USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 1 > Part 28
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The BETHEL ACADAMY was an important means of educa- tion, of which many had availed themselves. Rev. Mr. Adams was Secretary of the Board of Trustees, and attended on Fri- day afternoons to hear the declamations and compositions. At this time, Samuel Williamson, a graduate of South Caro- lina College under President Maxcy, was the teacher. There had been schools in this congregation almost from the settle- ment of the country, and tradition makes Andrew Jackson to have received some portion of his early education here.
WAXHAW CHURCH .- John Williamson, of whom we have spoken before in connection with Bethesda congregation took charge of the Academy, which had been taught by Rev. Francis H. Porter and others previously, in 1811. In 1812 he became a licensed preacher, and preached frequently for this church. He was ordained on the 20th of August, 1813. . At this date Alex. Carnes, William Dunlap, George Dunlap, Charles Miller and Robert Walkup, were elders. The congregation is named among the vacant churches of the Presbytery of Concord, in the Minutes of the Assembly which met in May, 1819.
The name of Little Bethel does not appear in the minutes before us, but Yorkville is enumerated among the vacant churches of the Presbytery of Concord in 1819, and we learn from the papers of D. G. Stinson, Esq., that preaching was commenced in Yorkville in 1813.
The Second Presbytery was deprived of that portion of its territory which was below a line extending from Columbia to Augusta, and between that and the sea, in which territory it had before exercised practically little or no jurisdiction. This was now in the newly-constituted Presbytery of Harmony. The fourteenth stated sessions of that Presbytery was held at
280
PRESBYTERIAL CHANGES. [1810-1820.
Edgefield Court House on the 7th of November, 1816. Some intermediate sessions were held at the same place, showing that this was regarded as included within its bounds. The First Presbytery of South Carolina being dissolved on the 6th of October, 1810, the Second was dropped from its title as no longer appropriate, and it received the name of " The Presbytery of South Carolina," which it retained without change until the year 1878. Passing over the line of the Broad River we find no Presbyterian Churches either in the Districts of Lexington or Edgefield north of this line. The preaching station, which existed in the preceding decade on Cuffey Town Creek, in the upper part of Edgefield, was already discontinued, the Presbyterian population having moved higher up and being gathered into Presbyterian organ- izations in Abbeville or elsewhere.
During this decade,
Henry Reid was received as a candidate from the First Presbytery of South Carolina, April 3d, 1810, and was licensed at a meeting held at the house of Andrew Pickens, in the congregation of Hopewell (Keowee), April 5th of the same year, and was ordained May 12th, 1813
Alexander R. Callihan was received as a candidate and beneficiary, April 4, 1810, but his trials were discontinued August 28, 1811.
John D. Murphy was received as a licentiate from the Presbytery of Orange August 27, 1811.
Thomas D. Baird was received as a candidate October 4, 1810, was licensed April 8, 1812, and ordained April 30, 1818.
James Gamble was received as a candidate April 8, 1812, was licensed October 4, 1813, and ordained April 21, 1815.
John Bull was received as a candidate April 8, 1812.
Richard B. Cater was received as a candidate April 8, 1812, was licensed April 4, 1814, and ordained April 6, 1816.
John Harrison was received as a candidate September 26, 1812, was licensed November 1, 1814.
William Means was received as a candidate April 7, 1813, was licensed April 22, 1815.
James Hillhouse was received as a candidate October 2, 1813, was licensed November 14, 1815.
Thomas Archibald was received as a candidate October 2, 1813, was licensed November 14, 1815, and ordained November 7, 1817.
Joseph Hillhouse was received under the care of Presbytery as a can- didate October 4, 1813, licensed November 14, 1815.
James L. Sloss was received as a candidate November 13, 1815, was licensed November 18, 1817, and ordained as an Evangelist, November 18, 1817.
Alexander Kirkpatrick was received as a licentiate from the Presby- tery of Balymena, Ireland, April 5, 1817, and was ordained July 31, 1818.
John S. Wilson was received as a candidate April 5, 1817, was licensed October 9th, 1819.
281
1810-1820.] GRASSY SPRING-LITTLE RIVER.
Darid Humphreys was received as a candidate October 3d, 1817, was licensed October 9, 1819.
James Y. Alexander was received as a candidate October 3d, 1817.
Hiland Hulbert was received as a candidate from the Presbytery of Harmony November 5th, 1817, was licensed November 6th, 1817, and ordained as Missionary Evangelist October 3, 1818.
Michael Dickson was received as a candidate November 18, 1817. Thomas C. Stuart, who had been received as a candidate November 15, 1816, was licensed April 3d, 1819
Benjamin Dupre was taken under the care of the Presbytery as a can- didate October S, 1819.
CHAPTER V.
Of the localities of Mount Bethel Academy and the church of Indian Creek, the predecessor of Gilder's Creek, which, not even in the preceding decade, was traceable in the min- utes of the Presbytery, we find no notice in this.
GRASSY SPRING, in Newberry District, enjoyed still the ministerial services of the Rev. Daniel Gray. He was a good preacher and sound in the faith. The Rev. Wm. C. Davis ascribed the first active opposition to his "Gospel Plan" to Mr. Gray and Major McJunkin. Mr. Gray fell into a " decline," lingered a few years and died between the April and Novem- ber meetings of Presbytery in 1816. Mr. Gray is believed to have been a native of Abbeville District and to have received his education in part there, and under Dr. Doak, of East Tennesse, (MSS. of Rev. J. H. Saye and letter of D. L. Gray.) The Rev. Dr. J. H. Gray and Rev. D. L. Gray, of Tennessee, were his nephews. Mr. Gray did not serve this church through all these years till his death, as its pastor. He was dismissed from this portion of his pastoral charge on the 2d of April, 1811. It was afterwards supplied as a vacant church by Rev. J. B. Kennedy, Daniel Gray, Hugh Dickson, in 1811 and 1812. It suffered very much from emigration to the West. Many of the families in the immediate vicinity of the church removed and the remoter ones fell into the membership of the Church of Cane Creek, which was most convenient to their own residence.
LITTLE RIVER, Laurens District. The Rev. John B. Ken- nedy was the pastor of this church during this period.
DUNCAN'S CREEK was the other part of the pastoral charge of Rev. John B. Kennedy. An unpleasant misunderstanding
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DUNCAN'S CREEK-ROCKY SPRING. [1810-1820.
between one of the session of this church and its pastor was reported to the Presbytery in October, 1817, and an ad- journed meeting of that body was held at Duncan's Creek, one of the issues of which was the reconciliation of the dis- sensions and the restoration of Christian harmony and fellow- ship. It appeared, however, that the reconciliation was not permanent, but the Elder withdrew himself from the worship of God in that church. The case seemed complicated by the fact that one of the same name, a person of standing in so- ciety and probably a relative of the recusant Elder, addressed a letter to the session, declining further church connection with them. But it appeared that this was done when the session were about to call him to account for some immo- rality. Presbytery unanimously reasserted the principle in accordance with the discipline of the church, " that a declina- ture after the commission of an immoral act which called for the discipline of the church is not to be considered valid in any case, and that the church session is clothed with as full power and authority to call the guilty person before their bar to answer for his fault as though such declinature had never been handed in." This difficulty seems to have passed away. The Presbyterial records at least are silent respect- ing it.
ROCKY SPRING, in Laurens District, was vacant through the largest portion of this decade and a petitioner for sup- plies. Messrs. Kennedy, Henry, Reid, John Harrison, Jas. Hillhouse and Thomas Archibald, were appointed to preach to this congregation as temporary supplies in 1810, 1811, 1812, 1815, 1816. Of all these, Mr. Kennedy's are believed to have been the most constant. In April, 1817, they called Thomas Archibald, who had been licensed in 1814, for one- half his time. This call he accepted and he was accordingly ordained and installed at Rocky Spring Church, November 7th, 1817, the Rev. Richard B. Cater preaching the sermon from 2d Tim., 2 : 15, and Rev. Hugh Dickson presiding and giving the charge to pastor and people.
LIBERTY SPRING -The Rev. Benjamin R. Montgomery was dismissed from the second Presbytery of South Carolina to the Presbytery of Harmony, April 3d. 1810, and this church applied to the Presbytery for supplies for its pulpit. On the 6th of April, 1816, a call was presented to Presbytery for one-half of the ministerial labors of Mr. John Harrison, a
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810-1820.] LIBERTY SPRING-WARRIOR'S CREEK.
icentiate under its care. This call Mr. Harrison declined accepting, yet he preached to the church in the years 1816 ind 1817. Says Dr. Campbell, "He was a good preacher, as a young man." He was a native of Greenville, married the daughter of Alonzo Stewart, of Abbeville, and from Liberty Spring removed to Georgia. It was in 1816, during his min- stry, that Dr. Robert Campbell was elected an Elder of this church. The next preacher was the Rev. Alexander Kirk- patrick. He accepted a call from this church for one-half of his labors and was ordained on the 31st of July, 1818, Rev. James Gamble preaching the ordination sermon from I Tim. 3 : 1. Mr. Kirkpatrick was a native of Ireland, of good na- tive intellect, of rather a cold temperament, a didactic and argumentative preacher, a man of great diffidence, good hu- mor and benevolence. He married a daughter of Wm. Ligon. John McGowan, Robert Hollingsworth and Alexan- der Austin, were elected Elders under the ministry of Mr. Kirkpatrick. One of the old Elders had died and two had removed to the West. (MSS. of Dr. Campbell and minutes of Presbytery.)
WARRIOR'S CREEK .- At the 38th regular session of the Presbytery of South Carolina, held at Good Hope from Octo- ber I to October 3, 1818, the congregation of Warrior's Creek, about seven or eight miles north of Laurensville, in Laurens District, was received under the care of that body, but no information as to the supply of its spiritual wants is recorded, save that in 1818-19, it is associated with Liberty Spring as under the care of Alexander Kirkpatrick.
RABOURN'S CREEK congregation received supplies during the decade. Jas. Gilliland, Wm. H. Barr, John Harrison and Jas. Hillhouse were appointed as supplies in 1810 and 1811. It is only in the earlier years of this period that the appointments of supplies are recorded, and when they are noted, the appointees are directed to preach so many times, at their own discretion, the places where, not being indicated, so that those fragmentary notices of vacant congregations are very unsatisfactory.
UNION PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (formerly Brown's Creek.) The Rev. Daniel Gray continued to preach to this church in connection with Fairforest, until his death, which occurred in 1816. He was succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Hillhouse, who gave a portion of his labors to this congregation while settled
284
UNION-CANE CREEK.
[1810-1820.
at Fairforest. During his ministry he commenced preaching statedly at Unionville. At what exact period this began we are not informed. It may have been near the end of this de- cade or soon after. The members of the church thought it proper to abandon their place of worship in the country and build a house of worship in the village. The lot on which the church edifice stands was given by Mr. Alexander Macbeth, George Brandon and Abram McJunkin, were ordained Elders by Mr. Hillhouse, after he began preaching at Unionville, probably about IS19. (MSS. of Rev. J. H. Saye.)
CANE CREEK CHURCH is ten miles from Unionville near the road leading from the latter place to Columbia and nearly equi distant from Broad and Tyger Rivers. "It was formed about the year 1809 by a few members of the old Grassy Spring church uniting with a few from Brown's Creek. They purchased from Mr. Spilsby Glenn the building now called Cane Creek Church. It had been erected by the Society of Friends, and from them Mr. Glenn had purchased it be- fore it came into the hands of the Presbyterians. The land upon which the church stands was purchased from Mr. Isaac Hawkins, the agent of the Society of Friends and contains in the whole about ten acres. The names of the persons who came from the Grassy Spring. Church and united in forming the Cane Creek Church are the following, viz. : Maj. Samuel Otterson and his wife, Ruth, Henry Walker and his wife Mary, Mrs. Samuel Lay, James Dugan, Esq., and his wife, Frances, Jeremiah Hamilton and his wife, Mrs. Rebecca Bu- ford, James Otterson, widow Brummit, Miss Ruth Otterson, Robert Crenshaw, Sen., and Robert Crenshaw, Jr., and one other. The following are the names of the members who came from the Brown's Creek Church, viz .: Maj. Joseph Junkin, elder, and his wife Ann, John Cunningham and his wife Ellen, Miss Jane McJunkin, Abram McJunkin and his wife Margaret, making, in the whole 23. Soon after the pur- chase of the land and building the services of the Rev. Daniel Gray were secured as a stated supply for one-fourth of his time. He preached here two years, during which Mary and Thany Otterson, daughters of Maj. S. Otterson, and Mary Buford became members of the church. Majors Otterson and McJunkin officiated as Ruling Elders and constituted the session at this period. From 1811 to 1816 the church was almost entirely destitute of preaching. Sometimes a sermon
285
FAIRFOREST.
1810-1820.]
was preached by a minister of the Methodist denomination who came by invitation. And when no minister could be procured, the Elders and members frequently met for prayer, praise, and the reading of the Scriptures. In the mean time occasional supplies were sent by Presbytery. In November, 1816, a petition was preferred to Presbytery for supplies and Mr. William Means, a licentiate, served this church as a stated supply for six months. From this time onward till 1620, the church had supplies only occasionally." [From the Records of Cane Creek Church. ] The country around was originally settled mostly by Quakers. The house of worship as we have seen was built by them. In the first years of the present century they left the country and went to Ohio and Indiana. The original purchasers of the house unfortunately allowed other denominations to occupy it in common until nothing but a forcible expulsion would induce them to relinquish what they claim as their right. Under
these circumstances the church eventually erected a house of worship about seven miles west of Cane Creek Church where the ordinances of the Gospel are statedly dispensed." The above is extracted from the records of the session. But it is probable that the persons stated in the preceding sketch, to have formed the Cane Creek Church did not regard them- selves at the time as uniting in a duly organized church capacity, but as merely making arrangements for sustaining Gospel ordinances. They were regarded, those especially from Brown's Creek. as still .members of that church, and it may have been so with those from Grassy Spring. (MSS. Mr. Saye.)
FAIRFOREST CHURCH .- The Rev. Daniel Gray continued in this pastorate until his death in 1816. He fell into " a decline," and the last few years of his life were years of suf- fering and weakness. He was a good preacher and sound in the faith. The church was disturbed during his ministry by the errors of Wm. C. Davis, and at the meeting of Presby- tery, April 3d, 1811, Mr. Gray informed this body that a number of persons in the congregation had imbibed the prin- ciples set forth in "The Gospel Plan," written by him, and souglit to be directed by Presbytery as to his treatment of these persons. Dr. Waddel and Mr. Brown were directed to prepare a letter, to be addressed to that congregation, stating to them the light in which Presbytery viewed this matter.
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FAIRFOREST.
[1810-1820.
The letter was submitted to Presbytery, was approved and forwarded, and was as follows :
" DEAR FRIENDS AND BRETHREN : The Presbytery of South Carolina have learned with unfeigned regret that some members of your society have viewed certain steps taken by the Presbytery, at their last sessions, as being rather rigid. They feel it as their duty towards those of Christ's household to use their endeavors to preserve both the peace and purity of the church, and are sorry to understand that there are any symptoms of discord among the members of a society once so respectable. In present circumstances, though far from desiring to lord it over God's heritage, yet we consider it as not transcending the bounds of our duty to admonish you to mark and beware of those unstable per- sons who cause divisions among you, and endeavor, by- every proper and prudent method, to reclaim them. The elders we exhort to treat such with all due lenity consistent with the purity of the church ; and should it be deemed proper or necessary in order to reduce the tempo- ralities of your church to a state of greater regularity. as well as to ascertain the number of those among you who are still disposed to adhere to and support the principles of the church to which we belong, we recommend that a new subscription be opened and the members invited in that way to testify their sentiments. Should any member, after subscribing in the manner proposed, afterwards evince himself to be an advocate for error, we do recommend that he be dealt with as the discipline of our church directs in cases of error. Finally, brethren, we admonish you to endeavor to stand fast in the faith, striving together in prayer to God for his direction and protection, and may the God of peace and the peace of God be with you.".
Mr. Gray was succeded in the pastorship of this church by Rev. Joseph Hillhouse, who was brought up in Anderson District, received his classical studies at the academy at Va- rennes, and finished his course of preparatory studies with Dr. Waddell at Willington. A call for one-half of his min- isterial services was laid before Presbytery at its twenty-fourth stated sessions, November 13, 1816, and he was ordained at Fairforest on the 19th of July, 1817, Rev. John B. Kennedy preaching the ordination sermon from Col. 4 : 17, Dr. Wad- dell presiding and delivering the charge to the newly-ordained pastor and people. Mr. Hillhouse also preached at Brown's Creek, and began to preach statedly at Unionville. During his ministry a new brickhouse of worship was erected at Fairforest. Under his ministry the congregation of Brown's Creek erected a house of worship at Unionville. Mr. William Means also preached in this church, probably before Mr. Hillhouse, but from debility he abandoned the ministry and was never ordained. From the period of the settlement of Mr. Hillhouse, things began to assume a more favorable aspect. The ordinances of God's house were strictly attended
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287
NAZARETH.
1810-1820.]
to, and now and then a repenting returning sinner was found. No very visible outpouring of the Spirit was observed until about the beginning of April, 1818, when an unusual solem- nity was perceived to prevail in the assembly which usually attended. Many hearts were filled with grief at the recol- lection of their past ingratitude. Many sought to obtain a seat at the table of the Lord, whom, by their sins, they had pierced. In the last of May twenty-five publicly professed their attachment to Christ and his cause; and in August, at another communion, twenty-eight more separated themselves from the world to follow after the Lord; thus making an aggregate of fifty-three, in four months, who have made a public, and, in most instances, a hopeful profession." ( Letter dated Union District, S. C., October 14, 1818, addressed to the Weekly Recorder, and republished in the Religious Intel- ligencer, New Haven, of November, 1818.) Fairforest has been blessed with an eldership of no common excellence. Among them was Gen. Hugh Means, the son of James Means. one of the early settlers, the second child born in the settle- ment. His mother died soon after his birth, and he was nursed by Mrs. Story with her own son, George. He entered the service of his country at an early period, and won distinc- tion on various occasions; especially at the battle of the Cow- pens, where he was a lieutenant in the company of Captain Patton. He commanded a regiment in the war of 1812. After the close of the revolutionary struggle he was distinguished by his energy and kindness in providing for the pressing necessities of the widows and orphans of his fallen comrades. He was chosen a ruling elder at an early period of life, and discharged the duties of his office much to the edification of the church. He was an earnest and devout Christian, and a whole-souled man and neighbor. His posterity is numerous, but all scattered through the regions of "The far West." There were other elders whose useful lives extended into the times subsequent to this, and whose names deserve to be remembered. [MSS. of J. H. Saye and Minutes of Presbytery.]
NAZARETH CHURCH, Spartanburg District. This church flourished much under the pastoral labors of Rev. James Gilliland, Jr, who was a lively preacher, a good scholar and popular in his manners. At the meeting of Presbytery in April, 1815, he and Rev. Daniel Gray obtained leave to travel beyond the bounds of Presbytery during the Summer. And
288
FAIRVIEW.
[1810-1820
it appears to have been the understanding that every minis- ter traveling abroad should do so with the consent of Presby- tery, and bearing credentials attested by the stated clerk or by the presiding Moderator and clerk. At the meeting No- vember 13th, 1816, a letter was received from him stating his removal beyond their bounds, suing for a dismission from his pastoral relation with Nazareth, accompanied with his account book and the moneys held by him as the Treasurer of Presbytery. These accounts were audited and found cor- rect, the Commissioner of the congregation was heard, and Mr. Gilliland was regularly dismissed, and the congregation now declared a vacancy in good standing, having fulfilled all its contracts with its pastor. On the 3rd of April they applied for one-half the labors of the licentiate William Means for one year, this application was accepted by him. He perhaps had served them before in the same capacity, for he is said to have served them four years after the dismission of Mr. Gilliland until 1820. [Minutes and MSS. of Rev. R. H. Reid. ] Mr. Gilliland removed to Mississippi after having rendered the country very efficient service in the pulpit and the school- room where many eminent men were his pupils.
FAIRVIEW CHURCH. This church was under the charge of Rev. James Gilliland jointly with Nazareth until September 28, 1812, when Mr. Gilliland applied for a dismission and was directed to cite his people to appear by their commissioner at the next meeting to show cause (if any) why the dismis- sion should not be granted. As neither Mr. Gilliland nor any commissioner appeared, the business was laid over. James Hillhouse, Thomas Archibald, Joseph Hillhouse and Alexan- der Kirkpatrick were subsequently appointed by Presbytery as supplies. The statement we have received is, that the Rev. Hugh Dickson took charge of the congregation at the Fall meeting of Presbytery in 1814 a fourth of his time at a salary of 75 dollars, was succeeded by James Hillhouse at the Spring Presbytery of 1816, that on the 3rd Sabbath of October he resigned and was succeeded by Rev. Thos. Archibald who preached until the Spring Presbytery of 1817, then the Rev. Alexander Kirkpatrick, a native of Ireland, preached from June, 1817, to May. ISIS. And during this period the Rev. Thomas D. Baird, from Ireland occupied the pulpit some por .. tion of the time. During this decade Dr. Thomas W. Alex- ander, Lindsay A. Baker, were elders, and James Peden about
289
1-1820.]
N. PACOLET-MILFORD-SMYRNA.
1 year 1816. (Brief history compiled by a committee of the arch.) The regular sessions of the Presbytery of South olina were held at this church on the Ist of April, 1814, gi the 7th of October, 1819.
NORTH PACOLET. James Gilliland, Jr., was appointed by isbytery to supply this church in 1810, 1811, 1812; Dan- Gray, in 1810, and Thos. Archibald, in 1817. The brief ement made to us in 1853 is, "In 1817 Rev. Braynard and Hillhouse labored as pastors, during whose service A. F. kson and his wife, A. Cunningham and his wife, S. Caruth and E. Scott, W. Kelso, Jr., and his wife, and J. and P. lso became united with the church."
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