USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 1 > Part 6
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" As a scholar, Dr. Buist was eminently distinguished. Possessed of those powers of mind which are essential to the acquisition and communication of knowledge, he was dis- tinguished in very early life as one who bade fair for future excellence. Hence, the first university in the world, for the learning of its Professors and the number and attainments of its pupils, conferred on him the highest honors with which genius rewards merit. His acquisitions of skill in the learned languages have seldom been surpassed, and his acquaintance with the various departments of philosophy were peculiarly distinguished. Indeed, he seems to have been fitted by
57
DR. BUIST.
1800-1810.]
Providence to act in a more enlarged sphere of useful labor than is generally the lot of a preacher of the Gospel. Of this his fellow-citizens seem to have been fully aware, and unanimously called him to the head of an institution, in the conducting of which he has gained to himself immortal honor, and will live in the grateful remembrance of the suc- ceding generation. His place in the College of Charleston may be occupied by another, but there is little hope that it will ever be filled by one so illustrious and successful.
As a minister of the Gospel, Dr. Buist has ever been esteemed as occupying the first rank. This was the depart- ment in which he chose to excel-to which all the force of his genius was devoted-and in which he soon felt that his efforts were to be successful. For, from the very commence- ment of his theological studies, he gave pressages of his future attainments ; and in the societies of his youthful com- panions, laid the foundation of that splendid reputation which for near twenty years of meritorious service, continued to in- crease, and which has procured for him, as a religious instructor, access to the understandings and hearts of the most cultivated inhabitants of the United States.
" To you, my brethren, who have long enjoyed the ines- timable blessing of his religious instruction, it is unnecessary to describe the qualities of the luminous, fascinating eloquence with which he was accustomed to enlighten and arouse your hearts. We have never heard any one who excelled, or even equalled him, in the most distinguished requisites of pulpit oratory, in profoundness of thought, in vivid flashes of imagina- tion, or in pathetic addresses to the heart. There never was a public teacher in whom all these were combined in juster proportions, placed under the directions of a more exquisite sense of propriety, and employed with more uniform success in conveying useful and practical instruction. Standing on the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets, he exhibited the doctrines of Christ in their genuine purity, separated from the dross of superstition, and traced with inimitable elegance through all their beneficial influence on the condition, on the order, and on the virtue both of public and private life. Hence, his discourses united in the most perfect form the attractions of utility and beauty, and frequently brought those into this sacred temple who would otherwise have been found in the society of the foolish or the abodes of the dissipated.
58
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
[1800-1810.
The wavering have acknowledged that his sermons established their faith, and the pious have felt the flame of divine love kindled with greater ardor in their hearts when, under his ministrations, they worshiped in the temple or drew near to present their offerings on the holy altar.
" But divine wisdom has seen meet to remove him, in the midst of his usefulness, from the Church on earth to the Temple in the Heavens. He has gone to give an account of his stewardship ; we are left behind to mourn his loss. Let us pray th it the great Shepherd of Israel may give you another pastor, who will lead you amid the green pastures and beside the still waters, until you shall pass into that blessed state where the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall lead you to living fountains of water, and God Himself shall wipe away all tears from your eyes."
Dr. Buist was married in 1797 to Mary, daughter of Capt. John Somers. She was a native of South Carolina, though her father was from Devonshire, England. Mrs. Buist died in 1845. They had six children, four sons and two daughters ; of the sons, two became ministers of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. Arthur Buist and Rev. Edward T. Buist, D. D., one, George, a lawyer, and one a physician. In 1809 a selection from Dr. Buist's sermons was published in two volumes, 8 . vo., with a brief sketch of his life. Dr. Buist was succeeded in 1809 by Rev. John Buchan, D. D., of Scotland, who was " called by the unanimous voice of the Church, with the approbation of the Rev. Presbytery of Charleston." [Charge by Rev. Robt. M. Adams, in MS.] He was regularly installed by the old Presbytery of Charleston.
THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CHARLESTON.
The number of Presbyterians multiplied in the city and throughout the State. The Church in Charleston was found insufficient to accommodate those who wished to worship with Presbyterians The house was always crowded, seats could not be procured, except by long delay and the neces- sity of another Presbyterian Church became apparent.
Previous to 1811, the First Presbyterian Church was the only accommodation for Presbyterians in Charleston. As early as the year 1804, the necessity of a new erection was felt and the design encouraged by Dr. Buist, then pastor of
59
1800-1810.]
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
the church. The Rev. Mr. Malcomson, who arrived from Ireland in 1894, and had been settled as pastor for many years in Williamsburg, in this State, was engaged to preach for those who wished to form another congregation, and the temporary use of the French Church was procured. His death, which occurred in September of the same year, blighted the sanguine hopes which were entertained that ere long another Presbyterian Church and congregation would be formed. It was not until the year 1809, when the inability to find accommodation in the existing church, made the matter urgent, that the determination was finally and effectu- ally made to enter upon the formation of the present Second Presbyterian Church.
It was on Wednesday evening, February 8th, 1809, that the following gentlemen being assembled at the house of Mr. Flemming, entered into an agreement to unite their efforts to secure a suitable building for a Presbyterian Church, viz : Benjamin Boyd, William Pressly, John Ellison, Archibald Pagan, George Robertson, Samuel Robertson, William Wal- ton, James Adger, Caleb Gray, John Robinson, Alexander Henry, Samuel Pressly, William Aiken, John Porter.
At a subsequent meeting on March 6th, a subscription paper for the support of a minister was presented, when by the subscription of a number present, of one hundred dollars each, for two years, more than a sufficient salary being sub- scribed, a committee was appointed to request the Rev. Andrew Flinn, then connected with the united congregation of Williamsburg and Indian Town, to organize and take charge of the congregation, with a salary of two thousand dollars. That committee consisted of Benjamin Boyd, John Cunningham, Joseph Milligan, Samuel Robertson and John Robinson, who is, in 1837, the only present surviving mem- ber. This invitation, the claims of his charge having been voluntarily surrendered, Mr. Flinn accepted ; when a meeting for the formation of a Second Presbyterian Church was held at Trinity Church on Monday evening, April 241h, 1809. Committees were appointed to attend to the secular business, to purchase a site for the erection of a church and to obtain subscriptions. The first standing committee to attend to all the secular affairs of the church and to purchase a site for the church, were Benjamin Boyd, John Cunningham, Joseph Milligan, John Robinson and Samuel Robertson.
60
JAMES ISLAND.
[1800-1810.
The committee to procure subscriptions consisted of Ben- jamin Boyd, John Cunningham, Joseph Milligan, Alexander Henry, John Stoney, John Ellison, William Porter, George Robertson, James Gordon, William Aiken, William Walton, William Pressly, John Robinson.
As a record of the, munificence of the donors, who were not confined to Presbyterians, it was resolved that the names of the subscribers should be preserved in parchment and deposited in the archives of the church. This parchment though somewhat defaced in one part, is still preserved. By May 16th, the plan of the church was presented by William Gordon, who was appointed to build it, and who immediately entered upon the work. In ISog an Act of incorporation wa; obtained.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JAMES ISLAND .- In 1801 the Rev. Thomas H. Price, of the Presbyterian Church of James Island, was one of the persons who was consulted as to the ordination of Mr. Floyd, and one of the original members of the Congregational Association, organized March 25, 1801, (see p. -. ) yet while the other Churches whose ministers united in that act are styled " Independent or Congregational," this is styled " Presbyterian "
The ordination sermon of Mr. Price was preached by Dr. McCalla, but in what year we are not informed. See McCalla's Works, series IX., vol. I., p. 247.
Mr. Price is reported in the minutes of the Association, through this decade, and was the Scribe of that body, and the Associa ion once met at his house. Dr. Ramsay, also, in 1808, reported this Church as belonging to the Independents, (Hist., Vol. II., p. 18,) but without an act of the congregation itself, this is not positive proof of any change of its original character. The Church was reported by Mr. Price at the be- ginning of this decade to have a membership of 27 whites and 6 blacks. Total 33. At the close its white membership was 20, its black 26-total 46. Mr. Price, himself, originated in the Bethel Congregation in York County, and was a licen- tiate of Presbytery.
We retain the name of James Island among the Presbyte- rian Churches although it seems not to have been fully con- nected with Presbytery until November, 1853, when it was represented in Presbytery by an Elder, Mr. Edward Freer. It had, however, been dependent on Presbytery for the preach-
61
JOHN'S ISLAND AND WADMALAW.
1800-1810.]
ing of the Word and pastoral services. There were other Churches bearing the name of Presbyterian, which remained for a series of years independent, without any direct represen- tation in Presbytery, except through its ministerial supply.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JOHN'S ISLAND AND WADMA- LAW had applied to the Presbytery of South Carolina for the ordination of Rev. James McIlhenny. We have seen (Vol. I., p. 573,) that this Presbytery was divided, and by the division two Presbyteries, the First and the Second Presbyteries of South Carolina were created. The territory on the Southwest side of Broad River, [which as it flows on becomes (on receiv- ing the Saluda) the Congaree, and this (on receiving the- Wa- teree) the Santee. ] in its course to the ocean would embrace the John's and Wadmalaw Islands. The Second Presbytery of South Carolina " having received satisfactory information of the earnest desire of the Church on John's and Wadmalaw Islands to have him ordained at this time to settle among them, proceeded, on the 12th of February, 1800, at its meet- ing at Fairforest, to set apart Mr. McIlhenny to the work of the gospel ministry by prayer and imposition of the hands of Presbytery." Rev. Andrew Brown preaching the ordination sermon, and the Rev. William Williamson delivering the charge to the newly ordained minister, " after which Mr. Mc- Ilhenny, being invited, took his seat as a member of Presby- tery." "The Clerk was directed to write a letter to the Church on John's and Wadmalaw Islands, giving them offi- cial information of the ordination of Mr. James McIlhenny as their pastor, and also on the expediency of having him in- stalled among them if practicable. Mr. McIlhenny soon after, on March 13, 1800, was married to Mrs. Susannah Wilkin- son,* relict of Francis Wilkinson, Esq., Dr. Keith officiating. On the 9th of April, 1801, a letter was received by Presbytery trom Mr. McIlhenny, giving his reasons for absence from the sessions, and expressing his desire to resign his pastoral charge, " whereupon it was ordered that the Clerk cite that Church to appear by their representation at our next stated sessions to show cause, if any they have, why the Presbytery should not accept the resignation of Mr. McIlhenny."
At the Fall meeting, September 24, 1801, the Church ad-
*This was his second marriage. He first married Miss Jane Moore, of Bethesda, York, who lived but a short time, leaving him one child.
62
EDISTO ISLAND.
[1800-1810.
dressed Presbytery, by letter, and the result was that Mr. McIlhenny was released from his pastoral charge, (the reason alleged being " want of harmony between the parties,") and the Church declared vacant. We do not see any other acts of that Presbytery during this decade touching the churches of the Low country. In 1806 the Rev. Dr. Clarkson, who had been a member of the Philadelphia Presbytery, was a licentiate of the same in 1795, and was reported as pastor of Greenwich and Bridgetown in 1796, became pastor of this Church. In 1808 Dr. Ramsay reports this Church as one of "seven congregations which look up to the Presbytery of Charleston for religious instruction," and Dr. Clarkson as one of the " five ministers of which the Presbytery consists." His ministry continued into the next decade.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, EDISTO ISLAND .- The Rev. Donald McLeod continued pastor of this Church. He did, indeed, on March 2, 1803, signify his intention to resign. But on the 19th of March, 1804, they renewed their call, raising his salary to £300, it having been £200 before. The Rev. Mr. McLeod was at this time the stated Clerk of the Presbytery of Charleston.
WILTON CHURCH .- We have seen, Vol. I., p. 576, that the Rev. Andrew Sieele was ministering to this congregation in 1800, and that he removed to Mississippi, and for the reasons there given had devoted himself to the practice of medicine.
In a paper dated April 19th, 1803, mention is made of a Thomas Stewart, who was probably a minister, and served the congregation for some time.
From 1803 to 1807 no record remains to show who minis- tered to the congregation. Previously to 1807, or early in that year, the church building erected in the pine land about three miles from the former site, at the Bluff, and a few hun- dred yards from the road which runs parallel with the Edisto or Pon Pon River, was burned, the fire having communicated to it from the woods.
There is a " notice " bearing dite May Ist, 1807, request- ing the members of the Wilton congregation to assemble ou business of importance, at the ruins of the Church lately burnt. This meeting was held May 21st, when it was re- solved " that a committee be appointed to examine into the state of the funds and property of the congregation generally, and to enquire what would be the cost of rebuilding the
63
SALTKEHATCHEE.
1800-1810.]
Church, and the means whereby it may be done." Mr. Champney, Mr: Ashe and Mr. Hamilton were appointed the committee. The only report of their examination remaining is the list of donors which was published in our first volume, p. 577, which, being without date, was published with the history of the period from 1790-1800; but it is just as proba- ble that it belongs here.
The spot where the Church stood. which was built when it was judged expedient to remove it from the Bluff, is marked by some remains of the ruins and a few grave stones which still stand in tolerable preservation. On one of these is the name of John Berkley, of honored memory, who was - one of the Deacons of the Church; and on another that of Mrs. Maltby, the widow of Rev. John Maltby, who was pastor of the Church from 1769 to 1771. A few hundred yards from this spot are a few remaining signs of the place where the parsonage stood. (MSS. of J. L. Girardeau, D. D.)
BETHEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND CONGREGATION OF PON PON had the Rev. Andrew Steele as its pastor, who seems to have served this Church, as well as Wilton, till 1802, when the Rev. Loami Floyd, who had relinquished the charge of the Church at Waynesboro', Ga., was installed its pastor. Mr. Floyd continued a member of the Congregational Association, and reported in December, 1806, " that the Lord's Supper had not been administered in the Church of which he is pastor for many years, until Sabbath, the 7th of that month, when he had the happiness to administer the sacrament to 14 persons, 5 of whom were whites, and 9 persons of color." (Minutes of Association, p. 49.)
SALTKEHATCHEE .- This church still existed, but after the death of Mr Gourlay, was probably dependent on occasional supplies. They erected a new house of worship, and invited the Rev. Dr. Buist to open it for them on the second Sabbath in May, 1808. On the 25th of November, 1809, they ad- dressed Rev. Mr. Adams, through their trustees, William Patterson, Archibald S. Johnston, and Wm. C. V. Thompson, requesting a portion of his .services, " if agreeable to the gentlemen, trustees of Prince William's. Our funds," they add, "are not considerable, but your labor shall be recon)- pensed." They request an answer " against the commencement of a new year." This church was incorporated December 17, 1808, by the name of " The Saltkehatchee Independent Pres- byterian Church." (Statutes, Vol. VIII. 248.)
64
SAVANNAH-WILLIAMSBURG.
[1800-1810.
During this decade, SAVANNAH, the sister city to Charleston, had received into the pulpit and pastorate of the Independent Presbyterian Church, the much admired and greatly beloved Dr. Henry Kollock, who removed to that city in the fall of 1806, while Charleston had lost Dr. Malcomson, whose his- tory belongs to Williamsburg, in the first year of his residence in that city; in 1804, and his friend, Dr. Buist, followed him to the eternal state four years later.
The Church in WILLIAMSBURG became divided in the way we have described in the first volume, pp. 486, et seq., and 578, et seq. The feud which had been created was not to be healed till years had elapsed and one generation had passed away. The party that retained possession in law, and, also, the title of the Williamsburg Church, had Dr. Malcomson as their pastor till his removal to Charleston, in 1804. The church remained without the stated means of grace for many years, receiving occasional supplies from Rev. Messrs. Knox and Thompson .* In 1809 the Rev. Thomas Ledly Birch, of Washington, Pa., and a native of Ireland, was invited to visit . the congregation with a view to settlement, but he declined coming." (Wallace, p. 88.)}
Dr. Stephenson, PASTOR OF THE BETHEL CHURCH, whose memoir is given in Vol. I, 581, et seq., was a man if peculiar earnestness, faithfulness and piety. The beginning of this century was signalized by extensive revivals of religion in many parts of the Southern Church. They began in Kentucky, in the summer of 1799, but reached their height in that State in 1800 to 1801. Crowds flocked to the sacramental occa- sions, and as the neighborhood did not furnish sufficient accommodations, they came in wagons loaded with provisions, and fitted up for temporary lodging. Camp-meetings thus arose, the first of which was held in Kentucky in July, 1800, in the congregation of Mr. McGready, formerly of North Carolina. One was held at the Waxhaw church, in South
"This Mr. Thompson was from North Carolina, and a man of some excentricity. Dr. McC. and his brother went into the church one day, after service had commenced. Mr. T. drew out his watch and said : " It is half-past 11 o'clock." Having occasion to allude to Dr. Wither- spoon, of Princeton, he interposed the correction : " He is no connec- tion of the Witherspoons here, though-not at all."
+ " Rev. Thomas Ledly Birch was permitted to emigrate to America on account of his sympathy with the rebellion." (Reid's Hist. of Ireland, Vol III, p. 428, Note 45.)
1
1800-1810.] BETHEL CHURCH, WILLIAMSBURG. 65
Carolina, on the 21st of May, and another at Nazareth on the 2d of July, 1802, accompanied with ever memorable re- vivals, and attended, in the case of many, with remarkable bodily agitations. In the summer of this year, a camp-meet- ing was held, following the example which had thus been set, at the Sand Hills, near the road, three miles above Kings- tree, which was attended by the Rev. John Brown (after wards D. D.), of the Waxhaw church, Rev. Duncan Brown, of Hopewell, and the Rev. Mr. McWhorter, of Salem. Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Stephenson's preaching had already been at- tended with happy results to his people. Dr. Brown had just enjoyed a blessed work of grace among his flock, in which Mr. Stephenson, among others, had assisted. He opened the meeting with a sermon in explanation and defense of the re- vival, now becoming more and more extended, which con- vinced the people that the work was genuine, and the wonderful scenes which occured were accompanied by the influences of the Holy Spirit. There were, indeed, doubters and opposers. "The exercises " which attended this revival in Kentucky in a more extreme degree, had accompanied it . in South Carolina, and were exhibited here ; and Mr. Mal- comson did not conceal his disapprobation of these things, nor did Dr. Buist, as the note appended to his discourse on Mr. Malcomson's death will show. The two congregations were intermingled with each other. Their houses of worship were less than one hundred yards apart (Vol. I, p. 488), and they were supplied with water from the same well ; yet Mr. Malcomson's people were not affected by these exercises, nor were the negroes, which is harder to be believed. Mr. Stephenson continued pastor of this church till his removal to Tennessee, in 1808. The Rev. Andrew Flinn succeeded him in the Bethel church in 1808. After a short interval,* he was succeeded by Daniel Brown, of the Fayetteville Pres- bytery, whose ministry was signally owned by God, especially in his labors among the blacks | The only statistics we find of this church are for the year 1802, when it reported to the General Assembly 104 communicants. In about 1806 or
*Less than a year.
. +We find, too, that the Presbytery appointed for this church during this period occasional supplies, viz : G. G. Mcwhorter, in 1807; Duncan Brown, John Cousar, and Andrew Flinn in 1808, and Duncan Brown and John Cousar in 1809.
5
66
MR. MALCOMSON.
[1800-1810.
1807, the Bethel congregation gave up their original site, and built a new house of worship about half a mile distant from the former.
Of Mr. Malcomson, whose name has been introduced in the preceding pages, Dr. Buist speaks in the sermon preached at his funeral, in the following terms :
"There he continued for nearly ten years, discharging with fidelity and diligence the duties of his pastoral office, much and justly esteemed by the members of his congre- gation.
With his ministerial functions he combined (what should always, if possible, be united in remote country settlements, where a physician seldom is resident), the profession of medi- cine, in which he possessed no small degree of skill, and which he practised with considerable success. He also con- tributed largely to the benefit of the district in which he was settled, by promoting the institution of an academy which he afterwards superintended with credit to himself and profit to his pupils. And, at a later period, he vindicated with ability - and success, both from the pulpit and the press, the cause of genuine and rational religion, in opposition to some mis- guided men who wished to maintain that the kingdom of heaven consists not so much in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost as in enthusiastic raptures, and in violent bodily contortions and agitations which they absurdly denominated being religiously exercised. In that district there unhappily existed, long before his residence in it, religious and political divisions and prejudices, too deeply rooted and too inveterate to be easily eradicated; and though his useful labors, upright conduct and very obliging and agreeable manners gained him the sincere and universal attachment of his own congregation and of all men who had discernment to appreciate and liberality to acknowledge merit, he found that the most inoffensive conduct will not always secure from the ' tongue of the slanderer those whom he has resolved to perse- cute, and he experienced, on various occasions, the unhappi- ness of living in a society where, though we are for peace, others are obstinately bent on war. With a view to escape the evils of this state of society, in hope of providing more amply for the education and support of a numerous and increasing family, and induced by the opinion of respectable friends, that his labors as an instructor of youth and a minis-
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