The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-05-28

out II 1t does not, then Wn5n teeU
washing does begin the veriest foo
will discover that it is not at al
funny.
The ladies gather on one side
and the men on the other wher
sacrament begins. A cloth is taker
from the table and the bread and
wine partaken of just about as in
other churches, and with which ]
hope there are none 80 heathenish
as to not be familiar. Then feet
washing begins, and it is just as
impressive as the taking Of bread
and wine. The men wash each
Others feet, the ladies wash the
ladies'. A man pulls off his coat,
rolls up his sleeve, puts a towel
round his waist, and them humbly
kneelipg he washes the brotner's
foot that sits next to him. In turn
this passes till all are washed, and
the whole is so serious as to put the
scofer to shame and to draw nearer
to God the most thoughtless youth
of the land.
No stranger is allowed to depart
from the Hardeman settlement t
without their dinner. Brown an
ticipates this with the greatest
pleasure, and at dinner is another
sociable' hour. The truth is that
all the day Is feast of sociability.
The people grow up in socialibili-
~ Babes are carried to the
church St ssZsGy meeting, they grow
up together and le7f&s le7f&seioTe e love eacn
other, and they love the old ca5s;ssssss
and the trees around and the spring
where they saunter to quench their
thirst or to court and be with each
other. All these things pertain at
the old church of Hardeman and
We rejoice that the day is at hand
that calls US there once more. There
we will meet old friends, hear Of
those who have passed away, learn
of the sick and the newborn. Not
the least of the pleasures We antic-
lpate is to see the babes in their
mothers arms. They are a pro-
life people theteabout, and the
only person I expect to see happier
than the young mother with a babe
is the one with two babes. A pref
ty babe in its mothers arms at an |
old-fashioned church is the sweet
est thing this side of heaven, re-
bnke to "fashion'' and a promise
for tie future that can never be
from children raised up
almost strangers to mothers, away
from the church and partaklng of
such things as the servant upon
which it leans may choose to ins
still. |
The socialability of such occa-
sions Is a help to religion, an in
spiratlon to neighborly affection,
and charms the hearthstone of the |
humblest cabin to surpass all the
elegancies of the modern mansion. !
If such settlements as Hardeman
are behind on culture, they are
ahead On reverency, ahead on de-
pendence in God, ahead On that
socialability that lent charms
to home and love between kindred. |
They may not have the charming
books to read that thrills with
stories so pleasing to the taste Of
the cultures, but this gives them
time at night around the hearth
stone to entertain each other, to
know each other better, and to
store up in their hearts a love so
sweet that it remains happy mem.
ory wherever they may 60 or what.
ever they may do. They may never
be fascinated by travel Dor feel the
thrills Of fashionable dissipation,
but this only makes them like the
more the meetings at the old
church and soothes the spirit of
discomfort to better relish of
their country picnics and winter
parties. At last, when ''fashion'
has won't all the gates purchasable
by wealth Or demanded by the
''bloods," there is nothing IN it
sweeter nor better than the Gus
toms of the good people around
old Hardeman.
When I contemplate the great |
churches soon to be erected in the
city and think of these customs I |
have written, l can but conclude
that it would be wise for these
great churches to study why it
is so easy to "draw" these people
in the country together. Ore