The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1890-02-06
SAHPSON CIRCUIT IN 1850.
\ FiVc-FOld IncrcaSe--Many IN
tcrcSting Personalities.

In May, 1850, the preacher on
the Sampson circuit, (W. j. Du-
valD having been suspended, ]
was requested by the presiding
elder Cd. b. NichOlsOn) to take
charge of the circuit to the end
of the year. | began my work
at Andrew Chapel, May the 5th.
The other appointments were
COkesbury, Bethany, Wesley
Chapel, Magee's, Goshen, Gin
ton, at night, Rosemary, Antioch,
Windsor, China Grove, Taber-
nacle, Cams Chapel, Bethlehem,
Pleasant Union and Flea Hill.
These appointments included
all of Sampson county except
three in the lower end of the
county. All of GLADDEN. east of
Cape Fear river, and all Of Cum
berland east Of Cape Fear and
below AVerasbOrO. The follow
were log buildings: Antioch,
Magee's China Grove, Gains
Chapel. The following had but
recent y been log buildings: An
drew Chapel and Windsor, Rose
mary and Flea Hill were school
houses. JOhnsOn's church took
the place Of Rosemary and Sa-
lem took the place of Flea Hill.
The circuit, as it then stood, COW
cred the ground now covered by
Clinton circuit, Bladeu circuit.
Cokesbury circuit, Sampson cir
cult, and part of Newton Grove
circuit. There was no church
in Clinton, and the meetings
were held in the school-rOom
under the Od6-FellOws' Hall. |
baptised fourteen persons on the
circuit during tn year. The
last quarterly conference was
held at y inGsor, beginning on
Friday, November 9Th. There
was much excitement. Many of
the Official members were under
the charge of disorderly conduct,
growing out of the trial of the
suspended preacher. The breth-
rem w ere all sustained.
Nearly all the leading men of
those days are dead. Rev. Love
CulbIeth, l.. G.. Hubbard and w.
j. Parker are the only ones | can
now call to mind that still live
in the bounds of the circuit, as
it then stood. Time has wrought
wonderful changes. Five Cir
cults now c. yer The ground then
covered by one circult. The
singing i'll those days was not
very charming at all the appoint
ments. 1t was Oftsn difficult to
get a tune raised by any one in
the congregation. In one of the
largest congregations faithful
old colored !elan generally raised
the tune and led in the singing.
The Sunday school choirs have
changed the programme in that
matter. They are abundantly
supplied with good music now.
Among the prominent citizens
of those times many might be
mentioned. J. G. Blocker, of
Cokesbury, was considered then
the most enter prising and the
most liberal man Of the circuit.
Daniel Johnson, of Windsor, was
considered the Carvoso Of Meth
odism in the Baden portion of
the circuit. The Richardson
family. of Bethlehem, in Bladen,
was considered the most intelli-
gent and influential. Mary Rich
ardson, now May R. Lesesne,
was then a very small child, and
! little supposed when used to
take her by the hand that / was
holding on to the hand of the
future author of "Torpedoes and
Dynamite in Society,"" a book
well calculated to nproOt some
Of the vices Of fashionable So
ciety. W. j. Parker, OF Antioch
was then young in Methodism,
but has worked his way up to
prominence in the church since
then. James M. Smith, in Cum
berland, was noted for his intel
ligence and libelality. Rev. L.
Culbreth, a local preacher, was