The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-03
TEN PREAcHERs-THE GREAT DIFFICULTIES
UNDER WHICH THEY LABoRED.

TEN PREAcHERs-THE GREAT DIFFICULTIES
UNDER WHICH THEY LABoRED.
They were sasttered over four states and
could confer together only aStheir annual
meetings as synod.
But In those meetings for number. OF
had fondled the idea Of successfully propa-
eating their peculiar sentiments, only by
training their own laborers. The great BODY
Of the denomination to which they oeiongea
was In the north. The south was yet Dul
missionary ground, with few scattered con-
fia'''n'' ieid. anu 0 ''A
AS early as 1922 these ten had withdrawn
from the General Synod north, not as Is some
times supposed, on account OF African slaV-
cry, but Iecause the General Synod had In
troduced doctrines and practices contrary 10
the Westminster Confession ana the cGmpact
made ut Greencastle in 100. Like Erskine at
the first session In Scotland, they sald-'trulh
Is mighter than Synod"
This lett these ten old missionaries bare
headed, barefooted, naked, cold, hungry, out
by no means discouraged.
They had contributed largely to found the
Seminary at Newburg, n. Y. But that, too,
was taken from them. Tradition has 1t that
when the report came to the SYNOD IN Sesslon loe
gone, the Synod was appalled, and silent LOT
time. For that was their only hope for sup
ply of ministers for the south. Alter mo,
ment OF ominous silence, Father Hemphill
arose and said, Brethren, let us sing" ana
parceledout the lines
"Why art thou then cast down my soul,
What should discourage thee"
And these ten old men without dollar in
the treasury, or treasury 10 put one In, with
out q College without q Seminary, set out 10
evangelist the whole south, much OF 1tyet the
home and hunting ground of the Red man.
You will excuse the comparison: Stone
wall Jackson's foot cavalry" as they are call
ed, marched by an old lady's door. her little
hce ran out and barked tiercely at them, and
bite bite 't's the army m Of virginia, II the United
States can't whip them, what can you don'
That period was day of small things, but
of great trials and heavy crosses to the Synod.
But what Of that. Grover Cleveland was once
a little boy. And no doubt his mamma spank
ed him, and that made him good boy, and
great big boy.
THE FIRST EFFORT, IN 1884, DID NOT sue
CEED.
In 1884 Synod discussed the propriety OF
establishing one or more manual labor
schools. 1t was about the time that Davidson
College was q manual labor school, where
DR.. Morrison, of blessed memory, once tanned
my little jacket for me.
1t was thought that such schools would
meet with the wants of people who could not
afford to patronize expensive State Institu-
lions. Synod went TO work, and in one year
had raised the round sum Of seventeen dol
lars and some cents. l could not get at the
exact number of cents. But it was pretty
round sum. But it was not considered suffl-
cient to establish an Institution of grand pro-
portions, and that scheme failed.
PARTIAL SUCCESS IN 1895.
In 1895, in order to prepare boys for enter.
ing college, Synod established an academy at
this place, in what, l believe, is now Mrs.
Grier's smoke house or pantry, don't know
which. 1t prospered and did good work for
the church. But 1t was only an academy,
and they had already resolved that 1t was
prejudiciul TO the interests of the church to
send young men to Northern colleges TO grad.
uate. They were still without n supply OF
ministers. Several times they had projected
q kind Of Ambulatory Seminary, half Mt
Hopewell and half at Cedar Spring. But, lik c
the Trojan horse, 1t had no legs to an.6tlctte.
1t never died, simply because it never lived,
But how to do better on seventeen dollars
and them cents was aquestion. 1t was not yet
known how to get blood out of q turnip.
Those old men claim the homer OF making
that demonstration.
IN 1929, HOPE ENDED IN FRUITIoN-ANr THIS
INSTITUTION WAS FOUNDED.
Impelled by necessity, and led on by n
sublime faith in Him who said "the gold Is
mine and the silver is mine," they met in this
grove in October, 1899, and here their long
cherished hope chrystalised and received a
local habitation and name: They did not
kline Seminary. For the prime object was
not to educate young men for the learned
professions generally, but chiefly for Gospel
Ministry. And the name they gave 1t point
ed, not obscurely, TO their ecclesiastical fra
ternity and the end at which they aimed.
And question If there is another literary
institution on the continent, SO large per
cent OF whose graduates have become min
sentiments not only in fact but in form.
They knew that q prosecuting Saul might
become an able, jealous minister, or pro.
fame Bunyan might eventually present the
gospel In allegory in twenty-five different
languages, as he now does. But they knew
that these were not the rule, - It's eXcep.
tions. They were profoundly lAWcressed with
the wisdom as well as the truN Fl the say:
ing, "Train up child in the way he should
go, and when he Is old he will not depart
from it. They knew there was no tariff on
domestic manufactures, though the polish
might not be so smoothe. They believed
with Milton that
Not to know at large Of things remote
''From use, obscure and subtle, but TO know
''rhat which before us lies in daily life
us the prime wisdom. What is more Is fums
sEmptiness or fond impertinence
land renders us in things that most conaern
.'Unpracticed, unprepared, and still y. seek. y
this soatherD with 0S What are
called denominatiosali Owe eges They demanc
WheIhsr RI u: :jSin. % or not, @ they I are Re-: = : ::
higher criIst S:and Goddess education too
often acqGh.d in State institutions. They
are swiftly forming public sentiment, The3
have already given that tipge and shape tC
public character and thought which Is fore
ing itself to the front and making itself fell
In the home circle and the public martin
the forum. on the huStlnes, and In the pulpit
. Some one has said "give me the making o
a nations ballads, and who will, may maxi
he- law'S.'
We do not ignore the influence of poetry
on individual or national character. Blu
give me the triIaih Of a nations boys iil(
girls; and an a. VIII y, the ny m make ke! both -
her armies, anal -
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