Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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The Newberry Sun, Newberry, S. C., Thursday, August 6, 1970--PAGE 3 “St.Luke’s Episcopal Church of Newberry, South Carolina, was consecrated to the service of Worship of Almighty God, on Sunday morning, August 26th, 1855.” This sentence, handwritten in an old, remarkably-preserved church register, records the of ficial founding of St. Luke’s, the oldest church building in the City of Newberry. St. Luke’s real beginnings, however, predate the consecra tion by a number of years and its roots are intertwined with the establishment of the Epis copal Church in South Carolina nearly 200 years earlier. In 1810 the Episcopal church established in Charleston “The Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South Carolina” and under the sponsorship of this organization missionaries of the church began to visit the up-country section of the state. The Rev. Cranmore Wallace came on a missionary tour to the up-country in 1839, and from his efforts there eventually re sulted the establishment of a number of Episcopal churches in the Piedmont, including St. Luke’s in Newberry. Mr. Wallace reported that he held a service in the Newberry Court House in 1839. Another priest, the Rev. Richard S. Seely reported that he held 35 services in Newberry during 1846. There were four communicants. The year 1846 also marks the first organization of the little group as a congregation with an elected vestry; and on Feb. 18, 1848, under the name of St. Luke’s, Newberry, the parish was admitted into union with the Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. In November 1852, the Rev. E. T. Walker began his service as St. Luke's first rector, al though he did not reside within the parish. The church had a membership of only six Epis copalians. Others in the congre gation were interested Newber ry citizens, who made invaluable contributions to the establish ment and maintenance of St. Luke’s. Services continued, sometimes in the Court House, sometimes in the old Female Academy. Now the congregation began to work for the erection of a church building. A site was obtained in 1852 at the corner of Main and Calhoun streets. Donors of the property were Stiles Hurd, E. S. Bailey, H. H. Caldwell, H. T. Peake, William C. John son, N. Bronson, C. H. Kings- more, W. B. D’Oyley, A.C. Gar- lington, and Simeon Fair. Construction was begun on the building at a cost of $4,000. The church was built by Contractor Hamilton of Charleston from plans drawn by Architect G.M. Walker of Columbia. St. Luke’s was reported com pleted in February 1855. The building was of Gothic design, with self-supporting roof and 19- foot walls. It was stucco over brick. The interior was simple and handsome with enclosed pine pews and stained glass win dows. On Sunday, Aug. 26, 1855, the Rt. Rev. T. F. Davis, fifth Bis hop of the Diocese of South Car olina, conducted the service of consecration. That afternoon he confirmed seven persons, bring ing the total communicant strength to 18. The first vestry of the new church included E. S. Bailey, Stiles Hurd, Norman Bronson, W. B. D’Oyley, W. C. Johnson, C. H. Kingsmore, and A. C. Gar- lington. Mr. Walker resigned in 1856. From then until 1882, when the Rev. W. F. Dickinson became the first resident rector in St. Luke’s history, the church was served intermittently by miss ionary clergy. During the last days of the Confederate States of America, refugees from the South Carolina coastal region joined the congregation, temp orarily swelling the member ship. Near the close of the war of 1860-65, the church building had become dilapidated. By 1866 the congregation had shrunk nearly to non-existence. To prevent fur ther desecration, the building was boarded up. Services were held when and where possible elsewhere in the town. It was during these dark days that a decision was made to sell the organ before it was com pletely ruined. It was offered to a Spartanburg church for $200, but the sale was never complet ed and the organ is still in use in St. Luke’s today. The year 1869 marked a re birth for St. Luke’s. A year of repair and restoration was und ertaken. The Reverend Mr. Wal ker, then at Trinity Church in Edgefield, returned to conduct the first service in the restored church on September 6, 1869. Since the reopening of the church that year, St. Luke’s has not closed its doors, although there have been many periods when the congregation was with out a rector. Without its devoted laity, St. Luke’s perhaps would not have survived. When there was no minister, lay readers conducted services. Improve ments to the church building were continued and despite many difficulties, St. Luke’s re mained resolute. The list of benefactors to St. Luke’s would take many pages to record. Some of these, now deceased but still remembered for their contributions to St. Luke’s were O. McR. Holmes, J.F.J. Caldwell, C.D . Weeks, F. D. McLean, A. P. Salley, T. E. Davis, and W. H. Gaver. Memorial gifts to the church —crosses, candelabra, font, al tar, the stained glass window depicting St. Luke—have honor ed these men and other faithful members of St. Luke’s. The year 1955 marked St. Luke’s 100th anniversary. A three-day celebration was held October 16-18. Since then the church has acquired the parish house next door and a rectory located on Boundary Street. Now, in the year 1970, St. Luke’s celebrates with other churches in Newberry, the 300th birthday of South Carolina. In this tricentennial year, the com municants number 84, baptized persons total 105. The Rev. Frederick C. Byrd will complete in October 1970, his first year as vicar of St. Luke’s. Serving from the con gregation are: Thomas H. Pope, senior warden; Price J. Pad gett, junior warden; Dr. J. E. Wiseman, Jr., Dr. Gordon Able, LeRoy Anderson, D. B. Brit tain, W. S. Mclnnis and R. T. Albrecht, vestrymen; and R. B. Brown, treasurer. City Building Permits Building permits issued by the City last week showed construct ion value of $47,555. They were issued to: James O. Myers, repairs, 601 Caldwell St.: Johnny Stribble, repairs, 36 Player St.; Robert Dowd, repairs, 1304 Silas St.; John Wagner, erect dwelling, Amelia St.; Alverta Reeder, re pairs, 211 Caldwell St.; Bobby Forbis, erect dwelling, 1121 Leita St.; Jack Senn, addition, 626 O’Neal St.; Mrs. T. E. Davis, repairs, 1511 Main St; Sum mer Memorial Church, erect building, Milligan St.; and Frank Sligh, repairs, 1908 Charles St. M0VINGS J. Hugh Chappell is making his home at 1524 Martin Street. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stan- berry are living at 1321 Wheeler Street. /IT * THAT'S CHINESE FOR: WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS... VELLY MUCH avsatgs and Loan Association \ INSURED * * SAVINGS INSTITUTION FOUNDED 10 35 VT