The Cane Ridge Meeting House

James R. Rogers

The manners and customs of the people among whom we lived were exceedingly simple—no aspirations for wealth or preferment—contentment appeared to be the lot of all, and happiness dwelt in every breast amidst the abundance of home stores, acquired by honest industry. Benevolence and kindness in supplying the wants of newcomers, as late immigrants were called, were universal. Courts of justice were rare and far distant from us. To remedy this inconvenience, the neighborhoods selected their best men, whose duty was to preserve order and administer justice. By them Lynch’s law was frequently executed on offenders. Sports of the most simple kind were generally practiced, and friendship and good feeling universally reigned. Religion engaged the attention of but a few. Indeed, our parson himself mingled in all the sports and pastimes of the people, and was what may be termed a man of pleasure.

Frequent calls were made for men to aid in our revotionary struggles against our enemies, the British and the Tories. Those calls were promptly obeyed by the hardy sons of the backwoods. Parents in tears cheerfully equipped their willing sons for the tented field. Never shall I forget the sorrows of my widowed mother when her sons shouldered their firelocks and marched away to join the army. Never will the impressions of my own grief be erased from the tablet of my memory when these scenes occurred.

We knew that General Green and Lord Cornwallis would shortly meet in mortal combat not far from us. The whole country was in great anxiety and bustle. Nothing was secure from the depredation of the Tories and of bands of thieves worse than they: My mother had some valuable horses needed for the use of the farm, to secure which from being taken by scouting parties she sent me with my two elder brothers to conceal them in a thicket of brushwood not far distant from home. This was to me, even then, a gloomy day. It was the day when Green and Cornwallis met at Guilford Court-house, in North Carolina, about thirty miles distant from us. We distinctly heard the roar of the artillery, and awfully feared the result.

The soldiers, when they returned home from their war tour, brought back with them many vices almost unknown to us before; as, profane swearing, debauchery, drunkenness, gambling, quarreling and fighting. For having been soldiers, and having fought for liberty, they were respected and caressed by all. They gave the tone to the neighborhood, and therefore their influence in demoralizing society was very great. These vices soon became general and almost honorable. Such are universally the effects of war, than which a greater evil cannot assail and afflict a nation.

In such society were my youthful days spent; but in these vices I never participated. From my earliest recollection I drank deeply into the spirit of liberty, and was so warmed by the soul-inspiring draughts that I could not hear the name of British, or Tories, without feeling a rush of blood through the whole system. Such prejudices, formed in youth, are with difficulty ever removed. I confess their magic influence to this advanced day of my life, especially when the name Tory is mentioned— so many injuries, fresh in my recollection, attach to that name.

I was early sent to school to a very tyrant of a teacher, who seemed to take pleasure in whipping and abusing his pupils for every trifling offence. I could learn nothing through fear of him. When I was called on to recite my lessons to him, I was so affected with fear and trembling, and so confused in mind, that I could say nothing. I remained with him but a few days, and was sent to another teacher of a different temper, with whom I acquired with facility the first rudiments of an English education—reading, writing and arithmetic. Here I must enter my protest against tyrannical and ill-disposed teachers. Such are a curse to any neighborhood in which they may teach. Teachers should be the most patient, self-possessed and reasonable of men, yet of such firmness as to secure authority and respect. The rod should be rarely used—only in cases of necessity, and then by the arm of mercy. He should act the part of a kind father towards them as his children. Gain their respect and love, and they will delight in obedience, and rarely fail to learn the lessons given to them.

Grammar, geography, and the branches of science now taught in common schools, were then unknown, and not sought after. My old teacher, Robert W. Somerhays, an Englishman, was considered in our neighborhood a prodigy of learning. After I had continued with him for four or five years, he pronounced me a finished scholar, and such indeed was I considered generally in the neighborhood. This, with my natural love of letters, fired my mind and increased my exertions to rise to eminence. Being naturally ambitious to excel, the praises lavished unsparingly upon me swelled my vanity, and caused me to think myself a little above mediocrity. From the time I was able to read, I took great delight in books, and preferred them to any company, and often retired from my young companions to indulge in the pleasure of reading. But books of science were the rarest articles in our country, and, in fact, were not to be found in our backwoods. Nothing but a few novels, as “Peregrine Pickle,” “Tom Jones,” “Roderic Random,” and such trash, could I obtain. These were poor helps, and yet from reading these, my ardent thirst for knowledge increased. The Bible we had; but this, being the only book read in our schools, had become so familiar by constantly reading it there that I wished variety. Here I wish to leave my testimony in favor of making the Bible a school-book. - By this means the young mind receives information and impressions, which are not erased through life. The Bible, not read in school, is seldom read afterwards. To this, as one leading cause, may be attributed the present growth of infidelity and skepticism then scarcely known and never openly avowed in all our country.

As soon as liberty from the yoke of Britain was achieved, the priests’ salaries were abolished, and our parsons generally left us, and many returned to England. Every man did what seemed right in his own eyes; wickedness abounded, the Lord’s Day was converted into a day of pleasure, and the house of worship deserted. A few Baptist preachers came in amongst us, some of whom I well remember; as, Samuel Harris, Dutton Lane, S. Cantrell, etc. They began to preach to the people, and great effects followed. Multitudes attended their ministrations and many were immersed. Immersion was so novel in those parts that many from a distance were incited to come to see the ordinance administered.

I was a constant attendant and was particularly interested to hear the converts giving in their experience. Of their conviction and great distress for sin, they were very particular in giving an account, and how and when they obtained deliverance from their burdens. Some were delivered by a dream, a vision, or some uncommon appearance of light; some by a voice spoken to them, “Thy sins are forgiven thee,” and others by seeing the Saviour with their natural eyes. Such experiences were considered good by the church, and the subjects of them were received for baptism and into full fellowship. Great and good was the reformation in society. Knowing nothing better, I considered this to be the work of God and the way of salvation. The preachers had the art of affecting their hearers by a tuneful or singing voice in preaching.

About this time came in a few Methodist preachers. Their appearance was prepossessing — grave, holy, meek, plain and humble. Their very presence checked levity in all around them—their zeal was fervent and unaffected, and their preaching was often electric on the congregation and fixed their attention. The Episcopalians and Baptists began to oppose them with great warmth. The Baptists represented them as denying the doctrines, of grace and of preaching salvation by works. They publicly declared them to be the locusts of the Apocalypse, and warned the people against receiving them. Poor Methodists! They were then but few, reproached, misrepresented, and persecuted as unfit to live on the earth. My mind was much agitated, and was vacillating between these two parties. For some time I had been in the habit of retiring in secret, morning and evening, for prayer, with an earnest desire for religion; but, being ignorant of what I ought to do, I became discouraged, and quit praying, and engaged in the youthful sports of the day.

My father’s will was that when I, the youngest child, should arrive at tile age of twenty-one years, his estate should be equally divided among his children, except the part bequeathed to my mother. When I was fifteen or sixteen years of age, my three elder brothers were grown, and about to start into the world penniless. It was proposed that a division of our property be made. To this I willingly acceded, and it was accordingly done to the satisfaction of all. When my part was assigned me, my mind was absorbed day and night in devising some plan to improve it. At length I came to the determination to acquire, if possible, a liberal education, and thus qualify myself for a barrister. I communicated my mind to my mother and brothers, who all cordially approved of my purpose, and gave the promise of pecuniary aid should I need it.