USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 1 > Part 35
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Mr. Morgan officiated at first in the old "King's Church"- St. David's-that had been built by royal bounty in Colonial times. Among the old settlers there were a few Episcopalians on the east side of the river, in Marlborough District, and perhaps a scattered few in Chesterfield.
As the prospects of the town brightened the Episcopalians claimed the church building as " heirs presumptive," and after some ineffectual struggles the Presbyterians withdrew, as did also the Baptists, who had for many years used the church as a preaching station.
Mr. Morgan's adherents were called Presbyterians, and went to considerable expense in repairing the old church edifice, which they found in a very dilapidated and ruinous condition.
From their citizenship, and disbursements upon the church, they considered their title to the building paramount to all others, and were disposed to exclude traveling preachers, especially the Baptists, who regarded their prescriptive rights as better than the claims of the new comers.
The contention at times resulted in scenes that were obnox- ious to the charge of indecorum, at least on the Sabbath day. 23
354
REV. N. R. MORGAN-BOILING SPRINGS. [ 1820-1830.
On one Sabbath a public appointment was made for a Bap- tist preacher, without the consent or knowledge of Mr. Mor- gan, and when his friends were apprised of it, they determined to have a struggle for the pulpit.
In the morning one of Morgan's men was stationed on an eminence at some distance from the church, by the cannon of the town, with a lighted match in his hand ready to make a quick and loud report if the Morgan party were victorious. The hour for preaching found Morgan's men in possession of the avenues to the pulpit, and when they opened their column to let him pass up, the white handkerchief was waived-the concerted signal-and bang went the gun !
After the Presbyterian's withdrew from Episcopal founda- tions and Baptist invasions, they had more peaceable times.
Mr. Morgan then conducted his public religious services on Sabbath in the " upper room" of the Male Academy, a spacious building that had been erected by the proprietors and citizens of the place.
After Mr. Morgan's removal, say in 1826, the Rev. Urias Powers, a missionary from a Presbyterian Society in Charles- ton, succeeded him. Mr. Powers continued to officiate in the "upper room " till the present church edifice of the Presby- terians was so far finished as to afford a shelter to his little flock.
On the 10th of March, 1828, he organized a Presbyterian Church, consisting of twenty members, most of whom are now (1853) dead, and the few survivors have emigrated, every one to the West and South. The Ioth day of April, 1830, is the earliest date of our regular church records. [MSS. of J. C. Coit.]
BOILING SPRINGS (BARNWELL DISTRICT.)-It is the testimony' of Dr. Hagood, elder of the church at Barnwell C. H., that a Mr. Weeks preached in a church built by a Mrs. Stone in Dr. Hagood's youth, before the church at Boiling Springs was built. This last church was built in 1824. The other church was given by Mrs. Stone to the Baptists. But the religious condition of this community will be better under- stood from the following extract from a letter of the Rev. Samuel H. Hay to the author :
CAMDEN, September 17th, 1878.
My dear Dr Howe :
I received your letter yesterday evening, and hasten to give you whatever information I have with reference to the organization of the Presbyterian Church at Boiling Springs, and the building of a house of worship at Barnwell C. H.
355
COLUMBIA.
1820-1830.]
Boiling Springs was a little village, consisting of a few families, which owed, whatever importance it had, to its healthfulness, and to its hav- ing been, for many years, the seat of a flourishing academy. My father began its settlement by making it his place of abode about the year 1820. I remember that ministers from New England visited the place, from time to time, when I was a child, and were my father's guests. They preached in the academy. About 1827 or 1828, Mr. Samuel V. Marshall a Kentuckian, a graduate of Princeton, a licentiate, lavoured for some time at Boiling Springs. His preaching was blest and several were hopefully converted. Dr. Talmage then pastor of the church at. Augusta, Ga , visited the place, received some into the church upon pro- fesson of faith and administered the sacrament of the Lord's supper. A comfortable house of worship was erected a short time after this. and was irregularly supplied by ministers from abroad. Rev. Edward Palmer, pastor of Stony Creek Church for several years, visited Boil- ing Springs and preached and administered the sacrament there. He received me as a member of the Presbyterian Church. This was done by a kind of evangelistic authority, as is the case when no organized church as yet exists.
CHAPTER IV.
COLUMBIA .- The affairs of this church moved on with re- gularity till the beginning of this decade. The session being much reduced by the death of its members, it was resolved to nominate V. D. V. Jamieson, M. D., and Mr. William Law as candidates to fill the office of Ruling Elder. This nomin- ation made by the still existing session, being confirmed by a vote of the members, they were solemnly set apart by ordina- tion on the 8th of July, 1820. Dr. Jamieson had been elec- ted in 1804 to the legislature from Orange Parish. He was returned again in 1818, his consent being first obtained, he was inducted into the eldership. He resided at one time in the neighborhood of Orangeburg, again in St. Mathews Parish, but had been a member of the Presbyterian Church in Col- umbia since 1805. The term for which Dr. Henry was elec- ted was to expire on the, Ist of November, 1821. On the 28th January it was unanimously agreed to renew the en- gagement for a second term to begin with the first of the next November.
About this period the plan began to be formed of building a parsonage. The lot immediately in front of the church was secured at a cost of $1,000, contracts were entered into for erecting a suitable building of brick upon it, the whole cost of the building and lot was considerably over $8,000, and after all that could be raised by subscription an incubus of
356
COLUMBIA.
[1820-1830.
debt was left resting upon the congregation which was a vex- atious trouble for a considerable time.
As Mr. Henry's second term of service drew near its close, a meeting of the members and pewholders was called to enter into an election of a pastor. This meeting was moderated by the Rev. Robert Means. . Mr. Henry was renominated for a third triennial period and was elected by a majority of twenty- eight votes. His salary was reduced to $1,500 with the use of the parsonage. Mr. Henry saw fit for various reasons to decline the call, and accordingly sent his letter of resigna- tion to a meeting of the congregation held on the 9th of De- cember, 1823, which resignation was accepted by the con- gregation. In connection with this resignation, Mr. Law re- signed the office which he held as Ruling Elder, and with- drew from active duties until invited to resume them in the year 1831. On the 16th of December, 1823 the Rev Robt. Means was chosen as a temporary supply for the pulpit.
Thus terminated the connection of Dr. Henry with this church, which had continued for a period of five years and two months. Notwithstanding some notes of opposition in the latter part of his stay which resulted in his separation from the church, it cannot be questioned that his labours were much blessed, and the church much enlarged through his in- strumentality. Seventy members had been admitted during the period of his ministry for the larger number of whom were received upon profession of their faith.
On the 5th of January, 1824, Mr. Means consented to serve as a temporary supply, and on the 3d of March, was elected pastor for the term of three years. The following persons, Thomas Wells, M. D., James Young, and Robert Mills, were elected and ordained as elders, and took their seats in session for the first time on the 12th of June, 1824.
The debt incurred in building the parsonage had never been liquidated. It was sold to the Rev. Mr. Means and has passed as private property into other hands.
The division of the burial ground into lots and the sale of them was the occasion of animosities not soon allayed, but it has prevailed, except to those unable to pay, till the present day. It gave rise to a suit in law against the church, which by the decision of C. J. Colcock, judge, was decided in its favor.
On the third of June, 1825, letters of dismission were given
357
BETHESDA, CAMDEN.
820-1830.]
by the Session to Zebulon Rudolph, one of the Ruling El- lers, to connect himself with the Baptist Church. The term or which Mr. Means was elected expiring in March, 1827, a meeting was held of the members and pew holders on the 9th of May, 1826, in anticipation of it. By the nomination of the Session, Mr. Means was duly re-elected for a second erm. The salary was fixed at $1,500 with what the pew ents should yield beyond, provided it should not exceed 62,000. This call Mr. Means saw fit to decline. The Session vere instructed to obtain temporary supplies, and the Rev. ohn Rennie was invited by them and took charge in this capacity on the first Sabbath in June, 1827. Mr. Rennie was elected pastor on the 25th of October following, at a salary of $1,500.
On the 8th of November, 1828, a deed of gift of a lot of and was executed by Col. Abraham Blanding, for the pur- bose of erecting a Lecture and Sabbath School Room. A brick building forty feet by twenty-three feet and one story n height was erected thereon at a cost of $800, which was completed and occupied in the early part of 1829.
At the annual meeting on May 11, 1829, the Sabbath school was taken under the care of the Corporation and a committee of five was appointed to direct it and to report annually .*
BETHESDA CHURCH (Camden.)-This church had been for some time vacant. At a meeting held on the 20th of Janu- try, 1820, it was resolved to employ the Rev. Austin Dickin- son, who was born in Massachusetts, a graduate of Dartmouth College in 1813, who was educated partly at Princeton in 1818, and at Andover, to supply the pulpit for the winter. He labored with great acceptance to the congregation, and his services were followed by the divine blessing. He after- wards established himself in New York where he conducted, as its editor, the National Preacher. In 1831 he visited England, chiefly for the recovery of his health, and as the companion of Rev. Mr. Nettleson. and preached nearly every Sabbath. His last enterprise was an endeavor to enlist the secular press in communicating religious intelligence and
* The Female's Auxiliary Missionary Society of this church contribu- ted to the Synodical Missionary Society in 1829, $100. The whole con- tributions of the church to that Society during this year was $615.59. Third Annual Report of said Society, January, 1823.
358
BETHESDA, CAMDEN.
[1820-1830.
exerting its influence in favor of truth, virtue and true happi- ness. He was not ordained until 1826. He therefore was but a licentiate when he preached in Camden. In the midst of his efforts, through the secular press, which attracted at- tention by the direct, graphic and impressive style in which he clothed his thoughts, he was smitten by death on the 14th of August, 1849, in the 59th year of his age. He was ear- nestly entreated to settle in Camden, but ill health prevented any stated service in the ministry. His " life was one long disease."
During the spring of 1820, the church was visited by Rev. John Joyce, who entered into a temporary engagement to supply the pulpit.
After some months the congregation increased so rapidly that it was deemed necessary to build a larger church in a more central situation. On the 20th of July, 1820, Messrs. William Ancrum, Jas. K. Douglas and Alex. Young were elected a building committee. At a meeting held on the 12th of February, 1821, the Rev. John Joyce was unanimously invited to take the pastoral charge of this congregation for three years, at a salary of $1200. Mr. Joyce accepted the in- vitation on condition that he should be allowed to travel dur- ing the months of July, August and September.
At a meeting held on the 15th of December, 1822, Mr. Joyce resigned his charge, in accepting which resignation the church tendered to him their thanks for the able, elo- quent and faithful discharge of his pastoral duties while resi- dent with them.
About this time the church was finished and a neat edifice it was, costing $14,000. All the arrangements were made to meet the peculiar views of Mr. Joyce, and great was the dis- appointment when he changed his purposes and did not re- turn to occupy the building expressly erected to suit his notions. His remark that a handsome church in any town, village or city, gives character to its citizens, however true it may be, did not seem enough to justify him in withdrawing his services and leave the unoccupied edifice to speak for itself.
In the month of October, 1822, the church was dedicated to the service and worship of Almighty God, by the Rev. Wil- liam D. Snodgrass and the Rev. S. S. Davis. Mr. Davis con - tinued to preach for some months, and on the 12th of January,
359
BETHESDA, CAMDEN.
1820-1830.]
1823, he was invited to take the pastoral charge of the con- gregation for one year, and on the 23d of September, 1823, he tendered his resignation, to take effect on the Ist of Janu- ary, 1824.
On the 22d of June, 1823, William Ancrum was duly elect- ed a Ruling Elder of this church. After other unavailing efforts had been made, the services of the Rev. R. B. McLeod, of New York, were obtained for one year, beginning with Feb- ruary, 1824. On the 29th of March, 1825. Rev. John Joyce was again invited. He entered on his labors on the 24th of April in that year, and remained until January 1827. The Rev. Sam'l S. Davis was again elected as pastor on the 4th of February in the same year, but, on account of previous engagements, was not able to accept at that time. During the interval the pulpit was supplied by the Rev. Reynolds Bascom, who had charge of the female school in Camden. On the 4th of No- vember, 1827, the Rev. S. S. Davis was again unanimously elected, and at the same time Daniel I .. DeSaussure, William Vernon and Dr. Geo. Reynolds were duly elected as Ruling Elders to occupy the places of Mr. Murray, removed, and Dr. Alexander and Wm. Lang, Esq , deceased.
The Rev. S. S. Davis accepted the call to the pastoral charge of the church, entered upon his duties in the month of January 1828, and continued in discharge of them accepta- bly to the church and the community at large.
In all this history which we have now rehearsed we do not see the usages and order of the Presbyterian Church. The ministers in all these instances were but temporary supplies. They were invited by the people, accepted the invitation or declined it, entered upon their charge or resigned that charge, without any intervention of Presbytery, on the principle of independency, as if there were no Presbytery to which con- gregation, minister, and session were in subjection, and with- out whose intervention no pastoral relation can be ecclesias- tically constituted or terminated. A principle vital to true ecclesiastical government, and contained in that form of gov- ernment which the Westminster standards, and indeed those of all true Presbyterian Churches of other countries, set forth.
The largest membership in this church according to the statistical tables found in the General Assembly's minutes, during this decade, was sixty-one, in the years 1824-1825 ; the smallest forty, in the year 1828. The average member- ship was a fraction under fifty.
360
ZION, WINNSBORO.
[1820-1830.
ZION CHURCH (WINNSBORO'.)-In the excitement and inter- ruption occasioned by the psalmody question, Mr. Ross thought it his duty to relinquish his charge of the congre- gation. The relation was dissolved in the fall of 1822. The church was destitute of the regular means of grace until sup- plied by the Missionary Society of the Synod of South Caro- lina and Georgia, which authorized the Rev. John McKinney, a licentiate of Carlisle Presbytery, Pennsylvania, to minister to them. This was in November 1824. After having served them the short term of nine months he returned to the North. The congregation was again vacant. Application was then made to the Princeton Seminary for a supply. In compliance with this request, the Rev. William Brearly came, and began to preach December 1, 1825. At that time the church num- bered fifty members, with two elders. In April 1826 Rev. William Brearly was unanimously elected pastor. The two elders were Col. Wm. McCreight and Wm. Robinson. On the 23d of March, 1826, a called meeting of the Presbytery of Harmony was held at Salem Church, Black River, which, by request of the Moderator, Rev. John Joyce, was opened by Mr. Brearly by a sermon from John 16 : 9 At this meet- ing he was received from the care of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, N. J., as a probationer under the care of Presby- tery. "A petition was presented in behalf of the churches of Zion, Salem, L. R., and Aimwell, praying Presbytery to ordain Mr. William Brearly as a supply among them." "After taking into serious consideration the destitute situation of the above churches for several years past, and their declining state for want of the regular administration of the ordinances of the gospel, it was resolved that the prayer of the petition be granted, and that Presbytery proceed to the examination of Mr. Brearly with a view to his ordination. Ordered that Mr. Brearly deliver a sermon from Matthew 6 . 10, to-morrow afternoon." [Minutes of Harmony Presbytery, Vol. I, p. 427.] A call from the congregation of Salem, L. R., for the minis- terial labors of William J. Wilson was presented to Presby- tery at the same meeting. The candidates were examined together and were ordained on Sabbath morning, March 26, 1826.
On the 2nd of November, 182S, James McCreight was elected an elder of Zion Church. It is worthy of mention also that Rev. John McKinney, Missionary of the Synodical
361
320-1830 ] SALEM ( L. R. )-LEBANON AND MT. OLIVET.
Missionary Society, had filled appointments at Winnsboro', falem, L. R., and Aimwell. Mr. William I. Wilson had be- towed all his appointments, six in number, upon Catholic, Horeb, and Beckhamsville. [Minutes, pp. 425, 426.]
The statistical tables of the General Assembly indicate fifty - line as the largest number of communicants in Zion (Winns- oro') Church during this decade, and fifty- four as the average. SALEM (LITTLE RIVER) shared with Zion Church in the bors of . Rev. Mr. Ross till 1822, and afterwards in those of Rev. Mr. Brearly till 1829, when Robert Means became its tated supply. It is noted in the Assembly's Minutes as acant in 1826, 1827, and as having thirty members. Its membership in 1829 was thirty-three.
AIMWELL CHURCH, ON CEDAR CREEK .- About 1822, Mr. Ross removed to Pendleton. This Church remained desti- ute for some considerable time, after which it was supplied y Rev. Mr. Mckinney for nearly a year, who was immedi- tely succeded by Rev. Mr. Brearley, who began preaching owards the close of December, 1825, or early in 1826, and. ave to the church one-fourth of his time. Its membership vas thirty-three in 1829.
HOREB OR MT. HOREB .- On Crooked River, Fairfield. From a memorandum found in the hands of one of the elders ve learn that there was an election of elders on the 20th of September, 1820, that John Elliott and John Brown were ordained, and that John Hamilton, who was also elected had een before ordained in another branch of the church. The ast record of baptisms by Dr. Montgomery was on the 13th of August, 1820. The Rev. Wm. Wilson, a Missionary of Harmony Presbytery, began to preach as a supply in the ummer of 1825, and Rev. John McKinney also. During he year 1826, the Rev. Mr. Brearley commenced preaching once a month. On the 27th of September, 1828, John Elliott vas the only elder ; James Brown had removed to the West. ohn Turnipseed was ordained to this office; about this time he members in full communion were about twenty. In the statistic tables appended to the assembly's minutes, the largest membership is thirty.
LEBANON AND MT. OLIVET, continued under the same pas- orate, that, namely, of the Rev. Samuel W. Yongue, until IS28. In 1829, they are represented in the Assembly's tables as vacant, and no longer associated as one pastoral
362
CONCORD CHURCH.
[1820-1830.
charge. Their statistics are not given. On the 12th of April, 1829, the Presbytery of Harmony met at Mt. Olivet church, and the next day ordained Mr. Charles LeRoy Boyd (who had been preaching to three churches since his licen- ture on the 16th of July, 1828. by the order of Presbytery, and at the request of the churches), as pastor of the united churches of Lebanon, (Jacksons Creek) and Mt. Olivet.
Rouse's version of the Psalms was used in the worship of God. Infants were baptised when offered by their parents, whether their parents were in full communion or not. But little is known of the internal affairs of the church for the first forty years of its existence. The traditional account is that it had heretofore experienced no extensive revivals of re- ligion, a few members were occasionally added ; the plan of instruction on the.sabbath was the simple preaching of the gospel. There was occasional examination of the young at private houses, with but little pastoral visitation ; there were no meetings for social prayer, except what was implied in the usual public worship, either at the church or at private houses. When Mr. Younge commenced his pastoral labours he or- dained Messrs. John Turner, David Weir, Joseph Wiley, John Dickey and John Harvey as Ruling Elders. The number of communicants at this time was about seventy-five. David Weir was succeded by his son of the same name. Joseph Wiley by Walter Aiken, John Dickey by James Mc- Crorey. After the removal of John Harvey from the bounds of the congregation, Messrs. James Harvey and Samuel Gam- ble were elected Ruling Elders. Mr. Yongue ministered to this congregation from 1795 to 1829. a period of some thirty- four years. He died on the 8th of November, 1830.
CONCORD CHURCH .- (Fairfield.) This church enjoyed the pastoral labour of Rev. Robert McCollough in connection with the Horeb Church for one-half his time until his death which occured on the 7th of August, 1824, in th the sixty- fifth year of his age. His remains are interred in the burial ground of Catholic Church, Chester District. During his connection with the church, there were added to the elder- ship, Samuel Penney, James Douglas, Samuel Banks, Hugh Thompson, and Samnel McCollough. In 1825, Concord in connection with Purity Church, preferred a call to Rev. Jas. B. Stafford, a licentiate of the Presbytery of Hanover in Virginia, but a native of North Carolina. Upon his acceptance of their
363
BEAVER CREEK.
20-1830.]
ill, the way for which had been thus prepared he was rdained and installed pastor of Concord and Purity Churches. June 7th, 1825, soon after his connection with the church, division occured in consequence of his introducing and sub- ituting Watt's Psalms and Hymns, in the place of Rouse's ersion of David's Psalms. This division diminished its members and weakened its strength for some time .*
BEAVER CREEK .- The name of the Rev. Geo. McWhorter rho was the pastor of the churches of Beaver Creek and Con- ord, appears no more on the records of Harmony Presbytery fter April 19, 1822. He was dismissed to the Presbytery of Georgia. The congregation of Beaver Creek preferred a call or the ministerial labors of Rev. Horace Belknap, which call eing presented to him, he accepted. A committee was ap- jointed to install him, but the committee failed to perform heir office, of which failure the congregation complained. A etter of apology was addressed by the Presbytery to the con- fregation. Mr. Belknap seems, however, never to have oc- :upied their pulpit as pastor, for supplies were appointed for t while he should be absent as a commissioner to the General Assembly, which, however, he failed to attend, and offered 10 reason therefor which satisfied the Presbytery. His instal- nent never occurred, but in November, 1823. he obtained rom Presbytery letters commendatory with the view of trav- eling beyond their bounds .* During the Session of the Presbytery at Columbia in November, 1826, the Rev. Robt. B. Campbell was received as a licentiate from the Presbytery of
# We find this record in the proceedings of Harmony Presbytery March 31, 1825: " A letter from a special committee. of the con- gregation of Concord. praying to be transferred to the Presbytery of Bethel, was received and read. Whereupon, after due consideration, it was
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