The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-09-22

"no MarlOn streets, Tor the use of the
Washington Street congregation, was
laid, yesterday morning, with appropri.
ate ceremonies. The weather WINS far
from pleasant, but the chapel was filed
to overhowing with highly interested
audience. The altar was occupied by
Revs. Lovick Pierce, N. TalIey, Sidi Fl
brownc, William Martin, Manninp
Brown, ". W. Mood. ". p. Mouzon.
David Derrick, George Howe, ". S.
Plumer and P. J. Shand. After mn
anthem by the choir, Rev. Nicholas TIL.
icy announced the following hymn
"Laying the Foundations"
Behold the sure foundation-stone
Which God in Zion lays,
10 bmid our heavenly hopes upon.
Aud His eternal praise,
Chosen Of God. to sinners dear
We now adore Thy name:
We trust our whole salvation hero.
Nor can we suffer shame.
The foolish builders, scribe and nr;cst
Reject it with disdain:
Yet on this rock the church shall rcst
And envy rage in vain.
What though the gates of hell withstood
Yet must this building rise;
Ils thlne own work, Almighty God,
And wondrous in our eyes,
The reverend gentleman offered fer.
vent prayer, when Rev. Wm. Martin
read the following brief history OF the
church:
On the 18th day of December, 1903,
a small number Of Mcthodists in Co
lumbla, under the auspices Of the Rcy.
!ohn Harper, determined 70 BALD 3
church i'll Columbia, S. G. In 1904 the
house was completed, being the first
Christian house Of worship in Colum-
ba. The cry daily went up, "Thc place
is too strait for us! give place to US that
We may dwell" The first church bc.
ing found too small for the conrrcra-
ton statedly there assembling, twenty
or thirty feet were added to tic north
end, which made it very unshapelv
building, long, narrow and incommo.
dious; and soon also too small for the
rapidly growing congregation.
The citizens at length, in connection
with tn, church, saw the necessity for
an enlarged building suited to the nc.
commodation OF the worshippers.
substantial large brick church. under
INC auspices OF Rev. Wm. Capers, D.
D., then stationed in Columbia. was he
gun-the cornerstone laid on the l4th
June, 1881, and the house completed
inc following year, and OH the 22d of
July' 1882, was solemnly consccratcd
to the worship and service of Almighty
God by bishop Andrew. On the il tn
OF February, 1865, war being in pro-
gress between the Southern or Confcic-
rate States and the Northern or United
States OF North America, Columbia the
capital Of South Carolina, was surren-
dercd by the mayor Of the city to the
United States troops, Gen. w. L. Shcr-
man commanding. On the night Of Tie
l't!, the city was sacked, pilagcd and
burnt. During the progress of the con-
l!agrati"n, the Washington Street NJ. +.
Church was fired by soldiers of the
United States army, both from within
and without, and burned to the ground.
II! the same manner the Lecture Room.
Station and District Parsonagcs were
destroyed, and the communion silver
stolen. Ruined and dcsolatc, The large
congregation Of this church was dis
pcrscd, and many ofthcm sought homes
i'll other less afflicted places. A rem
nant however remained in Columbia
and strove to rc-crcct their cast down
altars. First they met to worship in
the chapel Of the Columbia Female Col
lcsc, one Of the few buildings which re-
maincd, and which was the propcrty Of
the church. This house being rc,,toJ
by the trustees for hotel, these oftlic.
ted people were again without place
III which to worship the God OF their
fathers. In their distress they apnlirJ
to their Baptist brethren whose house
Of worship had fortunately escaped the
torch Of the inccndiary, and the use % Of
that church was kindly allowed them
IN the afternoon, and Rev. VIM. r. Ca
pcrs appointed their pastor. In the
meantime they resolved to build tenn
porary place of worship, and according
" on the site Of the old lecture room
they raised a small chapel which was
dedicated OIL the 18th Of August, 1866,
in the name Of tho Father, the Son. and
the Holy Ghost, by Rev. Vim. Martin,
after an appropriate sermon by Rev.
Wm. i. Capers. The following wear
Rcvs. d. j. Simmons and YIN. Martin