The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-02-26
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GOU.S MINISTERS
Jailed, Whipped and Driven from Fredor-
ickSburE.

GOD'S MINISTER'S
Jailed, Whipped and Driven from Fredor-
icksburg.
The Fredericksburg Free Lance.
Tradition says that about the year
1889 two itinerant Baptist preachers
undertook to teach the doctrines of their
church to the people of Fredericksburg,
and for that offense they we're jailed,
whipped and driven from the city by a
mob of indignant citizens.
After the scourging had been admins
tered the holy men of God, tradition con.
tinues, shook the dust of the city from
their feet and invoked heaven to send a
curse upon Fredericksburg for hundred
years. Nothing was ever heard of these
goood men after their departure, but
their words burned deep in the minds of
those who heard their invocation to
heaven, and no casualty has occurred
here, no public calamity has befallcn the
city since, that has not reminded many
of the older inhabitants of the curse
called down by the men whose backs
we're striped while in the discharge Of
what they believed to be their duty to
mankind.
We might if we saw proper to give the
names of surviving and dead men and
women of Fredericksburg who firmly
believed, aud still believe, that many Of
the casualties and they have been num-
erous and severe) which have befallen
were due to the prayers
of the persecuted men of God. and
whenever disastrous fire, food or Incl
dent of war occurred which damaged
the town materially, gave utterance to
the belief that it was part Of heavens
curse.
The distant reader who has never heard
this tradition may rest assured tba. it is
not a mythical story ne repeat about the
whipping Of these godly men and the
curse they prayed might come upon
Fredericksburg.
Of course there are no living witness
es; but it is.as much of part Of the
unwritten history of this city as many
events are of modern times.
That an intense feeling prevailed in
this locality during the last century
against the Baptists, and to justify at
this time the publication of this we'll
known tradition, We copy from the first
series of the Virginia Baptist minutes, by
James B. Taylor, a work found in the
library OF every minister of that faith in
brief history Of the expert
ence Of Rev. Lewis Craig and his brother
Elijah, in this County and Caroline, 3
few years prior to the period named in
this article.
In referring to the sermons of Lewis
Craig and of his treatment, the author
says:
''These successful results were princi-
pally manifested in the Counties Of
Orange and Spotsylvania. The first
Baptist church organized, between the
James aud Rappahannoek rivers, called
Lower Spotsylvenia, afterward C.aig's,
was the fruit of bis efforts. This church
was constituted in 1857. Three years
after this period he received and accept
ed an invitation to preside over them as
their pastor. Additions we're regularly
made to their number; but in 1857 an
extensive revival was enjoyed, When
more than hundred we're baptized.
The church continued to prosper until
1871, when their pastor removed TO the
western country large number OF the
members of the church left the State with
him, and q serious decline was expert
enced.
"Bsfore Elder Craig's departure to the
West, he was counted worthy OF his
Master to suffer painful trials in the
discharge Of his ministerial duties. Va.
rious means we're employed to alarm aud
cause him to give up his practice Of
the gospel. He thought of the
Saviour's dying love, and determined to
go forward even at the expense Of life.
at length he was arrested by the sheriff
of Spotsylvania, and brought before three
in the meeting house, who
bound him, with others, in the penalty
of s2 1000, to appear at court two days
after. They attended and were arrested
as disturbers of the. peace. The prose.
cutting attorney represented them to be
q great annoyance to the County BY their
zeal as preachers. May it pleaAe your
Worship said he, they cannot meet a
man upon the road but they must ram q
text of Scripture down his throat After
hearing their defense the court deter.
mined that they should be liberated,
provided they would give security no
more to preach in the County within
twelve months. To this condition Elder
O. and his companions refused to yield.
They were then sentenced to close con-
6nement in thejail. As they passed on
to prison through the streets of Fseder.
icksburg they united in singing the
lines:
Broad is the road that leads TO death.
X x
"The prisoners we're after short time
released. During their confinement
Elder O. preached through the gates to
large crowds, and was the means of doing
much good. When he vas permitted to
90 at large, he went forth with renewed
spiritual strength, defending the truth as
It is in Jesus. he was enabled to thank
7od that he was permitted to suffer
shame for the name of Christ. Day and
night in his neighborhood and in all the
surrounding country he ceased not to
each and preach the gospel.