The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-02-20
Methodist Pioneers
WHO HAVE FINISHED THEIR WORK
AND GONE TO THEIR REWARD.

WHO HAVE FINISHED THEIR WORR
AND GONE TO THEIR REWARD.
Address before the Historical Society
Of the South Carolina Conference,
Dec. 18th, 1883, by Rev, H. NJ
Mood.
In attempting n performance Of the dut,
required OF me by your Society. l propose Il
Mcthodlsm in the City OF Charleston, Mrs
Matilda Wightmnn. and two Of the father.
viz. Rev. Samuel Dunwody and James Dan
nelly. with whom l had intimate persona
acquaintance In my boyhood.
Mrs. Matilda WIshtman.
Among the memories Of boyhood life in The
"rity by the sea" o are more vivid nnd
pleasing than those. In connection with this
sanity won an. Mrs. Matilda Wightman
md rotund In person. with unusual cln>ticand
quick step, her walk. without the appearance
OF haste. cnrrled her tripping along with n
girli<h glrc which was IN beautiful harmony
Her round fnce. fair complexion. white
teeth. black hair intcrspcrsed with ~silvcry
white. and her large, bright. gray eyes. made
up n picture Of sweetness. gaycty and !nnH-
III "tl'Sh "Np '"k 'ift W. ~. N'''N ~ -"
When she spoke. the whole ace lighted up
with n smile, In which no feature seemed cs-
pccially implicated; but eyes. mouth, chin,
cheeks. all united In q glow OF delight, which
fingered when the smile was gone.
The Church Of God was her home, and hcr
delight wns at her altar In enrncst exhorta'
tion, song and prnycr with those who APP.
preached rs pcnitentS. and there she remain;
cd so long MS one fingered. No one could
hear her celebrations as she moved from
p%cnitent to penitcnt. with lifted hands and
eyes, hcamlng conntennncc and voice full ol
melody. uttcring sentiments OF faith In n
present Saviour. without being moved: and
eternity alone will disclose the number whose
faith she aided In tho midst Of dnrk and
n present. all.su mcient Saviour. She really
seemed moe ut home In the church than In
her own house.
Domestic affairs never seemed to interfere
with her punctuality. Every child was In Mt
tendance, ut night MS we'll as day. and there
were eight or them who grew up to manhood
and womanhood. When babes. they were
carried and quiet provision made for them on
ped, they slept as swcctly as they would have
done Mt home. Who ever heard one OF them
cry In church? They were as remarkable for
their gnod bcr avior. as She was for her burn
should have been one Of the honored Bishops
OF the Methodist Episcopal Church. South. and
the youngest a doctor Of divinity in the same
Church:
w " no l TCIiicIIlIllT Y t~tpIIlSlISN hIu VIZ
wi,dcd expression OF countenancc when her
Youngest son. Jas. Wesley, and the speaker,
boys about ton years OF ngr. appeared before
her with bl"ckencd ewes, bruised faces. and
bloody noses. She exclaimed. "5oys, have
You been fighting?" and Interrogation and
exclamation followed In quick succession.
with close examination OF faces. noses and
eyes, until satisfied that Il was all The result
laugh. and said, "Wcll! we'll! Boys are
strange thincs!' and inviting us In. feastcd
us on bread and butter. He had spent the
day with me, for we were mst friends. and
after dinner. when Mt play In the back yard,
the question arose, "Whlrh cnn whip" Each
asserted his full persuasion that he could &C.
comrlish, the feat. We'll. then. ut once to
and with the agreement that neither would
"gct mad" we wcnE at II In good earnest. box
ing and kicking. up and down. one on top
and then the other. when from sheer exhnus
ton neither could strike a blow. so we phi.
iosophically concluded that neither could
whip. and, with jackets and vests in hand,
went to the pump near the house to wash and
cool of. We were friGhtfnl-luokin pair, with
black eyes, hunged faces. SCARED noses. and n
profusion Of blood MI over ns. We first en-.
countercd my mother. who was horror-StriclS
en- at our appearance. but having satisfied
herself that VIC meant play. and not fight
after washing and comb'ng us. / was sen'
home with young W!Chtinan to assist In an.
swering the other mother that 1t was all love
and play. 49,.
When about sixteen years Of age, this
Youngest son. james Wesley, was happily
converted. and well do remember The excla'
nations nf JOY which escaped from the lips ol
the mother when, with gushing rapture OF
maternal affection. she declared he would he
q preacher OF The Gospel. for she had. like
Hannah her Samuel, dedicated him to the
Lord from his birth.
My most pleasant and Intimate associations
were at her praycr-meeiings. say her pray.
er.mectlngs. They were called Mrs. Wight.
mans prnyer-mectincS, the name spontane.
ously growing ont Of the peculiar circum.
stances Of the meetings. They were uniqne;
NJ least, I have never known any OF similar
features. They were held every day in the
school room situated In the hack nnrt OF Trim
itv Church yard. fronting Pinckncy street:
were opened at sunrise ummer and Winter.
Sunday nEd week day, and were attended
persons. The colored persons united heartily
in singing, and we're often called on to lead In
especially one antnted old man. WHO
almos, at every Wirb I.rs,,ng IL le ID r,o 9Tsof,ns p prayi
the meetings. which. In times Of religious
denrth. dwindled down to very few, hut ut
times of special interest. swelled ont into con
siderable proportions. The attendant enter:
ed and knclt, rcmninlngin this posture. as did
all present. until the services were all ended
Singing. PRAYING and exhOrting were oil con
Quoted by Mrs. Wightman without change Of
posture. Usually. she nseh no hook. but
TttISCI biIllI'it ''tOu'
lining thcm, In which all Joined heartily
never singing more than two stanzas nj a
time. She always raised the tunes.
Her voice Wa not loud. but soft and sweet
filling MS the melody Of q seraph's lutte upon
the enr. Her exhortations were sometimes In
few words. nj other times Of great length. hnt
ALWAYS pointed md full OF life. She usually
Offered one OF the prayers. Her dlction wns
simple and beautiful. the PRAYER uttered with
fuency, short and full Of unrtlon-a model OF
style and sentiment. To hear her pray. WINS
to he convinced. at once. that no ordinary
person was pleading with God. but one who
knew His courts and had been often there
The hcnediction Was n short prayer OF but q
few sentences. uttered by herself.
This prayer. meeting WIS conducted by Mrs
Wightman FOR ten years. to my knowledge
hut how much LONGER cannot Soy. for. called
from the city to attend q boarding school,
LOST sight or It. and ] never saw this saintrd
mother OF Israc' more. Her family physician
said that this meeting prolonged her lie fol
many years. Zone knew her hut felt, nj
death. that one Of Gods saint hnd been TAX
en- nome.