The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-05-16
THE OLD HUGUENOT CHURCH
One of Charlcston's Religious
Landmarks IS to be Closed.

II u.
The most ancient sanctuary i'm south
Carolina is IN jeopardy of being closed
Tor public worship. For more than
two hund ed years the IIuyucnot cxilcs
of Franco, who He'd to thus State after
the revocation of the rdlct of Nantes
by Louis XIV, aud their descendants
have sent up their prayers from the
same Sacicd spot. Under the bcauli-
ful building OF the IIuyucnot church
and around 1t In Tie elm shaded GENE.
terry lie the bones of their fathers of
the congregation, who, for conscience
sake, left home and friends and bravcd
the pcrils of the sea to make Il new
home in the wilderness. Formerly
this church was wealthy, but the war
dcsp"ilcd it OF most Of its capital, even
the sacred vessels of the communion
table and The organ having been stolen
by sherman $ camp followers. The
organ, however, was fortunately re.
stored to the church and still accom-
panics the praises Of the congregation.
The lluHucnot church as it stands
to-day is the Presbyterian church
stripped Of its badness and ruggedness
and the low Episcopal church. Stran-
gers cannot tell which IT Is. The con-
fcssion of faith of the kingdom of
France, which is translated III French
and English III the appendix to the
liturgy, is rs rcd hot Calvinism rs any,
thing furnished from Geneva. The
church has unique personality, a
wonderful history 1t remains The
only distinctive llugucnot congrcga-
ton in all tins broad land. During
the ccnturlesSSo its existence it has cX-
pCricnccd fire, flood, invasion, earth
quake.
llugucnots were strangely part of
the very beginning of American his
tory. The first Protestant settlement
upon this continent was that of Jean
Rlbaut within the present limits of
South Carolina.
In 1850, the date of the settlement
OF the city of Charleston, a colony of
lluSucnOts arrived, having been sent
out by the English government to cul-
tivatc Oil, wine and silk. But the
larger emigration came in 1GS5-G
when French Protcstants fl )ckcd tt
this State in great numbers. They
formed four settlements, one in tn,
city and three in the country. Eacl
OF these settlements had its church
The three churches in the country wer
subsequently merged into the establish
ed church Of the ,lony. The Churcl
of England became established il
l7O6. Too poor to sustain, otfcrc
support for their church and minister
by the established church, they ora
dually yielded, but they did not con
form to the Episcopal authority unit
after the dcceosc of the IIugucnc
ministers. The IIugucnot church i
Chailc lesion retained its autonomy an
identity and held it until today.
: The church here is the only churcl
in America where I!ugucnot hturgic
and llugucnot songs are still said ant
sung as Of yorc. Its prototype was
small upper chamber in Eticnnc Man
Gins house in Mcaux, in 1916, tht
lIu%ucnot church in front of whicl
the first IIugucnoi pastor, the first
elders and the leader of the first Iluguc'
mot congregation were burned TO death
ut fourteen different stakes, surrounds
ed by weeping wives and children,
cruelty con strained TO witness the ns-
cent to heaven of the souls Of their
dearest and best. Within its sacred
walls IN Charleston IS repeated The
simple and beautiful liturgy brought
from the valleys Of France. and the
songs OF Zion winch inspired hope and
confidence to lluyucnot martyrs and are
Still Su ~ by their descendants; pacans
Of Coutras and lvry, dirgcs Of Amboisc
and st. Barlholmcw, lamcnts for Mon
contour, praises for The hcroism of La
Rochelle, and fearful reminders Of the
sorrowfu signing Of the prisoners in
La Tour dc Constance, and Of the
rowcls chained to the gallcy's bench,
all telling Of brave soldiers and glorious
martyrs, weary prisoners, wandering
cXllcs, broken hearted parents and
lonely children in ailllctlon for con-
science sake alone.
Az this time the church is the only
one on The continent which retains the
dietlnctivc features OF the IIugucno,
service. The spiritual concerns Of the
church are managed by consislory
composed OF the pastor and Il bench OF