The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-11-12
THE BARNWELL ASSOCIATION.
Interesting Account of Meeting at
Historic Church.

SPRINGTOWN.
The story goes that over century
ago, a flourishing village sprang up
near a historic spring which is now
two and half miles east of the pres
ent church. Local tradition also re-
lates that this spring enjoyed quite
a reputation as a summer resort and
that many of its patrons were from
Charleston, Savannah and other
coast towns The village of Spring
town was also the county seat Of
Barnwell District of those days. Mod
ern history relates that tfty-tWo
years ago the Barnwell Association
was organized at this church. But,
old Springtown is no longer de-
serted village, for only local tradition
preserves it's former glories. AS one
thinks of those who made 1t what
1t was he is reminded of those IA
NOUS but anonymous lines on old
Blandford church in Petersburg, Va.
s'The worshippers are, scattered now,
Who knelt before thy shrine,
And silence reigns where anthems
rolled -.
In the days Of Auld Lang syne."
The new church is monument to
the untiring energy and faithful work
of the present and efficient pastor, S.
P. Hair. It is situated in the midst
of the most beautiful grounds of any
church in this Association. TO be-
Heye this one has only to see them,
their old tombs shaded by beautiful
oaks and hickories mingling their
brilliant autumn leaves with the dark
green of the long leaf pine, while the
whole scene is set in subdued BACK
ground of waving festoons of Spanish
moss.
Originally the Springtown section
was the garden spot OF the State. IN
ante -bellum' days the church owned
its parsonage, had a pastor Tor all
his time and paid an annual salary
of $1,000. It's membership lived In
handsome colonial residences fanked
Inv avenues of cedars and china trees.
with a knowledge of their descend
ants and an imagination OF the hlgh
qualities of their fathers one can see
the aptness of the misquotation,
Happy pastor; what a favored lot
was thine!" But S. P. Hair their
present pastor and his loyal and de-
voted membership are worthy sue
cessors of noble church ancestry.
let II be remembe however, that
Sprinptown lay in the pathway OF
Sherman's army, and that one has
only to see the clump OF trees WHICH
marked the sites Of former MONIES
and the scattered sentinels Whicn
mark the avenues, to realize the
truth of his aphorism describing war,
but, cannot repeat it here Tor tnls
is a religious newspaper
THE ASSOCIATION
Knows gobd things when it gets
them. so it was organized by the re-
election of it's old officers, Col. R. M.
Mixson, moderator; w. G. Brltton'
clerk: and j. A. Jenkins, treasurer.
The introductory sermon, by M. M.
BENSON. on t."The Christians Out
reach was most helpful and lifting.
DR.. Derieux was the only foreign rep
resentatiye on the ground, and ne
was given the afternoon to talk ABOUT
state Missions. Derieux believes III
!, state Missions with all his soul, ana
he couldn't help making first class
speech on the subject. He always
does that, but he surpassed n1mseH
here. On Thursday the orpnanag,e,
man was on hand. "Mr. Jlmmerson
as he is affectionately called by some
of his Barnwen supporters. Tnese
people love the Orphanage and love
him so much that he need never rear
that it will not stand foremost IN this
Association. Equally as warm a wei
come awaited the other brethren VINO
were expected, affectionately asked
after. but who unfortunately for
! themselves didn't come. Home, For
eign. and all other phases OF missions
were duly considered. The sessions
Of the body were enlivened by some
striking speeches on temperance anu
ouestions affecting some changes 10
the constitution of the. body.
SOME REFLECTIONS.
.*one of the contested matters In
yolyed the change of meeting 80 as
not to include Sunday in it's session,
as at present. Formerly Sunday was
the grand climax of success1ui
meeting, but latterly the pastors ana
delegates leave on Saturday and the
appointee for the missionary sermon
holds forth in solitary glory. There
, are weighty reasons for the desired
change of date. Churches having
services on that Sunday will lose one
months preaching if their pastors
remain at the Association. The same
reasons apply to teachers who are
absent from their classes. The body
at first voted down the motion for an
earlier date in the week, but later by
common consent passed resolution
instructing their executive committee
to refer the question to the churches
and to announce their decision II they
desire the change.
The increasing impetus placed on
missions in the past two decades Is
obliterating the former conception OF
the function of an association. Then
It was a meeting for counsel, for re-
ceiving letters and reports from the
churches telling of their spiritual tri-
umphs and defeats during the past
year. The associational sermons OF
those days were frequent and some