The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1922-03-23

There is no better name in Will
liamsburg than Samuel McGill. In
CT sch of the five great wars in which
South Carolina has been engaged, a
Samuel Davis McGill has answered
the first Roll Call. Seventeen hun
dred and seventy-six, Samuel Davis
McGill; 1912, Samuel Davis McGill;
1e45, Samuel Davis McGill; 1861,
Samuel Davis McGill; 1917, Samuel
Davis McGill. These Samuel McGills
have worn neither stars nor eagles,
hut every one of them the badge of
valiant service.
Samuel McGill, patriarch of the
tribe in 1880, is the father Of re-
ligious liberty in Williamsburg, coun-
ty. Williamsburg was settled about
1876, Scotch-Irish Presbyterians pre-
dominating. Until 1778, the Church
of England determined the religious
policy in South Carolina; ana, until
such time, Presbytcrians he'd 4 some
what severe existence in the colony.
They grew notwithstanding I'll their
handicaps.
When the Declaration OF Independ-
ence of the thirteen colonies lad been
signed in 1776 and the Constitution of
the United States had been adopted
in 17s9, then, for the first time in
history, Presbyterian congregations
had the power to proceed without let
OF hindrance. The Presbyterian
church in Williamsburg an::. then q
fairer field than it had known at
any other place or time in the world.
The Williamsburg congregation at
the Kings Tree was organized in
1736, and from this congregation a
number of others were afterwards
formed. The Indiantown congrega-
ton was one of these. The Indian
town Presbyterian church was built
in 175O, about sixteen miles from the
Kings Tree.
While the Williamsburg congrega-
ticn is the oldest in this section and
possibly has played a larger part in
Presbyterian church history, the In
diantown congregation probably liv-
cd nearer the limits Of Scotch Pres
byterian idealism than had therefore
been realized. Indiantown has always
been rich rural community. It was
settled by splendid Seetch-Irish peo-
pie who lived for a century with the
minimum of communication with the
outside world. It produced within It
self the best Of the day ard genera
ton; and, besides, the goads were
bad. Indiantown, however, did edu-
cate its teachers and preachers at
Princeton, where the spirit of one
of its very own, DR.. Jonn Wither-
spoon, determined things.
The law and the gospel in Indian
town for a hundred years came by
way of the Presbyterian church. The
Session OF Elders ir this church from
1920 to 1890 prescribed the temporal
and spiritual affairs of the community.
No Sanhedrin at Jerusalem nor Col
lege of Cardinals at Rome, in its
time and place, ever exercised more
complete control than did this Ses-
sion of Elders at Indiantown.
Samuel McGill was a member of
the Indiantown church in 1880. He
had a conscience Of his own. This
Session of Elders had another con-
science for him. This Session of
Elders was composed Of strong men,
every one of them, at least four OF
them ineal descendants Of Robert
Bruce and of John Knox. These are
they: Rev. J. M. Erwin, D. D. VIII
son, S. J. Wilson, George Barr and
George MeCutchen.
Samuel McGill met this Session Of
Elders on its own ground. The story
L. told in the Indiantown Sessional
Records that follow:
January 8, 1880. At IN appointed
meeting of the Session of the Indian
town church, it was, unanimously re-
solved to address the following to
the communing members of this So
ciety: That, whereas your Session
has reason to believe that some of
the members in full communion in
this church give encouragement to,
andfake part in, balls and dancing
fl lics; ard whereas, the encourage
ne It thus given to this amusement
i/a great grievance to some, and
perhaps to a majority, of this society,
and if we mistake not,.a stumbling