FOREWORD

This Booklet is a presentation of a collection of facts relating to the history of Christ Church, Florence County, South Carolina, compiled and printed for the information and pleasure of all those who are interested in the building and early life of the Church; and the portrayal of the devotion of a few (in each generation) who by their faithful services have kept it a living Church.

 Mrs. Constance Ashby Gregg

A SKETCH OF CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

FLORENCE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA

 There is a picture in my mind of a Sunday morning in May, 1859. It is the hour for service at Christ Church and the neighborhood carriages are arriving. There are, perhaps, ten of them drawn by sleek well-kept horses and driven by no less sleek and well-kept coachmen. Colored boys are now busy letting down the steps; the gentlemen, in their frock coats and light trousers, are handing out the ladies in flowered silks and quaint poke bonnets. The little miss wears a ruffled dress of flower-silk or sprigged muslin with a straw bonnet trimmed in flowers and carries in her hand a crewel-work basket in which she had her handkerchief; her brother is dressed in long trousers with a short jacket and a ruffled cambric shirt. There are the Ashbys, Bacots, Robert Rogers, John Rogers, Mandeville Rogers, Harllees, Porchers, Greggs, and McCalls. The last are Presbyterians, but have given as generously of their substance and their energy in building the Church as any of her own people. They are exchanging greetings and saying among themselves with deserved pride how beautiful the Church looked as they drove up, a gleaming white cross in a setting of virgin pines.

 About the year 1842 the Episcopalians of Mars Bluff and Back Swamp decided they could live no longer without their Church. So, Mrs. Edward Porcher, perhaps because of her personal friendship with the family, wrote to Bishop Gadsden and begged him to send someone to hold services for them. In response to this request Rev. Mr. Tillinghast was asked to come over from Society Hill for an occasional service. Mr. Tiilinghast, already well known to some of these families, was most beloved by this group and an inspiration to them to keep working.

 Meantime Dr. Porcher proposed to the three other families who had children that they unite in an effort to have a clergyman come to them who would teach the children during the week and preach on Sunday. A schoolroom was built near the road on the Robert Rogers plantation and this plan put into

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operation. Bishop Gadsden, having no clergyman available in his diocese, wrote to Bishop Delaney who sent down Rev. Mr. Isaac Swartz who served us in 1844 and 1845. He was followed by Mr. Henry Ellwell, a delightful Englishman, who was with us from 1845 to 1850.

 At the time of Mr. Ellwell's resignation, Rev. Mr. Alexander Gregg was rector of St.David's in Cheraw and a frequent visitor in the Christ Church neighborhood. He was so interested in the work of this group and so anxious to build up the Episcopal Church in the Pee Dee, that he arranged to give Christ Church a monthly service and was with us from 1850 to 1854.

 But the Christ Church people did not feel that their needs were being fully met. What they wanted was a church building and a resident minister. Bishop Davis was asked to give his consent to a parish being organized on the English living plan. Rev. Mr. Augustus Moore, a cultured New Englander and a consecrated Christian, was the first parish rector. He was never married, but with the aid of a relative, Miss Martin, and Anne, a little German maid servant, maintained a home. He first lived in a cottage on the Robert Rogers plantation which has always since been called "The Parsonage".

 Later Miss Martin bought a plot of land from Mr. John Rogers and built "Hickory Lodge" after the Cape Cod style. After Mr. Moore's death the Bacot family lived at "Hickory Lodge", and it is still the home of Misses Mary Hart and Emma Bacot. Much beloved Mr. Moore ministered to wherever needed till his death in 1876.

 As soon as Mr. Moore was established here, a project for building a Church was formulated. Dr. Porcher attended a Diocesan Convention soon after this time, and meeting Rev. Mr. John McCollough, asked his advice as to plans, explaining that a large Church would be needed to accommodate the community, the colored as well as the white people, Mr. McCollough gave him the plans that were used in the building as it stands.

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 Dr. Porcher gave two acres of land at the head of his avenue on the Georgetown-Cheraw Road. Mr. Collier suggested that Adam Bede of the neighborhood, so honest and upstanding, be employed as carpenter. At that time there was neither architect nor contractor in the Pee Dee Section. The lumber used was of heart pine and cypress hewn and dressed by the slaves on the nearby plantations and contributed by their owners. Except for Mr. Collier's services, I feel sure that there was very little actual outlay of money in the building of the Church. The building is the shape of a cross originally painted white. The outside walls are boarded and battened; in this case the boards are about ten inches wide running up and down, every seam covered with a beveled board about four inches wide and two inches in the center. Inside walls are hard-finished plaster; the woodwork of all sorts is pine and the pews heavy heart pine. A door of Gothic design opens into each transept and the rear of the nave. Many beautiful Gothic windows, originally glazed in ground glass but replaced with clear glass, give ample light. The Vestry is placed separately at the back. The furniture is handmade, I think, of walnut except the font, which is particularly beautiful of white marble. Instead of an altar there is the Communion Table. The first instrument was a melodeon placed midway the nave; the white congregation sitting above it and the negroes behind it.

 The building was ready for use in 1859. For several years Mr. Robert Napier, pastor of Mizpah Baptist Church across the road, loaned his church and our services were held there until our own was ready. Mr. Napier's daughter told me that she has heard her father say, when the the cornerstone was laid at Christ Church, the preliminary service was held at Mizpah, and he then went over with Mr. Moore and witnessed the laying of the stone. Julia Porcher, eldest child of Dr. Porcher, was selected to place the papers, etc. in the corner.

 My Grandmother used to tell me that, for several reasons, one of them being that the Pee Dee country at that time was so densely wooded the winters in that area in the 1840's and 50's were not so severe as in later years. It must have

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been so; for Christ Church at first had no heat whatever. Each family provided themselves with hot soapstones in little flannel jackets and the rugs from the carriages, some of them fur, were brought in to insure comfortable feet during the services. Sometime in the 80's a wood-burning heater was installed midway the Church. In the fall of 1932, through Mr. Poyner and Dr. Matthews, we inherited from the St. John's Vestry a coal burning-heater, and Mr. J. D. Dunnaway, a member of our Bible Class, built a fine flue; this made us much more comfortable.

 According to the deed for the land made 1859, Mr. Robert Rogers was named as Warden; Messrs. John A. Rogers, M. S. McCall, Peter S. Bacot, Thomas E. Gregg, F. M. Rogers, and W. W. Harllee, Vestrymen.

 Mrs. Mandeville Rogers was our first organist. As a child I asked one of the John Rogers servants if Mrs.Rogers was a fine musician? "Yes, ma'am, "she answered, "she could sho go down on 'Rock of Ages'." Following Mrs. Rogers, John Parker Gregg became our organist and continued faithfully and untiringly until the Church was closed for a time between the ministries of Mr. Thomas and Mr. Poynor. Although rehearsals were irregular, we had a fine choir at that time: Sallie Gregg, afterwards Mrs. Wallace, Annie Gregg, afterwards Mrs. Sutton, Mary Scott, and Mrs. W. R. Barringer, Mr. J. Boyd Brunson, and J. Boyd Brunson,Jr. who had a beautiful tenor.

 The Church was consecrated by Bishop Thomas F. Davis on the morning of June 5, 1859. In a letter written the following week by Belle Porcher to her cousin, Edward Harllee, she gave a very enthusiastic account of the service, saying that Mr. Alexander Gregg had preached a "grand sermon".

 During "The War Between The States", Christ Church congregation was greatly augmented by refugees from Charleston and other places. Among these were the Fords, Lucases, Shackelfords, and Goodwins, to which family Henry Timrod, our poet, belonged and Mr. Howe, who was afterwards our bishop. He lived at the Robert Rogers', had a private school, and helped Mr. Moore during

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 the last years of his ministry, and no doubt, kept the Church open after Mr. Moore's death until such time as Mr. Motte could come over from Cheraw to hold services for us in 1877. Just at the outbreak of the War, Colonel Archibald Waring purchased the plantation, The Savannas, for a permanent home,and he and his family became Christ Church people.

 In 1860 Mrs. Frances Church came as a refugee from Charleston to the junction which afterwards became the town of Florence. In her room at the hotel she had the Episcopal service every Sunday morning getting whomsoever she could to conduct it. Mr.Howe, as we said before, living in the Christ Church neighborhood, came to her aid and gave a service whenever he could. This little band became our St.John's Church; and from then on the history of Christ Church, eighteen years the older, and St. John's is very closely interwoven. Separated rather than connected by six miles of dirt road that was almost impassable in winter, they shared the same minister almost continuously until today. At the end of the war a number of those families who had meant so much to Christ Church moved into the town of Florence and helped to build St. John's as zealously as they had worked in Christ Church. Among these were the Harllees, Lucases, and Maxwells.

 Mr. Motte was followed in December 1879 by the Rev. Mr. Edwin Steele who came here a very young man and naturally chose his wife from among the girls in his congregation. He was married to Mary Ashby, December 14, 1880 in Christ Church by the Rev. Mr. Motte. He soon resigned to go to Orangeburg, but returned to live among us and serve us again until his health failed and he was obliged to retire. He died at the age of thirty-four in a cottage known as the "Lodge" on his father-in-law's plantation March 5, 1885. Like Mr. Moore he is buried among those he served at Christ Church.

 I have no dates to substantiate this statement, but I think it was just after Mr. Steele's death that Christ Church was reduced from a parish to a mission.

 Mr. Motte served us again until the fall of 1888, when the Rev. Mr. W. A. Guerry, fresh from the Seminary and overflowing with enthusiasm and energy,

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 came as an inspiration to four charges: Florence, Darlington, Marion, and as it was then known Mars Bluff. He had everything that was needed in a minister, even a fine voice to help with the singing. In 1893 he was called to Sewanee to become Headmaster of the Grammar School there.

 We were so fortunate as to have come to us in the fall of 1893, Rev. R. W. Barnwell, well known for his brilliant thinking and charming personality. In 1895 he was called to Grace Church, Charleston, South Carolina, as assistant rector, and for the next several months Rev. Mr. William H. Barnwell of Stateburg gave us an occasional service. He was followed by Rev.Mr. James McGruder of Mississippi then rector of St. Matthews Church in Darlington. Mr. McGruder was a very likable and able man and we hated to give him up. In 1897 Rev, Mr. R. Barnwell returned to Florence and ministered to Christ Church until 1901, when he resigned to go to St. Pauls in Richmond, Virginia.

 In 1901 Rev. Mr. Harold Thomas became rector of St. John's in Florence and came out once a month for a service in Christ Church. Later Mr. Thomas accepted a call to St. James in Wilmington, North Carolina and was followed at St. John's by the Rev. Mr. Edw. Callendar, a Scotchman, who served St. John's and Christ Church from 1905 to 1907.

 It was under Mr. Callendar's leadership that the first women's organization was formed at Christ Church; in fact I think it was the first working group of, any kind to be formed in the congregation. It was called "The Christ Church Guild" and in the following ten years did a tremendous amount of work for the Home at York and for the community. Mrs. Eli Gregg was our first president, Mrs. J. Wallace, vice president, and Mrs.Robert Rogers, Sr., secretary and treasurer. We adopted a daughter at the Home, Lurline Philips, and had so much fun buying and making her clothes.

 When Mr. Thomas came back to St. John's in 1907, and we found we were not to have him, we were bitterly disappointed; for all of us were devotedly attached to Mr. Thomas. We could not have found a better person to take his

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place than Rev. Mr. Henry Cooke Salmon then living in Madon, South Carolina, who came to us for a monthly morning service. It had become a custom for whoever served us after we become a mission to spend Saturday night through Sunday in one of our homes. These cultured and rather cut-off men and women enjoyed knowing their minister and looked forward to his visit. Mr. Salmon was prepared to talk to anyone about anything from fishing to how "The Rosary" came to be written. He always had a good story to tell, and never forgot that he had come to bring the message. Like Mr. Guerry, he had a fine voice and helped with the music.

 Several times during his ministry in Darlington, when there was no one to hold the monthly service at Christ Church, Rev. Mr. Albert Thomas came to our rescue. Later he visited us as our Bishop.

 On March 3, 1918, Rev. Mr. Wilmer S. Poynor of Mt. Hebron, Alabama, came to Florence to begin his ministry at St. John's and to give Christ Church a monthly service. Very soon, however, one of the few families moved into town; later two others followed; those remaining were not interested in keeping the Church open; so it was closed. But Mr. Poynor kept a watchful eye on the buildings, and finding that it was not insured, notified the Bishop and asked permission to have it insured.

 During Lent of 1927, the Business Women's Chapter of the Auxiliary in St. John's studied rural missions. This aroused so great interest in the work in country communities, that, when one of the members suggested sponsoring a home-coming day at Christ Church, it was very favorably received. Mr. Poynor was only too pleased to arrange for it and the vestry and congregation gave their whole-hearted cooperation. St. John's was closed that morning, the first Sunday in May, and Christ Church was overflowing. Mrs. Grimsley (Annie) came out and the choir. We had the Communion Service and sermon and afterwards a regular old-time picnic lunch was served in the yard, and a reunion was held among friends who had not met at Christ Church for years. It was really the brightest spot in her history since the morning of the Consecration.

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The following year the service was repeated, but the picnic was omitted; so altogether it did not have so full a meaning as the first time. Since that time the home-coming day service has been held in the afternoon.

 On a Sunday in October 1931, as he was driving out to hold a service, Mr. Poynor was surprised to see many little white children playing in the road near the Church. These he knew belonged to our neighbors refugeeing from the Depression. He lost no time in going to see Dr.Matthews to ask him if he would help him to start a Sunday School for these children. Both Dr. Matthews and his wife said they would be glad to do so; he then called on me and everyone else who would be willing to help. On the following Sunday afternoon, we enrolled twenty children and eight grown-Ups, four of whom volunteered as teachers. Dr. Matthews acted as superintendent of the Bible class; Mrs.Jordon and Mary Draughan Wiencoff were organist and choir leader. The school ran for three years with gratifying results. At the end of this time the refugees scattered to more prosperous jobs and homes, and having served its purpose, the school was closed.

 In 1934, during Mr. Poynor's ministry, Mrs. D. D. Tabor visited St.John's as a U.T.O. worker. Soon after that The Woman's Auxiliary to the Board of Missions became the Auxiliary to the National Council, giving it a much wider scope and significance. About this time there was a reshuffling of the women of the parish and the old societies were designated as chapters of the Auxiliary and given new names.  

Mrs. J. W. Wallace says, that soon after this Mrs.Poynor was their guest at a meeting of the Christ Church Guild held at the home of Mrs. J. C. C. Brunson. She suggested that they get in line with St. John's and consider themselves a chapter of the Auxiliary with the name, Alice Gregg; this advice was favorably received, Mrs. J. W. Wallace continuing as leader and Mrs. H. E. Corrie secretary and treasurer.

 In 1945 the Church was badly in need of repairs, particularly a new roof. So Mr. Poynor put on a drive to raise funds. Mr. James Clarke of Back Swamp,

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 Charles Edwards Gregg, and Mr. J. W. Howard were asked to solicit a certain sum each. Chisolm Wallace acted as treasurer and helped with the supervision of the work. A composition roof replaced the one of decayed shingles, new steps were put of brick, and the building repainted inside and out. H. M. Kyle gave a fine check which was used towards a new carpet.

 At sometime, when the Church was closed, the Bible was stolen from the lectern and the Communion silver lost. In the spring of 1946, Misses Maryand Emma Bacot, and Francis Bacot Rogers (brother of Mason Rogers) gave a beautiful chalice and paten in memory of Mason Rogers who was lost on the Juno. John Parker Bulnnan gave a brass missal stand for the Altar. With gifts of money which he had received, Mr. Poynor got a bread box, a cruet, and two beautiful prayer books, a large one for the Altar (an Altar Missal) and a smaller one. Mrs. J. L. Richardson gave a cruet. A1l of these were consecrated and used for the first time at a Communion Service which Mr. Poynor had on the morning of June 15, 1946, just before leaving for Alabama. At the same service we presented Mr. and Mrs. Poynor with a silver plate to be used in their new home. As things worked out, their home is right in Florence.

 On the first Sunday in December 1946, Rev. Mr. Louis A. Haskell was installed by Bishop Carruthers as rector of St. John's, Florence. Christ Church was not included in his work.

 Wherever my brother and I went at that time we passed the Church closed, un-needed, uncared for. Finally I went to Mr. Haskell and suggested to do something about it. He talked with the Bishop and the outcome was a call to meet with the Bishop and (have) him at our home on the evening of November 28, 1949. All of that afternoon and evening, we had a series of hard thunder showers, which made the unpaved road risky. So Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Kyle and Mrs. E. M. Matthews were the only ones who braved obstacles and came to the meeting. Our enthusiasm was enough to out weigh our lack of numbers. The Bishop was very encouraging and said he would be glad to cooperate with us. He asked Mr.

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Haskell to give us two afternoon services a month, which he agreed to do. The first of these services was held on the third Sunday of December, 1948. At this meeting Mr. Kyle volunteered to have made two signs to put up on the road in front of the Church. The signs are very attractive giving the name of the Church, the minister in charge, and the hour of the service.  

On a Saturday afternoon of January, 1950, Mr. Haskell called all who were interested in Christ Church to meet with him and the Bishop at St. John's Parish House. The response was surprisingly good. Twelve persons signed up for Christ Church and a mission was formed. Ashby Gregg was made warden and Robert Rogers secretary-treasurer. Later five others joined us. It was decided at this meeting to hold one service a month - each third Sunday.

 On May 27, 1950, we held another meeting at the Parish House to discuss plans for putting a new sill under the north side of the building and minor repairs; heating, lighting, and an organ. We would have to raise at least $1,500.00. A number of suggestions were made which furnished good food for thought, but nothing definite was decided.

 Two of our ministers were buried in the Churchyard; four of those who ministered to us have become Bishops; one volunteered for Foreign Service, and, I think, was sent to Haiti. And of our very own we have given Alice Gregg who is serving in China. On the day Alice was confirmed in Christ Church, she was the only candidate; so her grandmother went up and stood by her during the service. This made a most unusual group; the dear old Bishop, Mr. Thomas, the pretty little white-haired lady, and the little girl of eleven.

 Bessie A. Gregg

 My thanks to:

 Bishop Thomas, Alice Beaty,  Harry Lee Harllee, and Others for  their help so graciously given.

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 II

TWO RECORDS OF LATER EVENTS

 A Few Years before Christ Church became Officially an Organized Mission of the Diocese.

 Christ Church as an organized Mission

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 A Few Years before Christ Church became Officially an Organized Mission of the Diocese.

During the years between 1940 and 1950, before Christ Church became a Mission, and services were only held there on special occasions, there occurred several events that were of much interest in the community.

 Seven Baptismal Services were held in Christ Church as follows: on June 20, 1943, Mary Louise Rogers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Rogers, (granddaughter of Mr. John Schott Rogers and Anna Bacot Rogers, great granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Rogers, and great, great granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rogers, two of the builders of Christ Church); in April, 1944, Mason Bacot Rogers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Bacot Rogers, and grandson of Mr. and Mrs.John Schott Rogers; on November 12, 1944, William Thomas Ashby, son of Mr. Edward Peyre Ashby and Virginia Heard Ashby, and grandson of Mr., Thomas Ashby and Mary Elizabeth Cooper Ashby; on June 9, 1946, Frances Anna Rogers, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Bacot Rogers; on April 3, 1949, Leila Byrd Corrie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gregg Corrie, granddaughter of Mr. Herbert Corrie and Mary Chisolm Gregg Corrie; on November 19, 1950, Anna Parker Corrie, sister of Leila Byrd; and on October 16,1949, Michael Bradley Meekins, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis M. Meekins.  

Two marriage ceremonies of special interest in Christ Church community and surrounding vicinities were performed, the first one to take place there since 1920. On August 9, 1947, Miss Caroline McKellar Brunson, daughter of Mr. Robert Cummings Brunson and Mary Wallace Brunson, (granddaughter of Mr. J. C. C. Brunson and Elizabeth Ashby Brunson, great granddaughter of Mr. Thomas Ashby and Julia Porcher Ashby, and great, great granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. Edward Porcher) became the bride of Mr. Ira A. Ward, of Chapel Hi11, North Carolina. The Rev. Wilmer S. Poynor performed the ceremony.

 Then on September 24, 1949, the marriage of Miss Alice Gregg Bultman, daughter of Mr. John K. Bultman and Nina Gregg Bultman, (granddaughter of

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Mr. and Mrs. John Parker Gregg) to Mr. Thomas Lang Beaty of Florence, South Carolina, took place. The Rev. Louis A. Haskell performed the ceremony.

On September 6, 1949, Mr. Charles E. Gregg, son of Mr. Thomas E. Gregg and Claude de Cherigry Porcher Gregg, and grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Edward Porcher, passed away. And on February 6, 1951, death came to his sister, Miss Mary Stevens Gregg. Both were life-long members of Christ Church, and gave their services freely and willingly to the interest of the Church. They were buried in Christ Church Cemetery in the family lot of three generations back.

During the year of 1949, Christ Church community was saddened by the deaths of two of its former members, who were faithful attendants whenever services were held there, until ill health prevented their attending any Church services. First, Mrs. Herbert Corrie, formerly Mary Chisolm Gregg, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gregg of Mars Bluff, South Carolina, died November 14, 1949. Then on December 17, 1949, Mrs. J. C. C. Brunson formerly Elizabeth Ashby, passed away. They were both buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Florence, South Carolina.

Christ Church as an organized Mission

 After the meeting of the congregation of Christ Church, May 27, 1950, it was determined that there were several pressing needs to be met immediately. The members of the congregation and friends of the Church, with the help of the minister in charge (The Rev. Louis A. Haskell), let it be known that any contributions or aid given to fill these needs would be gratefully received. Consequently, by the end of that year or the beginning of the next, 1951, the following additions were made: a used Estey organ was given to the Church by the Woman's Auxiliary of the Church of the Advent, Marion, S. C., the electrical wiring for the organ and lights were installed; sixty Prayer Books

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were sent from the Oxford University Press, by the New York Bible and Common Prayer Book Society, on request of Bishop Carruthers; a check for $10.00 toward the purchasing of new Hymnals; an overhead gas fan heating unit was given by Mr. John O'Dowd (with the understanding that it could be sold if it didn't work satisfactorily and the money used for the Church) and installed by Mr. Marion Lucas, Jr.; a Parish Register was given by Mrs. Hannah Waring Matthews in memory of her mother, Mrs. Hannah pawley Waring.

 On November18, 1951, a Confirmation Service was held by Bishop Carruthers, the first to he held at Christ Church in many years. The two members that were confirmed were Cornelia M. Rogers and Robert M. Rogers, Jr., the daughter and son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Rogers, the grandchildren of Mr. John Schott Rogers and Anna Bacot Rogers. About fifty persons attended this service.

 The congregation of Christ Church held its annual meeting on January 20, 1952 to elect officers. Mr. Thomas Ashby Gregg was re-elected Warden, Mr. Edward Peyre Ashby, Secretary, and Mr. Robert M. Rogers, Treasurer. These three constituted the Vestry. The congregation voted a three year rotation system for Warden and Vestrymen, the senior member being ineligible for re-election for a period of one year. At this same meeting the congregation assumed the responsibility of raising $100.00 for the Porter Military Academy Development Fund, and they voted unanimously to give the organ, formerly used in the Church, to Camp St. Christopher, if the Camp needed it for the 1952 session. Also, Mr. Edward Peyre Ashby, was elected as a delegate to attend the Diocesan Convention and Mr. Thomas A. Gregg as an alternate.

Sometime during the spring of 1952, a beautiful new Prayer Desk was made and presented to Christ Church by Mr. Samuel Hugh Ervin. It was a fine bit of workmanship and was made out of a beautiful piece of wood, heart longleaf pine.

 Christ Church was much indebted to Mr. Ervin for this most useful and much needed addition to its furnishings. This desk was dedicated at the home-coming service that was held there on June l95l, at 3 P.M.

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As the fall of 1952 approached, the funds in Christ Church Treasury began to dwindle. The members of the congregation, with others who were interested in the Church, got together and served a turkey luncheon on Wednesday, December 10, 1952, to help the Church along with its program. The proceeds from this luncheon, together with gifts of money from friends who wished to help Christ Church, amounted to $212.00.

When the cold weather set in and it became necessary to have heat, the congregation discovered that the gas heater did not give adequate heat for a church of that size with such high ceilings, and something would have to be done about it. So the Peoples Gas Company consented to take back the tank and all installments and give the Church a refund. The gas heater was eventually sold and the money put into Christ Church Repair Fund.

Mr. Fred R. Davies, who married Miss Louise Bultman (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John K. Bultman of Mars Bluff), hearing of the Church's unfortunate situation offered a coal heater that he had stowed away, which was gratefully received and served the purpose very well.

On Sunday, January 18, 1953, after the usual monthly service at Christ Church, the congregation held its annual business meeting to present the yearly reports and elect officers for the coming year. There being so few men in the Church, Thomas A. Gregg was kept as Warden, Mr. Edw. P. Ashby as secretary, and Mrs. Constance Ashby Gregg was elected treasurer. The Vestry was to consist of Mr. Francis Bacot Rogers, Mr. E. P. Ashby and Mr. Thomas A. Gregg. It was decided that the pledge of $100.00 made to the Porter Military Academy Development Fund be sent at once.

That spring Christ Church lost a most devoted and active member of its congregation, by the death of Miss Elizabeth Ashby Gregg, more familiarly known as Miss Bessie A. Gregg, author of "A Sketch of Christ Episcopal Church Florence County, South Carolina." She passed away April 21, 1953, and was buried in Christ Church Cemetery.

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Because of the fact that it was her grandfather, Dr. Edward Porcher, who gave the land on which the Church was built, and he and his wife were two of the chief promoters in the building of the Church, Miss Bessie was deeply concerned in writing a sketch of Christ Church. Consequently, she spent many years in doing research work and recalling the many well remembered talks with her grandmother, Mrs. Edward Porcher. She succeeded in getting the desired information to make an interesting account of the early building and growth of the Church.

 It was some time before her death that she conceived the idea of getting a new Altar Cross, one much larger and more suitable for a Church of that size, as a "Memorial to the Founders and Original Members of Christ Church". Naturally, she turned to the descendants of those original members who would be most interested and appreciative of her efforts. After writing and contacting many of them and getting generous and willing responses to her calls, she collected almost enough to serve her purpose, but illness and death overtook her and she did not live to see her desire materialize. Shortly after her death other members of the congregation who had the same interest at heart undertook to carry her plans through and finished raising enough funds to buy a beautiful Cross and have it engraved with the following inscription:

 GIVEN 1953

 TO THE GLORY OF GOD

 AND IN MEMORY OF

 THOSE WHO BUILT CHRIST CHURCH

1859

 On May 3, 1953, Christ Church lost another life-long member, Mr. Ellwyn M. Rogers, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Rogers (and grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rogers, two of the builders of the Church.) He was buried in the family lot in Christ Church Cemetery.

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Sometime during the spring of 1953, Mr. Herbert Malloy Kyle, grandson of Mr. Archibald Hamilton Waring, saw the need of candlesticks for the Altar. He had always accompanied his aunt, Mrs. Hannah Waring Matthews, to Christ Church whenever it was possible for him to do so and always seemed interested in the Church. He was most generous in his contributions and he made a pair of "brass Eucharistic candlesticks" and presented them to the Church, which added to the solemn beauty and sweetness of the Altar Table.

 A marriage ceremony of wide spread interest in the community and surrounding towns took place at Christ Church on Thursday, June18, 1953, when Miss Roberta Cummings Brunson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cummings Brunson (sister to Caroline McKellar Brunson who was married on August9, 1947) became the bride of Mr. Francis Marion Rast of Manning, S.C. It was probably the largest wedding that had ever taken place in Christ Church.

 The Annual Home-Coming Service was held September 20, 1953, for which there was a large congregation. At this service the minister in charge, (Mr. Louis A. Haskell) officially presented and dedicated the new Altar Cross previously described; the brass candlesticks given by Mr. Kyle; and a reading stand to place on the lectern on which rests the Holy Bible. The stand was made of walnut which was grown on the Thomas Ashby plantation and given by Mr. Thomas Ashby Gregg, grandson of Mr. Thomas Ashby.

 On November 11, 1953, Christ Church community was saddened by the death of Miss fuine Peyre Ashby, daughter of Mr. Thomas Ashby and Julia Porcher Ashby, and granddaughter of Dr. and Mrs. Edward porcher. She was buried in  Christ Church Cemetery.

 The year 1953 was one of many memorable events in the history of Christ Church, some glad and some sad, and one of the saddest of these was the day that the beloved and highly esteemed minister in charge, The Rev. Louis A. Haskell, announced to his congregation that he was leaving his fold to accept a call to St. John's Episcopal Church in Charleston, West Virginia.

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 During the years of 1954 and '55 several improvements were made at Christ Church. All the old broken and cracked window panes were replaced by new transparent glass except the five windows in the Sanctuary in which were put lovely Florex glass. The most important was the painting of the Church on the outside which was made possible by the generous aid of Bishop Carruthers. The Rev. Wilmer S. Poynor, who had always been most interested in the Church and had helped in every way that he could for its upkeep, appealed to the Bishop for that help. Other much needed repairs were made to the floor.

 On December 2, 1954, Mrs. Hannah Waring Matthews passed away and was buried in Christ Church Cemetery beside her husband, Dr. E. M. Matthews, in the Waring lot.

 The following year, on February 7, 1955, Miss Emma McCall Bacot died and was buried in Christ Church Cemetery, in the family lot. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Bacot, and lived in Christ Church Community all of her life.

 After Mr. Haskell left Florence, services were continued to be held once a month by the Rev. Wilmer S.Poynor or the Rev. Ralph E. Cousins, Jr., Rector of the Church of The Advent in Marion, South Carolina, and sometimes by Mr. Paul Davis and Mr. Alex Brunson, lay-readers of St. John's Church, Florence, South Carolina, until the arrival of the Rev. Joseph R. Horn, III from Selma, Alabama - the new Rector of St. John's in Florence, South Carolina, who continued to hold services once a month at Christ Church.

 The present project in 1956 is the building of a cement brick wall, now under construction, to enclose the Cemetery and maybe, in time, the entire Christ Church property.

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 III

EXCERPTS

FROM

CHRIST CHURCH REGISTER

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EXCERPTS

CHRIST CHTIRCH REGISTER

 BAPTISMS

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To be continued.