The Centennial Anniversary
of the First Presbyterian Church
of Knoxville, Tennessee

and the Semi-Centennial Anniversary of
the Ministry of Rev. James Park, D. D.

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The next regular incumbent after the death of Mr. Carrick was Rev. Thomas Hart Nelson.  He was a native of Guilford County, North Carolina, and was born April 2d, 1776.  Mr. Nelson was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Cumberland, in Kentucky, October 4th, 1804.  In 1809 he moved into the bounds of Transylvania, and afterwards became a member of the Presbytery of Muhlenberg.  He came to Knoxville, May, 1812, and on the 10th of September following was received as a member of Union Presbytery.  What progress the Church made under Mr. Nelson's ministry up to 1816 we have no means of knowing.  From 1816 to 1833 we have no written records except the "Register of Communicants" and the "Register of Baptisms," the first of which seems to have been taken up to the Presbytery occasionally for review, as its entry, "approved as far as written," in 1818, 1822 and 1833 indicates.

In 1822 there was an extensive religious interest in the community, and forty-six were added to this Church, among whom were the late Hon. Edward Scott, Judge of the Circuit Court, and Sarah, his wife; Moses White (son of Gen. James White), and Isabella, his wife; Mrs. Malinda Williams (wife of the late Col. John, and daughter of Gen. White), and other persons of character and influence.  Again in 1828, forty-six persons were received into the communion of this Church, the fruit of a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and among these were the late Hon. Thomas L. Williams, Chancellor, etc.; Hon. Spencer Jarnagin, senator in Congress; Hon. W. C. Mynatt, and others long since dead; and of those still living, Joseph L. King, Catherine Strong (now Mrs. Fleming), Mary Park (now Mrs. William S. Kennedy).  Mr. Nelson was a man of great purity of character and holiness of life.  His preaching was pre-eminently plain and practical.  He was an earnest, honest, uncompromising Christian, and was esteemed by all who knew him as a man of uncommon goodness.  In his theology he was sound to the core and preached the pure doctrines of grace.  He died on the 24th day of September, 1838, and left behind him a blessed memory.  His body, like Mr. Carrick's, rests in this graveyard, waiting the blessed day when it shall rise from the dead and be fashioned like the body of the glorified Son of God, and so be forever with the Lord.

The late Rev. Thomas W. Humes, S. T. D., formerly rector of St. John's P. E. Church, and President of the University of Tennessee, was converted in the revival of 1828, and united with the Second Presbyterian Church.  About 1844 he took orders in the Episcopal Church.

The Brick Meeting House stood on part of the ground occupied by the present church edifice.  The lot (one acre) was given by James White as the site of the Church when he laid out the town.  The pulpit, as many of us remember to-day, was octagonal in shape, having a sounding board over it, and was reached by a flight of eight or nine steps.  A "Precentor's box" stood in front of the pulpit.  The pulpit stood against the north wall of the house.  A long aisle ran through the church from west to east, and a short aisle, starting from a door in the south side, intersected or joined the long one in front of the pulpit.  Two short pews in front of the Precentor's box, looking out from the pulpit, were known as the "Elders' Benches."

The Precentor led the singing, and parcelled out the hymns two lines at a time.  On communion occasions they used the old Scotch method of distributing tokens to all in good standing, which were taken up again by the elders while the communicants sat at the table, and before the distribution of the elements.  The tokens were pieces of metal and resembled a small coin.  Those used in this Church until about 1841 are now in my possession, specimens of which will be deposited with this discourse in the Presbyterian Historical Society House in Philadelphia.

"The Brick Meeting House," as it was generally called, had scarcely been finished when trouble began.  In January, 1818, after the pews had been put in place, they were sold, and an annual tax levied upon each one to meet the stipend of the pastor.  At that time they knew no other way, perhaps, of meeting the salary of the pastor, and considered it part and parcel of the Presbyterian Church polity for every family to have their own pew -- which, as a means of keeping the children under the eye and control of parents, was a good thing.  Some parties had become dissatisfied, perhaps because they were unwilling to pay the amount assessed upon what was considered the most eligible seats.  Besides, the leaven of Hopkinsianism had begun to work in this end of the vineyard.

Dr. Isaac Anderson, of Maryville, was a straightout Hopkinsian, and strongly tinctured with Emmonsism.  He had his admirers in Knoxville.  The disaffected in this church made the sale of the pews the pretext for complaint of straightened accommodations, and the necessity for organizing another church; and accordingly they sent up a petition to Union Presbytery, in April, 1818, praying to be organized into a separate church.  The Presbytery refused to grant the petition, and the petitioners appealed to the Synod of Tennessee.  The session of this (First) Church sent up a remonstrance against the entertainment of the appeal on account of informality in the proceedings of the Presbytery, and submitted facts which they supposed would be sufficient to warrant the Synod to sustain the action of the Presbytery in refusing to hear the prayer of the petitioners for a second church.  The Session showed:

"I. That $500 per annum was all that the Church had been able to raise for the support of the pastor.

"II. That no one who wanted a pew or a part of one, and would pay a reasonable amount per annum for it, had been nor would be denied accommodation.

"III. That some of the petitioners for a second church resided in the bounds of other churches that were regularly supplied; others of them were not habitual attendants on any church, and a few of them were avowed disbelievers in the Christian faith.

"IV. That the names of such persons as the last two classes of the petitioners, together with their households, bond and free, attached to a petition for organization into a separate church, should give no weight to it in the estimation of the Synod; and that no judicatory having the care of the health, peace and fellowship of the body of Christ, should countenance such proceedings.

"V. That some whose names were attached to the petition, had since denied that they ever signed it, and affirm that they only signed a paper purporting to be a subscription to procure Dr. Anderson to preach in Knoxville once a month.

"VI. That of those who consented to the petition, only two were actually members of any church."

And lastly, the Session pledged themselves to substantiate their statements, if the Synod would appoint a commission to take evidence in the case.

This remonstrance was dated Knoxville, October 10th, 1818, and signed by James Campbell, clerk ("old Scotch Jimmy").

The Synod disregarded the remonstrance, overruled the decision of the Presbytery and ordered them to organize the Second Presbyterian Church of Knoxville, according to the prayer of the petitioners.

The session of the First Church then asked to appeal to the General Assembly, which was refused.  Waiting a year in the hope that the Synod would, upon application, reconsider its action, the session applied for this at the meeting in 1819, but Synod refused and would not so much as give an explanation of the grounds of their action.  Then the session made a direct appeal to the General Assembly of 1820, to revise and decide upon the correctness of the Synod's proceedings, and sent up with their appeal copies of the proceedings both of the Presbytery and Synod.  But nothing came of it, and the Second Presbytery Church of Knoxville was a fixed fact.  The appeal to the General Assembly bears date May 10th, 1820.  Original copies of the remonstrance and appeal are in my possession.

After Mr. Nelson took charge of the church several other elders were elected, to-wit:  Thomas Humes, James Campbell, John Craighead, Moses White (son of James), Robert Lindsey, James Craig, Dr. Jos. C. Strong, James Park and William Park, all of whom were good and true men, the memory of whose names is still fragrant as perfume in this community.  During the time of the struggle for the mastery by the Old and New School parties in the Presbyterian Church, from 1832 to 1838, Mr. Nelson stood firm in his allegiance to the old paths.  He was warmly supported by all his people, and of these, one elder, James Park, was his chief advisor and counsellor.  This elder was a thorough theologian and an acute reasoner.  No man in East Tennessee was more thoroughly posted on the doctrines and polity of the Church than he; and no one was more ready or able to resist errors in doctrines or encroachment upon Presbyterian order, than he.  Among the eldership he had no peer, and the best theologians and ecclesiastics among the clergy found in him a "foeman worthy of their steel."  It is in recollection of the speaker and others here today, how this elder used to rise in the congregation after the sermon by Mr. Nelson, and read his manuscripts on the questions at issue in 1837 and 1838.  He never forgot the injunction laid upon him by General White, who, in his dying hours, "charged him to keep constant watch over, and guard this Church."  This Church has always been "Old School."

From the time of its organization until the autumn of 1838-a period of about 48 years -- with the vacancy of three years between the death of one and the incumbency of the other, this Church was served by but two pastors.  During Mr. Nelson's pastorate 204 members were added to the communion roll.  After his death, during the winter of 1838-39 the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Samuel Y. Wyley, a grandson of Hezekiah Balch, who took his theological course at Princeton, New Jersey.  Mr. Wyley was succeeded, in May, 1839, by Rev. Joseph Ives Foote, as a supply for one year.  Mr. Foote was born in Watertown, Connecticut, November 17th, 1796.  He was an alumnus of Union College, New York, and of Andover Theological Seminary.  Before the end of the year for which he had engaged to preach in Knoxville, he was elected President of Washington College, in Washington County, Tennessee.  On his way to College to be inaugurated, he was thrown from his horse and killed, on the 21st of April, 1840.  The session of this Church then applied to the Board of Domestic Missions for a supply, and Rev. Charles D. Pigeon was sent.  He was a learned man and an elegant writer, and sometime edited the Theological Review, but as a preacher he was by no means a success.  He made but two attempts to preach here and failed wretchedly both times.

In December, 1840, Rev. Reese Happersett, of Pennsylvania, came as a supply.  The next spring he was called home by the illness of his father and did not return.

After Mr. Happersett's departure, Rev. Robert Burns McMullen, then professor of Chemistry and Natural Science in East Tennessee University, supplied the pulpit, and after a few months was regularly elected and called to the pastorate, and was installed November 21st, 1841. Under his charge the Church flourished.  The old house of worship was remodeled and improved.  Under his administration we have the beginning of the regular records of the proceedings of the session.

He was a zealous worker, an earnest and forcible preacher, a good ecclesiastic, and systematic and methodical experience that profession was no disadvantage to him as a preacher.  He was a Princeton theological student in the palmy days of Alexander and Miller, and the early prime of Charles Hodge.  Up to March, 1855, the number added to the Church under Mr. McMullen's administration was 247.  Subsequently, during his pastorate, which terminated by his transference to the Presidency of Stewart College, at Clarksville, in November, 1858, thirty-one (31) more were received into communion, making a total of 278.  In the second year of his pastorate, twenty-six (26) united with the church; in the next year, 1843, thirty-two (32) were added to the roll.  In 1852, as the fruit of a gracious revival, while we worshipped with the Baptist brethren in their house, Rev. Matt. Hillsman being their pastor, forty-nine (49) more were added to our Church, and about the same number to the Baptist communion, while others attached themselves to the Second Presbyterian and Methodist Churches.  In 1853-4; between thirty and forty persons joined the Church.

It was in 1852 that this congregation undertook to build a new house of worship.  It developed upon me to assist in raising the funds, by subscription, for this purpose.  It was completed and this house was dedicated to the worship of Almighty God, March 25th, 1855.  On that occasion Mr. McMullen preached a discourse, giving the history of this Church from its organization to that time, as fully as the material at hand would allow.

The first deacons elected and ordained in this congregation were Jos. L. King, Carrick W. Crozier and William S. Kennedy, who were elected September 1st, 1842, and were ordained on the 16th of October following.

At the close of the year 1858, Mr. McMullen left Knoxville and this Church to assume the duties of the Presidency of Stewart College, now the Southwestern Presbytery University, at Clarksville, Tennessee, and the session and congregation of this Church adopted papers expressive of their love and esteem for one who had served them so long and faithfully, and of sincere regret at their separation.  Mr. McMullen died in Clarksville, January 16th, 1865, eight days after the death of his wife.  At a congregational meeting held February 27th, 1859, Rev. Robert Hett Chapman, D. D., of North Carolina, was elected pastor; but declined the call.  On the 26th of June following, Rev. Samuel Hodge, of the Presbytery of Holston, was elected pastor; but he also declined the call.  At a congregational meeting held on the 16 of October, 1859, for the purpose of electing a pastor, Rev. Messrs. W. A. Harrison, of Gallatin, Tenn; A. L. Kline, of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; R. H. Chapman, of Asheville, N. C.; A. W. Pitzer, of Leavenworth, Kansas, and Rev. --.-- Cleghorn, of New Orleans, were put in nomination.  Mr. Harrison received a majority of all the votes cast, and the minority expressed their concurrence in the call.  Mr. Harrison came to Knoxville, December 7th, 1859, and was installed pastor March 26th, 1860.  He continued in charge of the Church until the winter of 1863-4, during which time about forty-five souls were added to the Church.  In the spring of 1864, he with others, who were considered disloyal to the Government of the United States, were sent South through the Federal lines.  The Church was vacant from that time until February, 1866.  From November, 1863 to May, 1st, 1866, the Church edifice was held by the United States authorities, and was used as a hospital, then as barracks, and afterwards as quarters for refugees who came to Knoxville from upper East Tennessee and North Carolina ostensibly for protection from the Rebels, and finally was turned over to the Freedman's Bureau, and was held and used by them as a Negro school home nearly two years, that is to say, more than a year after the surrender of the Confederate army.

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This page was last updated December 5, 2003.
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