The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-05-04
For THE HERALD.
A Pilgrimage to Bethel Church, ,
or Smokey Town-''The In
yisible''-UniOn Meet.
ing. sc.
For THE HERALD.

MEssRs. EDIToRs A little process
sion Of three bug gies coptaluing six
persous set out from Newberry at
eight o clock on Friday morning last,
their destination being the somewhat
remote locality aforementioned, and
the object Uuion Meeting which is
composed of delegates from certain
numbe. of churches of the Reedy RiV-
er Baptist Association, which unions
occur whenever fifth Sunday occurs
in a month. The day was beautiful
and the temperature pleasant; the
verdure and foliage in all their fresh
ness and beauty, the luxuriant grain
fields, the nicely titled ploughed fields,
the roses in bloom in the enclosures Of
the dwellings all along the route rem
dered the journey pleasant. A pretty
fair attendance for the first day met US
at the church. The improvement in
the building, which had been prettily
ceiled and the pulpit modernised aud
nicely painted, with handsome green
shade to the window at the back of
the pulpit, rendered the interior Of
the church much more attractive.
The usual business of the meeting,
which consists mostly of the discus.
sion of queries ''e reading and
discussions Of essays, "as relieved by
an interval for the refresbweDt of the
inner mau about Que o'clock, when we
were pressed to partake of an abundant
collation. or spread of good things in
t grove, but our host Mr.. William
Long, (who by the by is fine lookipg)
lives quite near the church and insisted
upon our going with him to his com.
nodious new dwelling 20 partake of
dinner aud hot coffee. Mr.. Long has
an interesting family of sous and
daughters who are bright and intelli
gent as we'll as good looking, aud what
is still better are good, amiable and
obligipg as we'll as energetic and
Industrious. The hospitality of these
people is very liberal and free. The
congregation is very respectable
looking one, more SO than some others
where more would be expected. Ao
acquisition to this community is the
female teacher, Mrs. Jane Long, who
has gone there Within the past two
years. She has a aourishing school
quite near the church which ranks
from thirty to sixty scholars during
the year. She is woman of hue
intelligence and high order Of piety,
She is not native to that section, but
is frow the eastern part Of this County
| frou the neighborhood Of Mt. Bethel,
| and is of Scotch. Irish parentagc AID
belongs to the sect of Seceders. Her
father, Mr.. Patrick Martin, long since
deceased, I think was closely related
| to our towusnen of that name. The
Scotch Irish are people Of much char
acter for Intelligence, strict religious
trailing as we'll as thrift, economy and
prudence. The 6ue prospect Of oats
aud wheat all along the route is most
encouraging aud the magnificent fields
Of both were feast to the eye. Fol
the first eight miles the wheat esPe'
cially is unsurpassed. At one place
about twelve miles from here We saw
oats growing in au open avenue lead
| ing up to the house Of Mrs. Bowers
(formerly) where there were two
patches on each side the wagon track
almost, if not quite, as high as our
heads. A field Of cotton of Mr. Pearce
Harmon's just beyond there was per-
haps the best ne saw, moro advanced, g
better stand and growing very straight
aud regular. The congregation OF
Sunday was very large, but the rains
on Saturday prevented large turn
out, though the programme of the
meeting was Interesting and was thor
| oughly carried out till late hour in
the afternoon.
Yours, &c., S. z.