History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 2, Part 21

Author: Howe, George, 1802-1883
Publication date: 1870
Publisher: Columbia, Duffie & Chapman
Number of Pages: 834


USA > South Carolina > History of the Presbyterian Church in South Carolina, Vol. II pt 2 > Part 21


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he father of the Rev. Dr. Palmer was the venerable Job . ner, who migrated to Charleston from Falmouth, Mass., or to the Revolutionary War. Job Palmer himself was a of the Rev. Samuel Palmer, a native of Barnstable, Mass., was graduated at Harvard College in 1727, ordained at mouth, Mass., in 1730, and died April 13th, 1775, aged


During the residence of Job Palmer and family in Phila- phia, as refugees, during the war of the Revolution, the sub- of the preceding memoir was born. Job Palmer was long an uential member and deacon in the church, and on his death, 845, by the unanimous concurrence of the congregation, tablet was erected to his memory :


In Memory of JOB PALMER, A native of Falmouth. Mass., For 73 years a resident of this city, And, during 39 years, Clerk of this Church, in which he afterwards Discharged the office of a Deacon, for Thirty years, till he closed his office, And his life, on the 30th Jan., 1845 ; Having reached the unusual age Of 97 years and five months. Favored with an uncommon share Of health. during nearly the whole Of his protracted life, he exhibited An unblamable and exemplary Christian character, and, till within Two or three months of his decease, Enjoyed, in a rare degree, both his Physical and mental powers. Himself The son of an exemplary and useful Minister of Christ, the Pastor of his Native town, he had the ad- ditional satisfaction of witnessing the Accession of two of his own sons, To the ministry of reconciliation, One of them having been for upwards Of 21 years, Pastor of this Church. "And now behold my witness is in Heaven, and my record is on high." Job xvi, 19.


586


CIRCULAR CHURCH.


[1840-1850.


He was the ancestor of no less than seven clergymen, viz : his sons, Rev. B. M. Palmer, D.D., Rev. Edward Palmer, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Walterboro' ; his grand- sons, Rev I. S. K. Palmer, deceased; the Rev. Benjamin Morgan Palmer, D.D., of New Orleans; the Rev. Edward Porter Palmer, D.D., of Mobile; the Rev. Isaac Stockton Keith Axson, D.D., of Savannah ; his great-grandson, Rev. Bazile Lanneau, tutor in Hebrew in the Theological Seminary, Columbia, and afterwards professor in Oakland College, Mis- sissippi, also deceased.


The Circular Church has been a nursery whence has pro- ceeded a goodly number of ministers who have labored in the Presbyterian Church. Besides these just named may be enumerated, the Rev. Wm. States Lee, of Edisto Island ; Rev. John F. Lanneau, missionary to Syria; Rev. Adam Gilchrist,* Presbyterian Church, Fayetteville; Rev. S. Beech Jones, D.D., Presbyterian Church, Bridgetown, N. J. ; Rev. Geo. H. W. Petrie, D.D., Presbyterian Church, Montgomery, Ala. . Rev. Wm. Moultrie Reid, Mt. Zion Church, Sumter County, S. C. ; Rev. I. S. K. Legare, Orangeburg, S. C .; Rev. T. Hunscome Legare, Orangeburg; Rev. Donald Auld, Florida; Rev. John B. Van Dyke, Presbyterian Church, Walterboro' ; Rev. J. Lawrence King, Presbyterian Church, Lawrenceville, Ga .; Rev. Wm. Gready, Toccoa, Ga .; in ancient times. Josiah Smith, 1781-some nineteen or twenty in number .* [Man- ual of the Independent or Congregational Church, Charleston, by Rev. W. H. Adams, April, 1870.]


"In three years after the end of this decade, the church edifice (the Circular Church) having undergone extensive repairs, was reopened, and, at the reopening, an appropriate sermon was delivered by the pastor, the Rev. Reuben Post, D. D., from Haggai ii, 9: "The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts." The following historie note accompanies the printed discourse :


The very large and commodious house of worship belonging to the Independent or Congregational Church in Charleston -- commonly called, from its circular form, "The Circular Church " - was created in 1805 It has undergone no alteration, and but slight repairs, since it was built. except the erection of a lofty and graceful spire in 1838.


The pews being old-fashioned and uncomfortable, the pulpit being very high, and the plastering of the dome much cracked, the conz rega- tion resolved, in 1852, to renovate and improve it extensively. For this purpose, the Clergy's Society, in the congregation. very generously placed $18,000 at their disposal-leaving about $40,000 still as the funds of the Society.


The building having been entirely renewed except the walls and


587


WAPPETAW.


-1850.]


his noble structure fell a prey to the devouring flames ch swept over so large a portion of the city of Charleston ing the siege of that beleagured city in our late civil war. walls still stand, amid the sepulchers of former worship- 6, a melancholy monument of its past glory.


The Rev. Dr. Palmer resided in Orangeburg the last two rs of his life. from the latter part of October. 1845, to his . th, which occurred on the 9th of October, 1847. During period he supplied the Wappetaw Church, going down Saturday, and returning to Orangeburg on Monday.


HE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF WAPPETAW-in the Par- of Christ's Church, seems to have been variously supplied ing this decade.


A portion of the time it enjoyed the services of Dr. B. M. mer, the first of that name. A Mr. Ferral, of the Metho- Church, who afterwards went to California, also preached hem for a short time. For a longer period the Rev. Mr. Pre, a local preacher of the same church, also served them he same capacity of a temporary supply. Dr. Girardeau, r his licensure. Nov. 9th, 1848, preached for them about months. He seems to have been followed by Rev. Julins Bartlett, in 1849, who was succeeded by the Rev. Ed- Cater, in 1852. -


Mr. Bartlett was a native of Massachusetts, a graduate of lliams College, and of the Theological Seminary at Co- bia, in 1837. On the 6th of April, in the same year, be licensed by the Charleston Union Presbytery, and on the of April, in 1838, was ordained as an evangelist by the isbytery of Harmony, to which he had been dismissed as a entiate. In 1849 he supplied this church for a season. It s during Mr. Cater's ministry that the celebrated case in ancery, entitled the Independent or Congregational Church Wappetaw rs. the Society for the Relief of the Widows and phans of Independent or Congregational Ministers, was ed. Mr. Cater continued in the pastorate from 1853 to 1859. ter him came Dr. H. B. Cunningham until 1860 or 1861.


eple, the frame of the roof, and the timbers and floors of the galleries nd having been made, with its modernized pews and pulpit, and grand and beautiful dome, from the top of which it is lighted by up- rds of seventy gas burners-one of the most imposing church edifices the country-it was opened for public worship on the 7th day of gust, 1853, on which occasion the discourse was delivered.


588


DORCHESTER AND BEECH HILL.


[1840-1850.


After the close of the war the surviving members of Wappe- taw Church organized the Mount Pleasant Church, which united with the Presbytery about the year 1867. Another church was organized in 1872, by Peter Gowan, evangelist, as- sisted by Rev. G. W. Brackett, at McClellanville, with twenty members, and J. H. Leland was ordained as ruling Elder. McClellanville is a pleasant village on the sea coast, . west of Cape Romain, founded in 1850, as the resort of planters in that vicinity, 36 miles from Mount Pleasant, on the George- town Road. Some three years after the establishment of this church, the Presbytery of Charleston met there and enjoyed the occasion greatly, if we may believe the public prints. In returning, the ministers visited the venerable Wappetaw Church, sixteen miles from Mount Pleasant. In this long disused building of precious associations, the Presbytery gathered in a circle under the lofty pulpit, with its sounding board, when the Rev. James B. Dunwody offered an impressive prayer, and all with profound solemnity sang the doxology " Praise God from whom all blessings flow." The Mount Pleasant and the McClellanville churches may each be called the successor of the Wappetaw Church, though most of the church property is in the hands of the church at Mcclellanville, which often bears the name of New Wappetaw. [MS. of Rev. F. L. Lee- per, Charleston News and Courier, and minutes of Charleston Presbytery.]


THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF DORCHESTER AND BEECH HILL .- The next minister whose name we meet with in con- nection with this church is George Sheldon, afterwards hon- ored with the title of D. D. He was a native of Massachusetts, a graduate of Williams' College, and was educated partly at Andover, and partly at Princeton Seminary. He is located, according to the triennial catalogue of the Andover Seminary, at Orangeburg, S. C., from the years 1837-40. His ordina- tion is dated the 13th June, 1841, by the same authority, and he is stated to have been pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Summerville, S. C., from 1841 to 1848. His residence proba- bly was at Summerville. The church at Summerville was not reported to Synod until 1859. During his connection with this church he preached a discourse, which was published, en- titled " THE HAND OF GOD RECOGNIZED," which was " deliv- ered on Sunday, 22d of February, 1846, in the Independent or Congregational Church at Dorchester, St. George's Parish, S.


589


(1850.] STONY CREEK-SAVANNAH.


observance of the 150th anniversary of the building of church. Charleston ; Burgess & James, printers, 1846. 2." The house is built of brick, on the model of the old ches of New and Old England Puritans was then, and ably still is standing. From 1848 and onward, the au- ity before quoted makes him District Superintendent of American Bible Society, his address Princeton, N. J. This . his P. O. in 1860. Plainfield, N. J., in 1853. He was a iber of the Presbytery of Elizabethtown. He seems to e been called to this church in the summer of 1840, and ave resigned on the ist of July, 1848.


TONEY CREEK INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. Rev. Edward Palmer continued in the pastorship of this rch until December, 1843. The church was vacant until Ist of June, 1844. at which time Mr. James B. Dun- ly began to preach as a supply. He was a native of erty County, Ga., a graduate of Yale College, and finished studies at the Theological Seminary at Columbia, in 1841. was received as a licentiate by the Presbytery of Charles- from the Presbytery of Cherokee, on the 11th of Decem- 1844, and was ordained sine titulo on Sabbath, April 1, 1845, and continued to serve this church through this ade and beyond, as its stated supply.


HE INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN SAVANNAH .- en we were appointed by the Synod of South Carolina and borgia as their historiographer, the Presbyterian Churches both States were under one Synodical Government. When y were divided into two Synods, in the year 1845, the rches of Georgia were under the special jurisdiction of ir own Synod, and the sources of information in respect to m were removed in a greater measure than before from present writer. Moreover, the several Presbyteries of orgia have provided for the preparation of their own his- ies, so that a few only of those of which we had previously tten, are mentioned in our pages.


The Church in Savannah has been already mentioned in beginning. Dr. Willard Preston continued their wise, orious and efficient pastor during this decade, greatly oved by his flock, both old and young. His ministry was uccessful one. When he took charge of the church in 32, the number of enrolled members was two hundred and ty-eight, two hundred and thirty-seven of whom were resi-


590


DR. PRESTON-FRENCH HUGUENOT CH. [1840-1850.


dent in the city. Two hundred and forty-six were added in the first fourteen years of his ministry. In the close of 1842, during a season of revival, fifty-seven were admitted to the church. In the year 1846, six young men had been sup- ported while studying for the ministry, three in their whole and three in their theological courses, all of whom entered the ministry ; one other died in the course of his studies. Domestic Missions, Foreign Missions and Education, all called forth the contributions of ladies societies and other organiza- tions for these purposes, till their contributions had amounted to $25,000 by the year 1846. He continued to labor faith- fully and successfully, not only through this decade. He remained at his post during the prevalence of yellow fever in the city in 1854, though entreated to leave. He was un- wearied in his attentions to the sick and dying. "I have struggled," he writes, " with those who were struggling with death, and when the fearful contest was past, have closed the eyes and composed the limbs of the poor victims, and with the assistance of a servant, dressed the body for the grave, and have been one of the two or three that have borne and committed it to its narrow house." He himself was a vic- tim of this terrible disease, and after his recovery was left in a state of great languor. Gradually his system rallied and he seemed to have gamed his usual health.


On Sabbath, the 20th of April, 1856, he preached a solemn discourse from Isa. 38 : "Set thy house in order, for thou shalt die and not live." It was his last. On Saturday night, April 26, 1856, about 7 P. M., he was seized with paralysis of the heart, was carried to his bed, and after a short and painful struggle, expired, in the 7Ist year of his age.


CHAPTER II.


FRENCH HUGUENOT CHURCH, CHARLESTON .- So far as we are informed the religious services of this church were con- tinued by the Rev. Daniel DuPre, an eminently worthy minister of Huguenot descent, but connected with the Meth- odist Church. In 1844 it resolved to take down the old church edifice. This plan was carried out, and in May, 1845, the new and beautiful house of worship now occupied by


591


FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.


1-1850.]


congregation, was dedicated, the Rev. Wallace Howard, Georgia, having accepted and entered upon the pastorate.


Howard continued to serve the church until 1852, in his failing health compelled his withdrawal from the ve duties of the ministry. During the sickness of Mr. vard the church was temporarily supplied by the Rev. Bartlett, of Sumter. The Rev. G. H. W. Petrie succeeded - Howard as pastor, continuing to hold that relation till ruary, 1851, when he accepted a call to Marietta, Geo. was followed by the Rev. Thomas R. G. Peck, of the ormed Protestant Dutch Church, who resigned in 1865, Rev. (now Dr.) Charles S. Vedder, the present pastor, red upon the duties of his charge November 18, 1866. 6. furnished by Rev. Charles S. Vedder, D. D.]


IRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE CITY OF CHARLESTON.


Rev. Dr. Forrest continued to be the revered pastor his ancient Church through this decade. As the Church not ecclesiastically connected with the General Assembly e Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, have found it difficult to give any minute details of its his-


He died in the service of this church, retaining to the the respect and affection of his people. A commemora- discourse was preached by the Rev. Dr. W. C. Dana on occasion of his death, from 2 Timothy, 11, 2.


fter speaking of the qualifications of the faithful minister, ays :


My friends, have I not brought before you the time-hon- pastor whom you can never forget ?


.et us glance at the record of his life.


le was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the 19th day of tember, 1799. He was educated at the University of Ed- irgh. In February, 1832, he was called to the pastoral ge of this church. Having been ordained, June 27th, by Presbytery of Edinburgh, he sailed for this city, and ar- d here on the 19th day of October, 1832 ; forty-seven 's ago this day. He preached his first sermon here on the owing Sunday, October 21st. Then began that faithful option to the welfare of this church, and that warm friend- between the pastor and people, which continued un- ged through the long period of nearly forty-seven years. died near the completion of his eightieth year.


eldom does death, at the end of so prolonged a life, create


592


REV. DR. FORREST.


[1840-1850.


so deep a chasm. To me it could not but bring the sense of personal bereavement. Pastors side by side for nearly forty- . four years, we had often taken sweet counsel together, enjoy- ing the interchange of congenial sentiments, no cloud ever resting for a moment on our friendship.


My more intimate acquaintance with him, commenced more than thirty years ago, when, at his invitation I took part in a series of Sunday night services, began in this church. Six pastors, of whose churches no two were in ecclesiastical connection, joined in these services with perfect unity of spirit. We preached that great essential gospel truth, which we all held in common. That this union was not still more com- prehensive, was not from any want of Christian regard and respect for other ministers and churches, but partly from the feeling that greater extent might involve less unity, and part- ly from the fact that no church could well contain a greater multitude than was already in attendance.


Thus did your pastor originate here the most unexception- able and successful Christian union within our memory.


Having formed in this city the most endearing relation in life, and having no kindred elsewhere in this land, the pastor of this church was always at his post. It gave him a strong hold on the popular regard, that, with slight providential ex- ception, he continued here during all the epidemics of former years. In that melancholy autumn of 1858 when, less familiar than he with such scenes, I was called to officiate at the fu- neral of the Rev. Dr. Post, and, but four days afterward, at- tended that of the Rev. Mr. Dennison-your pastor was ab- sent, having sailed for Scotland some months before. I well remember his early return, when it was judged yet unsafe for him to resume pastoral duty, or even to leave his house.


During that pleasant visit to his native land, many kind and honoring attentions were paid to him, and to the devoted partner of the joys and sorrows of his life. Four years be- fore, the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, less common and facile of attainment there than with us, was conferred upon him by the University of Edinburgh. And if solid at- tainments in theology, and that conversance with general lit- erature which makes such attainments effective, constitute a claim to honorable recognition, that claim was certainly his.


A minister of the Church of Scotland, Dr. Forrest for more than twenty years had no connection with any Presbytery in


593


REV. DR. FORREST.


$50.]


ountry. But after that meeting in this city of the Gen- Assembly of 1852, at which grievances of long standing redressed, he was urgently invited to join the re-united vtery. He accepted the invitation." * *


ow pleasant was that United Communion in this church, we can never dissociate from the memory of him who one to his rest ! Almost beyond expectation, he was is once more on a like occasion, at the beginning of this 1879. Then, mouth after month, with increasing phy- weakness and pain, but with no infirmity of purpose, he itely strove to fulfill the duties of the pastoral office. It lways be to me a most pleasant recollection that I was im here at his last Communion, and that the last visit ie ever paid was to me.


Sunday, the 6th of July, he preached his last sermon. e following Thursday, returning from a walk of some h, he was much prostrated by the extreme heat. From prostration he never recovered ; but it was not till the following evening that serious apprehension was felt. he was evidently sinking. For two or three hours he nconscious. At one o'clock in the morning of Satur- July 12th, " the silver cord was loosed ;" he passed away y, as in sleep.


hen, near the close of the sacred day next following. we together, under that sombre sky, to pay the last tribute ature claims in this church, so associated with his name, ely echoing his voice, sorrow that we should see his face re was mingled with gratitude to God for the many con- ons that softened that grief. "Surely goodness and mer- d followed him all the days of his life." Active in the work of the ministry for nearly half a century, happy in Durch, happy in his home, happy in the power, un- red to the last, of adding to the happiness of others, with ndimmed and mental brightness unobscured, in the full- of his years he passed from mortal sight. And as it is rdination of Heaven that the true-hearted shall have true- ed friends, so was he blest with that faithful friendship revered and loved him living, that mourned his death unaffected sorrow, and that has paid endaring honors to enory."


ermon commemorative of Rev .. John Forrest, D. D., deliv- 38


594


SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. [1: 40-1850.


ered in the First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, Oct. 16, 1879, by Rev. W. D. Dana, D. D., Pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church.]


SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (Charleston). This church enjoyed the labors of its efficient and able pastor, the Rev. Thomas Smyth. The Church manual published by him in 1838, presents faithfully to the church, and its members and officers, their several duties as it respects the various causes of benevolent effort, their personal duties towards themselves, each other, the Church collectively, its officers, their families, public worship, study of the scriptures ; the duties, also, of elders. In 1848, the rules for the temporal government of the Church were revised. There had been, previous to this time, a two-fold code of laws for its government in things temporal. The corporation, in 1823, found themselves en- cumbered by a debt they were unable to pay. A number of gentlemen formed themselves into an association for the pur- pose of extinguishing this debt. To them was given exclusive control of all matters relating to the temporal affairs, such as fixing salaries, pew rents, &c. In all elections of proprietors. they voted according to the amount subscribed by each- from one to eight votes. In all such matters, the pewholders, unless members of the association, were not entitled to vote. In all elections for pastor or clerk, the pewholders were en- titled to one vote each. Two bodies existed cotemporaneously, meeting apart, each governed by its own rules. This two- fold jurisdiction bred confusion. In May, 1843, the associa- tion relinquished their rights, reserving the exclusive right, as stockholders, to their original privileges in all matters as to the sale and distribution of church property. The rules were revised, and were finally adopted at a meeting of the Association of Pewholders, May 4, 1852. The Bench of Ruling Elders, in 1845, consisted of T. R. Vardell, John Dewees, William Dearing, William Yeadon, William C. Dukes, James M. Caldwell, D. W. Harrison, William Adger, William Harrall-nine in number.


The membership of the church varied from 302 communi- cants, during this decade, to 472, the average being 369. Of these, a portion were colored communicants, sometimes more numerous, but averaging 113. It was an interesting sight on communion occasions, here as elsewhere, after the tables had been successively filled by the whites, when their servants


595


DR. ADGER.


1-1850.]


le and occupied the same seats, and partook, in their turn, he sacred emblems of their Saviour's death. "There is her Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there either male nor female ; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." iii, 28.


his church also excelled in its benevolent contributions. : statistical tables appended to the minutes of the General . embly shows that this church gave to foreign mis- is, during these ten years, $4,491.II; to domestic sions, $1.936.60 ; to education, $6,160; to the Theo- cal Seminary, $6,826, besides miscellaneous collections, I. The contributions of the year 1842 are not reported, are supplied from the general average of other years. itributions in ten years, apart from pastor's salary, 004.71.


The session of this church took measures, also, which ninated, under the sanction and fostering care of Presby- , in the organization of Glebe Street Church, for which spared some of her choicest members. Another project he session was to collect a congregation and ultimately to n a church consisting exclusively of colored persons, ler the management and pastoral labors of Rev. John B. ger, D.D. This brother had entered into the service of American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, been stationed at Smyrna, connected with the mission to Armenians, where the Board had two presses and seven ts of native type in use. Dr. Adger then edited an Ar- nian magazine, and brought out Zohrah's popular transla- of the New Testament, at the expense of the British and reign Bible Society. " After a laborious and useful service the literary department of the Mission, he was constrained his health, in 1847, to retire from the field," having been elve years in the service of the Board. The Presbytery ered into this project-not yet of separate churches for ored people, but of separate congregations-gave its nion that, under the circumstances of the case, Dr. Adger s called upon to abandon his mission in the East, and de- te himself, for the present, to this much needed work. om this time his name appears as domestic missionary to : colored people, they remaining, as yet, under the juris- tion of the session of the Second Church. [MS. Minutes Presbytery of Charleston, 426-429, 432. Dr. Anderson's




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