Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-01-19
BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
TO BE CONTINUED.

BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
From an historical standpoint and
from many other points of view, the
building and premises shown herewith
are most interesting. The premises
are those of the first church build.
ing that was ever erected in York
county, and the building is the Bethel
church of today, the fourth in the
order of succession since the early
Scotch Irish settlers of this country
set up their first tabernacle for the
worship of God near the same spot.
Although the subject is one of in
tense interest, it is not the purpose
of this sketch to more than touch
some of the points in the history Of
Bethel. And even in doing this, no
claim is made to laborious research.
Such facts as are used have already
been compiled by the late Rev. Sam
uel Watson and Rev. R. A. Webb,
former pastors, and Rev. D. S. Meal.
lister, who is pastor at the present
time. Rev. Mr.. Watson's sketch was
published in The ENQUIRER in 1879
Rev. Mr.. Webb's sketch is an elabora'
ton of the work of Rev. Mr.. Watson,
published in pamphlet form in 1887
and the facts furnished by Rev. Mr..
McAllister were in answer to certain
questions sent him some weeks ago
A few other points have been gathered
from various sources which it is not
necessary to mention.
The late DR.. Latham used to say that
with Scotch-Irish settlers, it was an
inyariable custom to, as soon as four
or five families became established in
neighborhood, to build first church
and then schoolhouse. Beyond this
fact it is not worth while to make any
extended inquiry into the origin o1
Bethel.
AS the early settlers began to estab'
lish themselves, along in 1854, Colo.
mel Samuel Watson, Andrew Floyd
and Mr.. Baird were appointed com
mittee to select a site for the erection
of house Of worship. They lived at
extreme points in a territory which
extended "from the present site Of
Beersheba church to the Catawba, and
from beyond Olney and the South
Fork to that which has since been
known as the Indian Land" A
spring, of which all knew, was selected
as place of rendezvous for the pur-
pose of discussing the situation, and
as they began to compare notes OF
distances, etc., after their arrival, they
agreed then and there that no better
location could be found.
The church was organized by Rev.
William Richardson, who was then
pastor of Waxhaw church in Lancas'
ter, organized some ten years before.
Mr.. Richardson and others preached
at Bethel from time to time, during a
period of about six years, until ITO,
when Rev. Hezekiah Balch received
and accepted call as pastor. So far
as is known, the elders, at the time OF
organization, were David Watson, John
Jordan, George Devinney, John Gull
lick, Thomas Neel and James Camp
bell. During the pastorate of Mr..
Balch, which extended until 1776,
elders were ordained as follows: Jo-
seph Bradner, Colonel Samuel Watson,
John Howe, Samuel Craig and Adam
Baird. After a vacancy of six years,
Rev. Francis Cummins served as pas.
tor until 1887, and during that period
Joseph Mckenzie, Alexander Eakin,
William Davis and Andrew Floyd
were ordained as elders. Next there
was a vacancy of seven years, and
from 1896 to 1901 Rev. George Nc,
Whorter was pastor of Bethel and
Beersheba. Then followed another
vacancy of ten years, during which
the pulpit was filled by supply; but
| in 1911 Bethel "came to her own" and
called a native to the pulpit. This
was Rev. James S. Adams, who was
born about four miles northeast of the
church in 1772. He served as pastor
for period of % years, when he re,
signed on account of the infirmities
of old age, and was succeeded by Rev.
Samuel l.. Watson, who was also q
native of Bethel, having been born
about seven miles from the church in
l179S. Mr.. Watson served as pastor ol
Bethel for AZ years, and was finally
released at his own request on account
of his infirmities. He died Novem-
13, 1882, aged about S4 years. Mr..
Watson was succeeded by Rev. r. A.
Webb, who in turn was succeeded
by Rev. G. R. Robinson, who, after
short pastorship was succeeded by
Rev. David S. McAllister, the present
pastor. The officers of Bethel at this
writing are G. L. Riddle, D. G. Stan
ton, w. f. Adams, l. Beatty Farrls,
DR.. l. A. Bigger and John NJ. Craig,
elders, and D. j. Jackson, w. N.
Wallace, L. B. Brown, S. ]. Clinton,
James Nj. Adams, d. J. Glenn, II. F.
Glenn and G. c. Ormand, deacops.
Being founded by Scotch-lrish, that
the Bethel congregation was Wing
during the war of the Revolution,
goes without saying. Colonel Samuel
Watson, one Of the founders ol
the church, commanded a regiment
through the war, and many of the
men of Bethel were under his com
mand. Quite number of them were
also at Kings Mountain, aud at other
places where the cause of liberty re-
quired sure enough men. And tradi-
ton has it that Bethel church was
well-known and cordially hated by