The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-29
LIGHT IN THE STEEPLE.
Spire of st. Philips Church at
Charleston Used as a Lighthouse.

Spire of st. Philips Church at
Charleston Used as a Lighthouse.
New York Sun.
The all-pervading war talk and specula-
ton as to cannonading, bombardment and
the like recalls an occurrence that inter-
ested Charleston people about two years
ago. The engineer in charge of the govern
ment works in Charleston harbor had pre-
vailed on the vestry of St. Philips Church,
in that city, to allow range light for the
harbor to be placed in the church steeple.
Workmen began the task Of making such
alterations in the old spire as were neces-
sary. and, all Unexpectedly, the men came
upon an unexploded shell imbedded in the
woodwork.
BE extremely careful in handling it."
was the superintendent caution when the
discovery was reported to him, but the
Workmen did not need such warning.
royal infant, on whose well-being the fate
of nations depended, was never lifted more
tenderly and with such care and sOCitude.
The church steeple is tall and the way
leading up to 1t narrow and dark. Whether
the souvenir of the war was lowered earth
ward over the outer scaffolding or taken
down and out through the interior of the
church is not recorded. but at any rate the
workmen breathed freer when it was well
out of their hards, and they used their
hammers less reckleSSly while the remainder
of the woodwork was being loosened, for
fear another unsupported shell might Turk
beneath the surface. The shell was taken
to Fort Sumter.
This range light in st. Philips steeple is
one of the few EarbOr lights on the coast.
if not the only one, lodged in church
Steeple and kept trimmed and burning by
a church sexton-by the Identical old col
ored sexton who uSherS strangers up the
aisle on Sundays, sees after funerals and
chriSteningS, and performs other duties
connected with his office. When the govern
ment official first broSched the matter Of
making the steepe a lighthouse the vestry
said no" to the proposition. 1t was be-
neVolent, kindly purpose, 1t was true, but
secular withal. To lend the church for such
purpose would be stultifying somewhat Of
its dignity, putting it to an irreverent use.
st. Philips Church is very old. It's congre-
cation is STEPPED in exclusive, conservatism
The people applauded the decision of the
vestry. The government representative,
Gained down a little. and then he urged
Vestry that their steeple was just in the
exact spot where a range light was most
needed; that their SEXTON could tend the
light; that everything should be done to pre-
serve the dignity and placidity of the an
cient edifice, and, indeed to improve ana
repair it, should occasion require. with
these stpulations the opposition of certain
members of the Vestry was at length with
drawn and now the ships that go up the
harbor at night are guided by the light III
the old steeple.
Old St Phillips spire was always just IN
range line with the entrance of the harbor'
The markSmen on the battle ship that bonn
barded the city in the civil war always SAID
that ST. Philips steeple was the neatest tar
get on the coast. ST. Michaels was not three
blocks away, but that spire didn't answer
the purpose so well.