Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1894-12-19

circuit rider, who had his home in the
saddle, his library in the crown of his
hat, and his meeting house wherever
he happened to be, in the log station.
the little school house, or under some
spreading tree of the great forest
These circuit riders have been the true
evangelists of the backwoods, worthy
disciples of the Master who had not
where to lay His head, and the good
they have done will never be known
till the great day of accounting.
The close of the Revolutionary war
saw the setting of such a tide of emil
grafton into Tennessee and Kentucky
as has never been known anywhere in
this country, not even when the COM
pletion of the Erie Canal first threw
open the great West to the Eastern en-
terprise. Robertson's colony was
known to be furnace of FIRE. butinto
it the West going settlers ventured, till
by the year 1884 the colony numbered
ATT men able to WELD an exc or handle
a rifle. With Nashville as a center,
these men spread in all directions, and
it was not long before there were no
less than thirty five stations in the re-
gion of the Cumberland, and in each
one Of these stations could now be
found rude log building, about six
teen feet square, and often without
floor or window, where, seated at
rough pine table, might be seen single
woman of uncertain age, with group
of young learners about her. She was
not shining light of erudition, but,
having no children of her own, she
was thought peculiarly fitted to in
struct those of other people. And,
truth to tell, she did turn out men and
women, some of whom while living
were oraments to the nation, and in
dying left names that will live as long
as American history. These rude
school houses were also the places of
worship in the colony.
Robertson is said to have been taught
to read by his wife, and his erudition
is shown by the fact that he always in.
sisted that the saying of Thomas
Kempis, Man proposes, and God dis
poses," Is to be found somewhere in
tie Book of Job. But If he had little
book knowledge, he was a natural
born statesman, and thus knew that
the general education of the people ia
the only sure bulwark OF q nations
liberties. Therefore, no sooner was
the colony strong enough to feel a
reasonable degree of security from the
savages then he invited to it the Rev.
Thomas B. Craighead to open there
seminary of higher learning. Mr..
Craighead was scholarly gentleman,
"ft to grace the academic grove" and
he at once founded the Davidson Aca-
denny and furnished tuition in what
we should now call the usual English
branches" at the rate, say the minutes,
of -four pounds per annum, payable
in hard money!" This institution sub
sequently grow into the University of
Nashville.
We need to bear in mind that during
this entire period the Cumberland col
ony was girdled with savage fire, and
that, with only brief and infrequent
intervals, there was scarcely a day
when it was not death to venture, ex-
cept in considerable bodies, much be.
yond rifle shot of the fortified stations.
This fact makes strikingly apparent
not only the cool intrepidity and he.
roic endurance OF these men, but also
the Unborn love of enlightened liberty
and Christian civilization which has
come down to US all from our Puritan
and Covenanting ancestry. Robert
son was of Scotch-Irish descent; but
there must have beenlia strain of Puri-
tan blood in him, or else there is a
stronger affinity between Scotch Pres.
byterianism and Cotton Mather Con-
gregationalism than can be seen with
the naked eye. 1t is certain that some
of his laws might have been enacted
by the godly gentry who hanged the
Salem witches.
Among other of Robertson's laws
which might have been enacted by the
New England Puritans was one which
enjoined the omission of all secular
employmsnts, and punctual attend
ance at public worship on the Sabbath.
Under this act two persons were ar
raigned, the one for buying and the
other for selling Lying out" negro
on Sunday; but ii was shown that they
had not consummated the bargain on
the holy day. One had merely said to
the other: "If it were not Sunday
would give you 80 much for the darky;"
and, as there was no overt action. both
were let off with the verdict of mot
guilty; but don't do so again." Pro-
fame swearing, intemperance and other
vices were prohibited. On the minutes
of the court may be seen now an en-
try by which 1t was "Ordered vt Sam
uel Henry be find loss for profanely
swearing in ye presence of ye ct;" and
even John Rains, the Joab of the young
community, was once arraigned for
profanely abusing neighbor ON the
public thoroughfare. As he paid down
his fine the gallant Captain remarked
to the Court:
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