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The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, November 30, 1910, PART 2 PAGES 9 TO 12, Image 9

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12 PACKS; PART 2 PAGES 9 TO I?
LAURENS, SOUTH CAROLINA, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1910.
NUMBER 18
!! BRIEF STORY OF A NOBLE PEOPLE !!
< > < ?
i> < >
jj Some Accounts of the Beginnings, the Struggles,
and the Triumphs of the Laurens Baptists, by ??
X the Editor of The Baptist Courier.
?
??++??8 9ft >+?-ft-??-ct-<r-? H)nnin?e<iH?>MiMtnM
$WThe State Baptist Convention meets |
Hin Lnurens this week, meeting here
^.V'ifor (ho first time. Many times hnve
1he delegates to the : tat" Convention
passed through Lauren^ enroute to
?Kne annual meeting, for it has been
Venter tallied in towns on every side.
fCiNewberry, Greenwood, Anderson,
Greenville. Spnrtanburg, Union, Ches
ter. During those year;? Lnurens lias ?
:$5>een growing, the Baptist? here hnve
been quietly lengthening the cords end
,';V?trengther.ing tlio slakes. Like most
(rfof the towns in South Carolina Lau
fens has made rapid strides within
?the past fifteen years r.nd today il is
, ono of the best and most substantial
commercial centers In the State, h
has good railroad connections, large
cotton mills, wide-awake business i
men, and a good farming country on
every side.
Hhptlsts have beoiv working in Lau-1
re* 8 sin(!0 lS3:i. when the village was j
/ luado up of a few hundred souls, it:
Ik said that Rev. N. W. Hodges was,
perhaps, the first Baptist preacher to
make an impression on the communi
ty. He was an excellent man, promt,
nent in his day, and ho loft behind
,i blessed memory in the region now
covered by Laurons, Abbevlllo, Green
wood and Newborry counties. Mr.
Hodges held a meeting lu the village
of Lnurens about IS33, which resulted
111 six baptisms. Not long afterward,
n I834, a church was constituted with
six mombers. lie supplied the church
for a time, preaching once n month.
The Baptists In thofce early days were
kindly permitted to uno the house of
worship of the Presbytorian?, who
were already a strong and influential
body.
The early records of the Baptists of
Lnurens are lost, nwtl those few mem
bers who knew much of th<- early
struggles of our people here, have
long since passed away. The first
house of worship, a small wooden
building, which stood not far from the
present beautiful structure, was erect
ed about 1850. The minutes of the
Reedy -River Association as far back
as 1 sr? 1 mention this church among
those represented in that body. In
some capacity the following ministers
preached for the little flock in thoi e
early years, some as pastors. other.
as supply, perhaps, some as passing
visitors: John J. Barnelt, J. C. Glvons,
W. B. Carson. I. I). Wurhatn, J. M. C.
Breaker.
Up to 1800 there Is no connected
recorded history of the church; but
somehow through these years the
church lived against great odds. The
past .summer the editor of The Courier
mot at Clifton Springs, New York, a
former pastor of the Presbyterian
church in Laurens, Rov. Dr. Edmund
Wills, now a retired United States
Army chaplain, who has a remarka
bly clear recollection of places, per
sons and events. A number of years
previous to the Civil War ho was pas
tor in Laurons. He recalled many of
the families of the village and county,
and could speak of the men of that
?aeration, acquaintances ftnd friends
a:; Of yer.tcrdfiy. Tim family names
of SlmpsOll, Hall. Watts, Trby, Karle.
Farley, Farrow, Bnrksdnle, Shell, were
yet. familiar to this remarkably well
preserved and venerable minister and
soldier, now over eighty years of age.
Or. Wills says that In bis day. al
though weak numerically, the Uaiirons
Baptists had among them some of lie
hest people of the community, and
some of the "salt of tin? earth." and
that no Influence could be brought
to bear that moved them to forsake
their principles, and consequently the
faithful little flock contfriued true in
their struggle for an existence. He
was greatly Interested In the present
dav Lnurens, and was especially grat
ified to hear of the growth of the Rap
lists and was surprised to learn that
the State Convention would meet in
Lnurens this week.
During the waf-perlod service; were
kept up by the Lau rone church some
what Iregularly After the war we
hoar of Rov. .T. K. Mendenhall as sup
ply, and aided by tho Mlsrfon Board.
Hoy William Hayne I<eavclL a young
mlni8ter from Nowborry, held occu
Slonnl services During this period,
.?Did a few lime* previous to this Dr.
I 0, Fur mau drove f?oin Greenville
and gave ihem occasional services.
From some time in the . ixii -s till late
in the seventies the church was al
most extinct, the light burned vorj
low. but there was light sotnowhore,
and (hid had ko|>l a few faithful ones
to let it shine.
September IV IS76, marked u new
era. and from that good day the
church has grown and prospered. On
that day a rc-organlzutlon of the
church was effected. Dr J. C. l?den,
then pastor of the church In Green,
vllle, presided over the mcoting. There
wore not a dozen names on the church
roll, and <?f those only live wore pres
ent, vlx, ISnoch West, Martha Grim
es, Anna Gnrrett, Martha Harksdale,
and laz/.i" May. Four others joined
by lotter, making a total of nine.
That was thirty-live years, ago. As we
look aboul us today, and seo the now
beautiful house of worship, a largo
membership, whose piety, devotion,
and liberality marks this as an excep
tion among Ihe llnptlsts churcht i of
the ontiro Southland, is it i :?; nge thai
wo exclaim, "Whal hath Mod wrought?"
It Is Wonderful, it i p;;st Unding out,
it cannot la- explained in any way that
would leave oul Cod's loadings and
the devotion of his people. Calling ov
er ih" names of the men who wire
pastors iron1 November. IST?',, to Octo
ber, 1HU7, in part 'at least, we can un
derstand how the present beloved
brother found himself the pastor of
such a noble people when lie ncepl
ed the call of the First church of Lau
rens. Who were bis predecessors in
nfr.ee?
Dr. James ('. Furman becume pastor
in November, 18'ifi; he served the
church till February, i<7s. and was
succeeded immediately by Rev Oeo.
II. Carter, who resigned In October,
isso. Soon after, in the fall of 1880,
Rev. J. 1"). Pitts was called. He en
tered upon his work at once, and con
tinued pastor until October, 1907,
twenty-seven years. IP- was succeed
ed by the present pastor, flov. \V. K.
Thayer, That is the brie record, three
wo respect his reelings. Briefly, the
111it in facts are: Dr. Pitts was born
and reared in Newberry: Ibo oldest
child of a widow; be attended Furmnn
University and subsequently Trinity
College, North Carolina: be went,
through the war. where he saw hard
Bervh e, and was badly wounded. Af.
ler the war be fanned, and engaged in
merchandise. Preach" d to churches in
Lnurens county for several years, ev
en after becoming pastor at Laurons,
lie Is now the beloved pastor of the
Blackvlllo Baptist church.
it was during the pastorate of Dr.
Pitts t?.nt the church nro's? and built)
the hew house of worship, recently
enlarged mid Improved. After the i
year> of prayer, preaching, struggling,
it was during his ministry thai the
membership caugbl new vision of
the Christ as the Supreme .Master,
and rose up to a new plane of spirit
uality and heavenly-mlndedness, a
new sense of obedience to their Lord 1
in the matter of bringing offering In
to his house lor iii> service, tin evah
j-'olization ?>'' iho world So it came to
pass :!.;it In hnsWei to prayer, under
his preaching and with the loving co
operation ol ri united liberal people.
Pastor ritt-, before bis resignation,
saw.tho ???ns church contributing
more lor Foreign Missions limn an;
church in the State, lie gives Cod
the glory, When he entered upon his
pnslprntd al Lnnrens the membership
of tin chui cii was twenty-three, five
malet and nlghterni females and when
be resignoci, tin men bor.sh.lp was well
on toward two hundred and lifty, with
two other Baptist churches in town,
at. t: ? mills. In th ? beginning of his
ministry the church could subporl
preaching only on. ;. month, hut long
before Ids resignation they had grown
to every Sunday preaching, During
his,ministry about t'?"0 members were
brought into tin- church.
During the years of its history the
church has enjoyed fellowship, and
the pastors were sustained by men and
women of noble bearing and conse
crated spirit. Some of them are pre
omlm m. known tar and wide for their
love ot the Master and their devotion
to his cause. It would he out of place
to single out by name these truly loyal
men and women, for like the men un
der whom Cod trained them, they
prefer to hide behind him whoso they
are and to whom tiny lave dedicated
themselves and their all.
Into this goodly heritage, (he pas
torate of tills noble CllUrCh, Id V. W,
REV. W. R. THAYER,
Pastor of tlic First Baptist Church, Lauren*. S. C.
pastors from ISTli to I:?<>?. a period
*<f thlrly-ono years, litiI <!i'i :i church
ever enjoy iho ministry of throe more
dovotod, consecrated and saintly men?
It would ho u pk isure to write of
Dr. J. 1). Pitts, who, under God,
wrought so wisely, faithfully nnd nor
Borvlngly for twenty-sovon yoara i"
bUlld up the cause at Lnurens bUt he
would not hnve anything written and
K. Tlinyer came n tow years ago, tlie
Immediate successor of tho beloved
Dr. Pitta. His is. ' fl id, a goodly
liorllngo. !!?? was ivnught u>) in a
beautiful, charming ( Istlnn homo in
Charleston. His father. William Thay
er w.'s a deacon In the Citadel Square
church for many years before dla di ath
ami was one of tho most substantial
ami successful bhBinoss mon In Ii:?'
cHl city, lie was a regular attendant
upon (lie State Convention tor many
years. Pastor Thnyer's mother still
lives to hless his home and to rejoice
in the continued usefulness and grow
ing inffuenee of her only child.
The members ol the Convention will
appreciate li>inn a few days in the
midst of a noble people stich as are
now found in Laurons. They will en
joy the eoiu^ir;a ol the beautiful house
of worship and as they think ot the
?lays of lie" little voodon building that
sheltered that devoted, struggling
l band in the years gone by. let vis lilt
our hearts in thanksgiving and raise
our vetoes in an " 1-he'nezer. hitherto
hath the Lord helped us." This beau
tiful house built by His people and giv
en to God, with its recent Improve
ments, cost $25,000, It will seat tihoul
Too people comfortably. The thirteen
Sunday school rooms will amply ac
commodate this school which was or
ganized .March 20, 1877. and which is
one of the best to he found nuywlu re.
Brother c. IL Hop? t is the be|ov<il
superintend) nt,
; This splendid church now has a
m< nibership of :102. The last at socin
tlonnl report shows that the church
contributed for the year ending with
s. ptcmher, 1010, s:".!''??_?.... for all pur
poses. Of thi? amount $3,810,98 wat
given for missions and benevolence,
and ol j"cts lostered by the Convi ntlon.
That i.i :i remarkable showing, and
[ Umso who were present nl the re-or
gniiix.ntion of the church September
15, 18.70, could not, by Iho wildest
stretch of the imagination, have fore
seen such results Shall we recall
lie s" w.v !?? !?' ? iln so nine uiembers
who formed the church th: i 'ay must
have been men und women of gr< ai
faith and who knows how closely
related are the works of this day to
the faith of that day of small thing: ?
God only knows.
This brief sketch dot ? scant justioi
1 to the faithful men and women of the
past so many of them now resting
frcm their "abors Of their faith, their
prayer. Iheir hopes their disappoint
ments, their struggles, their days of
gladness?of the men who preached
and labored, who were cast down but
not deslroved, of those faithful people
Who labored together and into whose
labors we of today enter, the fruits
of whoso labors we enjoy, much more
might he said, hut lime and space tail
us.
This imp< i feet story must < nd, but
in closing lei us write the names of
some of those who are serving us: The
deacons of this church are. John M.
Hudgens, L, s. Fuller, lohn v Franks,
J. S. Bennett. C II. Roper, A. .1. Chris
topher, H. A. Cooper and ('. B, Hobo.
The committee on hospitality for this
Convention: C. B. Robo, C. II. Roper,
A. J. Christopher, L, s. Fuller, c. i;.
Brnmlett, M. L. Roper, D. A. Bavls,
H. I>. Mahaffey. C A. Power, J. A.
Clardy, M. .1, Owlnga, R. A. Coopor.
Brethren of the First church and
I people of Lnurens, wo anticipate the
happy days so soon to be spent in
your midst. Our hearts already begin
I to respond to the friendly greetings
and the Cordial welcome you Will ex
tend us. May many hearts even now
he joined in prayer for Cod's presence
in our Convention, and the influence of
the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and over
our deliberations granting us a gra
cious meeting.
HOW TO CURE RHEUMATISM.
It Is an Internal Disease ami Requires
an Infernal Kcmcdy.
The cause of Rheumatism and kin
dred diseases is an oxcoss of uric
acid In the blood. To cure this terrible
disease this acid must he expelled and
the system so regulated that no more
acid will bo formed in OXCOSSIvo
quantities, Rheumatism is an internal
(llsense and requires an internal reine
! dy. Rubbing with Oils and Liniments
will not cure, affords only temporary
relief at best, causes you to delay this
1 proper treatment, allows the malady
to get a firmer hold on you. Liniments
may ease the pain, but they will no
more cure Rheumatism than paint
will change the fibre of rotten wood.
Science has at last discovered a per.
feet and complete cure, which Is call
ed "Rhoumactdo." Tested in hundreds
of cases, it has effected the most mar
velous cures; we believe it will cure
you. Rhoumacldo "gets at th i joints
from the Inside," sweeps the poisons
out of the system, tones up the stom
ach, regulates the liver and kidneys
and makes you well all over. Ithcu
maolde "strikes the root of the dis
ease and removes Its cause." This
splendid remedy Is sold by druggists
and dealers generally at .<or. and $1
a bottle. In tablet form at 25 and 50C
a paekngo. Get a hottlo today. Rook
let free if you write to Bohbltt Chem
ical Co., Baltimore, Md. Trial bottle
tablets 2Ro by mall. For sale by LAU*
RENS DUFG CO.
l)ONT NE1LECT VOUR EYES \
?AT
$ ONC
Don't think they'll "pot be!
tor" or "come nround" them
selves assist thorn in cor
recting tin- trouble with the
proper eye-glasses.
Down*to*Datc Oplomeiry. i '
We correctly tit the most
difficult eases of refraction
better have an examination by
us to-day.
Reasonable prices.
WILLIAM SOLOMON
Reliable Jeweler,
1
f
Fred VV. Green h< use and lot on We: I
Main Street. Formerly owned by J. II.
Boyd.
One House and Lot, North Harper Street
containing one-half acre, more or less,
fronting on Harper street 50 or (>0 feet.
The Harriett Mills
House and Lot
SR
N. B, DIAL,
President.
C. U. ROPER,
Sec. ?: Ti eat
Home Trust Co.
LAU RENS, SOUTH CAROLINA
ob'
m
W
] Oakland Heights j
Realty Company j
I
i
i
w With cotton selling for i.| cents and increasing dnily? ?
Q there's no reason why Panning Land shouldn't in ? ist ii
2 value in the same proportion as cotton; therefore take ad
A vantage of the bargains we arc offering in various sections f
of Latums Connly.
We offer a tract of land one and one-half mile front Water
loo. This is a splendid pie ce of property, ].v.\-~ < nc t ight
room dwelling in good condition. Three lenani houses, !
barn and stables; will make liberal terms, .: 11 acre . {
j? Ninety Three acres seven mile West fi in Laurei ... 1
liberal terms. :>. |S acres in Abbeville Connly?lhrc< miles w
" from Lonndsville, 75 acre under wire fence; :\" '. S
9 Limber, 75 acres in heavy pine liinbcf. One 6 room I $
? ing complete; our .; room house, barn and stable. Tl ?<
? place rents for 2500 lbs lint cotton, price $.| 000 cash. We ||
| have other lands. We , re having inquiries for small ti . 1
0 of laud from 5010 100 acre. List with us we a
0 time to the handling of real estate. g
S Oakland Heights Realty Co. {
B. A. SULLIVAN, M^r. Sales Dept.
Latirens, - - South Carolina, j
?
Clinton Garage and
Machine Shops
Will do any kind of machine work at i
I reasonable prices, on Engines, (ins fin |
J pities, Automobiles, and all kinds of farm
V. machinery.
:: Clinton Garage & Machine Shops.
Telephone 119 Clinton, s. C.

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