Untitled Sermon (3)

Your sins will find you out.

Numbers 32:23 23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.

Moses warns Israel that if they break their word to God they will have a reckoning with God.

Sin, will sooner or later be exposed upon the impenitent and unpardoned sinner.

Luke 12:2-3 states that “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”

In Wilmington looking around the down town,

Went to the Bellamy Mansion

Narrative - John Dillard Bellamy, M.D. married Eliza McIlhenny Harriss in Wilmington on June 12, 1839. Over the next twenty-two years Dr. and Mrs. Bellamy welcomed ten children to their family as John evolved from a town physician to a successful merchant, prominent planter, and one of the largest slaveholders in the state of North Carolina.

By 1860, Dr. Bellamy considered himself a merchant and was involved in everything from founding banks to investing heavily in the railroad industry. He was also engaged in enterprises outside New Hanover County. He owned a large produce plantation in Brunswick County, known as “Grovely,” as well as a tar and turpentine operation in Columbus County known as “Grist.” According to John D. Bellamy Jr., “Grist” was the most lucrative of Dr. Bellamy’s investments.

The myriad business ventures required a vast number of workers---enslaved workers in this case-—and by 1860 Dr. Bellamy owned 115 enslaved men, women, and children in three North Carolina counties. At "Grovely," 82 enslaved workers lived and toiled raising livestock and foodstuffs. At "Grist" John kept 26 enslaved men between the ages of 18 and 40 as the tar and turpentine industry involved back-breaking work. At their Wilmington townhome, the Bellamys kept approximately nine domestic enslaved workers on a permanent basis.

By the time the Bellamy family moved into their new home at 503 Market Street in early 1861, the family included eight children who ranged in age from nineteen-year-old Mary Elizabeth to 18-month-old Chesley. One Bellamy, Robert, was born in the mansion in the summer of 1861.

All of the Bellamy sons were successful and by 1890 included two attorneys (Marsden and John Jr.), a pharmacist (Robert), a farmer/politician (George), and one medical doctor (William). John Jr. served in the North Carolina General Assembly and was eventually elected to the US Congress during the infamous 1898 state elections.

The feeling is that this is a family to admire

in 1898 a white mob overthrew the elected government in Wilmington, which was a mix of white and black folks filling the roles of mayor, alderman, police chief, etc..

The mob was stirred up by a group of white supremeists who felt threatened by black businesses that were doing better than the whites.

new paramilitary groups arose in the South. By 1874, chapters of Red Shirts, a paramilitary arm of the Democratic Party, had formed in North Carolina. As black people in the area rapidly emerged into their newfound social status and progressed economically, socially, and politically, racial tensions grew

These dynamics continued with the elections of 1894 and 1896, in which the Republican-Populist Fusion ticket won every statewide office, including the governorship in the latter election, won by Daniel L. Russell. The Fusionists began dismantling the Democrats’ political infrastructure,

In late 1897, nine prominent Wilmington men were unhappy with what they called “Negro Rule” in the city hall. As well, they were anxious of black success in the 1898 U.S. Congressional election.

Tensions built over the next few months with threats and intimidation, even the threats of lynchings meted out at the hands of the supremeists.

On November 1, 1898, a parade of 1,000 men, mounted on horses, on a 10-mile-long trek through Brooklyn and other black neighbourhoods of Wilmington.[82] Joining his Red Shirts were the New Hanover County Horsemen and former members of the disbanded Rough Riders, led by Theodore Swann. White women waved flags and handkerchiefs as they passed.

The whites armed themselves with rapid fire weapons and a Gatling gun, and the blacks were banned from purchasing any form of weapon.

On November 10, the hatred finally boiled over and over 2000 white men attacked the blacks in their own subdivisions. Businesses were burned, men shot in front of their families, blacks of all ages ran into the woods and swamps to save their lives. The shooting continued all night.

Those killed were never really determined. but thought to be over 300. “choke the Cape Fear River with carcasses”,

This incident was reported to be a race riot for years and years, with the truth not being revealed until late in the 20th century. In the 1990s, the facts were exposed and discussed, finally leading to the truth coming out about the incident.

Why “your sins will find you out?”

Remember our Bellamy mansion? In 1898, he participated in the municipal-level coup (orator) in Wilmington, NC. He and others forced at gunpoint Wilmington's elected mayor, aldermen and chief of police to resign.[2]

Bellamy was elected as a Democrat to the 56th United States Congress in 1898, amid widespread voter fraud and intimidation of black voters that accompanied the Wilmington Insurrection of 1898. Wilmington lawyer William Henderson wrote of Bellamy: "[He] walks cheerfully to his seat over broken homes, broken hearts, disappointed lives, dead husbands and fathers, the trampled rights of freedmen and not one word of condemnation is heard."[13] A letter by an African-American on November 13, 1898 identifies Bellamy as one of the leaders of a street mob that had destroyed much property in the African-American part of town three days earlier. [14]

It took a while, but his sins have found him out.

prayers & praises

meyers - all good

marrianne - next sunday invitation

debbie - good

browns - next project - landscaping

david & kathy - all good

birdwells - travels