Dr. Matthias Winans was "one among the first fruits of Jamestown," in Greene County, Ohio, east of Dayton. He had been impressed with Alexander Campbell's defense of Christianity in the 1829 Owen debate and was subsequently baptized by Aylett Rains in August, 1830 (CM 7 [1833], 30; cf. R. Richardson, Memoirs of Alexander Campbell, 2.283). Winans was a physician by profession (MH 2nd ser. 4 [1840], 186), but he also saw himself as "a called and sent minister of Jesus Christ" (CM 7 [1833], 113), meaning that he, like all believers, was charged with the "ministry" of evangelism (CM 13 [1843], 154; but cf. Ev 9 [1841], 126-7, on the need for the church to support "called and sent" missionaries). He evangelized locally, taking no money for his efforts (MH 2nd ser. 4 [1840], 186), and he once debated publicly a "Yankee Baptist preacher" on whether a believer was saved before baptism (Ev 10 [1842], 45-6).

Winans was an avid consumer of religious periodicals (MH 2nd ser. 4 [1840], 186), which he plied with constant queries and comments. Numerous entries on a wide array of topics appeared in the Christian Messenger, the Millennial Harbinger, the Christian/Evangelist and elsewhere (MH 6 [1835], 125-6). He sometimes even swamped the editors: "Bro. Winans must exercise a little patience. We have yet on file several of his communications, which shall appear in due time. Editors" (CM 8 [1834], 178; cf. Ev 3 [1834], 113). Only sickness eventually stayed his hand. D. S. Burnet, who lamented the death of "a father in Israel" in 1849, noted that "As a writer, he was peculiarly original and discriminating. For a few years he had but seldom employed his pen, in consequence of a slight paralysis," (MH 3rd ser. 6 [1849], 537). In short, Winans was thoroughly engaged with the issues and questions facing the various wings of the Stone-Campbell movement.

The following letter is a field report on the progress of the church in Jamestown since it had been founded three years earlier.

Brethren Stone & Johnson-

Your September No. has not reached my office yet- whether it has miscarried or has not been sent, I cannot tell.

The last No received, gave great satisfaction, especially the statements of the brethren from different places relative to the progress of the reformation. It is a consolation to saints to hear of men and women turning to the Lord-But to hear that those who have obeyed the gospel, continue stedfast in the Apostle's doctrine, increases their joy. If those who build on the foun- dation "Jesus Christ" are careful to put good materials into the building, such as "gold, silver, and precious stones," instead of "wood, hay, and stubble," the reformation will be permanent.

The congregation in this place goes on evenly. No great ele- vations or depressions-But try to imitate the primitive saints in their behaviour and in their worship. We meet every first day of the week, to worship, and commemorate the death of our Lord, by breaking the loaf and drinking the cup in concert, as children of the same family. If any who have not believed, or any who are disposed to gainsay come forth among us, we hold forth the word of life, and make full proof of the gospel facts, by exhibiting the testimony of Apostles and Prophets, and re- citing the numerous miracles by which their testimony has been confirmed-then some of the brethren exhort to obedience, tes- tifying that the Lord is good to them that obey him.

When none but the disciples meet, we exhort one another, and comfort one another, by the precious promises made known by the Apostles in their epistles to the churches. Our Elder sees that every thing is done decently and in order, in the congregation-enforces the Laws of the King, &c. &c.

Our Deacons and Deaconesses attend to the necessities of the saints-see that they are all fed from the Lord's table-the Deacons immerse, and attend to all the business: such as fur- nishing the table, &c. &c. and assist the Elder in execution of the Laws of the King.

Our congregation has not increased rapidly for the last year; but now and then one, two or three become obedient to the Faith.

Yours in the hope of immortality,

M. WINANS.

This letter provides an interesting description of the worship and polity of the Jamestown church in 1833. The worship assemblies included teaching, exhortation and personal testimonies, with the Lord's Supper as an apparent focal point.

Emphasis was on the teaching role of the Elder, and it was assumed that one Elder was sufficient. On these points, compare Stone's guidelines for organizing a Church of Christ (CM 13 [1843], 253-254), which included the formal ordination of a bishop who was "apt to teach and possessing the other qualifications of a bishop as stated in 1. Tim: iv" and of "two or three good and holy men for Deacons." No mention of Deaconesses.

The Deaconesses at Jamestown joined with the Deacons to "attend to the necessities of the saints-see that they are all fed from the Lord's table." It is not clear from this reference to what extent they were attending to the needs of the poor and sick, preparing and/or serving the Lord's Supper, or both (cf. the roles of deacons outlined by A. Campbell, "Ancient Order XIX," CB 4 [May, 1827], 77-78). In any case, Winans assumed that, as a matter of course, churches had Deaconesses and their function was similar to that of Deacons. The mention received no protest or comment from the editor or other readers of the Christian Messenger, who no doubt applauded the saints in Jamestown for trying "to imitate the primitive saints in their behaviour and in their worship."

By way of contrast, the statement, "the Deacons immerse . . . " brought a lengthy protest from brother Landon Duncan of Giles County, Virginia, which precipitated an exchange of several letters (CM 8 [1834], 106-108, 179-180, 331-334, 334-335). Duncan argued that immersion was a duty reserved to ordained evangelists and bishops and not assigned to deacons; while Winans affirmed that "our deacons immerse by virtue of their discipleship" (180; cf. the similar exchange between Winans and Stone, CM 9 [1835], 203-207; and on the idea that baptism should be performed only by an ordained preacher, see S. Rogers, Autobiography, [1881], 36-38, where Rogers describes his own ordination in Ohio in 1819, with imposition of hands by Reuben Dooley and Brother *and Sister* Worley). The attention given to the detail "the Deacons immerse" in a passing note from the field underscores by contrast how normal it seemed that the church should have had Deaconesses.

Winans does not specify here whether Deaconesses immersed at Jamestown as well as Deacons. In the ensuing discussion with Duncan, however, Winans said, "Our deacons immerse by virtue of their discipleship, and because one of them is a strong man and well qualified for the work" (CM 4 [1834], 180), which implies that men did the immersing. On the other hand, Duncan's later reply included the following comment:

. . . Now, as I understand every man and woman, who is a disciple of Jesus, to be a soldier, I ask, did Paul by the authority which he had, establish the order in any one or more of the Gentile churches, that every disciple, or soldier (without any exceptions) had the right to immerse? If he did, (and bro. W. says, I 'will find no specialities') has he not established a doctrine, or practice, I have often heard taught in that well knowing, maxim viz, "What is every man's business, is no man's," and ultimately amounts to no order at all? Was such "the pattern for them to follow?" . . . (CM 8 [1834], 332-333).

Here Duncan implies that the practice of allowing deacons to immerse, which according to him was contrary to the "pattern," might in theory include all Deacons / disciples / soldiers, both men and women. It is interesting that he never criticized the practice of Deacons immersing in Jamestown on the ground that women were immersing, but only on the ground that such activity was not assigned to Deacons according to the "pattern." Either he assumed that Deaconesses did not immerse in Jamestown, or he saw no gender distinction between male and female Deacons. Duncan went on to reject any practical consideration of muscular strength as irrelevant to the question of who is authorized to immerse.

For further progress of the Jamestown congregation, see The Evangelist 3 (1834), 96 (and note the use of medical imagery there).

XPIC
Christopher R. Hutson, Chicago, Illinois