiously acquitting Donnell and 
 McMurry, yet it is possible that, for a time, Calhoon 
 did believe James B. McMurry incompetent to 
 make a will, and that the instrument that purported 
 to be his will was dictated by Donnell and J. M. 
 McMurry. 
 
 Mr. Calhoon was a man of strong passions and 
 prejudices, and, when excited, his judgment was 
 sometimes unconsciously biased. Ilis after-con- 
 duct shows that his mind and feelings had under- 
 gone a radical change. While the charge was 
 pending, he treated the parties accused, particularly 
 Donnell, with reserve and marked coolness ; but 
 after they had been triumphantly acquitted by the 
 court and the presbytery, and when he saw that 
 they enjoyed the public confidence, as fully as though 
 the charge had never been preferred, he became 
 conciliatory in his manner, and ultimately made 
 direct and repeated overtures for reconciliation; 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 287 
 
 and for some years previous to Mr. Donnell's death, 
 he and Calhoon maintained friendly relations. 
 And as McMiirry never was subjected to so much 
 opposition, advances of friendship and kindness 
 were at a much earlier date tendered to him, and 
 for many years he treated McMurry with marked 
 respect; and after Mr. Calhoon' s death, McMurry 
 was called to the pastoral charge of the Big Spring 
 church, over which Calhoon had been pastor more 
 than thirty years. 
 
 Thus have we briefly sketched the rise, develop- 
 ment, and termination of a difficulty which for 
 years was a source of alienation of brethren, and a 
 reproach upon the Church. That such a charge 
 should have been preferred against ministers so 
 blameless and so devoted,, is evidence that the best 
 men are liable to be impeached. That such a 
 charge should have originated from a source so re- 
 spectable, is indeed humiliating ; but let it admon- 
 ish all to beware of taking up an evil report or sur- 
 mise against a brother. It is some consolation, 
 however, to know that religion triumphed. At no 
 period were the labors of Donnell and McMurry 
 more blessed than while this charge was resting 
 upon them ; and when their characters were vindi- 
 cated, they had grace to forgive, and to reciprocate 
 advances for the restoration of fraternal feeling. Don- 
 nell and Calhoon died in peace with all the world, 
 and no doubt have had a happy reiinion in heaven, 
 while McMurry lives to revere the memory of both. 
 
288 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 A CHURCH PAPER — DONNELL EDITOR. 
 
 About the first of the year 1839, it became gene- 
 rally known through the Church that Rev. James 
 Smith, the editor and proprietor of the Cumber- 
 land Presbyterian, the only periodical published in 
 the Church, had become so embarrassed that he 
 could not continue the publication. This awak- 
 ened a general solicitude for the action of the As- 
 sembly in maturing a plan for the publication of a 
 Church paper, upon the responsibility of the Church. 
 But the Assembly of 1838 had adjourned till 1840, 
 and consequently it would not meet in 1839. But 
 such was the solicitude for the action of the Assem- 
 bly, that a number of ministers united in request- 
 ing the Moderator to call a meeting of that body, 
 to be held in Nashville in May, 1839. But the 
 Moderator, Rev. Hiram A. Hunter, doubted his 
 authority to call an Assembly, but he requested the 
 presbyteries to appoint delegates to a Convention, 
 to be held in Nashville in May, 1839, " for the pur- 
 pose of adopting such measures as shall secure the 
 perpetuation of the Cumberland Presbyterian," 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 289 
 
 In view of this call for a Convention, published 
 in the Cumberland Presbyterian of March 12, 1839, 
 Chapman Presbytery, at its session in April follow-- 
 ing, appointed a committee " to take into consider- 
 ation the propriety of sending delegates to the 
 proposed Convention." The committee reported 
 in favor of sending delegates ; accordingly, the 
 presbytery appointed George Donnell, J. L. Dil- 
 lard, and J. S. McClain, delegates to said Con- 
 vention. 
 
 The Convention assembled in Il^ashville on Tues- 
 day, the 21st of May, 1839, and organized by elect- 
 ing Rev. James B. Porter, Chairman, and Rev. 
 James Wallace, Clerk. About forty delegates were 
 present, among whom were many of the more in- 
 fluential ministers of the Chnrch. A committee 
 was appointed "to present a plan for the publica- 
 tion of a religious journal in the Church." Rev. 
 Hiram A. Hunter, J. S. McClain, C. P. Reed, 
 George Donnell, T. B. Wilson, Jesse Ford, and 
 George Williamson, constituted said committee. 
 
 On Thursday, the third day of the Convention, 
 the committee reported their plan, which on the 
 day following was adopted, the leading features of 
 which are as follows : 
 
 "Your committee to whom was assigned the 
 duty of drafting a plan for the establishment of a 
 religious newspaper, as the property and organ of 
 the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, have had the 
 same under consideration, and beg leave to submit 
 the following report ; 
 13 
 
290. THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 " 1. The importance of such a paper is obvious 
 to all, and jour cojnmittee believe that the interests 
 of the Church imperiously demand it, and that a 
 large portion of the members are looking to this 
 Convention to adopt some plan by which this desir-. 
 able object may be obtained. 
 
 "2. This Convention shall locate the paper, ap- 
 point an editor and publishing committee, who 
 shall hold their appointments until the meeting of 
 the next Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
 Church, when successors shall be appointed for the 
 term of two years, and for the same length of time 
 for ever thereafter. 
 
 " 3. The paper shall be exclusively the property 
 of the presbyteries that shall subscribe for the 
 same, in accordance with the plan herein proposed, . 
 and the net profits arising tlierefrom shall be divided 
 between said presbyteries, in proportion to the 
 amount they respectively subscribe, and the loss, 
 if any, shall be sustained by the presbyteries in the 
 same proportion. . 
 
 " 4. The presbyteries that take the stock in this 
 paper may, at the next or any subsequent Assem- 
 bly, surrender the whole concern to the manage- 
 ment of the Assembly, provided that body will 
 accept it, and undertake to carry it on according to 
 the plan adopted by the Convention. 
 
 " IIiRAM A. nuNTE% Chairman. 
 
 "On motion, the House went into the election 
 of a place at w^hich the paper should be published ; 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 291 
 
 wliereupon tlie town of Lebanon, Wilson county, 
 Tennessee, was chosen. 
 
 " On motion, the Convention went into the ap- 
 pointment of a publishing committee, wliereupon 
 Brothers J. S. McClain, D. C. Hibbitts, W. L. Mar- 
 tin, J. Golladay, and R. L. Caruthers, were ap- 
 pointed said committee. 
 
 "On motion, Brothers Ealston, Warren, and 
 Burrow were appointed a committee to confer with 
 some suitable person on the subject of editing the 
 paper, and report to this House. 
 
 "On the last day of the Convention, the com- 
 mittee recommended Brother George Donnell as a 
 suitable person to edit the contemplated paper; 
 whereupon Brother George Donnell was, by vote 
 of the Convention, chosen editor. 
 
 ''Resolved, That one thousand copies of these 
 minutes, and as many prospectuses of our contem- 
 plated paper as the publishing committee may 
 judge necessary, be printed for distribution. through- 
 out our Church, and that Brother George Donnell- 
 superintend the publication and distribution of the 
 same. 
 
 " On motion, the Convention adjourned. 
 
 " Concluded with prayer. 
 
 " James B. Porter, Chairman. 
 
 " James Wallace, Clerk." 
 
 Such are the results of the deliberations of the 
 Convention upon the subject of a paper for the 
 Church. It appears that they abandoned the idea 
 
292 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 of continuing the Cumberland Presbyterian, and 
 made arransrements for the establishment of a new 
 paper, which was to be the property and the organ 
 of the Church. The chief reason for adopting this 
 plan was this : the Cumberland Presbyterian was 
 the property of Rev. James Smith, and had been 
 published upon his individual responsibility, and 
 consequently he alone had the right to control it or 
 dispose of it at will. In the exercise of that right, 
 he chose to demand more for it than the Conven- 
 tion were able or disposed to give. They deter- 
 mined therefore to leave him in peaceable possession 
 of his paper, at liberty to continue or discontinue 
 its publication, as he might choose, and to establish 
 a Church paper, which should be the property of 
 the Church, and under its control. 
 
 The fact that Mr. Donnell was elected the editor 
 of a paper, established as the organ of the Church, 
 was a flattering expression of public confidence in 
 his ability, integrity, and orthodoxy, and an unmis- 
 takable endorsement of the recent decision of the 
 Chapman Presbytery, acquitting him of the charge 
 of fraud. It was, moreover, a demonstration that 
 his reputation had not been impaired by the 
 unfounded charge. 
 
 The publication of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
 was suspended previous to the meeting of the Con- 
 vention ; and as it was generally believed that its pro- 
 prietor would not be able to resume the publication, 
 the Convention instructed the publishing committee 
 to make arrangements to publish the new paper im- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 293 
 
 mediately after tlie fall sessions of the presbyteries, 
 provided that a sufficient number of subscribers 
 should be reported by that time. Accordingly, a 
 large number of prospectuses were sent out with 
 the printed minutes of the Convention, and the 
 ministers, generally, went to work with zeal to pro- 
 cure subscribers for the Church paper. The enter- 
 prise of establishing a paper, the proceeds of which 
 should belong to the Church, was very popular, 
 and long lists of subscribers were obtained in 
 almost every populous section of the Church, and 
 the prospect was that the new paper would com- 
 mand a wide circulation. 
 
 But, contrary to all expectation, the publication 
 of the Cumberland Presb^'terian was resumed in 
 September, 1839, a month before the fall session 
 of the presbyteries, and consequently before they 
 had taken any action committing them to the new 
 paper. And as the first number of the paper pub- 
 lished after the suspension contained a strong re- 
 monstrance against the proceedings of the Conven- 
 tion, many who had hitherto approved the plan for 
 a Church paper began to waver, and to manifest a 
 disinclination to commit themselves to the action 
 of the Convention. 
 
 The Cumberland Presbyterian, though still 
 edited mainly by Rev. James Smith, was published 
 by Rev. R. D. Harris, of Kentuckyy a man of some 
 means and influence. The reasons assigned by 
 Mr. Smith for resuming the publication were, first, 
 that the Convention had not purchased his sub- 
 
294 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 scription list, and therefore he had a right to dis- 
 pose of it in any way that would suhserve his 
 interests ; secondly, the Convention had made no 
 arrangements to remunerate his suhscribers who 
 had paid in advance, and he had no other way of 
 refunding; thirdly, he hoped that by continuing 
 the publication till the next Assembly, he could 
 induce that body to purchase his subscription list; 
 and, finally, he claimed to be the accredited editor of 
 the Assembly, and he denied the right of the Con- 
 vention to supersede him. 
 
 These reasons were all plausible, and some of 
 them valid ; and as they were urged with cogency, 
 it is not strange that the friends of the Convention 
 and the advocates of a Church paper hesitated. 
 In well-informed circles, it was undei'^tood that 
 Harris could not long continue the publication of 
 a paper whose patronage was constantly diminish- 
 ing. But it was manifest, from the tone of the 
 Cumberland Presbyterian, that the moment the 
 Convention paper should make its appearance, a 
 war between the two papers would be inevitable. 
 So, for the sake of peace, Mr. Donnell and the pub- 
 lishing committee deemed it advisable to postpone 
 the publication of the new paper till after the 
 meeting of the Assembly. The Cumberland Pres- 
 byterian was published till the meeting of the 
 Assembly in 1840, and then it was discontinued 
 without the hope of resumption. 
 
 In the meantime. Dr. Cossitt had issued two or 
 three numbers of a monthly, which he appro- 
 
REV, GEOUGE DONNELL. 295 
 
 priately styled the "Banner of Peace." Tlie tone 
 and spirit were as oil upon the troubled waters. 
 The Assembly, deeming it safer to encourage a 
 paper already in circulation, which promised to 
 meet the wants of the Church, than to attempt at 
 that time to get up a Church paper, abandoned the 
 project of the Convention, and encouraged Dr. Cos- 
 sitt to continue the Banner of Peace, with assur- 
 ances of patronage. The Banner still floats, the 
 largest and most widely circulated paper of the 
 Church. 
 
 Though the project of the Convention was an 
 abortion, yet the fact that Mr. Donnell was elected 
 to the highly responsible office of editing the con- 
 templated organ of the Church, shows in what 
 estimation he was held by the Convention, embrac- 
 ing, as it did, many of the leading ministers of the 
 Church. And the fact that, between the adjourn- 
 ment of the Convention and the reappearance of the 
 Cumberland Presbyterian, a period of little more 
 than three months, a large subscription list had been 
 obtained, proves that the appointment was accept- 
 able to a large portion of the Church. IlTeverthe- 
 less, it must be admitted that composition was not 
 his forte — that he was more at home in the pulpit 
 and the altar than he would have been in the edi- 
 tor's chair. 
 
296 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 PASTORAL LABORS, CONTINUED. 
 
 Though Mr. Donnell was, by the partiality of his 
 brethren in the ministry, made to play a conspicu- 
 ous part in the movement for the establishment of 
 a Church paper, he did not abate, in the least 
 degree, his zeal or vigilance in his pastoral duties. 
 JSTever was he more devoted to the interests of his 
 flock, or intent upon the conversion of sinners. 
 The fall of 1839 was unusually laborious. Several of 
 the camp-meetings were protracted to ten and 
 twelve days, particularly Oak Grove and E'ew 
 Hope : at the former, there were one hundred and 
 seventy, and at the latter, one hundred and eighty- 
 nine conversions. • The number of professions at 
 the Lebanon meeting is not reported, but the fol- 
 lowing names were added to the church roll : 
 
 Eebecca Allison, F. IT. Ewing, Elvira Phipps, 
 Elizabeth Munford, James and Sarah Foster, Julia 
 Bailey, J. L. Chapman, L. AYilkerson, Rebecca Per- 
 kins, Francis Peyton, Mary Burk, James Hunter, 
 Ben. Castleman, Richard Rutledge, Harriet Rut- 
 ledge, Caroline "Wharton, Henry Cartmell, James 
 Cummings, Elam and Mary Edge. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 297 
 
 In May, 1840, Mr. Donnell represented Chapman 
 Presbytery in the General Assembly. On his way 
 to the meeting of that body at Elkton, Kentucky, 
 he had an appointment for the Sabbath at Cross 
 Plains. He did not reach the village Saturday 
 evening, but stopping a few miles short w^ith a 
 friend, he rode in Sabbath morning, when he found 
 the only church in the place occupied by a Univer- 
 salist preacher. He attended the service with the 
 intention of publishing an appointment for the 
 afternoon and night. But at the close of the ser- 
 vice, the IJniversalist, although he knew Mr> Don- 
 nell was there and expected to preach, announced 
 that he would preach again in the afternoon. Mr. 
 Donnell then rose and announced that he would 
 preach at night. He attended in the afternoon, 
 and heard the most licentious doctrines promul- 
 gated by the Universal ist. 
 
 At night, Mr. Donnell preached upon the text, 
 "Yerily, verily I say unto you, except a man be 
 born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
 He made no allusion to the IJniversalist or his doc- 
 trines, but preached, with power and pungency, the 
 necessity of a thorough regeneration of the heart 
 by the Eternal Spirit, and he enforced this central 
 doctrine of the gospel with a pathos that drew 
 tears from his audience. 
 
 When the service was closed, and the congrega- 
 tion was about to be dismissed, the little IJniver- 
 salist sprang up' and requested the audience to 
 remain a few minutes, as he wished to make some 
 13* 
 
298 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 remarks upon the sermon. Mr. Donnell then in- 
 vited him to occupy the pulpit. He accepted, and 
 commenced his harangue by complaining that he 
 and his doctrine had been assailed ; thought it rude 
 and unchristian that a stranger in a strange land 
 should be thus assailed by one professing to be a 
 minister of the gospehof peace ; insinuated that the 
 preacher was destitute of the spirit of the gospel, 
 and certainly he was ignorant of the courtesy due 
 a Christian gentleman ; then threw himself upon 
 the sympathies of the community, to protect him 
 against such rude assaults. 
 
 Mr. Donnell replied that he too was a stranger, 
 having never before visited the place ; that he had 
 made no assault upon the gentleman or his doctrine; 
 that through courtesy he had forborne any allusion 
 to him or his unscriptural and pernicious senti- 
 ments ; that he had simply preached a plain gospel 
 sermon- .upon the necessity of regeneration, which 
 all Christians admitted to be an essential doctrine 
 of the gospel ; that if the gentleman held sentiments 
 so antagonistic to that vital doctrine, that the 
 preaching to sinners what Christ himself preached 
 constituted an assault upon him or his doctrines, 
 then it was most manifest that his doctrines were 
 antagonistic to the teachings of Jesus Christ, and 
 if the gentleman had chosen to make up an issue 
 with the God of truth, he must not quarrel with 
 him because he chose to follow the guidance of In- 
 spiration ; that he did not feel at liberty to withhold 
 one of the most prominent and most essential doc- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 299 
 
 trines of the gospel, lest it should offend the gen- 
 tleman's taste. 
 
 He. then solemnly warned the people against the 
 pernicious and licentious doctrines which had been 
 taught in the discourses which he had that day 
 heard. Appealing to the young men, he wished 
 to know if they did not wish in their hearts that 
 the- gentleman's licentious sentiments were true; 
 whether, if they could be assured of their truth, 
 they would not feel themselves freed from all re- 
 straint, and at liberty to indulge their passions and 
 propensities without restraint or remorse; whether, 
 if they could believe his doctrine, they would not 
 freely indulge in many sins from which they now 
 refrained, under the conviction that such indul- 
 gence would endanger their salvation ? And then 
 he appealed to them to say whether a doctine which 
 tends to licentiousness, which tends to multiply 
 sins, be of God or of Satan ? Then, having notified 
 the congregation that he should take no further 
 notice of any thing the little Universalist might 
 say, he retired. 
 
 The little Universalist sprang up and commenced 
 a second haratigue, but the congregation rose up 
 en masse and retired, leaving him to bolster up, as 
 best he could, four or ^lyq of his chopfallen dis- 
 ciples. The Universalist wrote a book in which he 
 gave his rencounter with Donnell a conspicuous 
 notice, but neither his preaching nor his book con- 
 verted the people to his fiiith. Wlien they would 
 
800 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 think of adopting it, Donnell's sermon would rise- 
 up in judgment against it. 
 
 The Assembly of 1840 was a memorable crisis in 
 the history of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
 Several subjects of vital importance, it was known, 
 would be pressed upon the attention of that body, 
 and presbyteries were exhorted to send their ablest 
 men. Rev. James Smith, editor and proprietor of 
 the Cumberland Presbyterian, had failed for a large 
 amount, involving many of his brethren in heavy 
 security debts. He maintained that, inasmuch as 
 he had been elected editor by the General Assem- 
 bly, and when he was disposed to resign and dis- 
 continue the paper, he had been requested by that 
 body to continue, with assurances that his subscrip- 
 tion list should be increased, and as the increase 
 was not equal to the promise, that the Assembly 
 was under moral obligations to indemnify him for 
 the loss he had sustained in continuing the publi- 
 cation. And fears were entertained lest brethren 
 who had heavy securities to pay for Mr. Smith 
 might favor his claims, as the only hope of recover- 
 ing the losses they had sustained. 
 
 But the Assembly convened, and when Smith's 
 claims were preferred, his suffering securities who 
 were in the Assembly were, to a man, opposed to 
 the extravagant claims for indemnity which had 
 been set up and advocated by a few. A committee 
 was appointed, and, after a thorough investigation 
 of the whole subject, they reported in favor of 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 801 
 
 allowing a small indemnity — less tlian two thousand 
 dollars — in consequence of certain definite pledges 
 wliicli had been given, by a former Assembly, to 
 procure a certain number of subscribers, and which 
 pledges had not been fully redeemed. But this in- 
 demnity did not cover the one-tenth of Smith's 
 liabilities. The indemnity allowed was paid before 
 the Assembly adjourned. 
 
 The subject of a Church paper, and the endow- 
 ment of Cumberland College, at Princeton, Ken- 
 tucky, were also under consideration. Upon all 
 these vital questions Mr. Donnell's voice was heard 
 in advocacy of sound, conservative principles, 
 though efforts to intimidate were made, such as 
 were never before nor since witnessed in a General 
 Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. 
 But justice, reason, and conciliatory counsels pre- 
 vailed ; and the Church, after having been agitated 
 by factious discord, and threatened with disruption, 
 was pacified. 
 
 In the latter part of the summer of 1840, Mr. 
 Donnell and the family connection experienced a 
 sad bereavement. David and Ann McMurry, the 
 father and mother-in-law of Mr. Donnell, after 
 only a few days' illness, were both on the same day 
 removed from the sufferings and sorrows of this 
 life, to that rest that remaineth for the people of 
 God. The author was at that time residing at 
 "Winchester. The following letter from Mr. Don- 
 nell, written the day after the extraordinary bereave- 
 ment, brought us the sad intelligence. 
 
302 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 "Lebanon, August 27, 1840. 
 
 "Dear Brother and Sister: 
 
 " The Lord reigns, and the language of the pious 
 should be, *Let him do all his pleasure.' In all he 
 does he will make all things work together for our 
 good. When we compare our comforts or our sor- 
 rows with our eternity, what are they ? This is at 
 best a weeping world, and often we have to submit 
 to the bitterest and the most trying bereavements ; 
 but let us ever try to feel that ' it is the Lord ; 
 let him do as seemeth him good.' If he takes 
 our friends from us, and makes us strangers upon 
 the earth, let us recollect that in eternity, (and we 
 will all soon be there,) we will see how it has 
 worked for our good. God grant us all grace to 
 bear our double bereavement. 
 
 "I must disclose the melancholy intelligence 
 that both of your beloved parents have left us to 
 weep our lone way on earth, till we all shall meet 
 in heaven. 
 
 " They were both taken sick on the same day, 
 and on the eighth day, both died w^ithin twelve 
 hours of each other. They were sensible till the 
 last, and died in full prospect of meeting each 
 other, and other long-lost friends, and especially 
 the blessed Saviour, in the better world. 
 
 "We are truly a distressed family : we have just 
 laid the dear old pair side by side in the same 
 grave. I have not time to write more now, but 
 will give particulars hereafter. Pray for us all. 
 Farewell. George Donnell.^' 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 303 
 
 We had previously been informed tliat both 
 were sick, but neither at that date was considered 
 dangerous. "When a letter, closed with a black 
 seal, was handed to me in the presence of my wife, 
 a sudden pallor blanched her cheek. As I broke 
 the ominous seal, and hastily sketched its contents, 
 she drew near, and tremblingly inquired, "Which?" 
 The response was, "Both." She sank prostrate, 
 as though her own spirit had instantly joined the 
 departed ones. She was taken up and quietly 
 laid upon the bed. ^Nature revived ;' then came 
 the paroxysm of unutterable grief. To speak to 
 her words of consolation was impossible. A note 
 was written and silently deposited in her hand, 
 and then she was left for a season, all alone. 
 Grace triumphed, and soon grief had subsided into 
 a calm, subdued melancholy. So soon as practi- 
 cable, we visited the homestead, and bedewed with 
 tears the grave of the departed. 
 
 The year 1841 was a season of peace and repose 
 in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, after 
 years of dissension and alarms of division, and the 
 active efforts of a few restless spirits to bring about 
 a schism. Fraternal feeling and Christian con- 
 fidence were restored ; and brethren that had been 
 estranged, and had regarded each other with dis- 
 trust, now that the object of the schismatics had 
 become manifest, were drawn together by their 
 attachment for the Church and its doctrines. 
 Though there was no general revival, yet many 
 churches eujoyed seasons of refreshing. The Chap- 
 
304 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 man Presbytery reported about three hundred 
 professions. The only additions to the Lebanon 
 cliurch were : 
 
 W. T. Sayles, Osburn and Elizabeth Bettis, 
 Joseph Burk, Sarah Cox, Caroline Smith, Jordan 
 Stokes, W. P. McClain, and Matilda Hays. 
 
 The Assembly of 1842 constitutes an epoch in the 
 educational interests of the Church. The necessity 
 of collegiate education was recognized by the gen- 
 eral synod, in the establishment of Cumberland 
 College. And the indispensable necessity of an 
 endowment had been recognized and provided for 
 in the plan of the institution. But no adequate 
 endowment had been raised, and the Trustees re- 
 ported to the Assembly of 1840, that in consequence 
 of this neglect; the permanence of the institution 
 was in jeopardy. The Assembly, alarmed on ac- 
 count of the precarious condition of the only college 
 in the Church, resolved to raise an endowment of 
 $55,000 at least, provided that the Trustees would 
 liquidate the existing indebtedness. 
 
 Accordingly, agents were appointed to solicit 
 funds for the purpose ; and the Trustees reported 
 to the Assembly of 1841 that $15,781 had been 
 raised. But there was no report of progress in liqui- 
 dating the debts then hanging over the institution. 
 This omission discouraged the agents and friends 
 of the enterprise, and consequently but little was 
 done during the following year toward increasing 
 the endowment fund. 
 
 The Assembly of 1842 appointed Dr. Cossitt, 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 305 
 
 Feemster, Ealston, Aston, Bond, McKenne3% and 
 Leavell, a committee on education. They re- 
 ported "that there exists a debt against the insti-" 
 tution of $5654 50, which will have to be raised, or 
 else the college property will be sold by process 
 of law." And in view of this indebtedness, the 
 committee recommend that " inasmuch as the As- 
 sembly have never agreed or made any arrange- 
 ments to raise funds to pay old debts, your com- 
 mittee think it inexpedient to make any attempt to 
 raise the amount required." 
 
 The Assembly, disappointed in the expected 
 liquidation of the debts, and despairing of build- 
 ing up a prosperous institution at Princeton, re- 
 solved to seek a more eligible location. This 
 decision had been anticipated previous to the meet- 
 ing of the Assembly ; and in view of such a crisis, 
 the citizens of Lebanon, influenced by Mr. Donnell 
 and his church session, had sent up a petition 
 to the Assembly, recommending that, in case that 
 body should deem it advisable to locate a new 
 institution, the town of Lebanon would be an 
 eligible site, and promising aid in the erection of 
 suitable buildings, in case it should be selected. 
 
 The Assembly appointed Kev. Eobert Donnell, 
 Colonel Robert Burton, Colonel George "William- 
 son, Eev. Reuben Burrow, Finis E. McClain, Esq., 
 Rev. F. R. Cossitt, D. D., Rev. B. Feemster, Rev. 
 "William Ralston, and Colonel Moses Ridley, as 
 commissioners, and authorized them "to receive 
 
306 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 propositions from all the towns and places, Prince- 
 ton not excepted, desiring the location, to decide 
 thereupon, and make arrangements to procure 
 buildings for the use of the college, while per- 
 manent buildings are being erected." 
 
 The commissioners were instructed to meet in 
 !N'ashville, in July following, make the location, 
 appoint a board of trustees, and authorize them to 
 elect a faculty, and put the institution in operation 
 as early as practicable. Accordingly, the commis- 
 sioners met in ISTashville at the appointed time ; a 
 delegation of the citizens of Lebanon waited upon 
 them, and proposed that, in case the college should 
 be located at Lebanon, the citizens would erect 
 a college edifice, at a cost of ten thousand dollars. 
 1^0 other place having offered that amount, and 
 the site being deemed eligible, the location was 
 made at Lebanon, and a board of trustees ap- 
 pointed. 
 
 A letter from the Secretary of the Board, "W. L. 
 Martin, Esq., published in the Banner of Peace of 
 July 22, 1842, informs the editor. Rev. F. E. Cos- 
 sitt, D. D., that the first act of the Board after its 
 organization was to elect him President of the 
 College, and Professor C. Q. McPherson, Professor 
 of Mathematics. On the 20th of September fol- 
 lowing. Professor M-cPherson opened a school in 
 the Cumberland Presbyterian church in Lebanon ; 
 and early in 1843, Dr. Cossitt assumed the Presi- 
 dency. In the fall of 1843, the author was in- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 307 
 
 augurated Professor of Languages ; and in Febru- 
 ary, 1844, the college was chartered, and opened 
 its first session in the new college edifice. ' 
 
 Such is the origin of the University, whose latest 
 catalogue, 1857, shows a faculty of eleven profes- 
 sors, and four hundred and forty-five students. And 
 though Mr. Donnell's agency is not ostensible, ex- 
 cept in the Memorial to the Assembly of 1842, yet 
 it is a fact that, from the first conception to the final 
 organization, he was the moving spirit that first 
 awakened interest, and inspired men of influence 
 to take the lead in the enterprise. Unambitious 
 and unselfish, he ever sought to promote the inter- 
 ests of the Church in a quiet way, all the while 
 shrinking from observation and declining notoriety. 
 Yet his feelings were as deeply enlisted in this en- 
 terprise as though the salvation of the Church 
 depended upon its success, and often did he make 
 it the subject of prayer. "When its enemies assailed 
 the infant institution, his spirit was stirred within 
 him, and his pen was wielded in its defence. He 
 did not live to witness its .triumph, but saw it in 
 the future. 
 
 The fall of 1842 is memorable as a season of gen- 
 eral and powerful revivals in almost every section 
 of the Church, but especially within the bounds of 
 Chapman Presbytery. Though the smallest in ter- 
 ritoiy of all the presbyteries of the Church, em- 
 bracing only fourteen congregations^ yet within its 
 limits eight hundred and fifty-one professions were 
 reported, as the result of the meetings held pre- 
 
308 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 vious to the fall session of the presbytery. In most 
 of those meetings, Mr. Donnell was a principal 
 laborer. At his own camp-meeting at Lebanon 
 there were forty professions, and many more in 
 town after the close of the camp-meeting. At Oak 
 Grove there were more than forty professions. Tlie 
 meeting at ^ew Hope continued ten days, and 
 more than two hundred professed. 
 
 The accessions to the Lebanon church were : 
 Mrs. Ilewey, Hannah Lewis, Margaret Cox, Mrs. 
 Douglass, Martha Robertson, R. M. Burton, Martha 
 McGregor, Darthula Phipps, John Smith, Micajah 
 and Charlotte Stone, Hannah Shutt, William and 
 Sarah Ann Organ, Sarah Ann Cox, Andrew Alli- 
 son, Benjamin Foster, and Mary Brown. 
 
 The location of the college in Lebanon, and the 
 addition of the students and faculty to his congre- 
 gation, constituted a new era in the history of Mr. 
 Donnell's pastoral labors. Almost all the influen- 
 tial citizens had been gathered into the pale of the 
 Church, and his energy and solicitude might have 
 abated; but just at that time the college made a 
 large addition to the un wrought material of his 
 congregation, iind consequently he felt at once a 
 vast increase of responsibility. Hitherto, he had 
 preached to his people on alternate Sabbaths, leav- 
 ing them to attend the Baptist or ^lethodist church, 
 while he supplied a vacant congregation, or preached 
 in the neighboring towns. But now his congrega- 
 tion had grown so large, that it was deemed advis- 
 able to have preaching every Sabbath. 
 
REV. GEOHGE DONNELL. 309 
 
 This arrangement devolved upon Mm double labor 
 in preparing for tbe pulpit, and as his interest and 
 sympathy were now concentrated upon one congre- 
 gation, his solicitude became the more intense and 
 his preparation more thorough, and consequently 
 he preached with more power and pungency. But 
 he did not rely upon pulpit eflbrt alone. He 
 early made the personal acquaintance of every^ stu- 
 dent, and whenever he met him he had a few words 
 of kindness and pleasant familiarity, but always 
 managed to give the conversation a religious bear- 
 ing, by inviting him to attend Sabbath-school or 
 church, or intimating that he had a lesson to learn 
 outside of the college course, and a degree to take 
 w^hich the faculty could not confer. 
 
 He frequently visited the students at their rooms, 
 and held private religious conversations with them, 
 impressing them with the idea that he felt the same 
 obli2:ation to labor for their conversion as for the 
 children of his flock, and that they must allow him 
 to visit them, and confer freely with them about 
 their spiritual interests. The consequence was, he 
 soon gained their confidence : they loved him as a 
 brother, yet revered him as a father. And when- 
 ever there was any unusual interest in the services 
 of the church, he was sure to enlist some of the 
 students, and in all the revivals of the place, a 
 majority of the converts were students. 
 
 He had commenced the study of the Greek lan- 
 guage before the college was located in Lebanon, 
 but now that the facilities for instruction were in- 
 
310 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 creased, and the necessity for a higher standard of 
 literature in his pulpit exercises enhanced, he pro- 
 secuted the study with untiring diligence. lie soon 
 acquired the ahility to read understandingly the 
 Greek Scriptures, and to him it was a source of 
 daily interest and delight to dwell upon the identi- 
 cal words that fell from the Saviour's lips, and were 
 penned by the Evangelist for our instruction and 
 edification. 
 
 The protracted and camp-meetings of 1843 were 
 attended with usual interest. Xo general revival 
 prevailed, as in 1842, yet the meetings in Chapman 
 Presbytery were interesting, and at the fall session 
 four hundred and sixty-six conversions were re- 
 ported. After the session of the presbytery, the 
 synod met in Lebanon, and at the close of its ses- 
 sions a revival spirit was indicated. The discerning 
 pastor protracted the services, and a gracious re- 
 vival was developed, which continued two weeks. 
 A number of the students in college, and many of 
 the citizens, made profession o-f religion. The 
 following persons were added to the Lebanon 
 church : 
 
 Matilda Allison, 'Martha Bell, Mary Bell, Eliza- 
 beth Burton, Martha Brown, Oliver Boddie, Sidney 
 Boddie, W. B. Burton, John Cook, Mary Jane 
 Caruthers, Ellen Cossitt, Samuel Caruthers, II. M. 
 Cartmell, Eliza A. Debow, Mrs. Davis, IN". Davis, 
 Thomas Dew, Pleasant Decherd, Benjamin Dech- 
 erd, John Gorden, E. J. Golladay, Sarah Goostree, 
 Elizabeth Hibbitts, Eliza Hancock, Doretha Ilan- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 811 
 
 cock, Mary McClain, Elizabeth McClain, Martha 
 Watson, and Fidelia Wharton. 
 
 Mr. Donnell did not, as some ministers seem to 
 do, consider his labor ended when he had added 
 members to his church, but he regarded such as the 
 lambs of the flock, needing the daily attentions of 
 the faithful shepherd. He visited them frequently, 
 and conversed freely with them concerning their 
 religious exercises. He sympathized with them in 
 all their troubles and trials, doubts and fears, joys 
 and triumphs. To him it was a privilege, and often 
 an unspeakable pleasure, to spend hours in conver- 
 sation with young converts respecting their reli- 
 gious experience. But it was not for his own 
 enjoyment he sought these interviews : he remem- 
 bered the days of his early Christian life, how he 
 was agitated between hope and fear, how he was 
 tormented with needless doubts, and tempted to 
 abandon his hope, and he was solicitous to save his 
 young converts from the torment of yielding to 
 doubts. And when he could not have interviews, 
 it was his habit to keep up a correspondence. As 
 a specimen of his pastoral epistles, we give the fol- 
 lowing, addressed to Mary Jane Caruthers and 
 Martha Watson, while at school in l^ashville : 
 
 "Walnut Forest, September 3, 1844. 
 
 "My Dear Sisters: 
 
 " How often have I thought of you when I saw 
 your seats vacant at prayer-meeting, and Sabbath- 
 school, and preaching. Ah ! and when I have 
 
312 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 visited your home, where I used to see you so con- 
 tented and liappy, and saw you not, but in memory 
 of other days. Eut you are at your books and 
 school, and I am on the old beaten tread of pas- 
 toral duties about the town of cedars. Though 
 separated, I have not forgotten to feel a pastor's 
 care for your spiritual interests, so I take this 
 method of communicating with you. 
 
 " I am aware that a student's life is not the most 
 favorable to perpetual religious enjoyment, for the 
 simple reason that study often, if we will allow it, 
 intrudes upon the hours of devotion. Therefore 
 allow me, as one of the guardians of your spiritual 
 interests, to advise you, first of all, to a most rigid 
 observance of system in all your devotional exer- 
 cises. Have your set hours for prayer and reading 
 the Scriptures, and then let no common occurrence 
 prevent your attention to those duties. Sometimes 
 it happens that, in the thoughtlessness of youth, 
 professors of religion suffer a social call or conver- 
 sation to interfei-e with their religious duties, but 
 it ought not so to be. "W"e ought to acknowledge 
 the Lord in all our ways, and make religion second 
 to nothing on earth. Its claims are first and para- 
 mount to all other considerations. If you would 
 habitually enjoy a conscience void of ofience to- 
 ward God and all the world, ever maintain the 
 spirit of prayer. Let no day pass without your 
 offering of thanksgiving, praise, and prayer, being 
 found, at least morning and evening, on the altar 
 of secret devotion. The injunction of our great 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 313 
 
 Teacher is, * Pray to the Father who is in secret, 
 and the Father who seeth in secret will reward thee 
 openly.* The form and spirit of private devotion 
 prepares ns for religion in the domestic circle, and 
 religion in the family circle prepares us for the more 
 puhlic Christian duties. 
 
 " Private devotion is a matter between God and 
 our own souls ; and what a privilege it is to shut 
 ourselves in with God and hold audience with the 
 Deity ! — to tell him our sorrows and our joys, to 
 confess our sins to him, thank him for his endless 
 goodness to us, and seek his protection and love ! 
 Could earth's richest stores, its brightest allure- 
 ments, its sweetest entertainments, tempt you away 
 from the sacred retreat ? 
 
 "In all your sayings and doings with the world, 
 endeavor to cultivate humility, gentleness, kind- 
 ness, patience, forbearance, and charity. In all 
 your religious duties, endeavor to be spiritual. 
 Spirituality is the very soul of religion, and how- 
 deathlike a religion without it ! In ]^ashville you 
 will see much religion in style and form, with not 
 more spirit than it ought to have ; but remember 
 that man looketh on the outward appearance, while 
 God looketh at the heart. * Keep thy heart with 
 all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.' 
 
 " I was told on yesterday, by a young sister of 
 yours, that she regularly prayed in secret three 
 times every day; by another, this morning, that 
 she often prayed in her closet. A good writer has 
 said that backsliding commences in the closet. 
 14 
 
314 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 Then pray much in secret, read your Bibles much, 
 pray for your church, your town, your friends, and 
 all the world, and don't forget to pray for your un- 
 worthy pastor. . . . 
 
 " ^\nien you read this, girls, if it is worthy of it, 
 write me an answer, and let me know how you are 
 getting along in your religion. . . . 
 " Your pastor, 
 
 "George Donnell." 
 
 We have introduced the above letter, not as a 
 specimen of composition, for it is a familiar, private 
 letter addressed to two school-girls, but to show the 
 religious and social habits of the man, with his 
 fatherly solicitude for his young converts, his ap- 
 preciation of experimental and spiritual religion, 
 the importance he attached to private devotion, and 
 the means to be employed for the cultivation of 
 personal piety. And it may be remarked that he 
 did not prescribe for others more rigid rules than 
 he imposed upon himself. In addition to family 
 prayers, which were regularly held morning and 
 evening, he invariably retired, morning and even- 
 ing, for private devotion ; and with him it was not 
 merely a form of godliness, but its spirit and 
 power. 
 
 There was no general revival in the bounds of 
 the Chapman Presbytery during the summer and 
 fall of 1844. In view of the apathy that every- 
 where prevailed, Mr. Donnell commenced in the 
 fall a series of sermons upon the necessity of re- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 315 
 
 vivals, and the means to be employed for the pro- 
 motion of such awakenings. He had preached for 
 several successive Sabbaths, with unusual interest 
 and pungency, when he was called away to attend 
 a protracted-meeting at Columbia. The church re- 
 gretted his absence at the time, for already indica- 
 tions of a coming revival were manifest. He 
 returned quite unwell, and in a day or two he was 
 confined to bed. Soon his sufferings became in- 
 tense, and solicitude for their pastor absorbed all 
 interest about a revival. 
 
 He had long been afflicted with an affection of 
 the spine, which had subjected him to much incon- 
 venience and nervous irritation, especially when 
 travelling on horseback; but neither he nor his 
 physician had regarded it as likely to result in 
 serious consequences. But when he was confined, 
 it soon became obvious that the disease was ap- 
 proaching a crisis. A very large abscess was evi- 
 dently forming, which threatened the prostration 
 of his system. Every effort was made to disperse 
 it, but all in vain — the disease was unyielding. 
 For many weeks he suffered the most excruciating 
 pain, and when partially relieved of the pain, the 
 drain was so copious as to reduce the system to a 
 hopeless ^tate of prostration. 
 
 It soon became obvious to his family and friends 
 that the fears of his physicians would be realized. 
 It was a hard struggle to give up such a com- 
 panion, father, friend, and pastor, in the prime of 
 life, and in the full tide of usefulness. But the 
 
316 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 decree had gone forth, and faith bowed in humble 
 yet sorrowing submission. He needed not to be 
 told that his change was approaching : he felt it in 
 his utter prostration ; he read it in the countenances 
 of his physicians ; he saw it in the tearful eye of 
 kind friends that for eight long weeks had waited 
 at his bedside ; he read it in the expression of 
 unutterable sorrow that lay upon the stricken heart 
 of his despairing companion. He quietly arranged 
 the temporal interests of his family, and then set 
 himself to prepare his mind and spirit for the 
 coming change. 
 
 He was soon in the enjoyment of a peace and 
 serenity, occasionally rising to a rapturous trans- 
 port, that made him long to soar away to visions 
 of God. But he had duties yet to perform : he 
 must see the members of his church, and take 
 an affectionate leave of each. It was a touching 
 scene, but full of interest : a strange mingling of 
 chastened sorrow, gilded with the glorious hope 
 of a speedy reiinion in heaven. For two days his 
 flock, his relatives, and friends pressed to the sick- 
 room. He received all that came, gave each a 
 word of encouragement, then an affectionate fare- 
 well, with an injunction to meet him in heaven. 
 
 Then came the most trying and tender scene of 
 all — the taking leave of his relatives and his family. 
 To his relatives he commited the guardianship of 
 his orphan children, and the protection of his dis- 
 consolate companion. To each of his children, old 
 enough to comprehend, he gave a father's dying 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 31T 
 
 advice, and to all his parting blessing. His oldest 
 son, David, was then confined in an upper chamber 
 with a malignant disease contracted by incessant 
 watching over his father, and was unable to come 
 down to receive a father's dying blessing, but he 
 was not forgotten. David had, some years pre- 
 vious, made a profession of religion, but for some 
 time he had been in doubt and spiritual darkness. 
 The dying father sent him word that though dark- 
 ness now veiled his prospect, he believed that the 
 Lord had converted his soul, and that he should 
 yet meet him in heaven : that if called soon to fol- 
 low his father, he must put his trust in the Saviour, 
 and all would go well: if spared, he must live for 
 God, and he should receive his unspeakable reward. 
 Last of all, he came to his stricken companion : 
 nature faltered, but grace triumphed : thanking 
 her most affectionately for her untiring kindness, 
 and commending her and the dear children to Him 
 who had promised to be the God of the widow and 
 the orphan, he bade her adieu, assuring her that 
 the separation would be brief — that a speedy re- 
 union awaited them in heaven. Then he laid him 
 quietly down to await the Master's call. 
 
 JSTor did he wait long. On Saturday night, 
 March 22, 1845, his happy spirit, attended by a 
 convoy of ministering angels, winged its flight to 
 the bosom of the Saviour. 
 
 On Sabbath, Dr. Cossitt preached a funeral ser- 
 mon to a church and community overwhelmed 
 
318 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 with grief. And on Monday his remains were 
 committed to the silent tomb, there to repose till 
 the dead in Christ shall arise to appear with him 
 in glory. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 319 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 TESTIMONIALS OF flIS WORTH. 
 
 Three days after tlie departure of tlie beloved 
 pastor, the churcli session made the following com- 
 munication to the bereaved widow : 
 
 "At a meeting of the session of the Lebanon 
 church, on the 25th of March, 1845, the following 
 preamble and resolutions were adopted : 
 
 "Whereas, It has pleased Almighty God, since 
 the last meeting of the session, to remove, from 
 earth to heaven, our much-beloved pastor. Rev. 
 George Donnell; to this inscrutable decree of 
 Providence we mournfully bow with Christian sub- 
 mission, knowing that the great Head of the 
 Church can do no wrong. Yet, as the session of 
 the Lebanon church, of which he was the spiritual 
 father, we cannot refrain from placing upon the 
 records of our church an expression of our estima- 
 tion, as well as that of the members whom we 
 represent, of the great, if not irreparable, loss 
 which we have sustained, in this afflictive dispen- 
 sation of Providence. 
 
 " He whose death we now so deeply deplore was 
 
OZiJ THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 the fonnder of our cliurcli in this place, and has 
 sustained to it the endearing relation of pastor 
 since its organization in the year 1830. ^y him its 
 members, every one, were received into the church, 
 and all of its elders ordained ; by his fostering care 
 and efficient instrumentality, under God, it has 
 grown up from infancy to its present size and con- 
 dition ; he has watched over its growth and pro- 
 gress with a solicitude and interest which could 
 only be equalled by that of a good and tender 
 father toward his children. During the fifteen 
 years he has occupied the pastoral relation to our 
 church, he has been the first and only choice of its 
 members. At no time would they have willingly 
 submitted to a change. He was indeed a good 
 shepherd, loved by his flock, and respected by all. 
 As a minister, he was able, zealous, and devoted, 
 occupying his position on the walls of Zion with 
 dignity, efficiency, and untiring perseverance. As 
 a Christian, he was ever seeking to do good, pour- 
 ing the balm of consolation into every wounded 
 heart, and illustrating, by his walk and conversa- 
 tion, the beauties of the Christian character. As a 
 member of society, he was lovely and pleasant, his 
 life was blameless, and his conduct beyond reproach. 
 This session do therefore resolve : 
 
 " That in the death of the lamented Donnell, the 
 widow has lost a husband, the orphans a father, 
 society one of its most valuable and exemplary 
 members, the Church one of the best of pastors, 
 the ministry one of its brightest ornaments, and 
 
EEV. GEORGE DONNELL. 321 
 
 the Christian cause one of its most efficient cham- 
 pions and vigilant watchmen. 
 
 ^'Resolved, That a copy of this preamble and reso- 
 lutions be furnished by the clerk to the widow of 
 the deceased, and to the editor of the Banner of 
 Peace for publication. 
 
 "A copy from the minutes : 
 
 * 'Andrew Allison, 
 
 " Clerk of the Session." 
 
 In an editorial in the Banner of Peace, under 
 date of March" 28, 1845, Dr. Cossitt thus testifies to 
 the worth of the departed : 
 
 "It becomes our duty, in this number, to com- 
 municate to the Church and the public an event 
 which will fill many hearts with mourning and 
 many eyes with tears. Kev. George Donnell, pas- 
 tor of the Cumberland Presbyterian church in 
 Lebanon, has rested from his labors. . . . The 
 church for whose interests he has devoted the best 
 years of his life, which has flourished almost beyond 
 example under his pastoral labors, and for which 
 he seemed only to live and labor, will no more hear 
 his instructive voice. The unconverted will no 
 more hear his affectionate warnings, nor the mourn- 
 ing penitent enjoy his faithful guidance to the Lamb 
 of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 
 The people of Lebanon will no more have the bene- 
 fit of his ferTent pleadings in their behalf, nor will 
 his closet longer be a Bethel sacred to the remem- 
 brance of their spiritual interests, and the conver- 
 14* 
 
322 THE LIFE OP THE 
 
 sion of tlie world. The bower of prayer, near his 
 country residence, will no longer witness his heart's 
 agony and his spirit's groanings for those who 
 despise God's law. . . . 
 
 " During his sickness he seemed entirely to trust 
 his all with the Saviour whom he loved, and most 
 strikingly exemplified the power of sustaining 
 grace under the severest trials. The blessed gospel 
 which he preached to others was his consolation 
 when earthly comforts failed, and, at times, filled 
 him with exceeding great joy and rapturous emo- 
 tion. He expressed his resignation *to the Divine 
 will, whether to live or to die. 
 
 " When we remember his career of surpassing use- 
 fulness, the confidence with which all who knew him 
 regarded him, the tender aftection with which his 
 people loved him ; when we reflect that he had arrived 
 only to his forty-fourth year, and was filling one of 
 the most important stations in his own Church, or 
 perhaps of any other in the South-west, it seems to 
 be a mysterious providence which has removed 
 him. Well are we assured that our loss is his 
 gain. But we are led to inquire, "Why was such a 
 father called from a most interesting family, when 
 his continuance with them seemed, to mortal minds, 
 so necessary and desirable ? Why was a pastor so 
 able, faithful, and successful, called from so wide 
 a field of usefulness? WTiy was the presbytery 
 and Church to which he belonged deprived of a 
 counsellor so valuable, one whose mind was sufii- 
 ciently capacious to pass beyond mere local inter- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 323 
 
 ests, comprehend all the parts of a great whole, and 
 regard with equal interest all members of our 
 body? Why was this community to lose one of 
 its brightest ornaments, and this generation a burn- 
 ing and a shining light?" 
 
 Such was the testimony of Dr. Cossitt, published 
 in the Banner a few days after the death of the be- 
 loved pastor. An obituary notice appeared in the 
 Banner of April 4, 1845, from which we make the 
 follow^ing extracts : 
 
 "i^o perfection or exemption from the common 
 frailties of humanity is claimed for him, but cer- 
 tainly few men have ever enjoyed a wider circle of 
 devoted friends, or drawn more largely upon the 
 affections and kind sympathies of the community 
 at large." 
 
 Of his preaching, it is said that "the style was 
 unique, unlike that of any other man living or 
 dead. He was not reputed a great man, yet all es- 
 teemed him a great preacher. He was not an ora- 
 tor, in the common acceptation of that term, yet all 
 classes loved to hear him preach — the man of let- 
 ters and the African dwelt with equal delight upon 
 his tender and moving exhibitions of a Saviour's 
 dying love. He never attempted display, and yet 
 no man gained more applause. He knew no am- 
 bition — was so unpretending as often to have been 
 overlooked for a time — ^yet no man acquired more 
 reputation within the sphere of his operations. He 
 never courted favor or sought promotion, yet he 
 was first in the hearts of all who knew him. He 
 
824 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 never dealt iu harsh denunciations, yet he was a 
 close, pungent preacher, pressing the truth home 
 upon the conscience of the sinner with a tender- 
 ness and unction that unmanned, overcame, and 
 subdued him ; then, in the most melting and sooth- 
 ing strains, he wooed him to Christ." 
 
 Such is the character drawn bj the writer of his 
 obituary. He is represented as unambitious. As 
 the world accounts ambition, this is true ; but he 
 was ambitious to be useful, and doubtless herein was 
 the secret of his success. Like Solomon, he had 
 set his heart upon a worthy object, and God gave 
 him his heart's desire, that for which he labored 
 and devoutly prayed, unparalleled success in win- 
 ning souls to Christ. For surely no man, whatever 
 may have been his talents and ministerial qualifica- 
 tions, has been more useful within the limited 
 sphere of his labors. Some, it is freely admitted, 
 have labored more extensively, have acquired more 
 reputation, and may have done more for the world, 
 and brought more reputation to the Church ; but 
 none, we repeat, have been more useful within the 
 comparatively limited field of his operations. 
 
 Chapman Presbytery, during its session in April, 
 1845, adopted the following preamble and resolu- 
 tions : 
 
 "Whereas, It hath pleased the great Head of 
 the Church, since our last session of presbytery, to 
 remove, from earth to his rest in heaven, our much- 
 esteemed brother, George Donnell; to this most 
 afflicting and inscrutable stroke of Divine Provi- 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 325 
 
 dence we mournfully bow with trembling submis- 
 sion, knowing that the Judge of all the earth will 
 do right. . . . 
 
 " The deceased was, in all the relations of life, 
 most eminently qualified to impart comfort, and to 
 aid those with whom he stood connected ; able in 
 council, eloquent in the pulpit, animating in the 
 social circle, and soothing in the chambers of sor- 
 row and afiliction. Truly he was a ' good man, and 
 full of the Holy Ghost and of faith; and much 
 peoiDle was added unto the Lord,' through his 
 agency and indefatigable labors. 
 
 ^'Resolved, That this presbytery most tenderly 
 sympathize with the widow of the deceased in her 
 irreparable loss, and her children, who have lost a 
 most tender and kind father. 
 
 '^And he it further resolved, That this presbytery, 
 in the death of this esteemed brother, has lost one 
 of its ablest counsellors, the church at Lebanon a 
 faithful pastor, society one of its brightest orna- 
 ments, and the world a brilliant example of religion 
 and patriotism. 
 
 "Aiul resolved finally, That Rev. S. M. Aston be 
 requested to preach his funeral, at such time as the 
 health of his family may justify, and as may be 
 agreed upon between themselves." 
 
 Shortly after the death of the beloved pastor, a 
 committee of the session waited upon the author, 
 and requested him to make a suitable nomination 
 of a successor. 
 
 "Well, what kind of man do you want?" 
 
326 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 " "We want another George Donnell in all re- 
 spects." 
 
 "You cannot find another George Donnell in the 
 whole Church. There are men of more talent and 
 learning, men that have acquired more reputation, 
 men more profound in theology, men of more force 
 of character, but there is not another George Don- 
 nelL" 
 
 "Well, if we cannot get another George Don- 
 nell, then we want one as much like him as pos- 
 sible." 
 
 "But you cannot get one like him, for he was 
 unlike all other men." 
 
 The claims of all the distinguished ministers of 
 the Church, known to myself or any member of 
 the session, were discussed, and it was admitted 
 that there was not one who, in the style and manner 
 of address, or the tone and tenderness of his spirit, 
 even approximated Donnell. The session, despair- 
 ing of finding a second Donnell, contented them- 
 selves with a man of superior talents and reputation, 
 but as unlike in spirit and temperament as the 
 Apostles Peter and John, as McGready and Robert 
 Donnell. 
 
REV. GEORaE DONNELL. 327 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE FAMILY — CONCLUSION. 
 
 It is due to tlie memory of the deceased, and his 
 numerous surviving Mends, to take some notice of 
 
 his family. 
 
 The stricken widow, with her orphan children, 
 retired to their farm in the vicinity, where she lin- 
 gered for several years in meek, uncomplaining 
 sadness. She bore her bereavement with Christian 
 resignation, and was never heard to repine on 
 account of the mysterious providence of God. But 
 it was manifest to all who saw her that the sun of 
 life had set, never more to rise upon the shore of 
 time. Dead to the world and all its charms, she 
 seemed to be patiently biding her day, and waiting 
 the summons that should call her to a reiinion with 
 him she had lost. 
 
 In the summer of 1848, her second son, Andrew 
 K. Donnell, the express image of his father, and 
 the inheritor of his spirit and temperament— a 
 youth of seventeen summers, then a student in col- 
 lege, giving promise of becoming the light and 
 ornament of the family— fell into a slow but steady 
 decline. The mother could have given up the only 
 
828 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 likeness of the fatlicr, had Andrew been prepared 
 to join him in the abode of the blessed. But he 
 had no religion, and how could she give him up ? 
 Only a mother who has wrestled for the life of a 
 beloved son, can realize with what intense agony 
 of soul she prayed for that boy. 
 
 The camp-meeting at iSTew Hope was at hand, 
 and the mother set out with her declining boy. 
 The day was unpleasant, and a friend remon- 
 strated. The only reply was, if she could have her 
 boy prepared to meet his father in heaven, she 
 should never regret it,* though it should cost her 
 life. The argument was unanswerable — she went ; 
 the sacrifice was freely offered and accepted. 
 Andrew returned bright and happy, and even the 
 mother was once more cheerful. 
 
 But she returned with a hectic glow on the 
 cheek, and a distressing cough. In a few weeks 
 she was confined to her room, and soon thereafter, 
 to her bed. She saw her end approaching without 
 regret, and with but one source of anxiety — the 
 children. For their benefit she would have been 
 willing to remain, though she had an irrepressible 
 longing to depart. Her only brother. Rev. J. M. 
 McMurry, was travelling in Arkansas. She longed 
 to see him, and commit her children to his guard- 
 ianship, and enjoin upon him the duty of govern- 
 ing them. Letters were written requesting his 
 speedy return, but the mails w^ere unfaithful, and 
 he did not receive them. She feared that the in- 
 dulgence of kind friends would spoil her children, 
 
EEV. GEORGE DONNELL. 329 
 
 and as she could not see her brother, she left mes- 
 sages for him, charging him and another friend 
 wi'th the government of her children. Being as- 
 sured that they should be governed, she said she 
 could confidently leave them in the hands of God 
 and her friends. 
 
 Her eldest son, David M. Donnell, now approach- 
 ing manhood, had been her stay through all the 
 days of her widowhood, and now he seldom left her 
 room, even for an hour. Day and night he watch- 
 ed over her, ministering every comfort that the 
 most devoted filial affection could devise. But not- 
 withstanding all his tender nursing and perpetual 
 watching, he saw his mother sinking daily. 
 
 Finally, on the 12th of February, 1849, it was 
 apparent to all that the hour of her departure was 
 near. In the afternoon, she had her children called 
 in, and gave each a solemn and an appropriate ad- 
 monition, then bade each an affectionate farewell. 
 At her request the servants were then called, and 
 each received personal exhortation and a last fare- 
 well. The guardianship and religious training of 
 her children and servants was committed to her 
 brother and the author, and then she expressed 
 her readiness to depart. She lay in great peace 
 and serenity, till, just as the twilight was fading 
 away, the light of life faded so gently that those 
 watching ai her bedside could not determine 
 the moment when the spirit retired to join those 
 above. 
 
 After a funeral service, her remains were laid 
 
330 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 beside those of her departed companion, and 
 the church in Lebanon erected over them a stately 
 monument, bearing the following inscription : 
 
 "KEY. GEORGE DOI^KELL, 
 
 BORN IN Alamance, ]!:T. C, Aug. 9, 1801. 
 
 DIED March 22, 1845. 
 
 ENTERED THE MINISTRY OF THE CUMBERLAND PRESBY- 
 TERIAN Church, October, 1822. 
 
 BECAME PASTOR OF THE CHURCH IN LEBANON, 1830. 
 DEATH ONLY COULD SEPARATE HIM AND HIS PEOPLE. 
 
 UNDER God, he built up the church. 
 
 IT ERECTS THIS MONUMENT TO HIS MEMORY. 
 FEW MEN HAVE BEEN MORE USEFUL, 
 NONE LEFT A BRIGHTER EXAMPLE." 
 
 On the face of the monument next the grave 
 of Mrs. Donnell, there is the following inscription : 
 
 "MES. ELIZABETH E. DOOT^LL 
 
 LIES HERE BY THE SIDE OF HER HUSBAND. 
 
 THEY WERE LOVELY AND PLEASANT IN THEIR LIVES ; 
 
 AND IN DEATH THEY ARE NOT DIVIDED." 
 
 Mrs. Donnell left five children, the eldest, David 
 M. Donnell, about twenty, and the youngest in 
 his fifth year. Andrew lingered until June fol- 
 lowing, when his happy spirit joined father and 
 mother in heaven. Ilis remains were laid by the 
 side of those of his mother, who had so freely sac- 
 rificed her life to save her boy. 
 
REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 331 
 
 After seeing the children provided for, David, 
 fearing his health might fail, located in Florida, 
 where he made himself useful, and acquired char- 
 acter as a classical teacher. But recently, he has 
 accepted the Presidency of Cumberland Female 
 College, at McMinnville, where a wider field for 
 usefulness invites his labors. The other children 
 are members of the Church, and promise to become 
 valuable members of society. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 I WAS induced to undertake a biography of Eev. 
 George Donnell, in the hope that I might be able 
 to present a model of evangelical preaching, that 
 would be profitable to young ministers of the pre- 
 sent day. Persuaded that any attempt at a formal 
 description of a style that was unique and indescrib- 
 able would be unsuccessful, I have been content to 
 present his labors, with their results, hoping that the 
 works will give some clue to the man. It may be 
 proper, however, in concluding the narrative, to 
 favor the reader with a description of his person, 
 and, if possible, shadow forth some idea of his in- 
 imitable manner of preaching. 
 
 In person, he was about medium stature, slender, 
 and slightly stooped; his head rather under 
 
332 THE LIFE OF THE 
 
 medium size ; hair black and glossy ; face rather 
 small and pointed ; features delicate ; complexion 
 ruddy; eyes clear blue, and ever lighted up with a 
 mild lustre; general expression pleasant, but not 
 striking. Ilis bearing modest, retiring, and unpre- 
 tentious. In society, he was easy, affable, and 
 agreeable. Ever cheerful, and abounding in humor 
 and wit, he was the life and soul of the social cir- 
 cle, without seeming to be conscious of his in- 
 fluence. To the young and the old, the gay and 
 the gloomy, he was alike companionable. In the 
 palace of the wealthy, or the cottage of the poor, 
 he was alike at home. His social powers were un- 
 surpassed, and yet he never made an efibrt to be 
 interesting, or to engross attention. 
 
 In the pulpit, to a stranger, his appearance was 
 not commanding or prepossessing, yet his voice was 
 mellow, and its tones peculiarly tender; and when 
 he commenced speaking, he invariably attracted 
 attention, and, as he advanced, he held it enchained. 
 Through the first few sentences, his manner of de- 
 livery was subdued, but soon the heart warmed, 
 and the fire burned, and then, though not vehement 
 or boisterous, his earnestness grew into an agony 
 of spirit while he wrestled for souls, and though 
 he shed not a tear, yet his eyes seemed as liquid as 
 if dissolving in tenderness and sympathy. Or if 
 he discoursed of heaven, or the glories of the Sa- 
 viour, his whole countenance lighted up with a 
 brilliancy that seemed to be the reflection of the 
 glory he was contemplating. He conquered and 
 
REV. GEOBGE DONNELL. 833 
 
 subdued, not by the force of popular eloquence, but 
 by a happy mingling of persuasive tenderness and 
 constraining earnestness. He penetrated the hearts 
 of his audience, and subdued them, ere they were 
 aware of his design. 
 
 In the preparation of his discourses, he reflected 
 more than he read — relied more upon evolving 
 thought from the depths of his own creative mind^ 
 than upon culling and collating ideas from books. 
 He kept a good library, and read much when he 
 had leisure ; but when engaged in framing a sermon, 
 he made but little use of books. He used a text as 
 a nucleus around which he grouped his own 
 thoughts, gathered from reflection, experience, and 
 obseryation. He relied more upon the preparation 
 of the heart — the elevation of his spirit and feel- 
 ings to the proper degree of interest and solicitude — 
 than upon the matter of his sermon. And yet his 
 discourses were always fresh and interesting ; they 
 came welling up from the inner fountains of thought 
 and feeling, the gushings of a warm heart, dissolv- 
 ing with sympathy for souls. 
 
 Yet it must be admitted that his power rested 
 not so much in the matter as in the manner of his 
 preaching — a manner not overpowering, but resist- 
 less and all-subduing. He prepared for the press, 
 and published in the "Pulpit," two or three dis- 
 courses. They are creditable productions, but he 
 could not do himself justice with his pen. The 
 printed page wants his inimitable delivery to give 
 
334 LIFE OF REV. GEORGE DONNELL. 
 
 it zest — liis dissolving tones, his yearning solici- 
 tude, his heavenly unction. 
 
 To this unction, this yearning for souls, more 
 than to all things else, is to be attributed that 
 resistless influence which everywhere attended his 
 preaching. And this heavenly unction, this love 
 of souls, was the legitimate fruit of daily commu- 
 nion with God. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 SC GT