THE "WHITE MEETING" or "WHITE CHURCH"
AND ITS SUCCESSORS.
(See Illustrations No. 13, 14 and 5)

 

                This Church was originally known as “The White Meeting” and the building as "The White Meeting House" and subsequent1y “The Old White Church.” Its successor was “The United Independent Con­gregational Church of Dorchester and Beach Hi1l in the Parishes of St. George and St. Paul," and its successor, “The Summerville Presbyterian Church.”

 

                As has been shown, “'The White Meeting" was established in 1696, near the Town of Dorchester, which was also founded, and then named, by its members, who, as will be seen, emigrated from Dorchester, Mass., when John Archdale, the Quaker, was Gov­ernor, and about fifteen years after the first settlement of Charles Town at White Point.  It has been claimed that this was the first Church of any denomination constructed in the Province of Carolina, outside of Charles Town, but Mr. Smith, in his Sketch,  p. 76, states:

 

"It is not even certain that the church building, constructed by the Dorchester immigration, was the first church building constructed in that section.

"The little colony of French Huguenots who settled in the neighborhood of the head of Goose Creek had at a very early period a small church structure on lands not far to the east of the present Ladson’s station, on the Southern Railway. This last may have preceded the erection of any church at Dorchester."

 

                Dr. Ramsey, on p. 30 of his History, however, states, with respect to the “White Meeting,” that "This Church is the oldest without the limits of Charlestown.” (Italics supplied)

 

                It certainly was not the first church of the White or Congregational denomination in the Province, because the "White Meeting,” a wooden structure, from which Meeting Street in Charles ton derived its name, was constructed in Charles Town between 1680 and 1690, on the site where the Circular Church was subsequently erected is 1804.  This Church was destroyed by the great fire of December 1861, and was later replaced by the present building of the same name, For the history of this Church, see the following:

'History of the Circular Church, its Origin, Building, Rebuilding and Recent Ornamentation," Charleston Courier of July 16th, 1853

 

The Year Book of the City of Charleston for year 1882.

Mr. James Allan, in his Sketch hereinafter referred to, makes the following statement with respect to the name of the Church near Dorchester:

 

        x x x "The term 'Independent', as applied to  church, originated in time of Oliver Cromwell. The persecutions of Archbishop Land drove most of the original Puritans out of the Church of England, and they came to be known as 'Sepa­ratists.' These joined with the Scotch against the King (Charles I), on condition that the Separatists would accept the Scotch form of church government, Presbyterianism, and this league succeeded in overthrowing the King's power.

 

        "After this the union of the Scotch and English did not prosper--the English objecting to Presbyters as being nearly as bad as bishops. Cromwell's influence was in the direction of the organization of congregations, each independent of all others. Thus came into use the term 'Independent Church', which came in time to be generally accepted.

 

                The Rev. R. C. Reed, in his sermon on March 26th, 1911, also hereinafter  referred to, gave a complete history of its re­ligious character from its genesis.

 

                As to the name of the Church Building.  In early times, the buldings in which those of this denomination worshipped were called “Meeting Houses" and not churches, and had no spires.

 

                Until recently, the writer had heard but two reasons given with respect to the word "White," used in connection with the name "White Meeting" or "Old White Church." One, that it was to designate it as a church for white people.  This is wholly without foundation in fact.  Another, that it was so called because the exterior of the original house of worship, erected in 1696 and said to have been of wood, also of that constructed of brick in 1700 which replaced it, and of that constructed in 1794, was white. This seemed plausible, and is certainly the reason which, for many years was, and is now, generally credited locally. It is possible that the name "White Church," by which the Chapel of Ease to the Stono Church was known, which did derive its name because its

exterior was painted white, may have contributed to the error. The writer had never heard any other reasons assigned by any one in or around Summerville, and accepted as correct the general opinion that its name was derived from its color, until his recent investigations necessitated its abandonment.

 

                        The correct source of the name is amply supported by authority and is based on the history of`the denomination and not any color scheme. It was given the name of "White Meeting" or "White Church" to designate it as the church or religious denomi­nation or sect founded in England by Rev. John White.  We quote from Dr. Reed's sermon, heretofore referred to:

 

        "The chain of history that links this church to the past is a chain of Puritan history.  We think first of Dor­chester on the Ashley; then of Dorchester, Mass., now a con­stituent part of the city of Boston; then of Dorchester, England, and then of Rev. John White, known as the 'Patriarch of Dorchester'.  He was the first individual who exercised a distinct influence on the destinies of this church.  And who was Rev. John White?  For one thing he was the great grand-father of John Wesley.  By a strange coincidence, John Wesley had another great grandfather by the name of John White, a distinguished lawyer.  One John White was the grandfather of his mother, the other of his father.  By another strange coincidence both these John Whites were members of the famous Westminster Assembly that framed our Confession of Faith, our catechisms, and our Presbyterian form of church government.  By the law of heredity, John Wesley ought to have been a Presbyterian. The only reason why he was not, so far as I know, is that he was predestined from all eternity to be an Arminian, and the founder of the Methodist church.

            "Rev. John White, of Dorchester, had a much more spe­cific influence on the destinies of this church than in merely helping to frame our Presbyterian Standards.  I have mentioned his connection with the Westminster Assembly because that fact suggests that he was in the thick of the fight between the Parliament and the Puritans on one side, and the King and the High Church party on the other."

 

Mr. James Allan, in his said Sketch, says:

 

"The church at Dorchester, Mass., was composed of colonists of the above type, and was known as the 'Independent White Church'; possibly, the name of 'White Church,' often given to the building in Dorchester, Carolina, may have also come from the parent church, and not alone because the out-side was painted white, as has been stated by some writers."

 

The color (white) is also assigned as the reason for the name of the "White Meeting House" in Charleston, in the account of that Church in the Charleston Year Book of 1882, before alluded to, but is certainly incorrect.

                It seems quite evident that, as the parent Church in Dorchester Mass., was known as the "White Meeting" or "White Church," and that of the same denomination, founded in Charlestown in 1680 and 1690, bore the same name, the name of this Church and that of the same denomination founded near Dorchester in 1696 was derived from John White, the original founder of the denomination, notwithstanding the statement to the contrary contained in the Year Book of the City of Charleston, or Mr. Allan's doubt.  Mr Allan, perhaps, used the word "possibly," because of the belief, as stated, so strongly held locally that the name was derived from its color. Parenthetically, it is of interest to note that in an editorial in the News and Courier of March 4th, 1940, it is stated that he Circular Church in Charleston, as late as Whitefield's time, was known as the "White Meeting."

                As to the location of the White Meeting House and its Parsorage, Mr. Smith, in his Article, pages 157-158, says:

 

        "Next west of Prior's property was an 100 acre tract which belonged to the Congregational Church of Dorchester. The settlers of Dorchester were largely Congregational immig­rants from Dorchester, Massachusetts, and at the subdivision of the original grants, lot 9 fronting on the river in the first range of lots, and containing 50 acres was in 1700 set side for the ministry, and the original meeting house—for many years called the White Meeting -- was constructed on this lot. The Parish Church of St. George was built in the 'place of trade' or Town of Dorchester but the Meeting house of the Congregational body was on this lot 9. The adjoining lot-‑ No. 10--also containing 50 acres had been allotted to the Rev. Joseph Lord who in 1721 conveyed it to trustees for the Congregational body. The tract of 100 acres constituted the parsonage for the residence and use of the Minister of the Congregational Church for many years as long as there was a resident minister, but in later years--after 1865--the entire tract, with the exception of the site of the Meeting house and a few acres around it, was sold off. The old walls of the build­ing were shaken down in the earthquake of 1886, but the fragments of the brick work still remain with the adjacent cemetery.”

 

                The location of Lots 9 and 10 was about one and one-half miles from, and Northwest of, the site of the Village of Dorchester.

 

                Mr. Smith gives no authority for his statement that the Church lands were sold "after 1865." This does not seem to be cor­rect, as their sale was authorized to Mrs. M. E. J. Boyle in 1855, as shown by the Minutes of a Meeting of the Church (page 130).

 

The history of this old Church has been frequently recorded.  The oldest known to the writer is that contained in the sermon,

SUPPLEMENT TO HISTORY OF THE "WHITE
MEETING" AND ITS SUCCESSORS.

(See Illustrations Nos. 13, 14, 15 and 16)

 

                There seem to be extant no records of the "White Meet­ing" prior to 1794, save those given in some of the Articles listed on pp. 90-91. As stated, in 1793 this Church was re-organized as "The United Independant Congregational Church of Dorchester and Beach Hill, in the Parishes of St. George and St. Paul" and there is a record of its meetings, with some gaps, from 1794, and through its successor, The Summerville Presbyterian Church, incor­porated in 1859, to date, - a period of about 147 years.

                The full corporate name of the Church incorporated in 1793 seems not to have been used, at least, in early days, as is shown by the caption of its first Record Book, hereinafter referred to.

                The records next referred to are in the Historical Found­ation, at Montreat, N. C., for safekeeping, and were made available to the writer, who has read all of them, and that part of the his­tory of this Church following the listing of these records, for the most part, is based thereon.

                1. A bound book, with one cover missing and some leaves loose, but otherwise in fair condition, entitled "Independent or Congregational Church of Dorchester, St. George’s Parish." It con­tains, among other data, the Minutes of the Meetings of the Members and Supporters of this Church, from July 19th, 1794, to June 9th, 1819, both inclusive, followed by several blank pages, then the Minutes of a Meeting  held on November 26th, 1855, and one held on December 8th, 1856.

All of the contents of this book, to and including the Minutes of the Meeting of June 1818, are in the same handwriting, and all of the Minutes, except those prior to the Meeting of June 6, 1803, and subsequent to June 1818, are copies of the Minutes appearing is the next book, with some amplifications, minor differ-