♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ We're here in Camden, South Carolina, on a beautiful day, looking at the horses and carriages and meeting the people of the Carolina Carriage Association.

I'm in a wonderful carriage called a cart with a charming lady-- Pinckney Sandlin.

Mrs. Sandlin's home is Tryon, North Carolina, the association home base.

It's the Carolina Carriage Club.

Carolina Carriage Club.

We are on the invitational-- what do we call this meeting today?

The First Invitational Carriage Drive in Camden.

Well, you and Mimi and I have had our own private drive over the grounds here at historic Camden.

Tell me about your carriage here.

(Sandlin) It 's a simple road cart, no frills, do wn to the very basics.

Intended for utilitarian purposes originally, now it's a lot of pleasure.

Mimi is such a nice little Welsh pony.

She's a registered Welsh, 12-1.5 hands tall, 7 years old.

We use her ba sically for carriage.

This is a wonderful recreation, is it not?

Yesterday, I believe, your carriage drive took you through foxhunting country.

Yes...we saw al l the jumps and ended up at one of the beautiful, old homes...

Cool Springs Plantation, it was, and had a lovely lunch there.

When we're not carriage driving, you enjoy taking your horse up mountains for fun and competitions.

Tell me about going up Mount Mitchell.

I have a large quarter horse.

I foxhunt, event, and do competitive trail riding.

She won the Mount Mitchell 50-Mile Competitive Trail Ride, which was straight up and straight down.

You and she deserve metals!

I hope you're having a wonderful time.

It's beautiful.

We're looking forward soon to the tournament contest... the lancing tournament.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ We have a membership of about 175 people.

Of those, 50 to 60 are active participants.

The rest are club supporters who have an interest in carriage driving.

(Long) These carriages are beautiful.

Some are original, and some are modern reproductions?

Correct... so me people, fortunate enough to have or iginals in good condition, love to use them an d show them off.

Most people, however, ar e having reproductions or modified designs made to su it their horse and body size.

People who have ponies are fi nding that pony vehicles were made mostly fo r children.

They have a difficult time si tting in a child-sized seat.

The most common is called a runabout, comparable to the very early Ch evrolets and Fords.

Then we had the buckboard.

Buckboard is exclusively an American vehicle, as are th e Meadowbrooks.

And the cart.

Some carts, su ch as the rally cart and the dogcart, are strictly of European an d, again, English origin.

This is so delightful!

You follow the tradition of the harness, the whip, and the apron over the driver's knees.

Yes... th e tradition is based in Europe, primarily England.

We wear driving gloves, a driving apron, a harness whip wi th a long lash so we touch the horse on the shoulder or side, not as a reprimand, but as a signal in place of a rider's legs, never as punishment.

I see.

Drivers are of every age.

Give me the age of two of our drivers today.

Tony Sands, our senior member, 76 years old, drives a registered Section B Welsh Pony.

We have other drivers of similar age.

Tryon is a retirement community.

We have no junior members, but we will soon.

And that's wonderful!

[wheels squeaking] (male driver #1) Th is carriage was built by Brewster fo r Mr. Hoyt, who lived in New York.

It was delivered in June of 1895.

It's finished exactly the way Ho yt had it when he owned it.

Came time fo r me to refinish it, I took the trouble to get th e Brewster records from the New York Library wh ere they're kept.

This carriage is numbered, so it was simple to find the original order.

Mr. Hoyt sp ecified the way this coach is finished at the moment.

(Long) The painting is unusual in that most gentlemen's coaches used for private travel or Central Park driving were very somber and black.

Much more di gnified than this.

Well, the coach is beautifully finished, with the wickerwork and boxes for accoutrement.

You had difficulty finding someone to blow your horn, though.

We don't bl ow the horn.

The coaching horn is sounded.

Oh, I beg your pardon!

I didn't bring an y musical person who could properly so und the horn.

But you brought four beautiful horses.

They're part Clydesdale?

They're th ree-quarter hackney and one-quarter Cl ydesdale.

Canadian crossbreds, th ey call them.

They're bred in Canada and brought here for carriage horses.

You've put back the harness and ev erything as it was in 1895.

Fortunately th e harness is a little newer th an that.

[laughing] I'm sure... but similar too.

(female driver #1) This is a hackney pony, at one time a racing pony.

This was a sulky, converted for a carriage.

We're delighted to be in Camden... a beautiful day, such lovely horses.

(male driver #2) [British accent] This carriage is quite unique.

Made in England, it's a competition carriage.

It's on Taper Roller bearings, wheels are made of alloy, wood is marine ply.

It's without hubs for driving cross-country, eventing, any rough going you'd like to drive.

Well, I'm a harness maker, so, of course, I'm particularly interested in horses.

I made the harness on this horse and made some others on horses you see here.

I've been to England and studied a bit there about driving and harness making and thoroughly enjoyed that.

(female driver #2) This particular carriage is new, built by an Amishman in Pennsylvania.

He copied an antique carriage.

It's a natural wood trap and hauls people back-to-back.

It's called a back-to-back trap.

(Long) Our day in Camden has begun with the Invitational Carriage Drive, but we have another exciting event to enjoy... a lancing tournament.

It's delightful that today, in Camden, men still ride magnificent, highly trained horses with plumes in their headgear and banners flying from the points of their lances, pitting their skills against each other in front of their charming ladies on a bright, glorious day in Camden beneath cloudless skies.

[trumpet blowing "First Call"] It's a return to Camelot.

[applause] Horses run 75 yards in 6 seconds.

The one that spears 9 rings, or the highest rings, first place winner.

Then we have second and third place.

(Long) How large are the rings?

The largest are an inch an d a half in diameter.

And the lance is held in the old battle position.

The lance has to be 5 foot.

Six seconds to make how many?

Three rings.

In one charge?

Yes, ma'am, th ree rings.

Have you been at this long?

Since '55.

But you've been a rider all of your life.

How many members are there?

We used to have 60, but we've dwindled to about 15.

Do you do this sort of tournament very often?

We have ab out four a year.

[hooves pounding] (male lancer #1) You ride at full gallop.

The wind varies the rings.

It moves them, so you're aiming for a moving target rather than still.

(Long) That would make a difference.

Quite, and that's th e only thing that one rider has in advantage over the other.

If one comes through wh en the wind is calm, he has an advantage.

That's fascinating.

Knights performing for their gracious ladies, and here we are, reenacting it today.

That's also fascinating.

Tell me, do you suppose horseback riding, the sport of kings, will always be fascinating to the gentlemen?

I would think so, ma 'am.

We try to pass it on.

This afternoon we have a junior tournament as well as a senior tournament.

That's kept it alive in our community.

I've been riding in this since I was five.

(Long) That seems awfully young!

You're not scared?

No.

How do you learn the lance?

Is there practice not on horseback?

No... yo u just practice!

Practice until you do it right.

Yes, ma'am.

Do you think you're going to continue this sport?

Yes, ma'am, possibly.

♪ ♪ ♪ (male lancer #2) We were the novice... pretty much the amateurs out of the crowd.

Had you ever done a tournament?

I've done it once a year.

This is the third time.

We can't say you did this with rehearsal.

Not a bit!

You've done horseback riding professionally.

I understand you were a steeplechase jockey.

I rode over hurdles like the Colonial Cup, the Carolina Cup.

I traveled up and down the East Coast riding in steeplechase races as a profession.

I'd come back to Camden-- I'm originally from Camden.

We wintered down here.

Do you continue on the steeplechase circuit?

I retired...

I have a computer business that I tie in with the horse world.

I do health records, accounts receivable.

Still, you continue your profession long after it ceased to be the way that you earned your living.

I keep active with the horse world.

Could you live without horses?

[laughing] No way!

Being a professional steeplechase jockey, is there an age and a weight as for many professions such as dancers or boxers?

There's a weight... the weight is different than flat riders on flat tracks.

They're heavier.

Minimum is about 130, and it varies up to about 156...to now -65.

Age...we have riders up to 39, 40.

Not a teenaged profession.

I'm glad you settled in Camden.

This was your home, but you find activity with racing, the cups, and the hunt here.

Exactly.

Glad you're back South again.

Good luck to you in whatever you do.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (Long) It's been such a lovely day in Camden... charming people, beautiful horses, an experience we will long remember.

Please go with me now to visit a place of quietness and peace.

Near McConnells we will see one of the oldest organized churches in north central South Carolina... the Bethesda Presbyterian Church.

We are on the steps of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, one of the oldest churches in our area, ranking with Bethel and Beersheba.

This has been a church since 1760.

We are here looking at this beautiful building and the cemetery nearby.

The first church in 1760, we think, was founded by William Richardson, minister at the Waxhaws.

He organized the people of the area into satellite churches.

The early records are lost.

Unfortunately, the site of the church a mile from here was destroyed by a fire in the woods.

The people immediately began a wooden structure almost on this site, with the split log, clapboard siding.

They enjoyed this church for 20 years.

However, in 1820, bricks were brought from Charleston, and this building, which we are seeing now, was begun.

It's gone through many changes since 1820, many renovations.

We'll go inside in a while and see them.

Originally the front of the church had two doors, but men and women did not have to go through just one door, as they did in many denominations.

The portico was added, which is now a lovely lobby, and one central door was begun.

These pioneers were very brave people.

Many came from the northern part of Ireland, others came from southern South Carolina or Pennsylvania, and they settled here.

Bethesda was quite populated, even in the early days.

They must have been brave to come so far to clear the land and suffer through the privations which must have been part of life.

They've left beautiful trees as well as memories to enjoy.

Looking at the resting place of so many, we realize even today they're part of life, because one of the boundaries of this property is a busy highway.

The early tombstones, or markers, were found a few years ago by a Boy Scout working for his Eagle badge.

They've been moved to the present cemetery.

Let's go for a little walk and see them.

♪ ♪ Here we are at the site of the oldest memorials of Bethesda Church.

These are monuments moved from the original building, a mile away near a spring, and placed here very reverently.

There is a modern marker honoring these people and others who, unfortunately, had no grave markers when our fine Scout had them removed here with great dignity.

Here we have a gentleman, a Mr. William Neely and his wife Elizabeth.

Elizabeth passed away in 1785.

This grave marker is so old we cannot read the carving.

Let's go now to the marker for Mr. Alexander Love, the gentleman who gave the name "York County" to our area.

♪ Here, surrounded by the new green of the trees and the song of birds, the barking of dogs, we find the grave marker of Alexander Love.

He was born in 1718, died in 1784, and was too old to fight in the American Revolution.

However, he was a patriot.

On his grave marker are carved the words, first in Latin, which mean, "truth," "honor," and "integrity."

"Sacred to the memory of Alexander Love, a lover of mankind and a friend to his country."

Isn't that beautiful?

Now, let's go inside the church and see the many beautiful things they have there.

♪ ♪ The sanctuary of Bethesda Church is so beautiful.

Many, many thanks to Rebecca Williamson, who has told us many things about the renovations and the preservation we find here.

These are the original pews, which have been refinished.

Except for the front pews, all the others have a footrest.

I imagine during cold weather that would lift the feet to prevent drafts around the ankles.

This is a beautiful church.

Recently, from 1976 to 1979, the renovations put the appearance of the church back to its original.

The windows had been replaced with just two panes per window.

Now we see smaller panes, such as we find in all 18th-century homes and churches.

The lovely gallery, or balcony, is an unusual feature of Bethesda.

It encloses three sides of the sanctuary.

It would hold a great number of people I understand today it's difficult to keep teenagers from giggling there during service.

The balcony is held up by pillars, the columns.

Fortunately, the columns fr om the balcony to the ceiling are the original ones.

However, the ones in the lower part of the church have had to be replaced.

At one time the columns were taken out and square, wooden ones were used.

Now those have gone, and the Doric type of columns support the balcony.

One of the features is the perfectly beautiful chandelie.

As Miss Rebecca explained, it's not of the same period as the beginning of the church, but it has great significance to the people who worship here.

To follow the history of lighting, we go from candles to kerosene lamps and then to electricity.

Electricity was not everywhere.

It's very hard for young people today to understand that.

Before electricity, the kerosene lamps in the chandelier had to be lighted very carefully by a man climbing a tall ladder.

When electricity came to a large Presbyterian church in some large city in Tennessee, this chandelier was given to Bethesda, and it was very proudly erected and used.

Later there was a Delco electrical machine brought in so that it provided electricity just for this building.

At that time, wires were strung along the side with the bare electric bulb, and here was our unused chandelier.

A death of a friend of theirs caused the young people of the church to gather money to have the chandelier electrified.

It was and is used today.

However, in the process and through the years, original globes of the chandelier were broken, destroyed, or lost.

Three of the original ones may be seen in the chandelier in the lobby, or the vestibule, of the church.

These, in this chandelier, are reproductions, which were discovered to be similar to the ones which came from Tennessee originally.

We have a reverse... here, the old chandelier with new globes, and in the vestibule, the old globes with the new chandelier, which was made to specifications to match as closely as possible th e original in the ceiling.

They're very beautiful, don't you think?

With the old pews, the white walls, it's a very restful, peaceful place.

Back of the rostrum on which the ministers sit, we have the sessions room.

The sessions implies a group of people who are the governing body of the church.

From the sessions room we have a very interesting thing called the collection cap.

Until about 1915, these were used in Bethesda.

People who took up the collection would pass them down the pews, and people would put their collection in.

There were three of these, and two are on loan to the Historical Foundation in Montreat.

This is left here so that people such as you and I may enjoy seeing how collection was taken in years gone by.

In the sessions room we have a beautiful fireplace, and throughout the entire building, old and new, we have most interesting things.

In one kindergarten room we have a very tiny, ancient, portable organ, which is operated by pumping with the feet.

Ms. Williamson tells me it still is taken outside to provide music for whatever activity the church is doing.

In the room are 8 to 12 original, beautiful, tiny, little chairs, part of the original church, still preserved and, thankfully, still used every Sunday by the small people of the congregation.

With the small people, we are reminded that Bethesda originated the daily vacation Bible school in 1922, the very first Bible school in this area.

This has continued yearly here in this church until the one that is coming this summer.

Fortunately we find it in almost every denomination within York County.

As we go through the vestibule into the churchyard, we remember that, beginning in 1802, Bethesda was known for wonderful camp meetings.

You and I today might call them revivals.

People came as far as 40 miles around and would spend days or a week here.

There was a large building, open on all sides but with a roof, and there were many wooden camps.

There were three tremendous camp meetings in the church, and many new members, black and white, were added to the church membership throughout the 19th century.

♪ ♪ Program captioned by: CompuScripts Captioning, Inc. 803.988.8438 ♪ ♪