The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-06
WONDERFUL WORK OF FAITH.
The Thornwell Orphanage at Clinton Be-
gun Just Twenty Years ago with One
Building and Eight Orphans, it
Now Possesses Many Buildings
and Includes One Huadred
and Thirty Persona.
From the News and Courier.

and Thirty Persons.
From the News and Courier.l
CLINTON, May % On the 18th Gay
of May, 1874, just twenty years ago
the cornerstone of the first building o
the Thorn well Orphanage was laid il
place. It was a time of small things
with US; we had not a dollar in tht
treasury and had just paid for trac
of one hundred and twenty-five acres
on which the institution is built. The
building was begun with cash credit
of fifty cents in the treasury, and thai
the gift of an orphan boy. On the Isl
of October of the year following the
building was completed and the first
family of eight orphan children, with
Mr.. and Mrs. Jacobs as president and
matron, was installed in the un.
finished edifice now known as the
"Home of Peace" There was no
encouragement whatever to pro-
ceed to this work but the goodness OF
God. A debt Of $1,000 was over the
building itself which was scarcely
worth more than twice that sum. Pro
visions were scarce and hard to get,
money scarcer still, and sometimes for
a whole month not more S12 or SIS
could be raised for the orphans.
Twenty years have passed. On the
2Sth Of May of this year the corner
stone of the new building, the in6rm-
ary. has just been laid. AS we pass
over the grounds of the Institution,
neatly laid off and lined with build
ings and beautiful growth of forest, we
feel like saying: "Ebenezer, hitherto
the Lord has helped u.s."
To-day we find that instead of one
there are five cottages, instead of eight,
a family of one hundred and thirty,
including teachers and matrons. The
one little room used for school work
has developed into a neat, spacious
and well furnished seminary; the one
little dining table has grown to sixteen
and occupies Memorial Hall, contain
ing besides its ample store rooms and
kitchen; there is yet another for the
school of Laundry work. The few
books then formed the library, which
now fills a handsome little library
building. 1t thas two stories, the books
above, and below a we'll lighted and
ventilated reading room, supplied with
papers and magazines. The engine
putting in the near neighborhood ex-
cites inquiry and We find that the tech
nical school for boys so long planned is
at work at last. The boys are taught
in carpentry and iron work, In black
smithing, printing ard binding, photo
graphy and te!egraphy. But at the
back of all stretches out the gardens,
the orchards, the farm, and the Busy,
lads are doing their best to help them.
selves and their home. .-.
All this was not done by any great
or special gift. Several times wealthy
friends have given literally, the great
est gift at one time to the institution
having been $4,000, but for the most
part all was done by small gifts of the
many, coming like the showers of
heaven often when least expected. But
the most wonderful of ali is the way in
which this institution is supported.
The endowment is so insignificant that
the income from it would not support
the houses for month. There is no
wealthy backing; there is not at this
writing bread enough for tomorrow.
The mail has not yet been brought in
on it depends: the support of these
more than one hundred children, Who
will send them their daily bread is
known only to the dear Lord himself.
So has it been for these many months,
so will it be for years to come. It is
the old story Of the widows barrel and
the widows cruise.
The gifts come from far and near and
so the children; there are children here
from Texas and from Michigan and
from Scotland, from Arkansas and from
Georgia there are many of them, and
from many other States and sections of
our land. Away from all who knew
them, these are depending on the dear
Lord for their daily bread. And they
will not look in vain.