The American Missionary — Volume 33, No. 04, April 1879Various
History
The American Missionary — Volume 33, No. 04, April 1879
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
The two churches held on their way with no signs of age or
weakness until the outbreak of the war. The old Circular Church
unfortunately lost its meeting-house in the great fire during
the siege of Charleston. It was also weakened by deaths and
emigrations, as well as by the withdrawal of most of the colored
membership to form the new Plymouth Church of Charleston.
Notwithstanding all this the white membership have bravely
held together, have built themselves a small chapel, and until
recently have been ministered to by Rev. William Adams, son of
the late Dr. Nehemiah Adams, of Boston.
The Midway Church in the same way split on the color line, but
not to form two Congregational churches. The white part of it
at the close of the war surrendered the polity to which they
had clung with heroic tenacity for more than one hundred and
sixty years, and went over in a body to the Presbyterian Church
South. Not so the larger part of the colored membership. They
knew nothing but Congregationalism, and they refused to accept
anything in its stead. The result was that they were formed into
the new Congregational Church of Midway. They have built a new
meeting-house, and are showing marvelous energy in maintaining
their institutions and working towards self-support. It is matter
of interest that many of these colored Congregationalists of Old
Midway were scattered during and since the war into the towns
and counties around, and have formed the seed out of which six
or seven other Congregational churches have sprung. Right here,
then, these two facts confront us: The _one_, that our polity,
for some reason, stopped short at the boundary between freedom
and slavery. The _other_, that, having _passed_ that boundary, it
seemed to have no power to propagate itself, either by sending
out colonies or by organizing new converts on the ground. It is
certainly a strange anomaly in church extension, and we leave
each one to answer for himself whether it was some instinct in
Congregationalism which held it North of the latitude of slavery,
or whether the overruling Power, which gave it its mission in
America, turned it back until it could go with an open Bible,
free speech, and its democratic equalities.
* * * * *
ITEMS FROM THE FIELD.
ORANGEBURG, S.C.--Last month we printed a very short
plea for a musical instrument for the church. We express here our
thanks to Mr. S. T. Gordon, of New York, who sent us word a few
days ago that an organ was at our disposal for this use. Such
ready responses are full of encouragement.
ATLANTA, GA.--“A good degree of religious interest still
prevails in Atlanta University. On the first Sunday of March,
four persons united with the church by profession of faith, and
a number of others propose to do so at an early day. An equal
number of those converted here will join churches at their homes.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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