Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

. ®' Mount Pleasant Methodist Has Long And Rich History Mount Pleasant United Me thodist Church, located in the northeastern corner of New berry County and about 12 miles from the city of Newberry, has a long and rich history. In the last months ofthe American Re volution settlers from Virginia and other states came into the area where Mount Pleasant Church now stands. Some of these pioneers had become ac quainted with Methodist preach ers and services in Virginia and Maryland, but, of course when they reached the Broad River Valley and made their homes, there were no Metho dist churches or circuitriders. Then in the last days of the Revolution there came into this wild, new land a horseman who crossed Broad River just south where Peak now stands and con tinued on to the area where the group of newly-settled Virgin ians lived. As if in answer to prayer, this man was a Metho dist preacher, James Foster. Foster was a dedicated minis ter who had served several cir cuits in his native state of Vir ginia; after the death of his wife, however, the heart-broken man plunged into his work with such fervor that his health was finally ruined. Thus forced to retire, James Foster moved downthe old Colonial Path and into the area where Mount Pleasant is now located. Once again this man was at work doing what he loved- preaching and instruct ing people in the gospel. He served as a local preacher to the area until his health failed again, and he was forced to retire once more. Although James Foster did not found the Mount Pleasant Church, his ef forts were certainly respon sible for providing the climate that led to its creation. Mount Pleasant Church was actually founded in the year 1822. Befor this date, however, the Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury found on the western side of Broad River a flour ishing Methodist congregation worshipping in “Parrot's Log Church". Perhaps this log church was the forerunner to Mount Plea sant since a family named Par rot was among the early mem bers of Mount Pleasant. The church was organized in 1822, and soon the small con gregation undertook to build a permanent house of worship. On August 23, 1823 William and Agnes Hutchinson deeded one and a half acres of land to the Methodist Society for its church building. The building was de scribed as a small, unpreten tious frame structure. Some of the names associated with the church in the beginning were Goodwins, Oxners, Lyleses, Gilliams and Hattons. A second building was erec ted in the 1860's. There is no accurate record of what hap pened to the first building, al though one source does say that it was presumably destroyed by General Sherman during the Ci vil War. The new sanctuary was prettier and larger with a gall ery for the slaves. It is re ported that Micajah Suber left in his will a gift of $1,000 for the erection of this church. Dr. Thomas Rutherford and the Rev. Dr. McCants were also liberal contributors to the building of the sanctuary and the support of the church. Prominent names among the members of Mount Pleasant Church late in the 19th We Are Proud To Serve And A Port of Newberry County And South Carolina. K century were the Grahams, Ep- tings, Adamses, Cromers, and Willinghams. Tragedy struck Mount Plea sant again when in 1943 lightning struck the church building and burned it down. Efforts were begun, under the leadership of Mr. A. E. Reese, to raise funds for the building of a new church immediately. The present building was completed in 1949 and was dedicated in services led by Bishop Costen J. Har rell in June of 1950. The Rev. Quincy E. Gunter was the pas tor at that time. Since that time a wing has been added to pro vide further space for Church School classes. Since there was a scarcity of preachers, the tradition in Me thodism was to have circuit rid ers who served several church es at the same time, and our church has shared in this aspect of Methodism, Mount Pleasant began as a part of the Newberry Circuit but in 1890 it became a part of the Prosperity Circuit, which also included New Hope, Zion and Prosperity Around 1910 Mount Pleasant was moved to the Broad River Circuit, which also included New Hope, Chapin, Morris Chapel and later Caper’s Chapel. In 1^17 the name of the Broad River Circuit was changed to the PomariaCircuit, which was reduced in 1940 to a four-point circuit when Morris Chapel left the charge. Finally, in June of 1967, Mount Pleasant left the Pomaria Cir cuit and became a station church with the Rev. Charles Rector as its minister. In July, 1967, the members had completed a beautiful parsonage beside the church for the pastor and his family. The local church at Mount Pleasant has reflected in its history the struggles that have taken place within Methodism itself. It began as a part of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but in the years before the Civil War when slavery was such a fiery issue, there was split within the denomination. Mount Pleasant then became a church within the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. When the major Methodist branches were united in 1939 the church became a part of The Methodist Church. Finally, in 1968, when The Me thodist Church and the Evange lical United Brethren Joined to gether, Mount Pleasant became a church within the United Me thodist Church. Through the years Mount Pleasant Church has been served by dedicated laymen and ministers. Present officials in the church include Mr. Roland Kibler as Chairman of the Ad ministrative Board, Mr. Char les Doolittle as Chairman of the Council on Ministries, Mr. Andy Morris as Treasurer, Mr. Raymond Smith as Financial Secretary, and Mr. A. B. Coop er, Mr. Robert Glymph, Mr. Jake Ringer, Mr. J. C. Doo little, Mr. Louis Ringer, and Mr. Grady Leitzsey as Trus tees. Under the leadership of the pastor, the Rev. George M. Riser, the 212 members of this church seek to fulfill its mis sion as the Body of Christ It has been said that we are so indebted to the past that we are merely midgets who stand on the shoulders of giants. At Mount Pleasant United Metho dist Church we recognize that we build upon the labors of those giants who have preceded us in the 14 8-year history of our church. We thank God for the dedication and service of such people and ask for His gui dance in the years to come. On County Tour 1670 1970 SOUTH CAROLINA TRICENTENNIAL This house was built about 1826 by John Adam Summer, great-grandfather of the pre sent owner, Mrs. MarieS. Hug gins, and It is the third fam ily residence erected on the site. It is located just south of the town of Pomaria, in what is called the “Dutch Fork* section of the county, near both the Broad and Saluda Rivers. Legend says that General Sher man’s men set fire to the house, but a faithful house ser vant extinguished the blaze. William Summer, a son ofthe builder, was a hortlcultrulst. and operated an extensive nur sery. He named the location “Pomaria", Latin for “fruit gardens". . .and thus the little post office, still standing near by, and eventually the town got its name. The house Is large, two-story, English In style. Mrs. Huggins has retained much of the old appointments Inclu ding furniture, silver, and books. In the old family cem- etary, there lie buried, besides members of the family, “two strangers from a stagecoach accident" P^ A f 1670-1970 ff* ^ ~-***l' - ■ .. M m.»— JMjjB £‘l * i* »* . ■ We Extend A Warm Welcome To Our Friends And Best Wishes To South Carolina On Its 300th Birthday. Newberry Lumber Company Newberry, S. C. Cline Street In South Carolina^ people make the difference! For 300 years, the people of South Carolina have demonstrated their industry, energy and resourcefulness. Her people have made South Carolina what she is today. They've also played a big role in making Stevens products famous for quality throughout the world. As the largest single employer and one of the largest single taxpayers in the State, Stevens feels a close-knit bond with Carolina and her people. During this Tri-Centennial Year, South Carolina looks forward to a future of even greater growth and prosperity. Her people, how ever, still remain her greatest asset That's why in South Carolina, Stevens says "people make the difference!" J. P. Stevens & Co.. Inc.