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CORNER STONE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH LAII (Continued from page 3.) i..e age of sixty-five, in 1858. Thomas Frean was an Irishmaz impulsive and enthusiastic, with a imaginative turn of mind and a po( tic fancy. He made occasional cor tributions of poetry to the newspg pers. At the close of his pastorat here, he withdrew from the activ work of the ministry, and filled, at di: ferent times, the offices of Deput Treasurer and Surveyor General o the State. Samuel Gibson was an Englishmai of strong native mind, and with som theological training, which he receis ed at the hands of Dr. William I Johnson. A plain, but very earnesi faithful preacher, sound in doctrin and devout in spirit and manner. John G. Landrum still lives* at hi home in Spartanburg, in the enjoy ment of a green old age. With fei advantages in early life, he has culti vated his fine natural powers, an is still an effective and useful preac er. His ministry has been remarkabl successful, and- wherE -er he is know: throughout the state he is honore and beloved. (*Mr. Landrum has diei since this sketch was prepared.) M. C. Barnett was a man of lovel; Christian character, devoted to th word of God, in which he was thoi oughly versed. His sermons were b, no means devoid of argument an thought, and abounded in Scriptur quotations appropriately introduced The pastor whose ministry of six teen years embraced the very hear of this half century, and whose nam and influence will live in this ehurel as long as the church lives, i John J. Brantly, now Professor ii Mercer University, Georgia. Di Brantly came to this pastorhte , young man, and gave the strength o his life and his gifted intellect to it service. No man ever took deepe root in the confidence and affection of any people or exerted a more bene freent influence in their intellectua moral and spiritual development. J man of high mental endowments, an a graduate of Charleston Collegi his sermons, always ehsste, intellec tual, structive, accomplished a quie but etective and permanent work. I answer to a long and beautifully an tenderly written letter, offering. hi resignation, the church passed a ses ies of !esolions, in whien they sa that "thromebout the whale coursa - Dr. -Brantiy 's oficeial connee?9n with this church, extending over perio.i of secarly sixtee'i yeare, he ha ever been the sam- 3ymfpathizin friend an.i fa'thful tea..her, minglin~ is t--ars with our tears in seasons o afdliction. ud~ distre..., and rejoi( in a ha seasons of refreshin from the presence of the Lord; an< the respect and esteem of the whol community, and the love and affectio> ef this cour.ation 'o o.e belore, pastor, furnish the hignut evidklfenao this faithful1ness in the tah:ien1 h ihas borne to us. and of th- purity an, excellence of his Christian charae zer.'' As an evdence T his influenee outside of his own church, it may bi mntciined thatt, upon his re-ignati 'r the session of the P': .:hyterial Church of this town passed a serie: of resolutions evpressive of their af fection for and confidence in him, an< of their regret at his leaving; and 01 the day his farewell sermon wa preached, the Presbyterian, Method ist and Lutheran Churches suspendei their services and came to the Baptis Church to hear the sermon. The char aeter of his preaching, as well as hi labors in the school-room, where h< taught the youth of the communit: for many years, made a profound ani lasting impression in the mental de velopment of the young. An editorial in the January number of the Centur: magazine is strikingly applicable t< the intellectual influence of Dr. Brant ly 's preaching and ministry, and beg to be permitted to make an ex tract from it: "For while the ministry stands fo: religion and morals it stands also fo: culture and knowledge. The man o: business has no time, or thinks h< has none, (whieh comes to the sami thing,) to know what is going oni the world of thought. But his minis ter knows, and conversation with th minister reminds him that there i even here below a world above tha world of things in which he is si busy. Historical and scientifi knowledge and the humanizing influ enee of literature sifts through th pulpit to the people. * * In the country village the ministeri not so exclusively an authority as h was in the old days when he was usi ally t'he only liberally educated ma in the town; but he is a source of ir tellectual enlightenment. His cor versation, or that which is droppe ineidentally in his sermon stirs tb mind of some lad with curiosit; Books are mentioned of which tb boy has never heard and dim vistas ( knowledge open up before his eye! The hills which stand about the tow seem too strait for him, the hum drum of life too narrow. He too will study and will learn these things whereof the parson speaks. And so - another is presently added to the ranks of educated men by the conta 4 gion of culture. This is the history of a the intellectual awakening of many * of our great men. The minister touch 1 ed them with admiration for his sup E erior information and they stright S way got a Latin Grammar and began * to push at the narrow door of knowl Y Dr. Brantly was followed by Rev. J. T. Zealy, an attractive and popular preacher, who still lives and labors 2 in the West. Dr. Richard Furman, the next pas tor, is now living in enfeebled health in Texas. His pastorate here was cut e short by his shattered health, but his influence still lives. A man of bril s liant intellect, of fervid poetic ima gination, of laboriously studious and scholarly habits, of most refined and cultivated literary tastes, and withal I of- simple, beautiful, gentle Christian character, his presence and his preaching in any community could not but prove a rich and lasting bless d ing. But for his broken health, he might still be actively engaged in the ministry. John Stout, the faithful, devoted e pastor and earnest, instructive preacher, left here to become the pas tor of the church at Society Hill, i South Carolina, where he is still most 8 acceptably and successfully engaged [ in the work of the ministry. - F. W. Eason is now the pastor of t the Baptist Church at Newbern, N. e C. In his pastorate here Mr. Eason j was diligent in the discharge of his S duties, and his highly attractive and 2 suggestive sermons, always admirable . in style and abounding in striking il a lustrations and 'figurative allusions. f indicated his cultivated literary taste * and. his mental independence. r Much might be said of the church a members, who have lived and died during these fifty years, and that in the highest praise. Few churches have been blessed with a membership d of so much culture, refinement, in , telligenee and influence. John S. Carwile was the first dea t con. He was 'the son of Zachariah o Carwile. a soldier of the Revolution, d and was born in 1786, in Laurens Dis s trict. In 1811 he was received as a r-member of Bush Jtiver Church. Elect y ed tax collector in 1815 and sheriff in f 1820, and again in 1828; he proved ni himself a most efficiernt public officer. a Judge 0O'N'eall in his Annals of New s berry, says of him, he, was the best g sheriff he ever saw. lie was for sever e al years deacon and clerk of Bush f River Church, and during the whole Sof his connection with this church, a g deacon, and for years, its clerk. He i also served a long time as clerk of e the Reedy River Association, to which a he was a delegate for a number of 1 years. He was a man of great purity f and simplicity of Christian charac ter and strong unwavering faith. No I man ever left a stronger impression - on the community for purity, courage e and honesty. A man of few words e but of sterling character and most -uncompror'ising devotion to duty, his i example was salutary and effective. s His house was a preacher's home and - his children were taught to love and I reverence the church and worship of 1 God., He loved the doctrines of grace a anid dwelt with delight on God's eter - nal purposes of mercy. In his last ill i ness he found special pleasure in the t contemplation of that inspiring de - claration in Job; "I know that my a Redeemer liveth.'' He died the 8th of a November, 1852. r -Deacoen Y. J. Harrington was born iin Un.iin District in 1784. He was a - Ison of John Harrington, who moved A with his family to Newberry in 1799. 7 Deacon Harrington was for forty > three years Clerk of the Court, and - Judge 0O'Neall in his Annals says of [ him: "he was a pattern clerk, worthy - of imitation in everything.'' He was baptized in 1831, and from that time r to his death he was deacon and treas e urer of the church. As a Christian, his E piety was of the active kind.-In every a department cf the church's work he a was ready to labor, and to all its in 1 terests he was most devoted, visiting - the sick, looking aifter the erigand e seeking to reclaim them, and in every s way striving to promote the cause of t God and the welfare of his fellowmen. SHis promptness and love of order in C the house of God were proverbial. He -died suddenly, Nov. 11th, 1850, just e two years prior to t1.c death of Dea *c .:' Carwile. s A writer in a Newber: paper, s 8 f-e :pars ago. refmedut in the follow i-I ing languar to the att-et ment b. -"The fr'enlhis es' tr:sted be - tween Mr. Carwile and Mr. Harring d ton wa very beautiful and uncom e raon. They breame warmly attached . to each ot'her in early ma ahood and e their devotion to each othbr seemed f to grow with inereasing yiars. They .were associated in many kinds of n usinee, membem of the same church, alw:as euplid ie 1ane pew in the hoLse of wor;hip which they attended and while they were both genial and social in their dispositions, they seemed perfectly satisfied and con tented when left together. The writer has been informed by a friend, that Mr. Carwile never recovered from the shock of Mr. Harrington's death, and no doubt in his very inmost heart, he could have exclaimed with David in his touching lament over Jonathan, 'I am distressed for thee, my brother, very pleasant hast thou been unto me, thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of woman.' '' Deacon Thomas Pratt came to Newberry in 1806,as the clerk of Y. J. Harrington, and by patience and in dustry, as a merchant became one nf the wealthiest citizens of the town. He was a man of quiet manners, unobtru sive piety and correct deportment. He loved the word of God (especially the Psalms of David) and found solace in it from the cares and anxieties of a business life. In his domestic rela tions he was thoughtful and devoted, and in his associations with the world humane and benevolent. He was baptized in 1831, and the very day he was received into the church, was appointed to assist the deacon in the discharge of his duties. The next month he was elected deacon and serv ed as such until his death, six years after the church 'was organized. Deacon Drayton Nance was a gra duate of South Carolina College, in the class of 1821, and became an at torney at law. He was a man of un common intellectual ability and polish, and could have had high places of honor, if he would have accepted them. For a short time he was Com missioner in Equity and a most able and efficient one he was. Of an impulsive, variable temperament, he sometimes tended to despondency. Oc casionally after the sermon by the pastor he would step out in front of the pulpit and deliver a most eloquent and an impassioned appeal to.the un converted, and his prayer-meeting talks were often stirring and im pressive. His pinty was above all question, and he was the embodiment of transarent truth and deep humil ity. His knowledge of the scriptures was wonderful. He did not read mis eellaneously, but he studied the Bible constantly and devoutly, and was a [great believer in the doctrines of grace. He died suddenly in Septem ber, 1856, at his plantation, and was buried there. -Deacon M. T. Mendenhall was born in N. C., in 1798, and in 1830 came to Newberry to live. An elegant gen:le man of cultivated intellect, graceful, easy manners, and fine Christian character, he took an intelligent in terest in the church until his removal to Charleston, six years* after its or ganization in 1837. *The name of Deacon John Belton o 'Neall is so intimately and honor ably* associated with the history of Newberry, and indeed of South Car olina, that it is nreedless to dwell at length on his brilliant and useful career. The most discriminating esti mate of his character and, ability per haps ever published, appeared in the Columbia South Carolina newspaper just after his death. I make the fol lowing extract: "The Chief Justice of South Caro liiia has been gathered to his fathers full of years and honors. The state has. reason to hold his memory in grate ful remembranee. Prompt to engage in every useful work all the energies of his vigorous intellect were devot ed to the discharge of his duties, whether in public or private life. He courted labor and shriank from no task which duty demanded. Jude 0O'Neall talents were of a high order. 'If he was not primus inter pares, yet his great success in life, from early manhood to the close of his career, demonstrates the vigor of his intellect, his untiring industry and his devotion to duty; the more especially when it is remembered that this eminence iwas attained amidst the severest competition with the ab lest men of a brilliant age. His mind was marked by this peculiarity, that he arrive.I at his conclusions with ex traordinay rapidity, however compli cated the question. The moment a proposition was distinctly stated his right, and rarely shaken, when wrong, by the most elaborate argument. In this prompt 'judgment, he resembled those rare individuals of whom it is related that such was their remark abkc :mtitude for mathiematies that they were able to announce the result of a great array of figures at a glance, without apparently pausing to compute their value. It seemed to be rather an intuitive process than the exercise of the reasoning faculty. His apprehension was quick and his determined will carried itselft into all his intellectual processes. His con victions were so absolute and his tem perament so nervous that it may be inferred he was somewhat impatient (Cnnda on pa 7.) ASK yourself the QUESTION: Which Company offers the greatest security? Which Company will pay the largest dividends? Which Company issues the most complete policy? 59.3 per ct. cash dividend p4 It PAYS the LARGEST DIVIDEND $50,000,OOG is part of the '[he Pacific More than is offered t It wrote last year (paid for business) over State), being nearly as much as any other thre It was organized 40 years ago on "Old Li than 40 States and Territories. 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