The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-04-03
Interesting History.
THE MARYLAND COLONY IN NORTH CAR
0LlNA.
DIR. Hufham Writes of Colonists who
Had no Small Share in the Making of
This Commonwealth Palmer,
Who Established the Baptist Denom-
inatiOn in This State,


This Commonwealth-Pa Palmer,
Who Established d the Baptist Denom-
ination in This State.
Correspondence News and Ob-eIver.
OF the forces which, coming to-
gether from different quarters, have
made North Carolina. some are we'll
known. The children Of the graded
schools know about the Germans and
Scotch Irish of the centre and West
the Scotch on the Cape Fear, and the
Switzers, Palatines and Huguenots OF
the lower Neuse. But they have not
learned that cOlonists came from
Maryland also, mainly from the beau
tiful region which fringes the CheSa-
peake Bay. They were not one whit
behind The others in high moral char
acter, intelligence or clear under
standin. and firm grasp o: the princi-
pies OF free representative govern
ment. In their familiarity with the
usages o; the best social life they
were superior to the others. They
had no small share in the making Of
North Carolina. OF them and their
work | shall write briefly as con-
tribntlon to tho history Of the State.
The first of these colonies came
into the Northeastern part OF the
politico-religious struggle which last
ed from l7Ol to 1915. The contention
in arms, on the hustings and in the
Legislature, was over, but the bitter
| ness and heart burning. the enmities
in families aud nei ghDorhoOds. the
sectarian hate long continued. as the
new settlers were to discover by pain
ful experience. The leader Of these
! immigrants was Paul Palmer a man
| of comfortable estate and fine intelli-
gence. Before 1920 he was a land
owner and slave holder in PerQui-
mans county. and he continued to
add to his property until 1888, when
| he divided his estate between his twJ
| children, "a son and daughter. He
| had Travelled in the Northern colonies
and resided in New England, where
he still had friends and correspond
| ents He WAS cultured, tactful,
well bred gentlemen. who had in him
| much Of the materials out Of which
| statesmen are made; il Baptist
| preacher who was untiriny in the
work Of his high calling. In the con
ditions which then prevailed it was
inevitabl that he should encounter
opposition. In 1920 he was indicted
on "suspicion" of being accessory tC
a felony by one Of his slaves. The
indictment was brought by NichOla;
Crisp, who was of a different relig
ious faith and man of some promi
nence in the country. The lawsuit
dragged along for two years, the
form of it being changed. DAME
Richardson, the Attorney General, a
length "absconded'' the court to
avoid appearing in the suit. Finally
no one appearing to prosecute, th'
case was dismissed. And so of sui
which was brought against Mrs
Palmer. There seems to have been
purpose to destroy Palmer's influence
but it was Intellectual. In 1929 Gov
Everard wrote that he was making
converts and hundreds were coming
to him and it was impossible to stol
him. He found the Baptists without
organic life, and therefore without
power or permanency. The task tt
which he first addressed him mself wa!
the due organization Of the informa
assemblies and the clothing Of then
with life and power. In 1927 he
formed a church near his home, nov
known as Yoppim, between Hertfor'
and Edenton. Two years later, 1929
he organized another on the head o
| RaymOnd's creek, Camden county
and had notice sent te the court o
PasquOtank with a petition to hav,
the notice recorded. Thencefortl
his first word to his brethren was
"Organize, organize, organize" The,
needed him and the work went brave
ly forward. This was the beginnin;
Of the Baptist denomination in NortI
Carolina. There had been Baptist
in the colony from the first. but no
a Baptist denomination before thi
time.
With the spirit and power of organ
ization Palmer brought into colon,
l w nlCu III WAS lllltu "liu
mess and strife, the lofty courtesy
the sweet tolerance and the larg
catholicity which pervaded his nativ
province of MARYLAND for siXt2 year
OF its history. When the indictmen
was first brought against him he de
clined to make answer or give bon'
for his appearance. 1t was onl Y afte
the case had been called and con
tinued more than once that at the en-
treaty of friends he complied with tn
conditions required OF those agains
whom an action is brought. A eel
Itain sweet reasonahleness. with tn
power to discriminate between mer
expediency and that which is vita
truth. enabled him to make convert
from every rank and condition c
men. and from all the warning creed
about him. These qualities enable
him to bring into union with tn
Baptists a considerable body Of lnde
pendents, or Congregationalists, tha
= he found in the province. They wer
| the remnants of large and tlourishin
, churches in Nansemond county, VI
: The centre Of activity and intluene
had been a church on the plantatio
Of Richard Bennet. William Duran
= being pastor. Bennett, sfterwaro
Commissioner, Major General an
Governor of Virginia, was, Of cours'
the leading member. For a goo
while they were unmolested and the
growth was so rapid that it ws
necessary to send to Boston for pa
| tors tn suDDIy tho nav churches 4