Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-05

was somewhat like the Apostle Paul,
in that he believed he could do all
things through Christ-who strength
ened him.
His highly cultivated mind, profess
sional zeal and patriotic ardor found
ample scope for successful develop
ment under the mighty causes then at
work, to stamp upon the American
mind its permanent character. Young
Alexander caught the inspiration and
soon became a prominent factor-a
powerful preacher, and an earnest re-
monstrant against the tyrannical meas
ures, at that day sought to be enforc-
ed by Great Britain upon the American
colonies. While he was in the midst or
his work elsewhere, surrounded by ev-
ery kind Ct circumstances calculated
to make him comfortable, the cry came
to his ears from vacant churches from
all over the southern country. He
could resist the Macedonian cry" no
longer and in obedience to the calls
Of duty yielding the pleasant and
fiourishing fields to other hands he
came with his family to South Caro-
lima and settled in Bullock's Creek
congregation.
He at once assumed pastoral charge
and entered upon his duties. Practt-
cally, he found himself surrounde1
with a moral waste, stretching In eV-
cry direction over an immense area.
with here and there the cabin of the
pious Pennsylvania or the Scotch
Irish Presbyterian. From these Beth
els in the wilderness the daily prayer
had come up in remembrance before
God and in answer the dawn OF the
gospel day was now breaking upon the
darkness, which had so long enveloped
the Broad river valley. Like Paul at
Athens the newly arrived minister felt
mis- spirit stirred within him as he sur
veyed the wild and rugged field he had
undertaken to cultivate.
| All his resources were taxed to meet
the exigencies of his people, but faith
fully and implicitly confiding In the
pledges of his Master whom he served,
and sustained and encouraged by the
hearty cooperation of the few pious
families, whose urgent appeals had
brought him amongst them, his work,
for a time. advanced with slow, but
steady progress in the tract Of country
he then occupied. The forest abound
ed with game and the streams with
fish.
Luxuriant grasses clothed the hills,
and almost impenetrable cane-breaks
darkened the creek and river lowlands.
Hence with the exception of the labor
required to cultivate few acres plant
ed in corn and wheat, to supply bread
for the family, and a patch planted in
tobacco and one in indigo to procure a
few dollars to meet the family expenses,
the settlers along Broad river and It's
tributaries, composing what was then
called Bullock's Creek congregation
passed their time in "inglorious ease.
Meanwhile the cultivation Of the mind
and the Importance Of subjecting the
moral and religious elements Of their
nature to the Transforming power of
the gospel, seemed to be matters upon
which but few had bestowed any prac-
ltical thought.
This state Of affairs made it neces-
sary for Mr.. Alexander to undergo i'm
mense labor in bringing the scatter
ed materials upon which he had to op-
crate, within his ministerial influence,
and no one who properly appreciates
the unyielding power Of inveterate
habit, fortified by the hostility of the