ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH

Columbia, South Carolina

Memoirs of Miriam Greever Cooper

(76 years of age)

October 18, 1981

70th ANNIVERSARY

Pastor Huntley and members and friends of Ascension: greetings to each of you and congratulations on this year of celebration of your 70th Anniversary. May you continue to serve many, many more years.

What a pleasure is was months ago to receive the announcement of your long-range plans for this year. I appreciated, also, the invitation to be present to represent the Greever family in October; but, I confess I was truly shocked to be asked to speak. Public speaking was never a strong point in my career and it has grown weaker with the years. However, I feel greatly honored and deeply humbled to represent, in a sense, my father, Walton H. Greever, Sr., on the day honoring his memory as the organizer of this congregation.

My first impulse was to find a sermon of his and to give you a direct message from him; but, that was not to be, he rarely wrote down a sermon, word for word, lectures, yes, but not weekly sermons. He made very short, concise outlines usually on small pieces of paper.

When I inquired what would be expected of me today, I was told, "tell us of the life of Ascension in the beginning, of your father and mother, your whole family, the people of this church and whatever else comes to mind, your life as a missionary and how you spend your time now." All that covers a big territory and would take more than my allotted time. I have decided, therefore, to reminisce with the help of my sister, Virginia Greever Plack, my cousin Paul Ohl and my former Ascension friends, Frances Price Bodie, Annie Becker Hege, James Dickert, Ed Cannon, Homer Epting and whoever crossed my path who had been a member of Ascension during that era.

EARLY TRANSPORTATION

First, let us get a view of this part of Eau Claire in 1912 - 1913. Transportation to and from Columbia was usually by street car, bicycle, horse, horse and buggy or wagon, and by foot. A few people had surreys with 'fringes on the top'. We had a horse named 'Susie' who drew the wagon filled with neighborhood children under the care of our black friends, Emmett and Rebecca White, to see the circus parades on Main Street. We had a choice parking place beside Tapp's downtown on Blanding Street side and clear view over the heads of the crowd from the wagon. Both Homer Epting and I remember how the horses shied when crossing the covered wooden bridge over Broad River on Broad River Road when water could be seen between the planks forming the bottom of the bridge. That was a favorite drive.

FAMILIES OF EAU CLAIRE

There were very few houses in the immediate area compared to today. The home of Mr. F. H. Hyatt, for whom Hyatt Park was named was a very imposing residence and long a landmark situated where the Seminary President's Home now stands. Beyond the pear orchard, down toward Wildwood from the Hyatt House were the homes of three of his children of his first family. He had several more. They were: Mr. Fred Hyatt, Jr., Mrs. Lorick, of Lowrance Hardware, and the E. J. Zobels, Sr.

Mr. Hyatt, a very distinguished looking man with a neat beard, lived in the home with his second wife and three very alert little girls, two of whom were twins. He was very prominent in community affairs. For a long time, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of Hyatt Park School. The park itself was naturally beautiful, but at first there was only a pavilion to which city people also came for picnics. Later, a swimming pool and dance hall were built. As far as I know, conduct at these places was good.

As the neighborhood boys grew older, together they built a tennis court on the lot between our house and the Printing Office. It became a very popular place also with seminary students and friends of various ages from downtown.

COTTON FIELDS

In the earliest days, most of the land in the angle between Main Street and Monticello Road was in fields until the Survey Building, the Printing Office, our home and the R. C. Counts home were built. There were three houses on the part of Duke Avenue between Ensor Street and Arlington, none on Main Street. The D. A. Cannons lived in one of the two houses on the right later on and cultivated surrounding fields all the way to the church in cotton patches. After school and on Saturdays, in season, they gave neighbor children jobs picking cotton. It was a lark for us! The view from our house to the church and the Price house was unobstructed. We could see when we needed to close the church door after a strong wind and Frances could tell when we left home for services that it was time for her to go.

The lots just behind the seminary, where seminary residences now are, belonged to my uncle and were cultivated under the direction of my father. They produced wonderful corn, watermelons, cantaloupes, and sweet potatoes. The trees came later.

There were no sidewalks, but my father and Emmett White, the janitor for the Survey Building and the church, made the sidewalk from the Survey Building to the church, via Ensor Street, Duke, and Arlington, and, with the help of the boys and Gene Montgomery, a later janitor, kept it cleared of weeds and grass.

AUTOMOBILES

The Ensor place, for whom the street was named, was occupied by Miss Ensor and her sister, Mrs. Brown and her husband. Their automobile, the only one I remember in the immediate neighbor in the earliest days, went down Ensor Street to town and back so regularly each day at about the same time, that we could play in the street and not fear traffic. Several times, neighborhood children were invited to Easter egg hunts on the beautiful Ensor lawn.

The seminary had recently been built and Mr. Ames Haltiwanger had built a home on Wildwood Avenue not far from Main Street. That house later was occupied for many years by the M. L. Farrell family of Farrell Printing Company.

HYATT PARK SCHOOL

In 1912, Hyatt Park School was still in a residence-type structure on Park Street on the west side of the park. In the spring of the next year, the move was made to the new building on Main Street. On the day of the actual move of the student body, teachers, and pupils marched in double-file from the old building to the new. My partner was LeRhea Counts.

FIRST CHURCH SERVICE

It was soon evident to Dr. Greever and others that a Lutheran Church was needed for the Eau Claire Community. First services were held in the Seminary Chapel until a sanctuary could be built. Frances Price Bodie, them in her early teens, wearing her long hair braided with a big bow across the back of her head, played for Sunday School and the Church Services. She came out from town on Sunday Morning on the street car in time for Sunday School and went home with one of the members to stay until after the evening service when her father came out by street car to take her home.

I might say right here that, through the years, we had Sunday Evening Services regularly, Wednesday Evening Services during Lent, services each evening of Holy Week and services on the religious festival DAYS themselves, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. It was not unusual to have early services on Christmas and Easter and programs by the children in the evening.

The day finally came when the little group of worshippers could say with the psalmist: "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord."

Of course, there was no Parish Building. The little ones had classes in the space at the left side of the chancel and the robing room to the right (in the original church). Other classes were spread out in every few pews throughout the church. We had fine, dedicated Sunday School teachers.

CHILDREN OF THE CHURCH

Miss Lula Arndt was mentioned by several other members who join me in giving her credit due for instilling into the little folks the love for the Church and its instruction through her delightful Sunday School Class, the Light Brigade and the Children of the Church; for her example to the older folks; and for her contribution as one of the organists. She took an interest in us children outside the church hours and voluntarily taught a group of us little girls how to crochet. That hobby I enjoyed as long as I could see to do it. Other teachers who influenced my life were Mrs. Jessie Kelly Cannon, Dr. Horine and Dr. Gilbert Voigt. I do not remember everything Dr. Horine taught us so thoroughly, but I do remember how, on one occasion, so characteristically of him, he described Jacob as being 'as crooked as a dog's hind leg.' Dr. Voigt taught a most beautiful and comforting Easter lesson-sermon on "Who Shall Roll Us Away The Stone?"

SUNDAY SCHOOL

From the early days, for a long time, Mr. R. C. Counts was superintendent of the Sunday School. It was our gain that he could and would draw on the resources of the Lutheran Publication House (the Book Store where he worked) to help meet our needs, sometimes with interesting surprises. I remember a banner which displayed on one side before the beginning of Sunday School, "I am early. What a pleasure!" After Sunday School had begun, we saw, "I am late, What a pity!" Not a word was spoken.

My sister said of him, "Sunday School with Mr. Rufus Counts as superintendent made a strong impression on me, as he was always bringing us up-to-date on Synod and Church Conventions, the Lowman Home, Newberry and Summerland Colleges."

One word Mr. Counts used often was 'strive'. No matter how well we did, he always admonished us to 'strive' to do better, and I believe we did.

James Dickert reminded me that Mr. Counts, assisted by Mr. Pickens Frick, officiated just as well over the shining lemonade tubs at the annual Sunday School Picnic held at Millwood, the old home of Wade Hampton. What a treat it was to the children to get out there to play ball, to wade in the creek at the bottom of the hill, to explore the grounds and to partake of the delicious food!

DR. GREEVER'S HOME

Now may I say a few words about my father in the home. In a sense, he was both father and mother to us after the death of our mother when I was six years old. Mother Neta, as we called her, took care of the little ups and downs of everyday life, but for larger problems, she would say, "Talk with your father." There was no problem of any kind that I can think of that we could not discuss with him and get help through his understanding. This was true of his life wherever he was. He told an interviewer, "I have tried to make myself accessible to all people. I have tried to let people know that I am willing to serve. No one is turned away." Even in his last days in the hospital, people came to him for counsel.

One piece of advice which I have heard him give to parishioners moving to a new area where there would be a choice of churches to join was, "Go where you can give the most, not get the most."

FAMILY DEVOTIONS

We had family devotions regularly at the table. Special prayers were offered just before a journey, when we were to be separated as when we children went every summer until I was twelve to the farm of our grandfather, John Dudley Greever, in Burkes Garden, Virginia. Special private prayers with just us children were offered when he was leaving after a short visit to us there.

My father did not regularly take a vacation as such. He did experience some relaxation with his travels on church assignments and participation in the programs of Summer School for Church Workers. Ascension Lutheran Church often shared him to take part in activities of the church at large. I believe that the congregation profited, also, from these contacts. In fact, he did many kinds of work from that of a farm hand and janitor to that of a delegate to International Conferences. Whenever he could, however, he got in a little fishing, especially with his brothers, Albert and Ed, in Burkes Garden, Virginia. Even after he began to be unsteady on his feet and not being able to stop himself, fell into the fishing hole, he took it good-naturedly and was undaunted. Fortunately, he was not injured. As we were growing up, he enjoyed playing Rook with family and friends.

A NEW HAT

Mr. Pickens Frick and my father both bought their clothing from Mr. Price's Clothing Store. Once, at different times, they bought hats alike. Mr. Frick, a regular visitor at our home on Friday evening, brought country butter and stayed to play Rook. On one occasion, when my father had to leave early on Saturday morning for a meeting in New York, his hat was missing from the rack. Too late to correct the mistake, Mr. Frick's new hat got an unexpected trip to New York.

In later days, my father enjoyed scrabble, worked crossword puzzles and sometimes enjoyed good detective stories to get his mind off daily pressures. On the other hand, much of his thinking and planning for sermons, talks etc., was done as he rode along in the car.

My father's attitude in employing help was that the arrangement be mutually helpful. Whenever he could, he worked along with the helper. A number of families were long grateful to him for much more than a salary, for he took personal interest in them.

In the home, he usually left kitchen matters to the ladies. One time, however, he took me into his confidence as master of the kitchen after a visit he had made to George Washington Carver in his laboratory. We undertook to make peanut soup. The general idea was good, but that was the first and last attempt.

GROWING FLOWERS

My father was a lover of beauty, especially flowers and all growing things. He never outgrew the farm boy in him. Even in New York, along with a pastor friend, he cultivated a little patch up at the Palisades. Dr. Freed, in a humorous rhyme written about him on the eve of his departure for office in New York, wrote in part:

"He believed in the beautiful and life close to nature, And handles each flower as a precious creature."

In his early adult years, he looked upon hot house flowers as a luxury. As years went by, he came to realize that the florist, while making an honest living, renders a real service to his fellowmen that provides beauty that represents thoughtfulness, comfort, and love.

ALTAR FLOWERS

Flowers for the altar in the early days were chiefly those grown in the yards and gardens of members and arranged by them. In this connection, I think especially of the Prices and Miss Eargle, the Hughey and Caughman families and I am sure there were many others. On special occasions such as Christmas and Easter, wild varieties like redbud and dogwood from the fields and woods were used. Beautiful cedar, pine, and holly at Christmastime usually came from the George W. Taylor, Sr. place. We learned the hard way not to use goldenrod, especially when Dr. Horine was taking part in the service.

LARGE FAMILY

Since there was no parsonage, our private home on Ensor Street served both as parsonage and, on many occasions, as a Parish House. Its size is due to the fact that it was built for ten of us, our family of four after our mother died, our mother's sister and her family, five, the W. J. Ohls, and our grandmother, Mrs. G. A. Bruegel. The house was used from basement to attic then and most of the time since.

My father served the congregation without salary for a number of years and, as far as I know, there was never any parsonage allowance of any kind. However, part of the time he was pastor of Ascension, he was also with The Survey and the seminary.

When in a few years, my father married Neta Jane Umberger, a cousin and no stranger to us, the Ohl family and our grandmother moved back to the Philadelphia area. This, of course, left some room in the house.

The three large rooms across the front proved very suitable for such gatherings as the congregational New Year's Party, the reception for incoming seminary students, Luther League socials, Women's Missionary Society meetings and smaller group meetings such as the council and the catechetical class. Several early Ascension members have recalled the catechetical class held immediately after school in a classroom at Hyatt Park to accommodate members from the country.

As my sister, Virginia, describes it, one big 'plus' in sharing our home was the opportunity to learn to know many missionaries and church leaders who were entertained as overnight guests rather than being sent to hotels. Among these were Dr. and Mrs. C. L. Brown, Dr. Anna Kugler, Miss Katherine Fahs, Misses Maude and Annie Powlas, Dr. F. F. Fry, Dr. F. H. Gotwald, Dr. Gongaware, a long procession of delegates to synod, the Women's Missionary Society and the Luther League, during World War I soldiers and their wives from Camp Jackson. Once Karl W. Kinard was a student from Newberry College. The first married couple at the seminary, student and Mrs. Muller Wingard, roomed and boarded at our home.

MRS. GREEVER

These events will give you some idea of the necessary activity of Mrs. Greever (Mother Neta) at home. She was not one to seek publicity or the lime-light, but to work hard behind the scenes, especially to make it possible for my father to do his work. She was active in the church and its organizations, teaching in the Missionary Society. A registered nurse by profession, she at times actually relieved tired mothers nursing sick children or assisted with invalids.

My mother was a resourceful person. The day of a congregational reception arrived. The time set was 8 p.m. At about 8 a.m., when she was very busy in the kitchen, a big family from the country arrived in their surrey. Thinking there must be some mistake in the time, they had come to the reception, no one would be out after 8 o'clock at night they insisted. When assured there was no mistake in the time set, they said they could not come back, it would be a half-day's journey. My mother was surprised, to say the least, but she invited them in, served them refreshments and they went on their way satisfied.

My mother usually did have domestic help at home, but she, too, worked along with and as hard as they. We assisted, also.

LUTHER LEAGUE

"Through the Luther League we learned much about the general church as well as some additional Bible Study. It was important, too, for the fellowship in the local church, the synod, and the national organization. Avenues of Christian Service were presented and explored," my sister recalls and I agree.

In speaking of this period, Annie Becker Hege writes, "I know what happy days they were and how very serious we were about our church life."

But we had wholesome fun too! Much of the social life of the young people centered around the church and its activities such as the Luther League and the choir. Miss Annie Wheeler was one of the steadying influences in those days. Luther League socials were usually held in the homes. We enjoyed watermelon cuttings, candy-pullings, swimming parties etc. One of the most enjoyable Halloween parties was held in the attic of the Price home now being used by the seminary.

On one occasion, a group of us, assisted by volunteer talent from some of the city Lutheran churches, just because we wanted to, worked up a beautiful Hawaiian Operetta, 'Love Pirates of Hawaii,' under the direction of Mr. L. C. Moltz, director of the choir at Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, and Seminary Summer assistant at Ascension, Lethco Bumgarner. A group of us, made up the girls' chorus, complete with modest blouses, blue bloomers to the knee and grass skirts. 'Jack' Peery very reluctantly finally agreed not to object to letting his girl friend, 'Betty,' take part in the chorus. After a program at Hyatt Park School, we went on the road to give productions in nearby towns like Chapin, South Carolina and Little Mountain, South Carolina . We realized a good sum for a good cause, the Lowman Home.

There was a period when a number of us joined or substituted for seminary students in teaching Sunday School at the Tuberculosis Hospital at Ridgewood and State Park.

During World War I, three of us were invited by an older group planning entertainment for the soldiers at Friendship Hall down town to give our 'manless' black wedding. We were not yet in High School. Virginia Greever Plack was the minister, LeRhea Counts Davis was the bride and I was the groom.

Once when a swimming party was planned, one of a group of ten or eleven could not go because he had to get a typhoid shot. We decided if one could not go, none of us would. Instead, all of us filed into the County Board of Health Office for shots as routine protection. We had to give our names and addresses. When about five had gotten shots, the doctor looked up and asked, "Is there a typhoid epidemic in Eau Claire?" Those of you who knew him would realize student Wynne Boliek would not lead us astray!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Vacation Bible School was of great importance to my father. Directing one was not new to him. We believe that he, assisted by Seminary student 'Johnnie' Yonce, held the first Vacation Bible School that we know of in 1905 at Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Columbia, South Carolina. Frances Price Bodie and I each have a picture of those who attended which includes Enos Cannon, Miss Isola Caughman and Frances Price Bodie who later became members of Ascension Lutheran Church. A text which my father used for a sermon on one of the Bible School Sundays was Ecclesiastes 12:1. "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, 'I have no pleasure in them.'" Certificates with stars based on attendance were awarded.

Dr. Greever made out the curriculum for the Bible School. Four periods were held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. five days a week for two weeks. The school was well attended, not only by children of Ascension Lutheran Church but children from the neighborhood in general. It was a 'red letter' day when we neared or reached the one hundred mark.

Among other things, we memorized the words of hymns and learned to sing them, the books of the Bible, Bible verses and parts of the catechism. The hymns used today are three of my father's many favorites which we memorized. I believe only one or two words in one hymn have been changed in the new hymnal.

How thankful many of us have been for this training! My father often said, "Lay away as much as you can in your memory, for you never know when the time may come when you cannot depend upon a book."

My sister's testimony, with which I agree, is "I have never regretted any time I have spent at Ascension Lutheran Church. It gave me a foundation which stands me in good stead even today."

OTHER EARLY MEMBERS

I am now thinking of several persons not so far referred to, especially in other accounts of the early days, who attended Ascension Lutheran Church and contributed to the life of the Church while they lived for a short period of time in Eau Claire. Among these were Dr. and Mrs. George T. Rygh. Dr. Rygh was associated with the Survey. Mrs. Rygh was a musician and had been a member of the choir at Saint Olaf College. Another couple were the H. C. Bells from Ohio. Mrs. Bell was especially active in women's work. A third couple were the Philip Rosemans from Pennsylvania and New York. He was one, if not the chief, engineer engaged in actually building the earthen dam at Lake Murray. He would take us up there on Sunday afternoons and we would have a great time running over and helping [?] pack those huge piles of dirt and rock that went into the building of the dam. Mrs. Roseman was very active, also in women's work both locally and nationally. She was a traveler and closely related to Amelia Earhart.

Miss Isola Caughman, a long time member of Ascension Lutheran Church, devoted much of her time to serving other people. She was especially attentive to the pastor's family. Mrs. M. O. J. Kreps would have had a hard time meeting her appointments if it had not been for transportation provided by Miss Isola.

It was suggested to me that I not hesitate to call names in this talk, in the good sense, of course. I made a partial list of individuals and families who have meant so much to this congregation, but I would have to go on and on and time does not permit. Since it is impossible to name everyone, let me now pay tribute to all those who have been named and those unnamed who have been a part of Ascension Lutheran Church and made any contribution, large or small, to the life of this congregation and to the church at large. This includes also the many seminary students and faculty who have worked and worshipped here.

THE CHURCH ORGAN

Everyone talked with about the 'early days' remembers the pumping of the organ by hand. Even I had some turns at that. Someone recalled that 'Miss Lula' used to tap on the wooden part of the organ with her ring to alert the pumper. Frances Bodie had other means on which she did not elaborate.

In this connection, I am reminded of the story of an accomplished organist invited to play some famous organ numbers on such an organ at an anniversary celebration. After acknowledging the applause with a pompous bow, he announced, "I have just played 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' and now I shall play 'Tocato and Fugue in D Minor by J. S. Bach.'" With a flourish, he seated himself at the console and most confidently struck the keys. Not one sound came from the organ. After an awkward silence, a voice 'boomed' from the back of the organ, "We shall play," and the concert proceeded.

So it is with us. Each of us has been and is important and has his responsibility in the church, out front or behind the scenes. It takes all of us working together to carry on the work. We individuals make up the church. In the words of my father:

"The Lord has designated the church and no other agency, as the agency through which His work is to be done in the world. To it He has given all his commissions. To it He has entrusted all of His resources. To it He has given all His promises. From it He expects the fulfillment of His will. In it He provided for the exercise of all gifts. To it He asks for individual loyalty."

Ascension Lutheran Church has come a long way. I have been very interested in reading of your present day activities in your church paper. Keep up the good work.

FAVORITE BIBLE VERSES

When I thought of what message my father might like for me to leave with you today, I thought of two of his favorite Bible Verses, "verses on which he often spoke and which he truly lived." I believe he would have liked for me to close with these words of Scripture:

Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever thing are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virture and if there be any praise, think on these things." and 1 Corinthians 10:32, "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

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