USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 2 > Part 13
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HOPEWELL CHURCH (Chester District) is marked as vacant n 1830, with nineteen members; in 1831, vacant, with hirteen members; in 1833, vacant, with six members; in 1834, Pierpont E. Bishop, stated supply, membership six ; racant again in 1836; so in 1837 ; in 1838, still vacant, but with a membership of seventeen; in 1839 enjoying the pas- oral services of Rev. S. B. O. Wilson, in connection with Six-Mile Creek, whose membership was fifty-three.
SION CHURCH (Winnsboro') seems to have enjoyed the presence of the Holy Spirit at various times. The sessional records show that on the last Sabbath in October, 1831, six persons were admitted to the church. The season was one of great interest. Professors of religion were aroused to more diligence and prayer than usual. A general seriousness per- 'aded the congregation. Some professed conversion, and come to be anxious about their eternal welfare. Public ex- ercises were continued, with greater or less frequency, for welve days successively. The means employed were prayer, reaching, exhortation, visiting, &c. This record is made to nagnify the goodness and mercy of God. On the 2d of
504
LEBANON-SALEM (L. R.)
[1830-1840.
March, 1832, fourteen, on the 23d of September twenty-five were admitted, and the following is the record appended : " The session of the church would here record the goodness of God in bringing so many into the fold of Christ. There had been a gradual improvement for the past year. Chris- tians have been more engaged than before. More attention has been paid to the preaching of the Word, and, occasionally, some feeling would be exhibited. It was not till a protracted meeting was held by Rev. Daniel Baker, evangelist, that we experienced the effusion of the Holy Spirit. In the space of five days fifty-five were rejoicing in hope, twenty-five of whom for the first time on this Sabbath united with us in celebrating the love and death of our common Lord. July 6, 1834. we take a stand against popular amusements. On the 19th of May, 1837, David R. Means, formerly an elder in Jackson's Creek, was elected an elder in this church."
LEBANON (Jackson's Creek) .- The Rev. C. L. R. Boyd con- tinued pastor of this church and Mt. Olivet until the meeting of the Presbytery of Harmony at Salem, Black River, October 24, 1838, when this relation was dissolved and Mr. Boyd was dismissed to join the Presbytery of South Alabama. The death of Rev. Samuel W. Yongue, who for more than thirty- four years had been pastor of this church, occurred at an advanced age, on the 8th of November, 1830. At the meet- ing of Presbytery above mentioned. the church obtained leave to present a call to Rev. Malcom D. Fraser, then pastor of the church at Wetumka, in the Presbytery of South Ala- bama. This call appears not at that time to have been successful. The church still petitioned Presbytery for sup- plies, as if vacant, in 1839. In that year it called, on the 23d of October, G. W. Boggs, and there is evidence that he did officiate for them on several occasions, but that the call was returned. There had been serious difficulties existing in this church, but there is notice, December 12, 1839, that these were at last adjusted. [Minutes of Presbytery of Harmony, pp. 213, 214, 239, 246, 254, 256.]
SALEM CHURCH, (LITTLE RIVER.)-The Rev.Robert Means, at the beginning of this decade served this church as stated supply and afterwards as pastor for about five years. The Rev. R. S. Gladney ministered to it for about a year. The Rev. R. C. Ketchum began preaching as a stated supply on alter- nate Sabbaths in January, 1837. He was elected pastor Sep- tember 1, 1839.
505
REV. ROBERT MEANS, D. D.
1830-1840.]
This congregation was the home and probably the birth- place of the Rev. Robert Means. From childhood he was fond of study and was graduated at South Carolina College in 1813, at seventeen years of age. His attention was first turned to the study of law, which he pursued with Mr. John Hooker, of Columbia, during the year 1814 and part of 1815. Because of his minority he could not be admitted to the practice of the bar. Early in 1816 the little narratives of "The Dairyman's Daughter" and " The Young Cottager," heightened at least the slumbering sense of obligation to God which lies dormant in the unsanctified heart. But as yet he made no profession of religion. In May of that year God took from him his beloved mother. It was then, as he lifted his eye to heaven he heard a voice saying, " Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" and with humility and abase- ment he replied, "Here am I, Lord, send me." He was licensed by the Presbytery of Harmony in 1818. In January, 1822, he received a call from Camden and from Columbia, nearly at the same time, and accepted the latter. At the ex- piration of the three years, the call was renewed but declined. He then returned to the bosom of his family and became, as we have above related, the pastor of his own neighbors and friends, among whom he was born. In 1826 he was violently attacked by an epidemic which laid the foundation for his subsequent ill health. Still he hoped yet to be of service to the church and the world. He had written a treatise on the Pentateuch, in answer to the skeptical teachings of Dr. Cooper, former President of the South Carolina College, and was now offering himself as a candidate for the professorship of sacred literature in that institution. But the stroke which now descended upon him was aimed at the centre of his joys, his hopes, his ardent aspirations. The disease which termi- nated his life showed itself to be ophthalmia, which extin- guished the sight of one eye and then of both. His death was that of a believer. He spoke sweetly and affectionately to his children and brothers, gave his parting benediction to his eldest child. On his last sad day his wife read to him the 22d Psalm: " My God my portion and my love," the the words of which he felt very deeply. He often ex- claimed " poor man ! he is crushed before the moth " and "out of the depths have I cried unto thee," Sometimes in Latin, "De profundis clamavi ad te Domine." Psalms,
506
CONCORD-MOUNT OLIVET.
[1830-1840.
c. xxix. Nearly his last words were "Come Lord Jesus, Come." Thus he died at the early age of thirty-nine A volume of his sermons has been published, embracing also his answer to Dr. Cooper, " on the genuineness of the Pentateuch."
CONCORD CHURCH, (FAIRFIELD.)-The Rev. Jas. B. Stafford continued with this church until 1834, when, owing to some political difficulties which had been brewing and increasing against him for some years in Purity Church, which was also under his pastoral care, he was constrained for the peace and prosperity of Zion to resign his charge. He removed now to the State of Mississippi. During his stay the Session con- sisted of Saml. Banks, John Boyd, R. H. Caldwell, John Banks, Hugh Thompson.
After the removal of Mr. Stafford, the church remained vacant two years, when they united in a call for the services of the Rev. John Douglas, then a licentiate of Bethel Presby- tery, and an alumnus of the Theological Seminary of the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia, at Columbia, and also a native of South Carolina. He having accepted this call was accordingly ordained and installed their pastor on the 30th of April. 1836. The same elders as held that office when Mr. Stafford left, were in office, except Hugh Thomson who had removed from the bounds of the congregation. In 1836 there were added to the bench of elders by election and ordination the following members: John McCollough, Aiex- ander Henderson and Henry Moore. [Geo. H. Miller, Clerk of Session.]
MOUNT OLIVET (sometimes called WATEREE) CHURCH .- The Rev. C. L. R. Boyd continued the pastor of this church through most of the period.
In the year 1831 eleven members were added to this church. One year after (1832) twenty-three others were re- ceived, and in the fall of the same year nineteen others. Thus during the term of one year forty-two members were received. In 1834 five others were added, making in all, during the five years of Mr. Boyd's ministration to this people fifty-eight, nearly double the number in 1829. Thus the hand of the Lord was manifested in the outpouring of his spirit upon this church. But the prosperity of this people was not permitted long to continue. Difficulties arose from a difference of opinion on certain religious subjects, especially
507
30-1840.]
C. L. K. BOYD-M. PEDEN.
i the subject of baptism. One member of the eldership elieved the custom which had formerly prevailed in this lurch to be correct, viz: the baptizing of infants of all the arents of the congregation who applied for the privilege, hether members of the church or not. This difficulty, gether with some others, caused a large number to with- raw and a new church to be formed in the neighborhood, alled the Zion Church. The congregation in consequence f this were greatly thinned. And in addition to internal oubles, their house of worship, a frame building erected at onsiderable expense only a few years before, was on Sabbath fternoon the of in the year 1833, consumed by re. But neither the internal difficulties nor the external hisfortunes of the little few that were left could induce them desert their place of worship. A noble feeling of public birit and zeal for the cause of Christ prompted them to call a heeting of the congregation the same week in which the ouse was burnt, by which meeting it was resolved that ublic worship should be continued in the adjoining grove ntil another house could be erected. It was also resolved y this meeting that a subscription for the erecting a brick hurch be circulated, and before the meeting adjourned six undred dollars were subscribed by the zealous efforts of a w individuals. An amount sufficient to commence the build- ig was soon obtained. The work was commenced on the day of and the house was dedicated to the wor- hip of God on the Sabbath of Mr. Boyd continued preach to this people until the last of October, 1838, then he was succeeded by the Rev. Mitchell Peden. who untinued as stated supply until the third Sabbath of Decem- er, 1839, when he was ordained and installed pastor of this hurch. The number of communing members when Mr. eden commenced to preach to this people was thirty-nine hites and five colored persons. On the fourth Sabbath in Lay, 1839, one white person and six colored persons were eceived into communion with the church, and on the third abbath in December, 1839, one other colored person was eceived, making in all who are now regular members of this lurch, forty white and twelve colored persons, Total, 52. he ruling elders of this church are : Archibald Beaty, Rob- rt B. Caldwell, who were elected and ordained, together
508
CATHOLIC-PURITY.
[1830-1840.
with Adam Beaumgard, on Saturday before the second Sab- bath in May, 1834 .*
SCION CHURCH .- This church arose from a difference between Mr. J. S. Johnston and the Session of Mount Olivet, in which an appeal and complaint came before Presbytery in November, 1834. The difficulties being irreconcilable, Rev. Messrs. Brearly and Campbell and Elder McCreight, were - appointed November, 1835, to organize the dissenters into a church, under the above name. This was done, but the organization did not long continue.
CATHOLIC CHURCH (Chester District) .- Section 2 .- The Rev. John LeRoy Davies continued the pastor of this church until the end of 1839. In 1835 the names of the elders, as represented to Presbytery, were John Brown, James Harbison, Sr., Wil- liam Hemphill, James Ferguson, John Bonner, John A. Finley, James Harbison, Jr., Abram White, Hugh White, James McClintock, Peter Johnson, and William Wallace. In 1838 appear the names of John Gunthorpe, James King, and Wil- liam Wylie. Others may have since been added to those who have shared the responsibilities of this office since the organization of this church.
The membership of this church was 300 in 1839, the largest church in the Presbytery, Bethel excepted. Some of these may have been colored members, for not yet were they distinguished as a class.
PURITY CHURCH (Chester District) .- At the beginning of this decade everything seemed encouraging and prosperous under its pastor, Rev. James B. Stafford. In the year 1830, between two and three thousand dollars was raised for the erection of a new church. The work was advancing towards its completion when the tornado of " Nullification " arose, and both pastor and people were deeply affected by it. A schism in the church was the result. About thirty members of the church seceded, including three ruling elders. One of these, Mathew McClintock, joined the Independent Presby- terians. The others, James McClintock and Abram White, with their adherents, formed the Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church. The church edifice, a plain, substantial building, 34 by 36 feet, was completed in the year 1832, retaining within it the old pulpit, made in the year 1795, as a memorial of the past. The divisions which had occurred were a great dis-
*The missing dates were wanting in the MS. sent us.
509
1830-1840.] REV. JOHN DOUGLAS-PLEASANT GROVE.
couragement to Mr. Stafford, and in November, 1834. he sought a dissolution of his pastoral relation with the Concord Church, his connection with Purity having been terminated on the 5th of November, 1833. He was dismissed to Tom- beckbee Presbytery, in Mississippi. He reared a family of eight children, most of whom died as they reached maturity. His eldest son was a ruling elder in Mississippi, and was cruelly murdered by a raiding party of the enemy near his own house during the late civil war. Mr. Stafford died May 8, 1862, aged 70 years, and in the forty-fourth year of his ministry. The Rev. Robt. Walker became the stated supply of this church for a short season, and was succeeded by Rev. John Douglas, who was born and reared in the congregation, was a graduate of South Carolina College, and had completed his course in theology at the Seminary at Columbia. The Churches of Purity and Concord united in calling him as their pastor, and on the 30th of April, 1836, his ordination and installation took place, the Rev. James H. Thornwell preaching the sermon, and Rev. Cyrus Johnston and Rev. John B. Davies assisting.
In May, 1837, Mr. Douglas was united in marriage to Frances C. Marchant, daughter of P. T. Marchant, of Charles- ton. Purity was at that time a small congregation, and its house of worship two and a half miles from the village of Chester. Mr. Douglas soon perceived that there must be a house of worship at the village, and proceeded to purchase a lot and build a lecture-room at a cost of $1, 500, $1, 100 of which was raised by subscription. The building of a lecture- room made way for a new church edifice in due time, and to the existence of a Purity Church in the town of Chester, leaving another at the former site, two miles from the Court- house.
PLEASANT GROVE or MT. PLEASANT .- This church was organized by Rev. Cyrus Johnston in 1838, and took the place of Edmonds' Church, which, after the death of Rev. Thomas Neely, withdrew from the Presbytery and connected themselves with the Independents, the followers of W. C. Davis.
FISHING CREEK .- The Rev. J. B. Davies continued pastor of this church through this period. Only one elder is known to have been added to the session meanwhile, viz : Wm Cowan, in 1835 or earlier. The membership had not
510
CEDAR SHOALS.
[1830-1840.
increased. In 1840 they stood in the statistical tables at 126, as against 135 in 1830. This church has another house of worship, midway between the old church and the Courthouse,- and six miles from cach, called Uricl.
CEDAR SHOALS .- This took the place of Richardson, the pastoral charge of which was resigned by Mr. Davies in 1831, after he had served it, in connection with Fishing Creek, for thirty-three years. Of this church Joseph Gaston and Robt. White were ruling elders. The church of Cedar Shoals is sixteen miles from the Courthouse, and nearly on the road from the latter to Lancasterville. It is nearly midway between "Old Richardson," or Lower Fishing Creek, and what was a branch of Catholic, called Bethlehem, near Beck- hamville. "After Mr. Davies left Richardson," says Rev. Mr. Saye, "I am not aware of its having regular preaching. I. think, however, that the Rev. S. B. O. Wilson bestowed some labor there. Cedar Shoals was organized by Rev. C. Johnston in the lower part of the congregation, and drew off some of the members. Other families moved into the bounds of Fishing Creek congregation. The families now (September, 1869) around the old site are mostly connected with other denominations - Methodists, Baptists, and Associate and Reformed Presbyterians. Governor Davies and his family supported Richardson Church while it remained, or any of them remained in the community. That family is now extinct in that region except one of his grandsons, who lives higher up, and is connected with Waxhaw."
"Cedar Shoals rather stands in the place of two former places of worship, to wit: Lower Fishing ( reek and Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a branch of Catholic, was supplied by the minister of Catholic for I know not how long. Under Mr. Brainard's ministry it flourished, and was supplied afterwards for a time by Rev. J. L. R. Davies, but he gave it up for what he considered a more important enterprise in the upper part of the congregation. The Gaston connection resided intermediate between lower Fishing Creek and Bethlehem. Joseph Gaston. Esq., had been long a member of the former. In 1834 the community had the chance of the services of the Rev. C. Johnston for one-half of his time. He was engaged, and preached at a stand in the grove where the Church nowis. He organized the church, by the authority of Bethel Presbytery, on the 22d of June, 1834. which was afterwards supplied by the Rev. J. B. Davies and others, but was often vacant. The congrega- tion is on ground once occupied by a reformed Presbyterian congrega- tion, called Beaver Dam. The covenanters sold out their plantations to Baptists, Methodists, &c., so that the community is now divided between four denominations.
The persons who constituted the church at its organization were
511
BULLOCK'S CREEK-BETHESDA.
1830-1840.]
Joseph Gaston, Esq .. Jane Gaston, Daniel G. Stinson, Esther Stinson, Lemuel Davison, Anne Davison, Isabella Walker, William A. White, Robert White and Mary White, formerly members of Richardson Church, together with the following, dismissed from Catholic Church with a view of entering into this organization, viz : Dr. J. B. Gaston, Polly B. Gaston, Jane G. Barclay, Mr. S. Stinson and Margaret To!ford, and the following, received by examination on profession of faith, viz : Mrs. Paisly, Elizabeth B. Davison, Jane Davison, Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Elizabeth McFadden. Joseph Gaston and Robert White, having pre- viously been ruling elders in Richardson Church, were duly installed elders in this church. The ministerial services of Rev: Cyrus Johnston terminated in this congregation early in 1835. In April of this year the session reported eighteen communicants.
BULLOCK'S CREEK .- The Rev. Aaron Williams continued in the pastorate of this church until November, 1833, when his connection with this church was dissolved, The church after this was served once a month by Rev. W. B. Davies, but in 1835 secured his labors for one-half his time. This church was greatly reduced in its membership, and its har- mony disturbed by the trouble arising from the affairs of W. C. Davis. Who constituted its first bench of elders is not certainly known, but as far as remembered, they were John Dickey, Joseph Feemster, Stewart Brown, John Smith, Henry Plexico, Alexander Dowdle, Charles Gilmore, John Feeister, David Leech, John King, Henry Dowdle.
SALEM CHURCH .- In 1835, Robert Lusk, James Plexico, and John Pilcher are enumerated as ruling elders in this church. On the 2d of November, 1838, the church was dis- solved and its members annexed to Bullock's Creek.
BETHESDA (YORK) .- The Rev. Robert B. Walker was pas- tor of this Church until 1831, when this relation was dissolved at his own request by Bethel Presbytery on the sole plea that age and attendant infirmity unfitted him for the discharge of his pastoral duties. He was now sixty-eight years of age, and had been forty years in the ministry. But previous to this, in 1832, this Church experienced a season of revival. in which the Holy Spirit was abundantly poured forth. This occurred under the evangelistic labors of Rev. Daniel Baker. and was the third season of special revival the Church had enjoyed. It came on the heels of a calamitous excitement, yet it was one long to be remembered. The number of per- sons admitted to the Church, as the result of this, cannot well be estimated, for many applying for membership years after pointed back to this as the time of their conviction, if not of their conversion.
512
REV. ROBERT B. WALKER.
[1830-1840.
The field occupied by this venerable man. Father Walker, was far more extended than that which the Bethesda congre- gation now occupies (A. D. 1878), though still covering a circle whose diameter extends through twelve miles. He supplied Ebenezer Church and congregations, ten miles dis- tant, for the space of twenty-five years, embracing a large scope of densely populated country. His labors were also extended to other vacant Churches at different times. He is represented as being an able preacher, elegant and eloquent in diction, and as possessing social qualities of the highest order. Through a considerable portion of his ministry he taught from necessity a classical school, in which were a number who afterward became useful ministers of the gospel, or occupied other positions of influence in society. He received from the University of North Carolina at this period the degree of Doctor of Divinity, which he respectfully and humbly declined.
After his release from his pastoral charge, he remained in the State about ten years. The Rev. Pierpont E. Bishop, in a sermon preached on the occasion of his death, speaks forcibly of the power of his example, held as he was in universal esteem, wielded as it was against all vice, immorality and. sin ; of his hallowed influence in the families he visited in his early life as a brother, in his later as a father ; especially in the chamber of sickness by the side of the dying sinner, telling of the cross and Him that hung upon it bearing his sin ; or giving comfort to the believer, and to the bereaved and afflicted; of his power in the pulpit as an able expounder of the doctrines of the gospel, as a faithful reprover of all sin ; as a preacher, when feeling the force of the truths he uttered, he rose with gigantic strength, and preached with a pathos, a majesty, and a power of fervid eloquence, which many living witnesses could well attest, and which, according to the testimony of his intimate friends, was surpassed by no cotemporary in that portion of the land.
After this venerable man retired from his pastoral charge, he took up his abode with his children in York District, South Carolina, till the fall of 1847. He then removed with one of his sons to the State of Mississippi, where he died on the 10th of April; 1852.
Mr. Walker was succeeded in the pastorate of Bethesda by Rev. Cyrus Johnson, whose labors began here in 1834, and
513
330-1840.]
REV. CYRUS JOHNSON, D. D.
xtended to the fall of 1839. His labors here seem to have ielded the fruits of strong manly piety in the membership, nd a thorough indoctrination of all the congregation in the reat truths of the gospel, and those doctrines as interpreted the confession of faith, he being characterized as an able, ersevering and efficient expounder of Calvinism, not simply its distinctive, but all its vital features. The records of the Church under him show that, in the absence of any extensive utpouring of the Divine Spirit, there were still additions at very communion. There was also a thorough systematic struction of the young in the catechism, by dividing the ongregation into wards, which were regularly visited by their astor and elders, and all, old and young, were subjected to process of close questioning by the pastor, who had a pecu- ar tact.at imparting instruction in this way. The weekly rayer meetings, with the elders particularly, and all the enevolent schemes and charities, were kept alive and vigor- usly maintained by him. Thus the period of his pastorate ere may be denominated one of substantial benefit to the hurch, deepening the foundations of religion in the pious,. hid preparing the minds of the young and the middle-aged r 'a future gospel harvest, and at the same time making radual additions to the membership.
MIr. Johnson was a native of North Carolina, prepared for ollege under Dr. McKemie Wilson, of Rocky River, and as graduated with the first distinction at Hampden Sydney ollege, in 1821, under President Cushing. He studied eology under Dr. J. Robinson, of Poplar Tent Church, at e same time teaching in the family and using the library of he Rev. John Williamson, of Hopewell Church. He was censed to preach in 1823, and ordained by the Presbytery f Concord in 1824. He was pastor of Beersheba Church, in ethel Presbytery, for several years. He thence removed to e lower part of York District, where he taught a large cademy ; organized and preached to a church called Mount leasant, near where Zion, in Bethel Presbytery, now stands, id also supplied the Church of Cedar Shoals. In 1834 he tered upon his labors as pastor of Bethesda-not, however, mitting his connection with his school. In 1839 the rela- on was dissolved, and Mr. Johnson removed to Mecklenberg ounty, N. C., and in the spring following was installed pastor f the Churches of Providence and Sharon, in the bounds of 33
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