The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-07-09
A Sketch OF the Anderson Baptist Church..

A Sketch OF the Anderson Baptist Church..
Mr. EDITOR: There cannot be stream
without fountain. The fountain out OF
which the Anderson Baptist Church arose
was located near the residence Of Rev. .. r.
Anderson County. The stream reached
Anderson c. n, in 1884 in this way:
Some time previous to the year 1906 there
was constituted Baptist Church near
where the residence alluded to above now
stands. It was called Chockley Ferry. The
land upon which the house was erected is
now owned by Mr. Harvey Little. Who
owned the land when the house was erect
ed cannot now be exactly determined; the
indications are in favor of one MIR. Thorn.
as Brooks. Who the original constituent
members were is now unknown. At one
time it was prosperous organization. 1t
disappeared in 1926 from the Saluda Asso-
citation, or it was declared not to be aD Or
derly church by a special committee sent
By the Association to investigate it's stand.
ing.n The committee consisted OF Elders
w. B. Johnson, DID,, Moses Holland, Ma
than Berry and Lewis Rictor. In 1907 the
saluda Association met at the Bethesda
Westinghouse on Mountain Creek, in
which body of believers met regularly to
worship. This was branch OF the Chock-
ley Ferry Church. Such branch is now
es were represented in the Association.
This was about six miles nearer to Ander-
son G. II. The Chockley Ferry Church,
deeming these brethren sufficiently strong
"to keep house." therefore on the 2lst day
of February, 1872 they were constituted
into church with membership of seven
ty.fiye. Elder James BGrriss and James
brennan represented the church this year
in the Association. This church is still in
existence, known as Mountain Creek.
Rev. James Burriss was then living about
two miles from the present site Of Ander--
son CITY, aud owned the land now owned
by Capt. John W. Daniels. It's about two
miles southwest Of the city, known as the
stmiIl place" Here Elder Burriss lived
and raised faulty of children, all OF
whom proved to be good citizens and USE
full members of the church. The country
in this community was being rapidly pop.
ulated. Mr.. Burriss felt the necessity of
having the gospel preached to his neigh.
bors nearer home. TO meet this necessity
he and others held religious services in the
woods about one and one-half miles from
the public square OF the City OF Anderson,
on theright.hsnd side (going south) OF the
Generals Road, and very nearly IN front
of the residence of W. G. Watson. The
place of worship was known then as Mt.
Tabor, and the place still bears that name.
Services were held here regularly for seve-
raj years, and the interest strengthened
until the constitution of q church was a re-.
ligious necessity. The services were under
the control OF Bethesda Church. In 1921
Baptist Church, according to New Tesla.
ment authority, was constituted at Mt
Tabor, but previous to this people joined
the church here as branch of Bethesda.
All of this was brought about through Ell.
der James Burriss. The house of worship
was built of huge logs, hewn to the same
thickness. Mrs: Catherine Eskew, who is
still living, was then girl of about eleven
wears old, says she carried dinner to her
father, Elder Burriss, while he, with many
others, were building the house. It was
built by contributive labor.
Elder Sanford Vandiver was one of the
members, and also the first pastor, In
1926 the Saluda Association met with this
Church. One day Of the meeting the Rev.
James Burriss dined sixty people. The
liberal deViseth liberal things-he used hos
pitality. The congregation was unusually
large. Elders Thomas Greer, of Bethel
Association. George Vandiver, Of the Tug
aloo, W. B. johnson, Moderator of the
saluda, and Jesse Mercer. DID,, of Georgia,
are named. The Church now numbered
thirty.fiye. From 1921 to the close Of 1888
Elder Vandiver baptized 152 into the fell
lowship of the Church. It was composed
of the members of the best families in the
community.
By an Act of the Legislature Of South
Carolina in 1927 Pendleton District was
divided into Anderson and Pickens Dis
tricts. The county seat of Anderson was
located where it now stands some time
subsequent to this,
By The year 1884 the little village in the
woods was growing rapidly. For the &C.
commodation of the villagers it was deemed
best to move the Mt. Tabor Church (not
house, into the village. A house of wor-
ship was erected upon the plat of ground
where the Church now stands. The land
was purchased of Micaiah Webb for $4,000,
August 20, 1888, and titles made to Elder
Sanford Vandiver for purposes herein
mentioned" Some time in the next year
the move was made. The membership was
eighty.si1. Elder Vandiver continued as
pastor until the close of 1S41. he baptized
16-55 were dismissed by letter. at the
close of 1841 there we're only So members.
Here we would mention phenomenon
that was frequent in religious assemblies
about this time: It was what the people
called the 'jerks." Some kind of emo.
tional nervousness would seize the people
and Jerk them about violently, frequently
making noise like the barking of dog.
Women who had long hair, nicely arranged,
when seized by such an influence, the hair
would be torn down and completely dis.
heveled. They would be jerked to and fro
with such violence that the hair at times
would pop like whips. Members of the
best families had them. Elder James
Hembree was preaching on one occasion
at Mountain Creek. A case of the 'jerksn
occurred in the congregation. The good
brother concluded he would try his apos-
toic authority, and at the top of his voice
he said, II command thee to come out Of
her." But the good sister jerked on "all
the same"
From 1S42 until the close OF 1s48 Elder
A. Rice was pastor of the Anderson Bap-
tist Church. Baptized 81. 1tnow number
ed LOG. From 1849 to the close Of 1865,
Elder ;. Scott Murray was pastor: Bap'
tized SOl. 1866 no pastor: From 1867 to
the close Of 1870, Elder ". D. Beverly was
pastor. Baptized 81. Elder J. Scott Mur-
raw was pastor in 1871. 1872 no pastor.
From 1878 to the close of 1874, Elder L. M.
Aver was pastor. Baptized Sc. 1876 and
1876, Elder J. Scott Murray was pastor.
Baptized q. From 1887 to the close Of
1850, Elder w. H. Strickland was pastor.
Baptized l6. From 1881 to the close Of
1856, Elder T. P. Bell was pastor. Baptized
AZ. Since 1857 Rev. A. A. Marshall has
been pastor. w. H. 4.
Moseley News.