USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 2 > Part 10
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JOSEPH MILLIGAN.
the Charleston Union Presbytery."
472
ORANGEBURG -- I. S. K. LEGARE.
[1830-1840.
Whereupon it was
Resolved, That the Church of Hamburg be, and hereby is dissolved ; and that the remaining members in good standing be directed to join the Presbyterian Churches that are most convenient to them."
The house of worship had perhaps not passed out of the contractor's hands. It was sold at a public sale for a few hundred dollars, and was perverted from the purpose for which it was designed. [Minutes of C. U. Presbytery, 265, 265. 1
ORANGEBURG .- The Charleston Union Presbytery met at Orangeburg on the Ist of May, 1835, at the call of the Mode- rator, Rev. J. A. Mitchell, to take measures for the ordination of I. S. K. Legare, and also, if deemed expedient, to instal him over a church to be formed in that place.
The Presbytery was opened by a sermon by the Rev. Benj. Gildersleeve from Isaiah, Ivii : 14: "Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my people."
On the 2d of May the Presbytery re-assembled and was opened with prayer. "It being understood that a congrega- tion had been gathered in this place who were desirous of enjoying the labours of Mr. Legare, and that they were in the act of preparing for him a formal call, to be presented through the Presbytery, it was therefore thought proper mean- while, to proceed to the examination of Mr. Legare, with the view to his ordination, should the call be presented, and found in order, and be accepted by him.
Mr. Legare was, accordingly, examined as to his acquaint- ance with experimental religion, as to his knowledge of Phi- losophy, Theology, Ecclesiastical History, the Greek and Hebrew Languages, and as to his knowledge of the Consti- tution, the Rules and Principles of Government and Disci- pline of the Church. In these parts of trial the examination of Mr. Legare was sustained." In the afternoon a. sermon was delivered by him from Rev. iii. : 20, which had been assigned him, which was sustained as the concluding part of trial preparatory to ordination."
A call from the congregation at Orangeburg was now laid before Presbytery, and being found in order, it was presented to Mr. Legare, who signified his willingness to accept it.
473
ST. AUGUSTINE.
330-1840.]
It was made known to Presbytery that from twelve to fifteen idividuals, males and females, residents of Orangeburg and icinity, were desirous of being constituted into a church. to e called the Presbyterian Church of Orangeburg, and to be iken under the care of this Presbytery."
" Whereupon Presbytery proceeded to examine the creden- als of such as were members of other churches, and to ersonal examination of such applicants as had not been embers of any church; and being satisfied that the request f the petitioners should be granted for their own good and e glory of God, they were solemnly received into the Church Christ by a public profession of their faith, and set apart a distinct church by prayer.
The church thus formed proceeded at once to the choice of ders. that nothing might be wanting to its entire organiza- on, when it was announced that Dr. Thos. A. Elliott and r. Taylor were unanimously chosen."
On Sabbath morning May 3d, 1835. Mr. Gildersleeve eached from 2 Cor., v. 20. Several additional members were ceived into the church on certificate and the public profes- on of their faith; the elders elect were solemnly set apart their offices as rulers in the church of Christ. The usual restions were then put by the Moderator to the candidate rordination, and to the church, which being satisfactorily swered. I. S. K. Legare was solemnly ordained. to the spel ministry by prayer and the imposition of the hands of Presbytery, when Mr. Mitchell gave a charge to the minister d Mr. Lanneau to the people. The services were closed by e administration of the Lord's Supper, when Presbytery journed."
J. A. MITCHELL, Moderator. B. GILDERSLEEVE, Clerk.
ST. AUGUSTINE .- This church is set down in the statistical bles as vacant in 1830, with a membership of twenty-six, ‹ of whom had been added during the year 1829-30. In 31 and 1833 as having a stated supply and thirty members. 1834 as having forty members, eight of whom had been ded during the year.
Their stated supply was Ebenezer Hazard Snowden, a tive of New Jersey, a graduate of Hamilton College. N. Y., tudent at Princeton Theological Seminary. In 1836 it is
474
WILLIAMSBURG.
[1830-1849).
represented as vacant, with a membership of twenty. In 1837-38 as having a stated supply. In this last year the stated supply was Robt. W. Dunlap, whose name occurs in the Princeton catalogue as a native of South Carolina, and a graduate of that institution. This arrangement seems to have continued in 1839.
The church at Mandarine spoken of before as founded by Dr. McWhirr, is represented as vacant in the year 1836-37-38, and with but seven members.
-
CHAPTER III.
THE WILLIAMSBURG CHURCH .- On a former page we have spoken of the union of the two Churches of Bethel and Wil- liamsburg. It was an occasion of great interest. The two Churches had been at variance, as we have seen, for forty years. Amid much weeping the hatchet was buried, and the old quarrel brought to a happy termination. The next ques- tion was, where should the house of worship for the united congregation be located ? After some discussion it was resolved that the Bethel Church should be pulled down and the new church built near the site of the old one. It was wisely suggested that the location should be at the village of Kingstree, but the suggestion was unfortunately overruled. The next business was the election of a pastor for the now united congregation. Mr. Erwin was unanimously elected. and a call in due form made out for him. He commenced his labors the same fall, and continued them till late in 1832, when he returned to North Carolina. A full account of his life and its termination may be learned from the following note, copied from the " Philadelphia Presbyterian," and from the minutes of the Presbytery of Arkansas, within whose bounds he died :
The Rev. John M. Erwin was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, in the year 1789. His parents were exemplary members of the Presbyterian Church, of which his father, Thomas Erwin, was for many years a ruling eider.
Nothing special is known of his first years, though it is believed that he became pious in early life. He commenced a course of classical studies with a view to the Christian ministry about the year 1810, which he prosecuted for sometime under the care of the Rev. James
475
REV. JOHN M. ERWIN.
30-1840.]
allace, pastor of Providence Church, and afterwards under the care the Rev. John M. Wilson, pastor of Rocky River Church. He then tered Athens College, Georgia, where he graduated about the year 16.
Desirous of becoming a workman not needing to be ashamed and of ing able rightly to divide the word of truth, he entered Hampden dney College, where he pursued the study of theology under the perintendence of the profound and venerable Dr Hoge.
In 1818 he was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of anover; and the next year he became pastor of the Churches of thany and Concord, in Iredell County, North Carolina. Here he mained till the year 1829, when he removed to Williamsburg District, uth Carolina, where he ministered to the Church at Indiantown and ethel.
In 1834 he returned to North Carolina, and preached to the Churches Concord, Prospect, and Centre, till 1839, when he set out with his nily for Arkansas, which he well knew offered no inducements to y who were not willing to endure hardships and self-denial in the rvice of their Master.
Though the period of his abode in the new field of his labors was ort, it was sufficiently long to impress all who formed his acquaint- ce with a deep sense of his worth. He spent the first few months ter his arrival in Arkansas Township, in the northern part of Pulaski bunty. Thence he removed to Taylor's Bay, Jackson County, on lite River. There, by his persevering exertions, during the few onths he lived, he had collected a sufficient number of persons to 'm a church, and had appointed a time for its organization. But He, hose thoughts are not our thoughts, and whose ways are not our tys, saw proper to call him to a higher sphere of action before the ject of his desires was accomplished. He died on the 4th of Noveni- r, 1840, aged fifty-one years.
While it is far from our intention to enlogize the dead, trutli impels to say that our departed brother possessed many rare and inesti- able traits of character, over all of which kindness and courteousness idently predominated.
His intellectual capacities were of that class which, under the influ- ce of correct training and sanctifying grace. generally accomplishes ost for the honor of human nature and the glory of the Redeemer. s mind was clear, judicious, and well balanced, neither fettered by athy, nor carried away by excitement. His education, as has been reeived from the foregoing remarks, was not hurried nor superficial, t sound and correct.
In the pulpit his object was not to win the admiration of his dying low mortals by an exhibition of himself; but to impress their minds th deep reflections of their own condition as lost sinners, requiring ove all things mercy and forgiveness through the atoning blood and rfect righteousness of a crucified Saviour. Consequently his dis- urses were plain and practical, yet on some occasions very forcible d eloquent
A short time before his death he preached in the town of B-, in e north of Arkansas, where there had rarely been any Presbyterian eaching. The next day, an elderly lady, who had not been present, dressed an intelligent lady who had heard him, in these words, Vell, I suppose Mr. Erwin preached you John Calvin and predesti- tion, yesterday." "No, madam," replied the other, " he preached us
476
REV. JOHN M. ERWIN.
[1830-1840.
Jesus Christ and him crucified." This was a correct description of his preaching.
During his conne tion with Hampden Sydney College, he spent a part of h's time giving instraction in one of the wealthy and distin- gnished families in the vicinity. Here, as he has told the writer of this sketch, he often met with John Randolph, William Wirt, and others of that class, and was greatly edified by their intellectual conversation, although the sentiments were sometimes directly at variance with his own.
On one occasion he remembered that their remarks turned upon Pres- byterianism and Presbyterian ministers The latter were denoun ed by the majority as morose and illiberal bigots, and the evidence was summed up by asserting that John Calvin had burned Servetus. Wil- liam Wirt had little to say until they con luded. He then began in one of his peculiarly happy str ins, attracting every eye, and capti- vating every heart In speaking of Presbyterian ministers he used the names of Drs. Rice and Alexander, and cenelded by saying, "Gentle- men, yon are mistaken ; Presbyterian ministers are not bigots. they are intelligent, liberal, and high-minded gentlemen, the ornaments of our land-and as for Calvin. I have studied his history, and if there . was any blame to be attached to him in the case of Servetus, it was the fault of the age in which he lived, and not of the mum."
It was doubtless, in part, owing to his intercourse with society of the above des ription that he had acquired, unconsciously to himself, that ease and affability of manners for which he was so remarkable The first time the writer saw him, he was occupying temporarily, with his family, a dwe'ling of the most humble description. Never before was he so struck with the aspect of real dignity in a log cabin, in a forest. His manners would have done honor to a palace.
As might be expected from his holy and exemplary life, his last end was peace. When he found death approaching, he had his family called around his bed He requested a portion of Scripture to be read, on which he made appropriate remarks-addressing each one particu- larly, telling them that the doctrines he had long believed and preached to others were now his consolation and support as he was passing through the valley of the shadow of death. He then commended them all to God in prayer. A short time after this his emancipated spirit ascended, as we doubt not. to join the general assembly and Church of the first born in the presence of God and the Lamb.
J. W. MOORE.
The next minister was Alexander Mitchell, a native of Argyleshire, Scotland. Dr. McLean, of Cheraw, informed me, says Rev. James A. Wallace, from whom we quote, that he had examined his credentials and that he was on'y a licen- tiate. And, as appears very unfavorable, he passed himself for an ordained minister. Rev. D. McQueen, now Dr. McQueen, "informed me," says Mr. Wallace, "that Mr. Mitchell was a classmate of Robt. Pollock. He was here only a few weeks when he died. Coming during the sickly season he imprudently went out to witness a deer chase and took the fever, which terminated his life. His friends were
477
INDIANTOWN-HOPEWELL, PEE DEE.
IS30-1840.]
written to in Scotland, but no answer was received from them. He le; mt irred near Mr. Covert, having died November 4th, 1832.
Their next minister was the Rev. John McEwen, during whose brief ministry there was a considerable revival of're- ligion. He died on the 3ist of May, 1833.
G:o. H. W. Petrie, (now D. D., and of Montgomery, Ala.,) came next in succession. He was a native of Charleston, a graduate of the College of that city and of the class of 1834 at the Theological Seminary in Columbia. He was licensed by the Charleston Union Presbytery on the roth of April, 1834. dismissed to Harmony Presbytery in April, 1835, and orda ned and installed on the igth of April, 1835, having begun preaching as a candidite in December, 1834. Rev. Mr. Cousar presided at his ordination. Rev. R. W. Bailey preached the sermon and Rev. R. W. James delivered the charges to the pastor and people. He was released from this pastoral charge on the 23d of April, 1836. The congrega- tion then addressed a call, on the Ist of April, 1837, to Rev. James Lewers, pastor of the Wappetaw Church, who was dismissed in due form to the Presbytery of Harmony by Charleston Union Presbytery, but it appears from the subse- quent action of Presbytery that he did not become a mem- ber of that boly. On the 20th of November, 1839, he was dismissed to the Presbytery of South Carolina, having never presented his former piper to the Presbytery of Harmony. [Minutes Presbytery of Charleston Union, p. 2$8 ]
The above facts have been chiefly taken from the corres- pondence of the present writer with James A. Wallace, sub- sequently pastor and historian of the Williamsburg Church.
INDIANTOWN CHURCH .- The Rev. Andrew G. Peden, who had been a student of the Theological Seminary at Columbia was ordained on the 21st of April. 1835, and took charge of this church, which he retained until the 4th of April, 1839, when the pastoral relation was dissolved by mutual consent by act of Presbytery, and Mr. Peden became pastor of the neighboring church of WILLIAMSBURG.
HOPEWELL. ( PER DER.)-At the end of the last decade the Rev. N. R. Morgan was serving this church in connection with that of Darlington. This arrangement continued t ll 1832 when he removed to Alab.una. During his past orate several camp meetings were held, churches were revived and
478
HOPEWELL, PEE DEE.
[1830-1840.
some eighteen or twenty members were added to each. Early in the year 1834, the Rev. Thos. R. English was chosen pastor of Hopewell Church. He was ordained and installed on the 2d of June, 1833, and held this office for two years. After Mr. English, Rev. Rufus Bailey and Rev. Uriah Pow- ers were occasional and alternate supplies till the year 1836, when Rev. Julius Dubose was elected pastor and held this office for two years, when the failure of his health compelled him to relinquish the charge. In January, 1838, the church gave a call to the Rev. Joseph Brown, of Robeson County, N. C., who remained the faithful and beloved pastor of this church and congregation for more than twenty years.
We have spoken before of the early elders of this church. In September, 1832, elder Alexander Gregg died, liaving served five years, and in the beginning of the year 1833 Samuel E. Wilson, James McCown and William T. Wilson, were elected Ruling Elders. Elder William T. Wilson died in 1856, having served thirty-three years, at the age of sixty- two, universally loved and respected, a prince among his brethren, a pure, good, wise and holy man ; as an elder, ten- der, parental ; modest, yet elevated; cautious to reticence, yet bold, strong, firm and profoundly sympathetic ; tall, come- ly, commanding. Elder Samuel E. Wilson removed in 1836 to the Church of Mount Zion, in Sumter District, where, with an exemplary piety and patriachal dignity he long served his generation. It was during the office of these men and the pastorate of Rev. T. R. English that the State of South Carolina was almost rent in twain by the party strife well known as the days of Nullification, when the quiet of the church itself was greatly disturbed. From the close of 1834, when the Rev. T. R. English closed his labors at Hopewell, to the beginning of 1836, during the ministry of Urias Powers, no change took place in the eldership. During the pastorate of Rev. Julius J. Dubose, commencing July, 1836, Col. Saml. Bigham, one of the ruling elders of this church, emigrated to Alabama, and about this time his brother, Daniel Bigham, died, thus making a vacancy in the eldership which was filled in the fall of the same year by the election of William Gregg, William Britt, John McClenaghan, and James McPherson. William Britt and William Gregg both died in 1837 .* It was
* Mr. Gregg was father of Rev. Geo. Cooper Gregg, and grandfather of Rev. W. A. Gregg. Mr. Britt was grandfather of Rev. Marion Britt, now (1878) of Atlanta, Geo.
479
DARLINGTON.
830-1840.]
during the pastorate of Rev. Julius J. Dubose that Hopewell held her last camp meeting, in the year 1836. In 1839 Elder Capt. John Gregg died, and towards the close of that year Hector Cameron, Elijah Gregg and Levi Gregg were elected elders. [MS. of D. E. Frierson. ]
DARLINGTON .- We have seen, in our history of the last de- cade, that the Rev. R. N. Morgan, a member of Harmony Presbytery, was chosen their minister to serve this church as tated supply, in connection with Hopewell Church, which elation continued until the close of the year 1832, when he emoved to tlie State of Alabama.
In 1832, when the reviving influences of the Holy Spirit vere diffused generally throughout the State, the village of Darlington and vicinity shared largely in the gracious visita- ion. Large accessions, for the population, were made to the Presbyterian Church, which laid the foundation for its present Prosperity. Whilst the fathers and mothers have fallen sleep and are removed to "the General Assembly and church f the first born which are written in heaven," their sons and aughters have taken their places, occupy their seats, and re preparing, it is hoped, to meet their pious kindred in the hurch above.
In 1833, the Rev. R. W. Bailey was elected stated supply. n this connection he served the church two years, to the dification of its members and the general advancement of its terests. Messrs. John DuBose and Robert Killin were dded to the eldership. Subsequently, September 14, 1835, e session was enlarged by the ordination, as ruling elders, f Messrs. John E. McKaskill and S. Wilds Du Bose.
In 1835, the Rev. Urias Powers, a member of the Presby- ery of Harmony, was chosen stated supply, in connection ith Hopewell church. About this time the church received n accession of strength and numbers from the Williamsburg hurch, in the persons of W. E. James, Samuel James, and zra Green, with their families and servants. W. E. James as set apart to the office of ruling elder April 3d, 1836. Ir. Powers continued his connection with the church for
vo years with acceptance and profit to the congregation, and ith equal fidelity in co-operating with the session in main- lining the discipline and purity of the church.
In January, 1838, the Rev. George W. Petrie was chosen ated supply. He served the church one year, during which
480
CONCORD-SUMTERVILLE.
[1830-1840.
time he preached every alternate Sabbath to the colored population -having two stat.ons, the one at Law's place, the other at Green's.
During the following two years the church enjoyed tem- poranly the ministerial services of the Rev. Joseph Brown, and the Rev. D. J. Auld.
A pastoral call was made out for the services of Mr. Auld, who declined the acceptance of it in favor of a similar call tendered to him by the Harmony Church, in the forks of Black River. ( MS. of Rev. Wm. Brearley.)
CONCORD CHURCH (Sumter District) .- We have not at present the means of ascertaining the condition of this church in the earlier years of this decad. The last notice we have seen of it gave it a membership of eighteen. This was in 1 828, when it was represented as vacant. In 1877 it was vacant, with a membership of forty-six. Under the ministry of Donald McQueen, D. D., its membership had increased to sixty-seven, more than twice the membership of Sumterville Church at that time. In 1839 it numbered seventy-two mem- bers in communion.
SUMTERVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH .- In the year 1830 the first Presbyterian Church was erected upon a lot then on the outskirts of the village, but now in the heart of the town. There seems to have been no formal ded cation thereof, but the first use made of it appears to have been the holding of a three days' meeting and communion, and the admission of twelve persons as members of the church, among them, the iate Wm. M. DeLorme, who was soon after promoted to the eldership and served for nearly forty years, revered and beloved by all who knew him. This building continued to be used until 185 , when the present edifice on the adjoining lot was erected and the old building sold to the Sons of Temperance. Shortly after the war the congregation obtained a reconveyance, and converted it at considerable expense into the present commodious parsonage.
The first regular session of Harmony Presbytery in Sum- terville was held in this church in the latter part (including 4th Sabbath) of November, 1831. The following entry is found in the sessional records; " 1832-1st Sabbath in May, James H. Tho:nweli was admitted upon his faith and experience a member of the Presbyterian Church at Concord, but attached himself as a member of this church."
481
SUMTERVILLE.
830-1840.]
In June, Capt. James Caldwell and Wm. M. Delorme were ontinated by the session to the congregation as additional Iders. The former, consenting, was unanimously elected nd ordained ; the latter, however, requested further time for onsideration.
In November, Mr. Samuel Weir was examined and received s a member, and at the communion season following in De- ember, " he took the covenant of the church and was pub- cly received by the right hand of fellowship." As nothing said of his baptism, it is presumed that he had been pre- iously baptized. This entry would, therefore, indicate that he custom of this church was then different from what it ow is with us and in the churches generally, as to the mode f receiving new members.
In January, 1833, Rev. John McEwen resigned his charge of he church, and died on 31st of May thereafter, the Rev. R. W. ailey commenced his labors as a supply in the church, reaching every other Sabbath for about one year, as it would pear from the records. Mr. Bailey was a Northern man, ho came to South Carolina about the year 1827, and was e principal of the Rice Creek Springs Military school in ichland District, which was broken up principally because iblic sentiment, engendered by the nullification embroglio, as averse to Northern men being in charge of a military hool in South Carolina.
In the winter of 1833-34, Messrs. John Knox and James aldwell, elders, with their own and other families of the con- egation, removed to Alabama. This diminution of mem- ers, together with asperity of feeling between members, used by difference of political opinion, seem to have thrown burden on the church which nearly extinguished its vitality. here is no record of any baptism, session meeting, or com- union during the year 1835, the last entry being of a bap- im in 1834 by Rev. Leighton Wilson. There was no mmunion held during 1834, 1835 and 1837, and only one in 36, and not a single person admitted to membership during 34, 1835, and 1836, and not till September, 1837, when rs. Clarissa McQueen was admitted on certificate from eraw. The records were not even sent up to Presbytery approval between November, 1834, and April, 1837. le only light during this dark period appears to have been at Rev. Julius J. DuBose supplies the church at intervals 31
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