Evening journal., 1908-09-30
LIFE HALF A CENTURY
AGO IN BLACKBIRD
Article No. 25.

ddtd 10 clear up some points which
wished to take up, have had time TO
reflect and ponder and take account OF
stock as to my worth, weight and scope
Of knowledge. When first conceived
the idea, while visiting friends 4.
Thoroughfare Neck, that 1 knew sore-
thing of that particular section of
country and that ! might write some
thing Of the former generations that
would be interesting to the later oi
present generations. having been born
on the margin Of the neck in the old
house on the Gardner farm at Long
Bridge, January sth, 1886, and having
lived on the Gambush farm in a neigh
boring section. 1 thought / knew some-
thing about IL.
/ have never thought that / was too
heavily charged with self-confiden e,
conceit or egotism. or that 1 had any
calling as a historian and / want to say
for the benefit of others who have not
yet launched their bark into the arena,
who may be given to think that they
know it all and would like to be thor
oughly cured of that malady. just cast
off the lines. that's ALL For I find
that If what / know about Thorough
fare Neck would fill a book of con-
siderable SIZE what I don't know would
NIL a much larger book. I am not
stranded yet. but imagine see clouds
not very far distant that indicate q
wreck. but I am not going to leave the
shin when I recollect that there arc
life boats already ahoat and the same
are imprinted on the hull viz Henry
G. Conrad Alexander b Cooper, Wash
ington Hastings and Milsii's boy, be-
sides smaller craft by which I nigh
reach shore. I have already under
taken to do up the Stats family, ana
/ I find them so completely mixed ur
by inter marriage that / have had tt
halt for a few days to try to get some
kinks out of the yarn before I proceed
further and will proceed to give som,
impressions made on MY mind a few
weeks ago while visiting a friend.
He took me out to the new Friend.
ship Church. built in 1855 where
contrasted the condition Of things now
with those when I used to attend wor.
shin in the old log house which stood
near by in the hfties Two rows 81
benches with one aisle and a ten plat,
stove about the center Of which III.
ladies had to beware on a cold dav q
the old stove was in good order or els,
they would scorch their dresses.
I The forms and ceremonies were diff
ferent then in the NJ f. Church from
what they are now. Then ~ wa,
opening hymn, prayer. collection hymn
sermon, hymn, benediction. Then tn,
women all sat on one side and the mef
on the other. When the congregat tiol
was dismissed. the men went out frs
and gathered around the door and
along the walk to the gate. which CAV,
the Young men a hne opportunity t,
see the girls. which opportunity they
generally imHroved.
I thought to myself while attending
service there that Sunday that if tn,
people in the cities have any idea tina
the country churches do not keel
abreast Of the times and are not up-to
date. they better take a run down
While the old folks who worshiped a
the church sixty years ago would hav
voted a church organ down and oui
: they have it in its purity with the so
c performing at the organ. the fathe
2 choir master. and the thing worke
like clock work with both style an
$ dignity. Notwithstanding the pastor,
Z stylish young man and a good preach
Z er. by the wav. had INDUCED in a li'tl
e diversion on his way to church tina
d morning by capturing a young skun
a as a CURIOSITY and bringing it along {
q church with him because he could NJ
d catch the old one. only to be informe
y bv those who were moro familiar wit
s the nature Of skunks that if he ha
Is succeeded In his efforts to get the ol
e. one he would not have found II to
y a good day for slSunlSs sure but as
was no one suffered any inconvenienC
d from what happened.
y I have pleasant recollections Of n
n old church from the fac. that some in
d portant incidents occurred in conne
"a ton with myself. got the flr
II glimpse Of young woman in that o
? church who turned out to be my wi
Is in twentv-three months after And
'r once acted as musical director for
erl Sunday school jubilee which belong'
le up at Walkers school house, and wi
ie all due respect TO the audience no oi
IS seemed to suspect that did not kno
1t anything more about the rudiments
Is music then than do now. And 1 {
'e not know anything about it now.
T. William Andrew Hulxill.