Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PAGK 6—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, June 4, 1970 The establishment of Bush River Baptist Church in 1771 was the manifestation of the work of two missionaries, Dan iel Marshall and Phillip Mulkey who were responsible for organ izing at least 16 Baptist chur ches in the Back Country. Their field stretched from the upper reaches of the district to the high hills of the Santee and from the North Carolina line to the Savannah River. The Baptists in the Back Coun try were Separates, whose an cestors the New Light Separ ates, had withdrawn from the Congregational churches of New England and had moved south. As early as 1766, Daniel Mar shall, one of the New Separa tist missionaries from New Eng land began holding meetings in the house of Samuel Newman. In 1771, Marshall and Phillip Mulkey had baptized Samuel Newman and eight others. Sam uel Newman and his wife, Mar tha; his daughter, Uriah New man Gary; William Crow, his wife and daughter and two oth ers, and constituted them into a church. One of the members, Samuel Newman, became the first pastor of the newly formed church. From its constitution in 1771 to 1850, a period of 79 years, the pastors with one exception were called from among the church membership. In 1773, Thomas Norris, a licensed preacher of Little Saluda in Edgefield district was called to the care of Bush River Church in the place of Samuel New man who had died. He was or dained the same year by Phillip Mulkey and David Rees. “Thomas Norris was a pecu- ' liar man” who practiced foot washing of his brethren, and visited his people and friends on foot. He preached the doc trine of “non-resistance” dur ing the Revolution and for this teaching was imprisoned in the old jail in Ninety-Six. He was offered his liberty many times provided he would cease to preach as he did, but he re fused release on any such terms. Finally he was released without condition and continued preach ing until he passed away in 1780”. (Quote from O’Neall’s Annals.) John Cole, Sr., a member of the church was chosen pastor, was ordained in 1783 and served for 35 years. It was during his pastorate that the church came to bo known as Cole’s Meeting House. The church grew and increased until 1792, when it was first represented in the Bethel Association. At this time Mi chael Landers was appointed clerk of the church and a regu lar record of the proceedings began to be kept. One of the customs of the early church was a strict moral code of members’ conduct. If a member was guilty of any misconduct he was brought be fore the church, asked to make a confession of his sin and to be repentant. Otherwise, he was excluded. Drunkenness seemed to be the worst sin. Some of the others were gambling, dancing, card playing; failing to attend church meetings; using vulgar language; leaving the neighbor hood in a clandestine way; leav ing just debts unpaid; horse swapping on the Sabbath and “many others”. Mr. Cole was succeeded by Rev. Charles Crow. “Never was any religious body confided to abler, better hands. Few preach ers were better endowed with grace from on high, fewer men in cr out of the pastorate pre sented more lovable lives than Charles Crow.” (Quote from O’Neall’s Annals.) Rev. Daniel Mangum succeed ed Mr. Crow and served as past or for 26 years. The outstanding event of his ministry was the great revival of 1831-32 when 145 new members were added to the church. The First Bap tist Church of Newberry was organized in 1831. On October 6, 1831, John S. Carwile and James Driver were dismissed from Bush River Baptist to be come the foundation of the First Baptist Church in Newberry. Daniel Mangum, pastor of Bush River, assisted in the constitu tion of this church. The State Convention of Bap tist Churches in S. C. was or ganized in December 1821, as a result of the efforts of Dr. Richard Furman. In April 1855 an extra session of the Baptist State Convention was held at Bush River. This session was held in regard to changing the name of Furman Institute to Furman University. Bush River was a leader in Newberry County in founding, and establishing many sister churches. It was also promi nent in the activities of the Bap tist Association and the Baptist Convention. Bush River became a charter member of the Con- garee Association in 1771. Since then it was active in the form ation and membership in the Bethel Association which was formed in 1789, and the new Reedy River Association. In 1866, at the close of the War Between the States, the colored members requested that Bush River give them a piece of land on which to build a church of their own. The church agreed, gave them land across the road from the old ceme tery, and on June 13, 1866, 39 colored members were dismiss ed from Bush River to join their new church.They now have a large brick church fur ther down on the road to New berry. The first Sunday School was organized in 1862 at Bush River with Wm. Reeder as Superin- tendant. Bush River observed its one hundredth birthday on the se cond Sunday in August 1871. Rev Thomas Pope, pastor, preached the sermon. His sermon was later published in the Baptist Church Organ—“The Working Christian”. In the same year, the first Woman’s Missionary Society south of Baltimore, organized after the War Between the States, was the W.M.S. of the First Baptist Church in New berry. The second organization of this kind in the Reedy River Association and perhaps in the state, was formed in 1875 at Bush River with 40 charter members. Several times during its his tory, the church has been re novated. The parsonage, built in 1900 sits across the road from the church. During the wars in which this country has been engaged there have been many of the sons and daughters of Bush River who have gone forth to fight. Many of them now lie at rest in the church cemetery. Inscriptions on some of the markers tell us of their valor. In the modern history of this church, that is, since 1935 the membership has basically been right at two hundred members. The rural setting around which this church has ministered for two hundred years is now chang ing and with this change there has been a dedicated adjust ment by the membership. At the present time there are six living ministers who have pastored at Bush River. There are nine members still living who nave been members for over fifty years. Bush River is a member of the Reedy River Baptist Asso ciation, the State Baptist Con vention and the Southern Bap tist Convention. It has the old est record books of any church in Newberry County. They go back to the year of 1792. The church is located some ten miles outside the city of New berry. Several years ago a his tory of this church was writ ten and on the last page is the following quotation: “If any thing should ever happen to this church and its doors should for ever close then let me leave you with these words from II Corinthians 5:1, For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” City Building Permits Russell Addy, repairs, Wilson St.; Pinkney Wilson, repairs, 636 Hill St.; Emerson Jones, repairs, 900 Glenn St.; O. F. Armfield, repairs, 933 Langford St.; J. J. Fuller, repairs, 817 Glenn St.; Winnie Watkins, re pairs, 811 Bedenbaugh Street; Betty Joe Glasgow, locate trail er, James St.; and Calvin Pad gett, repairs, 115 Hillcrest Rd. Total construction value of permits, $6,530. New Addresses Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Tuten are residing at 1300 Drayton St. Mr. and Mrs. George A. Love have moved to Kinard Street. Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Verner have moved to Newberry and are making their home at 1801 Harper Street. Mrs. Verner is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Harley. Mr. Verner will be associated in the practice of law with Mr. Harley. Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Folk are now residing at 1209 Graham Street. PUBLIC MEETING In accordance with Section 210 (a) of the Economic Opportunity Act. as amended, the Newberry County Board of Commissioners will hold a public meeting at the Newberry County Court House. Whitmire Carver Elemen tary School and Prosperity Rikard Elementary School on June 8 commencing at 8:00 p.m. to afford the'general public the opportunity to present comments and opinions concerning the intent of the Newberry County Board of Commissioners to withdraw their designation of New- berry-Saluda Community Action. Inc. as the Agency to operate OEO funded programs in Newberry County and to designate Lexington-Richland Economic Opportunity Agency. Inc. as the agency the Board of Commissioners now wishes to operate all OEO programs in Newberry County. Written comments may be submitted. NEWBERRY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS H. B. HENDRIX, Chairman MAINTAIN A STRONG NATIONAL GUARD ELECT The Only Guard Candidate ROBERT McCRADY ADJUTANT GENERAL To Head Your National Guard Experienced — Now serving as Assistant Adjutant General and veteran of 33 years Guard service. “Ask A Guardsman What He Thinks of General McCrady" Newberry County Guardsmen and friends for Robert L. McCrady