Letter from Daniel Wilson to S S Jocelyn, November 26, 1858
Title
Letter from Daniel Wilson to S S Jocelyn, November 26, 1858
Description
This letter was from the abolitionist Reverend Daniel Wilson to a fellow reverend, who was Secretary of the American Missionary Association. Wilson wrote to discuss a conflict that caused a schism in his church, located in the North Carolina piedmont. "D. Thrift, Vestal & co" refers to some members of the congregation who support slavery and also lied about Wilson's intentions and role in the church conflict. These men dealt with the situation unfairly and with bias, and Wilson claims that their actions were tyrannical. Wilson clarified that his intentions were good and pointed out some of these men's faults, including their acceptance of a slaveholding man in church, which Wilson clearly saw as wrong. Wilson told Jocelyn that he will create a new church that will not allow slaveholders and asked for Rev. Jocelyn for help publishing a new Constitution for his church since Southern presses would not print the antislavery that it included. Wilson concluded by asking that a copy of the AMA's magazine be sent to a woman who is presumably a member of his congregation.
Creator
Wilson, Daniel
Source
Letter from Daniel Wilson To S S Jocelyn, November 26, 1858, The North Carolina Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Date
1858-11-26
Contributor
King, Stefanie
Coverage
Rev. Wilson appears to be located in or near the Newgarden area of Guilford County, but is certainly in North Carolina.
Original Format
Correspondence
Text
Sawyersville Nov the 26th 1858
To Revrnd. S S Jocelyn Sec of the AMA
Dear Brother
After a long delay I again address you to Inform you that whatever may have been the Impressions made on your mind by others; as to the Writer that I still feel a lively Interest In the cause of God, owing to the unreasonable position taken here by D. Worth the writer & some Three or four churches have been under the necessity of organiseing a separate church from the Wesleyan connexion Several reasons led to this move, 1st our statements were not believed by the anual conference as the the party matters which had for some time troubled us here. Worth took sides with D. Thrift, Vestal & co and though we were carfull to prove the facts In the case by good & substantial evidence which Involved that party In falsehood, yet Worth acting from the Instruction of the conference or from some biase motive disregarded every attempt to settle the matter, only just as his party Instructed him manifesting the most unfair disposition possible, and has been ever since Ingaged to establish the most unprincipled opposition to those of us who would not bow to his Popery. I wish to inform you that the substantial portion of the church her[e] does not, nor will not, submit to his tyrany & the alternative to which we felt driven was to form anew which we have acordingly don[e] and are now known as the United Christian Church adopting the New Testament as our rule of church government & in our constitution making non Slaveholding a test of membership. Worth writes as though he were a Strong Antislavery Man but he has one Slave holder in his church here, two who not long since sold one at public auction once Polligamist & almost anything else that wishes to join whether Saints or Sinners, for about one third according to his Showing whom he received last year made no profession of Religion. I had just as soon belong to any Proslavery church here as to his as to moral principle--
We have not <yet> had our constitution published yet but we are making arrangements for that purpose, the work Is assigned to a commity but I dont know where It will be done these Southern presses dont like to publish Antislavery matter the constitution will not cover exceeding two Sheets of fools cap--I would like to know what It would cost us to get It printed at the Missionary office, say one or two hundred copys, will you ascertain & Inform me soon--
I wish you to send a copy of the Magazine for twelve Months to Elizabeth R. Wilson Newgarden P.O. Guilford Co. NC--as I cannot send the silver by mail I will either send stamps or I will procure other subscribers as to send the money to you, as some two or Three Informed me the[y] Intended to send for It soon--
Direct to Sawyersville as heretofore
Yours
D Wilson MG--
To Revrnd. S S Jocelyn Sec of the AMA
Dear Brother
After a long delay I again address you to Inform you that whatever may have been the Impressions made on your mind by others; as to the Writer that I still feel a lively Interest In the cause of God, owing to the unreasonable position taken here by D. Worth the writer & some Three or four churches have been under the necessity of organiseing a separate church from the Wesleyan connexion Several reasons led to this move, 1st our statements were not believed by the anual conference as the the party matters which had for some time troubled us here. Worth took sides with D. Thrift, Vestal & co and though we were carfull to prove the facts In the case by good & substantial evidence which Involved that party In falsehood, yet Worth acting from the Instruction of the conference or from some biase motive disregarded every attempt to settle the matter, only just as his party Instructed him manifesting the most unfair disposition possible, and has been ever since Ingaged to establish the most unprincipled opposition to those of us who would not bow to his Popery. I wish to inform you that the substantial portion of the church her[e] does not, nor will not, submit to his tyrany & the alternative to which we felt driven was to form anew which we have acordingly don[e] and are now known as the United Christian Church adopting the New Testament as our rule of church government & in our constitution making non Slaveholding a test of membership. Worth writes as though he were a Strong Antislavery Man but he has one Slave holder in his church here, two who not long since sold one at public auction once Polligamist & almost anything else that wishes to join whether Saints or Sinners, for about one third according to his Showing whom he received last year made no profession of Religion. I had just as soon belong to any Proslavery church here as to his as to moral principle--
We have not <yet> had our constitution published yet but we are making arrangements for that purpose, the work Is assigned to a commity but I dont know where It will be done these Southern presses dont like to publish Antislavery matter the constitution will not cover exceeding two Sheets of fools cap--I would like to know what It would cost us to get It printed at the Missionary office, say one or two hundred copys, will you ascertain & Inform me soon--
I wish you to send a copy of the Magazine for twelve Months to Elizabeth R. Wilson Newgarden P.O. Guilford Co. NC--as I cannot send the silver by mail I will either send stamps or I will procure other subscribers as to send the money to you, as some two or Three Informed me the[y] Intended to send for It soon--
Direct to Sawyersville as heretofore
Yours
D Wilson MG--
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Citation
Wilson, Daniel, Letter from Daniel Wilson to S S Jocelyn, November 26, 1858, Civil War Era NC, accessed April 19, 2024, https://cwnc.omeka.chass.ncsu.edu/items/show/658.