Mecklenburg Church Prosecution of "Worldly Amusements"

During the eighteenth century, most evangelical churches disciplined their members for activities that challenged the structure of the family. However, in with the rise of revivalism and the Second Great Awakening, these enforcement patterns began to change. Two Mecklenburg County churches--Philadelphia Prebyterian and Sugaw Creek Prebyterian--offer examples of such cases.

During the April 22, 1839 meeting of the Philadelphia Presbyterian session, three slaves faced punishment for the act of dancing. Considered a sinful, worldly amusement that reflected the dominant culture, the punishment for dancing could be detrimental. Adam, Nancy, and Philis, all members of the church were guilty of dancing, but each received a different sentence.

The cases of Adam, Nancy, and Philis represented the only dancing cases recorded in the surviving session minutes. Though the church obviously held black members to the same moral expectations as white members, there may have been inequality between the two races regarding allegation. The majority of cases prosecuted in Mecklenburg challenged the actions of white church members, but the church only disciplined slaves for dancing.

Other worldly transgressions performed by white members did face trial. Also in 1839, the Sugaw Creek Presbyterian session judged an unusual case related to this desire to suppress worldly pleasure. In April, Moses W. Alexander publicly acknowledged that he opened “his house to Amusements on or about Christmas last”—likely meaning he permitted all or some of the following to occur in his home: gambling, card playing, dancing, and drinking. He promised not to permit such activities in his home again. However, the session cited a repeat occurrence on May 20, 1839, and summoned Moses once again. During the October session meeting, Moses confessed his guilt yet again and promised, “never to admit of such parties either public or private in his house again.” Due to his frankness, the session felt compelled to allow Moses to continue as a member of the church without further punishment. Like the cases of Adam, Nancy, and Philis, Moses’ also demonstrates the churches’ mission to suppress the congregation’s interest in partaking of worldly amusements.

Often, both the Philadelphia and Sugaw Creek Presbyterian church sessions aimed to restore rather than discipline. Moses’ case illustrates this tendency, for despite his promise to avoid opening his home to parties he repeated the act. The session felt that his second confession spoke the truth, so they gave him the benefit of the doubt. More than likely, the session wanted to avoid disrupting the church community, pardon offenders for confessing their sins, and maintain a respectable congregation that did not excommunicate members for a moment of misjudgment.

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