A History of the Church of the Good Shepherd

CHAPTER THREE: The Church on Blanding Street

"I was glad when they said unto me, we will go into the house of the Lord." --Psalm 122

Even before the echoes of Alexander Robert Mitchell's departing footsteps from Good Shepherd had died, the congregation was busy conferring with committees about the building of the new church. The officers at this time were: Wardens, C. M. Tew and Charles 0. Brown; Secretary, Walter C. Thomas (brother of the future Bishop); Treasurer, G. M. Berry; Lay Reader S. H. Mellichamp. For the three spring months of 1900, Lent through Easter 1 the Church of the Good Shepherd was shepherdless, and services were read by the lay reader. At this time the congregation became disheartened by the loss of the old church, doubtful of their ability to build a new one of sufficient size and durability, and saddened by the loss of their only and beloved rector. Some of the less faithful or less courageous gave up and went to Trinity.

In June 1900 the Rev. William Postell Witsell accepted the call to become rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd after having served as the first resident rector of the Church of the Resurrection, Greenwood. Now that the congregation had a head their courage returned. In June 1900 there were about 145 communicants, but within a few months many of those who had left the parish because of faintheartedness returned. There followed several months of intense work where Mr. Witsell devoted his great energies to the building of the new church.

The church was built on plans by J. Hagood Sams, Architect, with a building committee consisting of C. M. Tew, J. H. Sams, G. M. Berry, C. 0. Brown and Edwin W. Robertson. A soliciting committee to raise funds was formed with G. M. Berry, H. E. Wells, C. T. Fetner and C. 0. Brown. The rector then decided to go out of Columbia and solicit financial aid. He went to Spartanburg, South Carolina where he was generously aided; to Louisville, Kentucky; Buffalo, New York; New York City; Washington, D. C.; and Charleston, South Carolina. From all these trips he gathered in about $1300.00. Soon after his return from the north arrangements were made for the laying of the cornerstone of the church.

The cornerstone was laid by Bishop Ellison Capers on St. Andrew's Day, November 30, 1900. The Bishop was assisted by the rector and a number of clergymen including the Rev. A. R. Mitchell, former rector of the parish and the Rev. Harold Thomas, brother of the future Bishop Thomas. The address was made by Mr. John P. Thomas, also a brother of Bishop Thomas. St. Andrew's Day was just several days after Thanksgiving and the Church of the Good Shepherd counted its blessings.

The site of the church was the south side of the 1500 block of Blanding Street, named for Colonel Abram Blanding who, although born in Massachusetts, had come to Columbia in the last decade of the eighteenth century. During his illustrative career in this state Abram Blanding was an eminent lawyer, a colonel in the militia, established the Presbyterian Theological Seminary and, in 1830, built a waterworks system in Columbia with his own money. He planted the trees along Walnut Street subsequently renamed Blanding Street in his honor. At the turn of the century, Blanding Street was a fashionable thoroughfare with formidable residences, often three stories tall with wide verandas, massive columns, and wrought-iron gates and fences. On the grounds of these homes huge magnolias stood, bulwarks of dignity, like the traditional quality of grace belonging to the men and women of that generation. The social life of the area was noted for beautiful ladies with gentlemen in high starched collars attending great dinners and elegant dances in the large dining rooms and halls of these elaborate homes.

Across from the church property on the northwest corner of Blanding and Pickens Streets stands today an impressive three-story frame dwelling which was occupied for fifty-two years by Dr. George Howe, a Presbyterian minister who taught at the Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Ainsley Hall in the block east of the church. The Howe house underwent extensive renovation in 1982 and stands today with grandeur and great dignity. Many of the old houses have been destroyed by commercial intrusion while many that have remained have been readily adapted by professionals for offices.

After almost a year of intensive work, the Church of the Good Shepherd was completed. The structure of the building was cruciform, the oldest example of Episcopal architecture in South Carolina. The modified Gothic design was characterized by rows of Gothic windows along the nave; a lofty spire reached heavenward. Broad steps led to the narthex and transcept doors; turrets graced the body of the church.

Inside, turn-of-the-century influence was marked by open-beam ceiling. The long center aisle, representing the straight and narrow path of the Christian, led to a small mahogany altar with marble retable. (This altar has since been bequeathed to St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Columbia for a memorial chapel.) The great stained glass window above the altar, given in 1893 as a memorial, was moved from the original church to Blanding Street. The dismantling of panes, the six-block move, and the reassembling resulted in only two minor accidents: a tiny pane was broken, another cracked. Looking at the beautiful window from the nave of the church one sees a blue pane among dark green border panes -- a constant reminder of another place and distant age. Below the border pane the cracked one was replaced, color and design matching its counterparts nicely. A marvel that a large window could be moved in 1900 without futher damage! Good Shepherd has ample reason to believe in God's miracles!

Lectern, pulpit and altar rail in the chancel were fashioned from fine gold brass employing a trinitarian design using grapes and leaves. Pews were of rich oak; windows stained glass. A two-manual pipe organ was installed and the church completed by the placing of many memorials. The following gifts are recorded in the church records: Silver chalice by Mrs. Bethune Glass in memory of a departed child; a silver and gold paten by Mr. John Waller Brown in memory of his mother. The large brass cross atop the altar today was given to the glory of God and in memory of a departed infant by Mrs. J. W. Babcock. The brass lectern on the Gospel side of the chancel where the lay reader reads the Epistle was given by Mrs. C. D. Garris in memory of her mother; the lectern Bible presented by Miss Maria Scott in memory of her mother. The marble font, now at the back of the church and used regularly for baptisms, along with the altar railing were gifts of Mr. E. W. Robertson. The Sunday School presented two silver alms basons one in memory of St. Lo Mellichamp, the other Allison Thomas -- both of whom died while crucifers.

The Guild of the Good Shepherd, the ladies guild organized in January 1886 by the Rev. Mr. Mitchell, gave the pulpit; Mrs. E. W. Robertson donated the stained glass windows. Mr. G. M. Berry, Mr. Edwin Robertson, and Mr. C. 0. Brown gave liberal gifts of money toward the church building furniture. Others also donated cash according to their ability -- chiefly among them was Charles M. Tew.

On October 6, 1901 just ten months after Bishop Capers laid the cornerstone the first service was held. What a glorious and inspiring service it was! -- the triumph of faith and hope and earnest prayerful work. The service was conducted by the Rev. Mr. Witsell, the rector; the Rev. Mr. Judd, the founder; and the Rev. Mr. Mitchell, the first and beloved rector. Assisting in this magnificent service were the Rev. Edmund M. Joyner, the Rev. C. W. Boyd, the Rev. Churchill Satterlee and the Rev. W. B. Sams. Addresses were made by Mr. Judd, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Satterlee and the rector.

The bishop of the diocese was attending the General Convention in San Francisco and could not be at Good Shepherd in body but sent a loving message to the rector and the congregation saying that he was present in his heart and prayers.

The Rev. Mr. Witsell had brought the Church of the Good Shepherd from the original frame building on Barnwell Street to the handsome new edifice on Blanding Street. The following year the parish resigned diocesan aid in its support.

During the years Mr. Witsell served as rector of Good Shepherd he edited the diocesan paper, The Diocese. This paper served the diocese until The Piedmont Churchman was established in 1922 as the diocesan paper for the Diocese of Upper South Carolina.

In the Council of 1902 meeting in the Church of Prince George, Winyah, Georgetown the committee for the State of the Church placed the Good Shepherd parish first in the list of those worthy of special notice for progress made during the past year. "My God be praised and glorified. From Him alone came the power to do. To Him, therefore, be ascribed all glory and honor for what has been done."

From June 1902 to June 1903 the parish continued to prosper. It gained fifty-five confirmed members -- thirty-eight were added by transfer. Among those added were the Honorable D. C. Heyward, governor of the State, his wife and four children.

In 1894 Diocesan Convention meeting in Trinity Church, Columbia had voted to change the name from Convention to Council. (The name Convention was not restored until 1922). The Council of 1903 met in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Columbia. It was at this time that Bishop Capers in his address devoted much time to the subject of the change of the name of the church referred by the General Convention of 1901 to several dioceses and missionary districts with the view of ascertaining the mind of the people concerning the matter. The name proposed was "The American Catholic Church in the United States." The subject was referred to a committee, which reported that they fully concurred in the Bishop's views and adopted them as their views. The resolution reported by the committee was to the effect that "this council declares its unalterable opposition to any change in the name of the Church." It was unanimously adopted. The Church of the Good Shepherd had played a part in keeping the name "The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States." The Council of 1903 also reported the following statistics: Clergy 60; Churches 117; Families 3,087; Baptized Members 12,888; Communicants 7,557; Offerings for all purposes $94,626.05.

In 1906 the Rev. Mr. Witsell was prominent in Diocesan affairs when he chaired a committee appointed the year before concerning the Church Home and Orphanage. This Home had merged with the House of Rest (a home for old ladies) in 1896, both homes located in Charleston. (It was not until May 13, 1909 that the children were moved to a large acreage of land in York, South Carolina.) In the Diocesan Convention of 1906 Mr. Witsell's committee reccommended that the diocese take over and assume entire responsibility for the Church Home Orphanage. Later a canon was adopted providing for twelve trustees for the government of the Home. The Rev. Mr. Witsell, rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd, was one of the first twelve trustees for the diocese.

The Church of the Good Shepherd was moving ahead. The same year that Diocesan Council met at Good Shepherd the church acquired a rectory, on the lot, east of the church. It was a comfortable house -- two stories tall with a broad piazza, a wide front hall, and large rooms. Flanked by fashionable residences the new rectory appeared proud to be part of the Church of the Good Shepherd. And Good Shepherd rejoiced at having a resident rector again!

Today , only a few Episcopal churches have a resident rector -- most preferring to give a housing allowance that the rector might purchase a house of his own. But in the early 1900s it was quite the fashion and quite an achievement for a parish to have a resident rector. And Good Shepherd had one! Four years after the purchase of the rectory, on October 25, 1908 the Church of the Good Shepherd was consecrated. At this time the basement of the church was renovated in order that Sunday School classes could meet downstairs. Also, in 1908, the Rev. Mr. Witsell became minister-in-charge of St. Timothy's when that mission was classified as unorganized.

One day while yet in the midst of his ministry at Good Shepherd, Mr . Witsell awoke with a sense of feeling inexpressibly weary, cold and tired. He decided to turn again and sleep all day. But evening shadows found the Good Shepherd minister no better. By the next morning it was evident that Mr. Witsell was a very ill man. Typhoid fever! Day upon day with the fever persisting the Rev. Mr. Witsell lay upon his sick bed in the upstairs of the rectory looking across at the gothic turrets along the nave of the church where the late afternoon sun reflected off the lofty steeple.

Finally, in the course of time, the burning fever left. The illness had surged forward, run its course, and was now retreating. On a singular morning strangely aware that his debilitating illness had left, the Rev. Mr. Witsell returned to his duties as rector of the parish.

On Palm Sunday 1909 the Rev. William Postell Witsell held his last service for Good Shepherd. He had accepted a call to Meridan, Mississippi. The nine years that Mr. Witsell served the Church of the Good Shepherd saw the church grow so as to relinquish diocesan aid and become independent of outside help. Of material advancement worthy of mention was the acquiring of the rectory, the development of the undercroft into Sunday School classes.

In the spring of 1910, exactly a year after the Rev. Mr. Witsell resigned as rector, the Rev. Charles E. Woodson came to succeed him. The year of vacancy had been difficult. The congregation was hungry for the services of a rector -- to direct and lead the people.

Shortly after the Rev. Mr. Woodson became rector of Good Shepherd - in the fall of 1910 -- he organized a Sunday School in that section of Columbia called Shandon -- a developing suburb in the eastern part of the city. On September 13, 1911 Mr. Woodson presided over an organizational meeting held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edmund R. Heyward on Maple Street. A month later, on October 15, 1911 the Rev. Mr. Woodson held the first service for St. John's congregation in the Knights of Pythias Hall on Devine Street. Prophetically, Mr. Woodson's text was "A great door and effectual is opened." The second organizational meeting was held October 26 of that same year and preliminary steps were taken to establish a church. The Church of the Good Shepherd had founded its second mission.

The Rev. Mr. Woodson continued to serve St. John's as minister-in-charge until he left Good Shepherd on June 1, 1914. In his first report on St. John's he stated that there were thirty-two families with forty-four communicants; the Sunday School had seven teachers and forty pupils. St. John's was formally organized as a mission by Bishop Guerry on January 12, 1912 and steps were taken toward the building of a church. They were admitted into union with the convention of 1912.

During his last year as minister-in-charge (1913) Mr. Woodson had as his assistant the Rev. A. G. B. Bennett who became the first rector when the mission was organized into a parish. All of Mr. Woodson's work with St. John's took place while he was rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd.

In 1910 for the first time the city of Columbia had a city missionary. The first to fill this position was the Rev. W. S. Poynor. Included in his work was St. Timothy's mission.

On June 1, 1914 the Rev. Charles E. Woodson resigned as rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd and as minister-in-charge of the Shandon church. He had accepted a call to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Once again for several months the Church of the Good Shepherd was without a rector.