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I Beaverdam Church Has 163-Year History HOPEWELL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Hopewell Methodist Church Site Bought For 10 Shillings BY DOWNS M -NR'-i- f r . ; ears. Miss Carrie Bell W rkman served 21 years. The The first written roc rd w.> present .rganist is Mrs. Tho- have of Hope'. veil Metisidist mas Milam, daughter -if Mrs. Church is the deed recorded Alice Boyd Williams. in Laurens C«>i mty, Clerk of Court’s Office, April 12, 1803 Hie historical facts -if the when Thomas J 'Jins. ') deeded church and c immunity were two (2) acres f L.nd as well prepared by Mrs. Roy Craw- as the timlier -n the said ford with the help f "ther acres and the u se f a cei tain members - f the church. spring to the foil •v, mg trustees: Charles Hewit, Hugh O’Neal, T lie present pasUr of the JoUi Sasc"n am 1 William Wil- churr-h is Lev. J ilin M. Bank- son. Tills deed \v ,iv 'A ;tn ee 1 nn ;.t. by Matthew J tm i ; rii.t^ jjKi Mikell Dalryrnp! le. The tr.-ns- T RM: B PASTORS action was nu !• f r Un '10 shillings an. ui itir, t .! .ut U; i - W. w. Jones $2.00 in *ur m Th- t;:r- U, - i.e rge M. Boyd ber was t l c a. - . t . re'd J. J. Clarksnn a church UiiMm an 1 it a as t w. H. Whittaker be called tN ' if X f ♦ ^ , M. !h P -ser H -use. ’A. T. Giltiert A. J. Gibson Charles ii-- d, f l M. C. Banks above inentiune. itruM- , w. H. I igr-tte buried in the L Lis U Ce- A. H. Arul meterv, ii'.w kn an ...i th- 1: '• - R. R. Dagnal *ell Cemeterv, in 15!*.. Th ni.o Dalrymple, f the wit- l .7 - A. ( . Legette nesses, was the • ere,it tTali'l- lob" - C. H. Pritchard father 1 Mr. T. I. i;» t: ier s Ul, 1887 - I. P. Phillips whose fanuh is still c iinect- 1885 - E. P. Taylor ed with the church. 1890 - E. A. Wilkes 185! - O. N. Roundtree The first rec • rd se have f 1892 - P. b. liigr iLim 1895 - C. ii. Pritchard W. P. barre W.E. Barro ''diet D. P. Boyd J. Stevenson S. Lesley 1901 - J. I-. Gibson 1902 - W. H. Thr wer 1903 - J. H. Copeland J. ’S. Wright J. T. Miller D. P. Boyd W. l’. Bauknight Murry . h. Kil.'o W. Shealy S. Pvtru-: ! . Bulhnrt r; Me.iP < K s. Jones A P V, • if. 189C 1897 1897 - J. 1899 - A. 1901 1905 1907 1911 - 1915 • 1918 ■ 1921 ■ 1925 1 •32 153b 1539 15-11 1M-5 1045 1945 1550 1954 1959 19C3 1904 1908 1969 r. BauMi:c ' J. W. Giles J. : . Kin.o' d J. i.. Pmeliart C. i . Panin. k. McAlister I. P. Medley Samuel Pel r ini: James McAlister Courtesy of MRS. RANDOLPH MOORE The 1807 Bethel Association minutes state that Beaverdam Church was organized Aug. 15, 1807; Elders Joshua Palmer, Reuben Kelly, and Henry Hitt were present and there were 59 members. The church united with the Bethel Association at its meeting at Cross Roads Meeting House, Newberry District, on Oct 3, 1807. Elder Palmer served as pastor for one year and then moved to Indiana. He was a long time pastor of I>angston Church and also of Warrior Creek of which he was the founder and he also served other churches shorter periods. He was an Englishman, of limited education, somewhat singular in manners and “a 3 anger to pride,' but with considerable ability and an earnest and eloquent speaker Joseph Babb, a member of the church, was then ordained and became the next pastor On April 29, 1814, Zachanah Bailey ‘for the great regard 1 have for religion and promotion of same" gave the church three sues of land on which was "the new brick meeting house," it being part of the tract of land on which John Bailey then lived; such timber as would do for boards and rails was reserved. The plat shows a right of way to the spring and also a graveyard just behind the church land. Witnesses were James Young the surveyor and William Nelson This was possibly the first brick church building in the county Mr. W T Benjamin was told that the west end of the present building is on the site of this building Zachanah Bailey was pmbablv a nephew of Mr. Baiiey who gave the Little Kiver Church land. He and his wife, Winiford Coleman, are buried in the cemetery here; twenty-one members of their family are now members of this church; the late Rev W B. Wharton and his son Rev. M. T Wharton, well known Methodist ministers are members of the fanuly. Beaverdam Baptist Church In 1817 the Chestnut Ridge members were organized as an arm of the church, but Elder Babb moved to Alabama in December 1821, and a few days later Chestnut Ridge Church was organized. The two congregations had 97 members in 1821. The few associational delegates of the period which we have were Zachariah Bailey, Edward Strange, Josiah Fowler, Joshua Teague, with three, Charles G. Franks, Daniel Johnson, and Robert McNees from the Chestnut Ridge arm For the next two years the church was supplied by Elder Chesley Davis of Newberry County. He was a relative of Rev. E. W Davis, pastor of the church exactly one hundred years later. New delegates were William Nelson, M. W Christman, Enoch Brazeal, an ordained minister, and W. H. Stokes. In the fall of 1823 Elder Babb returned to South Carolina and resumed the pastorate of the church. fjl a.; I hr: • 1 V' J.W. membership -ajs when Miss Mirgaret Miller, :• iter hi -r. as “Aunt Mtrg.ir-t Buy'!", .is sister f Mes.- r . I Miller, m 4her f and gr m In. (her Speake, joined!:- j luis-. ciety sometin.--: ,ii un! 1825. There beiiu’ r. hurch luiMinc at that time, - ruces were cxiducted under an -.rt-r. Ac cording to rec T ls ? un i, the present building was c instruct ed between 18 3 5-1840. The money was raised f r the build ing by contributions of farm produce turned ver t a trea surer, who was thought to be Coleman Carlisle. Mr. Carlisle Is buried at Salem Church near “Young’s Cross Hoads’. The building stood as erected until remodeled in 1925 under Rev. W. S. Pettus’ pastorate. Between 1840-1877 we have no records. The district was changed several times during this period and it is thought that the records were lost. It was first known as tho Bush River District, next Cokesbury and now it is the Greenwood District. We do know that dur ing that time services were conducted. Hopewell has maintained a Sunday School about 91 years. The first we know positively about is when Mr. Charles Workman was superintendent in 1877 for five years. Mr. Workman was followed by John Miller, John Smith, W. D. Boyd, J. M. Monroe, 1). R. Crawford, J. L. Dickert, J. Roy Craw ford and W. P. Dickson. The present superintendent is Wil liam Young. The present secre tary and treasurer -if the Sun day School is Downes Monroe, who has served 35 years. Sandy Springs Church Started Before 1875 ! rgmul Sandy Springs Church building was situated near Highway N . 49 and only a sh rt distance where it now stand- n Highway No. 308. It is th ught that the Id church build.ng was near a spring a- r an d which was 1 ts f pretty whit- sand and the sp t t-ecame kn wn as Sandy Springs. The Id building was a large tw st ry structure and was used as a scho 1 house and Ur van us ther community acti vities. A ladies club known as The Grange" meet there < ne night each week. Finally, the need f a sep arate building Ur the church was realized by the trustees and ther members, and on Jan uary 9, 1875, the Board - f Trustees comprised f William Leak J seph Leak, Whitfield G' odwin and J<>hn Miller, pur chased for the congregatn-n a- b< ut an acre - f land from James M nro Donnan fur the sum of $15 and to be used as the site for a new church building. The title to the land was signed in the-pre.--ence fGe rce D'-nnan and W. C G dwin and rec-rded ;n the rec rU at the Laurens C unty C urt H use. The timber used in the build ing f the church was cut and sawed n the J. M D nnan place and - nly the Idest and largest trees were used The Rev D. Pettus B yd. the first past r f Sandy Springs, dr ve the team t haul the 1 gs t the saw mill f Much enthusiasm was sh'-wii by the past- r and members in preparing the lumber which was to be used to erect a new building It is said that three brothers by the name - f Price did the actual construction but no record is available as t the total cost of the finished work The following amusing st ry has lived through the years as an “happening atSandySprings in the early days The Id- timers around remember the story well, and it grew - ut of an incident that to- kplace while Revival services were in pro gress the week f August 29, 1886 The services were being held the new building with the ist r the Rev D. Pettus Boyd charge, and a blind evange- Lst by the name f McElhaney / vitations. had c> me to assist him. round many homes in the com munity. In Charleston much of the city was demolished The next morning another tremor was felt. The effect of all this - n the Revival was something like ma gic. The evangelists no longer had to beg the people to come forward when they gave the in- The church united with the Reedy River Association at Green Pond Church near Woodruff on Speteinber 22, 1828. There was a revival throughout the land around 1830, and the church reported 145 baptisms in the years 1829-1834 inclusive. The association first met here in 1831. An outdoor meeting place known as the stand was always arranged to ac commodate the large crowds at the meetings. Many years later the word arbor was used, but at this period slabs were probably placed under the trees for seats and the word stand evidently referred to the speakers’ platform; there was preaching here throughout the meeting while the business was carried on in the house. The meetings began on Friday morning w ith a sermon at the stand: after an intermission, business began in the house and was concluded on Monday. Sunday was devoted entire!} to preaching, and in these early years The Lord's Supper was often observed The record says there were four sermons here on Sunday and "we witnessed in the ser vices of this day an ex traordinary excitement in the congregation such as we have not been accustomed to see on After a night >r two i f fer vent preaching and earnest in vitations t come Urward for prayer, the past r was disap pointed with the poor response and felt rather keenly the bur den of the work he was carry ing "n for the church. So, as the stry goes, on Tuesday- night, August 31, 1886, he pray ed that the Lord do something t- stir the people ut f their C'irnplacency even if it took an earthquake t d < .t The ser vice was dismissed and out side the people stond in groups talking about the pastor spray er and remarking that they would not be scared into join ing thechurch are going forward for prayer. But before the people reach ed their homes that night the earth began to shake. Wells lined with rocks and the chim-. neys were badly damaged a- o r> .-4 »>, T* O ~ 0.1* pc ^ Some of Gal* paS sent officers, who served un tiringly are: W. D. Boyd, H. B. Workman, George T. Brown, C. R. Workman, J. F. Beden- baugh, G. F. Buford, J. L. Dickert, C. V. Monroe, Luther Young, Richard Buford, Char les R. Workman and Marion Workman. The present trea surer of the church is Hugh Bonds Workman, who has served for 35 years. Mrs. Alice Boyd Williams was the first organist. Her work was taken up by Mrs. C. R. Workman, who served such occasions, which indicated to us that The Spirit of the Lord was with us.” A sketch of Beaverdam and most of the other churches is printed in the association minutes of 1835 and 1837; some of this record is taken from it First mention of pastor’s salary and Sunday Schools was in the Thirties. Post Offices were first shown at this time also and Mountville was the Beaverdam post office. Elder Babb passed to his reward on April 29, 1843, about 70 years of age. In addition to his thirty-three years at Beaverdam and Chestnut Ridge, he served about ten years at Bethabara and four years each at Poplar Springs and Rabun Creek, and there is some evidence that he preached at the Quaker Meeting House, now Union Church. He was moderator of the Reedy River Association from 1830 until his death. Most of his ministry was in a day when preachers were not paid and when there was little response to the message; be seems to have waited eight years at Chestnut Ridge for his first convert The church record book dates from February 1878. There is a constitution of nineteen articles outlining rules of procedure and duties of members; these relate to church attendance, support of the church. Sabbath ob servance, evil companions, and one bans dancing. Discipline was not as strict as in some other churches. Church ser vices were on the third Sunday and preceding Saturday; changes were made in the Saturday hour from time to time, from as early as 10 a. m. to as late as 3 p.m. And this was Sun Time, one-half hour slower than Standard. In June 1881, Dr. D. A. Richardson reported that work on the building was nearing completion and that money was needed; $300.00 was reported raised for repairs. In addition to the floor, this work probably included overhead ceiling and moving the pulpit to west end of the building, and it was also decided this year “to order” an organ, doubtless the first one, as well as to hire a sexton and pay him $8.00 a year. Rev. R. W. Sfeymour was pastor from 1884-86; he also served Bethabara, Cross Hill, and Waterloo, living at Cross Hill In October 1884 a group, including the church clerk and treasurer, was dismissed to form Waterloo Church. The loss of these and some others was a considerable blow to the church, for there were 104 members at the close of the pastorate. Since 1886, a total of 31 pastors has served Beaverdam, including the present pastor, Rev. James Carter, who assumed his pastorship on April 28, 1968. We have continued to grow spiritually and much growth is evident in all areas of our church life. Our tithes and of ferings were more during the t past associational year than ever in the history of our church. We have a full missionary program—one of the highlights of 1968 was a G. A. Coronation service—the first ever held in our church with Sissy Whelchel crowned as queen. Also, in May 1968 the Y. W.A.’s held a White Bible Service honoring Mary Moore— the first one for our church. During the past year we have installed new carpet and new pews in the sanctuary. Our present membership it 107 members. Over the years we have lost some by death and various reasons but have gained many and continued to grr^ PROUD • • Much of the historical data relative to the on-going minis try of Sandy Springs is unre corded, but through the years the Church has sought to pro mote the work of the Kingdom at home and abroad and has done this rather faithfully In 1968 new furnishings for the Sanctuary, pews, commun ion table, pulpit desk andchirs, and an altar rail, were install ed. The ministers who have serv ed Sandy Springs through the years were: D. Pettus Boyd, J. E. Mahaffey, W. A. Betts, N. B Clarkson, J L Hardy, J. M Fridy, G. M Boyd, C C McCain, W. C Kelly, A. A Merritt, S F McCarley, D. R Roof, J C Davis, W. B. Jus tus, J. K Holman, J. T. Mill er, B. M Robinson, M. W. Le ver J. H. Manley, J. C Brown, E. F Mosely, J. W. McElrath. W. Glenn Smith, C. O. Bell. Felder Bauknight, T A. Ina- binet, John Frazier, J L. Ash ley, Newell Bush C. B. Word, E. A Wilkes, III, J D. Stuart, James H. Williams, HughBick- ley Webster Curry, Dean D. Sawyer, Richard Gardner.A. E Smith, Roy Stockman andW. Ralph Carter the present pas tor. The Rev David Templeton, pastor of Grace United Metho dist Church. Abbeville, enter ed the ministry while a member at Sandy Springs. He is the son of Mrs. Matthew Templeton of Wattsville. Present church membership is 66. ChurchSchoolenrollment 53. * * * 4ft •-> :■* 9* ** T0HNS0NQ W MEN SHOP O I 8 Sandy Springs Church SOUTH CAROLINA TRICtNTENNIAL | We Are Proud ( A Part Of This ( portant Celebration. | Congratulations, 1 South Carolina! 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