The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-03-16
Ct. Peters,, Piney Woods.

St. Peter :, Plney WooGs.
This congregation must have been
organized as early as 1894, and the
building stands on piece Of land
whici! was originally granted by the
State to Peter Schump"rt and triail
Mayor on February Is, 1194. Some
historians speak Of this church Rs
having been Incorporated in 1194. bit
that is a mistake, and refers to St.
Peters church. near I-eesville, fer tie
reason that the information is very
reliable that the Rev. James WalleGn
organized this church in December,
1894, and house of hewn logs, seal
ed on the inside. was built just across
the road from where the present
building now stands. In 1884 a new
building was erected, which is still
there, although it has been moderniz-
ed in recent years.
St. Peters.
The Rev. James Wallern was sue
ceeded as pastor Of this church BY
the Rev. Mr.. Winkhouse, who served
until his death in 1918, at which time
the Rev. Michael Rauch was elected
pastor and continued to serve until
1888, when the Rev Godfrey Dreher
took charge as pastor. From this date
until 1889 there were some disturb
ances in the congregation, the Rev. J.
H. Hope being pastor of some mem
bers Of the church and the Rev. God
frey Dreher Of others. This difficulty
led to the suit of Harman and Dreher,
which commenced on April 20, 1889.
That suit was terminated about 1910.
The Rev. Mr.. Dreher served the con-
gregation until about 1852, when he
gave up the charge on account of
failing health. The Rev. Daniel Efrd
was the next pastor and continued in
charge until 1881. The pastors since
that time have been the Rev. Messrs.
j. NJ. Efrd. E. L. Lybrand, S. L.
Nease. J. G. Schaid. A. r. Beck. B. D.
Wessinger and the present pastor:
the Rev. E. J. Sox. This charge as
sisted in the organization of the
South Carolina Synod, and in 1852
connected itself with the Tennessee
Synod, in which it remains at present.
This charge was part Of the "Evan-
gelicum.''
st. Michael's.
Next, in point Of time, is St. Mich
ael's, or the Blue church. This church
was. organized in 1914 and was made
up of members Of Bethel and Zion
churches, because some wanted Eng
ish services. According to Bernheim,
the first ecclesiastical meeting Of the
Lutheran church held in this State
was held in this church in April, 1916.
The Lord 5 day service was held IN
Bethel church, the Rev. Mr.. Storh
and the Rev. Mr.. Miller preaching
indoors and the Rev. Mr.. Dreher and
the Rev. Mr.. Rauch ont Of doors, in
English, and the Rev. Shober to the
negroes on the subject Of Christianity.
This conference was to adjust differ
ences that had arisen on the subject
Of baptism. This church was con-
nected with the North Carolina Sv-
nod at its formation, and at the for
nation Of the South Carolina Synod
it severed its connection with that
synod and assisted in the formation
of the South Carolina Synod, which
was organized in this church on the
18th of January, 1924. The first pas
tor of this church was the Rev. God
frev Dreher. The Rev. J. Y. Meetzc
became pastor in 1881 and was s'r-
ceeded BY the Rev. Messrs. Haltlwan-
ger, Stingley. Lowman, Baily, Black
welder, Derrick, Houek, Hawkins,
Miller, Berley, Deaton, Nease, Riden-
hour and Kline.
Bethlehem.
This congregation was organized
and built a house of worship about
three miles up Broad river. from
where the old Bookman church origi-
nally stood at point known as Eli
sor's Ferry, near the river. Informa-
ton with reference to the organiza-
ton Of this church is hard to get, but
in the diary of the Rev. Godfrey Dre-
her for June 6, 1919, it is found that
he preached a sermon in the new
church on Broad river on the above
date, and later in the same diary he
says "Bethlehem Church on Broad
river" and the inference is that this
was the Ellison church, and it was al