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OUtljrou. TUB mm WATCHMAN, Established April, 1850. 'Be Just and Fear not?Bet all the ends Thou Aims't at be thy Country's, Thy God'a and Truth'a." THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jane, Consolidated Aue:. 3,1881. SUMTER, S. C, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1913. Vol. XXXVII. No. 11, TRINITY M. E. CHURCK. First Services Were Held Sunday in New Building Recently Completed by Methodists of the City. The Rev. J. Walter Daniel, Presiding Elder of Charleston District, Preached the Initial Sermon in Trinity Metho? dist Church Sunday Morning?Services Sunday Evening Also?The Beautiful Building Erected at a Cost of $50,000 ?A History of Early Methodism in the Sumter District Officers Connected With the Church. From the Daily ltern, Sept. .'7. The magnificent new church which t he Methodists of the city have ere. t ed at Kreut pains and a < ">t of $&0, OtO will l?e open tomorrow. Sunday, lor r? -ligiou.s service. At that timo this handsome new structure will be '?rtiwtlni with the memhers of the Methodist oongranatton, everyone of whom will he prenent, and many of their friends from other denominu tlonJl who Will Kiith t with them and rejoice with them at the( completion of their undertaking- The Kev. J. Walter Daniel, presiding elder of th? Charleston District, will preach the Initial sermon in the new edifice when apsclal services will he held morning and ?venlng netting the church apart for the glory of (lod and the furth? r ance of Ills w ?rk in Stimter. \- The Methodists In Sumter have for * a nvmbor of years anticipated and longed for the day that is so close at hand. The < hurch is a beautiful con? crete example of their patient and earnest efforts and self-denial to ac? complish t lo ir purpose. The building of a new church was first agitated nearly ten years ago, but at that time no definite steps were AAaken towards its erection. A few ,s years later a < ommitti e was appointed to rotee subscriptions for the new chur< h and $."?.<?i>0 was raised. Ia * tee, plans were accepted for the huild J kav and the work for the eongregu Was mapped out. This first cum Mllrrlir'was appointed in ldtflT," WcYcVi the ltc\ J. Walter Daniel waa pastor of the ( hurch. Several years later It was found that this committee whi< h contained ' \> nteen members of Un? church was too large to work su< - f eeaafully and a small r committee of * ffttee was appointed, to which a fourth member was added later. It was due to the persistence and pa? tience of this ? ommiti u lm with the aid of the pastor, accomplished their splendid undertaking. ? *\\ this com mittee were Messrs. 1.. D. Jennings, chairman . S YV. Stubbs, (J. A. Lern inet, and C. B. Hurst, all we ll known business men of ability and staunch imimhers of the c hurch. After preliminary arark ol abonl two years, the plans were o . .-pted and arrangements were mude for the dis? posal of the old churc h and the build? ing of the new. The contra< I fn? the now church wjis let and the old rhurch was aoM. \\'<>rk immcdia.i Is ? ominen ed ot tearing down the Fust Methodist Church and from it* du ? Trinity MtfthoAfsl Bplaoopul Church, South. gradually arose. The first work was done In the early part of September, lull. At that time appro? priate, hut very simple- services wer? inid it,vi wai offeree! by tin- Rai J. H. Wilson for the success of the undertaking Which wi< ;il"'tit t>> < oin men< e. the answer to whi'h prayef at now visible m tin- < hurch building. The dirt was broken for t)u- Ren l.iilldlng bs Me F.ugenc Hoyl Thomp? son, assisted by her infant eon, W, \ Thompson. Jr.. win. had. aj I little ? hild. <>n the same site twent\-?i\ yearn previously. broken ground for the hre k sine Hire whic h was torn clow,, to gtVf room for the new build Ing. I ron, this time M until De< t inbe. Itv- \M.rk pre> ded lapidiy. The ?n< I.. I? .IIAMM.s, J| Chairman ItutiilUig Committee. I t.Tiiil was s*m urcd and the Church walls wiro built Up t<? a height of ten feet, when, by previous consent, the work was stopped in order that the walls might liavc ample time to sot tie In March, 1 ?J 12, the tfork was aguin commenced an(l from that tlfUC on the church has gradually pro Krowod towards completion until now it stands a < ompl"ted strut tare, a church of which any congregation might well feel proud, The laying of the corner stone exorcises were held in May, 11? 12. At this time appro priutc services were held, being con? ducted b> the ItaV. Walter I. Herbert, the presiding older of the BumtSf Ws U. A. LEMMON, Member i;u Ming Committee. tiiet. i rayer was offered, hymm were kuiik und a short but suitable a I dreai wa! made b) Mr, Herbert. Tiihlt) Methodist episcopal Church, BaUth, Complete, row stands on the ? Miner of Weal Liberty and Council ttfaata racing toward the north and is Indeed a handsome structure and a art it ? i? du lo the memben ol Ihr Methodist congregation und to the city of Bumter, It is blllll partly on Qothlc i m s of nrchltecture, com blnad with ?>thi i ntyl< i?? make II a substantial building, arranged for the comfort and convenience of those g ha wafi hip within Itt walls. The walls ale <.| a drali colored pfsmd ' rick with rough lurfaces, mounted on a base ol granite and finished ofl with tcrrs cotto and Urne? stone trlmmlngi and border! which present an appearance of neatness und rompleh neai ssldoai fouad In a building, The roof Is <?f Pad tile, Ita sharp rldgei and curved surfaces hav? lag a striking appearance Which pel' dorn fails t<? catch the syt of the passerby, The entrance! tire situated at ih?' three corners, east, north-east' and north, and t??v\eis are built ubovej them, extending many feet above the roof of th? church. Bach of these towers is finished off at its four cor? ners, and between the corners witli caps of terra cotta which give the towers an ornamental appearance, re? lieving what would otherwise be an effect of solidity and sternness. Beautiful stained glass windows add to the impression of grace and at the same time prove themselves Useful by softening the light which penetrates into the church and Sunday School auditoriums. The openings for windows and doors ate made with pointed arches after the CJothio style. The do?)is are of oak and arc hand somely finished off. / Just inside the doorway, which one reaches by a Concrete sidewalk laid from the street, ascending the granite steps, are little lobbies, from which the ( hurch ; entered, tho igh swing? ing doors, of hardwood stained Ma hogany color. From the main en? trance, which faces the corner Ol Liberty and Council streets, the lobby enters into the church r.uditorium. While the church auditorium can also be entered from either of the oth? er entrances, the one on the north also offers entrance to the ladies par? lor and to the passage leading to ?he pastor's study, and the lobby on the east opens Into the Sunday School THIMTY IL E, CHUR?rT, SOUTH. J auditorium and into Sunday School ( lass rooms. The church walls, or main audi? torium, are beautifully finished in a pals green shade, which appears of an amber color in the light Issuing through the colored glass windows. ' The ceilings are gray, while all of the WOad work in the room is hard? wood finished off in mahogany color. The Moor is also of hardwood and the green carpet in the Bible matches the mahogany seats. Facing the main en? trance is the pulpit and speaker's tand, which is provided with hand? some upholstered furniture and a beautiful mahogany desk and table. To the left of the pulpit the organ loft is raited off. A handsome pipe organ will be installed in the future. Adjoining the church auditorium is the Sunday School auditorium, so the two may be thrown into one room by raising the rolling partition! which separat?' them, thus Increasing Un? seating capacity of the church audi? torium Horn live hundred to eight hundred or more. The Sunday school auditorium is llnished off in the same color and with the same seats as the main auditorium. Connected with it are :; large Sunday school class rooms and live small class rooms. The stair? ways from it also lead to the second Btory when- there arc Hve more of the small (lass rooms und three of the larger (lass rooms, liesldes these room! the pastor*! study, which is just in the rear Of the pulpit, and the Id dies' pal lor can lie used It! Idas.v room.-, making in all ten small and nine large CltlB! looms. Rach of these room! is well pro? vided for its purpose, the (urge rooms being separated Mom each other or run be thrown together by raising or lowering ths rolling partitions. They are provided With comfortable chairs ami when thrown open into the Sun? day school auditorium may easily sent 'our hundred or more person! ? The basemen I provides room for the furnace which hflats the building and for the electric motor which fur? nishes :power for providing cool air for the building in warm weatlier, A number of tin- rooms ar<- provided wllh grates, so they can be healed without resort to Die luina??. The whole building hub been pro vided throughout with the most mod? ern conveniences and is provided with suitable hygienic appliances in the way of lighting, heating and ventila? tion. The lighting system is excel? lent, the lights being so arranged as to illuminate the building without making the light hard on the eyes. This building is the third which the Methodists have erected on the same lot and the fourth in the city by the congregation ??f this church. The lot was purchased by the Methodists of the Burater Dial ict in 1834 and the first church on this lot which was called the Second Methodist church, ami was erected and dedicated [ In 1847, the Rev. Hartwell Spain con? ducting the dedicatory services. This ? building was a frame structure and was torn down in 1885, and was re? placed by a brick structure, which was begun in May of that year. The building was dedicated in May of ISNS by Blahop W. W. Duncan and the Rev, H. P. Cinitiberg was the pastor at the time. I? The opening exercises of the third ??hurch on this site will be conduct? ed tomorrow by the Rev. J. Walter Daniel, presiding older of the Char leaton District and it is very appro? priate that he should be the one to preach the first sermon in the (-lunch, for it was while he was pastor of the former church that the formulated plans were lirst put into execution, through his encouragement and a** S. W, BTUBBS, Member Building Committee. ?latance, towards building a new church, Mr, Daniel is one of the leading divines In Methodism In this State today and it la in ovary respect suitable that he should honor the oc? casion by his presence, His ser? mons, morning and night will no doubl do great good for Meth? odism and religion in Sumter and will long linger In tin- minds of his hear-: ors, llesidcg the special preaching at the morning and evening services there will I.ther Interesting ier* vices In which the pastor and the pi e siding eider of the Sumter lustriet, the Uev. Wall r I Herbert, will assist. .\ souvenir program of the services has been arranged for those who at tend in order thai they may have ?omethlUR by which to remember the occasion u will noi i?e amiss at this point to tell something "i tin church ami oi its personnel, ;is it will be ?? general interest. The Church |M needed be? cause <d the stead 11) growing mem? bership or which tin- former church for several years could hardly And room. There are now more than six hundred members on the church roll, all of whom Willingly did their part In the erection of the new building. The Sunday school, one of the largest in the City, has more than three hun? dred on its rolls and is rapidly grow? ing, having more than doubled its numbers since the old church was pall? ed down. The church is in a nourish? ing condition and is doing much to build up boys and girls ami men and women into better citizens and Chris? tians. ReV. I>. M. McLsod, the beloved pastor of the church, who has done much to aid the building committee' and members in their self-imposed task, came to Sumter in December of 1910. He was not u stranger here at that time, however, as he is a native of Sumter county (now Lee county), having been born at Bishopvllls and raised at Lynchburg. He has done good among the people of Sumt/ *h! among his flock since his arri\/ /e I and they will all regret ox/ ^ ?\y to see him removed by the vf ^ nee, and hope that that time wi) ng in coming. / |p The members Of the i J6 g eom mittee, all belong to / iothodist families, have already* ^ mention? ed, Messrs. L. 1). Jen . ; chairman, S. W. Stubus, G. A. / *y ,>n and C E. Hurst, Secretary-Tr*. er. They have long been pillars in the Methodist church and they deserve much praise and credit for the part they* took in the building of tl\e new edifice. Mr. C. E. Hurst is chairman of the board of stewards and Mr. A. R. Flowers is secretary and treasurer of the board. The other members are: J. H. Clifton, W. B. B?rg?? W. A. Brown, 11. D. Kpps, A. It. Flowers, L. P. Jennings, 11 W. McCollum, L. 1. Parrott, B. C. Wallace, J. K. Cros? i well, W. B. Ib>yle, J. T. Brightswell, L. W. FolSOm, John T. Green, C. E. Hurst, C. 8. Matftjft R. O. Purdy, S. W. Stubbs, J. J. Wescoat. The board of trustees of the church is composed of Messrs. G. A. Lcmmon, H. G. Hill, J. P. Booth, W. B. Burns, J. A. Mood, W. W. Rowland andvA. B. Stuckey, chairman. The Woman's Church Building So j ciety, Mrs. Lille DuBose Knight, pres 'ident,; Mrs. C K .ftujphs, secr/Usry i treasurer. Choiri Mrs. Geo. E. Beaumont, [ director; Miss Julia Rowland, organ list. j Sunday School, C. M. Hurst, super ' intendent; 8. K. Rowland, assistant superintendent; R. A. Dixon, secre? tary; B. C. Wallace, treasurer; Miss Irma, Smith, organist. In the Methodist church are to be found many of the prominent business men ol* the city and some of the oldest families* in the county, Meth? odism In Sumter County being as old as the county itself. The lirst authen? tic record of the establishment of a Methodist Church in the county shows that there was preaching in or near Sumterville in 1785, although it is quite possible that there was preaching here by Methodist circuit riders before that time. The districts, or circuits, as they wore called then, generally took their names from the rivers which were in the territory which the circuit rider was supposed to cover. Sumter was in those days in the Santos District, as detailed by the Rev. A. M. Chrietzborg in his in? teresting History of early Methodism in South Carolina, the circuit being formed sometime about the eighties, and only a short lime prior to the first Methodist Conference in South Caro? lina. The accounts say that the first church in this section v as establish? ed about 1790, probably somewhere between what is ROW First and Second Mill. However, before this date there is reported to have been preaching by the circuit riders In the house Mr. Maplea one of the ardent believers In the faith. Richard Singleton and Richard Bradford were two of the leading members of this fust "Green Swamp" church, Which was after? wards abandoned, when another church was established In the nearby C E. BURST, Member Building Committee, J> "Sumtervillewhich was then a prosperous little village with about five or six houses and probably a blacksmith shop and a couple of stores. It is recorded that the good breth? ren of those days were exceedingly suspicious of their pastors, notwith? standing their ardent and zealous . work, and that at one time that Rich? ard Bradford, then unconverted, but afterwards one of the pillars in the "Green Swamp Church" watched his guest, the Rev. Hope Hill, to see if he loved liquor. Other interesting .Tales are told of suspicion being cast upon the circuit riders at various times. It is shown that in 1823 the Rev. James Jenkins began preaching in Sumterville and the people came to hear him gladly. At this time it ia probable that the Green Swamp Church was abandoned and plans were made for the erection of the First Methodist Church in Sumter. This building was erected on the lot on West Liberty street which was af? terwards bought by the Catholics for the establishment of a Catholic Mis? sion ChapeL Although the plans were begun in 1323, the record shows that it was not until 1827 that the church build? ing was completed, probably due to the s?r)9llness of the congregation st that time. The trustees of this new church at the time building operations ' were begun were Richard Bradford, Hartwell Macon, James Parsons, Wiley F. Holllman, William Lewie, William L. Branson, Mason Reames, Henry Young, a id Francis L. Ken? nedy, the defendants of many of whom are a* il members of tie Meth? odist ChUicn <n Sumter. The church was dedicated in 1827 by the Rev. Geo. W. Moore, the pastor in charge. When this new church was establish | ed all of the members of the Green I Swamp congregation, who had not ' done so before, moved their member? ship to the new church. The first revival in Sumtervl|(p of which anything ie known was hr\? in 18 31 and w.^ conducted by tjie *flW* ; William M. ^;vlssn? ?^?faW$ who were assisted by the pastor, the Rev. H. A. C. Walker. It was found in 184 4, thirteen years after it was erected, unit tLe building was too small and two acres of land were obtained across the J street and a frame building seating ; four or live hundred with room for j two hundred more in the galleries, ! was built. As the old building had never been ceiled or plastered and was badly dilapidated, it is probable that the members were exceedingly glad to get into their new church which was a decided improvement on the old, both in appearance, conven? ience, seating capacity and comfort. This building was dedicated in 1847 by the Rev. H. Spain, at a time when Revs. Samuel Townsend and J. H. Chandler were circuit riders on ?he. Sumterville circuit. It was in IS51 that on petition of the male members of the Methodist Church, then called the "Second Methodist Church," represented by Messrs. W. E* Brunson, J. Harvey Dingle and W. Lewis, which wa.s pre? sented to the Methodist Conference at Georgetown, that Sumter was made a station. From that time on the Methodists worshipped in this church until 1885, when ground was I roken for a new church. Miss Kugenla Anna lloyt. now Mrs. W. Arthur Thompson, then had the honor of breaking earth for the structure, she at that time being an infant in her mother's arm It was she, assisted by her son who in the fall of 1911 broke earth for ttio new structure, which will be formal? ly opened tomorrow. While the services Sunday will be the first religious services which will be held In the new church, It will not be the first time the church has b?>en used by its members, for on two oc? casions previously Impressive cere? monies have been performed within its walls. On these occasions Mr. Robert T. Brown and Miss Mildred Mall and, later. Mr. Ben O. Cantey and Miss Lola Brown were united in marriage, the Rev. D. M. McLeod of? ficiating and performing the mar? riage ceremony on both oocaatoSMl with the solemn and impressive Meth? odist marriage service. It will thus be seen that the new building has been the scene of the union of hearts and the making happy of Ita members, and it is hoped that it may long con? tinue to be a smire?- of happiness and love and fellowship between all who come within its contact and that It may east out a broad and lasting In? fluence for good In morals and relig? ion as well as in everything that buds towards a better citizenship and i btighter future in this world and in that which is to come, to all oi* the members of its t mgregatlon, the people of Sumter and all who are in any way associated with it or come with the scope of its influence*