The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-03-23

WAS on horse, with bag of apples:
would | please come down and pull The
bars, and let him out2
And we had a new currency at Cokcs-
bury. AS before stated, labor give us ap-
petite, and flour was not cheap then rs
now. Biscuit was a luxury. Sunday
night and Wednesday night were known
as "liscuit nights" To save the well.
behaved from the grabbing boys, at orI.
nary, three biscuits were counted out to
each plate. They were our property, and
\ we'll based calculation could be male on
the issues Of the big oven-real sub.treas
ury, like gold and silver Biscuit was al
saost a legal tender. SEQ two boys swap.
plug knives Or books:
How much boot do you give me-"
"Pll give you SO many biscuits"
One boy from Orangeburg, when his
numerous creditors conferred siu uong tLe.n.
selves on his solreucy, was found to owe
Mirty.sir biscuitsI Great self-denial was
required to pay such debts. Think Of it!
three hot biscuits smoking under hungry
boys nose, and his creditors clamorinr
across tho table, and sometimes making
collecting tours-"Pay me my biscuits ~
At that day camp. ground formed part
OF CokesLury. The tents were hal!owed
spots. Nearly every pious student found
closet, to which, at morning, noon, and
evening, he quietly retired, and read his
Bible, and communed with his Father in
heaven. The tent.apartmcnts, separate,
clean, and dry, and hoored with straw,
were well adapted for such use. There,
in niche, tho Bible or religious volume
lay, turned down at the place where read
ing was left off, and ready to be resumed.
The students habits in this respect were
just enough under each others ohserratio,.
for mutual watchfulness. Absence for a
few times might be accounted for Ly sick
ness or unavoidable detention but it hy
and by the place "where prayer was wont
to be made" became deserted, the III omen
was correctly interpreted. and the back
sliding soul sought after. That camp
ground might seem small circumstance,
but in my memory Of Cokesbury it was
material feature in the religious liie of its
students Private prayer was an institution,
and the devotional habits Of young converts
were regular. \ Hence their stability
The first year of spiritual life is Of great
Importance, wley viewed in this light
The closet, the closet when and where
was there ever deafness to the world o,
depth Of piety without it TO it the weary
Saviour rctrcated for strength, and he has
TOR ever consccrated it to the rest and com.
fort OF his followers. Often, As he returned
from the conflicts Of outward life to the
place of seefet prayer, the pious Wilber-
force would repeat 10 himself:
The cool retreat, the pleasant shade,
With prayer aad praise agree,
And seem by thy sweet bounty nude
For those who worship thee
Under these auspices my first year IN
the Church was passed, and I shall ever be
thankful for it. Here the little pocket
Bible was read through for the first time.
We went to church three times every Sab.
bath, to elias meeting once a week, and TO
Sabbatl-school. Not only was there a
great deal Of preaching, but it was good
preaching, and a variety of it. The last
sermon preached especially to US, before
breaking up to 60 home, was by that
sanity man, Malcolm M'Pherson. Among
other things he said, "You leave, nv
young friends, many Of you, such means
OF grace as you may not find elsewhere.
You will have temptations. tell vou
boys, the Devil has rods in SIOUX for you.'
However it may have Jared with the
other boys, this one has proved it SO.
That summer we had a camp.meeting
don't recoIlect much about it, except that
my father came up TO Zee. us, bringing
messages of love from home, and good
things put up by Mothers hands; and
that old Mr.. DannelIy was the generals:
simo on the ground. I mast say .some.
thing Of him. for lie was a character. His
voice was fine yet strong. like the sound
that comes from sharpening eross.cut saw
on cold, e|ear morning. The picture of
Captain Webb, the British soldier and
early Wesleyan preacher, reminds me Of
James Dannelly: .st. ut in body, shortf
broad, courageous faces, both. True, Webb,
lacked an eye, but DsnnelIy matched that
in lack of leg. His wooden leg was a
feature. lts resoIute thunp, thump on the
floor was expressive Of decision. When
he Eut his foot down. Il waa ,ba.o 49,.