Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-03-13
Original Abolitionlsts.

/
early advocates OF the abolition of slavery
appeared in the Presby yterian Banner Of
the dafe OF May 3, 1889. The Rev
James Gilliland 50 prominently referred
To was the nephew OF james Gilliland,
Of Chester county, Pcnna., the father Of
! Joseph Gillilnnd, who became resident
of Pennsvalley in this county ut an
early day, and whom our older people
still living bear in kind remembrance as
most es,imablc and prominent citizen.
! He was the father of James, John.
Robert. Samuel and David Gllliland.
who have each in their day ranked
among the active, most intelligent and
valued citizens Of our county. Those
of them yet living are now among
the old men. and their defendants are
occupying the position OF their fathers
in active life in useful and meritorious
citizenship. This was family OF Dem.
ocrats from it, earliest history. and
never faltcred in devotion to the great
| principles euunciatcd by Jefferson, or
the old party which has so bravcly
ma n,aincd them through successive
! generations. During the lifetime Of
Joseph Gilliland, lac was in correspou.
dence with the Rev. James Gilliland, Of
North Carolina, who never missed an
opportunity to cxprc-, his horror of
| slavery, which in his day was a senti.
ment among geo people as iudiccnou.
TO the -outha- TO the north, from which
thi, people inherited largely their in.
tcrcst in the lusltutiou.-Ep
! II is not altogether safe in these days
! TO say with absolute po-itiveness at what
! time any great movement began or to
! attempt TO name It's otisinntinu-. Care.
! iul historical research has revealed the
| fact that many have been wearing hon
| ors for priority which belong 10 Others,
| or OF which Others were ut least entitled
to be participants. The truth j. thatin
all great uprlslngs OF the people and IN
Hll important discoveries, and leading
/ ideas Involved seem 70 have occupied a
! number Of superior minds at the anme
time. Evidence OF this ia seen in the
| histories OF the Reformation, Of the
/ English revolution, and Of the Declare
/ ton Of American independence. And
/ conhrmations of the same thing may be
found in the fact that number Of clsi
mauls, all ofthcm equally honest, ap-
/ pear FOR the credit OF scientific disc0y
cries and valuable inventions.
/ Probably no one can now tell def.
nitcly who first raised his voice against
/ the slave trade, or who is entitled to
the fame Of having fret advocated the
emancipation OF the negro, ,notwlthstsnd
ing the houors that were hrapcd upon
Granville Sharp, Ciarkson. Wlibcrforce
and others. Tue original aboItionists
now before our minds did not sprInC up
( in Eugland. NORM Boston. nor in Pnlls.
dclphIa, nor even IN the North They
were Souiherners and South Carnluians
/ They were not intid-l lCoaoclasis. but
/ Presbyterian ministers. Rev VIM. G.
Davis IN a sermon preached before the
! Preshytery Of South CaroIiua. in 1874,
| denounced all his fellow Chr,st,an. who
held slaves. And the reply TO this
/ discourse was by ksy. Thomas K .osc,
/ -. d. native OF Pennsylvania and
| graduate of Princeton Csllege under
the Presidency of Rev. John WIth,r.
spoon, D. y. No violence seem, to
have been threatened to Mr.. Dawn,
thought his opinions on the subject Of
slavery we're not acceptable 10 the great
body Of the Southern people.
But his influence did not stop here.
! Mr. Davis was a teacher As well ~
preacher, n any clergyman in that day,
| and long afterwArdz discharged thu
I the duties OF both Offices. And Il ght
\ be "a we'll II they were now more ire.
| quently united in the same persons.
[ Among the pupils OF Mr. DAVIS wa.
James GillelAnd. born in Lincoln Co.,
( North Carolina. and graduate ~ Dick.
inson College. Pa, was licensed by The
I Prcsbytery of South Carolina, Sept &c.
I 1894. In his "History Of the Presby
/ terian Church in South Carolina. Dr.
| Howe says: "In April 1895, call was
\ forwarded to the PreshyterV Of South
\ Carolina from the church Of Brad az for
the pastoral services OF James Gilleland.
which was accepted by him aud an
\ intermediate session was appointed to
be held on the 10Th Of July. 70, his or
dination. At this meeting remon.
strancc. signed by eleven or twelve
persons was presented against his ordin
alton, on the ground that he had prea
ched against the government and
against slavery. To this Mr. Gilleland
replied that he had not preached
against the government, but had prea.
ohed against slavery and should still do
20. lie at length consented to yield 10
the counsel Of Presbytery, as TO the
voice OF God aud IL they should go
counsel he would be silent. unless the
consent of the Presbrtery should be first
Obtained. The difference between Mr..
! Gilleland and the remonstrants vas
made up and his ordination proceeded" /"
But Mr. Gilleland did not feel com.
Portable under the advice Of the Pres.
bytery. Dr. Howe SAYS "At the
meeting of the Synod of the Csrolinas,
held at Morganton, Nov. 3. 1870, Mr..
GilleIand memotialized Synod, stating
his conscientious difficulties in receiving
the sdvice of the Presbytcry Of South
Carolina. which had enipined upon him