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CORNER STONE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH LAID. (Continued from page 2.) the organization, the church did not conneet itself with any Association; but in the Fall of 1833 delegates were appointed and a letter written to the Reedy River Baptist Association, into which body the church was duly and eordially received. In March, 1834, three additional deacons were chosen J. B. O'Neall, M. T. Mendenhall and Drayton Nance-and, by special reso lution of the ehurch, they were "re quested to conduct all prayer-meet ing, from time to time, and to take part in any other religious exercises to which they may be prompted by the Spirit, in aid of the pastor of the church.'" At the end of 1834, the highly efficient and blessed pastor ate of Mr. Hodges came to a close. In January, 1835, Rev. Daniel Man gum, pastor of Bush River Church, was invited to the pastorate and en tered upon his labors, assisted by Rev. E. Lindsey. At the same time, Pea cons O'Neall and Mendenhall having shown decided gifts for public speak ing and the conduct of public wor ship, were by the church "authoriz ed to exercise their gifts in any way that they might deem their duty, eith er in public prayer, exhortation or preaching." It was no uncommon sight at that time, and a deeply im pressive one, to see the tall figure of the pastor, clothed in a long white robe and followed by a number of can didates similarly clad, attended by a vast crowd, marching in procession to the baptistery in the grove already mentioned, to adminster the ordin ance of baptism. And as they mareh ed, the pastor would fine out the words of some appropriate hymn and lead in the singing of it, in which all the people joined. In February, 1836, Thomas Frean was licensed to preach, and in the Fall of 1837 he was ordained to the ministry. In '37, Mr. Hodges return ed to the pastorate of the church, preaehing, however, only once a month through '37 and a part of '38. He was succeeded by Rev. Thomas Frean, and during his pastorate in 1840, Rev.,J. A. Chaplain acted as assistant. Mr. Frean's ministry end ed with the year '42, and he was sue eeeded by Rev. Samuel Gibson, of Greenville, who rode down through the country and filed his appoint ments once or twice a month. At the end of three years-in Jan., 1846-he was succeeded by Rev. J. G. Lan drum, of Spartanburg, and in 1848 he was succeeded by Rev. M. C. Barnett, also of Spartanburg, whose pastorate lasted two years-to the end of '49. During this period of the church's history-from the close of Mr. Hod ges' pastorate to 1850-no decided change in its conditioin had taken place, but it had sustained the loss of two of its leading influential mem bers in the death of' Thomas Pratt and the removal of Dr. Mendenhall to t Charleston. In Februtary, 1850, after corres pondence by Judge O'Neall through Dr. Mendenhall, the church called Rev. J. J. Brantly, then of North Carolina, and on the 12th of May, in that year, he began his long and use ful pastorate. On the 11th day of November, 1850, Y. J. Harrington, who had been the treasurer of the church from its very origin, and a deacon from the time of his election two months after the church was con stituted, gave up his owrk and enter ed upon his rest. Drayton Nance suc ceeded him as treasurer of the church, and in 1852, G. T. Scott was elected deacon. At the May meeting in 1852, the communion set, still used by the church, was given by the pastor, through Deacon John S. Carwile, who presented it in the name and at the re quest of Dr. Brantly, "together with the expression of a hope, that the season, in which it may be called in to use to remind us of our Redeem er's death, may afford us a foretaste of that sweeter communion which we may all enjoy in our Redeemer's pres enee.'' In the same year, through the active efforts of the female members, who had what they called a "working society,'' money was raised and some important improvements were made in the church building. On the 8th of November, 1852, just two years after the death of~ Deacon Harrington, the ehurch sustained another great loss in the death of Deacon John S. Car wile, the~ first deacon, and for many years the clerk of the church. On the 14th of the same month the vacant deaconate -as filled by the consider able religious interest in the commun ity and a number were added to the church by baptism. In September, -1854, Deacon Drayton Nance was sud denly summoned from the church on earthi to the assembly of the saints on high, being the third deacon that had died within sis: years. In Decem ber of that year, 1856, John B. Car wile was elected to succeed him as deacon, and W. H. Harrington as treasurer. At the end of 1857 the eustom of extending an annual call to the pastor was dropped, and Dr. I Brantly was called during mutual I pleasure. In 1861, J. D. Nance suc ceeded W. H. HarrinAon as treasur- t er, and that same year Thomas H. Pope was licensed t, preach the gos pel. 1riiing the dark and terrible t t days of the war, the church struggled on against th-: dificulties and trieas d commoa to all parts of 'he south, and to al! enterprises, led by :heir faith- t ful and devoted pastor. lI 1863, at e the request of Lower Duncan's Creek ' Church, Thomas H. Pope, who was t still a member of ibis chnrch, was or- e dained. In September of that year quita a revival inCueace vas experi enced in the e::urch snd i number were received by baptism. As the year 1863 drew to a close. two severe blows fell upon the church in quick and sharp succession, in the death of 3 Deacon J. B. 0'Neall, on the 27th of f December, and of F. B. Higgins, on the 30th of the same month. The ' years 1865 and 1866 were occupied by t everybody in trying to gather up and repair the shattered fragments left by the war. In October, 1866, Dr. Brantly a offered his resignation, and on the 6th I of Januarv following his farewell ser, mon was preached. His pastorate of I sixteen years had been distinguished e by steady, faithful, permanent work, which left its in:1ress upon the church and the community so clear I and deep as never to be effaced. 6 Rev. J. T. Zealy was called to the vacant pastorate March 3d, 1867, ac I cepted and entered at once upan his labors. In March, 1868, John R. Leavell and W. T. Wright were elect ed deacons, and in 1870, together with G. T. Scott and J. B. Carwile, who had been previously elected, were or dained. Mr. Zealy resigned in Septem ber, 1868, and Dr. Richard Furman was celled and began his pastorate the last of that year. His health fail ing, in the spring of 1669, the church was supplied with preaching to the C end of that year by professors and C students of the Southern Baptist The- t ological Seminary, especially Dr. Wil liam Williams, who continued to preach in 1870, but early in that year Rev. John Stout was invited to take t charge of the church and did so, but t continued his studies in the Seminary s untill May, 1871, when he came to ' Newberry to live. He resigned and 9 left in December, 1873, and was suc- - ceeded July 1st, 1874, by Rev. F. W. t Eason, and heL the first of January, ~ 1878, by the present pastor. In 1869 ~ William Hayne Leavell, a member of ' this church, was ordained to the min- t istry. Deacon G. T. Scott died in ~ 1870, and in that same year Jaipes ' McIntosh was elected deacon. 1 The office of clerk of the church was first filled by James Divver, who ~ was followed in a year or two by Ren ben Pitts. In 1835 John S. Carwil;e was made assistant clerk, and in 1843 he succeeded Mr. Pitts, as clerk,C holdinig the office until 1852. He was followed by his son, John B. Carwile, who served as clerk for fifteen years, C and was followed in 1867 by Y. 5. Pope, who was succeeded in 1877 by . John F. Spearman, and he, in 1881,1 by the present clerk, John S. Carwil.. t The singing in the public worship t was, at first of course, without aid of 1 instrumental music, and was led by r Reuben Pitts, aided among the fe- 3 males by Mary Carwile, Mary Har- s rington, Caroline F4rnandis, iSarah l Fernandis, and others. Mr. Pitts was t early succeeded as leader by John B. 'e Carwile, and Deacon Drayton Nance, t occasionailly rendered some service in I this direction. Soon something of a ' ehoir was formed and, as early as 1851, a melodeon was bought and us- t ed in the worship. The first performer a was Miss Bettie Carwile, now Mrs. r Mims, and she was followed by the g pastor's wife, Mrs. Brantly, and she e by Miss Kate Leavell, now Mrs. s Spearman. In 1855 the present or- ( gan was bought, and the aid and en- t joyment it has furnished, in the wor- t ship of God's house for over a quarter t of a eenutry, must be attributed in 4 great measure, to the energetic and enthusiastic efforts of the accom- 1 plished and devoted Mrs. Brantly, a through, whose exertions the organ a was secured. Very soon after its organization, in 5 the beginning of 1832, the church be gan the Sunday-school work, organiz- 1 ing the first Sunday-school in all this ( sal-~.on of country, so far as can be e ascertained. It was, of course, lack- t ing in the spirit and efficiency that e distinguish the Sunday-school work r of the appliances for giving interest t of the aplliances for giving interest and aid to the study of the scriptures, s which are so abundant now, and Sun- + day-sohool singing, that delightful y and efficient agency in the modern t Sunday-school, was, as yet, an unde- a veloped science. A colletion of the t church hymnns was used, and such tunes as "Old Hundred'' were sung to them, while the children sat in sil- t enee, not being expected to taka any a part in this exercise. But though i quite unlike a modern Sunday-school, c it was as good as any the times af- 1 forded, and was equipped at the begin- z inz with the best outfit that could be ought. The first person who attempt d to teach the children to sing and o improve the Sunday-school music, ras Mrs. Brantly, and through her nterest and exertions in this diree ion marked progress was made. The ;unday-school of those early times, eficient perhaps in some things that elong to modern Sunday-school en erprise, was nevertheless distinguish d for the thoroughness and fidelity oith which the word of God was aught in it, and the great pains tak n to indoctrinate the young in the undamental principles of the gospel. 'he first superintendent was Deacon J. Harrington, who filled the office eith fidelity and success for many -ars and was suceeded by Deacon )rayton Nance, and he, after a few -ears, by John B. Carwile, who was ollowed by Y. J. Pope. On the re ignation of Mr. Pope, Mr. Carwile ras again chosen to the office. At imes during its history, the interest a the Sunday-school has waned, but [:has never been abandoned, even for time, and has sometimes reached a' igh degree of efficiency and success, umbering at one time during the astorate of Dr. Brantly, and the sup rintendence of Mr. Carwile, as many s a hundred and twenty members, rhile a large majority of the converts vho have swelled the numbers and ustained the efficiency of the church ave come from it ranks. The two oung ministers who in recent years ave been sent forth by this church, homas H. Pope and William Hayne eavell, were both reared from their -ery childhood in this Sunday-school. he same may be said of Rev. J. K. fendenhall, who, though never a aemebr of this church was for years: n his early boyhood a pupil in the unday-school. Like most Baptist Churches in the ;outh, this church had until the close f the war a large membership 'of olored people, numbering most of the ime about as many as the whites, and rith the delicate and difficult pro-I ilem, growing out of the peculiar ondition and wants of t-c people, hey had early and often to deal, and o this work they addressed them elves with their accustomed energy nd devotion. Careful attention was iven to their spiritual wants and ev ry effort made to meet them. From he beginning special meetings were eld for their benefit, and in 1835, 4r. Mangum, the pastor, and Mr. ndsey, his assistant, by request of he church, held regularly Sunday af ernoon services specially for the col red people, and this custom was kept p until the close of the war. In ~anuary, 1833, four leaders for the olored people wvere apopinted, tha rst named of whom was Dred, af-? erwards known as Dred Rutherford. rho died at an advanced age, highly steemed and respected, on the 11th ay of last September, only a few sys prior to the fiftieth anniversary f the church's organization. From its origin, the church has een careful of the want of the few adigent members, who, from time to ime, have needed its help. And here seems never to have been a t-ime a its history when a fund for' the eedy was not provided, and, as it as needed, used freely to relieve the uffering. It is a cause for congratu tion and gratitude to God that. rougho'ut these fifty years, the hurch has never approached any ing like a schism, but the utmost armony and good feeling have al-; rays prevailed. No records are at hand of the con ributions of the church to benevolent nd religious objects; but, although iot for two years, after its or -anization connected with any Asso-1 ation, it was from the first a con tituent membier of the Baptist State onvention, and, as the minutes of' hat body show, contribti:ed liberally o its education and missionary en erprises. In the person of Judge ) 'Neall, this church furnished one of he morst highly revered of all thei onored presidents of the State Con ~enin: ini Dr. Brantly, its secretary, ad in Dr. Mendenhall, its treasurer or many years, while the present astor has been, from the beginning f his pastorate, the secretary of that ody. The Emuctive Board of the jon~ventionl n as fo.r a long time locat d here, amd was composed chiefly of iaembers o'f this eturch. In the gen ral b)enevelent ref erprises of the de iomiinaion, the church has always aken an intelig t and liberal part. It remains now only to trace our gav azain throuigh this avenue of fif yyears and call the roll of the he oes whc have made the church 's his ory, with such allusion to the life ,d character of each as may seem o be desirable. John M. lBanes, the first pastor, is teri-ed as a yon man of attrac ive if not brilliant, pulpit gifts. ud was an exceedingly popular and npressive preacher. iAttle is known f him after his short pastorate here, iut it is said that he subsequently nod to the Wead ecaen identi-) fied with another denomination. The man who. doubtless more than any other in those early days, made a blessed and lasting, impression on the character of the church and peo ple, was the sainted N. W. Hodges. He was a native of Abbeville District, and at the time he became pastor of this ehurch, was quite a young man. Of fine native talent and of the best cultivation the times afforded, a graduate of the South Carolina Col lege and of the Furman Theological Institution, he was an instructive and effl-etive preacher of the gospel. Unit ed with his ability as a preacher was a most beautiful Christian char acter. Just before his death in 1842, he made a visit to Newberry, and, though physically unable to preach, he followed the sermon of Mr. Frean, the pastor, with some tender and touching words, in which he referred with modest but confident assurance to his coming death. At the close of his pastorate in '35, he became the agent of the Baptist State Conven tion. and later was professor in the Furman Institution. He died in Greenwood in the Fall of 1842, and was buried at Mt. Moriah Church, in Abbeville County. A monument over his grave was erected by this church and the church at Mt. Moriah. In an extensive and appreciative notice of his life and death, adopted by the church in December, '42,.he is spok en of "as the friend whom we love and as the teacher sent from God." In resolutions passed the same year by the Board of Trustees of Furman University, and adopted by the State Convention, he is referred to as "a conscientious, laborious, self denying minister of Jesus Christ. Exemplary for his singular devoted ness to the interests of religion, and crowned by the providence of God with an uncommon measure of use fulnes, he has gone down to -the grave amidst the deep regrets of many, who loved him for his work's sake." In an address by Dr. Rey nolds, some years ago, allusion was made to "his calm, pale face, and his eyes, that seemed to look beyond this world." And one who in his boyhood attended his ministry says that he re minded him of "one of the old pro phets and seemed like one who belong ed to another world.' Daniel'Mangum was the tird pastor. 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