Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-19
SHARON SECEDERS.
CONTINUED From Page One.)

nOcence used to see him stand in the
pulpit and think that was the way God
looked.
1t does not fall within my lot to
speak of the other two pastors. Let
ii suffice to say that each has endear-
ed himself to the people, and God has
blessed their labors no less than those
OF former pastors. Sharon's expert
ence bears out the theory of Presbyte-
rians, that the call of the people Is
the call of God. 1t does seem that
each time God has sent them his own
man, fitted for the work each in his
own generation. Grier and Hunter
are names dear to me, and to all the
flock over which the Holy Ghost made
them overseers.
Official Boards of Sharon.
n. The Session. Ii is not certainly
known who constituted the first bench
of elders. Uncle. Ross hands down a
tradition that among them were Peter
Galloway and Alexander Galloway the
last named being the father of two
ministers, Robert and Jonathan Gallo
way, and therefore grandfather of the
present Dir. j. G.. Galloway and +. s.
Galloway Of The Presbyterian. Alex
ander Galloway was also the father of
Hugh A. Galloway, remembered by
many of you as an elder. The first
known elders are Robert Mcknight.
John and Andrew Wright, and VIM
Love. The next session OF which we
read is that of 1S2G-1S32, during the
pastorate of DR.. McElwee. The names:
Joseph Bigham. Andrew Roddey, Sam
ucl Wylie and William Gibson. When
the troubles arose over slavery and
Free Masonry Dr. McElwee resigned
and moved to Pennsylvania. and all
the others likewise left. Mr.. Bighan
to Steel Creek, y. c., the others TO the
Northwest. This, as we have noted,
left Sharon in a rather disorSanized
state for n time. Dr. Ross says these
were reported to him as having been
good men. men OF faith and prayer
and of good repute among all tie peo-
ple." At the reorganization the fol-
lowing were elected elders: John Gal
loway. j. n. McElwec, Sr., John Ken
nedy and Hugh A. Galloway, and these
signed the call TO DIR. Ross. In 1874
Robert Gilfllan and Thomas White
sides were added TO the session. In
1855, the session then consisting Of
only four men, n new election was
held and the following elected: Law
son Jenkins, A. +. Love, X. h. GettyS.
Samuel Blair. Soon after this j. Z.
Mitchell was received as an elder from
Olivet. About 1861 DR.. Henry {. Cas-
ties was received as an elder from
Smyrna In 1874 Robert Gilfllan. W.
Fl. Mitchell. w. NJ. Kennedy and i. K.
Patrick were added TO the session. In
1875 we find the name Of r. X. Nc
Knight had been added from 0livet.
In 1884 "R. Y. Higgins. w. ". Ross, ;.
NJ. Scott ,and j. p. Blair. 1888 a. =.
Wallace; 1880 J. RI. Is. jenkins.
b. Board of Deacons. The first dea-
cons ordained in Sharon: K. A..
Latham, r. A. Patrick and r. r. Love,
1874. Before this there had been set
of officers called deacons TO do the
work now done by deacOns, yet they
were not regularly ordained and in
stalled. In 1875 r. A. Patrick moved
to White Oak, and ]. p. Blair was
elected to fill his place. 1884 J. c.
Blair, ]. G. Maloney, A. f. Love, J. 7.
Latham. 1891, J. Il. Patrick, II. II.
Sherer r. S. PlexicO, Millcn McGill.
and J. L. Rainey. 1895, r. NJ. Sherer
and J. T.. Gcttys.
Thus the official list d, grows Ia AZ
during the first 100 years. A mere
glance back now in retrospect over this
company will reveal much catechisms,
and worn Bibles and family prayers,
and theology, and withal a keen sense
of humOr and mild merrment-not
men of great learning, but men OF
genuine piety, strong characters, who
had convictions and went far to live
up To them. Sharon has been blessed
in her official boards.
The Congregation.
a. It's great age. We are looking
a long way back to-day, 1896. Geo.
Washington first president of the /.
s, delivered his Farewell Address the
same summer Sharon was organized.
No railways, no splendid highways, no
painted homes, life was primitive, few
schools and few could read or write
the preacher was the parSon then sure
enOugh-the country was in woods, the
cattle and wild deer and perhaps the
red men roamcd the forest. This would
not be a long period in European his
tory, but it is long when measured by
the life of our country. Sharon has
been living vigorously through all
these years. And what rejoices our
hearts is that she shows no signs yet
Of old age; she is stronger to-day than
ever in her history.
b. Loyalty to convictions. There was
al
Sharon was organized. The distance
was too great from Bullock's Creek to
Beersheba, and for that day the coun-
try seems 10 have been fairly well
settled, so that there was material to
build from. But the immediate occas-
ion of the organization was not that.
II was a matter of conscience. They
believed in an inspired Psalmody.
Watts Hymns had just been introduc-
ed into Beersheba and BullOck'S Greek,
and the old fathers felt that they
could not conscientious worship
longer with those congregations. SO
wing from each Of those churches met
here on half way grounds and or
ganiZed Sharon. To this principle she
has adhered for this century and
quarter. Now some here will agree
and some will differ with those old
Psalmsingors, but no matter which side
Won may be on. we will all agree that
they have shown Il consistency. ana
courage and grit. worthy 10 he com
mended. Some of the iron Of those ola
Psalms found its way into their souls,
and they have been heroes Of the faith.
And not merely in PSalmody, they
have held with tenacious firmneSS to
all the great body of Presbyterian doc
trine which they inherited from the
fathers of Scotland.
G. Numbers and influence. Early
names, probably cimrtcr members
most Of them. are Wright. Mcknight.
Millcn. Kennedy, Williams, Lindhays,
Bigham Rainey. Russell from whom
sprang the late Rev. r. Y. Russell Of
l,..