USA > South Carolina > Charleston County > Charleston > The parish church of St. Michael, in Charles Town, in the province of South Carolina. Founded 1752 > Part 2
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This digression has carried us very far from 1764, and we
10. V. B., 215. 2 News and Courier, September 9, 1882.
3 News and Courier, September 9, 1886.
15
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
must retrace our steps to that period, when the Vestry was talking of an organ, and writing to David Deas and Edgerton Leigh, Esq'rs. two of the parishioners then in London for advice as to the procuring of an instrument ;1 which did not reach Charleston, however, till August, 1768.2 It was built by Snetzler3 said in a letter from the Church's London agent, to be "now the most considerable and most reputable organ builder in England." The cost including freight and putting up was £568 sterling.4
This is the present organ, and there is a tradition that it was first played at the coronation of George III in West- minter Abbey, but there seems no foundation for this ; yet, curiously enough, we find the Vestry thanking Chas. Brock- ett, Esq., for " enquiring about the Coronation Organ," but declining it as too costly ; and this gives a hint of how the story arose. 5
The next interesting entry in the old records is, " A Mar- ble Font was also thought necessary to be got ; when it was agreed that a neat one of an oval form, to stand upon a mahogany frame, to run upon brass casters, and not exceed- ing the price of ten guineas, should be wrote for to England by the first opportunity."6
This was done, and on Christmas Eve, 1771,7 the Vestry received their purchase, which still stands at the right hand side of the middle aisle just as you enter.
The next few years rolled quietly away, so far as the church was concerned, and there is no trace in its records of the Stamp Act Excitement, of 1765, the only event of that year being the election of the Rev. Samuel Hart, lately returned from " Mobeille," as Assistant Minister, his connec- tion with the church beginning on the 2nd June, 1765,8 and ending by his resignation, June 2nd, 1770.9
In 1764, mention is made of a " portico originally in- tended," which seems to have been designed for the north side of the church, perhaps to stand over the door on Broad Street, closed about 1823.
10. V. B., 46. 20. V. B., 77. 3Spelt also Schetzler. 4O. V. B., 78.
O. V. B., 26. 60. V. B., 105. 70. V. B., III. 8O. V. B., 55.
90. V. B., 97.
16
Appendix to Year Book.
In 1770, a small trouble turns up, which show that peo- ple do not change very much, At a Vestry meeting on the 28th of May, of that year, "The Wardens informed the Vestry that several young men made a practice of assem- bling under the Piazza at the West Door of the Church, and disturbed the congregation very much at the end of the church, with walking backwards and forwards, trailing sticks on the Flaggs, and talking loud during Divine Service on Sun- day Forenoons, that they are frequently obliged to go out and speak to them, either to go into the Church or go home, which they refuse to do, and treat the Wardens with con- tempt ; therefore asked the opinion of the Vestry, what method they should take to prevent it in future-who thought it the best way to summons such persons before a Magistrate."
On the 19th of December, of the same year, " the Rev. Mr. John Bullman arrived in the ship Carolina Packet, Cap- tain White, from London, Assistant Minister St. Michael's Parish."1
For the next few years the church was happy, for it had no history; but soon the Revolutionary storm makes itself heard in the Vestry minutes, and on August 15, 1774,2 we find that body considering a sermon preached the day before by the Rev. Mr. Bullman, "which had given great offense and exasperated many of the inhabitants."
The objectionable sermon reminded the good people of the Province of the duty of minding their own business, and the following passages must have come with stinging force to the ears of men who were on the eve of throwing off the existing form of government :
"In short, it is from this unhappy Temper that every idle Projector who cannot, perhaps, govern his own household, or pay the debts of his own contracting, presumes he is qualified to dictate how the State should be governed, and to point out the means of paying the Debt of a Nation. Hence, too, it is that every silly Clown and illiterate Me-
10. V. B., 103. 20. V. B., 130.
I7
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
chanic will take upon him to censure the conduct of his Prince or Governour, and contribute as much as in him lies to create and foment those Misunderstandings which, being brooded by Discontent and diffused through great Multi- tudes, come at last to end in Schism in the Church and Se- dition and Rebellion in the State; so great a matter doth a little Fire kindle."
Mr. Bullman would not listen to the remonstrances of the Vestry, and absolutely refused to change or modify his words ; so a meeting of the congregation was called, and by a vote of forty-two to thirty-three, disapproved of the ser- mon, whereupon the Vestry informed Mr. Bullman that he was " no longer to officiate at St. Michael's Church."1
But that did not settle the matter, for at the next meeting the Vestry received a letter requesting Mr. Bullman's re- call, and signed by seventy-four inhabitants of the Parish. Whereupon, "the Vestry, considering the same, and referring to the minutes of the 15th and 18th instant, are fully satis- fied with the Propriety of their Conduct respecting Mr. Bullman." The signers of the letter then appealed to the Church Commissioners of the Province, but the revolution put an end to that body before the appeal was considered.
1
The Vestry chosen, on Easter Monday, April 18th, 1776, did not take the usual oath, but one to defend the Consti- tution of South Carolina, as established by Congress on the 26th March, 1876;2 and on the 2d July, of the same year, we find it meeting to discuss the refusal of the Rev. Dr. Cooper " to take the oath prescribed by His Excellency the President, and by him ordered to be administered to any inhabitants, by the Captains of the Militia," and after de- liberating on the matter, calling a meeting of the congre- gation for July 2d, at which it was decided to call a new Minister.
We cannot prevent a feeling of respect and pity from steal- ing over us as we think of the struggle it must have cost the good Doctor to sever the ties of years and to give up a com-
10. V. B., 131. . ֏Q. V. Book, 140.
3
18
Appendix to Year Book.
fortable home and salary for conscience sake ; and it is pleas- ant to know that the English Government settled an annuity of £100 upon him, and that he obtained a cure in England- curiously enough, St. Michael's, Cornhill.1 Much difficulty was found in procuring a successor to Doctor Cooper, and it was not till March 22d, 1778,2 that the Rev. Charles Fred- erick Moreau became Rector, no attempt being made to supply Mr. Bullman's place.
At the time of the British invasion of 1776, lead was scarce, and St. Michael's seems to have given some from its roof, for in December, 1778, the Vestry apply for a restora- tion of the "Leads which were taken from the church for the publick use."3
In the same year a brick-wall was built on the south and west sides of the church-yard4 and they are probably the present ones ; as to the rest of the wall I am uncertain, as the eastern part of the lot was bought in this century ; a piece of land, measuring forty feet front on Broad Street by one hundred and fifty-five deep, being purchased, in 1816, for $7,000 ;5 and the piece back of this, forty by forty, with the present Sunday-school building in 1836 for $3,600.6 On the former of these lots there was a house very near to the church, and so, for fear of fire the chancel window was bricked up in 1788,7 and entirely forgotten, till, on St. Valen- tines Day, 1865,8 a shell from the Federal batteries on Mor- ris Island came right through the east end of the chancel, knocking out the new brick work, and giving a rather strong hint of improvement, which was taken, and the window re- stored, when the church was repaired after the War of Secession. Fortunately such valentines are rare.
Easter Monday, 1780, fell about the beginning of the siege of the town, by the British, and there is no record of an election for Vestrymen and Wardens; and the same thing occurred in 1781, so that it was not till July 2, 1781, that we find an election held "by order of the Commandant,"9
1 Dalcho, 205. 20. V. B., 151. 30. V. B., 154.
5 Reg. M. C. 6Original Deed. 70. V. B., 200.
8 Mr. John Beesley, the Sexton. 9O. V. B., 156.
4O. V. B., 154.
19
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
which resulted in the return of a Vestry entirely different from its predecessor.
The new Vestry held its first meeting July 16, 1781, and were "informed that Jno. Cruden, Esq., Commissary of sequestered estates generously offered to give up the use of such pews as were under his directions for the benefit of the church."1 The Rev. Edward Jenkins was called to the rectorship, and the church was opened on Sunday, July 29, 1781.2 The Vestry of the next year held no meeting till October, when it was certain that the British would soon leave the town, and that their friends would have to reckon with the victorious and exasperated whigs. The church plate was valuable, and the Vestry met to consider the offer of Edward Lightwood, one of the last Vestry prior to the siege-to take charge of it during the disorder of the evacuation.3 This they decided to do, if the State authori- ties sanctioned it, and so they sent to Gov. Mathews, at Izard's Plantation, on Ashley River, and finding the plan agreeable to him, turned the Communion Service and Vestry Book over to Mr. Lightwood.
On the re-entry of the Americans, the Rev. Hy. Purcell, 4 at one time Chaplain to the second South Carolina Regi- ment, commanded by Moultrie, began to officiate, but just how the Church was managed is not known, as there is no record of Vestry meetings; and in March, 1783, Gov. Guerard issued an order for the election of a Vestry, to take place on Easter Monday, April 21st, " there being no Wardens."
Mr. Purcell continued to officiate, but was not regularly elected Rector till April 2d, 1784,5 though allowed his salary from the evacuation by the British, December 14th, 1782.
In May, 1785, the Church was incoporated jointly with St. Philip's, and as a separate corporation in 1791 ;6 and three years after was repaired, and a parapet either added or rebuilt on the north and south sides. This seems to have caused the building to leak, and at last the Vestry pro- posed to remove it, and about 18477 this proposal was car- ried out.
10. V. B., 158. 2O. V. B., 159. 3O. V. B., 161. 4O. V. B., 175.
O. V. B., 175. 6 Dalcho, 206. 7N. V. B., 96.
20
Appendix to Year Book.
For a time after the Revolution, the Church, no longer helped by the Government, was in considerable financial difficulty, but gradually things improved, so that on March 19th, 1790,1 the Rev. Thomas Gates, D. D., was elected co- Rector, and served till October 25th, 1796,2 when he re- siged, and the Rev. Ed. Jenkins, D. D., was chosen as Dr. Purcell's colleague, an arrangement which lasted till the resignation of the former, December 17th, 1804.3
There is mention, in 1794,4 of the evening bells-abolished by the City Council September 7th, 1882,5 when the Fire Alarm Telegraph went into operation-and there was some trouble about the St. Cecilia Band assisting at service in 1798,6 and at the same meeting the Sexton is directed not to allow "any horses or cattle to graze in the Church yard in future."7
Mr. Purcell died March 24, 1802,8 and the Rev. Nathaniel Bowen was chosen to supply the place, entering upon his duties December 19, 1802.9
At a Vestry meeting, August 8, 1802, mention is made of a legacy of £20, "left by Aaron Locock, Esq., towards the purchase of a chandelier," and in March, 1803, the present one, with "three pair of branches, for the Pulpit, Reading Desk and Organ Loft,"10 was ordered from Joseph Lewis, of London, and the bill, £102-18-10 Sterling, or- dered to be paid in the December following, but there is no mention of when it was put up.11
Pounds, shillings and pence are always used in the church's accounts up to this time, but in July, 1803,12 a change is made to dollars and cents.
Upon the resignation of Dr. Jenkins, as mentioned above, an arrangement was made between St. Philip's and St. Michael's to have an Assistant in common, and the Rev. Wm. Percy was elected to this position, entering upon the functions of his office January, 1805.13 This agreement
1O. V. B., 203. 20. V. B., 222. 30. V. B., 208. 40. V. B., 215.
5 News and Courier, September 9, 1882. 60. V. B., 235. 70. V. B., 235.
Dalcho, 220. 9O. V. B., 277. 100. V. B., 280. 110. V. B., 294.
120. V. B., 283. 130. V. B., 308.
21
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
lasted till the close of 1809, when the Rev. Theodore Dehon took charge of the church,1 Mr. Bowen having ten- dered his resignation in the preceding May, but officiating till late in the year.
On the 10th June, 1804,2 the Vestry was authorized by a meeting of the congregation to enlarge the Church by adding forty-two pews below and twelve in the gallery, to the east end of the building ; 3 this plan came up again in 1810,4 and a third time in 1833,5 but expended its energy in resolutions. The same fate seems to have overtaken a pro- posal to cut down the pews made in 1824,6 and authorized by the Vestry.
On the sixth of August, 1817,7 the death of Bishop Dehon, who in spite of his elevation to the Episcopate, February 19, 1812,8 continued to be the Rector of St. Michael's, left the church without a parson, and, so, on the thirteenth of August, 1817,9 they called Dr. Nathaniel Bowen, their former pastor, and he returned to his old post March 1, 1818.10 Like his immediate predecessor, he was Bishop of this Diocese, that dignity having been conferred upon him February 18th, 1818.11 As the duties of the two offices soon became greater than one person could fulfil, Dr. Frederick Dalcho was elected Assistant on the 23d February 1819.12
When the church was built there was a cross aisle with a door at each end of it, but time having proved this aisle unnecessary, and there being a great demand for space, it was replaced in 181813 by eight pews, and later the north door was closed ; just when we do not know, but think it was in 1823,14 as at that time a new pew is mentioned, and there was no place for one except where the door had been,
In May, of the same year, we find a bill paid for ornament- ing the church on Whitsunday, a custom now obsolete; 1 5 and that reminds us of another old usage, that of reading the
10. V. B., 372. 20. V. B., 300. 3 Do., 298. 4Do., 377. 50. V. B., 46.
60. V. B., 537. 7Tablet in Church. 8 Dalcho, 224. 9O. V. B., 456.
100. V. B., 465. 11Dalcho, 211. 12 Dalcho, 212.
130. V. B., 476. 14Do., 531. 15 Do., 530.
22
Appendix to Year Book.
Citations of the Ordinary in the churches on Sunday, which was only discontinued by an Act of the Legislature, passed at the request of the people of St. Michael's in December, 1824.1
The clerk held on till October Ist, 1835, when he, too, fol- lowed the usual path of old fashions ; as did the choir of sur- pliced boys, who are frequently mentioned, as when, in 1798, we find a bill for " washing the surplaces of clergy and children ;"2 and a little earlier, the Vestry requesting the Rector to entertain, at their expense, six of the orphan boys on Sunday, as "an incitement for their better performance of the Service";3 and in 1807 the Organist is requested to have at least twelve choir boys.4 When this form of music was discontinued we do not know.
There were two other old customs in St. Michael's, now given up, the preaching of a sermon on New Year's day, by special direction of the will of Benjamin Smith, dated Feb- ruary 15th, 1768,5 which changes Pew No. 4, in the middle aisle, with the payment of £25 currency, "to such minister as shall preach a sermon every New Year's Day in said Church of St. Michael ;" and the session's sermons, thus described in Fraser's Reminiscences :
" Among the old customs of the Bar, now abolished, was the preaching of sessions sermons, for which the Minister was allowed, by law, a sum of three pounds, to be paid by the Sheriff out of fines and forfeitures. The last that I re- member in Charleston, was preached by the Rev. James D. Simons, in St. Michael's Church. But looking over an old State Gazette of January, 1799, I found the notice of a session sermon preached in St. Michael's Church, by the Rev. Dr. Purcell ; and this recalled to my mind an incident connected with that very occasion. Mr. John Rutledge, of revolutionary celebrity (who died in May, 1800), chanced to meet me near the Church, whilst the Judge and Sheriff, and a few officers of the court, were crossing over from the court- house. Seeing this scant and motley procession, he asked
1N. V. B., 3. 20. V. B., 232. 30. V. B., 215. 40. V. B., 346.
6O. V. B., 495.
23
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
what it meant. I told him they were going to hear a ses- sions sermon, when he observed how differently it had been conducted formerly, when the judges, in their scarlet robes, and the lawyers, also robed, and all the attendants of the court, proceeded in great form to the church."
The idea of holding public meetings in the churches is rather strange to people of the present generation, but for the first seventy years of St. Michael's life, it was the favorite place for that purpose, and a record of some of the most important of these may be of interest.
The S. C. Gazette, of December 31, 1765, says : " Friday (December 27, Ed.), being the Feast of St. John Evan- gelist, the Society of Free Masons assembled in the Morn- ing, and went in Procession to St. Michael's Church, where an excellent Discourse, suitable to the occasion, was deliv- ered by the Rev. Mr. Hart, Assistant of said Church, the members present being in Number about 160; among whom were the Right Worshipful Benjamin Smith, Esq., Provin- cial Grand Master ; the Hon. Egerton Leigh, Esq., Deputy Grand Master, and many other Gentlemen of Distinction."
The Cincinnati, the Revolution Society and the Palmetto Society used to have their annual orations there on the Fourth of July, and these celebrations are so well described by Mr. Fraser that we again quote him :
"St. Philip's and St. Michael's being the largest churches, were generally chosen for the occasion, and were always densely crowded. The clergymen who officiated respect- ively had been both Revolutionary patriots and wore the badge of the Cincinnati with their canonicals. It was in- teresting to behold the original members of the Cincinnati on those occasions, most of them dressed in their Revolu- tionary uniforms. Among them were officers who had been with Washington at Trenton, at Valley Forge, German- town, Brandywine, at Monmouth and at Yorktown; then there was the gallant Moultrie, surrounded by many of the officers who had been with him on the 28th of June, 1776, and also Col. Washington, distinguished at Guilford, Cow- pens and Eutaw.
24
Appendix of Year Book.
" There amongst this honored group were to be seen those gentlemen whose handwriting has bound South Carolina to the compact of independence, for Governor Edward Rut- ledge and Judge Heyward were both then alive."
Mr. Fraser also mentions a meeting of the citizens held here in May, 1798, during the troubles with France, which resulted in the building of Fort Mechanic, " which stood precisely on the spot where Mr. Holmes' house on the Bat- tery is now placed." Now No. 19.
Another meeting was held on the 3d of July of the same year, and within a few weeks $100,000 was raised, and with it the "John Adams," a frigate of thirty-two guns, was built for the navy of the United States.
Again, in 1812, the people of Charleston met in the old church to consider how best to aid the Government in the war just begun; and so it went on till, in 1832, the Vestry decided not to allow meetings in future, and they were dis- continued.1
But there is also an amusing side to our story, as when in 18062 the Vestry petitioned the City Council for leave to place chains across Broad and Meeting Streets during divine service on Sunday, in order to get rid of the noise of vehicles. Whereupon a fierce newspaper war arose, one signing himself " Wickliff" attacking the petition, and the Vestry replying in resolutions of some acerbity, the result being that Council very wisely refused to grant the desired permission.
As the Vestry desired to manage the public, so some one desired to manage the Vestry, and they choosing a parson, not to his liking, he swore he would pull the clergyman out of the pulpit, if he attempted to preach ; and on Sunday smuggled a cast-net into the church ; placing himself in the front of the south gallery, near the pulpit. All went well, till the parson ascended the tall pulpit and began to give out the text, when the madman-for such he was-rose and took a cast for his victim, meaning to entangle and drag him down. Luckily, the net caught on the sounding-board,
1N. V. B., 40, 20. V. B., 325.
25
The Parish Church of St. Michael.
and the lunatic was secured before he could do any harm. This story we have on the best oral evidence, and Dr. Percy is said to have been the divine. This is the Dr. Percy who " was the first to deliver an address on the anniversary of our Independence ;"1 and this reminds us that the first ad- ministration of the Rite of Confirmation in this State was by Bishop Smith in 18:3, at St. Michael's. 2
In 1835, the Rev. W. W. Spear3 was elected Assistant in consequence of the feeble health of Dr. Dalcho, so that the Church had three Ministers, till the death of the historian of the Church in South Carolina, November 24, 1836 ;4 a loss followed three years later by that of the Rector, Bishop Bowen, who died August 25, 1839.5 The Assistant, Mr. Spear, was chosen to succeed him, on the first of October of the same year,6 but only continued with the Church twelve months, resigning October 1, 1840;7 when the Rev. Paul Trapier became Rector, and the Rev. Paul Trapier Keith, Assistant-a rather strange coincidence as to names.
For six years these gentlemen served St. Michael's, but on the the twenty sixth of November, 1846, 8 Mr. Trapier re- signed and Mr. Keith9 was chosen in his place. The vacant place of assistant was filled by Mr. Thos. John Young, on the 22d, of May, 1847,10 and he held that position till his lament- ed death Oct. 11th, 1852,11 when the scholary divine, James W. Miles, was chosen to succeed him, January 27, 1853. Mr. Miles resigned on account of ill health the next year. 1 2 and his place was filled by the election of Rev. James H. Elliott, November 25, 1853.1 3
There are no other events worthy of record between that time and the War of Secession, unless it be that the color of the steeple was changed from white to brown, an occurrence which made a great impression on the small boys, as the writer can testify. The history of the church during the late war is best told by the following chronicle from the pen of the late venerable A. E. Miller, 14 the Almanac maker,
1 Dalcho, 238. 2 Dalch9, 211. 3N. V. B., 66. 4Tablet in Church.
5 Tablet in Church. 6N. V. B., 72. 7N. V. B., 77. 8N. V. B., 90.
9N. V. B., 92. 1ºN. V. B., 92. 11 Tablet. 12N. V. B., 110.
13N. V. B., 114. 14N. V. B., 136.
4
26
Appendix to Year Book.
who died August 9, 1879, aged ninety-four years, after having worshiped at St. Michael's " from time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary."
" Mr. A. E. Miller submitted the following chronicle of the events of the siege, as affecting the church :
" On Sunday, 19th November, 1863, which had been ap- pointed a Thanksgiving Day by the city authorities, the service of the church was performed as appointed in the Prayer Book, by the Rev. Paul Trapier Keith, Rector. The Congregation was dismissed without a sermon, in conse- quence of shells thrown into the city, on that day, from the United States Batteries erected on Morris Island, four miles off. One of them exploded at the church door as the con- gregregation were leaving it. Another struck the Guard House opposite, the steeple of the church being the object at which the enemy aimed. The church was closed from this time, and on the Sunday following many repaired to St. Paul's Church, in consequence of a public invitation to that effect. The Rector left the city during the week fo !- lowing. The Assistant Minister, Rev. James H. Elliott, was absent at the time, and did not return until January, when he and the Rev. Mr. Keith, who was here for a time, assisted the Rev. Mr. Howe in keeping open St. Paul's Church (as the Rector of it, the Rev. Dr. Hanckel, was also absent,) for the benefit of those of the three congregations who remained in town, and also for any who would come to hear the word preached.
" On Easter Monday, 1864, the election of Vestry and Wardens for this church was held there, and, what was re- markable, those for St. Philip's, St. Paul's and Grace Churches were held at the same time and place, but only a few were present. The Vestry elected at that time held but one meeting to organize and then left the city. They have now all returned, with the exception of Jacob K. Sass, Esq., whose death we all lament, and whose memory will be ever held in esteem for his piety and be- nevolence, and usefulness as one of the church's enlight- ened members.
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