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TWO AERIAL VIEWS OP THE CITY OF NEWBERRY LUTHERAN CONGREGATION DATES FROM 1853 First steps taken toward es tablishment of a Lutheran church in Newberry began in 1852 by Rev. T. S. Boinest who was then pastor of Bethlehem church at Pomaria. In the history of the Lutheran Synod of South Carolina we find the fol lowing relating to the erection of a church at Newberry: “At that time the town had a population of about 400 and quite a number of Luth eran families had located there and were without a convenient church home.” A service was held in the old court houre on Sunday, July 10, 1853, with Mr. Boinest preaching to a very large congregation. At this time a local Lutheran organization was effected with the enrollment of 21 members. The members readily re sponded with subscriptions and cash to erect a building of worship and exactly one month after organiza tion, August 10, 1853, the corner stone was laid with fitting exer cises on a site facing Boundary street midway between the termini of Nance street and McKibben street. This frist church was known as Luther Chapel. On December 30, 1853, the congre gation was chartered as “the Evan gelical Lutheran church at Newber ry, by the name of Luther Chapel.” Rev. Boinest became the first pas tor and the church was completed the first of December of 1854 and dedicated on the 10th of that month. The church was a frame stucture, Gothic in style of architecture, and of superior workmanship, the cost being $4,000. Resigning as pastor of Luther Chapel in 1866, Mr. Boinest was succeeded by Rev. William Berley, who held the pastorate two years. Following Mr. Berley was Rev. M. Whittle, who served temporarily in .connection with his professorship at Newberry college. Rev. Theophilus Stork, D. D., was pastor in 1859 serving until ’60 in connection with his presidency at Newberry college and was assisted by Rev. J. A. Brown, D. D., also of the college faculty. Both Dr. Stork and Dr. Brown left the city in the spring of 1861 going North and for a short time Rev. J.- P. Margaret served the church as pastor along with his work at a nearby church. In May of 1861, Rev. J. P. Smelt- zer, president of Newberry college during the perilous war days, began his service as pastor of the Newber ry Lutheran church and served until the removal of the college to Wal- halla in November 1868. For a year a vacancy existed in the church and the Lutherans allow ed the Episcopalians of the town to use their church building once a month (the Episcopal church hav ing been runined by disuse during the Confederate War) until May 24, 1869 when the building was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm and rendered unfit for services. How ever the church was immediately re paired. Rev. Jacob Hawkins became pastor in September, 1869, to serve less than one year. He was followed by Rev. H. S. Wingard who was install ed on January 15, 1871, serving un til the fall of ’72. For a brief while the Lutheran pulpit was again vacant. Rev. H. W. Kuhns of Omaha, Ne braska, took charge in February, 1873. Under his leadership the con gregation grew and thrived. The membership had grown from 64 in 1873 to 160 when he resigned in 1878. Supplies filled the pulpit un til March of 1879 when Rev. S. P. Hughes became pastor until Nov ember 1881. Later pastors included the fol lowing: Rev. J. Steck, D. D., 1882- 83; Rev. A. B. McMackin, 1885-87; Rev. W. C. Schaeffer, D. D., 1887- 92; Rev. Junius-B. Fox, Ph. D., 1893- 99. Vacancies that occured between pastors from 1884 to 1895 were fill ed by Rev. eorge W. Holland and A. G. Voight, the former, the president of Newberry college and the latter, the seminary professor. While Dr. Schaeffer was pastor a movement was begun to build a bet ter house of worship and the matter of changing the location of the church also came up. It was finally decided in 1895 to secure an eligible lot bounded by Boundary, Wilson, and Johnstone streets, where the present building now stands. The cornerstone of the present building was laid October 20, 1896 during the pastorate of Dr. Fox. The new church, costing $14,500 was occu pied on the first Sunday in October, 1897. With the beginning of a new century, a n offering was made by the congregation of $4,000 at a midnight service, December 31, 1899, to cancel the debt of $5,000 on the new church. The other $1,000 was raised in 1903 and the church was dedicated Sunday, February 28, 1904 during the celebration of the semi-centennial anniversary of the congregation. The membership at that time was 310. When the new church was occu pied, Dr. M. G. G. Scherer, D. D., was pastor. He served from August 1, 1899 to 1901. Rev. W. L. Sea- brook became pastor in the spring of 1902 and served until February 1, 1907. Under his ministry a par sonage was erected at a cost of $4,000. Rev. Edward Fulenwider took charge March 9, 1908 and con tinued until October 24, 1920. Rev. C. A. Freed, D. D., took charge of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer April 18, 1921. In a letter dated May 4, 1925, Dr. Freed tendered his resignation as pastor of the church to become effective June 30. Dr. R. A. Goodman was named supply pastor until another minister could be selected. On August 16, 1925 at a congre gational meeting Dr. J. C. Peery was nominated and elected pastor of County Pioneered In Demonstration Work Seeking to reach and teach the girls and wife of the farmer, home demonstration work began in New berry county in January of 1914 un der Miss Fannie Holloway. The work at first consisted solely of teaching gardening to the girls. The first clubs were known as the “To mato Clubs”. Miss Holloway serv ed only one year. In 1915 Miss Willie Mae Wise was appointed demonstration agent. Un der her leadership, the organization of women’s clubs began. During the World War when there was a great need for garden vegetables, two emergency agents were named to assist Miss Wise—Miss Ethel Counts, present home demonstration agent, the Church of the Redeemer. On September 27, Dr. Peery was install ed as pastor. During July of 1930, Dr. Peery was stricken by an illness which rendered him incapable of perform ing his duties and the church coun cil selected Dr. Goodman to supply again. On December 31, 1930, Dr. Peery’s resignation became effective. Rev. E. B. Keisler was called to be pastor in July of 1931 and the first sermon of his pastorate was preached on the first Sunday in September, 1931, since which time he has served the church faithfully and well. During 1923 the church building was vastly improved by remodelling which consisted of an annex in order to enlarge the seating capacity of the auditorium and provide modern and adequate rooms for the Sunday school. The remodelling was made necessary by the large increase in church and Sunday school member ship. The annex cost $36,000. The present church membership is 785. There are enrolled 467 in the ^unday^school^^^^^^^^^^^^ in the county and Mrs. Mary P. Fant in the city. When the War ended, however, Miss Wise continued to carry on the work by herself until her resignation in 1920. Mrs. Bessie Campbell followed Miss Wise serving for one year. The home demonstration office was in Prosperity until Mrs. Campbell be came agent and it was then that the office was moved to Newberry. After Mrs. Campbell, Miss Marion Farrish became agent, serving less than a year. Mrs. Daisy Denning was appointed the next county demonstration agent. After serving three years she resign ed the end of 1924. Following her service in the coun ty during the War Miss Ethel Counts went to Oconee county as home de monstration agent. When Mrs. Den ning resigned Miss Counts was ask ed to return to the county to carry on the capable work she had begun under Miss Wise. Miss Counts ac cepted the appointment, coming to Newberry in January of 1925. Since that time she has served continually as Newberry’s agent. Under her leadership, home demonstration work has made such growth that today there are women’s clubs and girls clubs in every community of the county. When the demonstration office was moved to Newberry it was located in the same building with the Chamber of Commerce, the building on the corner of College and Friend streets, now occupied by WP^t officials. When the Chamber of Commerce office was changed to its present location in the old court house, the home demonstra tion agent and the county agent made their offices there. Additional space w as needed, however, when the government placed the AAA program under county agents so all offices were moved to where they are now situated on Caldwell street. Under Miss Counts’ direct super vision are 22 home demonstration clubs in the county in which there are around 650 members. The clubs meet monthly. In 1922 the County EPISCOPAL CHURCH HAS LONG HISTORY St. Luke’s church on the corner of Main and Calhoun streets is the only Episcopal church in the county. It was organized in 1854-55 and has always had a very small member ship. St. Luke’s was consecrated by Bishop T. F. Davis, August 26, 1855, the first officers being _ E. S. Bailey, and Stiles Hurd, wardens; Norman Bronson, William B. D’Oyley, Will iam C. Johnson, C. H. Kingsmore, and Albert C. Garlington, vestry. The first Episcopal missionary to New berry was Rev. R. S. Seely, in 1845, and the first minister officiating at. St. Luke’s was Rev. E. T. Walker, in 1855. Today services are held in St. Luke’s on the first and third Sun days of each month with the Rev. A. G. B. Bennett of Columbia officiating. The membership is 15. The church is governed by the fol lowing officers: Tom Keitt, senior deacon; Professor W. H. Gaver, junior deacon; Gus M. Holm, treas urer; Hooper Skardon, secretary. France will issue a series of stamps commemorating the 150th an niversary of the French revolution which will depict important events in French history. Council of Farm Women of Newberry county was organized. The council consists of all members of demon stration clubs and meets semi-an nually. Mrs. C. A. Matthews was elected president when the Council was formed. Mrs. D. S. Halfacre is president today. Over 300 girls are enrolled in the 16 Girls 4-H Clubs of the county. These clubs, also under supervision of Miss Counts, meet monthly during the school year. Annually the Girls 4-H Clubs and the Boys 4-H Clubs of the county meet in Newberry as a county council. METHODISM HERE OVER A_CENTURY Central Methodist church was or ganized in 1833 and among the first members of the church we find Philip Schopert, Mrs. Martha Turner, Mrs. Precious Schell, Daniel Boozer, Thomas Pratt, Jr., Josiah Bishop, Dr. George F. Epps, Dr. Peter Moon, Gen. K. H. Kinard, Richard C. Chap man, Robert Moorman, Andrew M. Wicker, Dr. P. B. Ruff, and Thomas F. Greneker. Other family names in cluded on the first church roll were the following: Blease; Bynum, Bis hop, Chapman, Cook, Caldwell, Cromer, Evans, Eddy, Epting, Fair, Fant, Greneker, Gilder, Goodman, Hornsby, Johnson, Jones, Kinard, Lane, Livingstone, Langford, Lake, Moorman, Moore, Metts, Maybin, Mc- Whirter, Merchant, Pope, Pitts, Rus sell, Riser, Salter, Suber, Shockley Summers, Taylor, Tarrant, Williams, Wright, White, Wallace, Welch and Wicker. A church building was erected in 1883 and was used up until the new century. However, large improve ments were made in this first church in 1873. - As early as 1890 a fund was be gun for the erection of a new brick church and in 1901 the Central Methodist church that now stands on the corner of Caldwell and John stone streets was completed. This building has not undergone any changes externally. The Sunday school building, just at the rear of the church, known as the Mary Fran ces Wright Memorial building, was erected in 1932 and the brick par sonage on Caldwell street was first occupied in 1933. Central church has had a large number of pastors, none of them serving over four years while many were here for only two years. The present pastor is the Rev. H. O. Chambers, A Record and a Promise.... 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