The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-03-16
A E-ief History of the Lutheran
Church il the Fork Section
CT Lexington County.
(Bv D. r. Ealtiwanger.)


there is no section Of tie country that
has q greater church history than that
IF the famous Dutch Fork section OF
Lexington county, and, perhaps, too,
there are no people on the face Of the
globe that prize their church more
highly than these same people, who,
since the beginning Of all time, have
been worshipping their God "aceord-
ing to the dictates Of their own con-
Sciences" There is no denomination
in this State that has prospered more
than the Lutherans of the Fork, and
a brief history Of the church in that
section will, therefore. be read with
interest by Lutherans everywhere.
The writer is indebted to the Hon.
D. Frank Efrd, who discussed this
subject at the centennial exercises of
St. Johns church several weeks ago,
foc much valuable assistance in secur-
ing the following facts:
From what material I have been
able to gather, I think with the excep-
ton of St. Johns church, the oldest
churches in the Lexington Fork are
Bethel, on High Hill Creek, and ST..
Jacobs on Wateree Creek. Mr.. Bern
helm says that Bethel formed part
Of the Saluda charge as early as 1868,
which information he gathers from
the journal Of DR.. Nuremberg. This
congregation, along with others, was
incorporated by the legislature of the
State on February 29, 1888. The first
house of worship was located a short
distance from where the present
building now stands. This congregs-
ton, it is thought, went into the Or
sanization called the "Corpus Evan
gehcum,' organized in 1887, at Zion S
church on the 18th day Of November,
and this charge also connected itself
with the North Carolina Synod about
1910, and with the South Carolina
SYNOD in 1924. to which Synod it still
belongs.
Bethel's Pastors.
Bernheim says that the Rev. John
Nicholas Martin labored in the Fork
between the, Saluda and Broad rivers
from 1857 to 1774, when he was call
ed to Charleston, and the churches
were probably vacant during the Re-
volutionary war, as the only Lutheran
minister near at that time was the
Rev. Louis Hochheimer, who lived at
Sandy Run and visited these churches.
The first pastors of Bethel church, so
far as have been able to learn, were:
The Rev. John Nicholas Martin, the
Rev. Mr.. Wallern and the Rev. Mr..
Bernhardt, the latter remaining until
the, close Of his life in 1909. The Rev.
Michael Rauch succeeded him, re-
manning until 1914. The charge then
seems to have become vacant for
some time, and was served by num-
ber Of ministers, as follows: MeSsrs.
Winkhouse, Paul D. Henckle, c. A. 8.
Stork, and. perhaps, others from the
North Carolina Synod. The Rev. J.
P. Franklow was elected about that
church were all German. and
about 1917 the Rev. God
frey Dreher preached in English oc-
casionallv as the assistant pastor.
The Rev. Mr.. Franklow died in 1920
and was succeeded by the Rev. Mr..
Moser. After him the Rev. Mr.. Rauch
again took charge, and remained un-
til 1916. Since that time the charge
has been served By the following min
listers: Messrs. Haltiwanger, Stinglev,
Lowman. Houch. Hawkins, Miller,
Berley, Deaton, Ballentine. and the
present pastor, the Rev. J. B. Halgler.
St. Jacobs, on the Wateree.
Much difficulty has been experience
ed in getting any information with re-
ference to the origin of this church.
There are rumors in the neighborhood
that this church IS built on the piece
Of land that was granted to the con-
gregation about 1850 by King George,
of England, but this cannot be stated
as a fact. The first authentic refer
ences to its origin are, that it was
incorporated by the legislature of the
State, along with number Of other
churches, on the Goth of February,
1888. The oldest inhabitants of the
neighborhood say that an old l7g
church was built about the time OF the
Revolutionary war, near whe:e the
present house now stands, which was
used for church purposes until the