The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-26

Historical Address Delivered In Lower Long
Cane Associate Reformed Presbyterian
Church, Abbeville County, s. c., Feb
ruary "a, 1890, by Rev. Robert Latham,
D. D.
Mfr. Chairman, Fathers, Brethren, Ladies and
When the children Of Israel. after u forty
years wandering in the wilderness, had cross.
ed the Jordan and snteea M the ,anq rom oa
one OF the twelve tribes was CHOSEN for the
purpose of taking from the Jordan stone out
OF the place where the priests rect STOOD arm
These twelve stones were carried on the shoul-
ders of the twelve chosen men 10 the place
where the ransomed multitude encamped the
first night after entering the land which. near
ly five hundred years before God had PROM
ised 10 Abraham. Out OF these unhewn
stones q rude monument was constructed for
the purpose Of commemorating the fact that
more than three mi lions OF men, women ana
children had crossed, on dry land, the Jordan
when II overfowed all It's banks. Every
time, in after years, when the Jew saw TINS
Intervention of God in behalf OF Abraham
and his seed rushed into his mind. No doubt
many tear was dropped and mary devout
prayer of Thanksgiving was breathed as the
pioHs Jew intentiy gazed, in solemn silence,
on these twelve stones. AS parents narrated
to their children the simple. but sublime his.
tory Of this rude monument, they, both pa
ipgs Quickened, developed and strengthened,
and their patriotism stirred. They were made
better and braver.
memory of events which had occurred in the
distant past The call of Abraham, the birth
Of Isaac, the flight of Jacob in'o the land OF
Padan-Aram, the return Of Jacob to the land
of Canaan, the sale OF Joseph, the going down
of Jacob and his household into Egypt, the
death and burial OF Jacob, the hard bondage
Of his III Re the 5pb
Moses and his flight into the land OF Midian,
the return Of Moses and the plaques of Egypt,
the institution Of the Passoverand the sprink-
ling Of blood, the heart rcnding wall OF the
Egyptians when a dead man was found In eV.
cry house, the Exode, the cr''ssin. Of the Red
Sea and drowning of pharnah ami his army.
Mount Sinai all on fire, the tables al stone,
the water gushing in Il crystal stream from
the smitten rock, the quailS borne On The hOs'
ON OF the east wind. the mamma !he slaughter
of the AmalekiieS. the death OF Moses ana the
crossing Of the Jordan together with oil the
history of Gods marvellous dealings with ms
chosen people passed in minute detail before
the mind Of the Intelligent jew as he looked
upon those twelve stones which were pltcheu
in Gilgal.
We are here to-day, my friends, after the
lapse of q century to look upon the monu.
mental structure which our ancestors erected
on this spot On the 2lth day of February,
$780, Rev. Thomas Clark, NJ d., Rev. Peter
McMullan, Rev. John Boyes, Rev. David Both
well, and James Rogers, prohatloner, together
with ruling elders James McBryde and Will
liam Dunlap met on this very ground anu
organized the
ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERY OF THE
CARoLINAs AND GEORGIA.
In more than one sense this is classic
ground. To the members of the Associate Re
formed synod of the South this is q Gigal
Here our fathers camped the first niSh aiter
they crossed the Jordan. and here, IN the IAN
guage of Holy Writ, they pitched their monu
mental stones.
Brethren, do you not feel like erecting q
monument on this spot and cutting on It's eV
cry face
EBENEZER
in capital letters? The dust of old Thomas
Clark sleeps in Cedar Spring grave yard; thai
of Peter Mcmillan near Fayetteville, in Lin
coin county, Tennessee; that or David Both
we'll In Georgia, between Augusta and Louis
vile. The lifeless body Of John Boyes was de
posted, for safe keeping. in flopewell grave
yard in Chester county, South Carolina, anC
all that was mortal OF James Rogers was bur
Jed in the Brick church grave yard in Fair
sield county, South Carolina. wish couE
Sell you where they put away the bodies q
James McBryde and William Dunlap. In al
probability they sleep on some OF These Lon"
Cane hills. Let them sleep III pr;Ic'.
CLASSIC GROUND-THE SCENE OF \ HLoori
MASSACRE.
TO the people OF Abbeville county-to III;
people Of these United Stutes this Is classic
ground. About two miles from where We are
assembled TO day there stands, in q narrow
valley pent up on three sides by hills nn nm
dressed stone on whose iace is chiselcd the fol
lowir inscription: