The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-06-04

call and renect upon the times
men and acts of this body of Chris
tians, but there are many now liv
ing who still have tender memorle
of the past and who cherish th
things done by their fathers nov
in dust. There are some now liv
ing who are old and gray ant
| whose form IS bent and tottering to
ward the grave, who cannot remem
ber the birth of this association
except as they heard father an(
mother speak of it. To some o
these old scenes and the thought
of long ago will pass through thei'
minds as they think Of the time
/ when father would saddle his horss
two or three days before the con-
vening of the body and ride per
haps forty miles in order to attend
to the things pertaining to the
Kingdom of God. Doubtless there
are hundreds of such men and
women to whom these thoughts
will be as d voice from the un-
known, for it ls of their fathers
and grandfathers and great-grand.
fathers that I propose to say a few
things In reminiscent way. The
men and women who gave life and
impetus to the Twelve Mile River
Association, whose names appear
many times upon the rolls Of the
minutes and years ago was written
in the Book of Life; the men and
women whose bones are ashes
awaiting the resurrection of the
just.
The exact date Of the organiza.
ton is not known, but it was about
1880, and j. will he interesting to
the Baptists at least to know that
the 596 members of the association
at the beginning have multiplied
to over three thousand; and this
does not include the members of
the churches now belonging to the
Piedmont, North Green7ille and
Transylvania associations which
once belonged to the Twelve Mile,
for it will be reealled.that this as
sociaCIof Embraced within its ter
ritory the churches of this County
aud portion Of Anderson, Green
ville'and Oconee counties and part
of North !Carolina. This was the
bounds Of the organization thenand
for a few years after, then some OF
the churches withdrew and formed
the Piedmont, while others united
with North Greenville, Transylva-
MIA and other associations.
Eleven churches constituted the
organization: Keowee, Secona,
Oolenoy, Cross Roads, Liberty,
Antioch and Peters Creek in this
county; New Hope and Cheohee in
Oconee county, and Middle Fork
Salu5a in Greenville county. From
these have branched off many otE-
ers until today instead OF churches
being miles apart they dot every
hill and valley and are SO numer.
GUS that the wayfaring man has
no excuse for erring. It would
indeed be interesting to know BE-
sides the three thousand and more
members of the associations now
living the number from the begin
ming until now who have been
members of the various churches
of the body. Many are dead, some
have moved away others have been
excluded and in other ways have
drifted away and have been lost
sight Of by their respective
churches. Perhaps if they were
all known it would multiply many
fold to our astonishment.
It was my privilege not long
since, by the kindness of the clerk
of the association, (and a great
pleasure too,) to turn through the
time worn volume of the minutes
and took occasion TO count the
dead reported during the years.
Twelve hundred and ninety.four!
This was the total. Think of twelve
hundred and nanety-four graves!
Twelve hundred and ninety-four
souls with the departed spirits
awaiting the general judgment.
And all from one little community.
Among these are some of the faith
ers in Israel, such as Cobb, Jacob
Lewis, the Kings, David Blythe,
Burroughs, T. L. Roper, Joseph
Grisham, w. 2. ank G.. w. Single
ton and many others that could be
named.
The largest death rate was re-
oorJaS SurIru tho bl,o5, o,, IL