The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-05-07
AN. INTERESTING BaMINIsoEscE
Presiding Elder Child writes ofoId times
and OldlTriends In Pfckans. .s3s

Presiding Elder Child writes ofoid time.
and oldf'riends IN Pfckens.
II the last issue Of The Missions
sf the monthly periodical issued
by the Methodists Of the Green
vile district, Rev, r. a. Child, the
presiding elder, has the following
article, which will be of interest
and will be appreciated hy his
friends and the public: Since the
last ISSUE Of the Missioner NE have
completed our FIRST round on the
Greenville district. We found the,
district in good shap pe,ana
and people heHs 81 tho bestyear
IN tIalssF history. Everywhere We
met with the warmest vel come, and
friends Of former days gave us a
hearty hand shake and a CHEEKY:
"God bless you.
At Piekens, our old home, where
for more than sixteen years we
practiced Law, very large con-
gregatiop Fcame out to hear us
preach, and gave the very closest
attention while we attempted to ex-
pound the precious truths Of Gods
Word. AS we stood up before
that splendid audience and looked
down upon the upturned faces Of
the people, our hearts sweiled with
gratitude to God for his goodness
in permitting US to return and
preach to the people among whom,
in the long ago, we. scattered the
wild oats of our youth. At the
same time a feeling Of sadness pos
sessed US, for we missed many
familiar faces Of the stauld a
syne:" s2gs see had crossed
ses7er the.riyer. While their spirits
had returned unto God who gave
them their bodies were peacefully
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resting in the village cemetery hard
BY, there to remain until the resur-
rection morning, when the sleeping
dust shall against5art into life, gat
the voice Of Him who is the Resuft
rectien and the Life. and who hasf
said eff I live ye shall live also. :,
About two miles out Of Pickens
Is Bethlehem. Here we were re-
minded Of an incidentthat occurred
on a Quarterly Conference occas-
ion more than twenty years ago.
DR.. S. B. Jones was the Presiding
Elder, and DR.. S. P. 81. ElWeA the
pastor. It was q cold, dark, rainy
day, and not more than a dozen OF
the faithful were present and these
were clustered Immediately around
the pulpit. Just before services
began two goddess, dissipated men
of the world from Pickens drove
into the church yard, and entering
they sat about midway Of the
church. Dr.. Jones eyed them
closely for a moment or two, and
then announced his text: sTurn
ye, turn ye, for why will ye die,
o house of Isreal?" Aad such .
sermon! Though preached at only
two men DR.. Jones preached as
though he were preaching to q
thousand. At the conclusion Of
the sermon the door of the church
was opened, and one OF the men OF
PIckens went forward and gave his
hand to DR.. Elwell the pastor, as
a candidate for church member
ship. The other was amazed and
thought his companion drunk.
Years passed; the first Of these
two young men was stricken down
with fatal illness, and beside his
dying bed stood the friend and com
pa,.ion of Bethlehem, rejoicing
with him as he shouted the praises
of his Saviour. For many years
now this man has been IN heaven.
DR.. Jones and DR.. ElWell are also
there. The fourth man still lives
and now fills the place then SO ably
filed by DR.. Jones. His friend
and companion on that cold, dark,
rainy Sunday at Bethlehem was
Col. J. G. Thompson of the Pickens
Sentinel. Peace to his ashes.
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