Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-17


bishop MeFyeIre-The Essence Of
BrOwnIOwism-
During the war, and after his return from
his lecturing tour through the North,
Reverend William q. Brownlow got up a
little war of his own in the Methodist
Church in East Tennessee. He seized
churches, banished minister, carried the
membership to the Northern church, and
acted the part Of Lucifer generally in his
efforts to extend the Devils dominions over
the Lords vineyards and hocks. He be-
came an ecclesiastic bushwhaeker, and, with
his chosen disciples, carried things with a
high hand.
Bishop McTyeire paid an episcopal visit
to that section last month, and, in the Ad-
uocate, of this city, for last week, reports
what occurred at Jonesboro. Itfurnishes
phase Of "Brownlowism," which is highly
Illustrative. He says: -.
Persons present on Sabbath, June I6,
from Jonesboro, requested an appointment
to be made for me to preach, as / passed,
on Tuesday night, in the courthouse. 1t
was 50 annouBced. Monday, and part Of
the following day, were spent happily with
the christian and genial families of Broth
ers Burt and Rivers, IN the neighborhood.
Tuesday, with the Presiding Elder of the
Rodgersville district and Brother Miles,
dined with friend near Jonesboro. Here
we learned that the League, by previous
appointment, would use the courthouse,
but friends had obtained from the
Presbyterian church, and also from the
Baptist church, the offer OF their houses,
and had accepted the first. About
four o'clock we walked into Jonesboro-
three Of us-down the principle street To-
ward the house Of the citizen and brother
who had previously invited our company.
Opposite the courthouse a man shouted, as
we passed, TO another in a brick building
diagonally across the street" THEY'VE
come. Here they are" "Pll furnish the
tar" said one. "Pll furnish the feathers"
responded his fellow.
We had not been in our lodgings half
an hour, before a meeting of certain char
acters was held in the Office of prominent
Northern Methodist 10 consult what should
be done with us. The PRESBYTERIAN elders
NRhAA AiOb dANtDk bliE ulCldAlOl OitEEU
they claimed the right to decide their du-
ties Of eldership, and so their offer TO us
was not Withdrawn. DR.. c., a venerable
elder, called on me and made the request
that / would preach the gospel only-that
was 8 the condition they had to make;
not 20 attack anybody and make trouble
with their neighbors. He was answered
that it was our custom to preach the gos-
pei only; that we had a membership there
"a scattered flock and afflicted, and de-
sired TO gather them, comfort and edify
them, and would not throw away so precious
an opportunity to preaching politics OF
making war on outsiders. As for the
Northern Methodists-concernin whom he
evidently thought would be under strong
temptation-he was assured we expected TO
settle with them in the courts, and not in
the pulpit A remark of the venerable.man
touched me, "Then, dare not hinder the
preaching Of the gospel"
But the elements began TO boil Ii was
resolUcd that those Rebels should not preach
A leading member OF the Northern Metho-
dist Church met my host, and very EN-
phatically informed him Of this decision.
He had, he said, a speech Of mine, de-
livered in New Orleans last year, full of
treason, and that was only one thing. |
| cOuld not be allowed 10 preach and organ
/ ize Southern Methodism there The loyal
| people Of the community would not stand
| il; and il l attempted to enter the pulpit
| blood would be split. And as this was
| serious business, he (my host) was author~
lied to say this TO me, and give his name.
| An officer of the State militia made himself
very busy, and his movements, considering
/ his relation TO the colored militia quartered
hard by, gave more alarm to some than any
| other cause. A riot, in the opinion of those
used TO such matters, was imminent. We
made no reply beyond taking measures to
have the bell rung and the church lighted.
At my request for an interview with the
| pastor polite young man, he promptly
| and courteously called at my room. Should
we have the pleasure of his company 10
| church, With due respect to me, he de-
/ clined going; the advice Of his elders to
/ him was not to be present--he looked for
a difficulty, and did not wish to be mixed
up with it. But, sir If your property is to
be damaged while borrowed by us, we
wish you to be about. Moreover, my
main object in requesting your COM
pany is this the rioters may pretend, while
/ really actuated by other motives, that they
represent a party in your church who OBJ
iect to our presence. Your being along will
show that we are no intruders" To which
he replied: "The persons who are making
| this trouble are not of us, and they know
well that you have our entire consent. We
/ did not think that our offer of the house
would raise such disturbance but it is too
late now to withdraw Il, and we have no
disposition to do It," After kindly wish
ing that things might turn out better than
they looked, he took his leave.
| Ii was now church time, and up to the
| second bell menaces continued to reach us
| Our host and the ladies accompanied u.s.
/ Two unpleasant apprehensions were on my
| mind-that we should certainly meet diff
culties on the way, or End no congregation.
Such a prelude would have defeated a
meeting anywhere else but in East Tennes-
see: but they have been tried and tempered
in that aimosphere-the women especially.
We found no lion in our way, nor any
smaller beast. The house was about one
third full-mostly ladies. Ipreached with
some "libertv." Brother Miles raised us
| good Methodist tunes, and Brother Robin
son, in conclusion, prayed at length; and
the congregation returned as quietly as
could be on any Sabbath evening. 1t was
rery quiet.
The position was unpleasant, and felt to
be so. But We could not give way 90 cheap
intimidation, however emphatic and blus-
teriug. We could do no less than press up
10 the point of insurmountable difficulty,
ihen turn hack. if we must, after identity
ing the disturbers in the act and fastening
the responsibility on them.
"The house would have been filled 10
overfowing," was repeatedly remarked,
q" bat for fear of a disturbance Next
morning | met citizen Sho introduced
himself" Well, after al, you had no fuss
last night wanted 20 60, and my family,
but they were afraid" Why the disturbers
did not appear, no one could tell me.
Perhaps they found that law and order had
made some progress in the public mind OF
| Jonesboro, since the mob was last called
there against our church, and harangued
by a reverend leader in the interest of the
Northern. One net result Of the affair
was this it eliminated all other elements
Of disorder, and left the Northern Metho-
| dist Church unuaskod and alone HE