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ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02317 3450
Gc 975.7 НЕЗн v. 2
2566587
REYNOL HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historyofpresbyt22howe
HISTORY
OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN
SOUTH CAROLINA,
BY GEORGE HOWE, D. D., Professor in the Theological Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina
PREPARED BY ORDER OF THE SYNOD OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
VOL. II. PART 2
PUBLISHED AND SOLD BY W. J. DUFFIE, COLUMBIA, S. C.
WALKER, EVANS & COGSWELL, PRINTERS, CHARLESTON, S. C. 1883. 82 9254 2
Allen County raskt Library Ft. Wayne, Indiana
S. T.9A9
382
CAMBRIDGE. 2260587
[1820-1830.
CAMBRIDGE .- This church had been organized by Dr. Barr and Rev. Hugh Dickson in 1821. The Rev. Charles B. Storrs, afterwards President of the Western Reserve College, Ohio, preached here as a missionary through the winter, and left in June, 1821. The next missionary was Mr. Alfred Chester, from Connecticut, a graduate of Yale in 1818, who had spent a year at Andover in 1820-21, and came as a licensed preacher to Cambridge in the fall or winter of 1821. Then Mr. John Rennie, as missionary, came to this place, sent out, it is said, by the suggestion of Rev. John Dickson. Presbytery, too, had directed Joseph Y. Alexander, whom they were employing as an evangelist, to spend one month between Cambridge and Edgefield Courthouse, one month in New- berry District, and one in Pendleton. Presbytery held its regular meeting in Cambridge in April, 1823, and held a pro re nata meeting at Cambridge Church on the 8th of August, 1823. At this meeting Mr. Rennie was received as a licen- tiate from the Presbytery of Londonderry, passed through the required trials, and was ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry, the Rev. Richard B. Cater preaching the ordination sermon, and Rev. Wm. H. Barr presiding and giving the charge. The church was organized with sixteen members. It rose to thirty-six, but its existence as an or- ganization was but brief. Mr. Rennie's continuance there was brief. The two elders were Robert Redd and John McBryde. The church was dissolved, Mr. McBryde removed to Hamburg, and Mr. Rennie found a home with Capt. John Cunningham. Planters had been extravagant, and suffered the consequences. Four of the chief merchants went to Hamburg as a more inviting place of business. The church members united with other churches, principaily with the Rock Church, and the church edifice in the next decade, perhaps in 1833-34 belonged to the Baptists. Such is the account we have received from one of the elders of the church, Mr. McBryde. The planters of the neighborhood had borrowed largely from the Bank of the State, popularly regarded as the planters' friend. They thought that so long as they paid their interest, all was right. The bank was obliged, at length, to sell them out. Many gathered up the little residue, re- solved to seek their fortunes elsewhere, deserted their native State, and removed to Alabama.
383
20-1830.] HOPEWELL (ABBEVILLE)-ROCKY RIVER.
HOPEWELL ( Abbeville) .- As the meeting of the Presbytery South Carolina at the Varennes Church, October 5th, 1820, Hopewell and Willington congregations each presented a ll for one-half of the ministerial labors of the Rev. Richard Cater. After some consideration, their calls were banded Mr. Cater for his consideration." (Minutes, p. 72.) On e 6th of October, Mr. Cater accepted the call from Willing- n, but did not feel at liberty to accept that from Hopewell cause it was informal. Our friend, Mrs. M. E. D., to whom e have been so much indebted, speaks of Mr. Cater as having been installed as pastor of the two churches. Not so e Presbyterial record. She speaks of his being re-elected Hopewell two years after his resignation in 1826, and of s being driven away by an unhappy division in the session. here is nothing in the minutes of Presbytery to assist us to termine how Hopewell was supplied. It is not till 1825 hat full statistics are appended to the minutes of the Assem- y from our Synod. In that year it is represented as having 6I communing members ; adult baptisms, 25; infant, 29. h 1826, as having a pastor and 91 communicants. In 1827 he Presbytery made no report. In 1828 it had a pastor and Bo members, " 28 of whom were added in the preceding ear," perhaps in the preceding two years. In 1829 Henry eid is named as its stated supply, and its membership 130, in the year before.
A statement somewhat different from this is made by another con- ibutor, E. Payson Davis, who says, " the time between 1813 and 1823 arks a transition period. There was no regular pastor. The pulpit as supplied for a short time by the Rev. Mr. Gamble; then by an hio preacher by the name of Boyle, and for a short time by Mr. Cater. n 1823, Mr. Reid was called to occupy the vacant pulpit Upon enter- hg upon his duties, he found but fifty names upon the roll of church hembers. By earnest and diligent labor this condition of the church as greatly changed for the better. He visited families, inquired into he spiritual condition of every member He catechised the children, rganized and conducted camp meetings, preached at school-houses, rivate houses and by the road side. He resigned his charge in 1829, aving served the church for six years. In that time twenty-seven had ied, forty had been dismissed, and the roll had exhibited 177 names, considerable number of which were of colored persons.
ROCKY RIVER CHURCH .- The Rev. James Gamble con- inued the pastor of this church till on the 9th of March 1827, le was dismissed to the Presbytery of Hopewell, Ga. In October 1828, the Rev. Mr. Cater, who was for some short time
984
WILLINGTON.
[1820-1830.
their supply, was installed as their pastor, who continued to serve them in this capacity until 1830. Rocky River reported one hundred and six members in 1825 and 1826; the same in 1828 and 1829, in which last year Lebanon is represented also as under the same pastoral care. Dr. Waddel too was a frequent preacher. Mr. Giles says, "a supply" to Rocky River, both before his removel to Georgia and after his return till a year or two before his death.
WILLINGTON-In 1820 the session of Willington, in con- nection with that of Hopewell, made out a call for Rev R. B. Cater, who was then living at " Rock Mills," Anderson, in charge of the Churches of Good Hope and Roberts. This was accepted and he was installed at W. pastor of the two churches.
"Mr. Cater was a native of Beaufort District, South Carolina. The interesting circumstances of his death may be found in the proceedings of the Tuscaloosa Presbytery, Alabama for 1850. Under this lively and interesting minister, these churches received rather a different impulse from that which had been hitherto given them. Sabbath Schools were instituted and benevolent enterprises begun. There is yet extant a sermon delivered before a "Ladies Association"organized by Mr. Cater for the education of young men in the ministry ; and another preached as a funeral discourse on the death of a respected elder of Willington. Many interesting camp-meetings were held at both churches, adding in a few years valuable members in the church. In these meetings Mr. Cater was generally assisted by his brother-in-law, Rev. Henry Reid, and the writer remembers as a child, how the deep organ-like tones of the latter seemed to vibrate over the solemn assembly gathered under the leafy arbour, harmonizing so well with the pathos. and argumentative pleadings of the speaker, while the rich musical voice of the other fell on the air like the sound of some silver trumpet.
" So soft, so clear, The listener held his breath to hear."
They were both revival preachers, but especially Mr, Reid, and whatever may have been his ecclesiastical errors, he has without doubt, seals to his ministry in these churches. He was a man of strong feelings and an original thinker, but because of his obstinate prejudices and satirical powers was a bitter controversialist. His irregular course after his return
385
WILLINGTON.
$20-1830.]
from Texas in 1840 is well known to the brethren, but here It was more sensibly felt; as he gathered two small indepen- lent congregations within the bounds of Willington and Hopewell, which since his death have been received as regu- ar churches, but which have created such a diversion in trength as to weaken the whole.
Mr. Reid had preached at Hopewell in his best lays, and had been here a successful teacher of youth; and how after many wanderings, and having buried all his family n Texas, he returned to die in this little obscure church of bis old age, thus quietly closing a life of more than sixty ears, most of which had been spent in earnest labours for he gospel of love.
Perhaps at no period of its existence has Willington church presented a more intelligent audience, or given more striking indications of spiritual growth than during Mr. Cater's short erm of service. At that time were gathered in many of both exes whom the Lord has been pleased to own, who lived as ornaments to society, but most of whom ere this met their imable teacher before the throne. Though so useful in his ninistry and exceedingly popular, several circumstances com- bined to make his stay short.
In 1823, the Presbytery of South Carolina made an attempt It the suggestion of Dr. Barr, and others, to establish a Theo- ogical Seminary after the plan of the Southern and Western Theological Seminary at Maryville, Tennessee, and Mr. Cater vas selected as a suitable person for a traveling agent. Fol- owing the bent of his impulsive and ardent nature, his agency vas undertaken and prosecuted without the advice of his churches. The people murmured at his protracted absences, specially as there seemed to be no effort to supply the defi- iency. At length Mr. Cater met, at an ecclesiastical meet- ng, a young Northern minister whom he engaged to occupy his pulpits for a time. This was Rev. Aaron Foster, of New England, who being employed at this time by the Ladies Benevolent Association of Charleston, as an Evangelist for the upper country, agreed to itinerate for a time between this place and Pendleton village. Things remained thus for nearly wo years, and at each return of the pastor from his unsuc- essful embassy he was constrained to see that the hearts of he people were being won over to the stranger. There were already heavy arrearages in the salary for which the two
25
386
SARDIS-LONG CANE [1820-[830.
churches were bound, and his frequent absences had absolved their consciences from any further obligation in this particular. In 1826, at the suggestion of one who loved him too well to retain him in .a position so embarrassing, he resigned his pastoral charge. Two years after that he was re-elected at Hopewell, but was driven away by an unhappy division in the session. He at one time taught school in Greenville; and his last place of ministration in the State was at old Pendleton, from which he removed in 1836. Judging from his frequent removals, Mr. Cater was less useful as a pastor than as an Evangelist-hence we find his ardent, impulsive, and loving nature, spending its glowing zeal upon building up and form- ing new churches almost to the end of his life." Mrs. M. E. D.
Willington church numbered one hundred and one mem- bers, in 1828, sixteen of whom were added within the preced- ing twelve months, one-hundred and fifteen members in 1829.
SARDIS, and the Lower Long Cane or Seceder Church, which united with the Presbytery in 1813. and over which Rev. Henry Reid was settled, no longer appear on the roll of Presbytery, and may have been absorbed in other organi- zations.
LONG CANE, formerly UPPER LONG CANE. This church enjoyed the labors of its able and revered pastor, the Rev. Dr. Barr, through this decade. From the earliest times the stipends of the clergymen of this congregation had been at the rate of £100 sterling per annum. The congregation was receiving three-fourths of Dr. Barr's time, for which they paid him only seventy-five pounds, which amounted to a fraction over three hundred and twenty-one dollars. For talents such as his, which were of the first order, such a compensation would be obviously inadequate at any time, while that inad- equacy was greatly heightened by the great changes which had taken place in the relative quantity and value of money ; to say nothing of the increased ability of his employees to pay. It was, therefore, proposed at a meeting of the congre- gation called in reference to that specific object, to raise his annual stipend to five hundred dollars. This proposition was agreed to with only two dissenting votes, as also was one to assess the additional sum on the pews in proportion to their previous assessments. It is due to Dr. Barr, and proper to be here mentioned, that this movement was not only without his approbation, but in opposition to his expressed wishes.
387
820-1830.] LITTLE MOUNTAIN-SHILOH-LEBANON.
Shortly after, it was found that there was considerable latent dissatisfaction at this movement which presently evinced itself n ill suppressed murmurs and refusals to pay the new assess- ment. For a short time a few spirited and. liberal-minded individuals continued to pay the new assessment, when find- ing that others would not concur with them, a gradual return to the old assessment became general. [MS. of Robt. H. W.] And thus it is and has been that the stinted support that has been furnished by far too many ministers of the gospel, has discouraged them in their labors, and in their struggles to escape the judgment pronounced by Paul, I Tim. v : 8, " If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel," they have betaken themselves to other employments which have taken their minds off from their chosen work, and made their ministry less efficient than it would have been otherwise. It is a happy thing that this was not the case with this eminent servant of God. According to the statistics of 1829 this church numbered 240 members.
LITTLE MOUNTAIN. We do not find this church specifically mentioned in the Presbyterial records from 1820-1830. The Rev. Dr. Barr bestowed his labors upon it for one-fourth of his time. In 1829 it had 39 members.
SHILOH CONGREGATION. " A communication was received from a neighborhood on Long Cane Creek, east of Abbeville village, stating that they had associated together and erected a house for public worship, and that it was their desire to be received by Presbytery as a congregation under their care, and to be known by the name of 'Shiloh congregation,' and further, that Presbytery would grant them such supplies as might be consistent with their other arrangements. The prayer of the communication was granted. Ordered that Rev. Hugh Dickson supply them as often as may comport with his other arrangements." [Minutes of S. C. Presbytery, Vol. I, pp. 132, 133. October 6, 1825.]
LEBANON CONGREGATION (ABBEVILLE.) "The people of Lebanon congregation. on the 5th of October, 1822, petition- ed the Presbytery of South Carolina to be taken under their care. On enquiry it appeared that this congregation was of orderly standing. Their request was granted." [Minutes of S. C. Presbytery, Vol. I, p. 100.] They reported 35 commu- nicants in 1825. This church is said to have been gathered
388
MEMORIES OF THE REVOLUTION. [ 1820-1830.
by R. B. Cater, who commenced preaching under a peach tree at the house of Patrick McMullen in 1820. Mr. McMul- len and his wife were members of Hopewell Church, but too old and feeble to attend the ordinary place of worship. In about a year the church was gathered. It was organized in June, 1821. James Pressley was ordained an elder on the 12th of June, 1822. Thomas Griffin and James Weir were added to the eldership some time after. They first built a small log house and soon after enlarged it. In 1827 they built a large frame church, 36 by 60 feet, which was dedicated on the 27th of February. This house was well filled, and the number of church members gradually increased to 80 or 90.
While enquiring into the history of this church and locality, my informer carried me back from this immediate subject to far earlier times.
" The battle of Lower Long was fought," said my informer, " not far from Cedar Spring (Seceder) Church. The British took General Pickens and Major Hamilton prisoners. When General Pickens was wearied with walking. his guard asked him if he was tired. On his answering . Yes,' he replied, 'Run, then.' Several were killed in this engagement. Dr. Russell, assisted by his wife, performed the needed surgical operations. The next morning a Tory was seen by the wife of Major Hamilton, riding the Major's horse. He told Mrs. H. that her husband would be hung ; but he returned home almost immediately after, being released on parole. The captives, arrangements being made for their exchange, re- turned, but immediately rejoined the army of the patriots. Major Hamilton was in several battles. He was in that of Cambridge. The British sent out a flag which, being red, was fired upon. They afterwards sent out a white one. Fifteen wagons of the inhabitants, who had met together for mutual protection, were crossing the Saluda for corn ; Peggy Houston gave information to the Tories, who came upon the wagoners, burnt the wagons, carried the men across the Savannah and delivered them up to the Creek Indians, who tortured them, sticking them with pine splinters. Matthew Thompson, feigning to be sick, was frequently taken out by the Indians. At length he was permitted to go by himself. He seized one of the fastest horses and escaped. He was pursued for two days, fed himself on the tendrils of the grape and green buds, and at length, in a state of great exhaustion,
390
WESTMINSTER-BRADAWAY.
[1820-1830.
There was little to choose between the raids of the Tories and those of the Indians. They would destroy everything, would rip open feather beds, take the ticks for leggins, sprinkle or salt the feathers with tea or whatever could be found, and destroy what they could.
But in these rough border scenes, revenge of private wrongs the blood revenge was sometimes exacted, irrespec- tive of consequences. It was stated that about forty Indians who had been invited in by General Pickens to a conference were enticed into a house by Robt. Maxwell and John Cald- well, in all six persons, and were put to death. This seems like an exaggerated story, if so, certainly it was by failure of memory . or misinformation. It was added that General Pickens was greatly offended at this transaction.
These traditions carry one back some seventy years beyond the time at which they were rehearsed. They are repeated now because they came to our knowledge while we were enquiring into matters ecclesiastical, because they tend to relieve otherwise dry details, and because the trials and achievements of other times are not without a salutary influ- ence upon ours.
WESTMINSTER .- Westminster and Mount Zion presented, each, a call October 4, 1823, for a part of the ministerial ser- vice of Mr. Benjamin D. DuPre a licentiate under the care of the Presbytery of South Carolina. These calls were · presented to him by Presbytery and accepted. Trials were appointed him preparatory to ordination. These were sus- tained by the Presbytery meeting at Willington, April 1, 1824, and at an intermediate Presbytery meeting at Mount Zion Church May 22, 1824, Hugh Dickson, presiding, and Rev. Joseph Hillhouse preaching the sermon, 2 Cor., 11, 23. " In labors more abundant." He was set apart in due form to the labors of the gospel ministry. The membership of Westminster varied from twenty to forty-four during this decade, and that of Mount Zion was about thirty.
BRADAWAY .- The notices of this church are few. On the 7th of April, application was made by Bradaway congrega- tion, through their representative, to have the sacrament of the Supper administered at Varennes in the course of the ensuing summer. The request was granted and the Rev. James Hillhouse and Joseph Hillhouse were directed to attend to that business." Minutes, April 7, 1820, p. 67.
391
ROBERTS AND GOODHOPE.
820-1830.]
October 4th, 1824, "a call was handed in from Bradaway con- gregation for one-half of the ministerial labors of the Rev. oseph Hillhouse, which call by Presbytery was presented to Ir. Hillhouse and by him accepted." There had been a petition to Presbytery on the 7th of October, 1820, to receive nd acknowledge Varennes as a distinct congregation, under ts care, having formeny been included in Bradaway congre- ation. The prayer of the petition was granted. (Minutes, . 76.)
Mr. Hillhouse appears to have been pastor of both these hurches. On the 20th of March, 1826, a painful commu- ication from the united congregations of Bradaway and arennes, inculpated their pastor for the crime of intemper- nce. Mr. Hillhouse was brought before the tribunal of Presbytery meeting at Varennes on the 17th of May, humbly cknowledged his faults, said that he had resolved to be more ircumspect, and hoped, through divine grace, to be enabled lead a sober and pious life in time to come. Presbytery, owever, suspended him from his ministerial office until they hould have satisfactory evidence of his sincere repentance nd reformation. Bradaway had 52 members in 1825, 1826, 828, in which last year it was vacant. Varennes had 35 in 825-'6. It had 48 in 1828-'9.
ROBERTS AND GOODHOPE .- The Rev. Richard B. Cater, fterwards D. D., was the last of the brethren who supplied he churches down to this period, 1820. From this time nward for a long series of years they were under the pasto- al care of the Rev. David Humphries, whose personal history s thus given by Rev. John McLees, " very imperfectly ketched," says the writer, " from a very imperfect sessional ecord, and from a brief manuscript which he gave to the writer," (Rev. Mr. McLees), "who grew up under his min- stry." "The Rev. David Humphries was born on the 30th f September, 1793, in Pendleton, S. C., his literary studies or a time were directed by the Rev. Andrew Brown ; he then epaired to the Willington Academy and finished his literary ourse and studied theology under Dr. Moses Waddell. He vas licensed to preach the gospel in October, 1819, by the south Carolina Presbytery. While he was visiting and reaching in some of the vacant churches in the Presbytery e received an appointment with the Rev. Thos. C. Stuart, om the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia to visit the
392
REV. DAVID HUMPHREYS.
[1820-1830.
Southwestern tribes of Indians, preparatory to the establish- ment of a missionary among some of them. They set out on this mission in April, 1820. They first visited the tribe of Creek Indians, met them in council and stated to them the object of their visit, but found them unwilling to receive mis- sionaries. They then went to the tribe of Chickasaws and sought an interview with their chiefs who cordially received them and expressed a desire to have missionaries come and preach to them. A site was selected for a missionary station and they returned to South Carolina in July. The Rev. David Humphries visited Roberts Church for the first time in the latter part of the year 1820. A regular call was given him by the churches of Roberts and Good Hope in the spring of 1821, in which $300 was, promised him for three- fourths of his time; he signified his acceptance of the call. and during the meeting of Presbytery one of the ministers who was receiving a better salary than was promised to the young brother, jocosely remarked to him, " Well David you have this day solemnly promised to starve." He was ordained and installed pastor in the same year, at Good Hope, by an adjourned meeting of Presbytery. It was considered a very great effort on the part of these feeble churches, which for years had only received preaching once a month and for which they had paid a very small amount to undertake to support a pastor. The subscription list at Roberts for the Rev. John Simpson was still preserved and it was not likely to be much improved on. Five dollars was the highest sub- scription and from that amount others came down to fifty and even twelve-and-a-half cents, while some subscribed a bushel of wheat or corn, or a gallon of whiskey. Both con- gregations were much reduced by emigrants who had left to seek homes in some other section of our wide country, and especially was this the case with Good Hope, from the bounds of which a few years before a number of families, through the influence of General Andrew Pickens, had re- moved and settled near the Oconee station, and united with Bethel Church, then under the care of Rev. Andrew Brown, and soon after Rev. David Humphries was installed as pas- tor. Another colony left for the West, headed by three of the . most influential elders and composed of several of the most wealthy families. When he first took charge of these churches there were, perhaps, in each some twenty or thirty
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