Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-19

man can number, that have washed
their robes and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb, there will be
no incOnsiderable number who have
come up from Sharon. We will find our
neighbors there, and the yOke-fellOW
of the long ago, who dropped out by
the way: fathers and mothers, sisters
and brothers. kinsfolk and friends,
we'll join on the other shore. A vision
rises; it's back in the days of child
hood: | am Standing under the great
oak beside the corner of the church
here; it's the great day of the feast;
the buggies and the carriages are roll
ing into the church grounds from three
sides; the woods are filling up the last
to come in will have TO be the first TO
go out; l seem 10 catch a faint glimpse
Of familiar faces and familiar mules
and horses and there comes old
Charlie, with his usual calm dignity,
behind him the venerable doctor;
thought comes over me, what II IL were
| and | should forget? and then | feel
my knees tremble-and ! think. What
if DR.. Stevenson should forget his SER
mon today (for it was he who was to
preach.) The day passes and nothing
Of the kind happens. but as the vision
fades into the light of common day, ]
day when they shall come from the
east and from the west, and from the
north and from the south, and st
down in the kingdom of God.
From 1896 to 1921.
Rev. r. r. Caldwell of Bessemer
City, y. c., who was baptized by the
late Rev. DR.. r. A. Ross, and one OF
the several pastors who have gone out
from Sharon church related the history
Of the church from 1896 to 1921. Rev
Caldwell said in part:
We hold the years in our hearts
"And al that was, is yet!
Oh! Memories of hopes and fears
oh! memories of smiles and tears
Abide, lest we forget;
Abide in life, in death,
Till through Gods mists we see
Those angel faces we have loved
And kept in memory"
Birth days are interesting and i'm
pCrtsnt days in the history Of men and
affairs. This Is true with us here to-
day. 1t would not be strange If we
even we the heirs Of all the ages
should on an occasion like This feel the
vain wish that:
Time might turn backward in his
flight
And make US young again just for
tonight
That we might be placed! for little
while amid the scenes of the past.
This cannot be except in Imagination
and fancy for we can not even go back
hnn
of q century and | wish | might fur-
nish you telescope that you might
see all those who have appeared upon
the scenes of the past. After having
been supplied principally by Revs. w.
S. Castles, w. A. NJ. PleXico, j. f.
Johnston for nearly two years ana
eight months the congregation called
the Rev. J. S. Grier from the EbeneZer
Church. Ga, in the Second Presby-
terry, to become pastor OF Sharon tor
three -fourths of his time and Hebron
for one fourth of his time, Sharon
promising salary of $3.50 and par
sonage. Mr. Grier accepted ana OH
July 23rd, 1896, was installed. pastor.
The installation services were IN
charge Of Revs. Oliver Johnston, Z. r..
Todd and J. p. Knox
When Mr.. Grier took charge there
were $50 names on the roll showing
decrease of 3S from the end Of DIR. K.
A. RoSsS paStOrate covering Il period
of two years and eight, months. Not
only had the mcmbership decreased
sbut it had become very difficult for
the congregation tOgcOllect its assess
ments but the people were intelligent
and interested in the work and quickly
RESPONDED to the efforts OF the new
nastur and at the end of pastorate
of three years and eight months ST.
$4,000 had been contributed by the
congregation and the membership had
an actual increase of "a, making
membership Of 174.
Up to August lst, 1897, -FOUR new
elders, Messrs. j. G. Maloney, X. II. q.
Caldwell, J. II. Sherer, and >. "A.
Mitchell and one deacon, Mr.. j. A.
Maloney had been installed. Mr.. Ma
loney was Ito take the place of his
godly father, Mr. j. q. Maloncy VINO
lived only sixteen months after this
time and died November 30. 1898. on
March 18th. 1900, Mr.. r. f. Gettys, the
oldest elder died having served eff
cicntiy and faithfully for - years:
Then in 1900 the remaining e'ders ana
deacons were Elders, A. F. Love,
Samuel Blair S. VI. Scott, J.. p. Blair,
K. A. G1lfllain, William Ross, w. ;.
Love. r. II. G. Caldwell, S. A. Mitchell,
]. H. Shcrer. Deacons: r. r. Love, II.
II. Sherer, j. L. Rainey, J. c. Blair X.
NJ. Sherer, j. l.. Gettys, j. A. Maloncy.
OF these elders, Mr.. A. F. Love died
January 81, 1901; s. NJ. Scott, Septem-
ber 10. 1901: r. A. Gilfillain, December
1S. 1905; Samuel Blair, October 2S
1907. 80.
During the summer of 1903, Rev. j.
s. Grier was released from Hebron ana
i'm September of the same year was m
stalled half time pastor OF TlrZah
which relationship continued for hve
and one half years when on April H.
1909, God was pleased to break TINS
Arrangement and Rev. Mr.. Grler was
taken by death. The congregation was
vacant a short time only, for in July
1909. God directed them to man
eminently qualified to fill the place
This man the Rev. +. b. Hunter, the
present pastor and his first sermon at
Sharon as pastor was preached on the
first Sabbath of Nuv. 1909. the ar
rangements from the beginning oi TINS
most fruitful paStorate was SharoI
and TlrZah were each to have one
half time and Sharon was to pay S4oo.
Brother Hunter continued to serve
both congregations till December 81
1919. when he was released from 1lf-
Zah and since than time has been CIV
ing Sharon full time at salary Oh
81 200 1t is needless to say that the