USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 1 > Part 26
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A public meeting of the
259
DR. T. C. HENRY.
1810-1820.]
pew holders was called on the 28th of April, 1818 to take this subject into consideration. The result was the appointment of a committee of seven, consisting of Col. Thomas Taylor, Hon. Judge Nott, Ainsley Hall, Zebulon Rudolph, who had before been an elder in the church in Camden, Samuel Guirey, David Thompson, and Dr. Edward D. Smith, to whom was committed the whole matter of inquiring for a suitable candi- date, and when they were satisfied, of conducting all the ne- gotiations for his settlement in the pastorate. By this arrange- ment, the congregation bound itself to submit to the judg- ment of a select committee ; but they sought to protect them- selves by a condition in the settlement which limited the con- tract to a term of three years, when it would expire of itself but might be renewed at the pleasure of the parties. This rule, wholly unknown as it is to the constitution of the. Pres- byterian church, proved afterwards a prolific source of evil, But it was the only check which they could place upon the power which they had unwisely deposited in the hands of a committee to call and settle a pastor at their discretion.
The committee vested with this power and being aware that the Rev. Ebenezer Porter, D. D., then Bartlett Prof. of. Rhetoric in the Theological Seminary at Andover, Massa- chusetts. and afterwards President of the same, was obliged to spend his winters in the South to avoid the rigors of a Northern climate, and supposing that on that account he might prefer a Southern residence, expressed the desire that he would consent to receive a call from this church. In the following November he was chosen President of the Univer- sity of Georgia. Both offers were declined by Dr. Porter, through his supreme devotion to the Theological Seminary with which he was connected. [Memoir of Dr. Porter by Lyman Matthews, p. 75.] They next directed their atten- tion to Mr. Thomas Charlton Henry, son of Alexander Henry of Philadelphia, a graduate of Middlebury College and the Theological Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey, and at this time a licentiate under the care of the West Lexington Presbytery, Kentucky. Though personally unknown to the committee he was warmly recommended by the Rev. Mr. Joyce, then of Augusta, and by several persons in Charleston. Accordingly a letter was addressed to him on the 23rd of June, 1818, which resulted in his being ordained and installed the first Pastor of the church, if we except Mr. Dunlap, who
260
DR. T. C. HENRY.
[1810-1820.
had been ordained here by the old Presbytery of South Car- olina in 1795. During the interval of the five years between the death of Mr. Dunlap and the advent of Dr. Brown, there has yet appeared no trace of the church's history. The Pres- bytery of Harmony met in the town of Columbia on the 5th of November, 1818.
At the earnest desire of the congregation, Mr. Henry passed through the several parts of his trial, and was ordained and installed on Saturday, the 7th of November, 1818, the Rev. Dr. Montgomery preaching the sermon from 2nd Cor. ii : 16, and Rev. Dr. Flinn presiding and delivering the charge to the pastor and the people.
Dr. Montgomery, at the same meeting, was dismissed to join the Presbytery of Missouri. A subscription was set on foot. as soon as the call was made out, to raise the salary. which was $2,000, and to procure a residence. This church was incorporated in 1813, by the name and style of The First Presbyterian Church in the Town of Columbia. The total of communicants reported by Dr. Montgomery was forty- eight ; twenty-six were received under Mr. Henry's ministry before the close of 1819.
The church met with a serious loss in the summer of 1819 in the death of Edward Darrill Smith, M. D., one of its elders, who was greatly beloved. He was descended from the Land- grave Thomas Smith, one of the early settlers of Carolina, was born in the City of Charleston in May, 1778, and was the youngest son of Josiah and Mary Smith, who gave him the advantages of a liberal education. He was graduated with distinction at Princeton at the age of 17, and took his degree of M. D. at Philadelphia. In January 7, 1802, he entered into partnership in the practice of medicine with his uncle, Dr. William S. Stevens, and Dr. Joseph H. Ramsay, and was married in November of the same year to Miss Sarah J. North, who survived him many years, an ornament and ex- ample to all. and universally beloved. In March, 1807, he removed to Pendleton, where the death of his eldest daughter quickened the religious impressions made upon the mind of Mrs. Smith and himself. He joined the Hopewell Church, under Mr. McElhenny, in the summer of 1810, and set up the altar of prayer, without delay, in his house. The solemn covenant he entered into at that time was found among his papers after his death, and is worthy of preservation as an
261
DR. E. D. SMITH.
810-1820.]
xample to others. The chair of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy in the College of South Carolina being vacated y the lamented death of Professor Charles Dewar Simons, who was drowned on his way home from Charleston, he was jected to succeed him, November 26th, 1812, and removed is family to Columbia in January following. He transferred is membership to the church in Columbia, took an active art in the erection of the church edifice; and Mr. Thomas Lindsay, one of the three original elders, having removed to St. Charles, Mo., he was elected an elder in his place. As a Christian, he was much in prayer ; as a college officer, a man f wonderful diligence, methodical in his habits, successful as teacher, and beloved and revered by his pupils. He was of magnanimous and generous nature, sacrificing his own ease or the good of others, a model of manly virtue. He sat at he Lord's table at the communion in July for the last time. On Monday morning he left for Missouri with his friend, Mr. David Coulter ; was attacked with bilious fever soon after his rrival at his friend's house, and died in the month of August far away from the wife and children of his bosom,) where his emains were interred. Great was the sorrow at his death. In he epidemic which had prevailed in Columbia in 1816, his luties in college were suspended that he might bestow his professional labors upon the suffering, to whom he was often he instrument of good.
THE BETHESDA CHURCH, CAMDEN .- The Rev. Andrew flinn having resigned his pastoral charge on the 14th of August, 1809, the church was declared vacant, and a tem- porary engagement for the conduct of its worship made with he Rev. W. Brantly, of the Baptist Church, until a pastor ould be procured.
At a regular meeting of the congregation, on the 16th of October, 1809, it was unanimously resolved that the Rev. B.
On Thursday, February 4, 1819, the Columbia Sunday School Union vas formed. Col. John Taylor, President; Dr. James Davis, Dr. E. D. Snith, Major C. Clifton, and Rev. Prof. R. Henry, Vice-Presidents; Rev. C. C. Henry, Corresponding Secretary ; John Dickson, Recording Secretary ; Andrew Wallace, Treasurer ; Messrs. Zeb'n Rudulph, Wm. Cline, D. Thompson. and Wm. DeSaussure, Directors. On the resignation of Dr. Davis, Rev. W. B. Johnson was appointed in his place. This organiza- ion embraced different denominations. Schools No. 1, 2 and 3 are referred to, and the objects of the organization seem to have been car- ied forward with great system and efficiency. Among the most dili- rent and interested workers in this Society was Dr. E. D. Smith.
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BETHESDA, CAMDEN.
[1810-1820.
R. Montgomery be called to the pastoral charge of the con- gregation, and, finding that the pew rents amounted to about six hundred dollars; that this sum be guaranteed to him an- nually as a compensation for his services.
The Rev. B. M. Montgomery entered upon the duties of his office. January Ist, ISII, and Mr. William Lang and James K. Douglas were at that time elected elders. From this position he was called to a professorship in the College in Columbia. Dr. Laborde says (Hist. of S. C. Col- lege, p. 95) his first official act bears date February 9th, 1810. " In a letter now before me," says Dr. Laborde, " I am as- sured that never was a separation between a pastor and his people more trying. Nothing but the importance of uniting the pastoral relation of the young and feeble church at Colum- bia with the professor's chair in College could have induced him to relinquish his connection with the church at Camden. He was often heard to say that the most sorrowful day of his life was when he left Camden. His farewell sermon was preached from 2d Corinthians, xiii. 11. One who heard it writes that " it was an occasion never to be forgotten by those present. There was not a tearless eye in the church, and many irrepressible bursts of sorrow testified the love and attachment between a beloved pastor and his people." (Ibid, pp. 95, 96.) The parting of pastor and people, when there is even the common bond of friendship, is always painful. But the description reminds the present writer of what was said of Dr. Montgomery by Dr. Leland, lately departed, that " he was capable of great eloquence ; " and by Dr. Campbell, who also departed this life some years since, that the most brilliant discourse he ever heard was pronounced by Dr. Montgomery. But his pulpit efforts were not always equal. Dr. Mont- gomery's stay in Camden was comparatively a brief one. He was elected to the chair of Moral Philosophy and Logic, in the College of South Carolina, November 27, 1811.
The church was again declared vacant, and the Rev. Geo. Reid was called to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resigna- tion of Rev. B. M. Montgomery, and remained until the year 1819, when he removed to Charleston, and the church was again vacant. Various methods we're adopted to keep open the house of God, and to sustain the interest of the people in religious things. At a meeting held January 7, 1819, it was resolved to invite Mr. John McEwen, who was not yet
263
PINE TREE CHURCH.
1810-1820.]
licensed, to read a sermon each sunday at the usual hour of service .* It was dependent on temporary supplies, among whom was Rev. Alfred Wright, afterwards missionary to the Choctaw Indians. (MS. of Jas. K. Douglas.) The num- ber of communing members in this church in 1809 was 33. Other reports made to the Presbytery of Harmony give the total communicants in different years as 39, 48. 52 and 45.
PINE TREE CHURCH .-- The Rev. Colin McIver is reported in the extracts from the minutes of the General Assembly for 1812 as employed for three months, "between Charleston, S. C., and Baltimore, on missionary ground." (Extracts. &c .. D). 12. Mr. McIver was a young minister recently from Scotland, who came into this neighborhood about this time, and preached to several Scotch Presbyterians, both in English and Gaelic, who had settled between Camden and Big Lynch's Creek, and during that year, as our informant says, organized them into a church. The number of members is not known, but the first elders were Daniel McLeod, Daniel McLean, and Peter McCaskill. During his ministry a house of worship was built, near a branch which was called " No Head." by which the church was generally known for a number of years. Mr. McIver preached first at the house of Benjamin McCoy, and, afterwards, at other private residences before the house of worship was built. (MSS. of J. R. Shaw, Oct. 4, 1878.) There may be some error in dates, for we find Mr. McIver received as a licentiate of the Presbytery of Orange by the Presbytery of Harmony on the 9th of April, 1812, accepting a call from the church of Saltcatcher, and was ordained and installed over that church on the 29th of April, 1812. [MSS. Minutes of Harmony Presbytery, Vol. I, pp. 77, 93.]
He must have returned to his former field of labor. In their statistical report to the General Assembly in May, 1844, he is reported as laboring at Chesterfield, Pine Tree, and Sandy Run. He was dismissed to the Presbytery of Fayette- ville, May 19, 1814.
ZION CHURCH, (WINNSBORO')-In 1804 the corner stone of a
*This John McEwen was from Edinburg, had been a student of divinity in the Relief Church, was received under the care of the Presbytery of Harmony February 10, 1819. Presbytery addressed a letter to him on the 9th of November, 1819, expressing their disappro- bation of his performing the duties of a licentiate before receiving license, and forbude his officiating in any manner in a public capacity till authorized by them.
264
ZION, WINNSBORO.
[1810-1820.
new church was laid, which, after great exertions and much expense was finally completed and dedicated to the service of Almighty God in September, 1811. During the period of Mr. Reid's ministry gradual accessions were made to the church and the interests of religion were generally promoted. The Presbyterial minutes furnish but occasional notices of this church, especially in the earlier part of this period.
The church was represented in Presbytery by its session and returned in April, 1812, six additions and thirty-one as. the total of their membership. In May, 1816, Rev. Anthony W. Ross commenced his ministry among them. At the 14th session of Harmony Presbytery, held at Edgefield C. H. on November 7th, 1816, he was received as a licentiate from the Presbytery of Concord; calls were presented to Presbytery from the congregations of Zion (Winnsboro') and Salem, Little River, for an equal dividend of his ministerial labors. A special meeting of Presbytery was ordered, at which Messrs. McCulloch, Yongue, Forster, Mc Whorter, Cousar and Montgomery were ordered to be present for the examination of Mr. Ross for ordination. Presbytery met as appointed, and on Saturday, January 25th, 1817, the ordination and in- stallation took place, Dr. Montgomery preaching the sermon. from Luke ii : 34, and the Rev. Samuel Yongue presiding and delivering the charge to the minister and the congrega- tion. Previous to this Dr. Montgomery, Colin McIver, and John Forster had been appointed as supplies.
The church was prosperous and harmonious under Mr. Ross until a division of ssntiment arose on the subject of Psalmody. Several persons felt themselves aggrieved by the singing of Dr. Watts' version of the Psalms. After frequent correspondence had taken place between the minister and the disaffected members, it issued in a secession from the congre- gation, which secession erected a small church in the village where they could enjoy "liberty of conscience" and sing a Psalmody of their own choice. After some time had elapsed the animosities subsided and different members of both con- gregations frequently mingled their devotions together in the worship of God. (Session Book of Zion Church).
The ladies of Sion Church and those of Salem L. R., made their pastor Rev. Anthony W. Ross, a member for life of the American Bible Society. And a Female Missionary Society was organized in Winnsboro', denominated "the
810-1820.] SALEM ( LITTLE RIVER)-LEBANON. 265
Missionary Society of Zion Church," which is constituted an auxiliary to " The United Foreign Missionary Society."
There was a Bible Society formed also at Winnsboro', known as "The Auxiliary Bible Society of Fairfield District," he object of which was to co operate with the American Bible Society. The names of its officers were David R. Evans, President, John Mickle, John Pickett, John Johnson, William Joiner, Rev. James Rogers, Charles Bell, Rev. Mr. Montgomery. Rev. Anthony Ross, Vice-Presidents, Rev. Samuel W. Yongue, Treasurer, John Bachman, Jun., Secre- ary. Its first anniversary was celebrated on the first of May, 1819. [Quar. Intelligencer of July 21, 1819.]
SALEM (LITTLE RIVER), which had been recently organized, applied at the sixth stated session of the Presbytery of Har- mony. held in Augusta from the 12th to the 16th of Novem- ber, 1812, to be taken under its care. Supplies were at dif- erent times appointed for it, mostly to be filled by Rev. Saml. W. Yongue, until, as we have seen, it united with Zion Church, Winnsboro, in calling Rev. Anthony W. Ross, and shared with it in his pastoral labors.
LEBANON CHURCH, (JACKSON'S CREEK,) Fairfield .- Mr. Yongue was still its pastor. His occupations were much as before, and he was again cited for non-attendance at Presby- erian meetings. He was appointed to duties beyond his own charge, as a supply: for example, to the vacant congregations of Concord, Horeb and Aimwell, and Salem, (Little River). He served both the Lebanon and Mt. Olivet Churches through this entire period. The total membership in the two churches in April, 1813, was 120. The same number is re- ported in April, 1814.
MT. OLIVET CHURCH (OR WATEREE) had the same pastor who ministered to Lebanon. Both congregations were com- posed of similar materials, with few exceptions they were of Scotch-Irish descent ; possessed the same hardy virtues, and were attached to the same doctrines, church order and discipline.
HOREB CHURCH is associated in the minutes of the Presby- tery through this decade in connection with Aimwell, is represented as vacant and unable to support a pastor, is sup- plied by appointment of Presbytery in the earlier part of this period by Messrs John Foster and Yongue. Doubtless the ministers resident in Winnsboro' preached for these
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AIMWELL-CONCORD-BEAVER CREEK. [1810-1820.
churches far oftener than the mere days when they did so in obedience to Presbytery. The Rev. B. M. Montgomery, D. D., began to preach in this church in February, 1819. His regis- try of baptisms begins in that year.
AIMWELL CHURCH (on Cedar Creek) was vacant for about two years. Rev. William G. Rosborough or Rev. Francis H. Porter, who was principal, about 1812, of Mount Zion Col- lege, at Winnsboro, preached for it an occasional sermon. Rev. Anthony W. Ross is said, in the records of the session. to have preached to Salem one-fourth, to this church one- fourth, and to Winnsboro' one-half his time.
A log building was then erected near the site of the present building, which remained in use till a frame building was erected in 1833.
CONCORD CHURCH, Fairfield District .- Rev Mr. Rose- borough, who had ministered to Horeb Church in connection with Concord, died on the 5th of May, 1810. His remains were interred in the cemetery connected with Lebanon Church.
For a year or two after this the congregations were again vacant, though supplied in part by Rev. Francis H. Porter, then residing in Purity congregation. In 1813 they obtained the labors of Rev. Robert McCulloch for one-fourth of his time. In 1814 they secured one-half his time. This arrange- ment continued through the remainder of this decade.
BEAVER CREEK .- We are able to make no statement of the condition of this church in the earlier part of this decade. It had. already absorbed into itself Miller's Church. In the minutes of the 6th sessions of the Presbytery of Harmony, November 12-16, 1812, p. 104, we read that, "report being mide to Presbytery that the congregation of Hanging Rock had become extinct, and the few remaining members had attached themselves to the Beaver Creek Church, whereupon it was resolved that no further notice of it be taken on our minutes." It is recorded ( Minutes. Vol. I, p. 24, of Presby- tery of Harmony) that Rev. George G. Mcwhorter had removed from the Salem Church. This was in April, ISII. His name occurs in the reports to the General Assembly in connection with the united churches of Concord (Sumter District), Mount Zion and Beaver Creek, the total member- ship of his united charge, 102. He seems to have remained in charge of Beaver Creek and Concord (Sumter District) till the end of this decade.
.
267
810-1820.] CATHOLIC-HOPEWELL -- AUGUSTA.
CATHOLIC CHURCH. Chester District .- The Rev. Robert McCulloch continued the pastor of this church through the vhole of this period. He continued to preach one-fourth of his time at Bethlehem, a branch of Catholic, near Beckham- ville, as before, until I811. when his time was wholly occupied by his labors between Catholic and Concord (in Fairfield), which was some ten miles distant. The combined statistics of these two churches are twice given in the Presbyterial minutes : in the spring of 1813. 127 members of the church, Il having been added the preceding year, and 41 infant bap- tisms; in the spring of 1814, the total of church members was 125; the additions the preceding year 16, infants baptized, 31. There had been, therefore, 18 lost to the two churches by dismissions, removal, or death.
This church formed, according the boundaries of the Pres- bytery of Harmony, as settled by the act of the Synod, the outward limit of the jurisdiction of that Presbytery on the northwest.
HOPEWELL CHURCH, Chester, in the only notice we have found of it, during this period, is represented as vacant.
The CHURCH IN AUGUSTA, Georgia, was thrown within the limits of this Presbytery, whose boundary extended thence to the St. Mary's. Of the earliest notices on record of this church we have made mention in preceding pages. The Rev. Dr. Thompson, its pastor, was present at the first meeting of the Presbytery of Harmony, March 7, 1810, in the city of Charleston, and, while his health continued, was an active member of that body. This Presbytery held its 6th sessions in Augasta, from the 12th to the 16th of November, 1812; its 8th, October 28, 1813 ; its 17th, April 17, 1818, and its 19th, April 15, 1819. The church of Augusta reported it had, in September, 1810, 54 members, and had. during the year, baptized 2 adults and 20 infants. In April, 1812, they had added 10, their total was 65, their baptisms the preceding year 19 infants. In April, 1813, they had added 20, their total was 83, they had baptized 2 adults and II infants. In the spring of 1814 they report 4 additions, total of communi- cants 83, and 15 baptisms, infants. Other reports are not re- corded in the minutes.
Dr. Thompson's health seems to have declined in 1817. At the meeting in November of that year, a letter was re- ceived from the session of the Augusta Church, requesting
,
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HARMONY PRESBYTERY.
[1810-1820.
Presbytery to appoint the Rev. John Joyce, who was received at that meeting as a member in good standing from the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia, as a supply to the pulpit of Dr. Thompson during his absence for the recovery of his health. He was accordingly appointed until the next stated meeting of Presbytery. At the next meeting, April 29, 1817, we find the following record : " The Presbytery have learned, with deep regret, that, since their last stated sessions, they have . lost, by death, their brother, Rev. Dr. John R. Thompson, pastor of the Church of Augusta, who departed this life fully sensible.of the approach of death, in the full possession of his mind, and in the triumph of faith, on the 18th of December, 1816, in the town of Nassau, New Providence." Mr. Joyce was appointed to supply four Sabbaths at Augusta, and one at Waynesborough.
CHAPTER IV.
We have now gone through the territory occupied, at this time, by the Harmony Presbytery. A few names of candi- dates or licentiates have occurred in the minutes which, per- haps, have not been mentioned on these pages. J. R. Golding who commenced his trials in this Presbytery was dismissed to the Presbytery of Hopewell. William Houck was licensed in April, 1813, with a view to his laboring among the German emigrants, but afterwards joined the Lutheran Church. Dan- iel F. McNeil, commenced his trials, but was afterwards stricken from the list of candidates. John Murphy, a deacon, say the minutes, but more probably an elder of the Columbia Church and a graduate of the South Carolina College, com- menced his trials for licensure. Hiland Hulburd also, but was dismissed as a candidate to the Presbytery of South Carolina. Alexander G. Fraser was licensed the 27th of April, 1816, and dismissed April 23, 1818, to the Presbytery of New Jersey.
We have seen, that when the Presbytery of Harmony was created, the First Presbytery of South Carolina re- quested of the Synod of the Carolinas that it might be dis- solved and its territory be so divided that the lower part of it should fall into the Presbytery of Harmony and the upper into
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PURITY CHURCH.
1810-1820.]
the Presbytery of Concord. It . was, perhaps, believed that the heresy of Wm. C. Davis would be more successfully dealt with thus than if all remained as before. The upper division included, as we have seen, the Rev. William C. Davis, pastor of Bullock's Creek Church, the Rev. Robert B. Walker, of Bethesda, Rev. John B. Davies, of Fishing Creek, L. Richard- son, the Rev. Thomas Neely. of Purity, and Edmonds ; also the vacant congregations of Waxhaw, Unity, Hopewell, Ebe- nezer, Bethel, Beersheba, Shiloh, Yorkville and Salem. In this division was also the residence of John Williamson, a candidate.
These churches included in this triangular portion of ter- ritory that remained true to us, we must now consider. That which stands nearest to the then existing line of Harmony Presbytery. is Purity Church.
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