The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-07-26

The Centennial Celebration OF the
founding of Gilgal Church was held
Saturday, July oath, according to
appointment, at the church. The
clouds had "rolled away" and
while the day was warm, it was new.
ertheless comfortable. By II o'clock
when the exercises Of the day were
to begin a crowd variously estimated
at from 1900 to 1000 had gathered
on the church grounds. About one
fourth of them were able TO gain ad-
mittance to the church, which has q
seating capacity Of only ABOUT 100.
The exercises of the day were in
charge of DR.. John W. Kilgo, the
presiding elder of the Cokesbury Cir
cult. He opened the meeting by call
ing on Rev. Mr.. Patton of Easley, to
offer prayer. The welcome address
was delivered in short and very
appropriate speech by Rev. ]. w.
Shell, the pastor in charge. After a
solo by Miss Pratt, of Due West, the
historical sketch of the church was
read by VIM. P. Greene. The sketch
will appear in our Wednesdays is
sue. It could not be set up in time
for today.
The address of the day was deliver
ed bynRev. J.. B. Traywicx, Of Ches-
te:.,, the eldest living reacher who has
served the church. We say the oldest,
perhaps we should say the man who
has been here the longest, because
he tells us that we should never ask
man how old he is, but should ask
his age. Years do not always make a
man old, and Rev. Mr.. Traywick is
not an old man yet,
The speaker read a passage of
scripture founding his discourse on
what he read. He told us that Gill
gal, the name selected for the church
meant "rolled away" anG that the
name was suggestive, as the church
was designed to roll away the evil
influences of sin in the community.
He spoke for the most part of the
work of the Methodist church in the
years which have gone. The church
he told us was establisnec IN order
to carry the message of the Master
to the poorer people of the country,
and of the world. The style of
preaching was different from what
was then in vogue, and the preachers
Mele OF a new order. The preaching
in those days was done for the most
part in brush arbors, just as it was
done at Gilgal in the beginning. The
evangelical preaching of the early
pastors he told his hearers had been
adopted by the other churches. He
thought that the going out of one
church into another by men and wo.
! men here and there had had a good
! influence. 1t had helped 20 carry the
leaven of good from the one to the
other, so much so he said that the
Presbyterians now preach according
to the old Methodist style, while the
Methodlsts are sometimes ikened to
the Presbyterians. He had a good
word to say for all the churches, but
he claimed that the work Of evangel.
izing the world was commenced by
the Methodists under John Wesley
and that the work along that line
new being done by all the churches
was and is a Methodist idea.
Rev. Mr.. Traywick spoke for So
minutes, holding his hearers well
Notwithstanding the hot day. and evil
! dence of hash in the neighborhood
which found it's way to the church by
timely wind now and then.
At the conclusion of his talk, Mis-
ses Ruth and Victoria Howfe, OF Alb
beville sang a duet which was very
much enjoyed.
The singing of the occasion wa:
one of the features of the morning
A select choir in charge of Mr.. W. F
Radcliff, and lead by Mr.. H. L. ELI:
furnished the music. One of the song: