The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-05-11
Methodists Of AbbeviIIe
By Mr.. Hugh Wilson.

10y N"A' AteSA
"History fades into fable; fact
becomes clouded with doubt, and
men decay; the inscription moul-
ders from the tablet; the statue
falls from the pedestal. Columns,
arches, pyramids, what are they
but heaps of sand; and their cpl
taphs, but characters written in
distributing.
This being true, | shall speak
of the ~living-and only of the liv-
ing. 1t is a fact that those pio-
neers in Christian thought, those
followers in the footsteps of the
immortal Wesley, those good men
who engaged in the work of refn-
ing, of purifying, and of Christian
izing this people nave accomplish
ed much. How it was done, and
by whom it was done, need not be
recited here. The result of their
zeal and their activity in the Mas
tiers cause is with US. For pres
ent purposes that is enough to
say. The actors in that impor-
:tant. drama have long since depart
ed; their bodies have mouldered
into dust and our knowledge of
their former existence comes down
to us in legend and in story.
Their trials, their defeats, and
their final glorious .triumphs need
not be recounted. The rich heri-
tage in spirituality which they left
to us still rules and governs the
religious sentiment of Abbeville.
The purity and the holiness OF
those who preceded us are evil
denced in the goodness and in the
greatness of the hearts that now so
Loyalty maintain and support the
religion and the purity of the Me-
thodist Church at Abbeville.
The existence of this beautiful
house of worship, which is an
ornament to the city, is evidence
of the determination and the gen.
erosity of the men and women
who built this temple and dedi-
Gated it to the worship of the
Maker and Ruler of the universe.
That Holy One has promised
those of US who worship Him in
humility and in sincerity that
though our "sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson,
they shall be as wool"
From their earliest entry into
the limits of the city of Abbeville,
the Methodists have been factors
in every good word and every
good work. In the service Of
their country they have eve been
patriotic in wal and in peace. In
devotion to the church they have
been answering in the discharge
of duty. They have ministered
to the sick, and to the poor and
distressed; they have been kind
and thoughtful. No until the
seal of the great book has beer
broken will it be known how many
hayward souls, with all their sin:
piled up about them, have beer
restored by their kindness and by
their Aiayers to the paths of peace
and the ways of righteousness.
The Methodists at Abbeville
have ever been active workers fol
the spiritual and material welfare
of the church and the people o.
the city. Their influence is fell
everywhere, and all look to then
as a tower of strength when great
effort is necessary. When the
accomplishment of any good pur
pose is sought, the aid of the
Methodists is confidently expected
even if others should lead. Anc
it is not recorded where or whel
the people of Abbeville have eve:
withheld a helping hand when TIT
Methodists took the lead.
The Mcthodists have not onl.
worked for the dissemination O