Dear Friends,
Re: Rev Thomas Chapman (Universalist Missionary from South Carolina)
I am one for finding our buried history. I must admit the buried history of
the South is just incredible at times. Often hard to understand how it has
been so ignored, when so many people who served so incredibly have just been
forgotten. Thank God for places like Andover Newton this has kept these
records.
Today I received a package from Andover-Harvard Theological Library which
had a file on Rev. Thomas Chapman. The file being about 30 pages includes
many of the records of the Rev. Thomas Chapman. In fact it has a photo,
correspondence, and other details that just bring this to life. How these
individuals, churches, and organizations came into existence, and often how
they survived.
In the past months I have been trying to help bring life back to one of the
churches he was one of the organizers of Bethel Church, Saluda SC. I also
visit Clayton Memorial Church which he was one of the visiting circuit
riders of. My experience has been often painful, sad, and to be frank very
expensive. There is very little help from those outside of the local
community and often the groups, denominational connections just seem to not
respond or as many locals will tell you "care". But compared to this
individual and how he served I feel I had best be humbled and appreciative
of people who have gone before me. There are not too many of us "Southern
Missionaries" left I should note.
From Illinois, New York, GA, Tenn. NC, Florida and my home state of SC
this
individual served, but he did more than served. He helped organize so much,
and often brought back to life what was thought to be dead.
I quote from two sources: One the remark after his death by "The Christian
Leader" magazine and the other a letter to Dr. Etz who I believe was the
Secretary and General Superintendent of the Universalist Convention.
A portion of a letter concerning his service in the year 1933 Letter to Rev.
F Etz (He would have 72-73 years old):
Thomas Chapman writes:
During the year 1933, I conducted services at the following places: In South
Carolina; Bethel Church, Clayton Memorial, Feasterville. In Kentucky;
Hopkinsville, Crofton, Consolation, Beulah, Good Hope, and Fruit Hill. In
Mississippi; Liberty Church, Our Home, and the Burress Memorial. In Florida
De Funiak Springs, and Hamburg. In Alabama; Florala. In Georgia Allatoonam
Senonia, and Canon. In Illinois; Huntsville. Total places 19.....
At the above places I delivered a total of 150 discourses and, often
speaking during weeknights.
My audiences averaged near the 100 mark, possibly somewhat above.
I received about 30 new members into the churches I served, and baptized a
number of children.
In reaching my appointments, I traveled a distance of 14,000 miles.
For services rendered, I received a total of $486.39. This amount paid a
fraction more than my traveling expenses.
A part of the article concerning Rev. Thomas Chapman after his death From
"The Christian Leader" magazine:
"Rev. Thomas Chapman of Atlanta Georgia; a missionary preacher of the South,
died at his home.....He was widely known throughout the southern states.
He retired from the Pastorate in 1931, but spent the last 12 years of his
life visiting scattered Universalist churches in many states. In more than
one instance his work kept churches open and useful that otherwise would
have been closed entirely.
....He wrote to the general superintendent under the date of March 20,
1939, saying "yesterday I spoke at Bethel Church, near Saluda, SC which I
helped to organize on January 31, 1887. One year later I was granted a
license to preach, and year after that I was ordained, so I have been in the
ministry fifty one years [now nearly 56 years]. This old church near my
birthplace.
.He died in Harness. Was taken ill down in Carrolton Ga, trying to bring
back to life an old church of long ago."
I hope you have a chance to respond to this letter, but more so I hope we
can all consider ourselves fortunate to have somebody like this in our past.
Neil Carrick
PS The scripture reading from Thomas Chapman's letterhead is one I might
replace mine with because my signature my include the same title
"Universalist Missionary South":
"When he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because
they were distressed and scattered, as a sheep not having a shepherd."