The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1906-12-12
months during which time Rev. J. I


Boseman, acted as pastor.
From 1894 to 1906, our present pastor
has served US, covering a period OF
nearly thirteen years. In 1896, was be
Gun and finished, the present house OF
Worship, whose dedication we meet to
celebrate today.
1t is now my duty and privilege to
speak to you Of the work Of the church
during the last ten years Of her life,
and to say to you that these have been
years of gracious privileges and the
most splendid opportunities. The be-
ginning of this tenth year period found
US with our plans well laid, with a good
house in which to worship, built and
paid for, and with a fine department
for the work OF the Sunday school, and
everything in seemingly good working
order, naturally therefore, we will ex-
pect this to be the best ir the history
of the church. The growth OF the
church during these ten years has been
very marked in three separate and
distinct ways:
l Numerically. During these ten
years there have been added to the
membership of this church more than
four hundred persons, chiefly by bap-
tism, an average of over forty persons
each year for the past ten. The Sun
day school has grown from little band
into a; mighty host, numbering from
between two and three hundred. The
gracious revivals under Hedgpeth and
Boothe, Fitch, Porter, Jamison, Wllk-
ms, our Pastor, and Cooper, Will doubt
less tell for good in eternity. Many
souls were led to accept Jesus Christ
as their Saviour, and enter into the
church for service.
,. FINANCIALLY. The church
has grown in material substance, and
in financial power. The first years OF
this new period under the leadership
of our present pastor found US contrib
uting about one hundred dollars year
for all objects Where we paid hun
dreds then, we pay thousands now. Last
year with all the discouragements, we
were under God able to pay out the
splendid sum of 4,l73.S6, an average Of
S4,173.S6 per year for the past ten., We
have paid out for all objects during
these ten years S4l, 1859 and some OF
this has gone into every department OF
work fostered by our church and de-
nomination. Some has gone to the
Orphanage to feed and clothe the
fatherless, some into schools and col
leees some to cheer the pathway OF the
old preachers, some into the statemis-
sion funds to be spread all over the
State and to build up the waste places
of our native land, some into the Home
Boards hands. some into the faraway
Isles of the sea, and the great heathen
world lying beyond. True we have not
done our best but what we have given
has gone out to bless the nations, and
to cheer the hearts of our missionaries
brother and sister league in far away
China. We built this splendid house
of worship in which we worship today
at a cost of over $4,000 and then we
have added nearly l,500 to this in the
increased Sunday school rooms, ana
we are just finishing yet another addl-
ton which will add much to the con-
yenience of this department. During
all these years we have been growing
in financial strength. also there has
been a corresponding growth in liber-
alitv. We now support three orphans
at the orphanage, and pay enough. 70
support one missionary IN China,
though we do not support one indepen-
dently, our contributions are divided
between brother Herring and brother
League.
June "A, 1901 \. J. Tindal died. He
had served the church faithfully for
more than quarter OF a century.
In the year 1901 Brother Coleman
came to US as Colporteur and laoored
in our midst for more than five years,
going into the homes of all and in his
quiet way talking the great truths OF
the bible and church. But felt called
upon to resign his work on January lst
of this year, and moved to Union
where he now labors.
3. SPIRITUALLY. I believe our
church is stonger spiritually today
than ever before in her history. It is
true with us as it is with every church
that some are cold and Indifferent to-
ward the church and their privileges
as Christians, but while these are
growing colder perhaps, thank Coo
others are growing more spiritual, get,
ting nearer and nearer to Christ and
more closely identified with the work.
Thus brethren I have given you
vision of the past as we have beheld 1t
in the grip of years. Whatever we
have been able to achieve in the past
has been due to the manifold blessings
of God upon our feeble and sinful
efforts. What the future will be will
depend upon our conservation and viii
lineness to do his will. So with bowed
heads and grateful hearts we say line
Lord has done great things for us
whereof we are glad" to him be all
the glory forever.-Amen.