Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-08-09
DEDICATION OF FLINT HILL.

church that mas Deen Dullt tnere ny
the congregation of that historic
church. The crowd of people that
assembled Tor the occasion We're
gathered from many sections, but
mostly, of course, from Fort Mill and
the lower edge of Mecklenburg
county, n. c.
The dedicatOry services were some
what different from the usual church
dedication services. for the reason
than more than two years ago the
church was completed and after ap-
propriate opening exercises, the edi-
flee has been i'm constant use, and sew
eral of the features of that occasion
included exercises such as are custom
arily included in dedication exercises.
But Notwithstanding what had taken
place on the previous occasion, the
services of Sunday were full of in
tereSt to the large congregation who
packed the building to the doors.
The days exercises were begun
with 4 session of the Sunday school
at 1890 o'clock. Promptly at 11.3O the
services were begun as outlined by the
printed programme. A choir of about
fifty male and female voices sang
"Hallelujah," and if there are any
doubters as to the quality or volume
of the music rendered by the choir,
it will be well for such doubters to
visit Flint Hill and hear the singing.
It was great, and formed a most con-
spicuous part of the services OF the
day. This was followed by the Long
Metre Doxology and an invocation by
the pastor, Rev. S. p. Hair. The
choir sang the familiar hymn, How
Firm a Foundation" and this was
followed by Scripture reading by
Rev. Edw. 5. Reaves, a former pas
tor, now of Honea Path. Following
the singing of another hymn and
prayer by Rev. F. o. $. Curtis, form
er pastor, now Of Walterboro, Mr..
Hair announced that 1t had been
hoped that all of the former pastors
of the church who are now living,
would be present on this occasion, but
for several unavoidable reasons only
the following were present: Rev. f.
o. S. Curtis of Walterboro, S. c., Rev.
NJ w. Gordon Of Decatur, Ala, and
Rev. Edward 5. Reaves of Honea
Path, S. c., and expressed his pleas
ure and that of the congregation at
having these with them. He then in
troduced Mr. Reaves, who had been
selected to preach the dedicatory SER
mon. Mr.. Reaves took his text from
1 Timothy, Iii, 14-15, and after ex-
pressing his pleasure and apprecia-
ton of the opportunity OF being pres
ent on this occasion, proceeded to de-
liver a message to his congregation
that was listened to with the closest
attention from the beginning to the
close. This sermon will be found In
another column in full. At the con-
clusion of the able sermon by Mr..
Reaves there was more singing by the
choir, followed by an earnest and elo-
quent dedicatory prayer by the Rev.
M. w. Gordon, who was the father OF
the movement that terminated in the
construction and completion Of the
beautiful edifice that was formally
dedicated on Sunday to the service OF
God in the upbuilding Of the kingdom
of Christ The pastor then announced
the programme for the afternoon and
for dinner and the morning services
came to a close with a benediction.
In a few minutes after the close of
the church exercises the ladies begun
to spread the contents of baskets and
boxes at convenient points about the
church grounds, and the homefolks
resolved themselves into a committee
of the whole to invite all visitors
present to partake Of the good things
that had been prepared by the ladies,
and If any missed getting their dinner
lit was no fault of the Flint Hill peo-
pie. The dinner was there, lots OF 1t,
prepared in just the way that has
made the good cooks of the Flint Hill
church famous and the invitations
were urged with a persistence that
left no possible chance to doubt the
hospitality of the people Of upper
Fort Mill township. After all had
satisfied the demands Of the inner
man the folks assembled in groups
=. Ie. Ind leTi in
intercourse and the renewal Of ac-
quaintances of years gone by.
Promptly at 3 o'clock the exercises
of the afternoon were begun by the
choir. The feature of the afternoon
services was the ordination of three
deacons, who had recently been elect
ed to serve for a term of four years.
These were Messrs. Jas. F. and Rufus
Boyd, and Quitman Garrison, all OF
them young men, who stand high in
the esteem of the Flint Hill congrega-
ton, and all others who are acquainted
with them. Rev. Mr.. Reaves offered
the ordination prayer, following
which the ceremony of laying on of
hands by the ministers present, the
deacons of the church and visiting
deacons, forming the council After
a hymn by the choir the pastor in
troduced Rev. Mr.. Curtis, who closed
his pastorate at Flint Hill seventeen
years ago. The speaker expressed his
pleasure at visiting Flint Hill again,
and said that while he had been re-
viewing his work at Flint Hill during
his pastorate and would like to speak
of some of it's pleasant memories,
he would not do so, because he felt
that he would not be able to control
his feelings. Taking his text from l
Tim, Iii, 13, he delivered a most in
teresting sermon, especially directed
to the newly ordained deacons, In
which he gave them much good ad-
vice on how to conduct themselves
during their terms of office, how they
could and should help the pastor OF
the church in his work and in general
how they could help to advance the
cause of Christ.
Following the discourse of Mr.. Cur
It's and a hymn by the choir, Rev.
NJ. w. Gordon was introduced to
make a few remarks on the duties of
church members to the pastor, the
deacuns and themselves. He began
by saying that very few deacons were
worth their salt, present company, or
course, excepted. and laid especial
stress on the duties of church mem
bers towards pastors and deacons. He
explained that the deacOns were not
paid for their services, that the peo-
pie ought to take this fact into con-
sideration and aid the deacons as
much as possible in their work. That
their time. when doing church work,
was Just as valuable to them as was
the time of the different members,
and that when the deacons were So
Letting subscriptions or collecting
moneys for church purposes they
should be given just as much consid-
Grafton and courtesy as would be ex-
tended to the business man who was
attending to his private business af-
fairs Mr.. Gordon was listened to
carefully and his talk evidently i'm
pressed his hearers.
AT the close of Mr.. Gordon's re-
marks, the pastor announced that be-
ginning Tuesday morning at 11.3O and
continuing the rest of the week, morn
ing and afternoon services would be
held in the Flint Hill church, and
that during these special services he
would be assisted by Rev. Mr.. Cor
don. Mr.. Reaves then pronounced
the berediction and the days SER
vices were closed.