USA > North Carolina > Rowan County > Salisbury > History and 200th anniversary of Union Evangelical Lutheran Church of Salisbury, North Carolina, 1774-1974 > Part 3
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On the very back page of this old book, we have the name "L. C. Grose- close" and then following it there are marks as if a count were being made. This is followed by this sentence: "The above is the result of the election held for L. C. Groseclose according to appointment. 21 votes." This might well mark the beginning of the longest pastorate during this period, and again it might mark that term of supply in 1851. We don't know!
In 1857 Pastor Groseclose began serving Union and St. John's, a pas- torate which was to continue until 1865. During this time he also served Dutchman's Creek (Reformation, Davie County for two years, '61 - '63.) So for a few years there is some semblance of a stable parish alignment. In 1858 we see Pastor Groseclose's report on Union and St. John's: "30 in- fants and 8 adults baptized, 175 communicants, 23 confirmations, 3 res- torations, 14 dismissals, 10 admissions, 20 funerals." The total local con- tributions were $200, and $20 for benovelence!
We are fortunate that the Minutes of Synod for 1861 through 1863 have a brief summary of some of the pastors' statements concerning the "State of Religion" in their charges. Here is what Pastor Groseclose said for publication: 1861 - "The state of Bible piety in my charge is not what I would wish it to be among my membership - especially in town. The attendance on the word preached is, however, better than at any for- mer period. Prayer meetings well attended until last few weeks. Sabbath Schools more flourishing than I ever saw them."
1862 - "In the Salisbury pastorate, the state of religion is, under all cir- cumstances by which we are surrounded, as favorable as could be expected. The Lord, while chastening the nation for its sins, has not utterly forsaken His people who call upon Him with the prayer of faith. In a meeting at Union Church there were 55 professed conversions, and 39 additions to church membership."
1863 - "The state of religion in my charge is not flourishing as in years past. Some of the leading members at Union have doubled their subscription to their pastor's salary, and are prompt in paying it."
As Sunday School began on May 4, 1862 - G. Smith and G. Lyerly were superintendents, and John Ketchy was secretary and librarian. The male teachers were Thomas Earnhardt, George L. Lyerly, George Kerns, George Lyerly, David Mahaley, John Earnhardt, and John Bishear. The female teachers were Lucinda M. Trexler, Mrs. (Hariet) Verble, Dealy Wise, Aly C. Ketchy, Eliza Lyerly, Mrs. Scherer, Mrs. Clutts, America Blackwell.
So Sunday School must have begun in the Spring - perhaps after it was warm enough to not be too uncomfortable for several hours in a building.
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The Pine Church was still in use, with the Gallery on three sides.
Pastor D. I Dreher
Pastor William H. Cone
The Rev. D. I. Dreher served Union in 1866 while serving as pastor of St. James, Concord.
Once again we get the muddled feeling as we try to untangle the closing years of this period at which we are looking. The historical sketch of the congregation in the HISTORY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN N.C. lists the Rev. W. H. Cone as pastor in 1867 and '68; and the Rev. Simeon Scherer as pastor from 1869 - '72. But one wonders if it were really that simple! In the listing of pastors in St. John's historical sketch we read, "Simeon Scherer and W. H. Cone, 1867 - '72." There certainly does seem to be a cross-over in parishes served.
The 1867 Minutes of Synod bear the testimony: "Brother Cone speaks in flattering terms of the prospect of his pastorate, especially in the bounds of Union Congregation. The brethren generally are favored with manifest interest in hearing the Word, a growing liberality as to their support, and an increasing interest in regard to Sabbath Schools. All told, things indi- cate success."
These glowing words were made just shortly after entering upon his work at Union. In our Old Record Book No. 1, there is this notification at the top of the page: "A list of all the members belonging to Union Church located in Rowan County, N. C. was taken and written by the Rev. W. H. Cone, who became pastor of the Church February 1st, 1867." Males are listed in one column and females in another. It appears that when the original list was made there were 84 males and 94 females, mak- ing a total of 178. Over the years this list is added to until there are 167 males and 237 females. And over the years there are notes of roll correc-
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tion beside different names - "dismissed by letter," "deceased," "expel- led," "drop," "transferred to ," or "dropt."
On April 28, 1867 Pastor Cone lists those who received Communion on that day. There were 37 males and 74 females, a total of 111 communing. (It would appear that even 100 years ago there were a number of men who left the religion to the women.)
1868 rolls around and on January 12th there is an installation at Union Church as Henry Barringer, George Lyerly, and David Mahaley are installed as Elders. At this same service Paul Peeler, A. M. Peeler, and Thomas Earn- hardt are installed as Deacons. (And this goes along with the first Consti- tution which is included at the end of this section.)
During Pastor Scherer's years at Union ('69 - '72), and in addition to serving jointly with Pastor Cone at St. John's, he served Bethel, Organ ('69 & '70), and St. Peter's ('68 - '70). During this time he organized Christ, East Spencer on November 13, 1870, and Christiana on January 23, 1871.
The struggle over parish boundaries continued - and there is little won- der! In 1873 Bethel petitioned Synod, requesting to sever their connec- tion with Union. There was also a petition from Union that if Bethel's petition be granted, Union might form a pastorate with some other church or churches so as to support a minister.
Union, St. Matthew's, Luther's, St. Peter's, St. Stephen, Organ, and Bethel churches with Christiana and Gold Hill prospective were left free to make their own arrangements. A delegate from each church and pros- pective field met at St. Peter's, and out of this Union, St. Peter's, and Gold Hill Churches were made into a pastorate. In the year 1874 Union claims both Pastors W. H. Cone and R. L. Brown. With the coming of Pastor Brown, a new era is entered - and that is another story. As these "Mid- dling and muddled years" end, Pastor Cone is serving St. Peter's and Union.
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UNION'S FIRST CONSTITUTION
Union's first constitution is undated. The following appears in the "Union Church Record Book, January 3rd, 1850."
"In connection with the Formula of our Church it was thought ad- viseable to adopt a short Constitution for the better regulation of our Congregation. The following Constitution has been drawn up and adop- ted.
CONSTITUTION Of The Church Council
Art. 1. The number of Gentlemen composing the Council, shall be six, that is three Elders and three Deacons.
Art. 2. The Church Council, shall be elected as follows Elders four years and Deacons four years.
Art. 3. No person shall be elected to either of the above offices, who does not possess the requisite qualifications, namely age and piety.
Of Receiving Members
Art. 1. No person shall be admitted as a member of the Church until he or she gives evidence of faith in Christ. Luke 16. 15, 16
Art. 2. Instruction from the Catechism shall be given to the youth, as has been customary; but it shall not be considered a sufficient requisite for any person to become a member of the Church of Christ. I Cor. 13, 1,2 Romans 8.9
Art. 3. No child shall be received into the Church by Baptism, unless the Father or Mother is a believer in Christ. I Cor. 7. 14
Of Church Members
Art. 1. Every member shall have his or her name registered in the Church Book for the purpose of ascertaining who our members are.
Art. 2. It shall be the duty of every member, to be regular and punctual in his or her attendance at Church. Heb 10. 25
Art. 3. It shall be the duty of every member to assist in keeping up the Church if his or her circumstances will admit of it. Luke 6. 38
Art. 4. It shall be the duty of every member to try to live up to the re- quirements of the Formula that is to practice all those virtues men- tioned in the Word of God. 2 Peter 1. 5,7
Art. 5. Any member guilty of drunkeness, or any other species of sin, shall not be permitted to remain with us, unless reformation of life is discovered. 2 Cor 6 - 14. 18
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Art. 6. Should any member prove obstinate after having been admonish- ed twice, he or she shall be excommunicated. Titus 3. 10-11."
Following the Constitution, there appears this notification: "This Con- stitution to be read to the Congregation at the commencement of every year."
Perhaps this constitution was merely meant to be short and for the reg- ulation of the members. There is nothing concerning the name of the con- gregation, or the denomination. A reference is made to the "Formula of our Church," but we are not quite sure what that means. There is nothing which would be any confessional standard or statement.
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OLDEST FINANCIAL STATEMENT
The following appears in the rear of the Old Church Record Book, and is the oldest financial statement of which we know:
William A. Walton Treasurer, Ds. $ . cts.
To the Church Council of Union Church . .
Received May 1846 Of David Barringer
25 00
Paid Leonard Clutts for work on alter
10 ..
Balance due said Church
15
Interest on the above
5
. .
Received for rent corn, October 1846
1 92
Interest on the above
.. 64
Received of John Kerns for rent 1847
3
Interest on the above
44
Received of Church Council, Sept. 1847
67
Received of Do 1848
.. 78
Received of Do 1849
. . . 88
Received of Do 1850
. .
56
Received of John Wise December 1850
13
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Interest on the above
1
65
Received October 1850 five bushels wheat
5 .
Interest on the above
35
Credit
4.68
44.46
1842 Received of George Trexler
8.02
1842 Received of John Wise Interest on the above
7.88
2.18
72.74
Paid for candels
4.94
$67.80
Received the above in full October 21st 1854 Church Council
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. .
. .
49.14
10.20
THE BROWN DECADE
It was in 1778 that Michael Brown and Fredrick Fisher entered 200 acres of land in behalf of the Dutch Pine Meeting House, and it was not until 1793 that the grant was actually made and 118 acres of land were re- gistered in the Register of Deeds Office to those two men as trustees for the Dutch Pine Meeting House. It is a good thing to remember, the men and the land - for we are now concerned with a relative of Michael Brown, the builder of the Old Stone House. Almost one hundred years following that entry of land, a great grandson of this same Michael Brown became pastor of Union - the Rev. Richard L. Brown, whose pastorate spans a decade, from 1874 to 1884.
Pastor Richard L. Brown
The Rev. Richard L. Brown wrote A HISTORY OF THE MICHAEL BROWN FAMILY, and from his writing we have a description of Pastor Brown. "He spent three years of his school days in the Con- federate Army. This, to a certain extent, crippled his education. After returning home he studied theology and entered the ministry in 1868. He was a successful work- er in this sphere of life for some fifteen or twenty years, but at this time he became afflicted with partial paralysis and his work as a minister was very much hindered from this time on."
It was during his most able years that Pastor Brown served Union. As he entered the parish scene in 1874, there must have been a readiness for that which was about to happen. There had been a bleak period - the years of the Civil War and the days of reconstruction, and then these past thirty years in the Union Church had been years of so many short term pastorates. There was still the land, which Michael Brown and Fredrick Fisher had registered eighty years before. There was still the building which was referred to in the May term of Court in 1771. It was better than one hundred years old, and no one knows how many years beyond the century mark. Now it seemed that there was a willingness and a readi- ness to do something. After Pastor Brown had been at Union some two years, we read of a stirring of the soil in the 1876 Minutes of Synod:
"April 14th, the cornerstone of a new church edifice was laid, by Rev. R. L. Brown, Pastor, with appropriate religious services as set forth in our Book of Worship, and designated Union Church. The old church having
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become more or less dilapidated and no longer adapted to the wants of the congregation, they resolved on the erection of a brick edifice which, when completed, will be of very comfortable and commodius dimensions, and will reflect much praise upon the zeal and liberality of Pastor and people."
(In those same Minutes, Pastor Brown is listed as serving Union and Christiana, and between the two congregations he lists 1 Infant Baptism, 18 Adults Baptized, 236 Communicants, 11 Confirmed, and 1 admission during the previous year. The two Sunday Schools have 28 teachers and 132 scholars between them.)
Things were happening! Today none of us can remember the building of the present building, and so then no one could have remembered the building of the Pine Church! It must have been a slow process as the peo- ple made the bricks on the property. It must have seemed ever so slow to know that it would take three walls of brick - not only laid one by one, but made one by one! Certainly it took consecration to keep at it. We can hardly begin to think of all that was involved: to keep the farm, or the tannery and blacksmith shop going, and to be concerned with the building of the church! It was quite an undertaking - to use time and weather in the wisest of ways that crops might be made and that a church might be built. From the time that the cornerstone was laid in April, 1876, three and one-half years elapsed, and, in the Old Church Record Book, there ap- pears these words which must have been written by the pastor: "Preached in the New Church at Union the first time the first Sunday in October, 1879 By Rev. R. L. Brown, pastor in charge"
The report two months later was brief as it appeared in the local news- paper, the "Carolina Watchman," December 4, 1879: "Dedication Service - The dedication of the new Union (Lutheran) Church, 5 miles east of this place will take place on Sunday, December 7th. Dr. L. A. Bikle, of Con- cord, will preach the Sermon of Dedication."
After it was all over, the 1880 Minutes of Synod carried the following report: "Union Church, in the bounds of Rev. R. L. Brown's charge, was dedicated on the first Sunday of December. The pastor conducted the dedicatory service, and the president preached the sermon. The cost of the church, a commodius brick building, _ by , was $2,600." (That's correct! There are blanks in the Minutes for the dimensions of the building. Maybe they just weren't sure!)
In a history compiled by Misses Mary Barringer and Ella Mae Lyerly in 1928 and 1929 and printed in the "Salisbury Post," which we shall call the "Barringer - Lyerly History" in the future, we have the actual money cost which they arrived at from the list of subscribers, along with the di-
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mensions: "It is a brick building 40 by 60 feet with a gallery in one end. It has a seating capacity of 400. The cost of the building was $2,378.78 in money. The brick used were made on the spot. The records show a list of all subscribers and the amounts subscribed and paid, being from five cents to $305.00."
Something else was happening about this same time. In our "Histori- cal Scrapbook," there is a notation along with the picture of the first par- sonage that the first parsonage was built in 1878, "according to Uncle Charlie Lyerly." This parsonage was built from material of the old church and was a six room structure. Since the new church building was not completed until 1879, and the first service was not held until October of that year, we wonder about the date of 1878. It hardly seems likely that the congregation would have torn down the old Pine Church before they were through using it, or have engaged on two buildings at once. In the 'Barringer - Lyerly History," the only reference made to the building of this parsonage is that it was "built of material from the old church, while Rev. Brown was pastor." The Minutes of Synod furnish no information about the time or cost of the building. The author would rather expect that in 1878, when the congregation saw the progress on the new church building, that members began to think about what they would do with the old building and determined that they would use material from it to build a parsonage.
In January, 1880 the Council elected and installed were Paul Peeler, D. A. Miller, and David Mahaley as Elders; and M. J. Walton, G. L. Lyerly, and S. A. Earnhardt as Deacons. (We simply list these because they are listed in the Old Record Book and would have been the first council elected in the new church building.)
In 1880 the "Proposed Constitution for the Use of Congregations of the Synod" was published with the Minutes. A great deal was happening during these years, and perhaps it is in view of all of this that questions were being asked. The 1881 Minutes of Synod speak of a "Petition from Union Church Council asking whether Elders and Deacons or Elders alone would have work of discipline." The answer given was, "The discipline of the church is administered by the Council in accordance with the Book of Worship." It would be interesting to have minutes of some of those council meetings prior to and following that petition!
It was a good time, and interesting decade - those years between 1874 and 1884. For the first time in better than one hundred years, there was building going on: first the church and then the parsonage. We rather imagine that there were those who said, "It doesn't look like the same place any more." And perhaps others wondered, "Why build so far from
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the spring?" And maybe there were those who thought back to the years of Pastor Rothrock, when in 1835 there had been the first thought of building a parsonage. So much had happened! The "Barringer - Lyerly History" reports that it was about this same time that the first organ was bought and Mrs. Roxie Arey was the first organist.
It was a good time, and each time we gather to worship, we share in it. We still gather for worship in that rectangular building which was started in 1876 and completed in 1879!
UNION - CHRISTIANA PARISH
In an earlier section, "Thirty Middling Years," we have referred to the missionary efforts of a former pastor, the Rev. Simeon Scherer. While pastor of Union, he organized two congregations: Christ, East Spencer in 1870, and Christiana, Granite Quarry in 1871. With the organization of Christiana, a relationship was started which was to continue for thirty- eight years: Union and Christiana were joined in a parish until Union be- came independent in 1909. It is this period of time with which we are concerned.
The name of the Rev. A. D. L. Moser appears in the "Barringer - Lyerly History," although Pastor Moser is not listed as a pastor of Union in the HISTORY OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH IN N. C., nor in the LIFE SKETCHES OF LUTHERAN MINISTERS. The Old Church Record Book does show that Pastor Moser baptized six children. It could well be that he served as a supply while pastor of Trinity, Cabarrus County and St. Enoch, Rowan County (1868 - 73).
Synod Minutes inform us that Pastor Brown's resignation of the Union Pastorate took effect the last of April, 1884. A student, H. L. Yarger served the congregation that summer and is credited with organizing a Women's Home and Foreign Missionary Society.
Following Mr. Yarger's supply, the Rev. J. M. Hedrick became pastor of Union Pastorate. His service was brief and perhaps this time is the best picture by the 1885 Minutes of Synod in which the President's Report re- veals "a petition from Union Church in which they ask Synod to make some change in their pastorate." This may have been following Mr. Yar- ger's service, or following Pastor Hedrick's acceptance of the call since there is no date given. But in the President's Report of the same year, we have the following information: "April 28, 1885 - J. M. Hedrick in- formed me that he had resigned Union charge, resignation to take effect at this meeting of Synod."
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On the "third Sunday in January, 1886 the Rev. J. W. Strickler was installed pastor of the Union Church Pastorate, in Union Church by Revs. B. S. Brown and C. A. Rose." (Minutes, 1886) Pastor Strickler came from the Southwest Virginia Synod and during his pastorate is credited with hav- ing introduced the liturgical service in the church. While pastor of Union, he pur- chased Record Book No. Il, and under the name of the church there appears this noti- fication: "This book was bought by J. W. Pastor J. W. Strickler Strickler Sept., 1888." (We still refer to records in this book of dates of baptisms when persons are in need of a substitute for birth certificates when seek- ing Social Security.) Pastor Strickler served the parish until October, 1889 and at his resignation Union showed 194 Communicant Members.
The Rev. J. Q. Wertz accepted the call to be pastor of the Union charge and was in- stalled on the first Sunday in March, 1890. The 1890 Minutes of Synod show us some- thing of the life of the congregation at this time. Union's portion of the pastor's salary was $290 a year. The church building was listed as having a seating capacity of 400, and no date of organization was given. Sun- day School was held 9 months a year, and at that time there were 3 officers, 12 teach- ers, and 100 scholars. Minutes of the fol- Pastor J. Q. Wertz lowing year report, "Union has increased the pastor's salary by $100." And then in 1893 we find a different way of reporting membership: 245 Adult Members; 95 male and 150 female; 80 families, 115 baptized children. The seating capacity is now listed as 500! And by this time, the parsonage, even with our uncertainty as to its date of construction, is in for improvement. The Union pastorate "has improved the parsonage at a cost of $25.00 and will soon place a new organ in Union Church."
As there is no record of the building of the first parsonage, the date of the building of the school house cannot be ascertained by Synodical Min- utes either. No doubt it was built in 1892 as reported in the "Barringer - Lyerly History," and that timber from the old church was used in the
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school building. It would be nice if we could pinpoint the date it was preceded by a happening on November 17, 1839 when a vote of the con- gregation was taken in "relation to the building of a schoolhouse." (Roth- rock's Diary) Pastor Wertz resigned Union Pastorate December 31, 1893 (Synod Minutes) or January 15, 1894 (Record Book No. II).
From HISTORY OF THE MICHAEL BROWN FAMILY, we find that the next pastor was also a descendant of Michael Brown, the Rev. Chrisenberry Alexander Brown. Concerning his pastorate, Record Book II says, "Rev. C. A. Brown, having re- ceived a unanimous call to the Union and Christiana pastorate, accepted and took char- ge of the work April the 1st 1894, and re- signed May 1, 1900, being a pastorate of six years and one month." The 1897 Min- utes of Synod show that Union had 253 Pastor C. A. Brown Adult Members, was paying $247.50 towards the pastor's salary, and that there were 155 scholars in the Sunday School which was still held 9 months a year. At the turn of the century 205 Active Members are listed, 64 "non active," and 417 Baptized.
Pastor J. L. Morgan
Pastor J. P. Miller
Following Pastor Brown's resignation, the pastorate was served by the Rev. J. L. Morgan, D.D. who was then a theological student at the Semi- nary. Following his supply that summer, Mr. Morgan returned to the Sem- inary, and the parish was without a pastor until that fall when the Rev. J. P. Miller became pastor.
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During Pastor Miller's years at Union (November 15, 1900 to February 15, 1903), "the church was remodeled, and new pews bought." ("Barrin- ger - Lyerly History") It would seem as if this were the time when the first addition was made, and that this addition consisted of the chancel area from the arch back, our present organ chamber, and the room where the paraments are stored. The window behind the altar has the following inscription:
"To the Glory of God
And to the Memory of
Grace May Kern
Mar 1st, 1878 Aug 22nd, 1899
Erected by her parents
Nov. 20th, 1902"
(The parents here should be identified as Mr. and Mrs. Tom M. Kern.) This is the only date which we have of this addition. There is no word that we can find of it in the Synod Minutes of this time. The 1901 Min- utes do show 204 Active and 62 non-active Members, 364 Baptized Mem- bers, 195 Sunday School Scholars, and that Union paid $225 to the pas- tor's salary.
On July 1, 1903, the Rev. N. D. Bodie be- came pastor of Union and Christiana Church- es. He had come from Ebeneezer, Ga. The 1905 Minutes of Synod show that there were 311 Enrolled Members, 150 Baptized Child- ren, and 185 Scholars in the Sunday School. Union paid $190 toward the pastor's salary, $350 to church, parsonage, and school prop- erties, and $25 for other local expenses. The Children's Missionary Society was organized in 1906, and the next year on September 30, Pastor Bodie resigned.
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