The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-06-09

Atlanta Constitution.
1t would be pleasant, I know to all
old.timers to have their memories re.
f.eshed about the olden funerals, and it
is not amiss to teach the younger gener-
alton of the old time ways.
Last week I went to the burial of Viii
lis Cash, one of the first settlers, eighty.
one years old. 1t was a reminder to me
that it will be but a short time till all
the old.timers shall have passed away,
and with them will go the old customs,
so pretty in pathetic simplicity.
The settlement people were all gather
ed at the house and from there followed
the deceased TO the little country church.
A long line of wagons, buggies and some
on foot moved in solemn tread behind
the corpse. Among the number were
the children the grandchildren, the
crest, grandchildren of Willis Cash,
numbering; forty seven in all.
The old man passed away just at a
season when flowers are at their best, and
the little children and the women and
many of the men had along some of the
sweetest to place above his grave and
other graves in the little graveyard at the
church, for all this congregation have
loved ones there and expect some day to
be buried there themselves. These graves
are one of the things that helps to make
the old time church so dear to US older
people, and pity it lis that there is dis
position among the younger generation
to change their location. 1t has been q
time. .honored custom to have the grave.
yard at the church, and it has been one
of the sweetest faiths that our graves
would be cared for, and that We would
be remembered by the congregations who
follow after US. These graves are the
monuments of poor and rich alike. They
are reminders to the generations after us
that We wozshipped in this old church !;
that We drank from the spring and pic
nicked in the woods around there that
we courted there, lived our lives out
there, and that everything vas dear to
us about,the place, and We wish it kept
sacred ia memory and perpetualIy to re
main place for the serving of the
Lord.
The graveyard at this little church Of
last week-Mount Zion-has now -
large family that will feel kindlier to :
ward the place. The grown up sons md
of; Willis Cash will survive
to perpetuate the church, and then t',eir
children will be imbued with the same
feelings, and 30 on and on it should
be, making sure of the success of this
little house of the Lords. It is fit place,
this Mount Zion, and the services there
last week smacked of on olden. time air
that isseldom seen so close to CITY
like atlanta. Not the sound of an organ
broke the stillness az the dead man was
carried by loving neighbors and placed
just in 'front.' of. the pulpit. There we're
no select pallbearers every neighbar
lent bis hand to whatever he saw wss
needed, and every heart showed tender
in the placing away of the old
man as tendesly as love could do it.
The little babies were not kept from the
service, but were allowed to crow or cry
as it suited them, and I am sure that it
did not disturb single person. The
preacher wasa young nar, but he is o
good one. When the bsbes would cry
or jump and laugh, he had mo frowns
and showed no bother. Sensible he was,
and his looks we're as good as said to
every mother: "Bring along your babies
to the church. they don't bother me. +"
Oh, these babies at church touch ten
der chord in my heart, and it is an old
custom that I hope to see revived every
where-town and country. The world
will be better by it, and many mother
living in the towns will be blessed by i:s
operation.
When the coffin of this old man was
opened, every one in the congregation
walked up. and took a last look at him /.
They were singing at the time new
song to me, but it is good one-"Gath.
ering in the Sheaves"-and I am sure
there was not dry eye in all
the house as one after another filed away
from the coffin. This was the dead
mans eulogy-tears. He has lived ct
one place for ffty-odd years, and every
one of his neighbors let fall a tear over
Gim. If one can live in this wicked
world for eighty-one years and have
tears shed by those who knew him best
his neighbors-we can feel content
hat his life has been one that can apply,
well done thou good and faithful SER
7ant."
X y
Ihave not written this 10 eulogise
Willis Cash. / can do Linn no good by
Hhs4erer say. But would like it if
knew sAat Ihal sprung single thought
hat would tend to the keeping of the
,ld.time churches in their place. Pro-
yress demands that our churches be put
lpon railroads or e1setric roads, butour
hearts demand that thsss old places be
Iacred and intact. From these flow the
current of population that pu1iaes. But
ior these country customs they are
these country churches
ind country preachers, I don't see what
ne are to have to keep down the polls-
ion that goes hand in hand with city
Ways and modern progress.
SARGE PLUNKETT.
Very Odd,