Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-01-20
" a. R I E II z
A Clerical Romance Marriage and Death.


A Clerical Romance Marriage and Death.
The Philadelphia Daily News gives the
following interesting account Of the death of
Rev. William Barnes. He was perhaps as
well known as any minister in the Methodist
Church, and his eccentricity and eloquence
caused crowds of persons to flock to hear him
whenever he preached Although he must
have been fully eighty years Of age at the time
of his death, he was still in the active minis
try, and had never accepted superannuated or
supernumerary relation.
No clergyman in the Methodist Church was
better known than William Barnes. For six
ty years member Of it's itncrant ministry,
commencing with the rife, axe, and saddle
bag days of Asbury and Scott the divine slow
ly increased in reputation as the vanitics of
the world and the follies of the flesh were Ell
grated on the beloved church of his adoption
and choice. He was bitter opponent of fash
ionable trivolity. The planncss of his fore
fathers was the apple of his eye. The sim
plicity Of apostolic days was the standard of
his life, and the doctrines he loved were the
doctrines he preached.
John the Baptist was not palmer in attire,
in life and manner than Mr. Barnes, and the
ardency of his opposition to gayety and ex-
travagance made him famous throughout the
bounds Of the Philadelphia Conference. AS
divine he was eloquent, earnest and sincere.
His sermons possessed the power of the old
fathers of Methodism, when Wesley and Whit
field invoked the mcrcics Of Providence on
the collcries of England and the pioneer set
Elements of America. Eccentric and singular
in his boyhood, his individuality increased in
his later years until the peculiar traits of Mr..
Barnes character made him familiar in every
Methodist parish in the State. For twenty
years his name has been household WORD in
Methodist families in the Philadelphia Con
ference
Un friday night the old divine died from
one of the most singular circumstances in cler-
ical history. An old law of Pennsylvania,
enacted in 170l, declares that bans of marriage
must be published in public meetings and
posted on the meeting house one month be-
fore the ceremony can be legally performed.
For years the statute has been null It filled
place in the records Of commonwealth law,
but its terms were never needed Mr. Barnes
joined in lawful holy wedlock two lovers, who
blushingly came to his house and asked the
sacred ful6llment of their hearts desires The
bride was the daughter of a resident of this
city. He objected strenuously to the union,
but his anger toward the children was impo.
tent. They were united in marriage, and he
could not divide them. His daughter was OF
full age, but her husband was not twenty-one
Powerless to separate them, the father pre-
sented the grayhaircd clergyman for violation
of the antiquated act of 1851. The fossil OF
father claimed the vengeance of the fossil OF
the law. Mr.. Barnes was brought before the
District Court, with Judge Shcrswood on the
bench
The defendants counsel contended that
proof of the non. publication of the bans should
be made; that the plaintiffs witnesses had
not gone to the court house or meeting house
doors to examine; and, nasmuch as this wa.
final action, the proof should be positive as
to the on-performance of the requirements Of
the act. He said that the enforcement of tho
act would lead to many divorces, to the break
ing OF many family ties; and that the father
(the plaintiff) had done wrong in casting
doubt upon the legality of the marriage of hi
daughter, united in holy natrmony by pow
er recognized by ecclesiastical law 4s we'll a.
custom.