Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1916-06-28
REMINISCENT VEIN.
Summary of Address Delivered
by Rev. r. C. Shannon
- house at Monthly Union
Service June IS.

to become the rector OF lne EpiSCo'
pal church. 1t was cold, rainy,
dark night. We took hack to
ride to our temporary home on the
outskirts OF the village. That ride
always will be associated in men,
ory with certain odor. Odors are
very strong agents for recalling
memories; and the odor that night
was very strong. 1t was the smell
of whiskey on the breath of our
driver.
AS there were no street lights
then, and the streets were deep with
winter mud and holes, our first I'M
pressions of Edgefeld were rather
dishear.ening. When / came down
town next morning it seemed that
the whiskey influence was even
worse than we feared, for 1t was
Saturday, and there was a great
crowd of country people in town,
and it seemed that every other man
was drinking, and majority OF
them were loaded down with bot
ties and jugs of the stuff. There
was also a great deal of rough talk
and swearing and number of fights
during that day, and on until after
Christmas.
But there were redeeming fea-
lures. After meeting the men OF
the county and town learned that
the conditions were abnormal tenn
polarilv. Whiskey was very much
in evidence for the time being SIM
ply because the good people of
Edgefeld had just voted out the
dispensary. 1t would in few days
be closed up forever. Those who
patronized it, particularly the ne
groes were simply laying in a sup
ply for dry time. In a short
time conditions would be greatly
improved.
So l was told And SO | have
lived to see the improved daconditions.F
Likewise l found Immediately that
Edgefeld people as a class were the
warmest hearted, most cordially re-
sponsive and most hospitable peo-
pie in the world. She had and has
yet many fine men, and finer wo-
men.
During these ten years I have OBJ
served many changes for good.
As a citizen of Edgetield and as a
minister l can speak of such things
very plainly and without any per-
sonal thought whatever. In the
line of improvement, therefore, the
most marked improvement has been
exhibited in the matter of temper
ance. We never see any more the
agonizing pictures of drunkenness
on the streets. The disorder of
profane language, fighting, even
bloodshed that used to be manifested
are things OF the past. In place of
it we have a most wholesome public
sentiment for order, for temperance,
for education, for civic improve
ment as we'll as for religion.
And when I observe these things
l feel like taking off my hat to the
noble women of the w. =. T. U. Of
Edgefeld for having done more
than any other human agency for
bringing things to pass. With in
finite patience, hope and love rather
than the usual methods of worldly
force they have done their work as
the church does hers, as Christ did
His, by persuasion, by instruction,
by example and by prayer. Ten
years ago they had seven or eight
brave and public spirited members.
To-day l understand that they have
over eighty. How much they have
had to do with engendering a pub
lie spirit TOR righteousness Wltn oil
that it involves in community life
no one can estimate.
In education it has been mani
tested in more and better school
buildings, and more teachers and
better teachers and methods.
In civic improvement it shows in
better and cleaner streets, in having
the town we'll lighted by an up-to-
date electric system, in well kept
and beautiful cemetery, III public
library, in a great spirit of co-opera-
tion in all public endeavors, such as
the celebrations of religious gather
ings, the Confederate veterans, the
chautauquas and public charities of
all kinds.
And it is shown chiefly by our
having regularly, once month, a
4