Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-09-17
DAY AT REHoBoTH.
Ordinance of Baptist Admins
Ordinance of Baptism Admin
istered in Forenoon and
the Afternoon.

the Afternoon.
A large number of people gather
ed at Rehoboth Church Sunday to
witness the ordinance of baptism in
the forenoon which was admins
tered to nearly score of young peo-
pie by the pastor, Rev. ]. w. Kester-
son, in the baptistry under the
trees near the spring and also to at
tend the memorial service in honor
Of Preston Strom in the afternoon.
Among those who were baptised
were Mr.. T. P. Morgan, Jr., and his
young wife. 1t was beautiful to see
these young people take this step to-
gether as they start out arm in arm
upon the journey of life. Just pre-
ceding the baptism Mr.. Kesterson
read appropriate selections from the
scripture, making brief comment
suited to the occasion. When the SER
vice at the spring was concluded it
was too near the dinner hour for
holding further service in the church
until the afternoon
On the long table under the large
oaks bountiful feast was spread
and everybody present was invited
to partake. Nowhere in this section
lis old-time hospitality more lavishly
dispensed than at Rehoboth. Those
good people are living up to the
reputation which that flock made in
the years gone by.
Early in the afternoon the people
assembled in the church for the
memorial service. Mr.. Kesterson
read a selection from the Bible and
then delivered a very earnest and
eloquent address, paying a beauti-
full tribute to Preston Strom, the
youngest son of Mr.. and Mrs. S. B.
Strom, the only gold star upon the
service flag displayed in Rehoboth
church. Mr.. Kesterson was followed
by a reading, ''In Flanders Fields"
by Miss Lucille Culbreath, she. being
followed by "America's Reply" by
Miss Annie May Culbreath.
Mr.. j. b. Hughey, who presided
at the memorial service next present
I'd Mr.. j. L. Minis, who likewise paid
4 tribute to this widely beloved hero
who gave his life for his country,
Preston Strorr. Two appropriate vo-
cal duets were beautifully rendered
by Misses Lucille and Annie May
Culbreath.
Preston Strom volunteered at
Greenwood in July, 1917, when
Capt. Henry C. Tillman, command
ing the Coast Artillery, called for
volunteers in order to recruit his
company to war strength. Instead of
waiting for his turn to come in the
draft, he went out of his own coun-
ty in response to what he conceived
to be his patriotic duty and entered
an already organized company in or.
der to get at once into active service.
Soon after Preston volunteered his
company was ordered to Charleston
where it remained in training for
about 12 months then it was ordered
overseas. He sailed sometime in
September and was taken i'll while
aboard ship. Soon after arriving at
Brest, France, October a last he was
transferred to the hospital in Brest
where he died of bronchial pneumo-
MIA October 8. His parents knew
nothing of his illness, consequently
the official announcement Of his
death by the war department was a
great shock to them. y.
Acting upon the request of Mr..
and Mrs. Strom, the war department
will, as soon as practicable, bring
Preston's body to the home land and
it will be inferred in the family
square in Rehoboth cemetery. Be-
lieving that the government would
have been able to bring his body
home by this time, Mr.. and Mrs.
Strom have already caused suitable
monument to be made, which will be
placed over his grave.