In South Carolina. 401 



and, in the presence of his family, made a renewed 

 dedication of himself to God. The son, who was 

 present, was deeply affected by the scene, and, though 

 he could not feel any confidence that his state of mind 

 was indicative of a genuine conversion, he resolved to 

 carry out a purpose, which he had formed some time 

 before, to unite himself with the Methodist Episcopal 

 Church. This he did in the early part of August, 180*8. 



Immediately after performing this solemn act, he 

 fell in with the Kev. William Gassaway, who proposed 

 to him to meet him at Camden some three weeks from 

 that time and accompany him around on his circuit. 

 Mr. Capers cheerfully consented to the proposal with- 

 out knowing how much was involved in the arrange- 

 ment; but what was his surprise w T hen, at the first 

 appointment, at Smith's Meeting-house (now Mar- 

 shall's), September 12, Mr. Gassaway, after a sermon 

 by the Rev. "William M. Kennedy, beckoned to him to 

 come forward to the pulpit, and then directed him to 

 " exhort." He obeyed the command, but not without 

 great embarrassment, not merely because it was his 

 first attempt at any such service, but because he had 

 serious doubts whether a principle of life had ever 

 been imparted to him. At a quarterly-meeting, how- 

 ever, beginning Friday, September 15, which was con- 

 ducted as a camp-meeting, at Knight's Meeting-house, 

 on Fork Creek, he found that unspeakable blessing 

 which he had been so earnestly seeking — "the spirit 

 of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; " the Spirit 

 itself bearing witness with his spirit that he was a 

 child of God. He says: 



"A love-feast was held on Sunday morning at 9 

 o'clock. I had never attended one, and happening 

 never to have made any inquiries about them, so that 

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