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PAGE 4—The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, June 18, 1970 “It is a useful employment for societies as well as indivi duals to look back through their past history and mark dealings of a kind Providence towards them.”—Bishop Meade. And the record of Methodism in Newberry County should cause us to raise our hearts in gratitude to God for its wonder ful preservation and should make us of today more faithful and zealous in using the proper means for its further advance ment. The first settlers of South Carolina were of different reli gious persuasions. None of these sects had any particular connection with the government, nor had any sect pre-eminence over another. The plan in the New England states of co-ex tending settlements and reli gious instruction by having a meeting-house and a minister as appendage to every new town was far from being common in the Carolinas; and the dis trict in which Newberry was situated was no exception to that rule. As for Methodism, it was not introduced by immi gration from Europe as were introduced the Lutheran and Presbyterian churches, but by the evangelical labors of itiner ant preachers; then too, the early Methodist churches were generally organized in private homes, not being served by resident pastors, but by itinerant preachers who were usually changed annually and who serv ed large numbers of preaching places. Very few records were kept; hence little of the val uable history of Methodism in Newberry County during the first half century of its exist ence remains. The history of Central is the history of the circuit from the organization of this in 1832 un til it was made a station in 1854. It is believed that the first Methodist Society in Newberry County was organized by Ed ward Finch, in his home located near where Mt. Bethel Aca demy was built about 1784. From The Observer for De cember 2, 1902: “The South Carolina Confer ence of The Methodist Episco pal Church South held its 117th annual session in Newberry. This is the fourth session to be held here, the first having been in 1856, the second in 1864 and the third in 1878. “Newberry County was the first place outside of Charleston selected for these annual gath erings, ihe eighth session com mencing January 1, 1794 being held at Finch’s in the fork of Saluda and Broad Rivers some twelve miles from Newberry. This was the seat of the Mt. Bethel Academy, founded by the early Methodists. Edward Finch gave 30 acres of land to the institution. “This is an old town—one of the oldest in the state. It was organized in 1785. The Methodist Church was in the county, how ever, a year before the town was organized, being then offi cially represented by the ‘Broad River Circuit’ extending from the Dutch Fork in Lexington County to Pacolet in Spartan burg County. “The circuit was restricted somewhat in 1794, there becom ing ‘Bush River Circuit’. In 1820 ‘Newberry Circuit’ was formed. Then it included every Methodist church in Newberry County except Ebenezer, near Maybinton, and Mt. Tabor near Whitmire, and included also Hopewell, Salem and Sardis churches in Laurens County. Now it includes only Ebenezer, near Newberry, Lebanon, Trin ity and New Chapel. * “In 1854 the church in New berry was set off to itself and made a ‘station’, its first pastor being John R. Pickett. “The Methodist Church in the town of Newberry was organiz ed and the building erected in 1833. There seems to be no doubt that among those who united in the organization were: Philip Schoppert and his wife, Mrs. Polly Schoppert, Mrs. Schoppert, the mother of Philip Schoppert; Martha Turner, Mrs. Sarah Lorick (now Mrs. Sarah Pope), Mrs. Precious Shell (and probably Mrs. Sarah Cheshire), Josiah Bishop and his wife; Thomas Pratt, Jr. and Daniel Boozer. “The architect for the building erected in 1900-1901 was Mr. Hunt of Chattanooga, Tenn. and the contractor and builder, Mr. C. C. Davis of Newberry, S. C.; the cost of the building about $12,000. The membership of the church was 266. “The church was called sim ply the ‘Newberry Methodist Church until 1900 when the name was changed to Johnstone St. Church’, the name being deriv ed from the name of the street that ran in front of it. In 1901, when the new church was com pleted on Caldwell Street the name was changed to ‘Central Church’ and it is now so known. The pastor is the Rev. Walter I. Herbert. “The Board of Stewards of the church: John W. Chapman, W. W. Hodges, C. H. Cannon, .W. White, J. H. Wicker, S. J. Woot en, P. C. Gaillard, R.L. Tar rant and W. G. Mayes. The Superintendent of the Sunday School is C. H. Cannon and the secretary of the Sunday school is P. C. Gaillard.” (End quote from The Observer.) Central Methodist Church of Newberry, S. C. is located on an entire city block, corner of Caldwell and Johnstone Streets. It is surrounded by a large lawn, with a stone terrace in front at the front entrance, which leads up wide stone steps to the porch, with an entrance on each side through a small vestibule. The interior presents an amphitheatrical form of seats on a sloping floor, in the rear of the church an elevated pulpit, and in the center of it a large pipe organ. The building is con structed of beautiful white pressed brick. The architectural style is Gothic, with tall steeples and high gables, with a steep roof. The arched effect is car ried out in its porch entrances and its memorial windows of varied colored designs. The Sunday School or “Edu cational Building” as it is now called is in the rear of the church on the corner of College and Johnstone Streets. This building was built during the pastorate of the Rev. R. L. Hol- royd and dedicated as a mem orial to Mary Frances Wright, mother of Mr. Z. F. Wright. A centennial celebration was held in the church on November 13, 1932, presided over by The Honorable Eugene S. Blease, at that time the Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. It was also a memorial meeting, commemorating the following members who were active in helping to build the new church: Former Chief Jus tice, The Honorable Y. J. Pope, The Honorable Z. F. Wright, The Rev. W. I.Herbert (one of the former pastors of the church and presiding Elder), Mrs.R.D. Wright and former Governor Cole L. Blease. In 1928 the Woman’s Miss ionary Society celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, the first Woman’s Missionary Society of the South Carolina Conference having been organized in this church in 1878. The church membership has constantly grown and the church occupies a prominent place among her sister churches. The church has been served by many able pastors, some of which are: Coleman Carlisle, John Murro, Malcolm McPher son, J. W. Humbert, W. I. Her bert, M. M. (Uncle Mark) Boyd, R. L. Holroyd, T. H. Vickery, our present pastor George S. Duffie, and many others. Carlos Swindell service Sunday Carlos Andrew Swindell, 52, died early Friday morning at the Newberry County Memorial Hospital after a short critical illness. Mr. Swindell was born in Ten nessee, the son of Mrs. Onie Chandler Swindell of Mansfield, Tenn. and the late Andrew Jack- son Swindell. He was a retired employee of the Joanna Plant of Greenwood Mills, a veteran of World War II, a member of the West End Baptist Church and was on the Board of Deacons of the Church. Besides his mother, he is sur vived by his wife, Mrs. Ernest ine Gibson Swindell; one son, James Robert Swindell; one daughter, Mrs. Carleen Beard, all of Newberry; one brother, Hulon Swindell of Mansfield, Tenn.; three sisters, Mrs. Brook- sie Cooper and Mrs. Jewel Wal ters, both of Vale, Tenn. and Mrs. Mildred Brown of Mans field; and two grandchildren. Funeral services were con ducted at 4 p.m. Sunday at the West End Baptist Church by the Rev. Ralph E. Rhyne. In terment was in Newberry Mem orial Gardens. June is daiiyl month [nergytoBurn KIRK PONTIAC-CADILLAC COMPANY 2100 Nance Street TAKE Milk ALONG STOP IN AND SEE VS BEFORE YOU LEAVE • • § WELL MAKE CAR VACATION YOUR READY City Filling Station FRIEND STREET ACROSS FROM THE CITY PARKING LOTS