USA > South Carolina > Charleston County > Charleston > Two centuries of the First Baptist Church of South Carolina, 1683-1883. With supplement > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
1
310
TWO CENTURIES.
his country's service, he ably performed, until the summer of 1844, when he was struck with paralysis. He combined in his character every quality which makes a man beloved, useful and great. In the dis- charge of his duty as teacher and preacher he was dis- tinguished for his success. As a scholar, learned ; as a preacher, eloquent and impressive, and full of the spirit of his Master; as a man, courteous and gentle ; as a husband and father, kind, considerate, devoted. In fine, he lived and died a Christian, and a Christian minister."
Of the subject of the fourth tablet, the same "Historical Sketch " of the church, published by the City of Charleston, makes this record:
"For many years, Tristram Tupper, Esq., was the worthy and efficient President of the Corpor- ation, and was always the firm and unfailing friend of the church. His time and his purse were both at the service of the church. While on a visit to St. Thomas, on business, he selected the beautiful mahogany out of which the present pulpit was made. His son, the Rev. H. A. Tupper, D.D., of Richmond, Va., is an honored minister of the gos- pel, while another son, the late James Tupper, Esq., was a faithful deacon in the First Baptist Church, and a man of fine gifts, both as a speaker and writer ; while a large number of his descend- ants, both in Charleston and elsewhere, have be- come shining ornaments of society and devoted
--
311
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
members of the church." The tablet is inscribed with these words :
" THIS TABLET Is dedicated to the memory of An upright man, A devoted husband, An affectionate parent ; TRISTRAM TUPPER, Born at Dresden, Maine, 15th Oct. 1789 ; Died in Charleston, S. C., 20th May, 1865. More than a half century An esteemed and successful merchant of this city, His munificence and energy promoted works of public utility. Prominent among the projectors of the South Carolina Railroad And six successive years its president, Wisdom, firmness and fidelity marked his administration, And he bore into retirement Grateful testimony to his official services. Habitually benevolent, He laboured, always, regardless of self To relieve the suffering and the afflicted In seasons of general sickness and calamity.
Largely instrumental in the organization of this church, He was one of the committee on construction, Many years its president, And worshipped here from its dedication to his death. Purity, integrity, usefulness of life With habitual submission to the divine will, Blessed him with serenity in old age, And composure in contemplation of death."
" His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal; Nor numbers, nor example with him wrought To swerve from Truth, or change his constant mind."
.
-
WORK AMONG THE NEGROES.
1
.
315
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
WORK AMONG THE NEGROES.
O NLY eternity can disclose the work of the Master, which this church did among the negroes of Charleston and the neighboring country · and islands. Among the earliest impressions of the writer with regard to the church-and he was in the infant class when he was four years old- was the immense crowd of negroes in the north gallery, whose faces beamed with intense interest in the preached word, and whose lips made the house to resound with their singing of the old songs of Zion. On communion Sundays, the con- course was the greatest; for, then. the country members were specially expected to be present. There were colored leaders who looked after these members, and did much good among their people. With several of these practical deacons or elders of the church, the writer had, in his childhood, personal acquaintance, and subse- quently he had occasion to hold them in high es- teem.
One of the earliest services he rendered the church was as a member of a committee charged
1
316
TWO CENTURIES.
with the interests of the colored members; which committee received reports from the colored leaders, and gave them general counsel in refer- ence to their work. The colored Sunday-school, superintended from its origin to its conclusion by members of the writer's family, was a prominent feature of the church and the germ of more ex- tensive work among the colored people them- selves. The catechism used was prepared with great care, and was admirably adapted to the instruction of the children. This Sunday-school work led to more extended labors of the whites among the black people, and broad plans were maturing when the war broke out for more sys- tematic and vigorous pressing of this missionary enterprise in the midst of the negroes of Charles- ton and the vicinity. And more than one mem- ber of the old church, in subsequent pastorates, organized similar Sunday-schools, and attended them personally for many years, besides preach- ing to the adult negroes every Sunday and Tues- day nights, and not unfrequently on other days of the week. It may be pardonable for the writer to say that when he offered himself to the church for membership, it was "to go to Africa," which Dr. Fuller mentioned to the congregation, the night the writer was baptized. The actual work
317
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
among the negroes done directly by the church was vast and far-reaching; but the influence of this work, going out in various directions and in many forms of usefulness to this people, is sim- ply inestimable. Public sentiment was growing fast in favor of separate religious instruction for the colored people. This sentiment was voiced in a public meeting of the citizens of Charleston, in July, 1849, which unanimously adopted a re- port of a committee whose chairman was the dis- tinguished lawyer, James L. Petigru, after whom our recently departed brother, Dr. James Petigru Boyce was named. In the report occur these words: " The separate religious instruction of the negroes, combined with prudent attention to the preservation of order, is a work highly acceptable in a moral and religious view, and of great ad- vantage to the Commonwealth. * * The com- mittee are of the opinion that the conversion of negroes can be more efficiently promoted by making it the principal object of a separate min- istration." On the 8th of March, 1860, another eminent jurist and State official, as well as philan- thropist and lover of the negro race, referring to the quoted extract from the report adopted by this popular mass-meeting, wrote to the present writer: "In the above sentiment I think a vast
318
TWO CENTURIES.
majority of our people concur." And known is it to not a few, from personal knowledge, that this work of the Old First Church was as good seed which, when the relation of the races was changed by the war, was springing up in self- denying projects for the spiritual profit of the negroes, which perhaps may be more perfectly realized by the Providence which has made them free to serve God " under their own vine and fig- tree." But never will the time come when ne- groes shall have truer friends and more devoted laborers for their religious welfare than was the Old First Church, with regard to which it shall be said of many a rejoicing African in the other world: "This and that man was born in her." Yea, is it not true that in the two hundred years of this church its colored children greatly ex- ceeded the number of whites born of her by the Spirit of God? And is this not a fact worthy of prominent and grateful record, that the greatest harvesting of souls in this vineyard of the Lord, from William Screven to Edwin T. Winkler, was among the sons and daughters of Ethiopia, who, thus prophetical of greater works among the chil- dren of Ham by the sons of Shem, were stretch- ing out their hands unto the Lord? This may suggest the solution of the "Negro Problem,"
-
.
- --
319
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
whose solution philosophic socialists find in equal- ity political, educational, social; and the distin- guished African philologist and nigrophilist, Ed- ward W. Blyden-a quondam missionary of the Southern Baptist Convention-finds in technical training and immigration to their father-land; but whose solution will probably be, as such great national problems usually are, in some entirely unanticipated providence of God, the best prepa- ration for which cannot be otherwise than earn- est, systematic and broad endeavors for the evan- gelization and missionary training of this people, whom God has placed in this land for a great good, perhaps to the "Dark Continent," in re- spect to which endeavors nobody has set a more worthy example than "The First Baptist Church of South Carolina."
·
CONCLUSION.
1
21
-
323
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
CONCLUDING SUNDAY SERVICES.
T HE Convention adjourned on Saturday, No- vember 24th. The following notes of Sunday (the 25th) services are extracted from reports in the Baptist Courier :
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. The Morning Services.
At this church yesterday morning the Rev. C. C. Bitting delivered an excellent and eloquent discourse from the text: "Now is the Son of Man glorified," John 13: 31. The speaker very graph- ically portrayed the glory of Christ in his suffer- ings, and contrasted His great sacrifice for the redemption of the world with the deeds of men made heroes by their acts of humanity and in the cause of the Christian religion. The dis- course abounded in beautiful imagery and apt illustration and produced a marked effect upon the congregation.
Afternoon Services.
At 4 o'clock the Rev. O. F. Gregory, formerly of Charleston, but now pastor of the Baptist Church
!
324
TWO CENTURIES.
in Charlotte, N. C., delivered a very interesting address at the First Baptist Church before a large congregation. The address was an histori- cal sketch of the Sunday-school of the church, and was the last feature of the Bi-Centennial pro- gramme. The theme of the discourse was, " The value of looking back." [This admirable address was reported in full.]
THE CITADEL SQUARE CHURCH.
An unusually large and intelligent congrega- tion filled the Citadel Square Baptist Church yes- terday morning, and the services throughout were deeply solemn and impressive. The pastor, the Rev. C. A. Stakely, delivered the invocation and read the Scriptures, the Rev. R. H. Griffith made the opening prayer and the Rev. J. A. Mundy, D. D., of Greenville, preached a forcible sermon from John, 8th chapter, 17th verse, " If any man shall do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." The sermon was a close, straightforward, excellent argument in support of the proposition "Obedi- ence to the will of God, the true test of Christian character and belief." The Bible did not origi- nate in the Garden of Eden, because there was no need for the gospel there, but it was the out-
-
325
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
growth of the necessities of fallen humanity. The gospel is not a myth or fancy, it is not given to angels or archangels, it is not written in the dia- lect of heaven. It was given to man, is suited to his necessities, and throughout the text there is only one thread or idea, to wit: Obedience to God is essentially necessary in order to secure the right conceptions of the Deity and the right idea of the duties of man to his Maker. There are physical tests, spiritual tests and intellectual tests by the application of which the believer may ascertain whether he is truly God's child and whether his faith is sound and his hopes for the future are well grounded. Dr. Mundy is free from all sensational tricks and preaches with much force and earnestness.
THE SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Rev. Basil Manly, D.D., preached an eloquent sermon yesterday morning in this church, taking his text from Matthew, 9th chapter, 37th and 38th verses : "Then said He unto His disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth laborers into His harvest." Dr. Manly spoke of the great need of ministers and said that we should do all in our power to aid
326
TWO CENTURIES.
the different theological colleges and seminaries, not only by giving money, but by devoting our sons to the cause ; also that we should not be too particular in regard to our field of labor. During his discourse Dr. Manly turned to a number of the Citadel cadets who were attending the ser- vices and said, "I cannot help thinking of what Gen. Capers, now minister of the Episcopal Church in Greenville, once said to me. It was this: 'I received my first impression of religion while one of the Citadel cadets in this same church while hearing a sermon preached by your father, Dr. Manly.'" When Dr. Manly had fin- ished, Dr. Brackett extended an invitation to the congregation to unite with that of the Huguenot Church in services on Thanksgiving Day.
BETHEL CHURCH.
At Bethel the Rev. Dr. J. C. Furman preached in the morning from the text, John, 14th chapter, Ist and 27th verses, on the subject of the Chris- tian's troubles and consolations. The introduc- tion showed the characteristics of Christ's teach- ings, especially in the unfolding of God's moral government and the designs of Jesus in the pro- motion of human happiness : 1. The words of the text present the general subject for contempla-
327
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
tion and point to the genuineness of the Divine Master, who does not seek to gain proselytes and win renown, but to reveal the actuality of our con- dition, which is one of sorrow. In regard to this Jesus says : "Let not your heart be troubled," &c. The happiness which he would teach was not of this world, and he admonished his disciples that they would not find it here. This they after- wards fully learned by experience. The sweep- ing character of sorrows all through life, through society, without possibility of escape, was most impressively dwelt upon. The second thought in the subject suggested the relief from the sor- rows of this life. The topics of consolation pre- sented by Christ were addressed to the principle of Faith. Thus the beginning of the text : " Be- lieve in God, believe also in me." The absolute necessity of this faith was insisted upon. It sup- plied a conscious void in the human intellect. Science could not supply it. Scientific teachings had nothing of God in them. The wisdom of men failed to apprehend the Deity. Science, in this respect, was a failure. It was successful in subserving commerce ; yet often its votaries sought the cold regions of unbelief. No calamity is so great as to entomb the human heart in un- belief in God. The coupling together of belief in
328
TWO CENTURIES.
God and in Christ is intended to indicate the need of Divine mediation, through whom we have hope, peace and happiness. "I love the Methodists," exclaimed the Doctor, " because of their conscious hope in a living Redeemer." He enlarged upon and commended belief in Christ. The third thought in the text was: "In my Father's house are many mansions." Not in this world: Our Saviour's manner of putting divine truth is here illustrated. He views our social character-our dwelling in a house together, naturally. He tells us that he goes to prepare a place for us. Where ? He does not know. Jesus knows where it is. It is, at all events, a home. Home! Very touching allusions were here made by the venerable divine. The fourth thought : We are to find happiness in Christian service. Employment is a great relief from sorrow. God meant us to be active ; every- thing in our constitution, our whole organization, indicates in us the mind of God, concerning our activity, to save us from the troubles of doubt. The works enjoined in the chapter were for the apostles and all Christ's followers in all times. We are to aim at the glory of God and the salva- tion of men. There is church work, self-denial, Christian charity. He discussed at length the importance of work and illustrated by reference to
--
329
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
the example of Jesus. Consider what we were once, what we are now, by the grace of God. We are righteous by grace, and we are made work- men by grace. Lastly, " Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name." This was another source of relief and comfort. He dwelt upon un- restricted liberty in prayer and on the general topic of prayer. All this will bring relief from trouble. The discourse was full of pathos and comfort to the bereaved and sorrowing especially, and was well received by the large congregation.
1
1
SUPPLEMENT.
.
-
333
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
DEATH OF DR. BOYCE.
T HE day that the First Church of Charleston made the formal request (December 30, 1888) that the editor should compile the papers of its Bi-Centenary, was the very day that the elec- tric wires flashed all over the continent the news of the death of James Petigru Boyce, LL.D., who died in Pau, France, December 28, 1888. The day after his funeral obsequies in Louisville, Ky. (January 20, 1889), the manuscript of this book was returned to the editor in that city by a friend under whose critical eye the work had been placed. It is not strange, therefore, that the thought should arise of making some memorial, in this volume, of the departed man of God, who was a Sunday- school scholar of this church, and was baptized into its fellowship and licensed to preach by it ; whose father was the president of its corporation for many years, and one of its most liberal sup- porters; and whose death has shocked the whole · country as when some giant oak is felled in the resounding forest. And it seems meet that,
334
TWO CENTURIES.
among the almost countless tributes to the memory of this great and good man which have been pub- lished over the land, the one that should record his decease in the history of his mother-church is one from the pen of his own Sunday-school teacher, Dr. H. H. Tucker, who gives vent, in the Christian Index, to the following outburst of affec- tionate and eloquent sentiment :
"With unspeakable grief we announce to our readers that our ever-honored and much-loved brother, James P. Boyce, departed this life on Friday last, the 28th day of December, 1888. This event of overwhelming sadness has been casting its dark shadow before it for two or three years. We all knew that our dear brother's health was failing, and that a fatal result might be expected ; and for some weeks past we have been anticipating the very worst, and yet after all, when the stroke did come it came like a thunderbolt !. It is a strange paradox that when we are looking with certainty for some great event, its coming still takes us by surprise, and our whole nature is jarred by the concussion of expectation with astonishment.
"The event has been a revelation to us. We never knew before how dreadful a loss the loss of Boyce would be. We never knew before how
1
335
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
much we loved him. We have now a view of our own hearts that we never had before. Introspec- tion shows us a great group, yea, a multitude of sentiments, respect, admiration, confidence, love, love Christian, love personal, and innumerable unnamed and unnameable emotions, but all of them reverent, and all of them tender, which seem to have sprung up suddenly since he died. True, all these have nestled in our hearts for many years past, but the past seems like a dream, and the reality is now. It takes death itself to bring us to a realization of our own subjective condition.
" Boyce is gone! The whole Baptist brother- hood is bereaved. Every one of the mighty host has met with a loss. There was no man like Boyce. He was as a father to the whole family of us. We looked to Boyce as to none other. Oh, he was so great, and so strong, and so pure, and so true! When shall we see another like him ! God has great things in store for his people, and we know that he will not forget to be gracious, and the joy of the Lord gleams through our tears; but such men as Boyce do not come with every generation, and the hand that writes these lines will never write others on an occasion of like character and equal moment. The generation following may see another Boyce, but we never
336
TWO CENTURIES.
shall. To the present writer he seemed like a threefold person having the qualities, all at once, of father, brother and son. Father he was when we regarded his grand life and his heroic deeds; brother, when we took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in company ; son, because he was some years younger, and because in his boyhood he belonged to a Sunday-school class taught by the writer. This was in Charles- ton, S. C., just fifty years ago, when Boyce was twelve years old, and the writer twenty.
"He has built his own monument. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, although manned by officers of rare ability, and great learn- ing, could not have survived its trials and troubles but for the immense force of character which Boyce brought to bear upon its interests. We never saw another man who could have done what he did. Not meaning to use literal terms, yet we know not how else to express ourselves, we may say that he brought something out of nothing. At any rate, he may be fairly called the founder and builder of a magnificent Institution which will endure, we doubt not, until the coming of the Lord. It is said that it has more students now in attendance than any similar Institution of any denomination on the American Continent.
337
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
"He was a man of great business capacity. He seems to have inherited the talent of his father, the Hon. Ker Boyce, who, many years ago, was the millionaire President of the Bank of Charles- ton, and a man of wonderful business sagacity. Oh, it was beautiful to see Boyce lay his financial talent which might have brought him millions, on the altar of the Lord! From his mother he seemed to have inherited the spirit of meekness ; and where was there ever a gentler spirit than his? But his best inheritance was that which came to him in the second birth,-a rich inheritance of grace.
" We have had men, and have them now, supe- rior to him in one particular or in another, but where is there another such combination of forces intellectual, moral and social, that completely round out the character of a perfect man ? There are some, (not so very many), who excel him in learning, some, (a considerable number), who are more brilliant, none of better-balanced mind, or of better-balanced character, none of more trust- worthy judgment, none more soundly orthodox, none of profounder convictions, none truer to their convictions, none more industrious, none more generous, none more self-sacrificing, none more genial or magnetic in personal intercourse,
22
338
TWO CENTURIES.
and not one who combines all these qualities in a character so full of power. It was his Washing- tonian evenness of development, his perfect poise, and his huge motive force that made him great.
"Thank God for Boyce. After all we have not lost him. Such men are never lost. He has left us the Seminary. He has left us his record. He has left us his grand example. It will take his mantle a long time to fall from the skies, but when it does fall God will raise up some man on whom it shall fall, and who will be worthy of it.
"We have always been.in sympathy with those Jews who besought our Lord in behalf of the cen- turion, saying, 'For he loveth our nation, and hath built us a synagogue.' Boyce was our lover and our friend, and he built us more than a synagogue. We can pray for him no more ; let us transfer our petitions in favor of his wife and children. And let us show our appreciation of his labors by sus- taining with more zeal than ever the Seminary to which he gave his noble life. Every effort in its behalf will be a chaplet on his grave.
JAMES PETIGRU BOYCE was born in Charleston, South Carolina, January 11, 1827 ; and died in Pau, France, Dec. 28, 1888. 'The memory of the just is blessed.'"
-
INDEX.
A.
PAGE
Adams, Deacon
. 295
William
. 52, 70
Alabama .
1, 185, 255
Albany, Ga.
254
Alcott, A. Bronson
176
Am. S. S. Union
246
Anne, Queen .
90
Archdale, Lord .
· 55, 79, 84
Ashley River, 56, 73, 74, 82, 84, 95,
96, 98, 105.
Associations :
Charleston, 105, 108, 143,
149, 152, 168, 174, 200,
201, 202, 207, 211.
Edgefield . . . . 152, 201 General, of Georgia . . 204
Philadelphia . . 86, 105, 207
Savannah River . 152, 201
Welsh Neck
. 201
Yadkin
200
Baptist Courier
281, 323
Atwell
81
Augusta, Ga.
iv, 309
Augustine .
283
Augustine Era
183
Axell, Humphrey
52, 70
Axtell, Lady
55, 79, 80
S. J., Jr., Rev.
.
81
Axtell, Daniel
81
Axson, Josiah, Mrs.
242
B
Baker, Thos., Mrs.
152
Baker
81
Barker
81
Bayard, Chevalier .
186
Baldwin, M., Rev.
267
Baltimore, Md. . .
· 137, 271, 284
Bailey, W. E., Prof. .
. 212
Bainbridge, Rev. Peter
. 34, 117
Ball, Eli . .
151,218
Baynard, C. A., Rev.
12
Bampfylde, Richard, Sir
21
Bath, Earl
21
Barbadoes, W. I.
20, 43, 74
Barnwell, S. C.
266, 268
Baptists, General
. 95, 119
Bermudas
· 73, 99
Berkely, Lord
· 55,79
Beaufort, S. C .. .
60, 275, 309
Bethlehem, Conn.
. 236
Bell, T. P., Rev.
215, 225
Belcher
. 209
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.