Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church celebrates 150th Anniversary

Posted on Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church
Photo courtesy of collection of Bill Segars

From humble beginnings under a bush arbor to the stately, beautiful church bustling with six hundred people in attendance each Sunday, the Macedonia Baptist Church in Darlington, South Carolina celebrated their 150th Anniversary on Sunday, February 14, 2016.

Fulfilling the great commission of Matthew 28, the church and her congregation are as much a part of Darlington as they have been since they began. Incredibly, there have only been eight pastors in the 150-year history.

A year after the end of the U.S. Civil War (1861 – 1865), the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church was founded by former slave Dr. I. P. Brockenton of nearby Lee County.

Brockenton, who had joined the First Baptist Church in Darlington, was encouraged by northern missionary Dr. Charles Henry Corey along with thirteen charter members from the First Baptist Church of Darlington, met first under “bush arbors” outside, and later to homes until their first official church was constructed.

Dr. Isaac P. Brockenton
Photo courtesy of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church

The original congregation included: Evans Bell, Adam Brockenton, Peter Dargan, Fred Duncan, Lazarus Ervin, Hamilton Keith, Samuel Keith, Antrum McIver, Samuel McIver, Samuel Orr, Samuel Parnell, Jesse Williams, and Augustus Smalls.

According to historical documents of the church and the Darlington County Historical Commission, . “Tradition says first meetings of this Baptist Church were held in the home of Laura Brown. Rev. Brockenton, along with the trustees, purchased the land and an old house on what is now called Hampton and Russell Streets for the sum of three-hundred dollars making a down payment of one-hundred fifty dollars. Deeds for the property were recorded December 19, 1866.”

The present site was acquired in 1922 and the building occupied February 3, 1935.

Dr. Brockenton stated that when he told his congregation that it was time to build a church, he placed one lone quarter on the offering table.

The first permanent structure was located at Hampton and Russell Streets in Darlington. Macedonia used this structure until 1935.

That first coin was multiplied over and over, and was the beginning of a foundation of faith and a foundation for a congregation that now numbers over 600 and a church that is overflowing on Sunday morning.

Dr. Brockenton was moderator for the Pee Dee Baptist Association from 1883 -1908. He faithfully served Macedonia for forty-two years before his death on January 6, 1908.

“I am glad to be a part of this historic church that has been in this Darlington community for the past 150 years,” said the eighth Pastor of Macedonia, Rev. Dr. Cecil L. Bromell, D. Min. “We stand on the shoulders of great pastors, great members, great leaders who have built this church to where it is now. We look forward to carrying this church into the future.”

Rev. Dr. Cecil L. Bromell, D. Min. by historical marker in front of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church. Bromell is the 8th Pastor of the church.
Photo by Jana E. Pye

“It’s amazing to me that this church has been such a stable church for so many years,” recalled Deacon T.C. Sawyer. “I was baptized here in 1954 I was 12 years of age at the time. Even before then, I used to ring the church bell when I was really small. The church is still there with the rope in the tower. When I would pull it, it would raise me off the floor, and would have to wait until it swung back to raise me back down.”

The amazing stained glass windows of the church have scriptures at the base of each panel.

“The committee decided that rather than honor individual donors to the church fund by name on the windows, these windows would only contain scripture. The reason being that all of the members through the years have tithed for the sanctuary, so these windows belong to all of them, and give honor and glory to God.” Said T.C.’s wife Patsy Sawyer, who is a fellow Deacon of the church.

The Sawyers help to plan the children and youth programming at the church, which has approximately 60 – 75 youth who regularly attend each week for an afterschool evening of worship.

In doing the history of the church, Deacon Patsy Sawyer had a discovery.

“In researching Dr. Brockenton, we learned so much about him. I am amazed at how Dr. Brockington accomplished all that he did during that era, right out of slavery.
I felt sorry for him when I was reading his biography in the different books. He was sold as a slave to pay his master’s debts. The new master and Dr. Brockenton joined First Baptist Church at the same time. Later on, Dr. Brockenton withdrew from First Baptist church with 13 others to form this church. Reading his history, I am awed by the accomplishments that Dr. Brockenton made with literally nothing. He had no money, and had a benefactor when he was at the Richmond Theological Seminary. I found out that he was also a justice here in Darlington. One of the people coming to the service from Washington, a descendant, has been doing history on him too. In their research they learned that he helped start thousands of churches, according to a book from the Richmond Theological College. Dr. Corey, a missionary from up north, and he would go along and ordain pastors to start churches. The history department at Francis Marion and people from around the country and descendants have been sending me information out of old papers,” continued Patsy. “We have an article from 1946 that talks about how he went around and did all that. No transportation, a lot of walking. They talked about how they wore out shoes. The men were all educated, and obtained their doctorates. And now you can’t even get kids to want to read.“ [See story below slideshow of photographs for more information about Dr. Corey.]

Several of Dr. Brockenton’s descendants were in attendance at the church services on Sunday. Two of the descendants, former Darlington natives Peter Bethea Wilds of New York and Frank Wilds of Washington D.C., both spoke to the congregation.

“It is an honor and a privilege to stand in this 150 year old edifice where our ancestor toiled, labored and built this great house of worship one year after the abolition of slavery,” said Peter Bethea Wilds. “This is no small effort that their spirits are in every brick and every mortar of this great historical landmark. It is no coincidence that my ancestors became part of this great church, because they were enslaved at the Col. Samuel B. Wilds plantation that is also a national historic landmark located at Pearl and Edwards Street just around the corner. One might say they had a very short walk to this great church. As Dr. I P Brockenton is not any different from Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Booker T. Washington, Garret Morgan, hopefully all of you all know these great individuals and personalities. They all had different affects upon us and against this great evil institution of the crimes against humanity, the institution of slavery. Each and every one of these giants had a mission, for these people Dr. I. P. Brokenton build a sanctuary with the help of others for freed slaves to worship, in freedom and away from slavery. I ask you today, what will you leave as your legacy? It’s a great question and requires great thought. It is our responsibility to become the archivist and preservationist of our history and I just want to leave you with this quote. Your self-worth lies in remembering your ancestral beginnings. God bless this great historical church.”

Frank Wilds echoed his brother’s sentiments, and bestowed a check to the church in his ancestor’s honor.

“I was baptized here in 1960 I’ll never forget sitting on that pew right here.” Said Frank Wilds. “What I am here to do is to make a special contribution to this church and my hometown. I have been blessed, and that is how I can do this. God has been good to me. God bless Macedonia.”

Deacon George Blackmon, Sr., age 93, was recognized as Deacon Emeritus by Deacons T.C. and Patsy Sawyer on Sunday. Three Deacons were recognized at the historic service as Deacon Emeritus Deacon George Blackmon, Sr. served a total of 56 years; Deacon Herbert McCurry, Jr. served for 37 years, and Deacon Charles E. Jackson served for 31 years. Deacons Mr. McCurry and Mr. Jackson were ill and unable to attend the service; their plaques will be presented to them at their home.

The Glover High School Gospel Choir sang for the celebration, and the Macedonia Puppets entertained the children and adults alike reminding them to have a church of praise.
A special plaque was presented to the congregation to celebrate donors of the 150th Anniversary campaign to replace the historic front doors of the sanctuary later this year.
After the service, the congregation enjoyed a slice of cake that was specially created for the occasion, a replica of the church itself.

As part of his sermon, Pastor Dr. Cecil L. Bromell reminded his congregation about the importance of the foundation of the church.

“It goes without saying that one of the most significant institutions in our community is the church. Next to the family and the school, the church is very significant. Being that the church is significant, I think we need to understand the purpose and the reason for the church. We need to understand why we gather weekly, why we do what we do. I think it is very necessary for us to understand that for all the things that a church can do, out of all the things that a church should do, there is one thing that the church is commanded to do, and that is to show love.”

To learn more about Macedonia, view their website at: www.macedoniambchurch.com.
Mobile users, please click link to view slideshow: Macedonia’s 150th Anniversary

Charles Henry Corey

Information reference from Suzanne K. Durham and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography

Charles Henry Corey served as president of what became Virginia Union University. Born in New Brunswick, Canada, and raised in the Baptist faith, he attended a seminary in Fredericton. In 1854 Corey matriculated at Acadia College (later Acadia University) in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. There he learned about the English abolitionist movement, a revelation, he stated later, that prepared him for his life’s work as an educator of freedpeople. He graduated with a BA in 1858 then entered the United States to pursue a divinity degree at Newton Theological Institute (later Andover Newton Theological School), near Boston, Massachusetts.
He preached to Union troops during the American Civil War (1861–1865) in Texas, Louisiana, and Charleston S.C. from autumn of 1864 – May 1865. After the war ended, he became active in the American Baptist Home Mission Society, which ministered to freedpeople. The society sent Corey back to Charleston in September 1865. There he spent two years organizing churches for African Americans, raising money for new buildings, and ordaining ministers throughout South Carolina.

In November 1867 Corey moved to Augusta, Georgia, where he took charge of the recently established Augusta Institute (later Morehouse College), which operated under the aegis of the National Theological Institute and University, an organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., and also devoted to providing a Christian education for former slaves. Corey remained at Augusta until July 1868, when he was transferred to Richmond, Virginia, to manage the new fledgling theological school for African Americans. The school became the Richmond Institute in 1876, and a decade later it was renamed Richmond Theological Seminary. In 1896 the seminary and the nearby Hartshorn Memorial College, a women’s institution, pursued plans to incorporate as Virginia Union University. By May 1897 Wayland Seminary, in Washington, D.C., joined the institution. The merger was formalized in 1900 with the school’s reincorporation as Virginia Union University; however, Corey did not live to see the event. His poor health had forced him to resign the presidency in 1898, and he died the following year.