The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-08-29
SARGE PLUNKETT.
He and Brown Rejoice In tho Blessings OF
the Season.
atlanta Constitution.

AHQDt9 CVIStHutNV"
Big meetings are in progress all
around US, muscadines are getting
ripe, maypops are turning yellow,
while the corn fields groan under the
weight of their yield.
The time is fit for the countryman
to rejoice, for never was such corn
crops seen before and cotton is very
much better than any one had reason
to expect. With the blessings of good
crops the consolation Of being out Of
debt cheers the farmer's s heart and fits
him to enjoy the soothing peace found
in the mingling of Christian people
around the affairs of the country
churches. God bless the country and
God bless the season which calls the
people together to renew old friend.
ships and to rejoice in holy revival
of the Christian religion: ;,
Last Sunday was "feet-washing"
day with the sHardshells" at Harde,,
man, while the Presbyterians gathered
at Midway and the Methodists at Yves.
ley chapel to begin the meetings usual
at this season Of every year and always
fruitful Of good results. Perhaps the
greatest number was in attendance at
the Hardshell church on Sunday, and
it NAV be that many were there just
through curiosity, but whoever may
attend one Of these f'feet-washings'
with an idle curiosity is sure to be
impressed with the seriousness OF the
occasion and the sincerity of the peo-
ple who engage therein. When we
turned off from the big road down
through the forest Of pines into dim
little road that led to the church the
pine straw was soft as a carpet under
the wheels Of our buggy as we glided
along, with not noise to disturb the
notes of praise that sounded from the
congregation. Clear as an icicle and
above all the rest the tenor of Uncle
Elisa Webb sounded forth as he lined
and sang
aBroad ia the road that leads to death
And thousands walk together there,
While wisdom shows narrow path
With here and there q traveller"
For man in his eighties Mr.. Webb
has q most remarkable tenor voice, and
all in all he is most remarkable man
and preacher. At this old church on
last Sunday he had gathered around
him the representatives of four genera
t;ona and all Of them strong, pros
porous and cling to the teachings that
he has taught so long and faithfully;
But one other man in Georgia do l
remember as having outstripped Uncle
Elisa in the number and character OF
his .progeny-that man was Soloman
Bloodworth, Of Spalding County, and
deserves this mention for the number
and quality Of citizens he has furnish
ed to our State, and / think he; too,
was hardshell. :,
Some might take me for. a hardshell
from my tone, but [ am not. / learn
ed the Shorter catechism with the
Presbyterians and took my dignity
from them, learned to pay my debts
through the Hardshells and was per-
suaded from drinking by the Metho-
dists, SO you see, [ owe a right smart
to ali Of them, and am entirely impair
tial. But the Presbyterians will take
care of themselves, and the Methodists
will make fuss enough, while the
Hardshells' horn will never be heard
;f bo has Tn hlow #. They don It have
no organs, nor choirs, nor steeples on
their churches and they pass around
the hat precious little. So there is
mighty little to say about them. |
think it would be a good thing for
them to quit paying their debts awhile
this would make them remembered
and then they could hire choir and
buy musical instruments and put
steeples on their churches-they
would not have any more religion MOI
any better religion than what they
have, but great many more people
would find them out and praise OF
curse them as the case might be.
Seriously, all the churches are good. !.
You need never be afraid while trav-
cling through any country, if every
now and then you run across church
and little schoolhouse. No robbers
remain where churches crowd in, and
then they are such nice places for the
young people to meet each other. !
watched some of my settlement s
young folks last week at Midway and
Wesley. have been wondering all
the year why it was that some of them
spent so many of their Sundays over
in that settlement. When | saw them
last week sitting about in the buggies
together and sauntering of to the
spring in couples, ] knew all about it.
I rejoiced to see it, for my young
neighbors have worked well all the
year-they are an honor to their par
ents, to their County and to Georgia,
and it pleases me to see them picking
out sweethearts. Not much danger OF
a young fellow running off to the West
when he is industrious enough to be
prosperous at home and respectable
enough to be well thought Of by such
girls as one sees at the protracted
meetings of country church.
All in all, Brown and I have had a
most delightful week. We have wept
with the aged and rejoiced with the
young, eat with everybody and drank
from the springs. 1t has almost been
equal to an old campmeeting in the
matter of eating and the renewal OF
old friends and revival of the Chris
tian spirit has been sufficient to make
the-hearts of the good preachers pres
ent rejoice in their work.
Brown gained fourteen pounds dur
ing the week, and felt able to indite
The following on the night we arrived
at home:
Feetwashing" day at Hardeman
And every body went.
From there we went to Midway,
Where all the week was spent;
The old folks were "reviving'
And shouting "Hallalu,"
While the young folks were a.courtine
AS the best that they could do;
No MATERIAL are happy,
And the lord Is smiling down
On all the country people
And hope upon the town;
The crops are good, and lay-by
Has come around at last
And the work in summer sunshine
Is nothing when it's past.
SARGE PLuNKETT.