The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-10-22
CHAPTER VI.
BLACK ROCK RELIGION.


VATRHEN I grow weary with the
| wv conventions Of religion and
EES sick in my soul from feeding
SGZG9 upon husks that the churches
too often offer me in the shape of elab-
crate service and eloquent discourses,
so that in my sickness I doubt and
doubt, then I go back to the commun-
ion in Block Rock and the days pre-
ceding it, and the fever and the weari-
ness leave me, and grow humble and
strong. The simplicity and rugged
grandeur Of the faith, the humble graf
itude Of the rough men see about the
table and the calm radiance Of one
sanity face rest and recall me.
Not its most enthusiastic apologist
would call Black Rock religious COM
munity, but it possessed in a marked
degree that eminent Christian virtue
of tolerance. All creeds, all shades OF
religious opinion, were allowed, and it
was generally conceded that one was
as good as another. It is fair to say,
however, that Black Rocks catholicity
was negative rather than positive. The
only religion Objectionable was that in
sisted upon as q necessity. 1t never
occurred to any one to consider relI-
gion other than as q respectable if not
ornamental addition to life in older
lands --'----.. --- -
During the weeks following the max
ing Of the league, however, this mega
tive attitude toward things religious
gave place to one Of keen investigation
and criticism. The Indifference passed
away and with it in a large measure
the tolerance. Mr.. Craig was respon-
sible for the former Of these changes,
but hardly in fairness could he be he'd
responsible for the latter. # any one
more than another was to be blamed
for the rise Of intolerance in the vii
lage, that man was Geordie Crawford.
He had his ''hnes" from the Estab-
lished Kirk Of Scotland, and when Mr..
Craig announced his intention Of hav-
ing the sacrament Of the Lords supper
observed Geordie produced his lines
and handed them in. AS no other man
in the village was equipped with like
spiritual credentials, Geosdie constitut-
ed himself a kind Of kirk session,
charged with the double duty Of guard
ing the entrance to the Lords table
and Of keeping an eye upon the theo-
logical opinions Of the community and
more particularly upon such members
Of it as gave evidence Of possessing
ans opinions definite enough for state
ment.
It came to be Mr.. Craig's habit to
drop into the leagueroom and toward
the close Of the evening to have q short
Scripture lesson from the gospels.
Geordie's opportunity came after the
meeting was oyer and Mr.. Craig had
gone away. The men would hang
about and talk the lesson over, ex-
pressing opinions favorable or unfa-
vorable, as appeared to them good.
Then it was that all sorts Of views, re-
Hgious and otherwise, were aired and
examined. The originality Of the ideas,
the absolute disregard of the authority
of church or creed, the frankness with
which opinions were stated and the
forcefulness Of the language in which
they were expressed combined to make
the discussions altogether marvellous.
The passage between Abe Baker, the
stage driver, and Geordie was particu-
larly rich. It followed upon a very
telling lesson on the parable Of the
Pharisee and the publican.
The chief actors in that wonderful
story were transferred to the Black
Rock stage and were presented in min
er'S costume. Abe was particularly
we'll pleased with the scoring of the
s'blanked old rooster who crowed so
hlanked high" and somewhat incensed
at the quiet remark interjccted by
Geordie that "it was nae credit till
mon tae be sinner" and when Geor-
die went on to urge the Importance Of
right conduct and responsibility Abe
was led to pour forth walls Of con-
temptuous wrath upon the Pharisees
and hypocrites who thought themselves
better than other people. But Geordie
was quite unruf1ed and lamented the
ignorance Of men who, brought up in the
"Epeescopawlyun or Metho2" church,
could hardly be expected to detect the
Antinonian or Arm. aian heresies.
"Aunty Nomyun or Uncle Nomyun,'
replied Abe, boiling hot, 'my mother
was a Methodist, and III back any
BANKED Methodist against any blank
ETY. blank long faced, lantern jawed,
skinfint Presbyterian" And this he
was eager to maintain to any mans
satisfaction if he would step aside.
Geordie was quite unmoved, but has
tened to assure Abe that he meant no
disrespect to his mother, who, he had
mae doot, was a clever enough bud
die, tae judge by her SON." Abe was
speedily appeased and offered to set
up the drinks all round. but Geordie,
with evident reluctance, had to de-
cline, saying, "Na, IA, lad; I'm league
man, We ken" And 1 was sure that
Geordie at that moment felt that mem
berShip in the league had It's draw
backs.
Nor was Geordie too sure Of Craigs
orthodoxy, while, as to Mrs. MaVor,
whose slave he was, he was in the
habit Of lamenting her doctrinal con-
dition:
s'She's a fine wumman, nae doot;
but, puir cratur, she's fair carried
ava VII the errors O the Epeesco-
pawlyuns."
It fell to Geordie, therefore, as a sa-
cred duty, in view of the laMty of
those who seemed to be the pillars Of
the church, to be all the more watch
full and unyielding, but he was delight
fully inconsistent when confronted
with particulars. In conversation with
him one night after one of the meet
ings, when he had been specially hard
upon the ignorant and goddess, inno-
Gently changed the subject to Billy
Breen, whom Geordie had taken to his