A Frontier Journey

What fun ............ the grandkids, from the big city east, were here for the holidays. I don't know that gram and I became any younger but their energy certainly made us feel that way.

On another note, a cousin of mine, that lives in Seattle WA. sent me a journal from her ancestors. It was a journal about their journey from North Carolina to Kentucky and Ohio. It was also a great revelation about the Religious Awakening in America in the 18th century; most of the journey took place from 1750-1800. I really enjoyed the look into the frontier days of America. I thought I would share a few examples of how religion was viewed in that era. One of her ancestors was a 'strict Calvinist' and talked about how the Baptist were persecuted. Anglicanism was a strong force in those days, along with Methodist circuit riders; both are very briefly noted, so I'm anticipating that the persecution mentioned is about prejudices and how those prejudices played out on a social/economic scale at that time. Yet he is faithful to the Baptist tradition and in one place where they lived he gathered up about 5 other baptists and they had a 'house church.' House churches in that day were more common than one would believe. There is a section where Grandfather hears about a stirring among the Presbyterians, here it is:
In the summer of 1799 there was a great excitment of religion among the Presbyterians. Some twenty miles off, they held camp meetings in Burbon Co. Father felt anxious to go and see and hear for himself, as reports said they were very strangely exercised. Some would jerk, some would bark, somefall as though they had been shot. So, father went and stayed three daysand tried to find out the cause of that new exercise in religion. Some said it was the work of the Devil; others said it was all delusion. But Father said when he came back from Canebridge meeting that he saw and heard many things that he could not account for, but some of them looked happy,while they were dancing or walking back and forth, or jerking and barking. This exercise soon came to the Presbyterian church at Walnut Hill - fourmiles off. Father took MOther and me to Elder Crawfords' church to hear and see for ourselves this new exercise. As soon as they began to sing, their exercise began. Some shook they heads, while others jerked all over and would bark as they would jerk their heads down. Some would jump up on their feet and shoult and sing until their strength was gone and then they would fall as though they were dead, and lie for two or three hours, only breathing. We went home. Father said he could not think it was a delusion but that there must be some good done there, for he felt some of the influence on his mind and that the singing was ringing in his ears yet.
Wow! Later in the journal, revival that year is also recorded in the Baptist church; and one day about 30 people, in the dead of winter go to Hickman creek, where men break the four inch frozen ice, and clear it away from the shore, and the preacher stands in that water baptizing the people ........ on the shore the snow is was about four to five inches deep. And 'strange as it will seem to some that not one that was baptized took cold. Later we find Garrard back in Kentucky, after he moved back from Ohio preaching in three churches. Two young preachers, 'very strong Calvinists' began to minister under the older mans mentoring. However, here I'm wondering if something from that earlier Presbyterian campmeeting had changed him, we find these two young preachers beginning to be critical of him, here's the notes:
'under father's preaching, they found fault with Father as he would sing and shake hands with all at the close of the service, they called him an Armenian. Again, I loved this journal because it gives us a window into that era and some of the religious effects it had on the frontier.