The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1871-12-27

johnson received the young men
politely, and acceeded to their re.
quest, that the preaching should
come off an hour sooner, and the
dancing be postponed till the reli :.
gious services were over. DIR.
johnson wac very much opposed
to all balls and dancing parties,
but he had good sense enough to
know that young people would in
dnlge in those nmusements, and
that he could not preventit. Like
a sensible man, therefore, he ac~
commodated his action to the Cir
cumstances which surrounded him.
He was a stern inai,, and very de.
cided in his character. But he
had great, good, practical sense,
and commanded the respect of all
who knew him.
Iknow that when he determined
to move to Edgefeld, the citizens
expressed great regret, and felt,
most seriously, his loss in the Fe-
male Academy. There was so much
regret expressed at his depart.
ure, that he said if he had known
it sooner, he would not have left
u.s.. In the course of time he came
lack to Greenville to end his days.
Whilst in charge of the Female
Academy, he was selected to de-
liver Fonrth of July oration.-
He accepted the position, and
made us most admirable address.
This was just before our political
excitement in 1928. His oration
left the impression on my mind,
that he was national in his politics,
and I confidently expected to see
him in the Union ranks, but in
Edgefield, he became warm nul
lifier under the lead of Calhoun
and McDuffic.
At the commencement of our
civil war, he requested me one
day to witness his will, and whilst
the paper was being executed, he
expressed himself gratitied to know
that / had come over to the State,
and was with him in feeling and
action. / said to him, that / had
never, for moment left the State,
or ceased to advocate what l
thought were her best interests
and welfare. My orinions were
still unchanged. / had the same
terrible apprehensions of the result
that ] had always entertained and
proclaimed. But as a citizen of
the State, / felt it to be my duty to
defend her and the form of gov
ernment ntshe saw proper to adopt.
Feeling little sore on this sub>
ject, l said to the old gentleman,
that I had been greatly surprised
at the conduct Of the clergy,
North and South, in stirring up
sectional hatred and enmity which
had led to war and revolution, and
that such conduct was inconsistent
with the fundamental principles of
their religion. He seemed aston
ished at my reflection on his clo.h,
and dissented. l quoted the ex.
preston of Christ, For all they
that take the sword shall perish
with the sword" He replied,
Washington took up the sword ,
and neither did he nor his cause
perish by the sword" / said
quickly, "Dr. you mean by this
to falsity what Christ has said"
The old gentleman saw his dilem
ma and seemed a little confused.
sent him afterwards, a clergyman's
account of the wounded and dying
after the battle of Manassas. AS
a Christian, in a Christian land,
how deeply he deplored the horri.
BILE scenes which he witnessed,
and pronounced it murder on the
part of those who had brought on
the Issue. The DIR. read the paper, i,
and said to me afterwards that he
concurred in most of the senti-
ments expressed.
DR., Johnsohn preached not only
able and learned sermons, but long
and elaborate ones. lie was
something like the old Seceders,
who, wished their ministers to
preach all day, and thought it fool.
ish to come to church to hear q
sermon only one or two hours long.
| remember on one occasion, DIR.
johnson did preach two hours.
Paul Marley, Esq, was present
and 80 situated in church that he
could not get out. After the SER
mon was over he said most
emph att cally, that he had
enough of preaching to last
him five years, and ! am sure I
never saw him in church after
wards. For many years DR.. John
son was President of the Baptist
Convention in South Carolina, and
regarded as one of their ablest
ministers. -..5
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.
... . .. .H#