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'f-. 1*. JOHN WYCUFF-BIBLE TRANSLATOR. The following puper was read in the prayer meeting service at the Dunn (N. C.) Baptist church some days ago by Miss Bessie Faris, daughter of Mr. S. C. Faris, of Fort Mill township: The story of how our sacred Scriptures have been oreserved and handed down to us after 1900 years in their pristine purity and without any admixture of error or untruth? this story of how God shielded it from the destroying hand of persecution and hoathern invasion, is indeed an interesting one. We see how in the dark times of persecution when it seemed that every vestige of sacred writings would be . destroyed, how God shielded his truth and nid it away as it were until the nations should become fitted for its reception. For a long period following the Danish and Norman invasion in England the native Saxons lay helpless at the : feet of the invaders and saw with bitterness their customs and their refigious manuscripts thrown aside as relics of a , rude barbarism. The onnt.enrmf shewn to the language of the defeated race quite destroyed the impulse to English translation of the Scriptures and as the Norman clergy had no desire for spreading the knowledge of the Bible among the people for centuries those Scriptures remained in darkness and oblivion. Yet this time must not be considered ns altogether lost for during those centuries England was being fitted for an English Bible. The future language of the nation was being formed. The Saxon and Norman French then struggling side by side gradually blended and formed the language of united England. In 1378 John WyclifT, rector of Lutterworth and lecturer at Oxford, boldly set about to improve the religious corruptions and weaknesses of his age. The only Bible then in use in England was the Latin version. The people could not read a line of it and many priests were almost as ignorant of its contents. To bring the Bible to the people he made the first translation of the entire Bible into the English language. There was no press at that time to multiply editors of the book but by means of manuscript copies it was widely circulated and read. The cost of such a book in manuscript was so great that only the rich coula afford to buy the complete volume. Many, however, who had no money would give load of farm produce for a few favorite chapters or for permission to read it for a certain period. In this way Wycliff's translation was spread throughout the country and its influence among all classes was great. It awakened an inquiring spirit and a thirst after more of the divine truth. So that men hid these nrerirmo r?or>i??n and read them with locked doors at night or met in the forest to hear them expounded by preachers who went about at thc^peril of their lives. So great was tne effect of this revived study of i the Bible that the priests began to be displeased at their progress and complained that common yen and women who could barely read were better ac- 1 quainted with the Bible than the most J learned of the clergy. This study was i carried on at a terrible risk, for as the 1 rulers of the church became more and 1 more alarmed at the circulation of the 1 book they began a vigorous persecu- ' tion of all who dared to study or discuss the bible. They knew that the best ' exposure of their corruption and selfish 1 policy Would be to exhibit the beautiful ; and self-forgetting life of Jesus Christ ." as recorded in the Gospels and that the [ i knowledge of the Bible would lead men j to see how they, as priests, were falling | short of their duty. This feeiing of Wycliff's opponents ' will be better understood if we notice the position of the church in England at that time. She had fallen into utter subjccticn to Rome. Her people were j neglected except for the money to be | extorted by masses and pardons. This state of things had gone on for centuries ar.d the people like dumb driven cattle h: d submitted, but a strong 1 spirit of independence was rising among J tne people, and men were beginning to think for themselves. The minds of . N t| We solicit || ance of ABS( |l TREATMEN tt : THE PI > ' V the English people were greatly j agitated and Wycliff felt that at suen ] a time the firmest charter of the \ church would be the open Bible in her j children's hands. He himself regarded j this translation of the Bible as of far i more importance than any of his other j attempts to reform the English church j and he vigorously pursued his object ij against the most strenuous opposition. 1 Like all the earlier English transla- j Upns WyclifT's bible was based on the Eratin valgate of St. Jerome; and this i is the great defeat in his work as com- : Eared with the version that followed, j [e was not capable of consulting the j original Greek and Hebrew even if he ] had had access to them and therefore, J though he represents the Latin faithfully, he of course hande i on its errors ; as faithfully as its perfection. But it { is a fine specimen of 14th centurv 11 English. He translated not for j scholars, or for nobles, but for the { plain people and his style wits such as j suited those for whom he wrote?nlain, j vigorous, homely, and yet v^th all its j homeliness full of a solemn grace and j dignity which made men feel that they j were reading no ordinary book. His \ work was divided into chapters as in i our own Bible but did not have verse j divisions. Scarcely had this brave Wycliff j finished his work when death claimed him. While bis enemies were pre- j paring to strike more deadly blows of j persecution, the old man was not, for ] God took him. In him England lost one j of her best and greatest sons, a patriot ' sternly resenting all dishonor to his ' country, a reformer who ventured . his life for the purity of the church and ? freedom of the Bible. Patterson Bound Over. Len S. Patterson, the young white man who ran away about ten days ago to escape service of the warrant which had been issued for his arrest by Magistrate McElhaney charging him with assault and battery^with intent to kill, returned to Fort Mill Monday and gave up. He waived preliminary hearing in 1 the magistrate's court and was bound over to the court of general i sessions which meets in Yorkville April 18. Bond was ar- ) ranged in the sum of, $200 with W. L. Hall as bondsman. , Patterson is charged with assaulting Clyde Kimbrell, another young white man, with a rock in 1 an affray at the depot on Jan. 15. Leroy Johnston, a Confederate veteran well-known in this com- i munity, died at his home in Mt. Holly. N. C., Tuesday. \ Card of Thanks. Wo wish to express our heartfelt thanks to our friends and neighbors i for their liberal contribution and help j in sharing our los** which war. caused ujr me <jaiiuury iu. we wisn also to i thank the colored people who worked j *o bravely to save our dwelling from aurning. J. P. Crowder and Family. ' FOR SALE Two Mules. 4 and 5 years old. OSMOND BARBER. j Lumber For Sale. We have moved our mill . across the river, 1-2 mile ' below the ferry. Ferriage free to persons buying lumber. Lumber on yard, $1.00 for ordinary bills, or deliv- ) ered on Fort Mill side of river for $1.10. Barber Lumber Co., Jim A. Barber, Mgr. ] Thinking of Building? ' If so, let me figure with you. 1 can lave you money. At any rate, let me I Furnish you estimates. I use the best jfrade of material at the lowest prices. Mo jobs too large, none too small. , A. A. BRADFORD , Builder and Contractor, Ft Mill. S. C. m e S i5?33 Ki S your business v DLUTE SECUR] IT I A LOPLES N T. L. JOHNSTON, Prei ttt ? i I Building I j1 Wood ? Cast] We are prepared t promptly for all kind terial at very lowest pi carried at all times, happen to have in sto< in our planing mill i Write or Dhone us at T m or give your orders to your local dealer, and 1 | Syleecau Mfe i Rock Hill, Why Not?! ?? Why not buy your Shoes j 5 here? We gurantee every | pair that goes out of our ^ store to give perfect satis- ^ faction. No matter what | the price may be, they cost ^ no more than others; then, ? why not buy one that is $ guaranteed "good wear or a j new pair''? ^ We also carry a full line of ^ Dry Goods, I Notions, | Gents' Furnishings, | and other goods. I Come to see us before j buying. Our prices are right. | We want to figure with|| you on that spring suit. Respectfully, I P. H. Stallings. Why Pay Rent I WHen $2.50 a week will | Buy a Home? I For Particulars see L. A. HARRIS. % * MITCHELL HOTEL, ? (Formerly Nicholson Hotel) f CHESTER. - - S. C. $ Rates, $2 Per Day and Up. ? S W. Mitchell, Proprietor. I UCCES? shth the assur- J ITY and FAIR :"jll ATIONAL sident. 4 Iron ? Steel f o fill your orders ;o; s of Building Ma- |gj( rices. A large stock ||j| and what we don't " ck, we can get out u once. Mo. 115, Rock Hill, V. B. Blankenship, lie will send them in. fey; j. Company, |j IWe have just rec Mules ever brought sizes, from the ipid on earth. . Mules are high oa jg| do, we give you a b< 1| you can possibly ge | FORT IV >FUL . Money depoi ment draws inte if left three mon MDVMailMMMMMHHHBHPaVI] BANK oj . I Of Interest I To Working IVSen I It's a mighty good thing to have money p in the bafik when dull times come or I when you are out of work fo* any reason. Better lay aside a few dol' .rs every week ? or month and be on ? safe side. You'll 5 receiv*3 4 went, interest on all your I deposits in our Savings Department. The Savings Bank of -Fort Mill jj W. B. Meacham, Cashier , l i eived a carload of the finest Western ||| ; to Fort Mill. We have them in all ?jS fill-* mill" ^ J GKW v,v,vi>w.. nunc w? Hit: vun I1I1CSI *gg rerywhere, but what we agree to do and ||| etter mule for the same money than ||| t elsewhere in this section. ||| 1ILL MULE CO. I .> < E --yr i. ,, '><> "1? ^4 ? >itea in our Savings Depart ? o + rest at the rate of 4 oer cent, r? ?? ths or longer. tt wwaMnRnamMWi '/<p??mo?im ?biii - nw?nr mmmmmki f Rock Hill, S. C. 11 tt I C. L. COBB, Cashier. I si I