Age - Over 60

Section -

ID - 111b
Birth -1793
Death -1858

Gender - Male

Veteran -

Data -

[1] Edward McGuire is arguably the most important figure in St. George’s almost 300-year history. He served as rector for 45 years, 1813-1858 the longest in our record and served in all three St. George’s Church buildings and helped to build two of them. That alone makes him a pivotal figure in this Church. But, his influence stretched beyond the confines of St. Georges.

What accounts for his success? He was a church builder first and foremost at St. Georges. At his death, the newspapers wrote many accolades and focused on the numbers he brought to the Church. The Fredericksburg News wrote on October 12, 1858, wrote Under his faithful culture his congregation has greatly multiplied in numbers and flourished in all of its highest spiritual interests The Weekly Advertiser at the same time noted he had baptized a whole generation in his communion and increased the church from a mere handful to hundreds. From a small number when he arrived the Church had grown to 259 communicants a year after his death.

However, this glosses over his work at the community level in education and social causes and at the Diocese. Level. He was an evangelical, spreading the good news through action and participation. The qualities noted in the plaque amiable in character, prudent in action, sound judgment and consistent conduct united both his work as a builder and evangelical.

McGuire came here as a lay reader since he was too young at age 20 to be ordained in 1813. He was ordained in 1814. He was never trained in a seminary but read with three ministers, including two future leaders in the Church, Rev. William Meade, rector of Christ Church in Alexandria and then with Rev William Wilmer, rector of St. Paul’s in the same city.

He entered the church at a time of disarray. Carroll Quenzel in his history of St. Georges corroborates this point. When he came there were less than a dozen in the Church. He reports the congregation was in a state of complete prostration where those that remained were much discouraged. To make matters worse, McGuire felt the congregation had received him with very little cordiality. The Church building was a dark and cheerless sanctuary.

It was clearly McGuire had the courage to forge ahead to build the second church though it appears the Trustees were making most of the decisions with McGuire not in attendance with the Trustees until the beginning of 1816 after the second church was consecrated.

Quenzel praises his zeal and energy even with setbacks of detractors and health problems early in his ministry. (Based on both the challenges of the Church, a growing family and the number of community activities, McGuire could have overexerted himself). He was able to achieve early success when he reported to the Annual Convention in 1816 that there were 90 at St. Georges. We will not know how much a new building contributed to this success. However, as historian Philip Slaughter reports people were generally interested in what they should do to be saved.

By March 28, 1819, as he writes in his spiritual diary there was a very full Church 4 or 500 people and it wasn’t Easter. (Today our average attendance is 350+). “A work of grace quickly commenced in the Church. Souls were converted by God and aided by their prayers, we began to lift up our head and pursued our work with increased diligence.”

At the same time, McGuire felt hounded by his enemies. The enemies were noted throughout diary entries in June 1819 my mind harassed today by the malignity of my enemies, endeavoring to disturb my peace and would ruin my fame and then later in the month, the spirit of the opposition to me in this place runs high. Enemies are secret and subtle.

McGuire was not discouraged. He admitted my great insufficiency for the work of the ministry. This led to his constant emphasis on improvement and a courageous spirit, neither deterred nor dismayed by difficulties. His soul searching is evident in his diary begun in 1819- O That I may serve him in future better than I had ever yet done. He speaks of wanting to promote harmony and unanimity among Christians

His early biographer John Johns, the fourth Bishop of Virginia, cites his usefulness in keeping religion at the forefront of his parishioners, building up believers. He held frequent services (6 or 7 times a week) and performed baptisms often after morning services as well as preaching in Falmouth in the afternoon. By the late 1840’s Philip Slaughter in his history reported he had baptized 807 persons, including 50 adults and married 524. Just before his death in 1858 he had presented 88 people to Bishop Meade for confirmation, certainly a high point in his ministry. Joseph Packard, a professor at Virginia Theological Seminary, writes that McGuire not only built up his own parish but went through Spotsylvania, Stafford, Essex, Caroline, Culpeper, and Organ counties preaching and visiting.

McGuire was able to personalize religion based on his own religious struggle. In his early life, he had periods of religion over many years but as he said in his diary. “I blundered and fell often.” He began the study of law but was visited by the Holy Spirit This last visitation of the savior was instantaneous and sudden as a flash of lightning from the clouds. It was pure grace, unsought. Packard quotes McGuire’s application of grace and breaking religion down into a basic struggle with worldly temptations and the role of grace. In terms of the former, McGuire’s mind was dejected by the worldly-mindedness of those around him. At times in his life, he criticized plays, horse racing, gambling, and the drink.

McGuire’s life was one of service and accessibility to his parishioners. Johns said that he excelled in pastoral visits and was current on the state of his parishioners. He not only visited his parishioners here but others in surrounding counties and organized other ministers to support other parishes in the region. After the 3rd Church was built, he used the lecture room in the basement to meet with parishioners.

There was the beginning of revivals in the 1820s. McGuire noted in 1823 there have been few instances in which a revival has been characterized by more genuine or decided cases of conversion. However by 1826 while McGuire noted increases to the Annual Council and the service attendance though he regrets that few out of so large a congregation have given themselves up to the Lord. A major revival occurred in 1831 as a 2nd Great Awakening swept across America resulting in 85 new members and increased zeal. This time he noted a fresh impulse has been given to the activity of members leading to deeds of practical benevolence and Christian charity. He was not able to maintain the increases in future years though the Church’s outreach was not diminished. Historian, John T. Goolrick suggests the Presbyterian Church in 1833 provided some competition based on the forceful intellect and the magnetic sympathy of their minister.

The increase of the Church size was one reason why the 2nd Church felt cramped and the push for a new church began as early as 1831. When it was completed in 1849 he wrote proudly to the Annual Council in that year -“The undertaking reported to the last Convention has issued in the completion of a new Church, large and commodious, gratifying the taste in its architectural beauty and promising much advantage to us in prosperity and growth.” Since our Church records at the time were destroyed in Richmond in 1865, we know little about his role in the planning and completion of the Church.

Beyond the work he did for the Church, his sterling character was appreciated. The Fredericksburg News wrote In the lapse of 45 long years, he has kept himself from the slightest reproach. The Weekly Advertiser said it simply A good man gone. McGuire died having just preached his 45th-anniversary sermon. The Weekly Advertiser describes his last sermon vividly with feeble voice and utterance choked with emotion. He noted to his parishioners it would be the last time he partook of the Lords Supper on earth.

[2] Edward McGuire’s success at St. Georges was his work in building St. Georges. This concluding segment moves McGuire into his significant work outside of St. Georges at the Diocesan level as well into his evangelism in Fredericksburg and beyond.

McGuire came of age when the Diocese of Virginia was in pitiful shape. From 59 ministers with priests in 1799, there were only 19 in 1814. Virginia’s economy was in decline. In addition to the lack of financial support and a uniform means for educating those preparing for ordination, priests who had been driven out of the more closely governed dioceses of New England took Virginia parishes and contributed to the overall decline. Attendance at Conventions declined, and between 1799 and 1812 so that it was possible to muster a quorum only twice.

Bishop James Madison, the first Bishop in Virginia, had died in 1812 and the clergy elected 66-year-old John Bracken as Bishop. A young group including future Bishop William Meade, Rev William Wilmer, and layman Edward McGuire looked to block the clergy-led successor and wage a religious coup to elect younger leadership, pressuring Bracken to resign in 1813. McGuire thus had a prominent role from the beginning on the Diocesan level even as he assumed the rector position of St. Georges. He also aligned himself with the low Church or evangelical group. Its membership in that group influenced his outreach activities. This group emphasized working with other protestant groups in causes and embarking in missions and social work.

One influence of McGuire’s time was a philosophy called disinterested benevolence. Man’s true moral character demanded to perform good deeds absent of any personal benefit. First espoused by Samuel Hopkins, a Congregational theologian, there was optimism following the War of 1812 that society could be perfected in preparation for the long-awaited millennial reign of God on earth. But first society needed benevolent organization volunteer organizations of dedicated Christians working to improve the lot of the ordinary man.

From a contemporary perspective, one troublesome part of McGuire’s legacy in our time was his role as a slave owner. From 1818 to his death in 1858 he owned anywhere from 1 to 4 slaves though they were freed at his death. In 1837, when he owned 4 he was in the top 20% of slave owners in Fredericksburg. At the same time, owning at least one slave was a common practice – only 1 in 10 in 1818 did not own slaves.

Slaves used in the home were common in Fredericksburg, much more so that the Free Blacks which numbered 420 in Fredericksburg in 1860 (compared to over 1100 slaves). While there was a feeling after the revolution that gradual emancipation was promising for the 20 years after the Revolution, sentiments had changed by McGuire’s time due to slave revolts. Besides African Americans were viewed as inferior and those that had been freed were felt to be dangerous to society.

A year after he bought his first slave he became a manager in The American Colonization Society branch in Fredericksburg founded at St. Georges in 1819 which proposed setting up a colony that eventually became Liberia for free blacks. McGuire wrote in his diary that it was a great and magnificent design. McGuire saw it as transmitting religion to thousands in Africa who had not been exposed to religion as well and provided for gradual emancipation. Most religious groups believed that the assimilation of the two races in America was impossible and by forming a settlement in Africa as giving African Americans true equality. McGuire collected money at St. Georges for the society from 1819 to at least 1846. Moreover, he journeyed to the local counties, such as Culpeper pushing the scheme. St. Georges, in addition, sent two missionaries to Africa during his time.

McGuire also promoted African Americans at St. Georges. In the 1834 Diocesan Council, he mentioned the spiritual improvement of colored people He praised recent endeavors to instruct them by preaching have been attended by the most encouraging indications of usefulness. though he noted a year later that progress had been interrupted. Trends improved. By 1846 he noted that 2 of 5 Sunday schools were composed of 80 domestic servants. and often taught by the rector. In Annual Convention, he noted 1 African American communicant.

Another interest in McGuire was the condition of the poor. He was part of the Benevolent Society in 1817 to collect contributions through directly calling on people. The tone of the language applies to our time. The winter was harsh and funds that had been contributed earlier were nearly exhausted. Provisions were scarce and prices very high But little can be done at this time by the indigent to provide for themselves the necessities and comforts of life.

Within St. Georges, Christian education was one area that McGuire noted in reports to the Diocese which reported anywhere 3 to 5 Sunday Schools, reaching a high point of 350 scholars in 1846 taught by 30 teachers. The Episcopal Sunday School was the first church Sunday School established in this region in 1816. Sunday schools were part of the social framework of society, broader in scope than our own time, educating the poor in useful knowledge as well as morality and genuine piety. and had arisen in England in the late 18th century. There were two departments – one for the 3Rs and the other to teach the scripture, the psalms and hymns. Faulkner Hall, constructed in 1823, was intended for the accommodation of the Episcopal Sunday School and for other religious purposes. In addition, Bible Classes were mentioned in reports to the Diocese as early as 1827 and by 1833, 60 to 70 attended.

John Washington, the Fredericksburg slave turned freeman and who grew up across the street at the former Farmers Bank (National Bank building), did not have a high opinion of the Sunday Schools in 1852. The schools were in the afternoon and the students were taught the catechism and verses of the Bible were read to us by heart. “I do not think much good resulted from this school for we was not permitted to learn the ABCs or to spell: though he was sent other places where did he learn the skill. (From John Washington’s Civil War: A Slave Narrative)

McGuire’s influence extended in and beyond Fredericksburg, particularly in education. In 1816, he started a Female Academy for young ladies in those branches of science which constitute a liberal and polite education. He offered to provide boarding. In Fredericksburg, he was a trustee in the Female Charity School, examined their books and made appeals to relieve their impoverished state of the funds in 1823. He was also part of the original committee that supported the creation of the Fredericksburg Classical Academy and also became a trustee in that organization.

Outside of town, he was a member of the group that established the Virginia Theological Seminary. He went on to serve as the first secretary of the Board of Trustees in 1821 and served in that capacity until his death. (By 1830, two from St. Georges would be sent to VTS). He also was a member of the committee that selected the land for the seminary and participated in fundraising efforts. (St. Georges had a scholarship in 1833 endowed for 5 years.) Finally, he was a member of another committee that established Episcopal High School. His service and reputation contributed to him receiving a Doctor of Divinity from Kenyon College.

There was also a prayer book and tract society (Fredericksburg Auxiliary Prayer Book and Tract Society, formed in 1817). By 1833, they had handed out 2,197 Bibles after 19 years in existence. McGuire served as chairman for the State of the Church at the Diocesan Council of 1835 spoke to the importance of these issues.

McGuire’s work attracted attention in the Diocese. Bishop Meade in the 1830s, the third Episcopal Bishop, noted the outreach of the parish- the growth of the parish in outward things has been steadily onward. Philip Slaughter reports Such a ministry generally raises up a number of subordinate agencies, such as Sunday and charity schools, Bible classes, missionaries, and other societies. The missionary society that he organized supported destitute congregations as well as foreign missions.

A final legacy of McGuire was that of authorship. McGuire’s wife Judith was a granddaughter of George Washington’s sister Betty. He wrote a book in 1836 entitled The Religious Opinions and Character of Washington. As early as the 1830s, there were debates about whether George Washington was a Christian. Frances Wright boldly asserted that Washington was not a Christian he believed not in the priests God, nor in the divine authority of the priest’s book. McGuire wrote this book to respond to allocations. McGuire depicted the General as devoted to constant prayer, the frequent taking of Communion, and the diligent observance of the Christian Sabbath. There was a large issue taken by evangelists that religion had a definite role in public life in the improvement of morality.

Sources

[1] internal paper -Edward McGuire Part 1 Builder – plaques of the Church – Part 6 – 6/9/2010
[2] internal paper -Rev. Edward C. McGuire, Part 2 the Evangelical – Plaques of the Church, Part 6 6/22/2010

Notes