Editor’s Note: At the request of his readers and in memory of Warner M. Montgomery, Ph. D, we will continue to publish his Adventure Travel stories for the time being.
Disaffected by the established Episcopal Church following the Civil War, black Anglicans organized churches under the name of the Reformed Episcopal Church. In 1874, five local Reformed Episcopal churches merged under the leadership of Rev. Frank Ferguson as the Redeemer Reformed Episcopal Church of Pineville. Rev. Benjamin Johnson, the first superintendent of the church in South Carolina, approved and accepted the church into the new diocese.
The first Redeemer Church was built on land given by Clarence P. Gourdin, a white friend and neighbor. The members worshiped in that small building for several years, then decided to build a “Big Redeemer.”
In 1907, during the time Bishop Stevens was presiding, a new frame building was begun under the ministry of the Rev. D. J. Mack. The lumber was given by Clarence P. Gourdin. The trees were cut and hauled to the saw mill by men of the church.
This building was completed in 1911 under the leadership of Rev. Steven Bash and the officers of the church: W.M. Gourdine, I.B. Gadsden, S.F. Jenkins, and O.P. Middleton. Rev. A.L. Pengelley was superintendent and R.L. Rudolph D.D. was bishop. The building was 75’x40’ and seated approximately 700 people.
In 1950, the interior was remodeled and the exterior was brick veneered. The Sunday School scholars began a fund in the amount of $150 to add an educational wing to the church building, but before anymore could be collected, a strange and never fully-explained tragedy struck during a time of civil unrest in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
On August 20, 1965, the church burned. As the flames engulfed the sanctuary, a large crowd stood by weeping and praying, saddened for they had labored hard and long for their spiritual home.
Rev. Abraham Gadsden and the Vestry met under the trees near the smoldering ruins and decided to rebuild on the same land. They believed seeing the ruins of the old building would keep them motivated.
The first Sunday after the fire, Bishop Jerdan delivered a consoling message to the congregation. After the service, a congregational meeting was held. The bishop, pastor, and men of the church each pledged $100 and the women pledged $50. In 90 days, there was enough money to proceed.
Chairs and benches were brought from home, and services were held for four Sundays under the trees. Then a 30’x50’ tent was purchased in Charleston for $1,230 and set up on the property. A pulpit and a communion rail were built by Rev. Gadsden. The vestrymen built tables for offerings, communion, and the secretaries.
The services in the tent were spiritually uplifting. The attendance in Sunday School and church ranged between 250 and 350 each Sunday. During the warm weather, the sides of the tent were lifted and the overflow crowd stood outside.
When the weather was cold, heaters were placed in the tent, and members stood in the aisle and against the tent walls. Everyone kept warm but suffered because of insects, snakes, frogs, fowls, and an abundance of dust.
On December 13, 1968, a windstorm partially demolished the tent, but services were held nevertheless. Alfred Davis, principal of the J.K. Gourdin Elementary School, offered his school’s assembly hall until a building could be constructed.
On December 21, 1968, services were moved to the school. The pulpit from the tent was brought to the school and chairs were used as communion rails. Pads made by the ladies of the church protected the knees of the people.
Seats were set up by a church officer, Gabriel Rembert, a teacher at the school. Each Friday afternoon, he and a group of students took chairs from the cafetorium to the assembly hall for the service. On Monday mornings, they returned the chairs.
The building fund grew to $50,000 with contributions from members of Redeemer, friends and business people of the community, people throughout the country, churches in the north, and the Young People’s Conference.
Bishop William H.S. Jerdan worked very closely with the building committee and vestry to plan the new church. A mortgage of $60,000 was secured to begin construction of a building to seat 420 people.
The new church was completed in 1969 under the direction of Rev. Gadsden; Willie Rembert, senior warden; William S. Bennett, junior warden; and Sharrah F. Jenkins, secretary. Members of the Building Committee were Willie King, John Rembert, Luther T. Gadsden, William G. Jenkins, Albert Gadsden, William S. Bennett, and Willie Rembert.
The Building Fund Committee included Isaac Perkins, Willie Benekin, and Gabriel Rembert. Members of the Vestry were Eugene Lloyd Sr., Gabriel Rembert, David Bland, Isaac Perkins, Naamon Perkins, Martha P. Simmons, Jethro Bennett, Allen Lloyd, Henry J. Stewart, Walter Washington, Johnny Jenkins, Emma Lloyd, Johnny White, and William G. Jenkins.
From the struggle, the congregation learned a few lessons:
1. A union of fellowship exists among the people of God.
2. All things work together for the good of those who love God.
3. With the blessing of sacrificial giving of members and friends, the Lord’s house was rebuilt.
In June 1980, Rev. Abraham Gadsden went home to be with the Lord —just nine months before the burning of the mortgage. On January 4, 1981, Rev. Edmond B. Mazyck became rector.
Ministers of Redeemer Reformed Episcopal Church have been Rev. Frank C. Ferguson Rev. Steven Bash Rev. D. J. Mack Rev. William M. Deveoux Rev. C. L. West Rev. Nelson Smith Rev. Joseph S. Collins Rev John H. Doiley Rev. Thomas Addison Rev. John L. Aiken Rev. Abraham Gadsden Rev. Edmond B. Mazyck
The new Educational Building was dedicated February 19, 2000. The Parish Council included John Rembert, senior warden; Herbert Milligan, junior warden; Henry Stweard Sr.; and Sadie F. Gadsden. Members of the Vestry were Rev. Mazyck, John Rembert, Herbert Milligan Sr., David Bland, Lillie M. Gourdine, Ruth K. Jenkins, Nellie Lloyd, Solomon Montgomery Sr., Isaac Perkins, Henry J. Steward Sr., and Arthur Washington. On the Building Committee were John Rembert, Rev. Mazyck, Herbert Milligan Jr., St. Julian Mitchell, Ruth K. Jenkins, Henry J. Steward Sr., Lonnie Washington, Viola Benekin, Nellie Lloyd, and Lillie M. Gourdine. The Rt. Rev. James C. West Sr. was bishop.
On November 17, 2007, the Very Rev. Alphonza Gadsden of St. Stephens was consecrated in the Redeemer Church as bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Diocese of the Southeast. Rev. Gadsden was born in Russellville near Pineville. He served in the U.S. Army then worked for the U.S. Post Office for 37 years retiring as postmaster of the Kingstree Post Office in 2004.
Rev. Gadsden earned a BA from Limestone College, a master of divinity from Cummins Seminary, and entered the ministry in 1985. During his career as postmaster and minister, he served as president of the Kiwanis Club of Kingstree and president of the Rotary Club of Kingstree.
(Naomi P. Gadsden of Pineville contributed to this story.)
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