The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-08-04

Paper Read Before the
South Carolina Press
Association.
By HUGH WILSON.

Gentlemen
Your most worthy President E. H. Aullhaving invited
me to say something at this meeting, l have printed TINS
NV first experience in the printing business was IN the
office Of the Erskine Miscellany at Due West, which pa
per was afterward the Due West Telescope. Since the
war the paper has been called the Associate Reformed
Presbyterian.
The owners of the Erskine Miscellany in 1851 were
Rev. T. O.. Lindsay and Rev. l. Bonner. In 1851 l
boarded with Rev. J. o. Lindsay. He had family prayer
nights and mornings. One thing he never forgot was to
express humble and hearty thanks for having been born IN
a Christian country-a land of churches and Bibles. The
circulation of the Miscellany was 3 tokens, or 80 qures.
At the end of the year Mr.. Bonner became sole owner OF
the paper. The name of the paper was changed to The
Due West Telescope. Mr.. Bonner bought the Christian
Magazine of the South and consolidated the subscription
lists, increasing the circulation of the Telescope to o5
quires.
Mr.. Bonner was a jealous churchman, and, as far as
I can now recall, he never missed attendance upon the
meetings of Synod where he welded a great influence. l
believe that he was responsible for the Mexican mission.
The mistake which originated in his mind, and which was
carried out by Synod, has nearly wrecked the Associate
Reformed Church. The Synod in his death lost one of
the ablest and one Of the bravest, as we'll as one OF the
most sagacious members. I cannot but believe that he
would HdNCS OOu IC lioIoNS VI 'S NNN
sion, and that he would have exercised his great influence
in leading the Synod to cease its waste OF money IN a bar
rem field, even if such action had compelled every klnsmanf
to 90 to work to make his own living.
do not believe that DR.. Bonner under any circum-
stances would have allowed the support of anybody, not
even his closest kin, to become a permanent charge upon
the church which he loved so well. And l know, as IT by
inspiration, that his proud and honorable spirit would have
revolted at the idea of levying burdensome assessments
upon poor little home mission churches to support anybody
in luxury in a field so barren as that of Tampco, and the
adjacent mountains and valleys in Mexico. DR.. Bonner
having the good of the A. R. P. church at heart, would
not have used the power of Synod to extort money
from the people for an unwise scheme. He would discour-
age or dishearten no one in his loyalty to the church.
DR.. Bonner was no blind follower Of anybody. He
did not travel the beaten paths. He blazed out new roads.
His printing plant originally was a cheap concern with a
few type and a Smith h%and-press that had beer used IN
the printing Of Samuel Jordans book, The Ensign OF
Liberty, or the Wicked One Revealed" l have
never read the book, but | have been told that
Mr.. Jordan referred to John C. Calhoun as'the Wicked
One. The object of the book was to avert the war,
which Mr.. Jordan felt was sure to come If Calhoun's
ideas prevailed. Mr.. Jordan bought the plant Nof the
Hamburg Republican away back in the '4os. The type
and press were put in a store house near Mr.. %Jordan's
home in the lower part Of the county. When his book was
printed, Mr.. Bonner and Dr.. Lindsay bought the office for
$325, and moved it to Due West. A. very small sum OF
money would buy an office in those days. Acheap press and
a few cases of type made an office. The average country
Office had no job presses. The type was all set by hand.
We had no %linotypes. We had no electric lights. We had
special candlesticks, made by a timer to fit the boxes, and,
to prevent turning over, they were filled with lead or melted
type. Country Offices were then often in unceiled build
ings. Instead of such a building and such an outfit as DR..
Bonner had when he founded the paper, it now has a brick
house Of its own. New cylinder press, an up-to-date job
press, a mailing machine, and other new and modern
equipments have been installed.
DR.. Bonner was the first man in all this country
to throw out his hand press to install a cylinder
press. Outside of the cities he was among the first
to use steam in running a printing press. His was
the first paper in all this country to become a multi-page
paper. In his notice of the contemplated change, he said
in his paper that he hoped it would meet the approval of
the subscribers, but whether it did or did not meet their
approval, the paper would be changed in form, or words
to that effect.
DR.. Bonner was one of the first, if not the very first
man in the State to realize the public demand for a school
for women. HI organized the Due West Female College
fifty years ago. 1t has been a great success, but the Synod
still withholds from its founder the honor of his name.
AS the owner of slaves Mr.. Bonner, on a dead level,
was kind. When angered he was a little severe. When
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