Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-07-06
. REV. ]. R. RILEY, D. D.
BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THIS
NOBLE MAN OF GOD.
0NGE 4 TEACHER IN ADGRiRR GOIhEGH.
Now Pastor OF the Pickens, Mount Pleasant
and Central Churches.


Abbevillo District, Mow county, on
the 18th day of April, 1920. He was
prepared for college in the Prcsby.
terian High School ut Greenwood
S. G. His rapid progress in this
school soon demonstrated to his rcla.
tives and friends that he was &
proper subject for a collegiate cdu,
cation. He was trained with this
view and at the age of twenty years
entered the South Carolina College,
which was, at that time, one of the
first colleges in the country. Ills
class was very large one and con
tanned some Of the brightest young
men in the State. lie graduated
from this college with distinction in
the year 1854, and was made vale
dictorian Of the Clariosophic Society
in addition to delivering his graduate
ing speech. On leaving college he
was elected principe! of the Laurcns
Academy, which position he filed
very acceptably for two years and
then resigned to accept position as
teacher in the Greenwood High
School. After teaching in this
school for one year, he felt that the
finger of God was directing him TO-.
ward the sacred desk, and that his
mission in life should and mu3v be to
declare the word Ct God to u lost
world. Having decided upon his
lifc's work, he entered the Thcologi-
cal Seminary at Columbia and spent
three years in special preparation for
the ministry. at the close of lis
Theological course he was called to
the pastoratc of the I.aurcns prcsby-
tcrian church, and, at the same time,
was elected professor in the Lau-
rens Female College. lie was
licensed in April, 1860, and in Octo-
Der of the same year ordained by the
South Carolina Prcsbytcry to preach
the Gospel. lie was for seventeen
years, from 1860 to 1877, the pastor
of Laurcns church, which he served
ably and faithfully and to the entire
satisfaction Of his large and growing
congregation. lie was beloved by
all the members of his first church,
and, under his pastoral care and ten
der visitation, the church largely in
creased its membership and grew
stronger in the work of the Master
While serving as the pastor of this
church he was for Il number Of years
the successful President of tho I.au-
rens Female College. This institu-
ton was very successful under the
management Of President Riley. In
the year 1877 the subject of this
sketch was elected chairman Of the
Faculty of Adger College, located at
Walhalla, S. G.. lie held this posi-
tion for s;x years, during which time
he taught Greek, Logic and Moral
and Mental Science. During all of
these years the college was one Of
the most successful in the State and
sent out some Of the brightest young
men the State has ever produced.
The reputation as a teacher and
preacher of President Riley WAS
wide, and in the year 1882 Ncwberry
College conferred upon him the title
of Doctor of Divinity. Since the
year 1888 DR.. Riley has been preach.
ing to the churches of pickcns
county. Under his ministry the old
churches have prospcrcd and he has
organized several new ones in this
county and they are all growing in
strength every year.
1t will be seen from the foregoing
that DR.. Riley has spent his life in
teaching and preaching. The first
named is second only to the latter.
lie has been decided success as
both. Nature has given him very
strong mind. lie is deep and logi-
cal thinker Ills mind is clear cut
in every particular and he possesses
the raro gift of dissccting a PROPOSE
ton into its simplest elements
and Grabbing the inquirer to
see tho truth in her beautiful sim
plicity. This cast of mind stamps
him az q successful teacher. The
ideal teacher is he who himself sees
the truth clearly and has the power
and gift to enable the pupil to see
tho truth as clearly az the Master.
DIR. Rilcy's mind belongs to the ana
lytical type, and whether lccturing
to n class or cxpounding the doe
trines of religion, clearncss, strength
and force mark his utteranccs. His
pupils everywhere love him, and they
are legion. Many noble women and
brilliant men in this and adjoining
States delight in speaking Of DR..
John II. Riley as the prcccptor of
their youthful days. He always
I l. I Al