The Robesonian., 1917-09-27
MEMORIES OF OLD BETHEL
(By SNYDER)
Written for Tho Robesonian.


Written for Tho Robesonian.
l continue the personages of old
Bethel church.
The Beaver Dam creek divided the
old congregation into two parts. On
the south bounded by Lumber river,
the north by Rockfish and the sand
hills. The McLauchlins and the Nc
| Diarmids We're the two predominant
families on the Rickfish side. Mr..
VIM. MCLAUGHLIN was a tall man
and dignified in his address and
| manners. He was very prominent
| member Of the session and exerted
a good influence upon the congrega-
tion. His brother John was of al
smaller statue, but more cordial and
may say more .approachable, in
his manners. He, too, was a thor
ough Christian gentleman and was
also a member Of the church session.
Mr.. VIM. McDiarmid, father of
the two first editors of The Robeson-
ian, was a short stump man, quick
in his movements, and a very ear
nest and efficient worker in his
Christian work. He, too, was mem
ber of the session.
| Now l have got to go in my de-
lineation of the different character
istics of different members away up
to the confines of Galatia and Sandy
Grove churches, and l don't know if
at this late date l can remember all
of them. But this I do know, they
were all hardy, substantial Scotch
men. They might on special occas-
ions take a "wee drapee", but that
didn't affect their morals nor their
church membership, for at that day
We all took "a leettle occasionally"
and suffered no harm thereby. We
all had cider a-plenty and boasted
of its goodness.
Old Roderick Gillis and the colonel
were boys together, in their younger
days and always met at the Semi
annual sacraments. At one of those
meetings l met Mr.. Gillis and he
asked me if my father was there,
and ON my telling him that he felt
too old to go out, he replied, "Well,
| came here just to meet him and so
I'll go back home again."
i Daniel McKaskill, father of John
and Rod McKaskill of Maxton, was
another of Bethe1s old members.
There were no "slackers" in those
days. and when Major MCLAUGHLIN
called the roll they all lined up for
the war Of 1861. The major in one
, OF the battles was shot through both
Jaws. He was a noted singing school
: teacher and had a class in his regi-
ment which greatly annoyed the sur
geon Of the regiment, so when he
came round to inspect the wounded
J ard found the major in this condi-
ton, he exclaimed, "Ill be - if
We will hear any more do ra mes
soon!' But the major lived to teach
i, a good many singing after that.
: The Ray family was very prom
inent in the church, but l am not fa-
= miiiar enough with their families to
give any detailed account of them.
A very prominent deacon was DON
aid Currie, who kept things straight
in his department. He was a very
earnest and determined man about
the financial details of the church,
which are very often neglected. He
married a Miss McCallum from the
Philccelphus section and raised a
fine family. One of his sons pre-
pared for the ministry, but was cut
down by death in the beginning of
his usefulness.
This church failed to turn out
many young men for the church. 3.
Old John Mcintyre, Ed Purcell
grandfather, served this church for
many years. He was married twice
before ne took up the ministry. He
is buried at Antioch church and
was 1O3 years old. His great-grand-
SON, Rev. j. E. Purcell, is a grand
son Of this church. He is now preach
ing somewhere in Virginia.
If | had more data [probably
to the reeder's sorrow-could 90 fur.
ther in these rambling remarks, but
as | am about the bottom Of the
page, probably had better stop
which l will do.
Red Springs, N. C.
: | q