Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-08-16
Another Account.

Thursday, the 10th instant, the second
day of the Bethel Centennial, was
gloomy day and attended with early
morning showers, and the outlook was
very threatening and unauspicous, but
Notwithstanding the uncertainty of the
weather prospect, the attendance was as
large, If not larger, than The day previ-
GUS. by the time for the beginning of
the exercises of the day very large
crowd had assembled in front of the
stand and most of the seats that had been
prepared were occupied.
The services were opened with songs
OF praise and Thanksgiving and prayer to
Almighty God for His goodness, love and
mercy vouchsafed to His people in all the
past years, by Rev. NJ. r. Kirkpatrick,
prstor of Seneca church. Then followed
another praise service of songs by the
choir and congregation, and prayer by
tennial sermon by Rev. w. G.. Neville,
d. d., President OF the Presbyterian
College of South Carolina at Clinton,
from Revelation, fourteenth chap
ter, latter clause of 18th verse, "And
their works do follow them" This SER
mon was historic of the past and pro-
phetic for the future of old Bethel
learned and profound, and the speaker
was eloquent and fluent, and it was the
sentiment of the large audience that the
committee made no mistake in selection
of speakers for this occasion. Then fol-
lowed an intermission of two hours for
dinner and refreshments, when most
bOuntiful spread of the good things pre-
pared by the wives, mothers and fair
daughters of the community--enough
and more than enough for all present.
In the meantime heavy shower of
rain came up and drove the audience
into the church, as many as it would con-
tain, and those who could not find room
in the house took shelter in the top bug
gies and carriages on the grounds.
At about Up. m. the exercises were re-
sumed in the church building with the
singing of the sweet sacred songs selected
for the occasion, and after appropriate
prayer by Rev. III. 9. Grossman, of the
Walhalla Lutheran church, Rev. j. A.
Sharp, grandson of Elder John Sharp,
deceased, of old Bethel, and President of
Young Harris (Ga) College, was intro
duced and entertained us with fine
sermon or address, as you may choose to
term 1T, which was somewhat historical
and an enlargement or the se- ,es which
preceded. President oharp is a fluent
and graceful speaker and not without
pathos and deep feeling. He is Metho-
dist but thanks God for his Presbyterian
training, as to observance of the Sabbath
day.
His speech concluded che program OK
ercses, and then followed the unveilng
| of the Centennial Bethel monument with
the rendition of the original hymn, com
posed for the occasion by Mrs. j. A. Bell
which was very al .oropriate. This monu.
ment, beautiful marble column, sur
mounted by the Holy Bible, has the
names of all the pastors who served this
church during the century, and the
names of all the elders and deacons who
have served during the same period.
| The dedicatory prayer was made by
Rev. w. G. Neville, ID. d., and the un-
yelling was done by two young ladies',
Miss Kate Sharp, a granddaughter of
Elder John Sharp, and Miss Cornelia
Pickett, granddaughter of Elder Samuel
r.. McFall, deceased, in his life. time also
an elder in old Bethel.
The choir then rendered "God be
With You Till We Meet Again." and the
benediction was pronounced, and the
centennial of old Bethel. church became
history. Elder D.