The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-14
Some Interesting Historical Facts
Connected with It-.-The Names OF
Some Of the Builders...Discriptio

Connected with It-.-The Names Of
Some Of the Builders...Discripti
of the Structure.
AT church conference held In the Spring Of
the year 1888, John w. Sign and j. Fuller
Lyon were appointed as q committee to ex.
anime and report to the next church confer
ence what amount would be necessary to put
the church building In good repair.
After careful examination Of the building
by the committee they reported to the Con-
ference that 1t would not be practical 10 at
tempt to repair the building-that the cost
would be better to begin as early as possible
to devise plan and the means by which a
new and more suitable building would be
erected. The report and recommendation OF
the committee were adopted.
After the lapse of one or two months the
congregation had determined to build q new
church, and at the third quarterly confer
ence for 1883, on motion of Rev. r. l.. Harper
the following building committee was elected,
John G. Edwards, Christian v. Hammond,
Joseph s. Hammond, j. Fuller Lyon, James
D. Chalmers, John w. Sign, Julius F. c. Du.
Pre-, George w. Syfan, Marshall P. DeBruhl,
and the name OF Rev. R. L. Harper was sub
On motion Of John G. Edwards, the follow
Ing Finance Committee was elected. TO wit:
Rev. r. L. Harper, c. V. Hammond, j. Full
aa@Sreii, ii. H. D: wiisons ". I. McDonald % and nd
J. T. Parks.
The first meeting Of the building commit
Tee was held at the residence Of G. V. Ham
mond on the night of September the first,
committee organized by electing j. G. Ed.
wards as Chairman and ]. Fuller Lyon as
Secretary. Capt. Edwards was elected as
Treasurer. At this meeting the committee
resolved "That we begin as speedily Us posi-
BILE to collect material for the erection Of the
new church building" On the 18th OF Sep:
tember the Treasurer reported at q meeting of
scriptlons and paid out s23625 for 35 600 bricks
and their delivery upon the church lot, and
5000 more bricks were added to the num-
ber and all were stacked and sheltered.
held at Capt. Edwards, the size and capacity
of the building Was discussed, and ii was
fixed ut a capacity OF 300, and TO be without a
gallery; !; Fuller Lyon, j.; D; Chalmers and and
submit plans for the building.
The committee met at G. W.syfan's March
Is, 1885, and j. Fuller Lyon submitted plan
executed by. James Mccullough, architect,
which was adopted.
The old church building was rolled back to
make room for the new building during the
latter part OF July by Capt Nichols for SITS,
and the work OF the new building was COM
day morning, August the 10th, 1885, with suit
able religious services conducted by Rev. A.
Coke Smith, which was reported In Press and
means at that time to complete the building
as they desired, have with the most COM
mendable energy and sound business judg.
ment applied their means, as they could do
so, for these years, and have finished, almost
exclusively within themselves, church
which is now on honor to every one connect
ed with IL, and to. Methodism. The commit
tee determined at the outset not to harrass
the public for subscriptions, nor TO burden
hs thew held o ths oE
and spirit Of the resolution.
Such an instance of harmony and devotion
to purpose has not, and we may safely say,
wifi not, be witnessed In this country by any
church. as has been exhibited in this matter.
The building is Of brick. The style is goth
Ic, size thirty six feet by fifty feet inside with
pulpit recess OF six feet by twelve feet in
SIDE an organ recess OF SIX zee ieet ny ten h ieet in
feet long. The tower is on the left front cor
ner and is finished at the height Of seventy
five feet In four pin nnacles which are tasteful.
ly ornamented and covered with gold leaf.
The walls are painted outside with red lead
and oil, and striped with straw-colored paint.
The roof was framed upon the truss plan, is
self-supporting, is strong enough to support a
train OF cars, and covered with slate. This
tractors Of Abbeville.
The entrance IL through a vestibule celed
overhead and walls plastered, with inner
cline towards the pulpit, which enables the
audience to see the minister at his desk with
more ease than If he occupied an elevated po.
sition. The main aisle, chancel, pulpit and
organ recess, are covered with the best quail.
Ity body Brussels carpet-the aisles and be.
tween the pews are covered with fine wool
carpeting.
The walls are plastered and finished In
beautiful plaster mouldings: The ceiling put
up higher in center than at the walls, and the
top OF house is divided into four sections
from the crossbeams to the top or ceiling
being in pannel or open work. This work
to be eXcelled. The ceiling is grained TO rep.
resent ash or light oak in texture and color.
All of the painting and graining was done by
Benton w. Jones and Joseph E. Jones, OF Alb
beyille, In artistic style.
The front window over vestibule is twelve
feet high, is divided into three sections and
han dSomely ornam ented-one section shows
q crown, one lamb, and the other an open
Bible.
The two pulpit windows were presented as
as memorials by the families or Capt. Ed.
wards and c. V. Hammond-the first to the
memory of Rosa E. Edwards, the second 70
Arthur 8. Hammond who died while the
church was being erected. These are two OF
the handsomest windows in the building,
AL of the windows are OF leaded cathedral
glass and are beautiful In design, finish ana
B. Fl. Shoemaker, of Philadelphia, by MIR.
John w. Sign. who made careful eXamlna-
ton OF the stock of the dealers In that city,
before he made the orders.
The pews are Of gothic church style, hand
somely finished and are perfection as to COM
fort. They were made by James II; Tag,
CART of Abbeville, who is indeed O. skillful
mechanic They are to be handsomely cush-
ioned in cardinal red rep, trimmed with but
tons.
The pulpit furniture consists of two straight
chairs in chancel, too platform rockers on the
rostrum and reading desk or pulpit and a
communion table, made Of walnut. The
chairs are all finished in dark cardinal red
silk plush. The chairs for the choir-one doz.
en-With the other furniture, were bought OF
]. D. Chalmers, of Abbeville.
The ohancel railing is Of heavy walnut with
turned balusters and newell posts to match.
The chancel cushion upon which com mum.
cants kneel is of cardinal red velvet trimmed
in cards and buttons TO match.
The pulpit recess is corniced and handsome
ly curianed in cardinal red silk plush. This
is something new with US, in church furnish
ing, which Is charmingly appropriate.
ty of this church, must be seen to be appre'
All Of the work done, has been under the
immediate EPsr yon OF wsre S%nn nppoued
committee to have the work done.
The bricklaying was led by andre" ~; =;
Woodhurst, who is a skillful craftsman, ana
is known as one of the best at his trade IN the
The brick was made by Mr.. 7. w. Mcmillan,
who knows more OF brick than any other
man to be found. ,,., l.,
Abbevile was bought here, and all OF The
work except the plasterlng was done by A1De-
willie hands-and this Is splendid eXhlbltlon
of the .energy, ability and taste OF our peo-
pie. ,,d .,,,.
AS business matter, we would say That
this work has been begun, continued and per-
fected upon the soundest and best business
demce Of the capacity of our people, and espe-
cially of those who have had charge Of this
work. Mr.. Sign has not only contributed
money to the work but has bestowed his time