Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1913-10-22
N|NET|ETH Anniversary,
SAINT LUKE'S CHURCH TO
CELEBRATE.
ST. Luke's Parish Established Contempt
Taneous|y with the County.

IdneOuSlY viii lne GUunly.
St Luke's Parish seems to have
been q portion of the original
name of this county, for upon the
erection Of the county in 1853,
during the administration of Gov.
ernor Matthew Rowan, the word
ing of the act by the Council, at,
ter designating the boundary
lines. cutting this county off from
Arson, is as follows: "And that
she upper part of said county so
divided be erected into q county
and parish by the name of Rowan
County and St. Luke's Parish,
and that all the inhabitants to
the westward of said line, and in.
cluded within the before mention
ed boundaries shall belong aud
appertain to Rowan County," but
fortunately we have teen spared
the use Of the entire name, Just
whether this abhreviation was
brought about by common consent
or by design cannot be stated, but
it is generally known that the
people were not favorable to a
State religion and, although the
Council passed numerous favora.
BILE laws on the subject and pro-
vlded literally for the ministry,
the Episoopalians met with many
acknowledgements before any real
churches were organized in this
section. Although Salisbury was
a social, religious and commercial
centre and Episcopal churches Or
chapels, were established IN this
section of the State it seems that
St. Luke's Church was not really
organized until 1928, when on
Monday, September 9Th, of that
year, this ceremony was performed
by Bishop Ravenscroft. Accord
ing to the above figures, which
seem correct, St. Luke's Parish
can this year celebrate it 16Oth
anniversary, or St. Luke's Church
its Gosh.
The history of St. Luke's Church
ia quite an interesting one and
covers so much time and other
matter that we are compelled to
refrain giving it. except in the
briefest manner possible. This
church seems to have been estab-
llshed some time after Christ
Church, located on the right of
the road between Barber and
Cleveland. Christ Church seems
to have been the center of Episco.
palianism in this county, it being
organized about 1900 under the
control of the Lutheran Church
and was served by Rev. Robert
Johnstone Miller. who had pre-
viously been a Methodist, but held
to the tenents of the Episcopaoy
and was finally received as a men,
Der of the Diocese of North Caro-
lima on May BAD, 1921, when he
was ordained priest and deacon.
St. Luke's Church was probably
organized as a result of Rev. Mil
ler's work and he, therefore, might
be considered ths church's first
rector.
The lot Jon which this church
now stands, corner of West Coun.
Gil and North Church streets, was
presented to the vestry of the
church on the 18th day of Sep
tember, 1927, by Moses A Locke,
Charles Fisher and John Beard,
Jr., as executors of Lewis Beard.
The original building was erected
IN 1928 end was remodeled in
1868. There seems to have been
other Episcopal ministers in this
section at that time, about 1920
1928, but the Rev. Thomas
Wright, Of Wadesboro, probably
succeed Rev. Miller as pastor of
Christ's and St. Luke's churches,
and in May, 1926, he reported to