Greenville Magazine - April 2008 - (Page 52) a look back A Recap of Sue Lile Inman’s History of The Holtkamp Organ. Westminster presbyterian church B efore beginning this story – or history as it were – it must be acknowledged that the dedicated research and expressive narrative of Sue Lile Inman made it possible. Inman has long been a teacher and enthusiastic supporter of emerging writers, but more than that, she is a writer of considerable talent herself, and also a woman of faith.These two things combined to bring about the birth of her book, “Growing in Faith,” a 60-year history of Westminster Presbyterian Church.While it will most certainly take its place among the annals of Greenville history, it may not be readily accessible to the browsers of at the local book superstore. But it is a fascinating study, so I have adapted part of it here, Reader’s Digest-style. First a little background. According to The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Presbuteros, the Greek word meaning elder, is used 72 times in the New Testament. It provided the name for the Presbyterian family of churches, which includes the Reformed churches of the world. Both are synonymous with churches of the Calvinist tradition. The Church also notes that though the first presbytery in America was organized in 1706, today’s Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) was created by the 1983 reunion of the two main branches separated since the Civil War – the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. In Greenville’s downtown, a cornerstone of the Presbyterian faith was laid in 1846 when the venerable First Church held its inaugural Sunday service. Just over a century later in 1946, the april 2008 by ly d i a di s H m a n congregation had grown exponentially, along with the city. Soldiers had returned from the war to start families, and the Donaldson Air Force Base on Hwy. 25 was bustling. All this was not lost on Pastor Nabors, who called a meeting to discuss starting a new church. One of the attendees, Dan W. Cochran, was eager to assist, offering part of his property on Augusta Street. Inman reported, “according to his sister Elizabeth Cochrane Hill, he believed the Greenville downtown was dying and wouldn’t last much longer.” Think for a moment about Augusta Street in 1947. The lower portion from Church Street to the West End was a hub of commerce. It was also home to the old railroad depot and the former mansion of William Wilkins. But past all that, on the way south out of town, growth had been slow. The section beyond Grove Road had remained unpaved until just 20 years before. Now, war vets enrolled at Furman purchased 52 Greenville MaGazine |
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