The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1922-11-10
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF
BETH EDEN CHURCH
VI. P. Boland at the request Of Col.
E. H. AuIl for The Herald and
News.

| Beth Eden Lutheran church is the
9th organization of the Newberrl
conference, and as child Of th5
/ South Carolina synod is twin sister
of the Church Of The Resurrection
| Cameron, S. C.-these two congrega
tons having been organized IN the
yearl/1843, when the venerable synoc
itself, now 90 years old, was then
only IS years. Beth Eden's house of
worship vas erected the year Of heE
organization and also dedicated the
same year. This house is located
about five and cNe-half miles almost
directly north of Newberry, in sight
of the new Appalachian highway in
the midst Of beautiful grove OF
large and stately oaks. This edifice
though later enlarged, is still the o.
iginal building, which makes It the
an building in the county. ST. Padfs.
|'.econd eldest sanctuary Of the con-
terence and the third oldest Luther
Bethlehem, St. Lukcs, St. Matthews
and st. James are ali older organiza-
tons, but with the exception Of s..
| Pauls al worship , in sanctuaries
erected since 1S43. Then the vener-
able sanctuary of St. Johns near
Broad river is also much older. but
81. Johns at present belongs to the
United Lutheran synod Of North Ca
rolina.
Beth Eden's first pastor, and her
organizer, was the Rev. c. H. Brown
who had been placed the year before
at Liberty Hill, now St. James, Jal-
apa, but then several miles further
north on the Newberry and Laurens
county line Pastor Brown was hers
placed by the synod, not only to be
the pastor Of this congregation, bat
to be the missionary of all the other
Lutherans in this part Of the coGnty
at the time without pastor. Tc
show how true he was to the work
committed to his hands, the record
says, 'In his exploration, he found
in the neighborhood where Beth Ed
en- now stands, several Lutheran IA
miles anxious to worship God &C
eording to the faith and customs Of
their forefathers. And though few
in number and in only moderate CIR
cumstances, they were willing to un-
dertake the erection of house Of
worship. In short time the church
was completed at cost of six hun
dred dollars, congregation organiz
ed, and the house was dedicated to
the service of God on the End Sun
day of September, 1S43. Revs. G. H.
Brown, John C. Hope, ard Herman
Aull oficiated at the dedication.
The following heads with theil
families were received in the congre
cation as charter members: Messrs.
George A. Sigh, John Sigh, Herr,
W. Rikard, Nicholas Summer, Walter
W. Houseal, William Werts, Joseph
Baker, Jacob Baker, Jacob Barr, ane
Jacob Enlow. Of these Messrs. Hen
~ W. Rikard, Jacob Barr and Jacos
Baker were elected the first elders;
and it might be o. interest to know
Mr. Rikard was ever after this re-
elected to this nigh place of service
and honor til his death in 1894 whic?
vas period Of 81 years.
Pastor Brown served the church
very acceptc.3ly On an annual salary
of S100 till the year 1S45 when h.
| was sent in the fall by the synod to
become the first missionary to Luth
erans in tha state Of Mississippi.
William Berly was called as the
2nd pastor, and faithfully served the
congregation once each month dur
ing the year 1845. While the salary
| Of this man Of GOD and Christian ed
ucator is not recorded, it IS not likely
il was less than 500. And ye. what
ever the amount, he gave it all to the
congregation to liquidate the debt OF
their building. It is to be remember
ed that it w.ss he who organized Col
ony church and served it the first
two years without any financial com,
pensation, and three years on sala,
ry of $40 per year. Veritably Lu-
theran father that should never be
forgotten by The conference and sy.
nod!
/ Pastor Berly's successor, and the
third pastor, was the Rev. E. A
Bellies. During his pastorate the ole
parsonage was erected within
stone's throw south of the church, a
cost of six hundred dollars. Thl
house served as the home Of all tn;
regularly called pastors from Bolle
to Pastor Julian in 1891 and was fin
ally destroyed by fire in or about tn
wear 1903. Pastor Bolles served tn