The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-05-29

1t is the part of true wisdom to'schoose
the least oftwo evils .'s'as 9aa
.l.ssa.s, Generostee. m - ~.
l.fterl "a longerabsence than usual it was
our privilege to: spend the first Saturday
and Sabbath inst, with the good people
Of Generostee Church, in Anderson Dis;
trict and a pleasant time. it was. We
found the Pastor very comfortably lodged
in the parsonage. Yes-little as the
world knows about it, Generostee has q
parsonage, and not merely house, but a
good farm--one of the best in the-neigh-
borhood-for the use Of the Pastor. It's
the house of old Father Irwin, which was
left at his death to his widow, and at her
death to become @ parsonage. The good
mother in Israel lived and occupied the
place for thirty-two years after the death
of the testator, and then was gathered
home as shock of corn, fully ripe, in 1855.
Since her death, the Pastor, Rev. w. L.
PRESLEY has occupied the place. Thus the
wise provision of that best Of men, the
Rev. Robert Irwin, is rcdounding to the
advantage of the descendants of the peo-
Pile over whom he watched with shep-
herds care. That parsonage is helping
and will continue to help the good people
of Generostee, who are not rich I'm this
worlds goods, but who love the: church,
to perpetuatethe, ordinances as. administer
ed by the Associate, Reformed Church.
among them.ss2It lis, in word, a great
blessing. And so would a parsonage be
in many otherp places. Congregations owe
it to their Pastor and to themselves to
provide home for. him who la:
bors among. them in word and doctrine.
Pastors cannot live on the rncagre salaries
that they usually get. This matter must
receive more attention in the future than
it has received in the past
1t gave us pleasure to see some new
signs of life III old Generostee. When
we first knew it, there was just beginning
a tide of emigration from the neighbor-
hood which threatened the extinction of
the congregation, and this was kept up for
years, and was q source of great dlscour-
acement to theslate Pastor Ihereis.now
slight reaction. Some are coming. in
and Gcnerostee is growing. May the
good work go on until the congregation
Shall reach the prosperity of its palmiest
da, !
In. Inc grave yard close by the church
sleeps Rev. Robert Irwin. From the re.
card on the tombstone We learn that he
was ffly-eight years old when he entered
the ministry-that he lived after this
about twenty two years that for
twenty years he was Pastor Of Generostee,
and that he died in 1928. What would
we think now of man commencing to
preach at tifty-cight years Of age? Most
men are laid aside, feel themselves worn
ont by that timeeof day in their history
And vet Father'I Irwin made his mark, was
q useful and greatly beloved minister.
A striking coincidence is found in that
same grave yard. Cls'se by the side of
Father. Irwin lies the mortal remains of
Johns. Pressly.. From the head-stone that
marks his grave, it appears that the latter
died in 1868, in the 7O;h year of his age,
and the twenty-third Of his ministry. So
that he was about forty seven when he was
licensed to preach the Gospel, and yet, as
in the other case, he Yves for many years q
useful minister. The two good men sleep
side by side. One was the pupil of the
other Rev. John S. Presley grew up
under the ministry of Rev. Robert Irwin.
They were both past the meridian of life
when licensed. They preached about the
same number. of years; were Pastors, each
of them, of only one congregation. Both
were earnest defenders OF the faith. Both
were married at an advanced age. Both
were childIess. At the time of death one
was living on one side of Gcncrostee
Church, short distance, say q half mile,
and the other on the opposite side, within
few hundred yards. Isn't it remarkable !?
What greetings there would be whenthey
would meet in the heavenly home! We
can easily imagine that their spirits are
holding converse in the skies above, and
the Thought is pleasant. The good moth
er Irwin has Joined them, and may it not
be that they sometimes look down with
wonder at scenes once familiar to their
eyes Es,
| in times past given to the Associate Re-
formed Church more ministers, perhaps, in
proportion to her numbers and ability than
any other congregation. Some might point
with pride to such names as Johns. Press
| ". Thomas Turner, William Turner, (now
Of the North-west,) Jas. L. Young, recent
.ly deceased, Jno N. Young,L L. Mcdonald,
Gilbert Gordon. N. Nj. Gordon, and A.
Ransom. Beside these she has furnished
one or two to the Presbyterian Church.
What congregation has done more?
Asso Ret. Presbyterian.
Gen. Henry A. Wiso, it is stated
,r;Il dal;ver the annual address before the