Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-10-12

the really important known facts may
easily be set down in few columns of
a newspaper.
Rev. DR.. James H. Thornwell, of
Fort Mill, and present pastor of Ebe-
nezer, was the first individual of the
present generation TO realize the splen-
did material the historian might have
found in this subject had the record
been kept. He gave the matter a
thorough investigation several years
back, and as the result of months OF
inquiry, was disappointed to find that
much of this old church's past, so far
as any human record is concerned, has
long since sunk into Oblivion. But, all
the same, as the result of DR.. Thorn.
wells labors, some things of interest
have been preserved, and for whatever
there may be of value in this short
sketch, the doctor is entitled to the
credit.
As nearly as can be arrived at, Eben-
ezer church was organized about
l7S5-possibly a little earlier; but
certainly not later. Previous to that
time the territory of which the church
afterward became the centre, belong
ed in common to Bethel and Bethesda !;
but along about 1886, the new church
was organized by Rev. Francis Cum
mings, of Bethel, with VIM. Shaw,
Robert Miller, Joseph McCorkle and
William Ambirson as ruling elders.
With just how many members Ebe-
nezer was organized is not known.
There are no records now accessible I;
but the members, of course, were gen.
orally of Scotch descent, and from
pretty we'll established tradition, it is
certain the following names were to be
found on the original roll: Forbis,
Talbert, Carroll, Hutchison, Hart, Nc
Corkle, Barron, Shaw, Cathcart, Mil
Ter, Faris, Garrison, Ambirson, Roach,
Dinsmore, Hall, Workman, Henderson,
Reeves, Black, Barry. Some of these
families have disappeared from the
neighborhood; but most of the names
mentioned are still TO be found on the
church books.
The first church building erected on
this spot was primitive log structure,
capable of holding about $50 people.
There were two entrances-on on
either side-and, instead of with doors,
these apertures were guarded with
bars. The seats were raised one above
the other and extended from the foot
of the pulpit nearly to the roof in the
back part of the house. According to
the custom prevailing in those days,
each family owned its own seat, orna-
mented or cushioned according to fan
cy, and if for any reason the head of
family quit the church-in pout or
otherwise-he generally carried the
seat with him.
The pulpit stood in one corner of
the building. 1t was closed in all
round, and reached nearly to the cell
ing, and the preacher entered through
a door, which it was his custom 10 shut
and bolt from the inside. Behind a
railing that ran around the pulpit,
sat the precentor or choir leader, and
by his side the beadle, whose duty it
was to make the congregation to OBJ
serve good behavior.
Some funny stories are told of incl
dents that happened while the primi-
tive congregation was worshipping in
this primitive church. On one occa-
sion, while the preacher was reading
q sermon, u gust of wind came along
and carried some of the detached
leaves outside the building. The mis-.
hap was not noted by the preacher
at the time but when he got to "third-
ly," and began to realize that thirdly
was not there, he became embarrassed
and repeated the word over and over
until q member of the congregation
spoke up with: "Thirdly has gone
out of the door; but I'll 20 and get him
for you."
At another time, the precentor hav-
ing discharged his preliminary duties
in raising the opening psalms, settled
himself in his seat and went to sleep
with his mouth open. The good old
preacher was much wrought up in the
discourse which he had spun out to
unusual length, and as he observed,