The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, May 28, 1884, Image 2

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1 he Press and Banner. Uy Hugh "Wilson. 1<", . ~ 1 j ?_. .m r Wednesday, Mny 28, 1884. The Sots and Courier Tr?je to Its Proin.se. A t Mil* of tliia Oil JitrdVPrsV o - - about the literary negro, the A'cirs and Co*rier expressly stated that It did not intend to "gravely combat our romarka Mo propositions" as to public edu-, cation. That paper again, on a later date, said something to the effect that it ?u*. not best to combat otirj opinions in a serious way. Almost immediatdv after these utterances, the.Vctcsj ?g and Courier conceived the idea of perpetrating a big j<?ke on 'the presidents oi l Democratic clubs in tho county, and! "othor promim nt Democrats, as well ami "the presidents ami principals ol several' 4*of the lending institutions of learning *'in the county."' Although these Ren-j tlcmin had been expressly warned l?v! the yews and Co'iricr of its intention not' to "gravely combat" our propositions, ret upon tho receipt of the letter to i which were appended Borne questions,! which would puzzle a first class "Philadelphia lawyer ' t'? understand, and if he| did understand them, two large volumes: would scarcely afford space for an-wers. Tins letter, and the questions propounded ! by the Xeics and Courirr, included ques-1 tions of political economy, moral and re-' hgious training, public education, the; Blair bill, the two mill tax, nice construe- j tions ol the constitution, and?if the an-1 awers of our citizens nro to bo taken as J evidence?all so mixed that very few of: the unswers bear the impress of having beon made in reply to the same qucstions. As a matter of curiosity, wo print; them entire, together with tho sugarplums which the News vnd Courier gen- j erously distributes among the seventeen j gentlemen who ''gravely combat the question." That paper seldom g<-ts off, a joke, but when it docs try i.s hand, j the public jnay look for a good one. The first answer is by Capt. G. M. Mattison, and it is clear from the very j tirst line that he doubts the "sanity" ofj the proponndcr of any such question, i This, wo think, was a slip of the pen. ! Mr. Mattison is a good-hearted man, and ive know would not intentionally inflict! ji wound on anybody, much less make j nnv insinuation as to his doubts of the1 "sanity" of tho Scn\? and Courier. We fool perfectly certain, however, that our influence with the jYews mid Oojtric/-j would hive boon sufficient to set the! wholo matter right with that paper if! Capt. Mattison had not closed his letter j with these words : "My opinion is that 41 a large majority of the voters of Abbe- ] ?? ? ;!!? Pnnnt.v nntort'iin tho vinil'S SlboVft I 41 expressed." Now, wo aro perfectly certain that a majority of our people have | no earthly doubt that the editor of the j News auil Courier is perfectly ".sane," I and we are sorry that our friend should I have fallen into an error in the first line i of hi^Tommunication. The tirst of Capt.! Mattison's remarks was certainly not an ' answer to any question, but a resentment, or personal remark, addressed to the in-1 torroyator. It will he noted that three among the; best and ablest lawyars at the Abbeville! Bar, Messrs. \V. H. Parker, W. C. Benet, | and M. L. Bonham, were misled by thei puzzle of the yews and Courier to i make some statements which were not asked for. Fr.r instance : The questions do not ask anybody Jto characterize any act or possible act of the Democratic! fiarty, yet such characterization is made, | while the question as to the "effect of an i Attempt by the Democratic party to re-| -peal" t!io school tax is unanswered by some of them. Dr. Griersaid: "Thero is no frucedu4i cation which is not moral in its whole j "tone and influence." We agree perfect- j ly with that sentimeut, but the Doctor ! liad in his mind, when he wrote that sen- j ton?-e, the education of the moral qualities as well as the intellectual fatuities,! which a boy or girl receives at home,! at good private schools, or at such excel-! lent mule colleges as Erskine, WoflFord | and Adger, or such suparior fomule col-j leges as the Due West Female College, j and other institutions of like character I where wholesome moral and religious in- j tttruction is given daily by precept and j example. He certainly had no thought j of a public echool taught by a negro of ] such notoriously bad character as W. P. Sanders who is a well educated negro, and a regular certified orthodox teacher, and an implacable foe to the whlto man? <For further interesting particulars of this mail see another article.) We would also say that Prof. Kennedy, like Dr. Grier, did not answer as to his opinion of tho moral effect of public schools. He' meant that class of schools which are! maintained at private expense, and; whose existence is entirely dependent' upon tho moral as well as the intollec- \ tual training which they give. Nobody j would suppose that Prof. Kennedy evtn knows of tho public school which is kept, William If. Ellison, and we are perfectly certain that he knows nothing of the manner in which the aforesaid Ellison gets his shoes. ! Captain E. Cowan, School Commissioner, in answer to tho lirst question of the News and Courier, says: "I emphatically say education has great tnoral effect on the individual." It is a remarkable coincidence, that on the very day the New* and Courier containing his reply was received, one of bis first cri-jrir? >anchors should IlilVG liecil commit te I ted to jail on a disgraceful charge of im-. proper conduct in reference to one of his female pupils. The "unknown correspondent'' evidently answers no question as to the tnorals taught in the negro schools by uogroes in Abbeville County. The Nevrs and Courier. Last Saturday the News ami Courier came down upon us like an avalunch, and almost took our breath. Its exultant editorial, its crushing headings, its array of answers to its interrogatories bjour citizens, together with an artful tabulation of "facts" alleged ta be ascertained from the answers were stunning indeed. The assurance and unmistaka ble vein of good humor which always perrades tto article of the man who is confident of victory, added to our confusion at the first reading, but, after a careful examination of the answers of our people, we shall pick our flints and Bland by our guns awhile longer. It seems to be a pity that a papor which can tnake such a good showing with such a scarcity of bed-rock facts, should be on the wrong side of the gieat question of education. Following the example of our enterprising friend, we have concluded to ask a few questions ourself, and wo hope to > have some valuable information which we may impart to the Xews and Courier in tho course of time. Copies of these questions have been mailed to many citi* zens in Abbeville county, and we have sent a few to Charleston. Of course we shall not be disappointed, even if all the jinswors from Charleston, if any should be received, were to sustain the Hews and Courier. It will be remembered that we have nover vonr.irea an Hssuruuu about the sentiment of the people of that . city. fcfcv; " A Literary Negro Has a Mind to Tarn 'K on Hoiiest Penny. On last Saturday a negro school teacher camo to town and offered to sell Mr. Auerbach a school certificate. Mr. Auerhach told him he did not cure to buy It, but would go across tho street and dispose of it for him. He went over and Bold it for eleven dollars, but when he came back the negro had gone. This aroused his suspicions and an investigation showed thht the negro had forged School Commissioner Cowan's name to the certificate. It was so cleverly done, moreover that Cnpt. Cowan could not be positive that it was a foigerv until he made nu examination of his office and t found thai the duplicate was not on his Die. We could not learn tho name of t this literary gentleman. m ! Will Education Bring on a Conflict o Itaccs ? It is crntended by a low that the educa | lion of the negro will make bitn a bette i citizen, and h lover of good government ;But has there ever boetf a aiugle excep | lion to the rule? Has not the educate! ! negro beeu our bitterest enemy am | strongest foe? Will somebody please tel j or the names of the honest and faithfu i educated negro who has held office ii j South Carolina ? I Wo contend that education is a power and that the uiore education we give th negro, the stronger he is as & political en emy. Education begets self-contidenc and self-confidence is self-assertive. A soon as we have contributed enouirl money to raise the negro's education suf ticiently to be on u level with ti*e whit man's necessarily lower standard is it not reasonable to suppose tha that race, which is so much in tho major! [ ty, will assert its power and take posses isionof this government apd re-instate th< old form of negro rule id South Carolina If so, will not snob a course necessarily bring on a conflict of races? As far a our limited information extends tho Cau casian has never been subservient to any race of people on the earth. Then mua it not be that bloodshed will folic w thi transfer of this government to tho Africw race? In our opinion the African will g< to the wall when such a conflict does tak< place, and If so, will the true friend of tb< nogro precipitate the conflict? If th< white man is to bo made tho slave anc menial of the African, by conftscatint our property lor his education, thci should the Carolinian urgea policy whicl will overthrow the white man and cas down his government?that Kovernmen which our forefathers bought with thei; blood and treasure? If the negro is not to bo allowed to fil the offices, to practice law, or to mete ou physic to uy, wherein lies the patriotisir of educating him and preparing him foi positions which he will not be allowed U till? Tho fact is, that South Carolina Is occn pied by two distinct raccs of people They ar^ antagonistic in every essentia particular. There can be no such thin; as social equality between them?certain ly not as long as this generation of whit* men live. The negro is envious, jenloui and distrustful of the white man, anc will forever vote agaiust him. The mon education he has, the more this envy jealousy and distrust is increased. Tbii mttil lltnm i a a f9?k A sentiment among these people, can nevei be ruled jointly. It will bo either a ne gr<> government or a white man's govern mcnt, and those who are laboring bo in dustriously to confiscate our property an only hurrying the day when wo will b< dethroned, and when the negroe's lilt will pay the forfeit for his timerity. Much has been said about the negr< problem. The true solution is this: I the white man and the negro is allowec an even chance in the race there can bi no doubt as to the result. But if, unde color of law, the whito people are to bi robbed of several hundred thousand dol lars every year, and this amount expend ed in educating the negroes, we may, la boring under theso disadvantages, beove: taken and out-stripped by those who an so much helped by being the recipienti of the results of our hard-earned labor We pay the taxes, but suppose by som< mean.H, wejinituiu esiun me wjiuio rove n'.ie of the government from tbe blacks would there not bo a rovolt throughou the North ? But while litis vast multi tude of negroes are allowed to feast *tou] expense, it is all right, ? t 4^ > Constitutional Question for llie "Sew and Couriern to Consider. A member of the legal profession a Abbeville has called our attention to Art iclo 10, Section 5, amended, which read: as follows: "The Boards of County Commissionen "of the several counties shrill levy an an "nual tax of not less than two mills or 'the dollar upon all the taxable property "in their respective counties, which levi 'Vhall not bo increased unless by specia "enactment of the General Assembly, foi "the support of public schools in theii "respective counties," Ac. Tho Constitution nays, in words, tha the levy shall not be less than two mills but there is no provision In that clause 01 elsewhere to prevent the County Com inissioners of any county from levylnp an annual tax ot twenty or fiftv mills foi school purposes, but tbe people are pro tected from any further raise of the Itrj after it has once been made. Any levj which the County Commissioners maj mako for school purposes is lawful, pro vided it is not less than tu<o mills. Shoulc the County Commissioners of any coun ty conclude to tax tho county fifty millf in any year for school purposes, the tax> payers would have no earthly escape, be' cause such levy would be in exact accorc with the mandates of tho Constitution it self. We think the "two-mill levy," as ii is improperly called, furnishes to thos< who want the Constitution to stand, som< food for thought. If the law had said not more than tw< mills, it would be all right, but it say; not lees than two mills. Change of Sentiment* An Intelligent gentleman of this village, who has been spending several days in Williamston, says that a great change of sentiment lias taken place at that town in reference to the Dlair Bill. At first, nearly everybody was in favor o receiving the money, but now after ma ture reflection, the popular current ii against it. He heard talk of a desire t send for Aiken to come home to defenc himself against tho attacks which an now beinv made on him by tho Intelli \gencer whose editor seeks to displao i Colonel Aiken, that he may got th< place. His attack seems to be or achron ! ic nature, hut with a more vigorous re currency of tho malady every two year since Colonel Aiken entered Congress Of course we cannot speak for any Coun ty but Abbeville, but we would say, tha j from what we know of the public senti : inent, we beliove Abbeville will be soli* ; for Aiken, and almost solid against tb i Blair Hill. Our people are not ready t ; overr ide the Constitution merely to g? a moss of pottnge for little negroes. Another Literary Negro in Tronble. Last week, Wm. P. Sanders, a negr school teacher, charged with bastard} was sent to jail by Trial Justice Hark aess. It seems that Sanders became to j intimate with one of his female pupil I .../vmtuA a/ mo! riurva Ki?t fhfi fra I UIIUU1 Wlli loo U? UIUI I nigV| 1/w. ?MV D? J Lothario's affections had l>een on trap pe by another damsel and recently he mat | ried her. His fust love now comes int ,| court, chancing Sanders with bastard and asks that her wrongs be righted. H was taken out of jail 011 a hxbcaa corpu, j and released on liiet own recognizance. ! Sanders is very black, but quite inte j ligent. He has a tirst or second grad certificate, and is said to write an uncom j inoiily good hand. While education wa I not necessarily the cause of this negro' i trouble, yet it does appear that It basn< i made a moral man of him. I __ The Abbeville Press and Banner ear "We say this, that we can furnish und< niable proof that a large per cent, of th '*onvtuts now in the penitentiary, ai there only because the State educate them and put it in their power to comm I the crimes for which they are now sen Jing sentence." "We shall be glad if on contemporary will furnish thin "undt ' niable proof" without more ado.?Chat leston News and Courier. j At the invitation of our respected cor temporary, we give facts in another col ! umn which we deem "undeniable proof I that nine per cent, of si! conviction at Abbeville within the last four year have resulted from education. Ittaals certain that five other colored person stand indicted for forgery within th time specified, who will surely be con victed, if they are ever brought int Court. Will our friend make a fair am Bipiaro admission of these facts? 0 eonrsu the News and Courier knows ouri is a county paper. We speak only f(> Abbeville County. The same paiagrapl in our paper which would speak for tl. county, would ?peak for the whol .state, if it appeared in the News an Courier. i '1. i . J ft f Interesting Statistics. Since Jauuary, 1880, there havo been ninety convictions in the Court of General Sessions for Abbeville County. This r list include* white an well as colored and . and those convicted of niisduinoan. or*, such as assault and battery and . carrying couoeuled weapons, and other crimes not classed as infamous as J well as felonies of higher grade. Of 1 those then/ were eight negroes convicted i of forgery and obtaining goods by false ^rutenses. They were without exception > vminif tiAcroPH. In other words, about ^ ?o o? , - . nine per cunt, of all convictions obtained . in the Court here for four years were of ' young negroes for crimes that would have been impossible if they had not * taught been to read and write, e In February, 1880, Sam Williams was K convicted of forgery. He had forged quite a numbor of orders, stated to be 1 eighteou, and aggregating in amount '* about $100.00, on Phillips <? Jackson, of p Ninety-Six. Ho was sentenced to onei yoar'h impiisoninont in the Penitentiary. I ' About March 1, 1881, he returned to1 t Ninety-Six. About May 1, 1881, lie was! - indicted for forging orders on McOhce <fc ! . Hodges, of Ninety-Six. At June Term, i 1881, he was tried for the forgery. He. 0 was acquitted by tho direction of the: ? Judge on the technical ground that his of- j c fense con jistod in changing audinoreas-j , ing figures which was not forgory, but! | wa* at the same term indicted lor ob-' * taining money by raise pretenses ana / was convicted of that offense upon tlio t same sine of facta ?ud sent to the Penitentiary for another term, In February, 1880, one Jim Houston 1 was convicted of forgory and sentenced j to one year in the Penitentiary. In May. D 1881, he was arrested on another charge of forgery, committed after his return from 9 Columbia. Ho was discharged at June 9 Term, 1881, without a trial, owing as we ] are informed, to the failure of tlie prosecutor to appear, but the indictment is * still pending against him. 1 At February Term, 1880, two other i young negroes were indicted for forgery. I The indictments are still pending against . them, as the olBcers of the law have uot 1 been able to apprehend them. r In 1882 Dock Uouldsby and Whit Gouldsby were indicted for forging an " D \l/./l/?n ?f hno Wuwf. Thtt J UlUtl Ull lit A ? Hl^UUU <*u 4/uv - v.f. . ..v proof against them was clear and the ' trial justice ordered, upon the prelimina1 ry examination, that they should give r bond or go to jail to await their trial. He allowod them to go out in town in company with a fnond to find sureties to go upon tlieir bond. Tbey did not come . back and have not been soeu or heard ol since. J The News and Courier of last Wednes1 day publishes interesting^ statistics of ; crime in the State. In spito of all the . money which we spend in educating tlie 4 negro it would seom that crime, within ' the last year, has increased ten per cent. ? That report says: 1 "At the Spring Term for Abbeville 5 "County in 18S3 there were 10 convictions, all colored, and for tlto following ? "offenccs: Hurglary 1, larceny 2, carry3 "ing concealed weapons 2, stealing from f "the field 1, obtaining goods under false "pretences, 2, malicious injury to stock 2." While the State is indebted to tho " News and Courier for its very excellent - report, yet that report docs not prove one . point, which wo wish to call attention to, and that point is this, that negro education was responsible for two of the ten con5 victions?or twenty per cent. Under the 3 bead of obtaining goods under false pretenses John Williams alias Davo Williams was convicted, hi? olFenso being 7 the insertion of a figure "1" before a tigf uro "4" which made "14" Instead ol "4." ] This was in an order from his employer to the merchant to pay him for cutting 4 cords of wood. Instuiading of receiving r pay for cutting 4 cords of wood his 9 educational advantages at tho public . schools enabled him to put a figure "1" l\o(Vtro Mm ?44 M uriH Ha HrPW nnv for 14 ' cords. So the Nctc^and Courier may - score a conviction to' i^o public schools, r Tno other case for obtaining goods under , false pretenses was that of William ii. Ellison, the holder of a tirst gfiido school 3 teacher's certificate, and a regular orlho. dox teacher in the public schools for sev? en or eight years under Democratic rule. He went to "the shoe-shop of Mr. J. Kurz of this town, and bought a pair of shoes at 85.00 saying that he had a teacher's t pay certificate at Messrs. Cunningham <t . Templeton's store, and that he, (Mr. Kurtz) could go there and get his money " for the shoes. Mr. Kurz knowing Ellison to be a teacher let him have the shoes and when he went to Messrs. Cunningham & Templeton's to get his money, he , found these gentlemen had no money or school certificate belonging to Ellison. Mr. Kurz could not get pay for his shoes, t and lie* had Ellison indicted. He was tried and convicted, but through Mr. Kurz influence, the jury recommended s him to the mercy of the Court. In consideration of that recommendation, the senj tenceofthe Court was 850 line, of six months in the County Jail. The prisoner , had no money, or collaterals to put up to r get it. In this condition of affairs he made a most earnest appeal to his unlettered I brother, Alfred, who is a straight forr ward hard-working farmer, and pledged r him his pay certificates until the debt NtioiiHi uc paia. Aiirea came to ms rescue, mortgaging his house to raise the money, * which was paid into Court. William A. , Ellison has been and is still a regular r orthodox teacher, but ho hits never paid his unlettered brother one cent of the money which he advanced for him. Nearly anybody can see from the above r that education does help an occasional . lilerary negro to got into the Peniten/ tiary. . X ' The Blair Bill. We join the News and Courier in call* I ing for an expression of sentiment by the . people on the Blair Bill. The Press and i Banner will no doubt bo ablo to speak . authoritatively on that subject after next . Saleday. The County Club will in all I probability speak on that day, and it . speaks the voice of /Abbeville county. An Aiken is away, attending to the duties t of his office, while another is seeking to 5 get his place, we think it would bo noth? 5 ing amiss for the Count}* Club to spoak our choice for Congressman. > 1 A Matter of Regret* It is a matter of Boine regret to us that we cannot print a paper to suit the notions or the opinions our of neignbor, the . Edgefield. Monitor. We have endeavored i in the past to be agreeable, just and fair i to that paper, but our best efforts have been of no avail. Ehenezer Church. Rev. Robert Edwards organized the first 3 Methodist Moclety at this place ahout the year i8to. He firm preachod at my father's house 0 one mile Troin the present location of the 1 church. Very *oon a brush arbor was built near rav father's mill 011 tbo banks of Jones' 0 Creek, where the Circuit preachcr had regular . appointments. It was here that the first society was orKunizert. Some of the leading 3 members of the original society were my la0 ther, David Kel er. and wife Rebecca; his brotner. John Keller, and wife Elizabeth; - Uriah Keller and wife Elizabeth; Walter Keller; George Cromer; Keltner, and wife Rebecca; and others whose name* I have fj been unable to secure. David Keller was appointed class-leader and remained such until ' his death in 1W> He wnsaiso siewara ior n . number of yearn. Many were converted and added to :hechurchat this brush arbor,among t whom wtre Henry Cannon and his sisters . Polly and Nancy ; my mother and two ulsters; Mr*. Penny and daughter: Mrs. Johna son and three boys, Henry, William, and fl Presaley; Jo*. Cunningham and sister Mury; Dolly Keller; and John W. Loniax. Tlie 0 next preaching place was a log school house t about a mile from here, near the road. Preach1 Ing was continued there two or three years. Then the school house waa moved to this place;Just over the road. After preaching there sometime, Ihey determined to build a church. The contract was given to George Loinax, who erected the church which has Just given place to this building. Revs. Edo wards, Dan nelly, Huckabee and Dunwoody were among the first preachers. Haml. Don't woody dedicated the church in 1838 or '39, >. and named It Ebenezcr. None of the original memberr ore now living, and but few of those O whose names I have mentioned. We have s naver had a large membership, being surrounded by other churches on all sides. Our y present number is some forty or fifty. ISAAC A. KELLER. 0 Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly. The June number opens with a beautiful j colored picture, artistic In design and finish, e entitled "A Morning Call." The contents embrace valuable articles?historical, blugraphi*.! ?\l. scientific. natural history, etc.?contrlDu ted by E. V. Smalley. H. D. Woolfe, Duycklnck. Noel Ruthven, Elsom and other popuI* lar authors, Etta W. Pierce continues her Igreat serial, "A Dark Deed," and there are a i variety of short stories, skoiches, adventures i- ! and poems of great merit and exceedingly in'lerestlng. Indeed the 128 quarto page* are 18 brilliant with literary and artistic aitrac g ! tlons; the Illustrations number over one hun. dred ! This remarkable magazino is furnish* ed for25 cents a number, or >5.50 a year, postpaid. Address Mrs. Frank Leslie, Publisher, 53, 65 and 57 Park Place, New York. Amon? the Daisies* 8 Lay her down amonty the daisies, 5" With the fringes ol her eye*. ie Softer than their silver petals, e Closed for blissful reveries* d Fold her little bunds tn wbHenesa As in prayer on her breast; 11 Fear not for their folded lightness ' i On the heart unmovlng pressed; ir For that heart of angel brightness, >_ I Tired so earlv. lies at rest. , ,, "* Tired so early !?when the dawning I Glimmered white-winged through the room, And the skies were half awaking, Half <n fading starlit gloom, I- From the heaven of the starlight ? Came the angel* of the dawn; And the morning winds were sighing, 9 And the curtains eastward drawn, And her sleeping face looked brighter. ? And a whispering sob salu?"Gone!'' & All the daisies are unfolding s In the fields, where never mori Shall the rapture of her chlld-Hfj e Hun in shout and laughter o'er. . Tired so early!?she had gathered Alt her gladues# in swift space. ? She bra snvtg her wong and ended, j Childlike turning pleading face Back to home when Joys are weary? f Toward tl>e one familiar place, S Lay her low amon& the daisies; r AiiL-eiK knew her more than wo : Tliey have Iwl her home from wan-Jerlng, t? Tlied with earihly revelry, e And alwjve her daisied pillow Let her Milnple tale t?e told; 0 Here the lover of the Littles j Bade a little blo*~um Told : u He that wakes the flowers shall wake her. , I White as snow, with her heart of gold. THE MISSION OF METHODISM. A DincMine Delivered by Bcv. W. D. Klrltland on the Occasion of the bedicution of Ebeneser Church, May, 18, 188*. What heart In this large congregation doc* not fevl a thrill ut Joy wneu ltconicuipintcK the ftucc?Hitul l&sue ot your work unU laujr oi love for weeks anil months past. A new, commodlouH, atiu oven nuuanoint; ciiurcu euiflce hua laknn the place of tlio old dilapidated building which stood on this spot Tor so many yeni*. And now with glad licaru we meet together ou this beautiful May morning to solemnly set apart. tills building to the worMiilp of Almighty God. 1 rejoice tliut this happy occasion falls In this historical year of Methodism. it is titling that on tliU, the one hundredth anniversary 01 organized American Methodism, you should come bearing your gifts in honoro. this uveult And whut more appropriate gilt can you oiler, my beloved brethren, than to lny thin beautliui church at the feet of our mother, us the ottering of your gratitude and love? This occasion, and the memorable evont which we as Methodists celebrate this year, ailow mo hut little latitude In the selection of a subject for dlscus>lon to-day. And I am glad it Is so. For, apart Irom the spiclal consideration growing out of the fact that thin In the Centuuury year of Methodism on thin Continent, I can conceive of no lilting subject for an occasion of this kind thun the one chosen for .vour corn-deration to-duy. Wo are met to dedlcutc Methodist chu:ch. How appropriate then, that wo cpend this hour In the study of thu divinely appointed mission ol that branch of ihe Church of Christ, In the Interest of which this bulldiug has been erected. Tho universal mission of the Church of Christ admits of no question or debate. It Is plainly aeon in the great commission, "Go ye Into all the world and preach the gospel to every croature." This 1? tho charter under which the church lives and works, and It cleanly defines her mission to be the evangelization of the nations?the conversion of the world to Christ. For the accomplishment of this work, the church has been amply endowed. Coupled with the command to cnry the gospel to every croHiuro was the blessed assurance, ''Lo, I ?iu with you always. ev?a unto the end of the world '1 The perpetual presence of Jesus Chrlbt In His church Is thus assured. Tills precious boon belongs lo the church unlversal. While Christ Is not divided, He Is yet omnipresent. All dcmonlnatlons, acting under the commission and charier, are equally entiled lo, and do actually have, whether they realize li fully or not, the constant presence of the blessed Christ. And then, the Comforter, the Holy Cost, the 'Power from on high," was also promised. His disciples were instructed to tary In Jcru* sulem until they wen* endued with this power. This they did, and upon the day of Penecost this mighty gift, spiritual and divine fiower, was poured out abundantly upon the nfant church. And this Influence was not to beshort lived, for the Comforter Istoablde with the church forever. The Lord has also left another Important gift with his church, namely, His everlasting word. The Truth, more powerful than error, and as Immortal as the soul of man, Is placed In thehands the of church, with the injunction to disseminate It far and near. Thccnuroh of Chi 1st, bearing the blessed gospel in her arms, and attended on the one side by the Hon ana on the other by the Spirit, goes forth to evangelize tho world. On such a mission, and guided and supported thus by the Second and Third PersonR of the adorable Trinity, sue shall not fail in the accomplishment of her glorious purposes. Armed, equlped with divine power, and seeking the glory of God and the uood of mankind, the powers of the earth shall not be able lo stay her on ward maroh, nor shall the very gatos of hell prevail against her I In addition to theso general and cssenllal elftH. each particular church or denomination is endowed with specific talents. Different denominations, like different Individuals, have uuequaled und varied gifts bestoreu upon them. Each individual denomination haft Home peculiarity of the doctrine, or of po ity, which Hhe Is lo Illustrate in Iter 11 le and teachings. Thue, ono denomination starts out with the sovereignty of God as the grand idea of her doctrinal system, and works on down from this to the cross Clirst. Another starts deep down timid the ruins of the fall, and comes up from that point towards the cross, bringing the sinner with it. Here the two systems meet, and Jesus Christ sanctities and honors both. 80. their differences of ecclesiastic polity, which constitute specific endowments for the accomplishment of the great work of the world's redemtlon. For Instance one church Is endowed with the peculiar benefits of a settled pastorate, while another wields the great nrtu of the Itinerary. Now, growlng.out of the central Idea of her doctrinal system, or arising from the peculiarities of her ecclesiastical polity, each denomination will also have some specific mission In the world. While the prlmeobjectof each must ever be the fame, yet it is perfectly ronsistent for eoeh one to seek that object la bcr peculiar way. One may give special prominence to this or that particular phrase of religious thruth, out ot which peculiarity there url;e special duties and obligations. Or, some peculiarity of government or polity may give rise likewise, to corre>pondlng duties and obligations. 80 that, each denomination of Christians has some peculiar endowment bestowed by God as a high and holy trust: und urowliiK out of this peculiar endowment, each denomination has a specific mission In the world. It Is only In this supposition that any particular denomination claim a right to 11 separate ex Isienco. if she has no peculiar trust, no specific mission, she litis no authority to retain o separate und distinct existence, She should be united with son.e other denomination of the same faith and order, having ldententlcully the same endowmnent* and the same mission. If Methodism has no specific calling, if God has committed unto her no Individual trust, then hus she no right to her life as a distinct ecclesiastic j'Btcm. And I also hold that, the right of a church to a separate existence. Is to Oe measured toy the importance of Lcr mission and the/!delity with which she dlschagcs her trust. The clulms of superior age, or dignity, or even of opostolic succession, so called, uro Insignificant in comparison with this. The Lord Jesus Is not dead that he cannot call and thrust out laborers into his vineyard as It pleaso* him, uor Is the Holy Spirit alar off that he cannot ordain them for the work, not with the Imposition of priestly hands, but with the unction and fire from on high! Method:sm, therefore, claims a divine right to fight In hits done in the past. Is doing to-day, and expect* to do in the future. She points to the trophies she has worn, the sheaves she has garnered, as the credentials of her divine appointment to this work. And by virtuoof the importance of her mission, and fidelity with which she seeks to discharge it) she Hnims as divine a right to live and work ah a ime church ot the Redemer. as that of any other, though thoy may be able to dig up a rusty chain or unbroken succession running back to Adam himself. Methodism has a mission in the world, and by virtue of that mission he claims udlvlne right to live; and by the grace of God she shall live, to bless all the uulions or all the churches! But how are wo to discover the mission of Methodism? Upon what Is it based, uud in what docs it consist? This can only be deternimed by a careful study of her history. Other denominations have started out with well-defined principles, objectts and endSi This mission was as well known In the be< ginning or their nistory ub in any suusiujueni period. They started out with a well-detiued und pre-arrnugcd doctrinal and ecclesiastical system. Hut not bo With Methodism. Emphatically she In a child of Providence. As e dlHtlnct ecclesiastical system, she hud no prearranged plan before her. In fact, Mr. Wesley hod no more Idea of forming a dlBtlnct church than have Messrs Moody and Sankey to-day. The on ly way then, to understand the system, to discover It* peculiarities and to ascertain its mission, Ib to study Its history. We must note Itx gradual nnfloding: we must observe Its accretions of strength and power from without-, and its steady growth and development within, before we can have any thing like a clear Idea of the peculiarities, 01 of the mission ot Methodism. When we consider tho present status ol Methcdlsm, we tlnd it hard to r? allse thut it is scarcely a century and a halt since It had ItB birth in the classic walls of Oxford. Marching out front Oxford, it has made it* power felt throughout Great Uritan; it hat sweptacros* the new world; It has entered the city f the Montezuma's; it is making Inroads upon Catholic South America: lu hymns are being snug beneath thewallsol tho Vatican; it is becoming a spiritual power in cold and intellectual Germany; its class meeting are held on the banks of the Ganges; its love feasta have been Introduced into the Celestial Empire; Africa has a native Metho. dist Bishop: Australia has become Methodized; the Isles of the sea have been invaded by this ubiquitous power, white it* Influence tins been felt and recognized by all the churches. You may start from Liverpool and travel across the continents to Shanghai, Hnu mere win scarcciy ue u point m juui route where you mny not henr the hymns f>J John and Charles Wpsley sung, or whero you may not enjoy an old fashion love-feast ol class-meeting. Take a map of the United States and yon can nnrdly lay the point ol yoor pencil upon a spot thai Is not embrace*) In some Methodist preacher's circuit or ml* slon. Methodism, though last on the field, has outstripped all of her sister churches In members and extent of territory. No won der then that MethodUm has been characterized as "the Kriatest factor In the history ofih< church of Christ." No wonder that Mr. I'cr ronett, the venerable churchman, marveling at Its success should exclaim, "I make ru doubt that Methodism Is designed by Provl dence to introduce the approaching millennium." Whence arose this mlghtv spiritual powei and agenc T Who were It* founders, anil what the Instrumentalities employed In carry' lug on tnl?great work? WhHt were the pe> cullarltes otthelr teaching, and to what specific work did this new and marvelous system ad dress Itself? The story Is simple enough, and to mosto your ears, tsas familiar as household words! Methodism arose in a time of great splrltua darkness. Personal piety had woefully de cllneu. botn among cnurcnmen ana aiwteni.erx. Experimental religion seemeil dying out of the church and the world. Olergymer went into the pulplto In a state of Inuutica tlon. They wore more Ignorant of the Bibi? than of any other book, and Were wholly un acquHlutcd with spiritual religion. Such be ing the spiritual condition or the clergy, tlx slate of religion among the laity may well b( imagined. It was es?entlally ail age of Form allnm; an i??e In which the ehurch seemed wholly destitute of the power of ezperimen tul religion. Then it waft that Metbqdlsm arose to blesi the churoh and tlie world. It aro?e to preuch no new docti lnes, but to teach tne church and the world the fundamental, bat forgotten truth that. Chrutianity it tpirUual li/e. Thf grand old doctrines of tbe reformation. Jasti ncauon oy lann, inc wuneu 01 me ?pir? and sanctlflcntlon or holiness, were Its centrnl (dean; nnd to the Inculcation of tbes< Ideas. it devoted itself with an assiduity an parol led, and with a clearness and force unsurpassed. Mr. Wesley and his companions went not forth to build up a new doctrina system. Their special trust lay not In thi novel tenta, bat in the inculcation of lho*< cardinal doctrines of Christianity which relate to personal and experimental religion Experimental religion thus became the centra: Idea of Methodism, and Its practical system Its Class-meeting and its love-feasts were bui the natural outgrowth of this idea, "Ooi main doctrines, which Include all the rest,' said Mr. Wesley, "are repentance, faith and holiness. The first of these we account as 11 were the porch of rellgtou; the next, the door; third, re lteioa itself." Thus do we find that the primary mission of Methodism, growing out of It* doctrinal system, was none other than revival of *ptr jT..^? 11~2 (L. in WIKK rciiyiVfi in ?r?o wiu? UK? UMU KI i,rw u/ui iu This providential mission was clearly recog nlzed by the early Metbodtats themselveii in the minute* of their Annual Conference they declare that God's design In raising up the preachers called Methodists, is "lo reform the nation, particularly the ohuroh, and tc spread scriptural holiness over the land." "Our call is to save that vhlch was lost," declare they?"to save as many souls as w? can." They believe in th* universality of the atonement and in tbe doctrine of total depravity, They beheld tbo world lying in ale and darkness, while the cfrarch was paralrated by the spirit of Formalism. Thi-y b^ held In th<! death of Christ an atonement foi all Mr>, and ofler of salvation to ail mankind. They recognized the freedom of the human will, and the necessity of a hearty repentance and a living faith In the Crucified One, as the condition* of salvation. They taught from the Scripture*, arnd trotn their own happy experience, that emhracement ol Christ would be followed by h realization or salvation, the Spirit bearing witness wlthCtheir t.plrltH ihut they are born of Uod. And they saw to wh >t height* or faith, and knowledge and love. It was possibln for tbe Christian to attain; so they preached tbe doctrine of boll new, they groaned after this blearing, they experienced It, and they professed It. Such was their doctrinal system, and such wan their mission. It whs eminently osplritaal one. It was to set on tire the nations, thutsln might be consumed, and that they might awake to a new, u spiritual life. Never for one raomeut did they lose sight of this mission. All of their preaching, all of the practical adaptations of their system looked tothlw one grand design of revivingperianal \ religion in the church and world, the spreading ] or Scriptural holiness ovor me land. The' great doctrines of repentance, Justification,] adaption sancUflcation were preached byi men whoro hearts were burning with love to Qod, and with love for souls, aud who had themselves experienced the salvatlou from *ln which thev recommended to others. Anil their preaching, if not with the Intlcing words of human wisdom, was yet with the demonstration *r.d power of the Holy Uhost. Success crowned their luberx. Souls were converted under their ministry: and noi once In a while ony; but Ht almost every j ' service, at almost every meeting or emus, uou thus stamped upon the movement ttio Heal of His approval. Its influence went out in healing over all the nations. The rise cf Methodism wax but the bursting forth of the smothored and almost extinguished fires of spritual life und power. All the churches felt and owed the influence, and thousands of the poor and ignorant, neglecled by the tinfuilhlul shepherds of that day, were brought through this Instrumentality Into the light and llDcr.y of live children of God. Bui the mission of Methodism was a two {lod one. Whilo it wus her mission prlmnrly to revive spiritual religion In the church, it became no less her mission to evangelize the world, to carry the gospel to the poor. Denied access to the pulpits of the Establishment, Mr. Wesley ana his fellow laborers were driven to the streets, the cemeteries and the fields. A holy zeal to rave souls burned wiUiin them, and It must break oat in active effort. If they could not preach 111 tho putpi ts of the established chinch, they mu*t preach elsewhere, preuch as their Master bad done, wherever tho people could be gathered together. What scene of moral grandeur was that of Wesley, rerused permission to preach the gospel of faith and holiness In the church In which his (tainted father had ministered for near half a century, turning with all the zeal and heroism of a Paul to the graveyard, and from the stone which covered his father's grave, speaking out of the depths of hialov IIIK Ileal W1IU WVIIMO VI V?VV* *<iV * Thus did these devoted men carry the gospel to the multitudes ouUtde of llio church. Rooms In private house*, in which they were accustomed to meet for religious worship, noon gave way to commodious cliapela. Societies grew into churches, cnurche* full oi faith and the Holy Ohoxt, As the clergyman of the establishment either ignorant or openly opposed the movement, it bccame necesiary not only to recognize lay-preacher*, but also that tbelr pastors should itinerate from town to town preaching the gospel. Thus was Incorporated providentially, with this movement tho itlterant system to which her success in the pust has been largely due. To supply the peop e with religious instruction In the absence of tiie preacher, it bccame neo essury to appoint sub-pastors. Hence arose that army of devoted laborers in the Master's Vineyard, tho class-lenders of Methodism, without whose services the Itineracy would have proved inefficient, and much of the labor of the preacher wonld have come to naught. Thus, Methodism found a place for every man, and assigned every man to his appropriate place. It restored the primitive "priesthood of the people:" which had been buried beneath the rubbish of centuries of ecclesiastical corporation and priestly arrogance. It impressed upon all of Its converts their personal obligation to work forChrht. While II ' ai tended supremo importance to spiritual life as the distinguishing characteristic of a true church," it nlr>o recognized Christian effort for the salvation of souls u? the cbiel mission of such a church. It taught the scrlptrnl doctrine that, every man who has himself become a recipient of the gospel, Thereby tit comes a co-worker with Go;T in Its propagation. It taught that the obligation to spread the cause of Christ is first and foremost un Individual one. K?r convenience und efficiency in doing the work, as well as to develop to its fullness spiritual life, it iratnored the new-made converts Into clat-scs, and these were united ngaln in Individual churches. But still, Metnodlsm taught that the responsibility to labor for the salvation of souls was now and forever an individual one. Recognizing the truth that no accounts are kept In heaven with churchcs In their corjKjratc cepacliy, but with the individuals composing them, she urged each one of her converts to "let his Hgbt shine," to "use bis glfls," and to llvo a life of zeal aud activity In the cause of Christ. Under the inspiration of such teaching different men and even timid womon learned to be bold in speaking and working for Christ. All membenr of the church, young ms well as old, and female as well as male, were expected to minister their gifts "one to another as good as stewards ot the manifold grace of God." The whole church was to be seen in action?in ministration? and never since the first propagators of Christianity has the world seen such sel.'-sacrltlclng devotion to the cause of Cnrist, as was exhibited In the early history of Methodism. It was a great sight, full of moral sublimity, toBce these devoted men seeking outlbe ignorant farmers of England, to lead them 10 Christ. The priest uud Lcvito bad passed them by uncared for, but Methodism, as a good Samaritan, came to lift their quiet soul a ....... - .I'w.no-- ..nil kloiiir^r nit limn Lilt* one in which they dully laborciC "Our call Is to save souls," wiw their constant cry, as they marched lorwasd In the accomplishment ol their mission. They weie mobbed; they were spit upon; they came from preaching the glorious gospel bleeding with wound*. Some were half starved in their work. Air. Wesley himself says, "Oh how good I* Uod to give us these berries by the roauslde, else we should have perished. John Downs actually died of exhaustion and starvation while preaching the glorious gospel. Whltefleld wan pelted will) dead cats while preaching, but lie only stopped long enough to exclaim: "Throw them on: they will but enrich tbo Foil opon which we mean to raise tills dny great harvests for our Oodl" It wus not long before these brave mm crossed the broad Atlantic bearing the banner of the cross with them. England cuuid no longer contain mem. me nunu iu> Cbrlsi." wok their motto, and 'the cross," was their battle-cry. But h littlo over one hundred yearn ago?In 1766- a bull' dozen of these devoted men went In an open chamber in the city of New York to pUu lor the conquest of this country in the ail prevailing n-uue of Jesus Christ. They quickly spread out from this polut north, south, east, west. They pas>edover the Alieghanles; down Hie valley of the Mississippi; over the western plains; across the ltocky Mountains; to wheie the proud Pacific laves the golden shore. Thoy carried the gospel to the denizen of the crowdcd city; to the cliizcti of the oidcr Stales; to the new settlers In the South and West: to the Indians on the plains; and to the African slave lu our own "Sunny south." And here as In Kngland they endured toll and hardship, and sutlercd persecution. The name of Methodist, was considered hy the world as a badge of ulshonor aud a symbol 01 shame. Here In our own State, congregations were mobbed and insulted, and every lnjury heaped upon the despised sect, in Char.eiton. the Itev. George Dougherty, though feeble, consumptive, wns seized by a mob In the dead of winter and thrust unuer the spout of a neighboring pump while Inn fiendish persecutors drenched him almost to drowning. This was but a sample of the treatment these heroic men endured in oruei to give us the gospel. Hut were these men daunted by persecution? Because wealth, and social Influence, and priestly power scorned their labor and love, did ihey lilve It up? Were they faithful to their mission, at the true heralds of the cross? If they wert not, how cornea it that this church is herel That this congregation In assembled? That in every nook and corner ofourSthte you can ftud the Methodist meeting house and the Methodist people? Yes, my brethren, though these men were peisecuted and maltroated, they made the ....... Irutxhlo Moil ol tlin world at tended their ministry in order to break (be head or the preacher, but hud their hearts ' broken Instead. A rucn of heroes such iim Hit classic soli of Greece never produced yor tin sunny vales of Italy ever nourished, tolled in , this wide harvest Held, and we are entered upon their labor*. . Thus does It appear thnt by the very constl* 1 tutlon of the church, Methodism has been set ' apart lor the gieut work of evoiiKelizmg tht ' manses. All of (he practical udaptutlons o: her system ; her Itineracy, her clufs-mcetln^# ' and love-feast*; her division ol territory Into Confercncca, DUtricts, Circuits and Missions; . her division of l-tbor among h?r followers, ; clerical and lay; her careful superintendence . over the entire Held by her Bishops, Klders Pastors and sub-pastors or Leaders?in laet, ull that relates to her government and polity, obviously set ner <i|<art for the great work ol ' evangelisation. And herein is thechlef g.ory of Methodism, tliut God, by the very constl* tutlon of the church, has specially com ' missioned her to carry the gospel to the p?ior. ; Hence, wherever u Methodist preacher goe? bearing the glorious gospel with him, at once there rallies ab>?ut him the poor and neglected of earth. We need no higher proof, my : brethren, that we are In the true succession, i than this, "The common people licur u: ' gladly!" ; Huch has been the mission of Methodism In > the past, and right faithfully has sho dis, chnrged her trust. Hut has her mission end ed? Does the world md the church of Jesut Christ need her services no longer. Must she now as a worn out garment, or us a rusty ' broken blade, be luid asld*? Have the flrei of experimental religion, which first gave e distinguishing character to her preaching ' and which marked out her primary mission ; have they been permitted to go out? Hat ??iA an intiir stood as a brave sentinel before the advance of Ritualism, Rationalism, and alt prelatlc pretension, (hat her earnest protext Is no longer needed? Has she ho loin led in tne van of the Lord's hosts. In theii . attacks upon the strongholds of hell, thai , now wear> a.id worn she must retire from the tleld? Is her spiritaal power spent, her en ergy exhausted, and her high and holy trust | iransferred to some more faithful church 1 \ Has Ood, and the world no lurther use foi Methodism T No. my brethren, Methodism it still neoded in the world. The world needi f her splrituul frrvcr aDd her zealous labors f The world needs her vast resources of spirltu I al power, of men, of money, and of eccleslus' ileal machinery. Cheereu by the record o - the past, nerved by Ilia obligations of th< : present, and stimulated by the hopes of tin 1 future, let us go forward, with the battle cry * of tbc old crusaders tin iney rusum ^mum - the Moslem host, "God wills It! God wills it thai we move forward!"' The mission of Methodism is still the same ' ray brethren, she stands pledged for the re \ vival of splsltaal religion In tho churches ant . the world, and for the maintenance and con servatlon of those vital truths of Christianity which are opposed to the encroaching splrlti of Formalism, Ritualism and Rationalism * Methodism stands with an unbroken front, J opposing on the one hand the unwarrantable > conclusion of the Rationalists, and on th( other, the arrogant assumptions of Ritualist* > Uhe Ih to define and Illustrate by her teaching - and demonstrate by her lite, not only the fun > daraenUil cnaraCter of Christianity which It - spiritual life?but also the great doctrine o ' Individual responsibility, and "tbe priest hood of the people''as opposed by Romlsli Cardinal and High Church priest. : Here then Is the direct Issue before us. An ' we prepared to meet it boldly T l>o we Insist : I as our fathers did upon "the priesthood 01 believers?" Are our churches not owly assemblies of worshippers, but also of zealoui workers Id the Master's vineyard ? Are wo ui careful to Insist upon and to cultivate th< ? power of experimental religion, ns formerly 1 . Ob, my brethren, wo bave a great work to do i In the world. Let us realize our responsible . ties. The eyes of God are upon U8. A volc< eonies to as to-day from tho graves of Wesley, and Asbury, and Capers, and Wlghtman, ami ' Kennedy, and Jenkins, and Boyd, and a host of others, charging era to be true to our trust. By all the glories of the past, by all tho re I sponslblllties of the present, by all the hopea ' i of the future, they Implore us to look first ol l aii m on r sol ritual life, and then to march "i forward to evangelize the world, What me ;! Methodist Church needs to-day, Is more ol ) | that spiritual tiro In her own members, which it has been her province to kindle upon sc many altars In (he past* Wo need and inual ' bave a holler ministry and a holier membership. Oh, for an outpourimc to-day of the ' spirit of holiness and consecration upon all ' of our hearts! The Methodism of our fathers wss faithful i to her trust. Wherever it went the standard . of purity Was elevated, and experimental f odilness was Illustrated. Wherever It went, L Infused a burning, sclf-sacriflcIng zeal In , the hearts of nil of Its followers, for the coni; version of the world. Has ihis Are gone out T . and has this zeal nbuted? Will the Methodism of the future be as laithfui as that of the , past? Will Rhe bring al. other wealth, her , culture, her social Influence, her numbers, , and all elso that she possesses, and offer tnem . as a holy i-acrlflre unto God T Will she have no higher aim than to spread scriptural holiness over the land, and will she still claim the world as her parish? Will her members , adopt the falacy of substitution, and mialnj terpretlng the maxim "door send," poor out I ' ' their gold for the salvation of souls In (leu of i their personal efforts, or will tbey read that J mux) in "Qoand send." and while they give I their substnnco to the Lord, (five their time and personal efforts also ? If so, we may rest assured that our success in the future will be even greater than It has been In the past. But Mippose we become cold,ana lukewarm, atid formal ? Suppose wc become wedded to ur wealth and eu*e. and allow the messenger from Macedonia to cry In vain "Mine overand help us." auppo.se we allow the fires of experimental religion to die out upon our altar*. Then will lcabod bo written upon our banners?our glory will bb departed. We may erect fine churches, we may build and endow schools and oolleges. we muy print books and publish newspapers, we may Increase in number*, In wealth, and la culture, but if we i do not also increase In the power of a person | I piety, If wc do not become holler, and more devoted, and more zealous for Christ, the , curse of God will blast our fortunes, and the' I shame of defeat will at-'ach a stigma to our 1 name forever and ever I But, my brethren, one thought gives me j grt-at comfort in this connection. The church may prove faithless; Methodism may become synonamous with lormullty; she may love her powor and her life; her ministry may disgrace her pulpits, and her membership may polute her altars, hut biased be Gou, | Christianity shall triumph I I It-urned this lesson wnen my mmner laugm mc w vw< "Thy kingdom come." Asa church we m?y be faithless, but the cross, my brethren, tlio glorious cross <?f Christ, with or without our aid, shall ovorcomo nil opposition ! Rut I believe better things of Methodism. r Your kindling eyes and responsive looks encourage me to hope Hint In this community at ] least, Methodism will be found doing her whole duty. Hume of you my brethren, arc J veterans In the cause, und we know that in your hands the old banner of Methodism will ^ never be lowered. Others of us are young and c Inexperienced, but bv the grace of (iod we I will bear the old standard, consecrated by the t pruyers and tears of our fathers, to mote i glorious victories In fbe future limn It bus r known In the past. Not tor one moment ^ shall it be lowered. Pierced by the durls of death, we will hand it down to our 6ucsessor* to be borne to still greater victories In the distant future, until the cross of Chrlsi shall reign trlumi hantiy over the hearts of the children of men. A few years ago, at the close of the late war, there was a gatherlngof all llieold regimental Imttle-flAvs of one of our States iu order to deposit 'horn In the State capital. It was a general holiday. Business was suspended. The city had put on Iter holiday attirJ. The chief otllcers of tiie .State, with many old military heroes, una crowds of people, were present. The old tings were brought out one by one and presented to the A^JiituntUeneral oi the State, who occupied a seat upon the platform, ainld the booming of cannon and swelling notes of the orchestra. There was a remarkable difference in the reception which the people gave ihese oid flags. When a neat and clean one was brought forward, with burs unstained and stars tindiinned, It awakened no shouts of applause. But wlien some old battered standard, with Its staff broken anu tied with strings and bits of leather, with Its bars bleared and stained, and its stars dimne<i with crimson spots; when sueh a flag, riddled with shot and snell, a drabbled, clotted mass of rags, wits shaken out before the people, oh, how they cheered, and bow their enthusiasm rent the very skie*. Oh, grand and glorious hour, when we snull come marching in from our various tlelds of labor to deposit our battle-flags at the feel of the Captain of our salvation, In presence of *' 1 1?- tlt'AKM.il VUh,ii ihniiirh IhnV tin HIS UUUllJIg unmoiooi f? muv .uvMD? tattered and torn? What though they bear upon them the marks 01 battle and of suffering? These only, shall make the admiring shouts ol a universe, and the approving "well done" of Uod, while holiday banners with bright and brilliant colors will awaken no response. wo are living In stirring and significant times. There never was a period when the religion of Christ was more reviled tnau now. The assaults of liitldeliLy were never so insidious and severe. And yet, thero never was a time of such wonderful sncctss In preaching the glorious gospel, behold the signs of the times?tue omens of a brigher day, The missionaries or the cross now imye access to all the nutlons. The Bible Is being sent out in nearly three hundred different tongues. False religions are waning in influence and power. A revival spirit seem* to pervade the churches at tiorau and abroad. The missionary tire is blazing out with renewed power in ull ihe churches. The heralds of the cross, bearing the glorious light of the gospel, are piercing the remotest regious of dark ties". What does all this mean If a brighter and more glorious dav is not dawning upon the world, The whole earth is being tilled with I his glory. Jesus Christ, lifting alull nls own; blessed cross, seems to be summoning his forces to the last grand battle. When we con-1 sider these things, and then turn to this, blessed volume and read here the purpose! and promise of the Eternal to subdue the' world unto himself, our heart* swell with the hope that our eyes may yet behold lite glories of thai day. Oh, will it not be a grand and glorious hour, when the Kin# of Kings, surveying every partof His dominions from Ills throne In heaven, shall behold the overthrow of the last enemy of the cross of Chn?t I As the victory Ik announced, ungels will be dispatched It other worlds, bearing the glad tidings, "The world, the world, is converted to Christ" The glad sound shall be borne on j and on; It will be echoed from pluuet to: pianet, from star to star, front s>siem tosys-J tern, until the very last star, the outermost' sentinel in God's universe shall catch thei - triumphant and Joyful sound, and (-hull send . baclt ihe swelling refrain: "The world, the world, is convened to Christ." Tnen shnll heaven and eurtn, with all Hie countless worlds above u? and around us, unite !n Hint iweLIn^ chorus of pialse, whose last linger* i Ing note thai) reverberate torever: "A'U-iuJuh, allelujah. the Lord God omnipotent reljjc-, eth J" I I Thank God whether wo live Ion? or die noon, we shall lie witnesses, yes participant* Id these glorious event*. Out of tlic windows i of heaven, if not on earth, we shall behold the last conflict and the last victory. For ten years the Grecian sentinels keot their watchi towers, waiting and watching lor the b< aeon-1 tires which should announce tLe fall of Troy.I \t last, the signal came?a flash ot light?and 1 from tower to tower, the flry message leaps, i over land and sea. until troiu Ida to Argos the announcement of victory hud been carried; on the w lug of the flume, 80 the watchmen of Zlon shall lift up the | voice; with the voice together shall tbeyj sing; for tney Hliall see eye to eye, when the light of the l oh pot shall flash from snore to shore, from Island to Island, from continent to continent, from p<ile to pole, and the whole earth shall be filled with ills giory 1 "Amen, and Amen!" W. L MILLER, Attorney -A-t Law, ABBEVILLE, 8. C. Office formerly occupied by Judgo Thompson Dec. -G, ls&J. 6nioa > Tfianva Vnur PrA~n0rf.tr AUBUXV CVUt * * vwvk vt I ; -FROM? ; Damage by Fire anil Lifbtniii IN THE CONTINENTAL INSURANCE OF New York. J. T. PARKS, Ag't, ! Abbeville, S. C. Jan. 90,1884.12m | Bargains ?IN? i Tinware. THOSE CELEBRATED TIN SETS AT I I PARKER * HI LI.. The Harvest Hct ha* 10 pleccs, price, $1.00! 1 " Kitchen " " 10 " " $1.001 " No. I " " 12 " " 31.35 i ' ? ? 2 " * 15 " " Jl-50 ! P.o?8 " * 20 ' " SI. 75 r " Homestead" " 12 " " S3.00 The above Goods are composed of useful articles and every piece 1* warranted to give i satisfaction. i March 5th, 1881. 3m I Colombia nnd (*reeoville Rnilroad. ON nnd after May 11, 188t, Passenger Trnlns will run as herewith indicated ' upon this road and Its branches: DAILY, EXCSiT SUKWMO. NO. 63. UP PAS8KNGKR. r on va pniitmKin a J ^?C.4A.Jun, 12 35 a in Leave Columbia A-.j c.&G. Depot 12 50 ft m Arrive Alston 1 53 p in Arrive Newberry.... 2 Si p in Arrive Ninety-Mix 4 18 p in Arrive Hodge* 5 27 p flj Arrive Belt-oil ? 33 p in Arrive at Greenville... 8 00 p m NO. 52. DOWN PASMKNQER. LenveGreenville at 9 56am Arrive Helton , 11 21 a in Arrive liodgeit 12 34 p in Arrive Ninety-Mix 1 2! p ni Arrive Newberry 3 11pm Arrive Alston 4 12 p m Arrive Columbia A- { wc&Aj'un! SPAKfANBUUO, UNION AND COLUMBIA KAIL' ROAD. NO. 53. UP PASSENGER. Leave Alston 1 55 p m Arrive Htrother 2 34 p in Arrive Hhelton 3 0"J p m Arrive Santoe 3 37 p tti Arrive Union 4 W> p in Arrive Jonesvlllc 4 47 p m Arrlve8partanbnr^,.-..IT AC.depot.. 5 37 p m Arrive Spartanburg, K.&D.iiepot 1).. 5 47 p in NO. 82. DOWN I'AHMKNGEK. Leave Spartanburg K. & D. depot H II 50 a m Leave Spartanburg S.U.&C.depot G i3 10 u m Arrive Jonesvlllu 1 02 p m Arrive Union I 3ft p m Arrive Mantuc* 2 21pm Arrive 8helton., 3 00 p ra Arrive Mtrotlicr 3 30 p in Arrlvo at Alnton 4 10 pm DLUK KIDOE KAILKOAD AND ANDEH80N BRANCH. Leave Belton 6 3H pm Arrive Anderson 7 10 pn Arrive Pendleton 7 58 pm ArrWe .Seneca C 8 37 p nsr Arrive at Wsilhalla... 9 1ft p in Leave WHlhalla.../. 8 40 a m Arrive Seneca.. 8 Oft a m Arrive Pendleton 9 50 a m Arrive Anderson 10 40 a m Arrive at Belton 11 1ft a m LAUKKNM KAILKOAD. Leave Newberry 3 82 p no Arrive at Laurens C. H 6 4ft p ra Leave Laurens C. II 9 1ft a m Arrive at Newberry 12 2ft p ABBEVILLE BKANCU. Leave Hodges ft 30 p m Arrive at Abbeville tt TO p m Leave Abbeville 11 30 a ra Arrive at Hodges 13 80 p m CONNECTIONS. A. With South Carolina Railroad from Charleston. With Wilmington,Columbia and Augusta Railroad from Wilmington and all points North thereof. With Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta Railroad from Charlotte and all points North thereof. 11. with Ashevllle and Spartanburg Rail r road for points hi Western North Carolina. i C. with Atlanta and Charlotte Division > Richmond & Danville Rullroad from all . point* Month and West. I>. With Atlanta and Charlotte Division Richmond & Danville Railroad from Atlanta and beyond. E. With Atlanta and Charlotte Division Richmond and Danville Railroad from all . points South and West. P. With South Carolina Railroad for I Charleston. With Wilmington,Columbiaand Augusta Railroad for Wilmington and the! , North. With Charlotte, Columbia and Aueusla-Railroad for Charlotte and the North. O. With Ashevllle nod Spartanburg Rail-1 road from Hetidersonvlllc. I H. Willi Atlantaami Charlotte Division ! Richmond and Danville Railroad from Charlotte and beyond. > Standard time used Is Washington', P. C., wliloh is fifteen minutes faster than Co.umDla. G.- R. TALCOTT, Acting Superintendent. M. Slaughter. General Passenger Ag. nt. D. Cahdwklu, Assistant Gen. Pas. Ageu.t O Seal, Mcllwaine & Co. AVE on hand almoit every variety ol r A QBI Af.FQ uniiiiinuwj BUGGIES, , WAGONS, rhlch they offer to their euatomer* on tho mint utivuntatfeous term*. mmm a specialty. Vlth the best of workmen In every branch of tur buHlncs*, and an nfcnndant sappJy of umbor. and other materials, we ar? prepared o do nil kinds of repairing in tbe very best nnnncr, ut the shortenl notice, and on the nnst araommodaUng termj. Alt work foUy warranted. SEAL & McILWAXNE, Washington Street. a?i i ? M O "S ? .3 ? W ? 5 -?21 W W 15 TO B ? a rf 9 & M | |5ji ||o," H BgS k> be H o ?8 fl <4 6 ^ *2 ffl ? B rg< ffi .5a g .S a _S 2 15 s '? ? I S *?? ET ? 55 ? o ,2 ?H a P5 o . ? j? -is S1?B ? <J Lumber! * i __ i liumoer i DRESSED AND UNDRESSED. DRESSED FLOORING, And Ceilinf, 92.00 Weatberboarding Dressed,... I.60 Undressed, 1.25 I will lny down LUMBER anywhere in the Town. B, K. BGAGHAM, Abbeville, S. C. March 26, 18S4, tf The Place to Get What You Want! THOS, M. CHRISTIAN HAVING bought the interest of Mr, JOHN WILSON in the biiHincnc formerly conducted by them jointly will keep always in Mtorn, a complete stock ol FANCY GROCERIES, TANNER GOODS and CONFECTIONERIES ol all kinds. The Iwst and cheapest CIGARS and TOBACCO. The FINEST WINES and LIQtJORS. Sweet Mash Corn Whiskey For medical purposes a specialty. Also, Choice Liquors of any kind for medical purposes. Give hiin acall. Satisfaction guaranteed iAll persons indebted to tho firm of Christian <fc Wilson must make Immediate payment. THOS. M. CHRISTIAN, Abbeville, S. C. Feb. 13.1884, tf NEW CARRIAGE, BUGGY, AND uiinnii ftiiAn WAbUii inur. <0) Repairing a Specialty. (o) I have on hand a Frist Class Supply oj Maleriitl from tlie Hem Market and will continue to receive until my Stock Is complete. A ft Work done with Short Notice, and low Prices to suit (he times. W. 6. Chapman, MAIN 8TREET, ABBEVILLE, C. H., 8. C. March, 2Uth, 1881. 9mo. ATTENTION FARMERS I WE HAVE NOW IN STOCK A SPLENdld line of Farm Implements* Nails, Horse and Mule Shoes, Harness, Traces, Bridles, Flows Stoefcs, Plows, &c., &c< QUARLES & THOMAS Fob. 6. mi. It Drs. Mabry & Hill. WE have this day formed a copartnership In the PRACTICE OF MEDICINE in all lis branches. In canes where the attention of both of us may be needed no extra charge will be made. T. J. MABRY. M. D. L. T. HILL. M. D. Me?ch 12,4881, tf Something New Uunder the Sun. I WILL be ready on and after the 1st of March to do any REPAIRING which may be wiintod to your SADDLES' and HARNESS. Don't postpone the matter too lone. The cyclone may come along. Be ready for the emergency TH03. BE8QS,. F?b. 27th, 1F8I. tf THE BEST OP AL.L The Celebrated Butterworth THRESHER 1 FRONT Wheels tarn under machine. Straw Stacker is folded without taking ItofTthtf machine or moving flatter belt, and when folded does not extend nbore top of machine, to catch In tree* or low bridges. . . PERFECTLY ADAPTED FOR R006E AND HttLY COUNTRIES, The Crowning Triumphs !| Highest Premium -Was awarded THE BUTTERWORTH THRESHER at Virginia 8taU Fair. 1883, by actual tent at work In competition with nixteen of the most noted ihreaber* of the United States; Italmt received Highest Award, a Silver Mefal, at Booth Carolina Industrial Exposition, 1.-82; a Sliver Medal at Mount Holly, New Jersey, Fair, 1883; First Premium at South Carolina State Fair, two successive years, 1882-83; and First Premium at North Carolina State Fair four successive years. I830-81-$?-6.i. Manufactured only at NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL WORKS, TRENTON, N. X F*or Sa. e bv J. H. MATTHEWS. 1 NINETY-SIX, R C. 9 j To Whom Write for Circnlars^l April 30tn, 1884. 3t Insurance and Collection ,Ageil<5y. ?.... - i .... . .? ' ' BENJ. S. BARNWELL J ^Represents the following Companies w\ose assets invested in the United States amount to $J6,000,000. Home of New York $ 7.499,701 Merchants of Newark. N. J, 1,221,964 Rochester German 575,000 ' ^ Liverpool and London and Globe,\ 5,571.930 Invested in Europe, over j 20,000,000 Lancashire of England, 1,455,315 -~V fS y -':;a Consult Your Interest and Insure Tour Property* WHOLESALE AND RETAIL I . - aft COMMISSION MERCHANT BROKER & COLLECTOR] . Dealers in Grain, Flonr, Meal, Bran, Meat, Hams, Hay, Si* . . V\' gars, Coffee, Rice, Grits. Irish Potatoes. A FULL STOCK OP HEAVY AND LIGHT GROCERIES ALWAYS OK HAND. 8PBclal price* on itoods sold In packxge*. I have larjre consignment* of goods ry vtdc and can make It to your interot to <lo same business with me. Thanking one and atMu* your liberal patronage lu the pa*t, will make every effort lu the Suture to give mU*T*cU^M| A. E. BOGUS. ! Feb. 6,ISM, tf School Books! School Books! We have on hand a Large Stock of School Books adopted by the STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION/ FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS We "Will Exchange Almost any Books used in the schools heretofore. We olsokeftpin stockaFvJ) Lino of Stationery, SLATES, &C., &C? H. W. LAWSON & C0| ABBEVILLE, SC." Nov. H, 1883, tl . New Drug Stoffl ! W. S. MilI (ll * :f> HAVE Jnst opened n new and elegantly fitted op DRUG STORE on Hie Marshall Hoom Corner, under the Preu aud Banner office, unil ure now receiving and will eonltaae to ' receive till their stock Is complete a full line of - i Drags, Medicines, Chemicals. Bye Staffs, Ac. Also, nil the popular PATENT MEDICINES kept in a first-class Drag Store, all of which WW | warrant to be fresh and good. W also offer a well selected stock of FANCY GOODS, consisting of Colognes, Foreign and Domestic, Handkerchief Extracts in great variety, Handsome Vases* Lamps, Ac. Our line of BRUSHES AND SOAPS Is *lmply complete. Every variety of HAIR. TOOTH NAIL, FLESH, SHAVING AND SHOE BRUSH SOAPS from the finest toilet to tbeebeap' e"1* MR. JOHN T. LYON, whose long experience in the Drug business in the firm of Ward In w & Lyon, mo well known, will be constantly In attendance. All PRESCRIPTIONS ear# fully compounded at all bours, under the supervision of DR. TH08. J. MABRY. Oct. 17. 1883, tf B. K. BEACHAM, Agent f FOR THE SALE OF & Sash, Doors, Blinds, Shingles, Laths, Floor ing, Ceiling, Lime and all kinds ofWetu Working Machinery. " Oct. 10, 1883, 12m ILD PlElTI sill! Saloon Well Stocked With Pure Goods. The Best Brands of Good Old Rye and Sweet Mash Corn Whiskies* Hand Made Bourbon, Apple, Peach, California and French Brandies. Sweet CataWba, California & Sherry Wines, tho Best Champagne, Gwinness's Extra Stout Porter, Bass fe Co's Pale Ale, Draft and Bottled 3eer. Also, a Fine Lino of Tobacco and Cigars. Call and See the Most Handsome and Best Arranged House in the Country. i THOMAS McGETTIGAH, Proprietor. HATTI? ADAMS, Making Arrangements. A T THE BENDY CORNER WiTfheTr'aADDI.ES Ar&fisrxa, "-tszktk'i such work with neatness and dispatch. The latest ont, the "tortoise shell" hat THOS BEG6S for (hisses in white and helze. These1 . h Kfh ,004 *r ' ' trim up very pretily with a single bow of A ' * I 1 ,? 'ribon. K. M. Huddon <fc Co. ?%** g% #* a aa|i We are receiving almost daily the lat- \AAA|]L| P [ A \ f|N est styles in hats and millinery trim- OfMilULb III UflwUlvl mintxn. R. M. Haddon <fc Co. 1 . . . ? . ? Our stock of shoes all kinds and styles-' -A-ttOriiey X-ia/"Wf cannot be surpassed. Smith A Soil. | ABBEVILLE, 8. C. Millinery! millinerv! Don't forget that No- 3* O'Neals Nkw Law Buii-dio. we are afferlng a lot of it at cost. Will practice In all the Courts of the 8tat? Smith A Son. , Jan- 2' im I Hats! Hats!! A full line at Smith A , A full line of white goods, lawns. mu>jgon. |lins, Ac.- Smith A Son. .