Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-26
IT STIRS UP HISTORY.
The Razing of Wylie Avenue Wes-
leyan Church Recalls War
AND SECESSION FROM BIRTHSTONE.
John Miller Excommunicated for Favoring
Henry Clay, and
SUBSEQUENTLY, LOST HAIR IN ACHURCH

There is an old building now being de
molished on Wylie avenue, below Tunne
street. which many people whose memories
carry them back so years think should no
be allowed to be carted away unhonored
unsung and forgotten, as it is connected
with some of the most stirring episodes il
the history of abolitionism in this city anG
section, in the days when, wherever an audi
ence of anti-slsvery men could be gotter
together, the burning elOquence of such mer
as A B. Bradford, of Enon Valley, was
heard, and both Democratic and Whig
mobs were defed. For, the honor Of
history, it should not be forgotten that, even
in Pittsburg, 40 years ago, the term "Aboli.
tlonist" was very nearly as unpopular as
that of infdel is now; some say more so. The
lot is in the shape Of an L, the end that
fronts on Tunnel street.
But it is not the lot nor the building that
is interesting to. the present age. but the
dTdmdt5s persona, who forced the issue of
the great Civil War on the country. While
a great many old-timers can recollect the
secession from the old Birthstone Corner
Church, there are few who have the facts
impressed on their memory sufficiently to
tell the story. Mr.. Joseph MCDOWELL, now
an octogenarian, who took part in the fight,
was sought; but he was not at his place OF
business, and Messrs. Marshall, Wicker
sham, Meads and others refused to allow
indistinct recollection to work, though they
all, in a general way, knew the history of
the ancient temple.
THAT FAMOUS SECESSION.
Nh. Charles Martin, of No. IS Franklin
street, was found to have a lively recollec-
tion of the split from Birthstone. His
account was substantially as appended:
In IS4I Methodist Episcopal preacher named
Edward Smith, Virginian. whose father
owned slaves, attracted attention by his strict
ures, regarding the institution. He had not
gone long in his crusade when he was advised
not to preach abolitionism, and finally admon-
ished somewhat sharply by ecclesiastical su-
periOrs; but the spirit of the Lord was upon
him;" andhe continued to cry aloud and spared
Tot, until the succeeding Conference was held
in "Old Birthstone" when he was tried and
found guilty of contumacy, and silenced. But
Mr.. Smiths blood was up, and he refused to let
up, and continued to preach in this city and
roundabouts, on the streets, in the market
squares, or anywhere he could get an audience.
He was a radical the whole length of his
spinal column, and combined temperance lee.
lures with anti-slavery speeches. Finally Mr..
Marshall, father of Marshall. Bros, manufac-
tureTs. and II Others each as fiery and enthusi-
astic as the y who were once ''all with one ac-
cord in one place. decided that they might
form an organization of their own, and they
raised their Ebenezer in Tayardstown. When
the conservatives and radicals in the Smith
field NJ. E Church separated the conservatives
kept the church and the radicals took for their
how Nfn 1aTah han Thnarn
the Union depot now stands. The seceders
opened out in an old school house.
A LIVELY ISSUE.
Mr. Martin and man named Straw, since
known by his connection with the Singer Sew
ing Machine Company, went about this time to
hear Mr.. Smith preach. They were Episco-
pal Methodists, but Abolitionists and when
they heard Smith say there were Methodist
preachers who were Shareholders, they conclud-
- toiuTestigate. They had certificates of men,
bership in the Smithfeld Street Church, but
agreed between themselves, if what Smith said
was true, to leave and Join his band. Mr.. Mar
Tin had been nurtured in England on teachings
of Wilberforce, and could see no good in slav-
cry. A Rev. Wesley Kinney said Smiths as
sertion was not true. Mr.. Martin reported
what Kinney said to Rev. Smith, and in the
mean time Smith had started paper in con-
junction with Jane Swisshelm, called the
Spirit of Liberty, and in the next issue after
Martin had Informed Smith of what Kinney
said, the statement was published that "Mr
Kinney lied" The result was that Messrs
Martin and Straw cast their lot in with the
original II.
Smith continued preaching abolition and
temperance along with the gospel for a time,
but finally appealed his case to the General
Conference, and, while awaiting a decision,
some Methodist preachers in the East, called
convention in Utica, n. Y, and formed an
the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and Smith
ceased to prosecute his appeal, and joined the
new organization and proceeded to organize
8 body here. Rev. Mr.. Smith was appointed
President of the Pittsburg Conference of the
Wesleyan Methodist Church, and went to work
and formed a circuit and conferences in the
West, which at that date was Ohio. From that
time the work went bravely on until Lincoln
issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
THEY LEASED THE SITE.
Organization accomplished - said Mr.. Martin,
ave bought the perpetual lease of a lot on Wy
lie street, and man from Ohio, named Isaac
Winans. preached for Us. He had been Con-
gregationalist, but Joined the Wesleyans on
the slavery issue. We had good-sized con-
gregation, all earnest and all Abolitionists.
While we were in Allegheny and before the
Wylie street church was built, we had in our
organization a man named John Miller, who
was an ardent admirer of Henry Clay, who was
running for President at the time against
James h Polk. We had clause in our Disci-
pline which forbade that anyone should be ad-
mitted to membership who was slave
holder, or who bought or sold or claimed
the right to buy or sell slaves or
away. This John Miller said he would vote for
Clay, VITO was STAKEHOLDER. Some OF the con-
gregstion SAID that to vote for a STAKEHOLDER
was equivalent to saying that he had right to
hold slaves, and contrary to the Discipline
Miller, however, persisted in voting for Clay
and was tried on specification charging i'm
morality and he was excommunicated.
Some time after we were arranging to hold a
love feast. and John Miller said he would break
up the meeting. Mr. Marshall and nail cutter
named John Bryanwere appointed doorkeepers;
Miller had already gotten into the church, and
he refused TO go out .
A HANDFUL OF HAIR OUT.
when Pastor Smith heard of it, he said Miller
must go out and went up to him and told him |
to get Rev. Smith was a muscular Christian
and when Miller wouldn't go, he (Smith) |
grabbed at the intruder's collar and instead |
got him by the hair and pulled a handful out |
The two guards then attempted to put Miller |
out, but he clung TO the benches and could |
not be moved by them, so a third took him by |
the heels and he was lifted up and carried out |
gently and placed on the street to cool,
miller then went before the Msvor of Allie |
gheny and made an information, charging us |
with assault and battery. The Mayors name |
was Nixon. He was the first Mayor over that |
city, and. as we had fought his election, he |
wasn't friendly TO us, and issued war |
rants for our arrest. We were held |
for court and the grand jury found a |
true bill against u.s. Our trial lasted week |
and we were ably defended by Walter Forward. |
DIR Elder who turned from medicine to law, |
and George Austin. They volunteered to do so. |
and did not charge fees. The prosecution had |
able lawyers also, among them Fox Alden. |
There was great excitement,and Mr.. Forwards |
sneech was very brief. He simply said The |
Court understands the character of the prose-
cutor and we ask for an acquittal' Judge /
PATTON was a strong Democrat, but in his
- a--1,o irrv he said. r bo,n -.