Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-11-26
The internal religious history Of the Church now
claims our attention. -.. ..-.

BY the elevated morals OF the community. she
has had, from her earliest history Ministers who,
excepting the impostor, were competent tofeed the
flock Of Christ with the pure milk and strong meat
Of the Gospel; who declared "the whole counsel
of God, and who were content, desired and labor
ed to see the sheep of Gods pasture growing in
Grace, and in the knowledge Of God, and sinners
aocking to the Cross Heroffcers, too, have been,
generally, men of decided christian character, fair
representatives of the intelligence and piety Of the
Membership, and who were able to command the
respect of all, and who thus stamped an impress
upon the Church. So, too, the membership OF
the Church, whilst constituted Of all grades Of 30
|ciety, have been 80 universally indocTinatsd, and
have had so large a majority Of examples before
them in favor of morality and practical godlness,
that they have sustained the honor of religion.
Blessed with such Ministry, such officers and
such members, We can easily see why religious SEN
timent has 80 habitually had the ascendancy over
the popular mind and why the Church has al
ways been one Of the most reputable and promii-
nent in the up-couutry, ranking with any in her
internal composition, her ecclesiastical organism
and arrangements, the practical exhibitions Of
godness and charity, and fidelity to all her trusts.
As to the numerical strength of the Church pre-
yiously TO this century, we have no definite infor
nation. But it was probably large from the first,
as is nferable from the density of her population,
and the immense proportion of this known to be
Presbyterian by tuition and prediction In the
beginning of this century, we have been informed,
the membership was about one hundred. Since
the year 1904, when large additions had been made
to the membership, we have reliable data. from
which we ascertain that the average annual report
of members, for fifty years, was one hundred and
sixty-being the highest in 1885, when it was near
ly four hundred, and lowest in 1850, when in con-
sequence of the years of immense mortality prece-
ding, and also, the extensive emigration to the
West, it was reduced to one hundred and five.
There must evidently, then, have been frequent
and important accessions to the communicates in
the Church, to fll up the breaches made by death
and emigration, and this is what might be expect
ed from the character Of her ministry, and the
Chmch's known fidelity to her children and fami-
lies, and by the aid Of the Divine Spirit. But
besides this gradual and constant increase of mem
bers, there was at intervals very large influx in
to her communion, for Bethesda has enjoyed sew
eral seasons of general religious awakening, and as
father Walker used to say, ''the people expected
one every fifteen years" The first of these occur
red in the beginning of this century, and we shall
permit the lamented Bishop to describe it:
''In 1902, the wonderful work of Grace which
commenced in Kentucky extended to thisregion OF
country. In the spring, or early in the summer of
this year, protracted meeting was appointed at
Bethesda, at which time the first Camp Meeting
was held at this Church. The neighboring Minis
ters were invited, and masses Of people assembled
in expectation of a revival They came from the
two Carolina s-some far as thirty orforty miles
to attend the solemn occasion. Revivals Of great
power had already appeared in some Of the sur
rounding congregations; but special work Of
Grace appeared now at Bethesda. 1t passed
through that vast assembly like some mighty whrl-
wind. The people were moved as the trees Of the
wood are moved by the wind. Subjects were ia
ken from almost every age, class, character and
condition. Hundreds retired from that assembly
who had felt the mighty power Of the work; and
very many returned to their homes, rejoicing in
hope of the glory of God Thus commenced
that remarkable work in the congregation, known
as the old revival and which continued with great
power, between three and fouryea Such mass
|es now crowded the house Of God, that in good
weather, want of room compelled them to retire
to the grove. They assembled early on Sabbath
morning at the place of worship, not for worldly
conversation or amusement, but to transact busl-
ness for the eternal world. Immediately on their
arrival not waiting on the presence of the Pastor,
the people commenced prayer, praise, religious
conference and conversation, with the anxious en-
quirer. In such exercises, in connection with
public worship, was the day measurably spent
and at evening the people retired to their homes,
with an overwhelming sense of eternal things pos
sessipg the soul. Meetings for prayer, during the
days or nights of the week, were appointed in diff
Eferent parts of the congregation and attended by
crowds, for they now considered secular pursuits
as secondary to the interests Of eternity. Such
was the allpervading solemnity resting on the pub
Lie mind, that fashionable amusements, sports and
pastimes which had been so common, disappeared
as darkness does at the approach of dawn, and the
chill Of winter with the return Of Spring. The
business of life was not neglected, but such was
the absorbing interest then felt in the things oi
the soul, that wherever men assembled, were it tc
repair or construct the roads, to raise the house
clear the fields or remove the rubbish, and even tc
husk the corn, lat other times demoralizing) the
work of Grace then progressing, and the salvation
of the soul, were the general topics Of converse
ton. And even when they assembled at the hous'
on such occasions, to take their meals, it was no
uncommon to spend time in social prayer anc
praise, and religious conference, before resumins
their labor.
| s"These were happy golden days,
| Sweet1y spent In prayer and praise"
''What number of persons became hopeful sub
jects of Grace during this revival, can be Learned
in eternity alone Many from distance, it is be
leved, were savingly impressed while attending
protracted meetings at Bethesda, who returned tt
their homes, and whose subsequent history was o
course unknown to the Church. Many hopefu
subjects of the gracious work united themselves t.
other branches of the Church, and large add
tions were made to this Church. 1t is known tt
some Of you, I am informed, that at the com
mencement of this gracious work, the number
persons in actual communion in this Church, die
not amount to eighty, and at the close of the revi
val, it largely exceeded three hundred. And ever
after the Church supposed the revival at an end
its peanipgs for years continued to come into tn
Church. From all I can learn, l am induced tt
believe that Bethesda alone, received more thai
L., nv, ,rofaoc;on nf thor