THE AMERICAN FRONTIERTHE AMERICAN FRONTIER

Frontier livingFrontier living

►Many adverse conditions Many adverse conditions ►PovertyPoverty►Poor healthPoor health►Risk of child birth. Most men Risk of child birth. Most men

married at least twicemarried at least twice►Harsh work and living conditions.Harsh work and living conditions.

DangerDanger

►IndiansIndians►AnimalsAnimals►AccidentsAccidents

ImmoralityImmorality

►Whiskey as common as water.Whiskey as common as water.►GamblingGambling►FightingFighting►LawlessnessLawlessness

Fierce IndependenceFierce Independence

►Unconquerable spiritUnconquerable spirit►Scots-Irish immigration 1700’sScots-Irish immigration 1700’s►Used to hardship and povertyUsed to hardship and poverty►Most were PresbyteriansMost were Presbyterians►““Lived, worked and played hard. Lived, worked and played hard.

Also converted hard.”Also converted hard.”

PhilosophyPhilosophy

►Thomas PaineThomas Paine►VoltaireVoltaire►Common senseCommon sense

Religious Conditions in the Religious Conditions in the ColoniesColonies

Massachusetts: Massachusetts:

►Puritans were Congregationalists. Puritans were Congregationalists. ►Dominated and for a time was the Dominated and for a time was the

established church in some established church in some places. places.

►Universalism later grew popular.Universalism later grew popular.

Revolutionary War 1776-1783Revolutionary War 1776-1783

►““The lowest ebb-tide of vitality in The lowest ebb-tide of vitality in the history of American the history of American Christianity”Christianity”

►Rise of skepticism, Deism, French Rise of skepticism, Deism, French philosophyphilosophy

Second Great AwakeningSecond Great Awakening

►This began on the frontier.This began on the frontier.

Beginning of camp meetings.Beginning of camp meetings.

►““Society did not shape the Society did not shape the frontier; the frontier shaped frontier; the frontier shaped society.” society.”

““That coarseness and That coarseness and strength combined with strength combined with

acuteness and acuteness and inquisitiveness; inquisitiveness;

that practical, inventive turn of that practical, inventive turn of mind, quick to find expedients; mind, quick to find expedients;

that masterful grasp of that masterful grasp of material things, lacking in the material things, lacking in the artistic but powerful to effect artistic but powerful to effect

great ends; great ends;

that restless, nervous energy; that restless, nervous energy; that dominant individualism, that dominant individualism, working for good and for evil, working for good and for evil, and withal that buoyancy and and withal that buoyancy and exuberance which comes with exuberance which comes with

freedom—freedom—

these are traits of the frontier, these are traits of the frontier, or traits called out elsewhere or traits called out elsewhere

because of the existence of the because of the existence of the frontier” Federick Jackson frontier” Federick Jackson

TurnerTurner

These developed to meet These developed to meet needs on the frontierneeds on the frontier

1735 - Birth. Place unknown-perhaps Ireland, or Virginia.

• Little known of early life. Little formal education,

• 1775 Converted by Methodist preachers.

“We will be down-right Christians”

• 1779 - Va. Methodist preachers met in conference at Fluvanna, ordained themselves, and began administering sacraments.

• 1780 - Northern preachers met in conference at Baltimore. Led by Francis Asbury.

• Oppose action of Va, preachers. Two groups agree to submit issue to John Wesley.

1784 - Methodist Episcopal Church organized at famous "Christmas

Conference."

Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury elected "superintendents'!. 0'Ke11y

elected, "elder".• 1785-1792 - O'Kelly served as presiding elder

in Southern Virginia. As many as 28 preachers under his supervision.

O;Kelly and others became dissatisfied with episcopal government of Methodist Church and with Asbury's autocratic rule over church.

• 1782 - Struggle between 0'Ke11y and Francis Asbury reached climax

At Baltimore Conference, Nov,1, 1972, O'Kelly was supported by small minority of

preachers, including Rice Haggard.

Dissatisfied group withdrew from Conference.

1793 - O'Kelly and followers petition for changes in government of Methodist church. Refused.

Organized "Republican Methodist Church" at Manakin Town, VA.,December 25, 1793.

O’Kelly Chapel, Near Durham, N. C.

Before a meeting in August 1794, a the Republican

Methodists appointed a seven man committee to work out a plan of church government.

Rice Haggard arose and said: "Brethren, this (a Bible) is a

sufficient rule of faith and practice. By it we are told that the disciples were called Christians, and I move

that henceforth and forever the followers of Christ be known as

Christians simply."

Following Haggard, A.M. Hafferty arose and moved that "they take

the Bible itself as their only creed."

Plan of church government adopted: elders in every church,

1808 - Christian Church has 20,000 members in southern and western

states.

“In the south were men of like stamp and energy who journeyed

northward into Pennsylvania, southward into South Carolina and

Georgia, and westward into Kentucky, Tennessee and

Alabama.

“ Such men were James O'Kelly, Rice Haggard, William Guirey, …

http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/jburnett/opc/OPC.HTM

1809 Christians in Southern states (O'Kelly group) and those in New

England exchange greetings.

1810 - Controversy over baptism. O'Kelly refused to accept

immersion.

In 1810, the General Meeting was held at Pine Stake church in

Orange county, Virginia. It was here that discussion between

n O'Kelly and Guirey waxed so warm on the subject of baptism. Mr.

Guirey favored immersion for baptism, and Mr. O'Kelly held to the

former custom of pouring and sprinkling.

This led to a division

Some of this group later united with Stone

• Others fromed the "independent Christian Baptist Church."

1811 - Elias Smith present at conference of Christian Churches.

Given right hand of fellowship. Marked formal union between two

groups.

1826 - Death of O'Kelly.

1854 - Christian church split over slavery. Reunited 1894. 112,795

members in 1926.

1831 Merged with Congregational Church.

1957 - Merged with Evangelical and Reformed church to form "United Church of Christ. --B. J. Humble

Work of O’Kelly

Rock Springs Church of Christ, Clay County, TN, est. c.

1805

Rocky Springs Church of Christ, Jackson County, AL. Est. c. 1910

Old Philadelphia Church of Christ, Warren, TN, Est. c. 1805-07

Dunning & Dasher, Perhaps The First N.T. Christians In

Georgia

Sheldon C. DunningSheldon C. Dunning

Died April 2, 1858Died April 2, 1858

In The 79In The 79thth Year Of His Age Year Of His AgeMark The Perfect ManMark The Perfect Man

And Behold The UprightAnd Behold The UprightFor The End Of That Man Is For The End Of That Man Is

PeacePeace

-Psalm 37:37-Psalm 37:37S.C. Dunning Is S.C. Dunning Is Buried At Laurel Buried At Laurel Grove Cemetery, Grove Cemetery,

Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah, Georgia

Dasher Is Dasher Is Buried At Buried At

Sunset Hill Sunset Hill Cemetery, Cemetery,

Valdosta, GAValdosta, GA

CHRISTIAN HERMAN DASHER

1736 Group left Salzburg, Austria and arrived in Savannah, Georgia. They were Lutherans who had been expelled from country by Catholics. Settled in Effingham County, north of Savannah.

1780 Christian Herman Dasher born. No record of his wife’s name but did have 14 children.

1812-1817 Dasher sheriff of Effingham county.

1817 Elected a county assembly man.

1819 Dasher had been christened as a child but became convinced that

immersion was baptism.

Left the Lutherans and he and others began meeting in homes. Confused by

existence of so many churches, he turned to the Scriptures as a guide.

He decided he could not be a Baptist since he had no experience to related.

Questioned their views on baptism though still studying.

No preacher would immerse on a simple confession of Christ to become

only a Christian.

From a Mrs. Threadcraft he learned of S. C. Dunning in Savannah who had

left Baptist church because he did not believe it taught and practiced as Word

of God required.

Upon meeting Dasher and Dunning learned they shared similar ideas

about baptism, believing it was for the remission of sins..

Dunning immersed Dasher and Dasher immersed Dunning. The two, with a

black woman became the New Testament church in Savannah.

Immediately after returning home, Dasher baptized his wife, sister and

her husband. Church met every Lord’s day to take of Lord’s

Supper. Occasionally visited by Mr. Dunning. .

1825 Dasher and a group of more than 30 members of the church moved to what is now Lowndes County, Georgia.

Started church near Valdosta. Dasher Church of Christ still exists.

1858 Died.

SHELDON C. DUNNING

1780 Born in Welton Township, Fairfield County, Conn.

1800,. He became a Baptist minister, but soon seceded from the Baptist church. Perhaps influenced by views of Elias Smith or Abner Jones.

???? Married a Miss Richards and had four children. She died and he later married a Mrs. Osborne.

1818 Dunning was a charter member of the Savannah Steamship Co.. ,

1819 Stockholders chose him as one of five directors for the firm.

Those businessmen were responsible the first steamship to sail the Atlantic. Dunning later went into insurance business.

His study of the New Testament led him to immersion for remission

of sins. Baptized by Dasher.

Every Sunday Dunning met with any and all who came to his home for

worship.

When James J. Trott, Cherokee missionary and evangelist, was once Dunning's guest, he preached in the

home, as was customary.

Later, he referred to "some of the brethren" being "too zealous for the

letter." Such literalism was responsible, no doubt, for the

failure of the Disciples to grow at Savannah in those years.

1838 Alexander Campbell visited Savannah and stayed with the

Dunnings.

1844, Dunning joined Dr. Daniel Hooks in conducting a protracted meeting at the Antioch Church in

Clarke County.

This was credited by Nathan W. Smith with arousing the evangelistic passion

of the struggling congregation:

"The church had been so edified and strengthened in numbers . . . that a

missionary spirit pervaded it,

and so wonderful was this influence that they started me out as their evangelist to preach at different

points."

1846 Joined Nathan L. Smith in gospel meetings in Georgia and

Alabama. Thereafter, until Dunning's death, every summer and into the autumn, the two preached

together at many places.

1858 Dunning died of apoplexy at Savannah. Buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.

When his estate was settled, it was found that a corner lot in Savannah,

owned by Dunning, was kept vacant for years.

It seemed that he intended to use it for a church building. However, there was

no provision for disposition to the church, so the property went to his

heirs.

“Dunning was one of the founders of the Savannah City Hospital, but

his life centered in his strict religious interests.

The casual observer was apt to regard him as stern. Well educated, he was a

zealous student of the Bible.

He searched the Scriptures at his office, as well as at home, and

conversed in biblical language.

Nathan W. Smith called him "the most constant reader of the scriptures of any

man I ever saw."”