The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-10-05
TWO HUNDRED CONVERTS
said to Have Been Secured at One Dol
lar Each.

AIWCn.
AIKEN, Sept. 27.-There has ALWAYS
peen jealousy between the A M. f.
auo tue Friendship Bapust churches a;
THIS place. The Baptsls were ahead in
bumpers and prided themselves on nav.
Ing only staunch members, who were
rarely caught up with in mischief and
were simon pure colored people. The
Methodlsts were luclned to admit ginger.
cake and even light tan members, aud in
iact the ginger cake faction really d3mj.
mated, and that perhaps accDunLs for
some things which are lald at their door
Inc Rev. Philips OF the Baptist church,
q preacher who can not read or write,
decided not long ago that the churcl,
must rccuperate aud that some fresh life
must he enlused Alter consultation
With his elders IL was decided to have q
missionary-nnd accordingly the Rev.
| Brown of Georgia was sent for and
promised 81 per head for ali converts.
Brown was evidently not averse TO
making money and he went at the work
tooth and nail. Night after niGht he
would threaten, scold, coax aud obiure
the sinners. The chur> h was lit up and
crowded until late into the night and
the "buckra" living in the localiCv ad
| journed 10 Chicago or Plttsburg for ouiut
and rest. The Methodists started n re.
Vivul almost at Once-but somehow
their preacher was not sue caessful-he
was wOl king by the day aud their rival
Was getting per capita and the differ.
cEcc was showing every nj ,ht. As tn.
hnur grew latter and af cr the III ssiouary
had shouted hi sell hoarse the slnuers
Il excl 70 the mourner's bench and
| ] 4urd III the shouting 3 ,uys, calling
Others To come up and be saved.
OHc nlGht, about three weeks ago. at
ltra very successful haul Coy the R,.v.
| Brow, } the congregation OF tic Btplsl
'NurCu ienL home, TO be aroused an
hour or t"O later bl the cry OF fire! aud
To see ther c ,urch in n,mes. Holv
~m K they We're mad. BI1 it wa, no
us"-the church was reduced to ashes
IN Il short time a"d The MeLh, ,dists-so
us SdId-chucklcd u thluk that their
rivals had set back. The B ,plisls de
clare that the MGlhOdsts applied The
'"rch, but 0i course that remains To nc
proved. The Btptlsls could not.
TIC do"ucd however and securing
ne u" of the colprcd Cd
Fellows ll,nl continued the mer,ruus
wlti even more icrv u. AS result Of
TIE work OF Bro Brown TWO hundred
men, women and ch dren we've baprlsrd
last Sunday. 1t was IL great event; fac
Nonut feeling was Ov, rcomc by cnr,,si,,
and the town and surrounding cDunLr,
was pretty we'll represented Il. trc dlp.
plny.
AZ carly as six O'Clock colOrcd men
rhI Il,t
gathering into the city from the suburbs.
lhcy came III wagons, carts aud ancient
caftJaltS; lhcy were rld'ng mules, don't
keys, ma even stray OK or two had
been pressed into scrvIcer. The canal
dates lOr immersion rObed In white
GOWNS formed a solid column. The
Rev. Philips LED the procession and
church members followed the converts
a miscellaneous crowd bringing up the
rear. Arriving at Cocker Spring 1t was
lound that 4 crowd had preceded the
b"ptismed party. The hills about the
pretty spring were alive with humanity.
hundreds OF whites, attracted by curl.
oslty, were here and every point from
which the pool-a square hole in the
Hround-cOuld be seen was occu bed.
When the ceremonies bega there we're
probably five thousand people on the
spot.
Bother JOhn-as the Rev. rhilips is
Iamlllary called by his flock was mas
,er OF ceremonies and Bro. Bob Hewitt |
was leader of the choir. After an c--
l0ltatlon by The preacher hymn was |
sung, led by l1ewi!. Twas one Of those |
shouting, wailng kind with refrain.
"pharohs hosts got drown-d
En- de red sea-
The preachers went down into the
pool and the baptiz,ng began, the choir
chantlug III melancholy but far reach
ing wall.
H"inc to put on my long white robe,
GWlne to put on my long white robe,
e"lne 10 oWai-at-SWinC-tOw wai-at
Gwine to wait till my Jesus come"
and the candidates, arrived in white
came down into the water. The men
were received first possibly because
they might change their minds If not
gathered quickly into the fold. There
were slx-tooters, black as ebony and
halt s'zed old men. The preachers grab.
bed them and put them struggling and
sputterinS under the muddy, i'll smelling
"oeSl. ~ Iilcy CoulC LOOKING mao 0DU
likely swearing softly. l. Dol1ing like
nothing 80 much as the proverblal
drowned rats, they scampered of to a
shed near by TO reappear shortly in citi-
zcns dress.
The women's turn came next and
they made considerable fuss, not unfre-
quently screaming and fl ching the preach
"rs when they were pu under the water
They came up shouting Yes, Lord "
"Master," II done walk with Jesus, -
Il been seen my maslcr," etc. There
seemed to be no cnd to the list, but the
cholr kept up the shout.
"Gwino to wait ullmy Jesus Gomez
and the water kept getting mudlicr.
The boys and girls were the last to
testify to their faith bv going under lhat
Hrecn slmy weater and they were
handled with small ceremony. Tnc
preachers had become experts now aud
the y"uths were baptized in quick sue
cesslon. And the ;rowd had wa!;vd. /
wa s"elteriDI hot but the mNuma's in