Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-07-02
Edgefld Baptist Church
Was Founded i'm 1928

Once Jne burning VI OuI CuuiS
I have been impressed with the idea
that it might be well to bring to the
minds of our people a short sketch
of the church with list of it's first
members. AS you will see some OF
these names are still prominent in
the work of the church and the
grand children are continuing IN
the path set unto their feet by these
godly men and women, and here
would like 10 mention a little Incl
dent in connection with the burning
of the church and which clearly
! proves that bread cast upon the
waters always returns, often some.
times freighted with tender feel
ings of emotion that can scarcel y
be revealed.
The first deacon of the Edgeheld
Baptist church was Matthew NJ.
Minis.
Two years ago his great grand
daughter Mrs. Belle Minis Norris
had working for her good old
colored woman, nam d Lucinda
Butler. This old woman was taken
sick and Mrs. Norris went to see
her taking her something nice to
eat and leaving with her dollar.
The old lady put it down in the
bottom of her trunk, thinking to
use it for her own church at some
time, and there it lay for two years.
On Wednesday when our church
was burning she felt that her all
would not be 100 much TO give TO
help her white friends in their need.
She said that she saw them feeling
SO bad about losing their church
that she just had to 60 and get her
money and give tito them. Mrs.
Norris little thoughc when she did
the kind deed to the poor old color,
ed woman that she was laying the
foundation for the subscriptio q
tie building fund OF her owS
church the one almost founded by
her ancestors.
The Edgefeld Baptist chulch
was the thirteenth Baptist church
organized in Edgefeld county. Rev.
Basil Manly, D. D. father of Rev.
Charles Manly, of Greenville was
the first pastor; he also wrote the
consultation of the, church.
DR.. Manly married daughter of
Zebulon Rudolph of Edgeield coun-
ty about the year 1925 and remain
ed in Edgefield a good many years.
The deacons Of the church were
Matthew NJ. Minis and A. B. Nc
Whorter. So far as / know, there
are are DO descendants of Mr.. Nc
Whorter living in Edgefeld, but
many, many are there living in our
midst and OIL our rolls who owe
their being to the Christ-like man
Matthew M. Minis.
After the resignation of DR..
Manly to accept a call to the first
church in Charleston this church
has had as pastors Rev. James A.
WarESs. 1927; Rev. w. W.B.Johnson,
d. D. le3o-ls5o; Rev. J. NJ. Chiles,
1851; Rev. G. A. Raymond, 1853
1854; Rev. E. L. Whatley, 1856
1856; Rev. Luther Broadus, 1869
1875; Rev. j. w. Alexander, 1876
1877; Rev. w. T. Hundley, 1873
1882; Rev. H. A. Whitman, 1882
1886; Rev. T. D. Clark. lss6-lsss;
Rev. G. L. Hunt, D. D. les8-ls9O;
Rev. J. N. Booth, lS9l-l893.
In July 1893. the church, after
the resignation of Mr.. Booth, again
called Rev. L. R. Gwaltney, D. D.
who accepted and began his work
there September FIRST 1898. The
church was fortunate in securing
the services of this eminent divine.
He was much loved during his first
pastorship, and is an earnest work
er in his masters vineyard. ~.
Leslie Andrews
DR.. Gwaltney was the beloved