Rev.
A. D.
Betts
Tli
К
good mails and the radio have
not helped the country church or
the country preacher. The country
preacher is still a powerful factor in
the life of the State, hut in my youth
he reigned supremo in the hearts of
the people, as he had no competitor.
How my old heart glows ns I recall
the names of former great country
preachers of Carolina: .Tames A.
Campbell, founder of Campbell’s Col¬
lege, who preached to one church in
Sampson for more than forty years;
Haynes Lennon of Columbus, who
served one charge over fifty years and
who continued to sit and preach when
too old and feeble to stand;
К.
H.
Marsh of Granville, who became pres¬
ident of the Baptist State Convention
fall of these were Baptists); Peter
Doub, and presiding elder John Til-
lett, each of whom served fifteen
Methodist churches in Robeson; these
with my subject,
Л. Г).
Betts, serve ns
types of the circuit rider of Method¬
ism;
И.
0. Hill of Maxton, who served
the chlireh at Center for over forty
years (Presbyterian, horn at Raleigh,
Moderator of Presbyterian General
Assembly); Elder P. D. Gold, who
started ns a lawyer but turned preach¬
er and built the cause of the Primi¬
tive Baptist faith. All of those were
country preachers, hut all "f them
were big preachers.
Born in 1832
Mr. Betts was born in what i' now
Harnett in 1832. When seventeen he
tried to ride a steer, which promptly
threw him. laming him so ns to inca¬
pacitate him for farm life. Unentered
the I’niversity and was converted
while a student there, and attended
the Methodist Conference the follow¬
ing month. Ho never missed a Con¬
ference for the following fifty years.
I knew him as a hoy in Raleigh, and
lie Ix-canie known throughout all Car¬
olina and was called affectionately
"Father Betts." He graduated from
the
Г
ni versify in 1*55, joined the
Carolina Conference, and upon the
outbreak of the war, at the request of
it* officer», was appointed n« Chap¬
lain of the 30th North Carolina. Af¬
ter the war he wrote the article on
Chaplains for Chief Justice Chirk’s
Itcgimcntal
И
istoeies.
After the War Mr. Betts served
the Methodist circuits throughout
eastern Carolina and liecame siteh a
distinguished preacher that he long
served as a trustee of the University,
which conferred upon him a Doctor¬
ate of Divinity. He lived to a ripe
old age. and left numerous descend¬
ants.
An Interesting Diary
During his service ns Confederate
Chaplain. Mr. Betts wrote a Diary
which was published by his son. Rev.
W. A. Betts of Bamberg. S. 0.. a copy
of which was sent me by the Librarian
at the University.
Figures once famous in Carolina
stalk through the page» of the diary.
Г
but copy extracts from it, my only
service being to occasionally intro¬
duce a parenthesis for purposes of
identification :
“The 20th regiment was sent to
Smithville (Southport). Rev. J. M.
Spruill i> their chaplain. . . . My com¬
mission was dated Octolter 25, 18*11.
The 30th regiment was soon sent to
Smithville. I reported for duty. Col.
F. M. Barker kindly allowed me to
finish up my work on the circuit and
go to Conference . Tune 23 I «aw
the first wounded of my regiment.
A. A. Lewis of Sampson and Dr.
Grissom (eminent psychiatrist. Sup!.
State Hospital) of Wake County. . . .
At Mrehnnicsville. I saw among the
dead the handsome form of my noble
schoolmate James A. Wright of Wil-
«!/
ft. c. l ui kevci;
Soldier
of the
Cross
uiiiigton. ... I meet Revs. T. J. Gattis
(remember Gatti' v. Kilgo?) and
J. C. Brent. . . . Visit Chimborazo
hospital. Sec Joseph Mason’s left leg
cut off below the knee. . . . Visit Sw ift
Galloway (eminent lawyer, had a
voice that would carry twenty miles
on any -till day). Visit Lieut. Shaw
and find him dying. . . . Capt. John
B. Andrew's died at Richmond. lie
was the first |M>rson to whom I spoke
after I found peace with God at the
University, October 15. 1853. . . .
Hear that Lieut. Cain died at fl a. in.
and Lieut. Ritt about to die. Ride
anxiously to hospital and find Pitt
dead. . . . Visit Rev. H.G. Hill, chap¬
lain 13th regiment. Meet Rev. J.
Rumple of Salisbury and Rev. Van
Eaton. . . .
Thirty Years of Age
‘‘August 25, 1862. Mv birthday!
Thirty years old! How little knowl¬
edge I have acquired! How little
grace! How little- good I have «lone!
(Joel help tile in time to come! Got
inarching orders at nine p.m. ... I
found a wounded Federal sitting on
the field— a broken thigh, a rifle ball
through his arm and a bruised shoul¬
der made him helpless. His undressed
wounds were festered. He asked mo if
our surgeons would help him. I as¬
sured him they would. . . . They have
just taken the last Confederate wound¬
ed from that part of the field, and In¬
is on tin* surgeon’s table a few yards
away. 1 trust this Federal will soon
bo taken to that table. (Surely the
recording angel took these words
down.) . . . We
его—
tin- Potomac,
the band- playing Maryland! My
Maryland! Some cross tin- river of
death next Sunday. . . . General Gar¬
land is brought to his rent l-cd. A few
•lays ago I saw him under circum¬
stance# which will make me admire
him forever. . . . (Sharp-burg) Heavy
firing in tin- morning. Wounded coin¬
ing in. God help our men! Have mer¬
cy on those nliout to die! . . .
"Colonel Parker and Adjutant Phil¬
lips are wounded. Rifle ball skimmed
tin- top of Parker’s head. Lieut. Rog¬
ers killed; Sergeant Edwards killed;