Old Brick Church (Fairfield County, South Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ebenezer Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church
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Ebenezer Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church (Old Brick Church)
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 Location in South Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Jenkinsville, South Carolina |
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| Built | 1788 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000775 |
| Added to NRHP | August 19, 1971 |
The Old Brick Church, also called the Ebenezer Associate Reformed Presbyterian (ARP) Church, is a very old church. It was built in 1788 near Jenkinsville in Fairfield County, South Carolina. This church is special because it's one of the few churches from the 1700s still standing in the South Carolina midlands. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 19, 1971.
Contents
Building the Old Brick Church
In the 1770s, settlers from Scotland and Ireland who were Presbyterian built a log church. This first church was replaced by the brick church you see today in 1788. It stands near the Little River.
Church Design and Features
The Old Brick Church is a simple, rectangular building made of brick. It has a pointed roof, called a gabled roof. The bricks used to build it were made by hand by the church members themselves. Inside, the church has wooden pews with straight backs.
On the east side, there is a raised platform called a dais pulpit. It is three steps above the main floor. This platform has a stand for the Bible and railings on both sides. At the west end of the church, there is a balcony area. In 1852, a stone wall was built around the church and its cemetery.
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Pastors and Important Meetings
Many pastors have led the church over the years. Some of them include James Rogers (1791–1830) and James Boyce (1832–1843).
On May 9, 1803, an important meeting took place at the church. Ministers and church elders met here to form the Associate Reformed Synod of the Carolinas. Even though it wasn't the very first Associate Reformed Church in South Carolina, the Old Brick Church is seen as the "mother church" or "birthplace" of the ARP Church in South Carolina.
The Church During the Civil War
Before the Civil War, the church grew a lot. But when the war started in 1861, many of the men from the church joined the Confederate Army. Several of them are buried in the church's graveyard.
During the war, Union Army soldiers used some of the church's floorboards. They needed them to rebuild a bridge over the Little River. A soldier even left a message on an inside wall. It said, "Citizens of this community: Please excuse us for defacing your house of worship, so much. It was absolutely necessary to effect a crossing over the creek, the Rebs had destroyed the bridge. A Yankee."
Revival and Modern Use
After the Civil War, the number of people attending the church became very small. For a while, the church didn't have a regular pastor. It even disappeared from the church records.
However, in 1891, the church was brought back to life by Reverend A. G. Kirkpatrick. He was a pastor at another church. The Old Brick Church was officially reorganized on August 25, 1893. In 1896, Reverend Kirkpatrick became its pastor.
In the 1920s, the church members moved to a new building. Today, the Old Brick Church is used for special services. Even though it doesn't have a regular group of people attending every week, it was put back on the official list of worship places in 1973. In 2007, a special group called the Old Brick Church Commission was created to take care of the church and its cemetery.
Historical Marker
A historical marker was placed at the site in 1962 by the Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. This marker is located near Jenkinsville on Monjicono Road. It tells us about the history of religion in the area. It also marks an important place during the American Civil War. The marker also notes when the rock wall was added around the church in 1852.
