Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-16
RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES.
The Cause Of God I'm knONvilic-Thc
Workings of Our Churches.

in the city of New York, in May, 1865,
Rev. Henry 4. Garnet and John B. Reeve,
were appointed to visit the South and
South west to look after the interest Of
their colored brethren who were in SYM
pathy with the doctrines, polity and gov
eminent of the Presbyterian Church.
Rev. Mr.. Garnet was appointed to visit
parts of the South, aud Rev: Mr.. Reeve,
the Southwest.
Mr.. Garnet came to Knoxville, and was
kindly received by Rev. 7. 2. Wells, then
acting pastor of the Second Presbyterian
Church, and Rev. Samuel Sawyer, Presby-
terial Missionary. Both were warm
friends of the Freedmen, and ready to as
sist in whatever might be for their reli-
gious or moral advancement.
| There were eleven colored commune
cants connected with the Second Presby-
terrain Church, who were DESTROYS Of being
organized into saperate church. Their
wishes were made known to Rev. Mr..
Wells, and the Elders and the Session
cheerfully granted them letters and babe
them God speed.
|
Second and one from the First Presbyteri-
an church, Rev. Mr.. Reeve proposed to or
| ganize.
Pursuant to notice, meeting was held
at the Second Presbyterian church on the
| 4th of September, 1865. A sermon was
| preached by Rev. Mr.. Reeve, after which,
with the assistance of Revs. Messrs. Wells
and Sawyer, he proceeded TO organize 1.-THE
First Colored Presbyterian church of Knox
villen NOW known as Shiloh) by prayer
and they enterd into covenant to walk
together in the ordinances of Christ's ap-
pointment
David Scaggs and Levi Lillison were
chosen and ordained elders, after which
| two others were received on profession,
| making in all fourteen members.
Soon after the organization, Rev. Mr..
Reeve had to return to Philadelphia, Pa,
to his pastoral charge. This church was
then left without any regular pastor, or
stated supply ofspiritual food and as mat
| ter of course the membership soon became
somewhat scattered.
The Elders wrote to the General Assem-
bly's committee for Home Missions state
ment of their condition and requested
| them to send them minister, and they
would do all in their power for his sup
| port with their assistance. The commit
tee sought to find such man as might he
suitable for the field, but without success.
| In the mean time the Rev. G. w. LIE
| We're returned from the war where he had
| served honorably and faithfully as chap
| lin in the Goth Regiment of L. S. Colored
Infantry, and being well known as the
pastor of st. Paul's Congregational Church,
| Brooklyn, New York, for eleven years, un-
| til he offered his services to the govern
| ment. The committee earnestly solicited
| him to accept commission as missionary
| for Knoxville and vicinity. He accepted
and arrived here February Q, 1866, and
| found twelve of the original members, but
without a place of worship and a very
strong feeling of prejudice against colored
churches. This he says he expected to
find, consequently he came prepared to
meet it, but he had also to meet the preju
dice Of the colored churches, who seemed
to think that no other churches should be
established but such as were of their own
faith and order, but this was easily ac-
counted for.
The building of the First Presbyterian
church being vacant. Rev. Mfr. LeVere
obtained permission and held services there
until it was turned over to the former oc-
cupants.
Again this little flock was without q
place of worship. The pastor wrote TO the
General Assenibly's committee statement
discouragements with which they had to
contend, but expressed the hope that by
the help of the Lord he would succeed in
discussing the minds of the whites of
the erroneous idea that negroes were all
alike.
He used every effort Imaginable to pro-
cure some vacant building, but to no avail.
Mr.. Perez Dickinson being present when
he applied for the use of the Lecture Room
of of tl,n ,l,,r L.,
fused, went home and sent his servant to
inform Mr.. LeVere ifhe had not succeeded
in getting place, he might have the use
of his back porch and lawn, in the rear of
his stately mansion, which, at the time, |
was as fine, if not one of the finest build
ings in Knoxville. This offer was not only
accepted with many thanks, but was re-
ceived as an evidence that the Lord was
opening the way. Mr.. Dickinson was not
professor of religion, but he proved him. |
self the ''nOblost Roman of them all.u
With but short notice, a large, genteel and |
orderly congregation met, and Mr.. LeNere |
preached. There and then favorable i'm |
preston was made, and from the evidence
given it was admitted such church should |
be encouraged
After this, services Were then regularly /
held at'the residence of Wm. Nelson, di- |
rectly i'll front of the lecture room of the |
Second Presbyterian Church, until the |
purchase of a lot and the erection of the |
neat church edifice on Clinch street, i'm |
which they now worship. The lot was
purchased and the building erected at cost |
of $500, and was completed and paid for
in twenty-five months, being at present |
free from all debt.
SABBATH SCHOOL.
They have now a flourishing Sabbath |
school, superiDtended by the pastor, and |
taught by the members of the church The |
children connected with this charge are
regular in their attendance, showing an |
appreciation of the advantages they en-
joy.
H. DAY SCHOOL.
They also have a day school in operation
salaries of the teachers are paid by the
General Assembly's Committee for Freed
men ThiS school too. is Wnll Attend |