CHURCH: Wyoming Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, 3, PA & NY Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ________________________________________________ Chaffee, Amasa Franklin. History of the Wyoming Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. New York: Eaton & Mains, 1904, pages 55-64. ________________________________________________ CONTROVERSIAL PERIOD 55 CHAPTER III CONTROVERSIES THE early days of Methodism were notable for two things, fire and fight. Men were zealous, impassioned. They were self-consumed, Christ- absorbed. Pentecost came again. In most places Calvinism had a footing. Its errors must be attacked. Methodism had to fight for standing room. The doctrine of a limited atonement and the doctrine of universal salvation were fiercely fought. In many places exclusive immersionists resisted the zealous expansionists of Arminianism. Arianism and spiritualism were at times antagonized. In those days there were found many preachers who were open to all comers. All they asked was a fair field. They trusted the majestic strength of truth to win. They asked for no quarter, gave none, and the fight was to a finish. What might be called the controversial age of Methodism had many charms about it. Controversies upon platform and in the public print were common. The writer of these lines can recall three different debates to which he listened within a period of about three years in his boyhood. One was between a Universalist preacher and a Methodist pastor, another between a spiritualist medium and a noted physician of the Seneca tribe of Indians, and the other between an infidel lawyer and a Methodist preacher. This Methodist preacher engaged in seven different debates, championing the cause of Christianity. He has since published a very interesting book upon Epidemic Delusions. These discussions occurred at about the close of the controversial period of our history. Wyoming Conference had its champions in the intellectual arena. We may not hope to chronicle all of their combats. Many occurred of which we have no account other than tradition, and many transpired so many years ago that even this source of authority would be of little value save to prove that the contests were held. We have some definite information concerning some. When Dr. George Peck was presiding elder of Susquehanna District from 1824-25 he was drawn into a couple of discussions. We can best tell the story by quoting the account from Dr. Peck's Life and Times: "The Rev. C. R. Marsh, a young Universalist preacher from 56 WYOMING CONFERENCE New England, had been settled at Hopbottom in charge of a congregation of that faith. Zealous and confident, he began the publication of a magazine entitled The Candid Examiner, and opened his battery upon the 'limitarians,' generously offering them space in his columns to defend themselves if they could. These banters were annoying to our people, and were commented on by others, and I began occasionally to hear the inquiry, 'Why does not Mr. Peck meet Mr. Marsh in his magazine, if he thinks that he can sustain his doctrine?' I resolved, at length, to accept the challenge, and addressed to the editor a note to that effect, signing it 'Observer.' He gave me a cordial reception, and made profuse promises of fair play. I wrote five papers, embracing the main points of the controversy. These were published in successive numbers of the magazine, the editor replying to each in the same number. He evidently assumed that I was a Calvinist, and constructed his replies accordingly. When I began my rejoinder he discovered that he had aimed his guns in the wrong direction, and that his ammunition had been wasted. He found that his arguments were not valid against a Methodist. He began to delay my articles, and finally declined to publish any more of them. I wrote him a letter on the subject, and my friends, in vain, called on him, and at last he discontinued his magazine altogether. My letters were published in a large pamphlet at Wilkes-Barre, in 1827. . . . "While the Universalist debate was pending, another assailant, whose name was also Marsh, came out for battle. He appeared as the champion of the doctrine of the Divine Unity, and felt called to attack Trinitarians everywhere. His assaults attracted considerable attention in Kingston, and the region round about, and some of the less intelligent of our people began to be disturbed. Happening to meet him one day, we had some conversation, in which he told me frankly that he intended to make war upon the errors of the Methodists until he rooted them out. I remarked that I would like to hear him speak. This seemed to please him, and he immediately published an appointment in the old academy at Kingston, and set afloat the idea that we were to have a debate. The evening came, and a crowd, and the sermon, which was two hours long. At the conclusion Mr. Marsh turned to me and invited me to reply. I declined to do it at that late hour, hut named a day, to which he agreed. "From certain signs I inferred that my assailant was a man of quotations only. I suspected that the pond by which he ran his controversial mill was small and not very deep. Examining WYATT AND SPIRITUALISM 57 Millard's little book on the Unitarian controversy, I found all Mr. Marsh's arguments, and nearly all his language. I prepared my answer accordingly, and when the time came, put Millard's work in my pocket, and carried to the place a half dozen other books, which I placed upon the desk. My opponent was invited to take a seat with me, and did so, but seemed to look at my books with apprehension. "After prayer, and a brief introduction, I remarked that I had taken no notes of the discourse to which I was about to reply, but that I had it in a little book. As I drew it from my pocket. and named the author, Mr. Marsh, who was sitting at the desk facing the audience, gave evident tokens of dismay and consternation. The wound was mortal. I spoke an hour and a half, and then gave the gentleman an opportunity to reply. He tried to do so; but it was clear that he knew nothing of the question beyond his single author, and when Millard was answered Marsh was confounded. The audience began to laugh, and we retired. In a few days he left the region, and I saw him no more." In 1850 Cassius H. Harvey was appointed to Honesdale. During the year he was led into spiritualism. He went so far as to invite mediums to the parsonage, and seances were held there. He allowed himself to advocate some of the doctrines of spiritualism from his pulpit. In 1851 he was appointed to Wyoming, and instructor in Wyoming Seminary. At the Conference of 1852, when Wyoming was organized, he was tried for heresy and suspended from all official relation to the Church. He settled in Kingston, and did not abide by the action of Conference, but continued to exercise ministerial functions. He was accordingly expelled from the Church. He gave himself without restraint to the spiritualistic movement. He went so far as to claim that spirits had communicated the information that so far as he was concerned the seventh commandment had been repealed. This much, simply that one may better understand the following history. Rev. William Wyatt was pastor at Carbondale for two years, 1852-53. During the first year a burdensome debt was raised and a remarkable revival followed, in which over two hundred were converted and one hundred and eighty joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. The following year was made memorable by his valiant fight with spiritualism. Let Father Wyatt tell the story: "Rev. Cassius H. Harvey moved to Carbondale [in the latter part of 1852 or early part of 1853] and introduced spiritualism 58 WYOMING CONFERENCE among the people. And on our return to the charge the second year we had to contend with those most singular and unique manifestations, said to be from the spirit world. A large number of the young converts and some of the more prominent members of the church embraced these sentiments, believing that they could hold intercourse with departed spirits. The Bible was well-nigh abandoned while they had daily communications right from heaven. "Communications were received not only from deceased friends, but from the distinguished dead of all ages and nations. They claimed to move tables and throw them out of the windows; to mark passages and fold down leaves in the Bible; to write autographs and tell all our past history. I posted handbills about town, inviting the people to come to the Methodist church next Sunday evening, and hear what we had to say to them on the subject of spiritualism. They came out and filled the house; there were about twenty mediums present; they came from every part of the city and from all classes of citizens, believers and unbelievers. The mediums went into their tantrums, bowed their heads, and got the jerks and mesmeric influence upon them, prepared to receive any communication the spirits had to make to them. "I began my lecture by saying: 'We have all heard of the great leap in Rhodes, but we prefer to see it for ourselves, for that which has been done can he done again, and we are now ready for communications and demonstrations. The house is beautifully lighted in every part, and the good people of the city are all here to guard well every act, so there can be no collusion. It is too late in the day for you to say that in the dark, with the lights all out, the spirits move the tables and make raps and write autographs. This people are not going to crawl off into the dark, under tables and chairs, to witness these demonstrations; we are here openly and before all the people, to witness and receive any new and great truths you have to communicate. "'And now we demand, we challenge, these spirits who have set all Carbondale in an uproar, to come out openly before the community, and do these things, or else acknowledge that the whole thing is a humbug, as it is: and thereafter, and forever, let us hear no more of it. Here is a pen, and ink, and paper - now write, write an autograph; write it quickly, or else acknowledge you never did it, and it cannot he done. If you have done it, you can do it again. The mediums are all here, and the influence is upon them, and the spirits are here - all things are now ready WYATT AND SPIRITUALISM 59 for action, and we wait patiently to see it. Here stands the table, take it up as you say you have been wont to do, and dash it out of this large window without hands; I will repair the window, and pay all expenses. Then here is the Bible; let some one of these old prophets who understands these Scriptures come forward and mark a passage, and turn down a leaf, so we can see him do it, or see that he has done it. The fact is, ladies and gentlemen, these raps and strange noises, this tipping of tables, and writing of names, are all manufactured to order, and the work of human hands; the spirits have nothing to do with them.' "Mr. Harmon Chambers, sitting in the gallery, rose and said: 'I will give you ten dollars if you will detect a medium, that I will bring you, in making the raps.' I told him to bring him along and it should be as he desired. Next day he brought a man to my house by the name of Corby, one of the greatest mediums of the place. I turned to him and said: 'Mr. Corby, do you make these raps?' He said, 'No, certainly not.' I then said, 'Gentlemen, if you please, we will walk down to Alderman Root's office.' This took them by surprise, yet reluctantly they went with me. I said to the alderman, 'You will please administer the oath according to law, to this young gentleman, for there is an important matter that he is about to communicate, honestly and truly, to the court.' And, being under oath, I then said to Mr. Corby: 'It is now expected that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as you have sworn, so help me God, or abide the consequences. Mr. Corby, have you in no case made these raps?' He felt the force of the circumstances, and saw at once that he was caught in the web of deception, which he had woven for another. He said, 'Mr. Wyatt, I will say nothing about it,' took his hat, and left the house. He had an instrument in the toe of his boot by which he made the raps, and imposed upon the people. Mr. Chambers acknowledged that I had fairly and honestly detected his medium in the fraud, and paid over the ten dollars, which I gave to the poor of Carbondale city. "I had written several articles for the paper, exposing the absurdity of the whole matter, and warning our people to come out of it, and let it alone, for it was certain that nothing good would ever come of it. I had closed several articles with a postscript. A Mr. S. [James Stott], who was not present at the meeting Sunday night - for he seldom went to church - published an article the next day in which he said: He could see no use for my many postscripts, unless it was as tales for kites; he thought they might be useful for that purpose, and referred to the meet- 60 WYOMING CONFERENCE ing, that was now the common talk of the people, as a regular bear- garden performance, and closed up with a general denunciation of myself, and said, 'I go in for such men as Lord Swedenborg.' "I wrote a reply to the article, in which I stated that nothing better could be expected of Mr. S. than that he should denominate these Christian churches and divine services 'bear-garden performances.' Then, as he was calling so loudly for Lord Swedenborg, I stated that he was represented in his works as traveling in the spheres, in company with men who were wrapped in bearskins, with their hats under their arms, riding on horses without any tails, and stated that as Mr. S. was rapidly approaching the noble lord, and as we would not have him singular in the spheres, he might have a few of my postscripts to supply the desideratum. For I thought it would be a sad misfortune for two such distinguished men as Mr. S. and Lord Swedenborg to ride horses in that glorious land with no tails, and that kite tails under such circumstances might be better than none. This turned completely the burlesque and ridicule upon him, just as he deserved; he made no more attacks upon me, and I let him alone. "They challenged me to meet a certain lady medium, and detect if possible any fraud in her communications. A circle convened at a house near the parsonage, which I attended; this medium sat in the center of the room. I took a seat by her side; all closed their eyes as though engaged in the act of devout prayer, expecting every moment the coming of the invisible ones from the spirit land. Mr. Chambers called on me to lead in prayer. I said, 'No, sir; I have not come to pray, but to watch.' I knew very well that if we should bow down for prayer there would be raps enough before we were through. She sprang to her feet, and said to me, 'Do you think, sir, I am going to make these raps?' 'Most certainly I do, madam,' was the reply. She took herself into another room as fast as possible, and nothing more was seen of her while I remained in the house. They told me the spirits would not come while I was there; but as soon as I left George Washington came and they had a great time. I told them George Washington must have greatly degenerated in the spirit land, for when he was here he certainly never was afraid of a poor Methodist preacher. "These things set the people thinking a little, and seemed to check for the time being the progress of the fearful scourge. The spirits became alarmed for the safety of their work, and summoned a convention at one of the largest halls in the city on WYATT AND SPIRITUALISM 61 Saturday evening. The spirit of old Lorenzo Dow sent word to me to be present, directing that the message be given to me precisely at four o'clock P. M. The messenger who brought it to me gravely took out his watch, and said, 'If my time is right it is just the minute.' I took my seat in the hall, at an early hour, with pencil and paper in hand, ready to take notes. It was given out that there would be manifestations and developments from the spirit world, such as had never been known in any age since the world was - manifestations of a convincing character, that would fully establish the truth of the reign and government of the spirits. We watched carefully all their movements, their mummeries and fooleries, until four o'clock on the Lord's Day morning. There were many of my members there, on whom I had leaned at the altar in getting sinners converted, and in building up and establishing the Church in her most holy faith. And here, too, was a large number of our young converts, over whom we had wept and prayed, and who had just been plucked as brands from the burning, and started in the way to heaven. 'But the spirits notified the audience, after I left, that it was utterly impossible for them to make any great demonstration before me, as I was so full of unbelief. Hence the whole matter had been a failure, and they must try and have it over again without me. The name of the spirits about that house was legion, and not a few from whom I had a right to expect better things. I returned home, took a short nap, and went into my pulpit, and lifted up my voice against the whole matter, and in the evening again we cried aloud, and spared not, lifting up our voice like a trumpet, 'showing to the house of Israel their sins, and to the house of Judah their transgressions.' The next day, the editors sent around for a copy of my report for publication. It was the one absorbing topic of the city, engaging every man's attention. "We had seen error and heresy before, but we had never seen a creature with such vast proportions as this, born and matured in a single day. We thought spiritualism at first of little account, and worthy of little attention; but in its developments we were taken wholly by surprise, and wrapped our mantle about our face, and stood amazed in the entrance of the church, where we had witnessed such wonderful displays of saving grace, a little while before. And the wind blew, the strong wind of spiritualism that rent the mountains; but God was not in the wind. "Then the fire came with power to wither, and scorch, and blacken all it touched; but God was not in the fire. And after the fire, the earthquake that shook the Church to its foundations, 62 WYOMING CONFERENCE so we really thought for a time that it would go down, and be utterly ruined, that no power could save it; but God was not in the earthquake. "Then, after the earthquake, came the still small voice, the whisperings from the valley, and from the hilltop, from dark rooms under tables and chairs, through windows and doors, the whisperings of the invisible spirits; but God was not in that, nor any part of it; it was the work of the devil, the whole of it, from the first to the last, from the beginning to the end; of this we have never entertained a doubt. "The tendency of spiritualism was to no good - moral, physical, nor intellectual. There was not the shadow of orthodoxy, of Bible theology and religion, about it; but infidelity of the broadest, rankest kind. Universalism, Deism, and Swedenborgianism were the principles of the system. Then the direct tendency of the whole was to licentiousness, free love, the violation of the marriage covenant, and the seventh commandment. "Some thought our measures were severe; be it so; a desperate disease requires a desperate remedy. We threw ourselves into the breach, and faced the storm, declaring openly, and constantly, that it was a senseless humbug, and the handiwork of the devil, to destroy these young converts and break up the Church. And very soon the people began to see that we were right, and turned a cold shoulder to the whole thing, and spiritualism took its place with the necromancy and legerdemain of the dark ages. The young converts were rescued, and the Church was redeemed and saved. "We had written an article for one of the city papers, every week, which largely increased its circulation, for the excitement was universal, and the controversy was circulated and read all over the country. "We had ignored Harvey, the man who introduced the trouble among us, entirely, and made no sort of reference to him. But he was telling his friends, 'I will let Wyatt alone until he gets done; then I will walk right straight through him, and annihilate him.' And when we had finished he opened fire upon us. No person replied to him. And that was the last we heard of Harvey, or his miserable 'ism.' It was completely dead; twice dead, and plucked up by the roots. Then had the churches rest, roundabout, and we took up our role where we laid it down, and went on with our pastoral work as aforetime. It was the hardest fought battle and the greatest triumph of my life." Fifty years have passed since this battle. Its memory is still PECK-MILLER CONTROVERSY 63 fresh in the minds of many. The victory was complete, undoubtedly the greatest moral victory the city has ever seen. Blessings upon Father Wyatt's memory! In November, 1858, a discussion was held at Strait's Corners, Tioga County, N. Y., between Rev. J. K. Peck, of Wyoming, and Rev. J. J. Miller, a preacher of the Christian Church, J. K. Peck affirming the doctrine of the Trinity and J. J. Miller denying. The discussion lasted three evenings. It was brought about by two young men, living near Strait's Corners, who had been arguing the question for some time in a friendly manner, until finally they agreed each to choose a man and let the two thus chosen debate the question in public. One chose J. K. Peck, then preaching at Candor, and the other chose J. J. Miller. The question as agreed upon was undoubtedly formulated by Brother Peck, and read as follows: "Do the Scriptures teach the doctrine that God exists in three persons?" In arranging the preliminaries the disputants agreed to the following: 1. Neither Greek nor Latin nor Hebrew shall be quoted in the debate. 2. We will select three judges - each one, and one between us to keep time and order. 3. There shall be also a moderator. 4. We will speak twenty minutes alternately. 5. While speaking we shall have no interference. 6. We will discuss the question in the Christian meetinghouse. On the evening when the debate opened these officers were agreed upon and announced: Moderator, A. J. Welton (Christian); judges, Elder Tyler (Christian), Elder Emory (Baptist), E. S. Beck (Christian). The debate was ably conducted by Brother Peck. He built up a very strong argument from Scripture, quoting a large number of passages in support of his positions. He was courteous in his treatment of his opponent, avoided slang or buffoonery, and manifested skill in replying to the criticisms of his antagonist. At the close of the debate a vote of the audience was taken which gave the debate to the affirmative by a vote of 118 to 30. A further vote revealed the fact that two had been converted to Mr. Peck's side and one to Mr. Miller's side. Some time after the debate an octavo pamphlet of sixty-three pages was published by the Rev. J. K. Peck giving the arguments as they were made by both debaters. The victory was manifestly his - so considered at the time in the section where it occurred. The pamphlet is conclusive evidence of the fact. We quote Brother Peck's account of the debate: "I once went onto a brother's charge to defend the doctrine of the Holy Trinity against an Arian minister who was spoiling to pulverize some 64 WYOMING CONFERENCE Methodist divine. I went into the neighborhood and found him top- loftical, booted, and spurred. He would stick the hair up on top of his head and look daggers. He even thought I wanted to back out, and intimated as much. But I had no inclination to back out. I even agreed to try the gauge of battle in his nice new church. We had none in the neighborhood. The time came, and the church was lighted up and was soon filled with eager persons to witness the fray. 1 made the first speech, and when I sat down he commenced to pulverize me. After three evenings of contention in high debate he was confident that somebody was pulverized, and he was half afraid it was himself, and I was sure it was not I. The audience decided that he had been squelched and annihilated. I left him in his own pulpit with his hair hanging down over his eyes, an utterly discouraged man. He never undertook again to annihilate the Methodist Church. Our society has been growing right there ever since, and we have two nice churches and a parsonage, while there is not now left a grease spot of the former flourishing Christian society. The house is still there, and that is all." About thirty-five years afterward Brother Peck visited the scene of this victory. He found the church in which the debate was held unused, and fast going into decay. He brought away with him an arm rest from the end of a pew, as a reminder of past battles fought and won. Probably the most unique debate in the history of Methodism occurred in Decatur, N. Y., when A. E. Daniels was pastor at that place. The debate was on the question of baptism, and was between Mr. Daniels and a Baptist clergyman. Mr. Daniels stipulated that during the debate he was to have twenty minutes at the close of each one of his speeches in which to exhort sinners to repent. His method in debate was to first give a history of the doctrine, follow this by an exegesis of Scripture on the question, and finally state the position of our church on the question, paying but little attention to his opponent. Never did his rugged intellect work to better advantage. His intensity of soul was striking, and his exhortations overwhelming. The debate closed with a great revival in progress, which moved on until over two hundred souls were converted. We doubt whether this can be duplicated in the history of controversies anywhere.