CHAPTER V. St. James' Parish, Goose-Creek. THIS Parish was laid off by Act of Assembly, Nov. 30, 1706, and its Boundaries defined by an Act, Dec. 18, 1708, as follow: "to the North-East by the bounds of St. John's Parish, and to the Back River to the East, by Cooper River, to the bounds of the Parish of St. Philip's, Charles-Town, to the South by the bounds of the said St. Philip's, and to the SouthWest by a North-West line, from the Northernmost corner of the Plantation or Tract of land, formerly belonging to Mr. Christopher Smith, deceased, the bounds of St. Philip's Parish unto the North-West bounds of Berkley County, and to the North-West by the said bounds of the said County." Before the establishment of the Church of England in this Province, by law, the district about GooseCreek had become thickly settled. The Rev. William Corbin, A. M. is the first Clergyman on record, who officiated in this settlement. He arrived in 1700, and left the Province in 1703. Mr. Corbin was formerly Preacher at the Chapel of Bromley St. Leonard, Middlesex, and in 1695, published a Thanksgiving Sermon, from Ezra iii. 11. The Rev. Samuel Thomas, was the first Missionary sent to South-Carolina by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. He arrived in 1702, and soon after was ap pointed by the Governor, Sir Nathaniel Johnson,* to the Cure of the people settled upon the three branches of Cooper River; but he was directed to make GooseCreek the principal place of his residence. GooseCreek was represented to the Society as one of the largest and most populous country towns, and settled by English families entirely, well affected to the Church of England." Mr. Thomas' labours were attended with considerable success. On his arrival, he found only five communicants, but by his pious exertions, and the blessing of God, they soon increased to 32. He devoted some portion of his time to the instruction of negroes, and taught 20 to read. In 1705, he went to England, and returned in the month of October. In a few days after his arrival he died, "much lamented for his sound Doctrine, exemplary Life and Industry; after having laid a good Foundation for his Successors to carry on the Work he had begun." As soon as the Society heard of his death, they sent out as their first Missionary to this Parish, the Rev. Francis Le Jau, D. D. He arrived in Charles-Town in Oct. 1706. He was a native of Angers, in France, and had been a canon in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London. Pursuant to the Church Act, the Parishioners met on Easter Monday, April 14, 1707, and elected Robert Steevens and John Sanders, Churchwardens, and Ralph Izard, George Cantey, Capt. James Moor, Arthur Middleton, Capt. John Cantey, William Williams and Capt. David Deas, Vestrymen. Being satisfied with the character and attainments of Dr. Le Jau, they elected him Rector; but this having been done without the forms of law, the Commissioners of the Church Act issued a Precept to the Parishioners, to hold an election for a Rector, conformably to the * See page ál. provisions of that act. They met Dec. 14, 1707, and confirmed their choice. Dr. Le Jau, soon after his arrival, informed the Society of his kind reception by Governor Johnson, and Chief Justice Trott, and of the many civilities which he had received from the People. His Parishioners, he stated, were busy in providing materials for the Church and Parsonage-House. These were soon after built. He stated, "that it was the greatest pity imaginable, to see how many various opinions had been spread there, by a multitude of teachers and expounders of all sorts and persuasions; and yet he could find very few that understood Christianity, even as to the essential parts of it; yet the Parents and Masters were indued with much good will, and a ready disposition, to have their children and servants taught the Christian Religion." Dr. Le Jau was diligent in performing the duties of his cure, and occasionally performed divine. service in its neighbourhood. During the absence of the Rev. Mr. Commissary Johnson, he officiated, once a month, in Charles-Town, where, at Easter, he had only 24 Communicants, although there were upwards! of 500 persons of age in the town.* He sometimes visited the French settlement in Orange Quarter, St. Dennis' Parish, which had no Minister, and adminis- : tered the Lord's Supper to 50 Communicants. That settlement consisted of 32 families. In St. James' *The Communicants in the Episcopal Churches in 1819, were as follow: St. Philip's, Whites, 320 Coloured, 180 St. Michael's, Total, 500 Total, 1040 The Offerings at the Lord's Supper in the same year were as follow: At St. Michael's, $1247 48; St. Philip's, $926 37; St. Paul's, about $336— Total, $2509 864. In the same year there were collected for institutions connected with the Church: At St. Philip's, $497 82; St. Michael's, $463 46; St. Paul's, $163 50; Total, $1124 78. Making together, the sum of $3634 64, in a year when great pecuniary embarrassment existed in the city. The Offerings are distributed by, or under the direction of the Clergy of each Church, to poor Communicants, or other fit objects of such a Charity. And notwithstanding the Offerings are liberal, yet they are not sufficient to meet the reasonable applications which are daily made to the Clergy. Parish, there were about 100 families, containing 1000 persons, most of whom were members of the Church of England. In the first year of his Mission, Dr. Le Jau baptised 21 children; in the second, 19, and his Communicants had increased to 35. He instructed and baptised many Indians and Negroes; and as he observed that, several parents neglected to have their children baptised, because a trifling fee was usually given to the Clergyman, he abolished the custom; by this means many were prevailed upon to bring their children to the Font. He urged the necessity of this Sacrament, both in public and private, and induced many adults to attend him, for instruction, preparatory to that holy rite. On week days, he frequently Catechised young persons at his house, and he stated to the Society, that, he found "nothing conduced more towards promoting the Gospel, than this private instruction of the Youth." His zealous exertions for the good of souls, gained him the affections of his Parishioners, and they subscribed £60 Cur. a year for his support, in addition to his Salary from the Society. His congregation soon became too large for their Church, and they erected a handsome edifice of brick.. A Parsonage-House was likewise built; and a donation of 100 acres of land as a Glebe, was made by Captain Schenckingh. The Parsonage-House was afterwards nearly destroyed by fire; but a sufficient sum was soon subscribed for its repair. Dr. Le Jau subsequently informed the Society, that, the moral character of his Parishioners had improved, and that his Church was well attended. He had, however, to lament that, there were still among them "some few atheistical persons, and scoffers at all revelation." In 1714, his Communicants had increased to 70 Whites, and 8 Blacks. Dr. Le Jau had frequently represented to the Society the want of Schools in this Province, both for religious In 1819, there were in this Parish, 1151 white Inhabitants. and secular instruction, and earnestly recommended their establishment. He particularly urged the Society to send a Schoolmaster to his Parish, with a suitable compensation. In 1710, the Society sent out Mr. Benjamin Dennis. A good school was soon collected,' and the number of scholars was increasing, when the Indian War of 1715, dispersed the school and drove most of the Inhabitants to Charles-Town for protection. After the conclusion of the war, Dr. Le Jau returned with his Parishioners to his Cure. In 1717 he was taken sick, and, after a long and painful illness, died Sept. 15, and was buried at the foot of the Altar.* * On the death of Dr. Le Jau, the Vestry applied to the Society, and to the Bishop of London, for another Missionary. They stated the great loss which the Parish had sustained in the death of their Rector, and declared him to have been a "good, pious, and learned Minister, by whose Doctrine and Conversation many had reaped much profit." A large and handsome Book of Common Prayer, was presented to the Parish in 1717, by Abel Kittleby, Esq. of the Middle Temple, London, Landgrave of Carolina. During the Vacancy in the Church, the Pulpit was occasionally supplied by the Rev. Messrs. Guy, Hasell and Tustian. The Consecrating of places of Public Worship, has been practised in Episcopal Churches, since the fourth Century, and belongs exclusively to the Episcopal The following inscription is on a square marble Tablet over his grave : Here Lyeth the Body of the Rev. |