The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-11-13
LUTHERAN SYNOD
MEETS IN POMARIA
(ConuEued From Page One.)
the old homes still remain. Colonel


Holloway's home is owned and oc-
supied by l.. A. Shealy. DR.. j. A.
Berley's home, the. old Solomon Su-
ber home is now the home of his
son, w. W. Berley. Here was where
the lamented Rev. J. E. Berley was
reared. Nearby was the paternal
home of the Rev L. e. BusDy ana
Prof. D. B. Busby. The latter is still
living and resides at Monetta. The
old home of Maj. Christian Suber still
stands and is owned and occupied by
Thad Kinard and family. Major Su-
ber while living gave $4,000 to New
berry College and $1,000 to rebuild
ing the Lutheran Church at Newberry
John "A. Folk originally owned most
of the land upon which Pomaria was
built. Although he died in 1855, his
old home prominently overlooks the
town and is owned and occupied by
John Bachman Bedenbaugh. All the
names are still in the community and
identified with the Lutheran Church.
Beginning of Theological Seminary.
But of much interest is the old
Eichelberger house, in which it may
be said the Lutheran Theological
Seminary had it's beginning. About
this there is general want of know
ledge, many people in the community
not knowing that such was the case.
When the Lutherans came to this
country, they of course came directly
or indirectly from Germany. There
was a scarcity of ministers. This
was especially so since more and
more of the people began to speak
the English language and the min
listers who could be obtained from the
fatherland spoke German. 1t became
apparent that if the Lutheran Church
would grow it must educate its own
sons as her ministers. When the
Rev. John Bachman, DID,, LID, in
1915. came from New York to be-,
come pastor of st. Johns Lutheran
Church in Charleston, there were
less than 100 Lutheran ministers IN
the United States. And these few
oficiated almost exclusively in the
German language, much to the in
Jury of the Lutheran Church, as it ex-
cluded many from the church
descendants of Lutherans, who had
by education and association adopted
the language of the country.
No Synod in South Carolina.
In South Carolina there was no
synod, no theological school and only
three or four pastors able to per-
from duty, and the few members of
the Lutheran Church were either poor /!
or in very moderate circumstances. It
was indeed day of small! things for
the Lutheran Church in South Car
olina.
On January IA, 1924, the following ;
clergymen of the Lutheran Church
met at st. Michael's Church, Lexing-
ton District, near the present town OF
Irmo, with the intention of organ
izing a synod: The Revs. John P
Franklow, John Y. Meetze Godfrey i
.Dreher, Michael Rauch, Jacob Moser
all residing in Lexington District. and
the Rev. Samuel Herecher from {,
Orangeburg District. At that time,
there were only "a Lutheran churches /
in South Carolina, with reported
membership of 1,431. 1t was lament
ed at the organization Of this synod
that there was scarcity of ministers.
A committee appointed to survey the
field said that at least two more coa-
eregations might be organized IL
there were sufficient ministers. fhe
harvest is plenteous, but the labor
ers are few" The next year the Sec
tary of synod was requested to write
to different Northern synods "to ascer-
tain whether it may not be practic-
able to obtain we'll educated Lutheran
ministers to supply our vacant
churches, or to labor as missionaries
within the bounds of this synod"
The response to this, the next year.
1925, the Rev. c.. B. Vessels, hcen-
tiate from New York State, began
his labors in South Carolina. He
opened school at Leesville and
preached occasionally; but "he
soon gave evidence Of mental derange-
,oon+ and roturnad North