The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-18
Historic ST. Philips
Church Again Opened
Stately Edifice, sThe Westmin.
ster Abbey of South Caro-
lima" Remodeled Follow.
ing Fire a Year Ago
By Harriette K. Leiding.
/N4~~,x o-S Co,,rinr1

News and Courier)
Today Historic st. Philips Church
will be reopened for service after hav-
ing. been closed for nearly a years
time. The church building has been
remodeled following the striking bs
lightning of this edifice and par
tial burning of the structure at the
northeast extremely of the building
used as vestry room and rectors
study. When the committee consisting
Of j. C. Bisseli, F.. G., Davies. II. c.
Cheyes and the Rev. S. Cary Beckwitn
was appointed it was decided not only
to repair the church, but also to en-
large the structure and provide space
downstairs near the chancel for the
choir.
Accordingly, the entire east wall Of
the church has been removed, and
new choir bay added and a sanctuary
access TO these being secured by a
great transverse arch which rises forty
feet clear above the marble pavement.
Thus as in the year 1887 the church
has been extended eastwarGly. The
new, sanctuary lies beyond the choir
bay and is semi circular in shape with
a semi circular dome. Under this
sanctuary lie various graves that
could not be disturbed for the build
ing program Thus most beautifully
and reverentIy have Simons & Lap
ham, the architects, in charge, met the
building requirements and at the same
time succeeded in keeping untouched
the hallowed resting places of those
who are sleeping the sleep Of the just.
New Organ Erected.
The new organ is erected in ths
gallery of the church building nnde:
the roof of the choir bay. but con-
4rolled from the choir bay. This bay
with stalls designed to match the
old pews Of the church, is elevated
two steps above the floor, level. On
a marble platform stands = new altar
of fitting design, placed three steps
above the level Of the choir and from
this elevation shows TO great advan-
tage. Later 1t is planned to place,
just behind the altar, a stained glass
window. representing an Ali.Soul Win
dow, as memorial to the dead of the
parish. ,zs- :.a
Colorcd Workman Solved Problem.
It has been difficult task to find
q workman to reproduce the rose-hke
Golfers Of the curved. vault of the
new sanctuary to match the design OF
the old ceiling, but an old coiored
workman was discovered, it is Salo
who remembered the secret. Thus
once again is st. Philips indebted to
that race for help as it was bravery
and daring of g. negro who saved ST.
Phifip.s from burning once in the
long ago. This exploit has long been
celebrated in poem. How He Saved
ST. Michael's," but the error arose
from the fact that. many years ago
on the site now occupied by st.
Mfchaers Church there stood from
1681-S2, according to Oaicho. the
Mother Church OF the diocese. known
as st. Philips" The building was
said to be Of black cypress. which
showed some indication Of decay, and
proved too email for the increasing
population by 1710. Accordingly an
Act Of Assembly was passed in March
OF that year for the erecting OF
new brick Church at Charles Town
to be the parish Church Of St. Phil
ip,s,, the name st. Philips being first
found in connection with the wooden
edifice, in a. deed conveying a lot ad-
joining the church ''to the Rt. Hon.
Joseph Blake, Governor, and his sue
cessors, in trust for the use OF st.
Philips Church, for yard thereunto
forever"
Meeting street was originally called
Church street, but upon the removal
of st. Philips to the present site, "a
few poles north Of Queen street" the
street on which it was erected took
the name Of Church street. Old Church
street became the present Meeting
street, from the Meeting House. now
known as the Circular Church, direct
" to the east Of which lies st. Phil
ip's western graveyard in which IS
found the tomb of John c. Calhoun.
uiustFious Dead Rest In Churchyards-
The remains Of numerous iilustri-
ous men, says Elise Rhett Lewis. lie
In the eastern and western church
yards of this church, which for tw'o
hundred and forty years has been
identified with the history OF Charles
ton, and upon the walls within the
church are many memorial tablets. in
Guiding one erected in the vestibule
to, those young men who fell in the
War between the States, every young
man of the congregation having en-
tered the Confederate service in the
war for Southern rights under the
Constitution.
Some Of the oldest graves have
been there since before the church
opened for service on Easter, 1878.
but no effort is here made to date
these. graves names alone being
given Among those who here rest are
Robert Daniels Landgrave and Gov
ernor; George Logan, Speaker Of the
Commons; Col. William Rhett. the
hero of the defense against the inva-
Sion of the Spaniards and French in
37e6 and Of the expedition against
the pirates. 1718: and Thomas Hep
worth, Chief Justice; all here repose
in Gods Acre The good Governor,
Robert Johnson. lies near the chancel
inside the church, while Chief Justice