Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-01-03

formed with Beersheba. Mr. McWhorter re.
maiued pastor of these two congregations un-
til the 18th of September, 1901, when he left
and finally settled in Alabama. Here he died
at all advanced age, rich in faith, but poor in
the things of this world
From 1901 to 1911, Bethel Church was
without pastor, with the exception of less
than two years. during which time the Rev.
Humphrey Hunter, of North Carolina, seems
to have been a stated supply.
In 1911, the congregation of Bethel solicl-
ted the ministerial services of the Rev. James
S. Adams. Mr.. Adams was native of the
Bethel country. His birthplace is only about
four miles north of the church. He was born
during the ministration of Mr.. Balch, by whom
he was, no doubt, baptized. So far as we have
been able to learn, Mr.. Adams was the first
son that Bethel gave to the gospel ministry.
At the time that the people of Bethel invited
Mr.. Adams to take charge of their spiritual in
terests, he was settled over the Congregational
church of Dorchester and Beech Hill, in the
southern portion of the State. Here he was
ordained and set apart to the full work of the
ministry, by an association Of Congregational
ministers. On his grave stone it is stated that
he had preached forty-eght years-twenty.
nine of which were at Bethel. Previous to
the time he went to Dorchester, he spent some
time as a missionary in East Tennessee, but we
neither know how long he spent in this work,
nor how long he was pastor of Dorchester.
We think it very probable that he spent but
a short time in East Tennessee. In the latter
part of 1889, he ceased to be the pastor Of
Bethel, but continued to preach so long as the
in6rmites of age would permit. He died
August 18th, 1843.
His name still remains in the recollections
of the old people, by whom his memory is
dearly cherished. We may safely say that
Mr.. Adams was good pastor. The church
grew and prospered. The influence Of Mr..
Adams was very great over the whole region
of country. He wss known everywhere ny
the title "Parson Adams" and what was very
remarkable, his own brothers called him
mister Adams"
The following names were added to the el-
dership during Mr.. Adams mnistration :
David Watson, James Moore, John Camp.
bell, Joseph Adams, David Turner, Samuel
Ginges, Edward Moore, John Barry, John
Gabby Jas. McCord Pursely, Laban Suggs,
William Adams, William Watson, William
Latta. Robert Johnston and Adam Beam
guard.
Again, in the spring of 1910, the congrega-
ton of Bethel invited another one of her sons
to the pastorate of the Church. This was
the Rev. Samuel Little Watson, the son of
David Watson, of Allison creek. His grand
father, Colonel Samuel Watson, was ordained
All elder during the pastorate Of Mr.. Balch,
and his father during that of Mr.. Adams.
At the time the call was presented to Mr..
Watson, he was pastor of Steel Creek Church,
in Meek keuburg county, North Carolina. In
this field he had labored acceptably for thir-
teen years. His labors in Bethel began on
the first Sabbath of April, 1910, and on the
18th of the same month, he was installed pas
tor and continues to be unto this day. Mr..
Watson is an old man-being near eighty
years of age. He was baptized in Bethel
Church by the Rev. McWhorter, in 1888.
He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery
of South Carolina, at Long Cane Church,
in Abbeville county, in the Fall of 1925 !;
hence he has been preaching the gospel for
more than half century. He graduated at
South Carolina College in 1920 and studied
theology at Princeton, New Jersey, under
Drs. Archibald Alexander and Samuel Miller
For nearly forty years, Mr.. Watson has
been the faithful pastor of Bethel. He is an
instructive preacher, good theologian. and
his walk and conversation, from his youth
up, has been such as becometh the gospel.
"He was the steadiest young man ever saw"
is the testimony of one who was with him as
a student at Princeton. He has been "sober,"
in the Scripture sense of that word, all bis
life. Still he is by no means dull. In con-
versation he is both entertaining and instruct
i've. His sermons are always scriptural, and
characterized by close, logical reasoning. AS
a citizen he is highly respected, and as min
lister of the gospel he is loved by all of every
name who love the Saviour. His influence
is mighty. There are few persons in the
Bethel section of York county, or any other
section of the county, who would refuse to
follow the advice of Mr.. Watson. During
his pastorate, Bethel Church has been contin-
uous sly prosperous. 1t is to-day one of the
largest and most influential congregations in
South Carolina.
The Bethel people are plain and unassum-
ing in manners. They retain many Of the
characteristics of their progenitors. They
love the church. It is never so cold, or so
hot, so wet, or so dry, as to keep majority
of the congregation from attending the ser.
vices of the sanctuary. They love the gos-
pel-the old gospel-simple, but powerful be-
cause of its simplicity. The present bench
of elders is com posed of the following names:
Capt. j. j. Wilson, DR.. A. P. Campbell, S.
L. Adams, j. L. Adams, Samuel B. McCully
ond Thomas NichOls
Three years ago the congregation erected
large and comfortable house of worship,
which is the fourth that has been built since
the organization of the church.
With regard to the pastors of Bethel, it
may be said that they have uniformly been
able men but to Adams and Watson is main
" DUE under the blessing of God. the making
of the people of Bethel what they are. They
have fashioned the people of Bethel, so that
in manners and customs, and in religious
thought and practice, they are very like them
selves.
The following is, We believe, an accurate
list of those persons who have, at different
periods, held the Office of ruling elder in the
congregation: John Gullick, James Camp
bell, David Watson, John Jordan, Thomas
Neel, George Denny, Joseph Bradner, Col.
Samuel Watson, John Howe, Samuel Craig,
John Baird, Joseph Mckenzie, Alexander
Eakins, William Davis, David Watson, Jo-
seph Adams, James Moore, John Campbell,
David Turner, Samuel Ginges, John Barry,
Edward Moore, John Gabby, James McCord
Pursly, William Adams, Laban Suggs, Will
liam Watson, William Latta, Robert Johns
ton, Adam Beamguard, Zenas Kerr, Robert
Barber, Mai. A. A. Mckenzie, Capt. j. j.