The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1912-10-16

GIG iduuCu Ill VA6AAiAo PSiSS eAS
made their way South by OX-teams
We have no conception Of the suffer,
ings your forefathers went through
ere they were able to form a settle
ment in the then trackless woods. l,
took brave hearts indeed to stand the
loneliness of the forest, not saying
anything about danger always lurk-
ing about in the form OF savage In
dams. Not very far from the place
where we are assembled today, a
company Of your people were massa-
cred in cold blood by those red tiends,
One of the first things your ances-
tors did after founding their homes,
was to build a church and school.
They never forgot their duty to God
who had brought them safely across
the sea-, and had given them a goodly
inheritance in this fair land. Educa-
ton to them vas the handmaiden OF
religion, SO for the children's sake, the
school must be established. The
church was built Of logs, If not on
the present site, on some spot very
near it. This is holy ground that
must always be held in reverence.
! They were simple folk with a simple
faith, those fathers and mothers OF
yours, and their house OF worship was
very plain, but they carried in their
hearts a faith that had been the con-
ISOLATION OF their race Tor a thousand
years. Along with their religion they
also brought from Ireland their love
of liberty, and | am sure that it was
around Presbyterian churches that
the first plans concerning the Revolt
ton were matured. Most OF them
were Wings who made a gallant
struggle for American independence.
They also made an early impression
on the political fortunes of the State
which remain to this day. The Bon
ME Blue Flag" that We all love is on
ly the banner Of the Presbyterian
church with a palm tree engraved
onto it, while the legislature is hon
ored by having borrowed the name OF
our highest church court, and calling
| itself the General Assembly.
We do not know when your fathers
built their first church here. 1t may
have been some time about 1850. as
they were for a long time a mission
church, depending entirely for the
illustrations of the Word on travel
ing preachers, who came n Went
| through the country on horseback,
visiting the widely scattered congre-
cations once or twice a year. We
know that Saluda church (as the
name was them had in 1913 grown
very anxious for the services OF d
minister. The sacraments had not
been celebrated for a long period, and
llany of the young children were
growing up without baptism, which
was d matter Of great concern to their
parents. Meeting together ! n the
Spring Of 1878 the people resolved To
send a representative to the meeting
of the Synod OF New York and Phila-
delphia t o present to that venerable
court their great spiritual restitution
and asking that a minister be sent
hem. In this request they were join
ed by the Upper Long Cane church,
whose history is intertwlned with
yours and whose long honorable des-
cen is even more romantic n thrill
ling than your own. The request OF
the congregation met with a ready
response from the Synod, the Rev.
John Harris of Maryland. being ap-
pointed missionary in charge or the
combined field. Mr.. Harris was not
only a preacher but a doctor as well
and was a big, powerful hearty man,
who went about his parish minister
ing to the bodies as we'll as the souls
of his hearers. He was greatly below
ed by the people and continued pas
$3.50 - Iln rn6n nVnr MS
field with a rife strapped to his
shoulders, for the times he lived III
we're dangerous on account OF the In
idians and also from the fact that he
was an ardent Wing much dlsliked by
the Tories for his bold and outspoken
opinions. Mr.. Harris continued pastor
for ten ears, after which he retired,
advising the congregation to organize
into a regular charge in 1888. This
was done Sy the P~resbytery OF South
Carolina in that same year, Rev.
Robert Hall being installed as pas
tor Of Old Greenyille church.
Through all its long history until
the present the church has been
faithful to the faith OF the fathers,
and to the great head OF the church,
our Lord Jesus Christ. From her, the
mother, have gone out three daughter
congregations that are doing good
work over a large neighborhood. The
venerable organization itself shows
no sign of decay or that her work 10
done. She has more Christian vitality
and is doing better work than at any
time during her long witnessing for
the Master. Her ancient walls are
full OF young life which gives prom
Use of a bright and useful future.
Like the eagle she is renewing her
youth. She has been ever true 10
the emblem Of the Presbyterian
church, Burning but never Consum-
ed"
We have erected this beautiful
monument of regal blue marble to
the memory OF your reverend fathers
and mothers who worked so hard in
their day to give us our pleasant
homes and the blessings of our civil
Taxation. We are also deeply grateful
to them for the church that has come
down to us an ever abiding testimony
to the faith they held SO dear. Their
bodies lie sleeping out yonder in that
quiet cemetery and "after LIES fitful
fever they sleep WE'LL In some way,
however. unknown to US We hope their
spirits are rejoicing today with ours;
that we have not forgotten what we
owe to them, your noble ancestors. As
the years cone and 80 with all tho
mysterious changes ip life, while we
tBless God for being eitizeas OF The
South, and loyal Americans, let US
never forget that you are and will re-
main In all that Is best, Scotch-1rish.