Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-11-03

rial I had to use in writing the history
Of Mount Vernon (M. E.) church.
Since that time l have gained some in
formation that will assist in the work,
but it does not complete the history or
make it as interesting as it would 9TH
erwise be with the official data.
Away back in the early thirties, Mr..
Abram Smith, large land owner, pro-
posed to the people Of his section that
J.e would give a lot Of land. and the
timber necessary to build house Of
worship to be used by the different de-
nominations for that purpose. This
was long before the writer had seen the
light of day or breahed the air Of
western York At that time there was
no church building near there, and
Mr.. Smiths proposition was taken up
and the result was a splendid log house
was erected. By common consent they
agreed to call it Unity" and the place
is still known by that name.
Here they each worshipped for years,
and each organized a church Of its own
except the A. R. Presbyterians, but
they had regular preaching there. The
Baptists and Methodists were the
trongest-numerical and these kept
up their regular meetings while the
"Seceders" would drop in and preach
a. day now and then. The Methodist
conference had their Circuit rider" to
fill his regular appointments there for
several years, and some Of them were
able and consecrated men too. Both
these denominations, baptist and
Methodist)) increased in membership
and influence until each had strong
church for that day. So far as I know
or every heard Of, there was no fric-
ton between the different denomina-
tions-all went on nicely and the
members attended the services Of each
others church, generally.
About the year 1856 or 81, the Meth
odist people concluded they wanted a
better house in which to worship and
began a movement in that direction
But like it is at the present day, some
thought it impracticable. They couldn't
see how they could go to that expense,
particularly, while they had a claim on
the old church.
Rev. ]. w. North was then their
preacher and he urged the building OF
a church Of their own, and he never
lost an opportunity to put in word
for it either in the pulpit or elsewhere.
On one occasion he preached sermon
from this text "Who art thou, 0
great mountain? before zerubbabel
thou shalt become plain; and he shall
bring forth the headstone thereof with
shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto
it."-Zechariah iv, 7.
1t is not necessary for me now to
say, Cor attempt to say what man
of ]. w. North's calibre could say from
such a text in applying 1t to the object
he had in view. The astute Bible
reader will see the application for him
self. However, they determined to
build the house, and the work was be-
gun and carried out and the present
house is the result Of their effort
The contract was let to the Burns
Brothers-John and Sam, and in 1858,
lin June or July) it was dedicated.
Rev. John w. Kelly, presiding elder,
preached the dedicatory sermon from
the text: Il have Showed you all
things. how that so laboring ye ought
to support the weak, and to remember
the words of the Lord Jesus, how He
said. TT is more blessed to give than
to receive. Acts Xxx, 35. A very large
congregation was present at the ded1-
cation. not over one-half Of which
could get inside the house. BY the
way. that was the first time your cor
respondent ever met Col. Samuel JET
ferries now of Gaffney. He was then
slim. 1.-the young man, weighing about
135 mounds and about as full of talk
as he is today.
Mr.. North continued on the circuit
for four years and during that time he
courted and married Miss Dye,
daughter of the late Perry Dye, lead
ing and influential member of Mount
Vernon church.
There was some considerable discus
sion about the name Of the church. A
number of the members wanted to call