The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-07-14
OLD TIME JERSEY NOEMONS.
But TWO LEFT OF THE ANCIENT Blue
RIDGE COLONY.
How Snlt LIKE Missionary Startled n 0uic
Country Community and Mndc Mormcns %
Them Thirty Yenrs Ago

Inc death OF old IOm Perry, the
greatest Mormon elder cast of Utah and
the leader in what was oncc q settlement
of $50 of the Latter Day Saints, which
occurred at Perryvillc, n. j., last week,
virtually closes the history of Mormon
ism in Now Jersey. OF all the old set
tlcmcnt but two people now remain
ono, Adclino Meyers, an old maid, now
residing in Haincsvillc; and tho other,
Martin Rccton, an old bachelor living
away bnck in the Blue Ridge Mountains,
fifteen miles from Dcckcltown. The
history of this community, as obtained
from Silas Suytlm, or "Whoa-boy Silc''
as he is more commonly called, is IN in
teresting one. In fact, old Silo himself
is in an interesting story. Silc is ono OF
oldest settlers in the Blue Ridge Noun
tains, and lives i'll what was once the
very heart of the eastern Utah. Early
one morning last week II Star reporter
started from Dcckcrtown to hear Silos
story of Mormonism. lie found the old
man suffering from rheumatism, con
tractcd during the war, and for Which he
now draws pension. After tho usual
remarks about the weather and the value
of the horsciicsh which the reporter had
been driving, the latter said
"Say, Silc, did you ever hear of Il
Mormon settlement up i'll this ncighbor-
hood?"
"Did ever hear of it? DO | rcmcm-
Der it? Well, ! guess | do. come
pritty near bcin' II Mormon myself them
days. Long in the spring Of 80, think
it was, when an old, long haired pilgrim
come marchin into town ono mornin'.
He said his name WAS Lane, Elder Lane,
from Salt Lake City. He had pack of
mpcr-covcrcd books undCr his arm. and
ho left ono Mt every house. | think |
got the one he left here yet Just wait
till go i'll and see. y"
The old man walked into the house
and returned in few minutes with n
yellow-covcrcl book containing about
fifty pages, entitled ''Ihc Christian Way;
A History of the Rise and Progress of
the Mormon Church, by Julius Lane"
his story, "is what didit The wimmn
folks got hold on it an read it over an
over, an they'd get together an talk
about atwccn themselves. Old Lane
didn't stop thct time, but he camc back
in about week an writ out notices thct
ho was agoin' to stay an preach on Sun
day Thct was long about the middle
of the week, | think, an nc spent the
rest of the week goin' around nailin'
these notices up ON trees. We'll, Sunday
come. an the whole mountain turned
out to hear what the old man had to say.
1 was there long with my sister, Sallic
Ann, an he'd II lot of paper an piece
Of charcoal, an | put down the Scrip
ture notes thct the old fellow read /
kinder thought he might lie little, or
read 'cm wrong or Sllthin', don't YOU
know, an when | got hum | got down
the old Bible, an hunted up every one
of the texts what he had read, an by
gosh, they were there, an just like he'd
said en-, too. ] thought | was pritty
good scriptorian mysh!f. but some how |
didn't recommember Of ever havin' read
them things before. There they was,
though, in black and white, an /
couldn't go back on the Bible 1t was
the most devilishcst hole | ever got into.
talked with some of the ncighbors
about it, and ut last we decided to held
ameetin' nnbclnownst ID Lane to talk
it over and see what to do a6Opt it, We
didn't Just like the idea of goin' back on
our Methodist brethren down to Sandis-
ton, but we was agoin' 10 be right, broth
rcn or no brethren. The night for the
mcctin' come, an about thirty-fivc of us
gathered in my house, this same old
house right here, ;" pointing to the house.
81 thought we'd hest open the mcctin
with prayer for help to decide !hc qucs-
tion, an 10 / got mp an prayed the good
Lord to tell us which was right Well,
sir, maybe you won't believe it, but
siitllin' said to me, 'Sile, SoG'l best leave
that galoot alone. | heard il Just rs
plain as day. II come SO suddint, 10y
gosh, that made up my mind on the
spot 10 stick To the ALcthodists. 1t didn't
seem to strike the others that way,
though, for every mothers son of them
voted to have the odd sinner stay and
preach.
"Well, course ono couldn't DO nuthin
agin thirtyfour, nm so they he'd their
way, an Iano was invited to preach. HC
was more than willin' to, you bet an he
kept right on Sunday after Sunday
maxim new converts all the time by
mn by, gncss twas after he he'd been
here bout six months, he got up in
meetin' one Sunday, an said: brethren,
"C btSh litlC llillS. HoM., Hi'1ENl III
together, an' the church of God has
growed mp to be q big one. Part of oui
religion is to baptizc, an ali OF you must
bo baptized afore you can git to hoayen.
Then NE said he would be astandin' on
the shore of Lake Shipcong ut II o'clock
tlet night, an he would baptize all who
he'd jined the faith. Everybody wanted
to see how it was done, an so everybody
was there. AT exactly IL o'clock old
Lano stepped into the lakc, an about Q
minute after Ann Harrison, q young cir
about 20 years old, followed him. dc
commenced to sing a song, and then ht
douced her down into the watcs. HC
done this three times, an then hc asked
for anybody else that wanted to be bap,
tized, aud yonng Tom Haggcrlnann
stepped into the water. He was followed
by twonty-one more, nm then they Gi
went home. AStor this baptism they
had one every week, and if there was
anvhndY whnt Mnsll't baptiz0l he wnrn'l