The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-03-31
THE MT. ZION CENTENNIAL.
High Honor Paid the Memory Of the Great
Missionary, Or. ]. Leighton Wilson.

High Honor Paid the Memory of the Great
Missionary. Or. J. Leighton Wilson.
Sumter Item. March 26--Mt. Zion
church. that stronghold of Presbyter-
ism for a full hundred wears, that nur-
sary Of foreign missionaries, whose zeal
and self-sacritice have carried to many
benighted pagan lands the light of the
Gospel and all of whose influence for
good only eternity can disclose, that
home Of as generous and as uuostenta-
tious hospitality as the hoSpitab!e South
has ever known. was yesterday the
scene OF gathering the like OF which
il would be difficult to find elsewhere.
Al this historic religious center we're
gathered hundreds of the desceDdents
Of John Witherspoon and his companion
Scotch-l Irish Presbyterians, who coming
! from North Ireland. IN 1872 settled at
old kingstree and founded Williams
burg church. bringing Christianity and
civilization into the wilderness of Caro-
lima, and spreading thence up Black
River founded a community that has,
for nearly two centuries, been charac-
terZed by all that is best in American
citizenship the foundation-stones Of
which have been, and are, sincere plety,
industry and al intelligent appreciation
Of the advantages OF education and the
culture that is of the heart as well as
the miaJ. Met together with these de-
sceuGents OF the Scotch-lrish pioneers
were other hundreds of their friends
from far and near who had come to join
i in with them in paving tribute to the
memory of Rev John Leighton Wilson,
one OF the most distinguished and con-
secrated sons of Mt Zion, whose life
was given to the service OF God and the
salvation of his fellow men:a man whose
| life was devoted 10 labor and to giving
and not to taking and accommodating:
whose talenS we're neither put out at
usury for self-beneit, nor hidden in the
ground, but were freely expended for
the good of humanity: who devoted the
best years Of his life TO the service of a
people who had no claim upon him by
reason of ties OF blood and association:
whose name is written upon that sacred
scroll that contains only the names of
those who loved supremely their fellow
men and in their lives reflected the
spirit of the Master, whom they served
in spirit and in truth.
The occasion was the celebration of
the centennial of the birth of DR.. Will
son, who was born within a short dis
tauce of the church. March 18th, lS09
who died at the place of his birth in
1856, after a life of activity that took
him to many lands, and whose bedy lies
buried in the church yard. To do him
honor the great congregation. number
ing more than thousand souls, had
gathered not only from the immediate
community. county and State, but from
other States of the South and from the
North.
The addresses that were delivered
were notable contri ibutions to the his
tory of Presbyterianism. and while they
are engraven upon the memories Of the
attentive hearers they should be record
ed in permanent form for preservation
for future generations.
A feature of the day was the open air
dinner that was served at midday. Such
bounUiful provision had been made that
the multitude was fed and there was
left enough to have fed as many more.
All arrangement had been made for the
comfort and entertainment of visitors
from a distance and the guests of day
were made to feel not on y welcome, but
that their coming was favor TO the
hosts. The two hundred or more who
went out from this city were met at the
ST. Charles depot and conveyed to the
church and at the close of the services
the same vehicles were waiting to trans
o1- IL "a
time to catch the afternoon train. The
program, which is given herewith, gives
an outline of the services, but the writ
er regrets greatly that space does not
permit the reproduction of all of the ad-
dresses that were delivered.
Rev. James Mcdowell, D. D., presid
ing officer.
/. Devotional exercises. - Music:
Hymn No. 5S5.
Scripture Reading: Rev. Prof. R.
C. Reed, D. D.
Prayer-Rev. Prof. W. S. Bean, D.
Music-Hymn No. 5S7.
John Leighton Wilson-The Man,
Rev. Hugh r. Murchison.
John Leighton Wilson--His Labors
as Pioneer Missionary 10 West Africa,
lS34-lS53, and Missionary Secretary
Presbyterian Board. e. S. A, 1853
1861, Rev. George Alexander, D. D.,
New York.
John Leighton Wilson-His Labors as
Missionary Secretary, Executive Com
mittee, Presbyterian Church, q. S.,
lS6l-lSSG, Rev. Secretary S. 81. Chester,
D. D., Nashville. address prepared by
DR.. Lilley.