GLIMPSES OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA.
Source of the Juniata--Ascent of the Alleghanies--The
summit--The Great Mississippi Valley--Skepticism--Rank
growth of religious error--Dunkards--Valley of the
Conemaugh--Moonlight--Singular conversation--Infidel
sneers.
_Saturday morning, June 17, 1837._
WE reached Hollidaysburg, a little village on the Juniata, where the
Alleghany Portage Rail Road commences, yesterday morning, June 16th, about
eight o'clock. Our way from this point was up the mountain by successive
inclined planes. I never saw more strikingly illustrated the triumph of art
over the obstacles of nature.
In our progress up the mountain, we at length left the Juniata, at a point
so near its source that we saw the two little rills which, by their
confluence, constituted the commencement of that river, pouring down the
precipitous side of the same hill, and which, separately, were so small
that one might step over them with perfect ease. We traced these mountain
brooks with our eye as they swept along over the washed and worn
pebbles--saw them unite, and then followed them in imagination till they
swelled along the banks of the Juniata, mingled their waters with the
Susquehanna, poured into the Chesapeake, and finally were lost in the
ocean.
In our ascending way up the mountain, we found the scenery altogether of a
new, wild, and more rugged cast. Our ascent amid these vast summits,--the
wonderful velocity with which we were borne--the ease with which we seemed
to move through the gaps of the mountains, and over the tops of these
everlasting hills--surrounded at every step by the most picturesque and
gigantic elevations, appeared like the effect of enchantment. Then too as
we moved upward a change was perceptible in the atmosphere--we felt its
invigorating and exhilarating influence--and perhaps the new buoyancy,
which our spirits acquired, helped to impart increased effect to the
majestic scene that stretched around us, and had laid hold of our every
sense and feeling with the power of a giant.
Our course was still upward--upward! and all our train of cars still flew
upward till we reached the very tops of the mountain wilds and fastnesses
that stood in such majestic grandeur around us. It was announced at length
that we had attained the summit height of the mountain. Just here the
rivulets changed their course. The streams had all flowed eastward to empty
themselves into the Atlantic, but now they turned westward and leaped
forward, as though eager to find repose in the deep waters of the
Mississippi. The Conemaugh, a tributary stream to the Kiskiminetas takes
its rise here, and appears as a very little rill at its commencement.
It was with peculiar emotions that I stood on the summit of the
Alleghanies, and strained my eye to look off towards the vast valley of the
Mississippi, whose western boundary is terminated by the Rocky mountains,
a distance not less than 2500 miles. I then thought what immense
undeveloped resources does this vast valley contain! What an object of
sublime contemplation is this broad and beauteous region in its surpassing
fertility--its measureless capabilities--its vast rivers--its deep
untrodden forests--its boundless prairies--and in its ten thousand rising
villages and cities! What vast, complicated and mighty sympathies are
gathering around this valley! What scenes are to be acted here, deciding
this nation's civil and religious destiny! What teeming millions are to be
sustained by the products of this soil--are to live and die, and be
prepared for heaven or for hell on the broad bosom of this valley! There is
nothing but the gospel that can exert a saving influence upon the mass of
mind congregating here, and make this far outspreading and fertile region
the abode of moral beauty and the home of civil freedom. The gospel
planting her foot here, and stretching her arms over the whole extent of
this western valley, must wake up holy affections, and songs of praise to
the sin-conquering Lamb, all along the banks of these thousand streams, or
the blight of desolation will fall here--and the fairest portion of God's
earth will be withered by the scorching fire of human passion--and bathed,
as has been the old world, in seas of human blood! There is but one
influence that can save this mighty empire from the sway either of lawless
anarchy or of iron-handed despotism, or rescue the populous millions that
will spread over it, from the deep "damnation of hell," and that is the
influence of the gospel. What new arguments do we find in this thought to
lead us to be unwearied in our efforts to send Bibles, and tracts, and
missionaries, and to establish Sunday-schools _in the west_!
I have already seen enough of western character to discover that while mind
starts up here vigorous and majestic as the sturdy trees of the forest, it
is exceedingly prone to spurn the restraints, and question the authority of
divine Revelation. No where probably is there more avowed or evident
independence of mind--or with a certain class, greater susceptibility of
being gulled, by a swaggering, boastful departure from the ancient
landmarks of faith. The great adversary is always ready to persuade men
that there is much more manliness and independence in believing something
new, however false, than in adhering to what is ancient, however true, in
the faith of our forefathers.
We had scarcely crossed the mountains and reached the level of the great
valley, before we encountered a group of men of very singular, and
grotesque appearance. Their beards were long and filthy, hanging down upon
their breast. I was greatly surprised to learn that this savage appearance
was for conscience' sake. I was told that these were individuals belonging
to a religious sect called Dunkards. My informant gave me the following
particulars in relation to this people. They sometimes live in distinct
communities, and have all things in common. This, however, is not always
and perhaps not generally the case. They do not usually build houses for
public worship, nor believe in sustaining a ministry as a distinct order of
men. Certain persons in their churches, they think, are from time to time
called to preach, and these are denominated ministers. These individuals,
however, still pursue their own secular avocations as before. They not
only hold to baptism and the Lord's supper, but to washing each other's
feet, and, I believe, the observance of an annual love feast. They also
keep up the ancient custom of saluting each other with the kiss of charity,
and this among all their members, whatever the color or sex may be. Their
converts are all baptized by immersion, and hence, they are sometimes
called _Dunkard Baptists_. They hold to a _trine_ baptism--dipping the
candidate three times, with the face downward into the water. Their
sacramental seasons are periods of general feasting--when they keep open
houses, and free tables. In doctrine they hold to the Arian heresy, though
some of them are decided Unitarians. They also believe, most of them, in
universal salvation, holding that the wicked will be punished after death
for a certain period, and then be restored to happiness. One of the
peculiarities to which I have already referred, is that they feel
conscientiously bound to abstain from cutting the beard, or removing the
hair that grows upon their faces. I am told that this sect is quite
numerous in the west.
Last evening we were slowly moving down the valley of the Conemaugh, on
board the Canal Packet Detroit. The scenery on either side of the stream
whose course we were following was bold and beautiful. The trees were
covered with dark thick foliage--at one time spreading out before us the
view of a lengthening forest, and then again opening to disclose to us a
rich verdant lawn--a beautiful corn field or a smiling farm house--with all
its usual appendages for convenience and comfort. After the lingering rays
of twilight had faded away, and night had drawn her sable covering over
the woodland scenes that stretched so gracefully around us, the moon rose
in silvery brightness, and poured down her rich mellow light on all the
shadowy landscape. Now and then a floating cloud crossed her path, and gave
a deeper momentary shade to the sombre shadows that here and there were
flung over the face of nature. It was a summer evening to make one court
the open air; most of our passengers were on deck. Some were sitting apart
by themselves, in silent meditation: some were gazing upward into the
peaceful heavens--and others, off upon the quiet scenes of nature. Others
stood around in little groups and knots, holding various conversations. I
was walking slowly from one end of the deck to the other, a silent observer
of what was passing around me.
At length a remark that I heard arrested my attention, and led me to stop
and listen. The group was composed of some six or eight individuals, who
were most of them evidently well educated and intelligent men, though, as
it will appear in the sequel, exceedingly ignorant upon all topics
connected with the gospel. One of the number was a physician of some
standing; another a lawyer, a member of the Senate in our state
Legislature, who although young has already attracted considerable
attention by the depth of his acquirements, and the brilliancy of his
talents.
The remark which fell upon my ear, and drew my attention to the discussion
that was going on in this little group--was--"that any man would find it
hard work to be an infidel." I was glad to hear such testimony from such a
quarter. As it was regarded no intrusion to sit or stand any where, where
one chose on the deck, I found an unoccupied seat near this little knot of
gentlemen, which I immediately took with a view of listening to their
conversation now that it had turned upon the subject of Christianity. The
question had been raised as to what constituted a Christian, when one of
the company thus delivered himself:
"He may be called a Christian who acknowledges the divine authority of the
doctrines and precepts of the Saviour."
This remark the more interested me, as it came from one who had spent much
of his time since we entered the packet in card-playing. As the
conversation progressed, I became more and more interested--but determined
to continue a silent listener. The general style of remark, was of a
character that evinced beyond all question a consummate ignorance on the
part of the speakers, not only of the real design of the gospel, but of the
leading truths which the Bible unfolds. I could not but think how
melancholy it was that so many of the distinguished men of our country--who
were well educated in other matters--should be so profoundly ignorant, in
the science of all others most important. I could not but fear that the
individuals congregated in that little group but too truly represented
several classes in our country, which taken collectively constituted the
majority of our population. I was so struck and so pained at what I heard
that I felt constrained to note down the substance of the conversation at
once.
As the conversation progressed, one of the gentlemen observed--
"No man can come up to the requisitions of the gospel: neither is this
expected. It of course became a perfect Being, like the author of
Christianity, to lay down a perfect system. We are to aim to reach this
system in all its demands. Some will succeed in one particular, and others
in another. No one will come up to the required standard in all things.
Still every one should do what he can to come up to the model set before
us. This is my idea of being a Christian."
The same individual afterwards observed, "Christ had great shrewdness. He
never answered questions directly, but evasively. Take, for instance, the
case when he was asked 'Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar,' he
replied, 'render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the
things that are God's!' this is the way he generally did. It was difficult
to obtain a direct answer from him."
"He was like a Yankee," said another of the company, sneeringly.
"Or like a Quaker," rejoined a third, with a leering laugh. "I never yet
could get a direct answer from a Quaker; they will always answer your
question by asking another."
"That is because they wish neither to give offence, nor to get caught,"
replied one of the company.
I felt it was almost sinful to sit and listen to this profane manner of
speaking of the blessed Saviour--of Him before whom the loftiest hierarchs
in heaven cast their crowns in lowliest reverence. It was a page of human
nature, however, that I thought it well for me to read; and therefore, I
sat still:
"A really conscientious man," continued the man of law, "is just the worst
witness that can be brought on to the stand. He has so many qualifications
to make, and is so afraid that he shall not state every thing precisely as
it is, he fritters his whole testimony away. A legal friend of mine told me
the other day that he had just lost a cause by having a student of divinity
as a witness. When he conversed with him in private, he thought his
testimony would be entirely conclusive, but when sworn he made so many
qualifications to all he stated, such as--'if he recollected
correctly'--'if he heard correctly'--'if he did not receive a false
impression,'--and ten thousand other hypotheses, which so weakened his
testimony as to render it good for nothing."
Again the conversation went back to the question as to what constitutes the
substance of Christianity. One of the gentlemen remarked.
"In my view the whole of it is summed up in this precept--'Do unto others
as ye would they should do unto you.' Whoever acts on this principle is a
Christian; and I don't care what he believes about the Trinity, or
atonement, or any of the other mysteries of faith. Let him be a Unitarian,
or Trinitarian, or believe what he chooses about the Deity, if he acts on
this principle he will do well enough, and need not trouble himself about
matters of faith."
Another of the group responded--"This is undoubtedly true--it is in
accordance with common sense; but some hold strange views. A lady of my
acquaintance, the other day, was expressing great anxiety about the
salvation of a certain acquaintance of hers. This acquaintance, though
somewhat of a fashionable woman, and not particularly religious, is
nevertheless a most lovely and estimable character. I replied to the lady
expressing this anxiety, 'If you think she is in danger, I am sure there is
not much hope for me.' She looked very grave, and shook her head as though
she thought my case wholly desperate. Now I think it is horrible for people
to be cherishing such opinions about their neighbours--looking upon all the
community around them as going infallibly to an eternal hell, unless they
have a certain species of faith, which is supposed to ensure to those who
have it the favour of God, and everlasting life. I believe this is all a
mystic dream, and whoever acts on the principle 'of doing to others, as we
would they should do to us,' may with perfect safety give to the winds all
apprehensions about salvation, and all controversies about doctrines, and
particular forms of faith."
The individual who uttered these sentiments was the very person who had
remarked that "it was hard work for any one to be an infidel."
To me it seemed astonishing, that intelligent men, who knew any thing of
the scriptures, could hold the views that had been broadly expressed, and
yet suppose that they were not infidels. I was more than ever convinced
that men might be learned in science, in law, in medicine, in politics, and
yet be profoundly ignorant of the great design and prominent features of
the gospel.