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HOPEWELL.I have before me the original plan of the house, with a list of the subscribers and the amount contributed by each. The minister’s salary, which was raised by assessment on the seats amounted to £53.10, equivalent to about two huudred and thirty dollars, for half his time. On looking over the list of seventy names I wus surprised to find but one family connected with the church, or residing in the settlement, which bears the patronymic of a first subscriber. To show the shifting character of the population, I may mentiou that the family of Calhoun, once so numerous, has not at this time a representative of the name in the “Calhoun settlement.” Mr. Meckliu died in 17S8 and wus succeeded by Dr. Francis Gumming. The Huguenots at New Bordcax having lost their pastor, the Kev. Isam Louis Gibert, by death, connected themselves with Hopewell church. Two seats were set apart for their use, which are marked on the plan “French seats.” These good people possessed a very imperject knowledge of the-English language, and as Dr. Cummins retained a large portion of the brogue of his Irish ancestors, their means of communication were limited, and their attendance upon his ministry more nominal than real. The worship of God is not limited by forms or restricted to words, and these poor persecuted Christiana, driven into exile, had found a sanctuary where they could worship “in spirit and in truth.” I have heard Dr. Gumming spoken of by one who knew him personally as a Ktern, strong, self-willed man, but from some titles in my possession, I am inclined to think that whatever might have been his manner under a rough exterior, he bore a kind and gentle heart, easily touched by the misfortune of others, but lie was certainly not the one to compromise the truth. The nearest approach to a compromise I ever hearu of his making, was on the subject of “new psalmody.” His predecessor had effected a partial change in that matter, but when Dr. Cummins became the pastor of Hopewell, he found Rouse and Watts lying side by side on the pulpit desk, the only diilerance in appearance being, that Rouse was adorned vith a striped homespun cover to preserve the binding. It was the custom at that time for the minister to read the psalm, then repeat the first line and hand the book down to the clerk who would raise the tune and“line” out the remainder for the congregation to sing. Dr. Cummins soon observed that when he used Watt's there were sorae who did not join in singing. This he construed into a want of confidence in their pastor—if it was sin to sing hymns, he was wrong in leading them into .it; if it was not sin, it was prejudice, and they were wrong in keepiag silence. To preach about it ho felt would- do 110 good. He removed the striped cover-11 lie expobfu uui in **would kill herself. Cnpt. Smith replied that she did not have the courage to take her own life. He theu left her, went to the proprietor of the hotel and told him that after that day he would net be responsible for his wife's board. He engaged rcoms on the other si do of the building and had his trunks and other effects moved into them. Later in the day Mrs. Smith was found in her own room, the door of which was locked, in the death agony, with a frightful wound through her body. She died in a few minutes. The coroner held an inquest over the corpse a Hhort time afterwards. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that it was doubtful whether the deceased had committed suicide or not. We understaud that there was no mark of powder around the wound. The grand jury of Beaufort County are investigating the matter.Harley Cr6p.A correspondent of tho Anderson Journal tbus writes:One gentleman who resides in Pickens county informs us that from about one acre he thrashed out 45 bushels of barley which brought him an average of two dollars per bushel in market. This same gentleman, a successful farmer, has been feeding his plough stock for several weeks this spnug with cut barley in a half green state, and lie uses hut little corn. By high manuring, an acre of land can be made to yield from 40 to 50 bushels of barley. And this gentleman also informs us that the same ground can be made to yield ft crop of turnips the same year, and the turnip crop will pay the whole cost of manuring and preparing the ground, thus making the baricv crop a clear profit. His plan is to sow tiie barley tho last working of the turnips, and in the winter he takes up the roots, thus leaving the barley crop in full possession of the ground.Speaker Kerr has received a friendly letter from General Butler, saying! there is not a decent man, woman orchild in the United States who be-; lieves the charge against him. (Kerr,) land he begs Mr. Kerr not to allow it (in the least to worry him. He characterizes it as an infamous conspiracy.He closes by alluding to their long term of service in Congress together, their opposing views on political questions, ect.—JV. Y. Herald.The aggregate amount of judgments in cases obtained before the jury, at the late term of Court, foots up to $42,-(M4 10. Judgments were obtained by default in sixty-nine cases, the aggregate amount of which we coutd not ascertain, as that has not yet been put upon record. The total amount of iu-debtednesH^including the cases mentioned liable to judgment, will foot ill) $125,000, if not moxo.—jEdycJteia Advertiser»nu mem, uic jvij du as x ivuuh,mysteries unsolved only in one particular, and tho public for tbat are indebted to Dr. Isaac Branch for identifying them as the “Givven9 girls,” tiie daughters of a quiet old man and his woman who lived eight miles from town, had long lived there, and these girls with two others wero their increase, and from the necessity of tho situation had brought them up between the plow handles and to the use of the hoe. They ware safe aud sound 011 the “bread questlSn” with a good field and fair seasons. Soon after the advent at Benlah the town had a special visit of all four in pairs 011 the two nags or critters. They looked at 110 one, spoke to no one, but dislodging themselves made their way into the Messrs. Ward laws’ store, and after a short personal inspection approached that part of the counter presided over by Fred. Selleck, and taking out a uiem. inquired fora list of outlandish articles lie had never heard of. It took Fred, quite aback ah he came from Augusta, Ga., with the repute of a first class clerk and well versed in the mercantile vocabulary of Broad street, then considered equal to Broadway, as well as posted in the “dots” aud “agonies” belonging to the country. They made several visits with a new list each time, aud Fred, had always to succumb after selling them one paper of pins. The two last day visits tney made they were accompanied by something that looked somewhat of a mau, but also like themselves— had the same gravc-yard and hark from the tomb appearance, manners and speechlessness. A report got out that it was another girl raked up and dressed like a man to show they were in consideration with the opposite box, and perhaps to say in silent language: “if you don’t come soon you may be too late.” But Dr. Isaac Branch, the family physician, and who so likely to know and defend and explain a family, soon exploded that by evidence of his name aud identity as a man and of another family.The opening scene was in July and tho drama closed about November of the same year, by a grand entre in town one Saturday night between ten and eleven o’clock, by all four each arrayed in white from head to licels and toes, and armed with a tin trumpet four feet long. They hitched near I Judge VVardlaw’s and passed down the street all abieast, taking the sidewalks and line of houses 011 tho est side and went to the lower edge of town I must add an Incident thatoccurred on the way. A young mansomewhat addicted to shuffling and shoving the ‘'fifty-two’*” for a consideration had just left a scene of operations and was endeavoring to reach liis private quarters In avoidance of special eyes ho feared in quest of him, and lie was slipping along the shady side of John White’s store and when about four feet from the corner, the girls rounded it anil before he could think he was in a hollow square
Newspaper Details
Abbeville Press and Banner
Abbeville, South Carolina, US
Wed, Jun 14, 1876
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Marleta C.
NA, 26 Oct 2024
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