The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-01-07

: ne preached so loud and earnestly; and,
secondly, because once, when the whole
congregation stood singing after the sermon,
and my cousin and were trying the utmost
strength of our lungs, he called out from
the pupit-"Ihat's right, my little boys
Sing up, my little boys" and after that I
always loved Mr.. Billings with an unspeak-
able love-"
"Pray, sir, may be SO bold as to ask
who you arc!"
81 am a Methodist preacher from Ameri.
Gu. My name is Joseph Cross"
SIS it possiLle-is it possiLle-that sec
the son of George Cross in Lympsham, and
he a laborcr in the vineyard of the
Lordm
And the tears fell thick and fast from
her uplifted eyes, as she ciasped her hands
and exclaimed, "Bless the Lord, o my
soul and all that is within me, bless his
holy namer' And had the best meeting
that hour ever enjoyed in the old chapel
Of my childhood!
Let us hasten on to the parish church.
Its Gothic tower is one Of the finest in Eng
land, and bears most musical set of bells.
Well do [ remember standing by Que of
the buttresscs, and gazing up at the stupcnd-
Gus altitude, and calculating that about
twice the distance would carry one quite to
heaven. The church is very ancient, and
was given by Ina, King ofthe West Saxons,
to the abbots of Glastonbury. Since was
here, it has undergone thorough renova-
ton, but its massive tower still incliues
several feet from the perpendicular. The
present rector-a very eloquent and useful
man, they say-was my class-mate in
Sabbath-school. His father WAS then the
incumbent Of the parish and once week
the good man used to come and hold Il
prayer-mecting in my fathers house. He
now lies in the vcs,cry, awaiting the resur-
rection; and the old pulpit i'll which he
preached, stands close 10y his tomb, while
his son occupies the new one which has
taken its former place. The rcctory, with
its long front, and pretty porch, and orlel
windows, and surrounding frs and laurcls,
with glimpses Of grccnsward and blossom
ing parterres between, forms most charm
ing view, and demonstrates the advantage
of the English tithc-system-to the person
The clIurchyard is as Ecat us Il ilowcr-gar-
dcn-just such p spot rs another Gray
might choose for the scene Of his. Elcgy-
These graves are so pleasantly arranged as
to rob the grim king OF half his tcrrors-
What is there to shuddcr at in lying down
to rest in such a spot as this
And here is a huge D upon tombstone,
executed by my rcguish cousin Bob, with a
brush and red paint, thirty five years ago,
but as fresh as if done but Yesterday. Aud
here reposes the dust of a dearly beloved
uncle, and two aunts, and several cousins.
The death bed Of one of them l we'll re-.
member. Lord, "let my last end be like
his" My grandfather and grandmother
Cross are resting close by. 1 shall never
forget them, though the blossoms of nearly
forty summers have dcckcd their humble
graves. They lived at the church-yard
corner, and kept the village school, and
there learned to read this sublime couplet:
Don't you tell,
Down fell"
They were people of most exemplary picty;
and the Methodist preachers, whom 1 re-
gardcd as little less than angels, frequently
visited their cottage. / remember how I
grieved when that dear old building was de-
moIlshed to make way for the present pre-
tentious school house, in which | afterward
rccited my catechsm and Scripture lessons.
The old parish clerk sleeps just under the
caves, and his nasal chant is silent forever.
One luckless autumn he was elected from
his office, because cider happened to be
plenty that season; and aftcrward he used
to stand at the church door and look sor:
Arowfully at the reading-dcsk which he had
u ,Pccupied for more than twenty years.
Il "a stranger filled tho Stuart's throne,''
o pd the consciousness that his deposition
d @s welldcscrvcd did not deprive the
e Wight of its sting. He still went regular
d ~ churcb, though every service probably
n req led the pang.
ESQ heartrecords please your readers
b batNthan Italian arts and ruins, 1 have
"heslAolios of them atsyasr disposal.
al e~---a,.sh {&FJOS. CROSS.
Geassal Brownshas decided
irse4s. In ,itias. nost. .lfn1itas undor