Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-08-03
miscellaneous &eaaina,
ORIGINAL ABOLITIONISTS.


1t is not altogether safe in these days to
say with absolute positiveness at what time
any great movement began or to attempt to
name it's orignators. Careful historical re-
search has revealed the fact that many have
been wearing honors for priority which be-
longed to others, or Of which others were at
least entitled to be participants. The truth
is that i'm all great uprisings of the people
and in all important discoveries, the leading
! ideas involved seem to have occupied a num-
Der of superior minds at the same time. Ev-
dence of this is seen in the histories of the
Reformation, of the English revolution, and
of the Declaration of American Independence
And combinations Of the same thing may be
found in the fact that a number of claimants.
all of them equally honest, appear for the
credit of scientific discoveries and valuable
inventions.
Probably no one can now tell definitely
who first raised his voice against the slave
trade, or who is entitled to the fame of having
first advocated the emancipation of negro
slaves, notwithstanding the hOnorS that have
been heaped upon Granville Sharp, Clarkson,
WilberfOrce and others. The original abol-
tionists now before our minds did not spring
up in England nor in Boston, nor in Phla-
delphia, nor even in the North. They were
Southerners and South Carolinians. They
were not nfidel iconoclasts, but Presbyterian
ministers. Rev. VIM. G. Davis, in a sermon
preached before the Prcsbytery Of South Caro-
lima, 1894, denounced all his fellow Chris
tans who held slaves" And the reply to this
discourse was. by Rev. Thomas Reese, ID. d.,
a native of Pennsylvania and graduate OF
Princeton College under the Presidency OF
Rev John Witlerspoon, D. D. No violence
seems to have been threatened to Mr.. Davis,
though his opinions on the subject of slavery
| NJ If.h1 tp 10 rrpot h0IV Of thp
Southern people.
But his influence did not stop here. Mr..
Davis was a teacher as well as Il preacher, rs
many clergylnen in that day and long after
wards discharged the duties of both offices.
And it might lie aS well if they were now
more frequently united in the same persons.
Among the pupils of Mr.. Davis was James
(iilleland, born in Lincoln county, North
Carolina, and a graduate of Dickinson Col
lege Pa, who was licensed by the Presbytery
of South Carolina, Sept. 26, 1874. In his
"HistOry of the Presbyterian Church in South
Carolina" DR.. Howe says: sin April 1795,
a call was forwarded to the Presbytery (of
South CarOlina) from the church of Broadway
for the pastoral services of James Gilleland,
which was accepted by him; and an interme-
diate session was appointed to be held Oh the
2Oth of July. for his ordination. at this
meeting Il remOnstrance, signed by eleven or
twelve persons, was presented against his
ordination, on the ground that he had preach
ell against the government and against slavery.
To this Mr. Gilleland replied that he had not
preached against the government, but had
preached against slavery and should still do
so. lie at length consented to yield to the
counsel OF Presbytery. as to the voice OF God
and if they should so counsel, he would he
silent, unless the consent of Presbytery should
be first obtained. The difference between
Mr.. Gilleand and the remonstrants was made
up, and his ordination proceeded.'
But Mr.. Gilleland did not feel comfortable
under the advice of the Presbytery. DR..
Howe says "At the meeting of the Synod OF
the Carolinas. held at MCrganton, Nov 3, 1I9G,
Mr.. Gilleland memorialized Synod, Stating
his conscientious difficulties III receiving the
advice of the PreSbytery of South Carolina,
which had enjoined upon him to be silent in
the pulpit on the subject of the emancipation
of the Africans" which injunction Mr.. Gille-
land declares to be-, in his apprehension, con-
trary to the Word of God Whereupon SYN
cd, after delibeating upon the matter, do
concur with the Presbytery in advising Mr..
Gilleland to content himself with using his
utmost endeavors in private to open the way
for emancipation, so as to secure our happi-
ness as /, people, preserve the peace of the
Church, and render them capable of enjoying
the blessings of liberty. Synod is of the
opinion that to'preach publicly against slavery
in the present circumstances, and to lay down
rs the duty of every one, to liberate those under
their care, is what would lead to disorder,
and open the way to confusion"
Eight years afterwards, Mr.. Gilleland, AS
Dr. Howe says, "tindng it difficult to recon-
cile his mind to Il residence where negro sla-
very prevailed, resigned his pastoral charge. y
l,o, -, Il nn1- nrnyI
ty, Ohio where he died of Justification of the
''IIS sermons, though unWritten, were care
fully thought over and well arranged, and Of
ten highly original. Even those who differed
from him gave him the credit of consistency,
and had high appreciation Of his character. .
This history reveals several things worthy
of notice {; ~ At the close Of the last century
the duty of enlancipating the slaves was dis
cuSsed even in South Carolina. ~ That sla-
very ought to be abolished and would be was
admitted by the Synod of the Carolnas, when
it advised Mr.. Gileland to ''cOntent himself
with using his utmost endeavOrs in private to
open the way for emancipation" The only
matter i'm dispute was as to the proper meth
od of bringing about the desired result. (3)
No violence seems to have been inflicted upon
or threatened against the advocates of eman-
cpation as in later times. (4 The humanity
of slavery, it's divine origin and its perpetulty,
do not seem to have been asserted then. The
advocacy of these extreme views was reserved
for those who adopted the opinions OF that po-
litical school of which John G. Calhoun was
| the master, though he was descendent of a
Pennsylvania family.-PresbyterMn Banner.
Boy INvENroRS.-Some of the most impor-
tant inventions have been the work of boys.
| The invention of the valve motion to the steam
engine WAS made by Il mere boy.
| Newcome'S engine was in II very incomplete
condition from the fact there was no way to
open or close the valves except by means OF
levers operated by hand He set up a large
engine at one of the mines, and boy, Hum
phrey Potter, was hired to work these valve
levers. Although this was not hard work, yet
it required his constant attention. AS he was
working the levers he saw that parts of the
engine moved in the right direction, and at
the same time he had to open or close the
valves. He procured strong cord and made
one end fast to the valve-lever, and the boy
then had the satisfaction of seeing the engine
move with perfect regularity of motion. n
short time after the foreman came around and
say the boy playing marbles at the door. Look
ing at the engine he saw the ingenuity OF the
bov, and also the advantage of SO great all in
venton. The idea suggested by the boys in
ventve genius was put ina practical form and
made the steam engine all automatic working
machine.
The power loom is the invention of far
mer's boy who had never seen or heard OF such
Il thing lie whitfield one out with his jack
knife, and when he had got it all done he
showed is with great enthusiasm to his father,
who at once kicked it all to pieces, saying he
ho, nj, III ,I1n