The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-05-26
"reminiscences of 1876.


Said to US not many days ago a
man of good memory: when l
was a boy I attended a meeting in
Barnwell. A distressing drought
prevailed. I heard one of the oldest
and most active members of the
church ask the preacher in charge to
pray for rain" At the next service
a fervent petition was made for rain
and before the exercises were COM
pleted the clouds came up with thun-
der and lightning and rain fell
abundant for all needs. That incl
dent brought afresh to our recollec-
ton the first sermon we heard in
Columbia while the issues between
the Wallace and Mackey Houses were
still in the balances.
We were late in reaching the
Presbyterian Church and were given
front seat in the gallery, facing the
pulpit. With us were Barnwell
Colonel and visitor from Greenville,
who carried ia his hand much used
small bible which had in it quite a
number of Confederate bills which
were used as book marks.
The music of organ and choir was
no doubt excellent, but it did not ap-
peal to us like the congregational
singing to which we had been accus-
toned. But when DR.. Girardeau be-
gan his discourse we recognized that
q master mind was speaking by a
golden tongue the settled deliberate
convictions of a scholar and conse-
Grated Christian. His subject was
the storm on the sea when the panic
stricken disciples walked their Sleep
ing Christ Master with the prayer,
Lord save US or we perish. DR..
Girardeau compared the ship in
which Christ was sleeping to the
church, and the other storm tossed
vessels laboring near represented the
State-the world. In answering the
prayer of his disciples by stilling the
storm Christ saved the Church ship,
and in doing that the state world
ship were also preserved. He said
that God had never deserted His
church, that he would never abandon
it, and that in preserving it. from
destruction the State would of neces-
sity be preserved. The conclusion
that was so powerfully presented was
that the Supreme power would hold
the church and the State under the
protection of His hand and that all
would be we'll in the end. After
hearing that sermon we lost our un-
easiness about the outcome of that
crisis.
We have been asked to give more
details Of the proceedings of the Wal
lace and Mackey Houses while in
deadlock. Over thirty years have
passed since that crowded time and
the grind of life has worn many in
cidents out of memory, but we'll
turn back and Gull some recollections
from the past that is fading and be-
ing forgotten.
1t was a Spring like morning when
the Wallace House made it's coup de
otot entrance info the capital Its
members had gone, without over
coats to Carolina Hall, expecting
nothing out of the usual routine, the
chief feature of which was the daily
required ballot for United States
Senator. Quickly after the morning
prayer the decision to occupy the
Hall was made and the representa-
tives were requested to saunter de-
liberately, singly and in pairs, to-
ward the State House, so that no one
might guess their movements and
purpose.
AS a truthful chronicler we must
record the fact that as they made
their deliberate ways some stepped
from the pavement into screened
doors and there crooked their Ell
bows, not knowing how long a time
it would be before they would have
further opportunity to indulge. Yet
it is a remarkable fact that during