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Walton
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Walton
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Young Life
Parish Ministry
Institutional Work
Wider Service
Walton Harlowe Greever
and
His Contributions to
American Lutheranism
YOUNG LIFE
Background
Burkes Garden was beautiful at this time of the year -- as it is during any season. It is located on top of the Allegheny Range of the Appalachian Mountains. The Garden, as its inhabitants affectionately call it, is completely surrounded by a wall of mountains. It is a basin in the shape of a goose egg, ten miles long and five miles wide. The land is almost entirely level and very fertile. The Greever home stood at an elevation of 3,000 feet. In one place on the west side of the basin the elevation is 4,800. To the north there is an opening in the wall, a gap. It is through this gap that there flows the only stream which carries water out of the basin.
Of course farming was the primary means of livelihood. John Greever was a farmer, a good one. He raised livestock as well as tended crops. He put up a lot of hay, and was a firm believer in rye for the improvement of soil. He worked hard. No easy life lay behind him. He had served in the Confederate Army throughout the War Between the States, attaining the rank of first lieutenant and a field commission of captain. He had been imprisoned by Union forces at Fort Delaware [Located near the tri-state corner of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey, Fort Delaware is a pentagon-shaped fort on the Pea Patch Island in the Delaware Bay, by boat from Delaware City, Delaware.] and was not discharged until six months after the final surrender. His trip home was arduous. Because of a lack of transportation, he had to walk the last thirty miles from Wytheville, Virginia to Burkes Garden. He was descended from a brave ancestry, though, since his great-grandfather had fired the first shot in the Revolutionary War battle at King's Mountain.
John was a religious man, a member of the local Lutheran Church. Mary, his wife, was a Methodist, but both her parents were Lutheran. In fact, her father gave the land on which the Lutheran Church was built. The deed to the land specified that the church must be Lutheran, and that the building would be used two Sundays per month by Lutherans, one by the Methodists, and one by the Presbyterians.
When John and Mary were married, they lived for several years on the place of her father, Stephen Spracher. Mary was an only child, so it was quite natural for her father to offer this home place. While living there, she bore two sons. The older, Edgar Lee, was born in 1866, and was destined for prominence as a lawyer. He was admitted to argue cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. He was associated in several cases with the great constitutional lawyer and one-time Democratic candidate for President, John W. Davis. He argued cases against the coal miner's union and achieved the distinction of arousing the ire of John L. Lewis. In 1868 Albert Sydney was born. His life was to be completely dedicated to the field of education. He founded a school in Burkes Garden and served for many years as Superintendent of Schools for Tazewell County in Virginia.
Between the births of Albert and Walton Harlowe, John undertook to build a home of his own for the growing family. The house was wood throughout. The finishings were of poplar and the doors of black walnut, and one part of the basement was finished in brick. Completed, it had nine rooms in addition to hallways and porches. The place later came to be called "Balsams" because shortly after it was built John and Mary planted many young balsam trees to beautify it.
The subject of this paper, Walton Harlowe, or Walt, as he soon came to be known, was the first child to be born in the new home. He grew to love this home-site, and indeed the entire community of Burkes Garden. It was no ordinary place to him. While on a vacation trip to the Garden 1908 he wrote back to the magazine which he edited in Columbia, South Carolina, "I have come 500 miles to spend mine [vacation] among the mountains of Virginia. There are plenty of fine mountains nearer home than this, but 'twas here I first drew breath, and this atmosphere has always had more than mountain ozone in it for me."
After Walton's birth, Ida was born in 1873. She was to be a school teacher and never married. In 1876 came Margaret, who taught at Elizabeth College and later was to marry Dr. E. H. Copenhaver, president of Marion College in Marion, Virginia. Emma was born in 1878. She was always to be delicate in health and never married. She underwent internal surgery when such things were very rare. She always stayed at home and worked. In 1881 Hattie was born. She was to become the wife of C. J. Moss. Stephen Philip was born in 1886, but lived only nine months. Mary Spracher Greever bore John eight children. One died in infancy, and the remainder lived useful lives, contributing to their community and their country while always remaining faithful to their God.
The Rev. H. E. Bailey was pastor of the Lutheran Church in Burkes Garden, Virginia and also teacher in the local school. He had much influence on Walton as he entered the school at the proper age and began his formal education. Mr. Bailey was a very modest and unassuming man. He had a great deal of ability and was a good teacher. He was also a good preacher, though not eloquent. The course was composed mostly of the three R's with Mr. Bailey teaching all subjects to all ages. He emphasized literature and writing which later loomed large in Walton's life. He gave his students an introduction to literature -- stressing poetry and a good style of writing. He required all of his students to write a lot. He was well respected as an example. The subject of this paper told this writer, "He taught us to love the beautiful in nature and literature."
Religious instruction was also important to Mr. Bailey. Many children and even some adults gathered to study Luther's Catechism, no matter what their denomination was. After school hours every Friday afternoon Mr. Bailey would informally explain the catechism and apply it for his students meeting in the school house.
The school day lasted from eight o'clock in the morning until four in the afternoon. The Greever house was one and one half miles from the school, and, of course, all of the children walked. The post office was a half mile beyond the school, and it was Walton's special chore to take the outgoing mail to the post office before school in the mornings and to check on the incoming mail after school in the evening. This required a minimum of five miles of walking every day. In addition he participated in the regular chores at home before and after school, which in the winter had to be performed in ice and snow and darkness. Walton's duties included everything from washing dishes to getting stove wood and feeding the livestock. In the summer he went after the cows and took them to pasture. In the winter he fed them. His spare time, such as it was, was spent trapping and hunting or fishing. He became quite a fisherman in later life and this has remained his favorite type of recreation and relaxation. As a boy, he fished with a seine and often caught many more fish than could be eaten.
Young Walton was very impressed when Mr. Bailey introduced a liturgical worship service to the local congregation. Prior to this the Lutheran service there could hardly be distinguished from that of any other denomination. Mr. Bailey brought in the Book of Worship used by the General Synod, and many of the non-Lutherans did not approve of this innovation, but he did not make an issue of it, and eventually it was accepted.
Because he was so active physically, Walton had strong muscles and a very large chest expansion. He was so robust and healthy that his appetite was unquenchable. All of the boys at Wartburg thought they never had enough to eat. Professor Greever had cabbage patches. In the winter he would bury the cabbages with the roots up, but the boys went down the rows pulling out the roots and eating the hearts, leaving the heads. They also occasionally took eggs from under the professor's hens when they heard them cackling.
The course of study at Roanoke was made up of fundamentals. There were no electives. The student body was small, less than 150, so there was an opportunity for close relationships between students and members of the faculty. Walton received much influence from the faculty. He sat under Dr. L. A. Fox in philosophy. Dr. William Yonce, professor of ancient languages, greatly influenced his personal character. In Walton's senior year Professor Wythe Morehead, older brother of J. A. Morehead, joined the faculty. He was a young man, and he and Walt became very close friends. Professor Morehead had spent a year in Germany studying, so he was a man of some prestige and was a great inspiration to the young scholar.
At college Walton continued his liking for writing, and his native talent for it developed. He was fortunate to have as professor of English Dr. F. V. Painter, who stressed literature and a good style of writing. Dr. Painter had written several books and gave the students a real liking for English literature. Walton was on the staff of the college paper, the Roanoke Collegian. This was the first experience of seeing his work in print.
The Rev. C. Armand Miller was pastor of College Lutheran church in Salem, Virginia. Walton had a tremendous amount of respect for him and was affected by him throughout his life. Walton was very regular in attendance at his church and was also active in the college Y.M.C.A. Once he was on the program for the state convention, and he was one of the two delegates from Roanoke to the first convention of the Student Volunteer Movement in Cleveland.
In the spring of 1892 Walton received his A.B. degree from Roanoke as well as the gold watch his father had promised him if he would maintain a 96 average.
During the first summer vacation from the seminary Walton spent his time with the Rev. J. A. Morehead, who was then pastor of his home church in Burkes Garden. They investigated the newly opened coal fields on foot. Pastor Morehead also had certain preaching stations in Tazewell County of Virginia and the surrounding section, where Walton held Sunday services.
In the fall he returned to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and resumed his studies. Some time previous to all of this, Professor J. B. Greever had effected the organization of a small Lutheran congregation in the town of Bluefield, West Virginia, and had built a small frame church. The undertaking had practically folded after Professor Greever gave it up. Two or three tries had been made, but they failed, and all seemed hopeless. Yet there were still some Lutheran families in the vicinity. The Mission Committee of the Southwestern Virginia Synod became interested and felt something should be done. They contacted Walton and asked him to take up the work during the summer. At the 1894 convention of synod the Executive Committee of Missions proposed the following resolution: "Resolved, That we call Walton H. Greever to Bluefield for four months and we guarantee him forty dollars per month provided Graham pays as much as fifty dollars for the whole time." Graham was near to Bluefield, West Virginia and was considered in the same parish. After the resolution was passed the report continued, "A regular call from the Graham Church to Mr. W. H. Greever for four months with definite subscriptions was sent subsequently to us, and our call was out to Mr. Greever. He commenced work on Whitsunday." In Bluefield Walton found a frame church, no organization, and only two people who claimed membership in the church. A canvass of the town revealed about fifteen Lutherans. Bluefield, West Virginia was a railroad town. Located there were the yards, round house, a machine shop, and division offices of the Norfolk and Western Railroad. Many of the families came from Pennsylvania and were good prospects for the Lutheran Church. However, the population was so transient that the people were naturally reluctant to unite with Immanuel, the local Lutheran Church. Nevertheless, Walton got a start.
In the same year Walton received the M.A. degree from Roanoke College. Before his class, which had graduated in 1892, the college had automatically granted the M.A. degree to any graduate who furthered his education in any professional field, such as theology, medicine, or law. However, during that year the requirements were changed to include the writing of a paper, and the class of 1892 was the first to which the new rule applied. The members of the class felt this was unfair because the requirement had been changed during their course of study. They all agreed among themselves not to apply for this advanced degree. Dr. L. A. Fox constantly urged Walton until finally in 1894 he abandoned his classmates as a concession to Dr. Fox, wrote a paper, and received the degree.
He submitted sermons and outlines to the Committee on Sermons (Examining Committee) of the Ministerium of the Southwestern Virginia Synod. At the 1894 convention the committee was able to report to the Ministerium: "We your committee, appointed to examine the sermons and outlines of Candidates Walton Greever, Ernest McCauley, and Luther Frantz, respectfully report that we have discharged that duty, and find them Scriptural, systematic, and, on the whole, satisfactory." "On Sunday [August 19, 1894] at 11 o'clock, Rev. O. C. Miller preached in Luther Memorial Church [Blacksburg, Virginia]. After the sermon, Candidates E. R. McCauley, J. Luther Frantz, and Walton H. Greever received licensure." Now Walton was authorized to administer the sacraments. But the time was approaching for him to return to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Mission Committee did not want him to leave. Therefore, after consulting with Dr. Jacobs, Walton decided to remain out of school for a year and further the work which he had started in Bluefield, West Virginia. Dr. Jacobs consented for him to stay out until the end of the summer, 1895, but when that time came the charge still was not such that Walton could leave it. Dr. Jacobs once again granted permission for him to remain out until after Christmas, assuring him that he could graduate with the class of 1896.
When Walton returned to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania he had some valuable parish experience behind him and was better able to apply himself. His studies meant much more to him. Although it was not full in length of time, this was the most important year of schooling in his entire life. "I knew what I was there for," he said. He could now see what he needed and what the seminary was trying to give him.
Dr. Jacobs had been very understanding with Walton in consenting for him to remain out of the seminary. The two grew into a lasting friendship which was to span the years. The doctor was an excellent teacher. He insisted very much on proof passages, and the notes from which he lectured were later compiled into a book. Walton said, "He taught the confessional, historical Lutheran Doctrine." In one exam on dogmatics Walton very presumptuously attempted to outline Christian doctrine. This rather pleased Dr. Jacobs. The doctor was such a student and scholar, though, that most of the students did not go to him very freely. However, they all held him in high regard. His classes were beneficial and his personality wielded great influence.
At the completion of his seminary course Walton was called to return to Bluefield, West Virginia as regular pastor and was ordained in Radford at the 1896 meeting of the Southwestern Virginia Synod. Thus, Walton Greever became the Rev. W. H. Greever, and a dedicated parish minister was about to begin his work.
Chapter II
Immanuel Church, Bluefield, West Virginia
Bluefield, West Virginia was a new town and was an expensive one in which to live. Pastor Greever rented a single room which served him as study, bedroom, parlor, and any other use for which he needed it. He took meals at a boarding house about a mile from his room. He made the trip to the boarding house regularly, three times a day, in all sorts of weather.
Pastor Greever had re-organized the congregation when he supplied as a seminary student, so there was a nucleus from which to build when he returned. The church was still being partially supported by the Southwestern Virginia Synod, but the United Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the South contributed and evidently took its oversight from the Southwestern Virginia Synod. In 1898, the Mission Board of the United Synod reported to its convention a membership of 59 at Bluefield and that the Synod paid $25.00 per month toward its support. In 1900, the board reported a membership of 68, as well as 43 Sunday School scholars. It continued to pay $300.00 of Pastor Greever's salary, and the congregation was paying an equal amount, making a total of $600.00 per year.
Immanuel Church had a frame building and a thousand dollar debt. The congregation, although young and struggling itself, attempted to contribute to benevolences as a regular church. Throughout one entire Lenten Season, Pastor Greever stressed the idea of sacrificing, pointing out that each one must contribute sacrificially. Easter Sunday was set as the climax for a special offering to cancel the debt. On the Saturday Night before the offering was to be received, Pastor Greever had ten dollars in his pocket. That was all that he possessed. He debated with himself over whether he should practice to the extreme what he had been preaching to his people, give the ten dollars, and be completely broke; or whether he should merely give a portion of the money. After a hard night of struggling, he put the ten dollars on the offering plate.
On Monday Morning he set out on his pastoral visits with nothing in his pockets. He called at a home in which the man was a member of his congregation, but the wife belonged to another denomination. The man worked in the Norfolk and Western Railway Offices and was not at home, so Pastor Greever visited the wife and children. When he got ready to leave, the lady said her husband had left a gift for him. She went to the mantel, picked up a ten dollar bill, and handed it to him.
Pastor Greever was very active in the work of the Southwestern Virginia Synod. As one of her youngest pastors, he was elected Secretary of the Synod in 1897, a position which he occupied as long as he was a member of that synod. He was several times elected a delegate from that body to the Convention of the United Synod in the South. He was a member of the synod's Mission Committee and delivered various addresses at synod meetings.
In August of 1899, the Southwestern Virginia Synod met at Immanuel Church in Bluefield, West Virginia in order to see the progress of the work there. Pastor Greever, as secretary, arranged with the publisher of the local daily newspaper to take a copy of the minutes after each session and put them in type for him to proofread. He would rush the minutes to the printer each morning and each afternoon. The last session was held in the morning, and the train did not leave until late in the afternoon. Bluefield was on the synod's westernmost boundary. Therefore, everyone came in and left on the same train. By the time the train departed, there was a bound copy of the minutes for each delegate to take home with him.
The synod president reported to the 1900 convention, "The attention of the Synod is called to the 'Monitor', issued a few weeks since through the enterprise of the Secretary." Pastor Greever, on his own, had become the editor of one of the first synodical papers. This was also a continuation of the interest which he had shown in writing in his early schooling and in college. "The Monitor" was the predecessor of today's "Virginia Lutheran". At the same time, he edited a local parish paper, one of the first, and as editor "blue-pencilled The Southern Lutheran, a publication for the youth of the South."
During his service at Bluefield, West Virginia, Pastor Greever received several calls to other churches. One, to Grace, Prosperity, South Carolina, was in the form of a telegram from Mr. H. A. Kohn, and was delivered to him while he was in the chancel during the Sunday Morning Worship Service. Another, to St. John's, Knoxville, Tennessee was almost accepted, but was finally turned down because the needs at Bluefield seemed too great.
In the midst of all this work, his health began to decline. He was unable to attend synod meeting in 1900, and the president expressed the regret of all the members, "The sympathy of the synod will naturally go to our secretary, Rev. W. H. Greever, who is detained from his duty here by continued sickness. We well know how his careful forethought and business manners during his term of office contributed to the success of our work." He had typhoid fever. He resigned as pastor of Immanuel Church to recuperate. There was no hope of ever serving as pastor of a congregation again. He traveled in order to regain his health and strength.
He was convalescing in the coastal cities of Jacksonville, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina at this time. He was still very weak, but was strong enough to travel. He came by Columbia, South Carolina to explain the situation to the church council at St. Paul's. He was met at the West Gervais Street Union Station by the governor's carriage, driven by Mr. Elbert Aull, the governor's secretary and relative of the Haltiwanger family at St. Paul's. He was taken to the home of Mr. A. D. Haltiwanger on Elmwood Avenue, where he was an overnight guest. Dr. W. W. Daniel, a graduate of Newberry College and President of Columbia College, was supplying St. Paul's in the interim. He preached the next morning, and Pastor Greever conducted the Service. That afternoon, he met with the council at Mr. Haltiwanger's home. He declined their offer and advised them to call someone else. Then he left. He went to Charlotte, North Carolina and then on to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to meet with the Luther League officials. There he also declined the office to which they had elected him, because of his health.
Later, he discovered that St. Paul's had called him on the recommendation of Dr. R. C. Holland. Pastor Greever had assisted him in the Century Memorial Campaign in behalf of the Seminary of the United Synod in the South. This campaign was also his first connection with the seminary, a relationship which was to grow much closer over the years. The congregation once again consulted Dr. Holland, and he recommended that they renew the call to Pastor Greever. They did, and this second call caught up with him in his travels. His doctor examined him and assured him he would be able to work again by the fall. He agreed to accept the call to St. Paul's if they could wait until September for him to begin his services. This was in the spring, so he still advised them to call another man. However, they waited for him, and Edward Fulenwider, a student at the seminary in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, supplied until his arrival.
On July 27, 1901, Pastor Greever married Miss Roberta Bruegal of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and they came to Columbia, South Carolina in September of 1901. "At that time the membership of the congregation, a little less than a hundred, was burdened with a heavy debt." There was a frame church building which faced Bull Street. It was in bad repair and had been given practically no attention since it had been built. It was lighted with gas jets - no mantles or shades, just the plain jets. For a period of time the Greevers lived in two rooms across the street from the church in the home of Dr. A. G. Quattlebaum, because the parsonage was in bad shape. The starting salary was $700 a year. The first big undertaking of the new pastor was the addition of a hymn board at the approximate cost of $15.00. This required almost an every member canvas, and fifty cents was considered a large contribution.
Mrs. Greever bore her husband three children. Walton Harlowe, Jr. was born in the home of Dr. Quattlebaum. He grew up to become an insurance and real estate dealer in Columbia and served several terms as representative from Richland County in the South Carolina Legislature.
At Dr. Quattlebaum's the Greevers had an outside toilet. Their two rooms had a private entrance and bath, but it was not connected to the sewer lines, so it was used as a pantry. Meals were eaten on a very small table; or when company was present, several planks were placed over the top and covered with an oil cloth.
The second Christmas in Columbia, South Carolina there was one present, a pound cake from Mrs. H. P. Haltiwanger. The Sunday after Christmas was a bleak day. Walton, a young baby, was very fretful. The domestic maid did not show up. Mrs. Greever was sick with tonsillitis and her mother was there, also sick with tonsillitis. The family was ending the year $25.00 in debt. As Pastor Greever left for church that morning, his heart was very heavy. His mother-in-law, his wife, and his baby son were all three weeping. He tried to hold his head high and whistle. Immediately following the benediction, Mr. A. D. Haltiwanger asked the congregation to remain and the pastor to return to the chancel after he had taken off his robe. There he announced that the council in the pastor's absence had voted to increase his salary by $100.00 per year. The increase was made retro-active to include $25.00 for the last quarter of 1902. This meant that the debt which had hung so low over his head as he came into the church that morning was now taken care of.
Later the parsonage, a small cottage on the corner of Blanding and Bull Streets, was renovated and the family moved into it. Miriam Roberta was born there. She was to become the wife of Dr. Grady Cooper, Lutheran Pastor, Missionary to China, and presently head of the Bible Department at Newberry College. Mary Virginia was born at Tazewell, Virginia. She became the wife of the Reverend Carl Plack, Lutheran Pastor who is now associated with the National Lutheran Council.
The trip to Tazewell for Virginia's birth was especially significant in another way. Dr. James A. B. Scherer contacted Pastor Greever there and asked to meet him in Lynchburg. Dr. Scherer was resigning as President of Newberry College and was charged with securing his successor. He came to ask Pastor Greever to allow the Board of Trustees to consider his name for the presidency. Pastor Greever declined, giving as his reason his responsibilities to the publication work of the church.
The Twentieth Century marked the end of one era and the beginning of a new one in Columbia, South Carolina. One of the first events Pastor Greever witnessed upon taking up his duties at St. Paul's was the funeral of Confederate General Wade Hampton in 1902. The city was rapidly expanding. The Seaboard Railroad, as well as several mills, had recently located there. The membership of the congregation grew, too, especially the Sunday School. It simply was not suitable for the primary department to hold class in the one big room of the church where everyone else met. The council agreed to build a small frame extension, called the Annex, to accommodate the Primary Department of the Sunday School and the small group which attended Prayer Meetings on Wednesday Nights.
When the Annex was ready for dedication, the Reverend C. P. Boozer was invited to participate in the Service. He was a farmer and an ordained minister from Saluda County, who was President of the Joint Conference of the Tennessee Synod. Mr. Boozer, a guest in the Greever Cottage, got up early on Sunday Morning. When Pastor Greever, rising later, walked into the room, Mr. Boozer said, "Young man, you had better die today! This is an achievement which will mark your career. You'll never do anything as important." In recounting the above incident to this writer, the pastor added, "And I didn't."
The building of the Annex stirred a new life in the members of the congregation. Around 1902 or 1903 they painted the inside of the church, added electric lights, and rearranged the chancel. Previously, there was no altar, merely a central pulpit with a plain table for Communion below it and two high back chairs on each side. Now a new window was placed in the chancel, the long benches were replaced with nice pews, and the aisles and chancel were carpeted. Shortly afterward, an organ in a vacant store on Main Street to advertise the State Fair began to catch the eyes of many of the members. The congregation bought the organ from Kimball Organ Company and built a platform for it and the choir on the opposite side of the church from the Annex. Later a railing was added. About the time of installing the organ, platform, and railing, Pastor Greever thought that things looked nice enough for the congregation to invite the South Carolina Synod to meet in their church, which it did in November of 1903. Many people worked late into the last night before synod convened completing the installations.
Pastor Greever led in Parish Education, and the congregation was a pioneer in this field. "It was about 1904 that the first Vacation Bible School was held at St. Paul's Church, the pastor being assisted by the Reverend J. L. Yonce, then a seminary student. This was the first school of its kind held in the country and was but a feature of the emphasis placed by the pastor upon thorough religious instruction of its young." This school was graded and lasted for a period of four or five weeks. It was preparatory to confirmation, and classes were conducted just like those in public school. There were three text books: the Bible, Luther's Small Catechism, and the hymn book. The children memorized much from all three. There was no technical education arrangement to the program of Christian Education then, but Pastor Greever always made certain that his members were instructed in the fundamentals of the Christian faith. In addition to the Bible School, he taught doctrine to adults and confirmands separately. He made a practice of having a private conference with each individual before confirmation, seeking to be sure that a personal commitment to Christ was being made, and not merely the joining of an organization.
St. Paul's also pioneered under Pastor Greever in having one of the first parish helpers in a congregation. Edith Coyner was the first and she was succeeded by Cori Greever. Both played the organ and helped in ministering to the entire congregation.
In recognition of his outstanding work in the two parishes he had served and his leadership in the publication field, Newberry College in 1908 awarded Pastor Greever an honorary Doctor of Divinity. Now he was Dr. Greever. The publication work was becoming so very heavy that Dr. Greever felt he could no longer effectively do the work at St. Paul's. Dr. M. G. G. Scherer, as President, reported to the 1908 meeting of the South Carolina Synod that on "October 18, 1908, Rev. W. H. Greever, D.D., resigned as pastor of St. Paul's Church, Columbia; the resignation went into effect November 1st."
So Dr. Greever left the active parish ministry again, "at which time the membership of the congregation was about 450, and St. Paul's was recognized as one of the leading congregations in the South." Characteristic of his humility, he would not take the credit for it personally. He constantly pointed out that circumstances were favorable to growth, that Columbia, South Carolina was a fast-growing city. He built his own home on Bull Street and moved out of the parsonage.
In 1911 during the interim between the pastorates of J. D. Mauney and H. A. McCullough, Dr. Greever returned as supply pastor to St. Paul's. The church was still in debt at this time so one Sunday was set aside for a special offering to completely erase the debt. $2,600 was received, and it was believed to be one of the largest single cash offerings ever received in a Columbia, South Carolina church up to that time (1911). The event received much publicity with the local Columbia newspapers giving wide coverage.
During the time in which he was not an active parish pastor, Dr. Greever supplied for the Rev. Jason Oxner at Lebanon Church, St. Matthews, South Carolina. Pastor Oxner had gone away for refresher work and visits to the campuses of various seminaries. This gave Dr. Greever a connection with the people in St. Matthews and Cameron because he got off the train at the St. Matthews station each time he went down. Calhoun County had recently been formed, and the Court House was at St. Matthews. John Dreher, Rufus Geiger, Jim Haigler, Moss Hallman, and other prominent Lutherans had moved to St. Matthews on account of the new County Seat. Dr. Greever started preaching to this little group, and they organized a congregation. They had no building. Services were held in other churches. "There was no special call, no special plan. It was just in the line of opportunity," was the way he explained it to this writer. Others have thought he deserved more credit. The History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of South Carolina states, "This congregation was organized May 26, 1912, under the ministry of Rev. W. H. Greever, D.D." President James D. Kinard reported to the 1912 session of the South Carolina Synod, "The Church of the Epiphany was organized with 22 charter members in the town of St. Matthews, May 26, 1912, by Rev. W. H. Greever, D.D.... Dr. Greever was unanimously requested to supply the congregation and will preach twice per month for them until synod."
There was some opposition to the establishment of a new Lutheran congregation in Columbia. Dr. Greever told all concerned that he was sorry for the opposition, but the people planned to go ahead with the organization. He assured them that there would be no solicitation for members from other churches. Anyone who became a member would have to volunteer to do so.
A general announcement was made that anyone interested should attend a meeting in the seminary chapel. President James A. Kinard was able to report to the South Carolina Synod that on "June 30, 1912, a congregation was organized at Eau Claire, with the name of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Ascension, with 38 Charter Members, by Rev. W. H. Greever, D.D." President Kinard reported further that on "July 30, 1912, Rev. W. H. Greever, D.D., officially notified me that he had received and accepted a call to the Church of the Ascension, Eau Claire, suburb of Columbia, South Carolina, to take effect at once."
Mr. P. C. Price came in on the $1,000 basis and suggested a yet nicer church. Therefore, construction was begun almost immediately and President Kinard reported that the cornerstone was laid on September 29, 1912. The handsome granite church was dedicated on June 29, 1913, within one day of a full year from the date of the organization. This is basically the building that stands today, although it has been remodeled and expanded since that time. Expressing the respect of the members for their pastor, Mr. W. P. Houseal wrote in the Lutheran Church Visitor on this occasion, "To her (Church of Ascension's) pastor is due the credit of projecting the organization and to him we place the continued success and progress."
Although involved in the publication work during all of his ministry there and on the seminary staff part of the time, Dr. Greever served as regular pastor of Ascension Church. After a period of time, the Church Council, in his absence, voted to give him a Ford car. He had to decline the offer on the basis that he couldn't afford to run it. Later, they contributed $25.00 per month toward his expenses.
Ascension was never on mission status. "It has been self-supporting from its organization, and has been a proportionate supporter of the general work of the church." On February 3, 1917, Dr. Greever married Neta J. Umberger of Charlotte, North Carolina, who has been his faithful wife and companion to this day. In 1927 he resigned as pastor of Ascension to devote his energy to the seminary and the American Lutheran Survey, because the magazine was in bad financial condition. The congregation, though, was in good shape and had a membership of 278.
About preaching the Gospel he once wrote, "He that preaches or teaches the Gospel honestly cannot be casual, or conventional, or complacent, or common place, but must be a true witness - earnest, fervent, pointed and positive." About the sacraments and the pastor's part in administering them he wrote:
"Here as in no other service, the minister acts as God's instrument, not even choosing the Words he uses; but he is none the less a personal instrument whose whole demeanor and spirit must be a testimony to the sacredness and significance of his acts as God's minister. Any liberty which he exercises in essentials in the administration of the Sacraments is a license, in violation of the divine commission."
Dr. Greever was always respected as a preacher. No less a preacher than Dr. John W. Horine said of him, "His sermons were - and are - evangelical, clear, logical, with personal application. Dr. Greever is a fluent, forcible, positive speaker." His preaching excellence came as no accident. Dr. Greever began working on his sermons in the first of the week or earlier. He wrote out a manuscript, but never carried it to the pulpit with him. He always made an outline and usually carried it. He was never willing to enter a pulpit unless he had the outline clear and arranged logically, which gave unity to his messages. While Dr. Greever was at St. Paul's, Mr. Arthur Berg of R. L. Bryan's Printing Company, of his own initiative and on his own time, got Dr. Greever's outlines each week before Sunday, and printed them on cards to hand to the people as they left the church.
In preaching, Dr. Greever followed the text for the day at The Service and rarely used a free text. His sermons were not long. They were always his attempt to make "the delivery of a Bible message."
His general pastoral work was taken just as seriously as his preaching. His aim was to give real service and not just to make a certain number of calls. He went according to need and tried to accomplish something as definite as possible on every visit. Pastoral visiting was never a routine with him.
John Berg, a member of St. Paul's during Dr. Greever's pastorate, was very enthusiastic about church work. He began holding Sunday School in one of the company houses out at Olympia Mill village. As his pastor, Dr. Greever became interested. The South Carolina Synod also became interested and decided to open a mission congregation. A site on Olympia Avenue was chosen, and the mill was approached about it. The mill owned all the property and would make no deeds. It would allow occupancy for a special purpose, but with a reversion clause. Later full right to the property was obtained through a deed. The Synod appointed Mr. H. A. Kohn and Dr. Greever as a Building Committee. Mr. Kohn's business forbade him to put in much time at the scene of labor, so most of the supervision fell to Dr. Greever. Although the church was built by contract, he practically served as superintendent of building, even aiding in the manual labor. Upon completion of the building, the Synod's Committee on Missions reported, "too much praise cannot be accorded the Building Committee, especially its Chairman, Reverend W. H. Greever, for untiring, painstaking, self-sacrificing service in directing and completing this work." The church was later named St. Luke's. Dr. Greever did all of this while he was pastor at St. Paul's.
Also during his tenure at St. Paul's, Dr. Greever and one of his members, Mr. Arthur Berg, held Sunday School on Sunday Afternoons in a vacant building just south of the Seaboard Railway trestle on North Main Street. This work ceased shortly, but it was a conscious effort to provide services for Lutherans in the area north of Columbia. Then, in the summer of 1926, when Dr. Greever was pastor of Ascension, seminary student Wynne Boliek assisted him during his vacation from the seminary. One of their projects was to survey the rapidly developing Camp Fornance section. This resulted in the organization of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation. Dr. Greever further aided this congregation in acquiring the Ballentine property on the corner of River Drive and Union Streets. He has continued to be an advisor to the congregation and its pastors, and is held in high regard by the members, as evidenced by the fact that he participated in the ground breaking services for the church's building program in the summer of 1959.
Also he was active in the work of his synod. In the Southwestern Virginia Synod he served as secretary for five years, delegate to the United Synod in the South, and member of various committees and boards. In South Carolina he served two terms as President (1912-1913), also was a delegate to the United Synod in the South and United Lutheran Church in America conventions, and member of various committees and boards. In the United Synod he was official visitor to Elizabeth College, representative from the United Synod to the General Synod and to the General Council, and member of various committees and boards. In the United Lutheran Church in America he was a member of several boards, and directed several campaigns for funds - all before his election as secretary in 1932. All of this was done while he was an active parish pastor. Almost unbelievable!
Yet with all that he accomplished, he was always humble, giving God the Glory. In 1939 he advised others as he had practiced, "Never forget that it is the Gospel of Christ 'which is the power of God unto salvation' and that you are an humble, unworthy instrument seeking His glory by His grace."
Publication Field
When he came to Columbia and the South Carolina Synod in 1901, he continued to manifest interest in the publications of the church. At that time the papers published by Lutherans in the South were spread apart and there was much overlapping. The Lutheran Visitor was being published at Newberry, South Carolina. Our Church Paper, the recognized organ of the Tennessee Synod, was being published in New Market, Virginia. The Southern Lutheran, the Sunday School paper which Dr. Greever once edited, was being printed at Newberry, South Carolina. There was no Lutheran concern which carried the Book of Worship. W. J. Duffie, a Presbyterian, was selling it through his agency.
Dr. Greever, as well as many others, recognized the need for consolidation and improvement of Southern Lutheran literature. In 1903, when he had been at St. Paul's only two years, he asked Dr. C. A. Freed of Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Columbia to become a party with him in negotiations with Mr. W. P. Houseal for The Lutheran Visitor. Dr. Greever went to Newberry, South Carolina to consult Mr. Houseal. When he saw him, Mr. Houseal was feeding the Visitor into the press by hand. He continued to work as Dr. Greever offered, with Dr. Freed, to buy into the company, remove it to Columbia, and improve it. Mr. Houseal hardly murmured a word. He just kept working. Finally he said, "You won't be satisfied until you lose about $10,000." Nothing definite was decided, and Dr. Greever left.
Later Mr. Houseal came to Columbia, accepted Dr. Greever's offer, and the Lutheran Visitor Company was formed. The History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of South Carolina reported it as follows:
"In December 1903, a proposition was accepted from Rev. W. H. Greever and Rev. C. A. Freed, pastors of St. Paul's and Ebenezer congregations, respectively, to remove the paper to Columbia, it being provided that they secure thereby a financial interest in the enterprise to serve the church with the purpose of making the paper more acceptable in issuing it in the best mechanical form."
The company had three members -- Dr. Greever, Dr. Freed, and Mr. Houseal. Each owned approximately $1,000 of it. Arrangements were made with R. L. Bryan Company to do the printing, and an office was rented. The office was in the plunder room back of a dry goods store on Main Street. There was only one desk, and it was for Mr. Houseal, who commuted on weekends from Newberry, South Carolina.
The first issue under the new management appeared January 7, 1904. The new masthead listed S. T. Hallman as senior editor, Dr. Greever and Dr. Freed as associate editors, and Mr. Houseal as managing editor. The paper made no big issue over the new set up. It merely reported that Revs. W. H. Greever and C. A. Freed had become members of the company.
There was no publishing house for the United Synod in the South, so these men set out to form one. On June 15, 1904 the Lutheran Visitor Company was dissolved and was succeeded by the United Synod Publishing Company. The United Synod was greatly interested in consolidation of the widespread publication work. A committee had been appointed to seek such, but it failed. Dr. Greever and Mr. Houseal went to New Market, Virginia to discuss consolidation with the Henkels, publishers of Our Church Paper. Dr. Greever said this was a give or take proposition. He told the Henkels they must give Our Church Paper or else take the Visitor. The Henkels accepted the price which was offered and the United Synod Publishing Company bought them out. After the sale was approved by the 1904 convention of the United Synod at New Market, Virginia, the synod appointed a publishing committee to oversee the work. The committee met on July 30 and proposed that consolidation should be effected September 1, 1904. The name of the paper was changed to the Lutheran Church Visitor, embracing parts of the names of both of the former papers. Mr. P. C. Price gave much financial backing for this undertaking, and it was also aided by contributions from various individuals.
The first issue of the new publication appeared under the date of September 15, 1904. The masthead read Dr. Greever, editor-in-chief; the Revs. S. T. Hallman and C. A. Freed, associate editors; and Mr. Houseal, managing editor. Dr. Greever promised his readers in this first issue that, "Ever standing on God's pure Word, and true to the confessions of the Church, she [Lutheran Church Visitor] will strive to be worthy of a name and a place among the sacramental hosts of God." Three months later Dr. Hallman resigned for "insufficient remuneration" stating that it was impossible for him to work for nothing, and the paper was unable to pay him. Dr. Greever and Dr. Freed continued to serve their parishes and the paper at the same time.
In the meantime Mrs. M. S. Habenicht gave vacant upstairs property which she owned to the Visitor for its use. It was located in the 1600 block of Main Street. Contributions mostly paid the investments which had been made. The company negotiated further and got the hymn book franchise from Mr. Duffie, the Southern Lutheran from Mr. Elbert Aull, and agency for the Sunday School literature from the United Synod. In relation to all of this the United Synod maintained a hands off policy as far as finances were concerned, but had its advisory publishing committee.
Members of St. Paul's became interested in the paper which their pastor so ably edited. Mr. Harvey Miller became especially enthusiastic about it. He had financed a small 5 and 10 cent store of his own, but F. M. Kirby Company talked to Mr. Miller about their coming to Columbia with him as manager. They made a proposition for a specific amount of space at a specific location. Dr. Greever reciprocated in his interest in Mr. Miller's success. One day a man appeared at the Visitor office and said the property across the street from the office could be bought for $14,000. A Negro owned it, and he was retiring from the tailoring business and wanted to sell it. Mr. Miller worked out the proposition. If the publishing company would buy the lot, put up the building, and furnish the desired amount of space to the Kirby chain, then Kirby's would pay a certain amount of interest on the loan. Dr. Greever offered to the United Synod for the publishing company to buy the property and erect the building. The publishing committee reported to the 1906 convention the United Synod meeting at Dallas, North Carolina,
"Whereas a proposition has been laid before this committee by private parties from Columbia, respecting the purchase of property in said city for the purpose of furthering the publication interest of this Synod: Resolved, That having heard and considered the aforesaid proposition, this committee report it with its approval to the Synod, and request that its acceptance be authorized."
It was pointed out that it would be possible from rentals on parts of the building not occupied by the publishing company to furnish an income over and above the interest, taxes, and insurance which would create a sinking fund sufficient to pay for the building in 10 or 15 years. The Synod could have the property without becoming involved financially and without appealing to the Church for any of the purchase funds. This proposition was accepted.
This 1906 convention of the United Synod in the South marked unprecedented progress in the field of church publication in the South. On behalf of the United Synod Publishing Company Dr. Greever made another offer which the Synod also accepted.
"The Synod accepted unanimously the offer of the United Synod Publishing Company to transfer the Visitor, Tidings [formerly the Southern Lutheran which had been acquired by the United Synod Publishing Company] and all other possessions and interests of the company to the United Synod for direct ownership and control at the first cost of consolidation.... the synod assuring the liabilities of the company and becoming the beneficiary of the assets. A large part of the consolidation had already been secured and the committee was authorized to proceed in raising the remainder, together with $1,500 additional, in order to provide an amount necessary for the support of the paper during the first year under the management of the United Synod."
Never before had the Southern Church authorized a program of actively providing for an official church paper.
All of this was too good for the delegates to believe. The synod was given ownership of the publishing company and a lot and a building which was to be constructed on it. The proposition was commonly known as the "gold brick" offer.
The property was bought and the building constructed at a cost of $39,943.48. The United Synod held stock in the amount of $5,418.94. $8,452.50 was outstanding in subscriptions toward extinguishing the debt on the building. A loan in the amount of $40,000 was acquired from the Virginia Life Insurance Company. First floor of the building was occupied by the 5 and 10 cent store, third floor by Draughon's Business College, and second floor for the offices of the Board of Publication. The Lutheran Board of Publication had succeeded the United Synod Publishing Company, and Dr. Greever was its manager. The 5 and 10 cent company had demanded that the company must have clear title to the alley running past the building back to the next street. The board with borrowed money bought the lot immediately back of the building. "On the rear of this lot a printery was built, chiefly with funds raised by Dr. Greever." Referring to the whole development Dr. G. P. Voigt wrote, "Thanks to the vision, boldness, and tireless perseverance of Dr. W. H. Greever, this acquisition was made possible without any appreciable appropriation by the Synod." Dr. J. A. B. Scherer, chairman of the United Synod's publication committee, wrote in 1908 in the special issue of the Lutheran Church Visitor on publication:
"Three men are entitled to the thanks of the United Synod for taking hold of the Publication Cause when it was almost dead at New Market, Virginia and making it a thing of living power: W. P. Houseal, C. A. Freed, W. H. Greever. The last named man especially has borne financial burdens and undertaken unselfish ambitions that would have dismayed all but one in a thousand.... As it is I, for one, am amazed at what has been accomplished under Mr. Greever's leadership. His proposition at Dallas sounded almost like a 'gold brick' scheme to those who did not know him, but he has more than made it good. The committee, without exceeding instructions, will be able to make a report at Savannah that will gratify the United Synod more than Mr. Greever's proposal surprised it."
About this time Dr. Greever resigned as pastor of St. Paul's to give full time to the Visitor and the Lutheran Board of Publication. This work required him to travel a great deal. In September of 1908 he reported the extent of one of his trips. He went by train to Charlotte, North Carolina where he visited with Dr. R. C. Holland, old time friend and president of the United Synod's Mission Board. From there he went to Hickory, North Carolina, stopping at Statesville, North Carolina on the trip over. In Hickory, North Carolina he lodged with Dr. R. L. Fritz, president of Lenoir College. Then he went to Salisbury, North Carolina; Albemarle, North Carolina; and to Richmond, Virginia for a meeting of the Virginia Synod. He travelled to Salem, Virginia where he visited his alma mater, Roanoke College and also the Lutheran Orphan Home. He went on over to the site of his first parish, Bluefield, West Virginia, and his home, Burkes Garden, Virginia. On the return trip he visited the cities of Radford and Roanoke in Virginia and Winston and Charlotte in North Carolina. All of these visits were made in behalf of the Visitor.
Dr. Greever's editorials in the Visitor were always thought provoking. He concerned himself with spiritual matters or the issues facing the church. Subscriptions began to increase. On September 1, 1910 he was able to report 5,200 subscriptions for the Visitor. The publication board's work was expanding too. It was even printing some books.
In 1912 the Carolina Life Insurance Company offered to buy the property on Main Street for $80,000. This was an advance of $37,000 on its cost. With this profit another building, better equipped for its special requirements was erected at 1617 Sumter Street, the lot immediately behind. The new building cost $26,000. "This new building was considered to be at the time the finest Lutheran publication building in America."
In 1913 Dr. Greever was instrumental in organizing the National Lutheran Editors' Association, which first met at the seminary at Maywood, near Chicago. Representatives of all the Lutheran Church papers in the United States were there. Dr. Greever was elected secretary.
He was dissatisfied, though. For several years he had felt that there was a need for a magazine which superseded synodical boundaries. He had searched to find out if there was a demand for such a magazine. He had personally attended conventions of most of the general bodies. He began seriously to contemplate establishing such a publication. He had practically decided to undertake it, but one thing bothered him throughout. He had never entered any work unless he was called by the church. He had been a parish pastor and editor of the Visitor and manager of the publication board, but all of this had been on call from the church. Now he was about to take up a line of work with a paper which was not to be an official church organ, and he was not called. He made arrangements to meet with his revered seminary professor, Dr. Henry E. Jacobs, in Gettysburg and seek his advice. Dr. Greever and Dr. Jacobs walked from the Eagle Hotel out through the famous cemetery as Dr. Greever told the great theologian of his plight. Dr. Jacobs asked if he were not editor of the official publication of the United Synod in the South. Dr. Greever replied affirmatively. Then Dr. Jacobs said that he should merely consider this an extension of the same call. These words prompted Dr. Greever to go ahead with what he felt was needed.
Dr. C. Armand Miller, pastor of St. Mark's Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and former pastor of College Church in Salem, Virginia during Dr. Greever's college days, was also interested in such a magazine. Edgar Greever, Dr. Greever's brother, offered to pay Dr. Miller's passage if he would accompany Dr. Greever on a trip to Europe. Dr. Miller accepted and the Lutheran Board of Publication granted Dr. Greever a two months leave of absence on the condition that he provide his own supply for the editorship of the Visitor. In the summer of 1913 the two went to Europe to investigate the possibility of foreign support for the magazine, especially from Germany. They carried with them letters of introduction to the foremost Lutheran theologians in Europe. On their return, the American Lutheran Survey, the name of the proposed magazine, seemed so far assured that Dr. Greever offered his resignation to the Board, but the resignation was not accepted until early in 1914.
It was on this trip that Dr. Greever began smoking. While pastor of College Church Dr. Miller was strongly against smoking and drinking, but as Pastor of Holy Trinity, New York City -- which had many German members -- his hostile views toward smoking and drinking had considerably lessened. As the two men stood on Trafalgar Square in London prior to embarking for the continent, Dr. Miller explained to Dr. Greever that they were about to enter Germany, where it was only hospitable to offer beer, which he knew Dr. Greever would refuse. Then consecutively they would offer wine, whiskey, or something to smoke, all of which Dr. Greever would refuse. Dr. Miller explained that this was almost a breach of etiquette and their hosts would consider him peculiar. Dr. Greever replied, "For the sake of the cause I'll smoke." Then he bought a pipe and some tobacco and for the sake of the Survey he took his first smoke on Trafalgar Square.
Dr. Greever continued to serve for a while as acting editor of the Visitor until Dr. John W. Horine was able to succeed him. Thus, Dr. Greever left the Visitor, where he had served faithfully for 10 years. Subscriptions at that time amounted to 6,700.
In his initial editorial Dr. Horine wrote of his predecessor:
"Dr. Greever has a masterly grasp of the state of affairs existing in the Southland and of the situation occupied by the United Synod in the South; he is a master of evangelical Lutheran Doctrine and of its popular presentation; he is master of a vivid and varied style which never allows his writings to come under the charge of tameness and sameness; and he is master of himself: his own devout and devoted spirit pervades everything he writes. It is no wonder, therefore, that his performance should be masterful."
The United Synod also commended him for his work on the Visitor.
"As a result of his zeal, courage and effort, we have our excellent property on Sumter Street, our prosperous business, and our promising outlook. In taking leave of him in this work, we owe it to ourselves, as well as to him, to make this record and to wish him eminent success in that larger field upon which he has entered."
The American Lutheran Survey had been anticipated on many fronts. Before the Survey's initial issue, the Lutheran Church Visitor quoted the Kirchenblatt of the Iowa Synod as saying,
"We look forward with desire for the first number of this American Lutheran Survey and wish the publisher may receive the support of the entire Lutheran Church in America, so that his work can bring on rich blessing for our church and our people. We need such a paper and are thankful to Dr. W. H. Greever that he has so far done the great work of bringing it into life so successfully."
The Survey Publishing Company had already been chartered by the state of South Carolina and Dr. Greever was manager. It was a stock company and each man was supposed to take 100 shares of stock at $1,000. The purpose was to begin publishing with a capital of $50,000 and keep up until it reached $100,000. About this time Dr. Greever was consulted about becoming pastor of the Lutheran Church in Louisville, Kentucky, so the Survey might well have been located there. However, he declined. Several men in Columbia took $5,000 worth of stock each on the condition that the enterprise locate its home base in Columbia. A large two story brick building was constructed just off Main Street on Ensor Avenue next to Dr. Greever's new home in Eau Claire and just south of the new seminary campus. The upper floor was occupied by the editorial offices and the street floor was for business and mailing uses. The printing was done by the Lutheran Publication House until the Survey Publishing Company erected its own printing plant several years later.
The American Lutheran Survey was to have three resident editors in Columbia: Dr. Greever; Dr. George Taylor Rygh of the Norwegian Lutheran Church and editor of the Lutheran Herald; Dr. Walter E. Schette of the Joint Synod of Ohio and editor of the Lutheran Standard. The staff numbered 25 men from all of the general Lutheran bodies in the United States and 40 church leaders in Europe were signed up as special correspondents. Among the contributing editors were such names as Dr. Henry E. Jacobs, Dr. Armand Miller, Dr. Fred Gottwald, Dr. David Bauslin, and Dr. W. A. Snyder. Branch offices were located in Chicago, Illinois; Minneapolis, Minnesota; New York City, New York; Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, D. C.; Columbus, Ohio; and Berkeley, California.
Before the first issue World War I broke out and not all of the money for the company was ever collected. This cut off the expected European ties and gave much trouble. The war was later to come in for large consideration in the Survey's columns, especially as the government of the United States began contemplating entering. This initial issue of the 32 page weekly was dated October 26, 1914. No effort before this had ever been made to attempt anything like a representative Lutheran voice. Although the publication sought to give a single testimony for Lutheranism, Dr. Greever certainly was no unionist. He wrote in his first editorial, "The Survey has no program for the unification of the Lutheran Church in this country.... Christian unity is vital, it pertains to the inner life. Union is organic, it pertains to the body.... We are concerned about unity." In his humble manner he wrote of the first issue, "It is not the best we can do, and it may not be the worst that we will do, but it is a beginning." The United Synod's Committee on Church Literature was not so reserved in its comments, "We welcome the appearance of the American Lutheran Survey.... The first issue having been awaited eagerly by a large number of Lutheran leaders in America, made its appearance a few weeks ago, and the general concensus of opinion is that the journal more than meets the expectation of its subscribers." Again in 1916 the same committee said, "We call attention to the American Lutheran Survey as one of the leading religious periodicals of our country." One reader wrote in 1915, "I have stopped all other magazines and consider myself well paid by reading the Survey each week from cover to cover."
The Survey made tremendous contributions to Lutheran unity in America. Its very nature lent it to such. It was an inter-Lutheran undertaking and was not in the interest of any organized group. The name, American Lutheran Survey, had been chosen because it was a survey of thought and testimony. The Missouri Synod became very interested in cooperation. On one occasion Dr. Greever went to St. Louis to meet with the faculty of Concordia Seminary. They were so enthusiastic that he did not have to leave his hotel. The faculty came en masse to meet him there. He had then and has since been held in high regard by Missouri's leaders.
"At staff meetings leaders of the different American bodies met for the first time. The men were able to talk together and learn that they did not differ as much as they had supposed. Mutual confidence was created." One particular meeting in Chicago, Illinois was the first time for several of the men to meet. Dr. Armand Miller, who rode the train back to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Dr. Henry Jacobs, related to Dr. Greever that Dr. Jacobs actually wept as he said, "I had never thought I would live to see this day." Dr. Greever told this writer, "Personally, I believe the Survey had more to do with better relations among Lutherans in America than any one factor." Yet in the midst of all this, Dr. Greever strove for a unity, which, if attained, might well manifest itself in union. But he never sought union first. He said, "It is sounder to grow into unity through expressions as they come out of life. If we get organization before we are ready for it, division only becomes worse."
The Survey sub-heading read, "A Weekly Review of World Progress and Problems from the Positive Christian Standpoint," and it was just that. Dr. Greever's main contribution in writing was his regular column "Informal Paragraphs." In addition he contributed numerous articles and editorials. In his "Informal Paragraphs" he considered all sorts of subjects, and because of the rising costs he found it necessary constantly to appeal for funds. On one occasion he recommended that the United States inaugurate a system of graduated taxes on the basis of personal income. The war consumed much of his space in writing. It was the predominant issue facing the country and he continued to speak on it. This brought much criticism upon him.
When Woodrow Wilson delivered his peace message to the world early in February of 1917, Dr. Greever wrote, "In all modesty and humility we say that we have not been able to approve heartily of all of the policies of the President in his international dealings, but more and more has he won our confidence and heightened our respect."
It became apparent that the United States was about to enter the war. Dr. Greever was strongly against this because he felt the war was European and the United States had no business in it. In March he was so bold as to call for a national referendum:
"We have read it [leaflet entitled "Keep Us Out of War"] with deep interest and with total approval and we do not believe that an unprejudiced, unselfish, consistent American citizen could read that leaflet without immediately casting his vote against war with Germany or any other offending nation at the present time, if he but had the opportunity so to vote. But that is where the 'rub' comes in.... the American people will have no opportunity to say as a people whether they wish war or not.... We stand for a referendum on this tremendous issue and pledge ourselves to abide by its results if conducted justly and legally. We could not believe in war on account of any existing ground, but if a majority of legal American citizens should vote for a declaration of war we would consider loyalty to our democratic Government more binding than personal judgment and on that ground would give support to the cause even though it cost a greater sacrifice than life itself. We, however, do not believe that a majority of American citizens would vote for such a declaration if they were given an opportunity first to think and then to vote."
He was neither a pacifist nor a conscientious objector, but he felt deeply the United States had no basis for going to war. The war clouds grew darker. He wrote in the issue dated April 4, 1917:
"When this goes to print, it may be already too late to say anything which would in any wise influence the course of our Government on the war issue, but it will always be important to have historical records straight.... A declaration of war at this time would mean woe, woe, and nothing but woe to this country and no blessing to any other."
But it was too late. President Wilson had delivered his war message on April 2, two days before the Survey reached its subscribers, and war was declared on April 2. Dr. Greever reached the heights of his literary eloquence in this touching testimony:
"We write these words not with any thought that they will make a particle of difference in the course of our government, but because the writer, whose great-great-grandfather fired the first shot in behalf of American freedom at Kings Mountain, and whose father suffered all of the pangs of four years of service to our own Civil War, desires to have the expression of these convictions on public record, together with the declaration that he stands ready to give the last drops of his blood in the defense of his country against any invading foe whatsoever but not believing present issues call for any such sacrifices."
There was much agitation in Columbia against anyone of German background or interests. It came from those who were not necessarily either pro-American or anti-German but primarily anti-Lutheran. Statements were made that the German Lutherans had built the large granite building at the seminary to serve as a fortress for German cannons. Dr. Greever received much criticism because of his editorials advising the United States against war. He discovered that a secret service man was in Columbia to investigate a number of persons including him and Dr. McCullough. The man had been asking around to see if anyone had a complete file of the issues of the Survey. He wanted to examine its contents. Dr. Greever went to the post office -- now the Columbia City Hall -- where the agent was quartered and offered him the Survey's official file. The case was immediately dropped.
South Carolina Congressman Frank Lever, a stockholder in the Survey, notified Dr. Greever that his office was receiving opposition to what Dr. Greever had been writing. Dr. Greever arranged an appointment with the congressman and met with him in Washington en route to New York. Dr. Greever had prepared a scrap book of all he had written concerning the war and took it with him. Congressman Lever sat for several hours in Dr. Greever's presence reading the scrapbook, turning away all who came to his office to see him. Finally he told Dr. Greever, "You're right. You were just in a position to say what many of us felt but were unable to say."
It seems sort of ironic that during the time Dr. Greever was being accused of disloyalty, he was directing a national campaign for the welfare of soldiers and sailors. After the war he led another campaign for reconstruction. It was through prophetic eyes that he was viewing events. He wrote, "If we be not approaching the end of the world, we are at the beginning of a new era." Today, the First World War is used as a dividing point in all historical consideration and was indeed the beginning of a new era.
Costs, which had been steadily rising, became almost unbearable. The Survey was forced to reduce its production from a weekly magazine to a monthly. The subscription price was not reduced but remained at $3.50 per year. The first issue of the new set up came out in September 1920. It had no cover and was completely re-arranged. Dr. Greever accepted a professorship and agreed to serve as executive secretary at the seminary. Yet he continued to lead the Survey -- as well as to serve Ascension Church. Financial conditions became so bad at the paper that the last several years Dr. Greever received no compensation for his work. He even had to use his inheritance from his father's estate and supplemented that with funds from other sources.
In 1928 he accepted the seminary's call to give full-time to that institution. His last issue as editor of the Survey was in June of 1928. This was also the Survey's last issue. The Survey Publishing Company announced that with the termination of its editor's services it was "suspending" publication. The term "suspension" was used rather than "discontinuance" in the hope that conditions would become such that the company could resume publication at some later date. It never did, and the Survey remains now as a testimony to the attempt of several dedicated men, particularly Dr. Greever, to give American Lutheranism a single organ for its united testimony.
As early as the summer of 1908 the Rev. V. Y. Boozer suggested in the Visitor that Columbia, South Carolina would be a good central location for the seminary. In the meantime Dr. Voigt returned to the seminary, but the student body had dwindled to a very low point. He was very discouraged. The United Synod definitely decided to move the seminary to a new location and a commission was appointed to obtain a suitable site. Dr. Greever felt that an appeal for Columbia, South Carolina -- where he was then living -- should be made, so he interested nine men to put in $1,000 apiece, and he added $1,000, making a total of $10,000. They formed the Monticello Home Company and purchased 80 acres from the Ensor estate in Eau Claire. Six acres was offered to the United Synod through Columbia's infant Chamber of Commerce and on behalf of the city. Dr. Greever and his associates remained in the background, and at that time many were not aware of who the donors were. Several other cities were being considered at the same time. The United Synod was to meet in Savannah, Georgia, so all the delegates from Virginia and North Carolina were invited to stop by Columbia, South Carolina and view the proposed site. Dr. Greever even arranged a special train from Columbia, South Carolina to Savannah, Georgia for the delegates.
The Joint Commission charged with the duty of locating the Theological Seminary used no names in its report to the United Synod. Possibly it did not know the benefactors, or it may have intentionally omitted their names. At any rate it reported:
"The city of Columbia offered to donate $17,772, and the choice one of three building sites. After a prolonged discussion the Theological Seminary was finally located near Columbia, South Carolina, and the offers made by that city were accepted. The building site accepted is situated just outside of the corporate limits of Columbia, and measures about five acres. Besides this, sites for four professors' houses were donated."
Dr. Gilbert P. Voigt describes it a little more fully and calls Dr. Greever by name in his History of the United Lutheran Synod of the South:
"Hence, when the offer came from Columbia, an offer of a six-acre campus in Eau Claire, lots for four professors' homes adjoining the campus, and the sum of $17,772 toward a building, the United Synod voted to relocate the Seminary there. The Columbia offer, more attractive than like offers from the North Carolina cities of Charlotte and Salisbury, had been made possible by a group of ten men, not all of them Columbians, under the leadership of Dr. Greever. To obtain the choice six-acre site, the men had to buy as an investment -- which proved unprofitable -- the whole of a large tract containing it. They also subscribed a large part of the cash offered."
An architect was secured and plans were drawn for the main building. The contract was let and construction was begun. "At one stage of the construction, however, the payments to the contractor were so far in arrears that he was about to have the building attached with a builder's lien. But fortunately Dr. Greever and Dr. Wilson, president of the Board of Trustees, succeeded in raising an emergency fund sufficient to prevent the calamity." What actually happened was that Dr. Greever and Dr. J. H. Wilson talked the situation over at a meeting of the South Carolina Synod in Lone Star, South Carolina. The two of them came back to Columbia, South Carolina, and Dr. Greever placed a long distance telephone call to his brother and told him of the seminary's desperate plight. His brother, E. L. Greever, and a cousin, J. A. Greever, borrowed the necessary $10,000 and lent it to the seminary. Later, the money was completely repaid.
The stately granite structure atop the hill was completed and occupied in the fall of 1911. The Lutheran Church Visitor stated in an article on the dedicatory services, "In the review which we have had of the past history of the Seminary we have seen how God has followed it and blessed it in the midst of discouragement, difficulties, and reverses. He would not let it die. In every crisis He has opened a new way for it to pass upward to a higher usefulness." Dr. Greever was very largely the "new way" which God had opened in this case. Although he gave wide coverage to the new building in his columns in the Visitor, he never mentioned his own name but kept himself in the background. In 1955 he wrote a poem on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Seminary. The second verse mentioned the settlement of the Seminary in Columbia and began:
This school was set and ceased to roam
Those granite walls stand firm and sure
While involved in the same work, he returned to the seminary in 1922 as professor of ethics and science of religion. He also served as executive secretary. The United Lutheran Church in America had been formed in 1918 and the seminary was now owned by six of the southern synods. In his historical sketch of the seminary Dr. G. P. Voigt gives wide coverage to Dr. Greever's return to the seminary, giving it as one of the three major reasons for the seminary's hope for the future.
"In the third place, the addition to the faculty of a fourth professor, who would serve also as executive secretary was assured. This professor of Apologetics, Ethics, and Symbolics proved to be Dr. Greever, successful pastor and gifted editor, whose vision and energy had first founded the publication house of the United Synod and given it a building in Columbia, South Carolina; then created the American Lutheran Survey of which he became editor-in-chief. Moreover, he had placed on a firm and lasting foundation the Lowman Home for the Aged and Helpless. He and Dean Voigt constituted a good team of leaders for the Seminary: he in the raising of funds, the recruiting of students, the enlargement and beautification of the plant; Dean Voigt in the administration of the educational program and the promotion of scholarship."
Dr. Greever had written in 1914 as editor of the Visitor, "It is not more men we need for the ministry but more men." His dual position at the seminary as professor and executive secretary enabled him to help make the above statement a reality. As executive secretary he was mainly to raise funds and recruit students. Dr. G. P. Voigt said, "Largely through the efforts of the Rev. W. H. Greever, D.D., Litt.D., who in 1921 became executive secretary of the institution, the endowment was materially increased." He also stated, "Thanks very largely to the efforts of Dr. Greever, thirty students were enrolled in the Seminary in 1924-1925." In 1926 there were forty-four.
In 1925 a campaign was undertaken to raise funds to build houses for Professors John Horine and C. K. Bell. Mr. Avery Rhyne of Charlotte, North Carolina headed the drive which raised $12,600. However, Mr. Rhyne ran a wholesale grocery business and was not able to devote much time to the undertaking, so he asked Dr. Greever to help him. Dr. Greever practically directed the entire campaign, though all was done in Mr. Rhyne's name. Dr. Greever's work consisted largely in writing letters.
Since the student body had grown so large, more facilities were needed. Some were in favor of erecting temporary barracks, but it was decided to build an administration and classroom building. Dr. Greever drew in outline form the floor plan of the building desired, from which the architect drew the technical plans. Then Dr. Greever aided in raising the funds through private solicitations for the $40,000 structure which was dedicated in 1926 and named in honor of Dean Voigt.
As a professor, Dr. Greever's courses had ranged over a wide field including Missions, Comparative Religions, Apologetics, Philosophy of Religion, Psychology of Religion, Ethics, and Symbolics.
He resigned as Pastor of Ascension in 1927 and in 1928 from the Survey. He was then made full-time Professor of Religion and Ethics as well as Executive Secretary. In 1929, Lenoir-Rhyne College granted him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. Since he was on the full time basis at the seminary now, he began even more to apply himself to his task of recruiting. He arranged conferences with boys from high schools and colleges. He had gotten this program set up and apparently on a soundly working basis. "When in 1932 Dr. Greever was elected to the high office of secretary of the United Lutheran Church in American, it became necessary for him to resign his dual position in the seminary. This resignation effective January 1, 1933, was accepted 'most reluctantly.'"
On his leaving the seminary The Lutheran Messenger commented:
"Dr. Greever's service as Professor and Executive Secretary in the Seminary have been most valuable. His work in the field raising money for the erection of the Voigt Administration Building, funds for endowment, contacting institutions of learning, holding conferences with students have been most valuable in the development of the Seminary. The beautification of the Seminary grounds is due to his interest and close supervision."
After returning to Columbia, South Carolina from New York City in 1946, Dr. Greever served two terms as a member of the seminary board of trustees from the South Carolina Synod. This was during a very crucial period in the seminary's life. All generations since Dr. Greever's first connection with the seminary in the 1890's have recognized what he has meant to the institution. Evidence of this is his portrait which hangs in the main foyer of the Voigt Administration and Classroom Building and looks at every one who enters the door. Also he was invited to participate in the ground breaking services for the seminary's major construction program on January 6, 1960. He had to decline at the last moment because of inclement weather.
Many of Dr. Greever's services to the seminary were rendered incognito, and many were intangible. He never sought it otherwise. He was satisfied if the seminary was meeting its mission of "making zealous witnesses" out of the young men who passed through its halls.
While in town she came by the office of the Lutheran Church Visitor to renew her subscription and told her situation to Mr. W. P. Houseal. He advised her to see Dr. Greever, the editor, who might be able to suggest help. Mrs. Lowman in tears told her story to Dr. Greever. He suggested that she make to the church the same offer which she had made to the state. She asked if the church would accept, and Dr. Greever replied that he thought it would. He advised her to consult her lawyer, Judge C. M. Efird, and ask him to draw up the offer in proper legal form. This was done, and the offer was made to the South Carolina Synod. The proposed agreement was that she give the property to the synod, and then the synod would establish a home for the aged as well as provide for the care of her and the children.
President C. A. Freed reported this offer to the 1910 convention of synod, "A lady in Lexington County offers some valuable property for the purpose of establishing a home for the indigent and aged. I would suggest the appointment of a committee to canvass the whole matter, and if in their judgment it is wise, that this committee be authorized to accept this generous offer." This recommendation was approved and a committee was drawn up.
When this committee met and organized, Dr. Greever was chosen as its chairman. The members met with Mrs. Lowman. She was offering about 1,000 acres of land at White Rock, South Carolina "for the purpose of establishing an institution of mercy for the care of the helpless, especially epileptics and of orphans." The committee explained to her that Southern Lutherans were already supporting an orphan home in Salem, Virginia, so she agreed to delete the stipulation concerning orphans.
The committee discussed with her the necessity of caretakers for such an institution. "She further voluntarily offered to donate a sum of money in the bank, approximately $2,000, and certain salable lots in the town of White Rock, South Carolina and Chapin, South Carolina as a foundation fund for the establishment of a deaconess training school, ....upon the condition that she, Mrs. Lowman, shall receive an annual income of 6% on such part as should be converted into money."
The committee appointed Mr. J. W. Shealy, a close neighbor of Mrs. Lowman, to take immediate care of the family and to look after their farm until something else could be done. "Thereupon the papers were returned to the attorneys of Mrs. Lowman and of the committee and on April 11, 1911, the deeds with all conditions of the gift, were recorded in the deed books of Lexington County." A new institution of mercy, which might never have existed but for Dr. Greever, was officially born.
At its July 11, 1911 meeting, the board decided that it was absolutely necessary to have some new buildings before winter to care adequately for Mrs. Lowman and the children. She closed the country home, moved with the children to a small home in Chapin, and construction was begun on two buildings. One was the first in what was to be a series of six-room cottages for the care of the inmates. The other was an eight-room house for the use of a resident superintendent of the home and plantation. Both edifices together cost $2,300 above the material which was used from the plantation. This money came from the deaconess fund. On July 20 the board called the Rev. W. P. Cline to become resident superintendent. He accepted on September 13, and began work on January 1, 1912. A regular board of trustees was set up in place of the governing committee, and Dr. Greever was elected president of this board.
Now that the home seemed to be secure, the committee on the Lowman Home recommended to the 1911 convention of the South Carolina Synod, "That a committee be appointed to meet a similar committee from the United Synod to formulate plans whereby the whole Southern Church may share the benefits of this home."
The Committee on Letters and Petitions reported to the 1912 convention of the United Synod,
"The management of the Home asks the United Synod at this convention to give the institution its moral support and commend it to all of our people of the United Synod.... Also it is the desire of the South Carolina Synod, that whenever the United Synod shall deem it proper to receive this institution under its fostering care and management, the property will be conveyed to the United Synod."
In 1915 the South Carolina Synod passed the following resolution: "Resolved, That the Board of the Lowman Home take charge of conveyance of its institution to the United Synod and that the President and Secretary of this body be authorized to sign the deed of conveyance." The United Synod had appointed a board to receive the Home from the South Carolina Synod and this board reported to the United Synod's 1916 meeting, "The Board elected by the United Synod to receive the Lowman Home for the Aged and Helpless from the South Carolina Synod and to direct its work, met February 9, 1915, and organized by electing Dr. W. H. Greever, president...." Dr. Greever had been leader of the Home since its inception. He conceived the idea, he had been chairman of the original committee and had presided over the board. Then when the Home was deeded to the United Synod, he presided over the new board, a position he was to hold for many more years. When the United Synod merged into the United Lutheran Church in America in 1918, the Home was deeded to the trustees from the member synods of the Former United Synod in the South. Dr. Greever remained president.
Now the Home began its physical growth. Dr. Cline, the first superintendent, retired to Columbia, South Carolina, so it was the board's responsibility to find the proper man to succeed him. Dr. Greever was concerned to find the right man because he realized how crucial it was to the development of the institution. He was on the program for lectures for a summer training school of the Virginia Synod in Waynesboro, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Hotinger were in attendance. They were both very interested in church work. Mr. Hotinger for a long time had wanted to enter the ministry but never had. They asked Dr. Greever where they could give themselves in full time church work. He told them about the Lowman Home and asked them to come to South Carolina and look it over. Mr. Hotinger did and was impressed by the opportunity it offered him for service. Later in December of 1922 he was elected farm manager and afterwards superintendent. In 1923 he moved to White Rock, South Carolina and lived in the newly constructed cottage.
Mr. Hotinger proved to be a faithful and productive leader for the Home. His wife, though not officially elected by the board, gave full time service without pay. Mr. Hotinger and Dr. Greever became close friends. They often travelled together to meetings of church groups, synods, etc. Dr. Greever represented the seminary and the publication cause and Mr. Hotinger the Lowman Home. However, they did not always speak in that manner. Sometimes Dr. Greever would present the work of the Home and Mr. Hotinger the seminary.
The Lowman farm was composed of a chain of small tracts of land that barely touched in places. The present Newberry-Columbia Highway was under construction, and the Lowman land did not touch it at all. Mr. Hotinger had some money, so he offered to buy a small corner of the land on the highway and give it to the Home so it would at least front on a small portion of the road. His gracious offer was accepted. Later, when the Lake Murray Dam was constructed, the southern part of the farm was covered with water. So the board settled with the power company for a definite amount of money which it used to buy the E. U. Shealy farm along the highway. This gave the Home one full mile of highway frontage.
At the same time the congregation of Bethel Lutheran Church was very disturbed because their church had been flooded by the dam. There was much negotiation between their church and the power company, and finally the company offered to give them $10,000 in settlement. Mr. Hotinger and Dr. Greever, with the board, agreed to take the $10,000 and build a church provided the Home was put to no expense. The Home donated property on the highway, and Mr. Hotinger supervised the building. The present Bethel Church was then built.
In 1926 the board undertook to build three permanent brick buildings, a central building and two wings, all on a level so that a wheel chair could easily go through all three. No money was available to pay for this construction, but a Mr. Malone became interested through Miss Julia Oglesby. He said to go ahead with the construction, and he would lend the money and make provision in his will for it. He asked for a note only for the sake of his business at that time. However, he died before his will was made. Therefore the Home was placed in a dangerous financial condition and had to pay for the buildings.
The cornerstone was laid for all three buildings on July 18, 1926, and they were completed in 1927. The main building was two stories and was named Founder's Hall. The East Dormitory for women was named Kinard Building in memory of Dr. and Mrs. M. M. Kinard. The West Dormitory for men was named Greever Building in honor of the dedicated president of the board. Then, in 1927 Huffard Cottage was erected. It was named for the Rev. J. A. Huffard of the Virginia Synod. In the meantime Mr. Hotinger had built and equipped a dairy barn and made extensive provision for poultry raising. The Home was providing its own vegetables, fruit, eggs, milk, and chickens.
For a long time the institution was not in the budget of any church body. It was dependent for a period upon the voluntary contributions of Sunday Schools on fifth Sundays. Of course, individuals became interested and made donations. There were no set charges to patients who were admitted. Each case was considered separately and on its own merits. Dr. Greever spent much of his energy in giving publicity to the Home, making it known. He sowed seeds in all of the Southern Synods.
In 1932 upon his election as secretary of the United Lutheran Church in America, Dr. Greever resigned the presidency of the Lowman Home Board, a position which no one but he had ever held. The Lutheran Messenger's comments at that time were quite fitting.
"It was largely through the efforts of Dr. Greever that the Home was founded and taken over by the Lutheran Synods of the Southern states. For more than 20 years he has been a most ardent worker in the interest of this institution of mercy located at White Rock. To his vision and tireless effort goes most of the credit for the development thus far, and the beautiful group of buildings situated so commandingly beside the Columbia-Newberry highway bearing testimony to his leadership."
The Lutheran Church Visitor and the Lutheran Board of Publication became a part of The Lutheran and the Board of Publication of the United Lutheran Church in America respectively, in the merger of 1918. The American Lutheran Survey became extinct in 1928, but had been most useful in contributing to American Lutheran unity. The seminary and Lowman Home were deeded to the Southern Synods in 1918 and have continued to grow in greater proportions of service.
Chapter IV
Director of Campaigns
When World War I broke out, Lutherans in America came together in the National Lutheran Commission of Soldiers' and Sailors' Welfare. Preliminary meetings were held in 1917, and an organization was set up. This group wanted to raise $5,000,000 regardless of synodical boundaries or general bodies. Dr. Greever was asked to come to New York City, New York, and serve as chairman of the committee to raise these funds. At this time he was editor of the American Lutheran Survey, manager of the Survey Publishing Company, and pastor of Ascension Church, but he accepted the position and commuted between Columbia, South Carolina and New York City, New York. Much of the planning work for the undertaking was done by the Rev. O. H. Pannkoke, a Missouri Synod pastor from Long Island, New York. Dr. Lynn Keiffer was also on the staff. The Commission for Soldiers' and Sailors' Welfare later evolved into the National Lutheran Council.
The next year, 1919 gave him no rest from campaigns. After the war the work of reconstruction was necessary. The newly organized National Lutheran Council sponsored a campaign for funds for Relief and Reconstruction. Dr. Greever returned to be general director of this drive and commute once again. For it he had the same staff as for the previous appeal. During this campaign Dr. J. A. Morehead, president of Roanoke College, was asked to go to Europe on behalf of the National Lutheran Council. Roanoke College was conducting a campaign for funds itself, so Dr. Greever was loaned to his alma mater so that the work could be completed and Dr. Morehead could make the trip. After doing the ground work Dr. Greever fell victim to a flu epidemic.
1919 also found him as general director of another campaign. Prior to the foundation of the United Lutheran Church in America in 1918, each of the three merging bodies had its own plan for financing the budget. The new body had taken over boards and agencies of the three former groups, and consolidated them. However, the entire financial system had to be revamped. The Executive Board of the United Lutheran Church in America worked out a new system of budget and apportionments. It also approved the use of the Lutheran Laymen's Movement for promotion, introduction, and organization of the new financial system. It was to bear the expenses of introducing the new plan. In the merger it had picked up members from the other bodies. Mr. A. D. Chiquoin, was secretary of the movement in the old General Synod, and he was carried over into the new group. The United Lutheran Church in America leaders asked Dr. Greever to go to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and head this appeal with Mr. Chiquoin as his aide. He accepted and commuted between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Columbia, South Carolina for six months, staying two weeks at a time in each place. At this time the idea was introduced which later became the stewardship program. This campaign of organization and publicity endeavored to put the new financial system on a basis of Christian stewardship. Since that time, Dr. Greever had often been called the "father of stewardship" in the United Lutheran Church in America. Apt phrases which he coined have been used in the cause of stewardship throughout the Church, as well as books he wrote. "Christian stewardship is the practice of the Christian religion." "...Stewardship is the fruit and not the root of the Christian religion." Two of his books are considered basic for considerations of stewardship. One is Workers with God, which was written at the request of the book editor of the Publication House and published in 1921. The other is The Work of the Lord. During the depression, Dr. Greever was the unofficial promoter of larger payments of United Lutheran Church in America apportionments. He decided the scriptural basis for each of the church's causes would be the best promotion, and this book is the result. The Board of Publication turned it down so it was published by Fleming H. Revell Company. The Lutheran Laymen's Movement later bought up all the remaining copies for its use. In 1955 Dr. C. C. Stoughten, president of Wittenberg College and former Executive Director of the Lutheran Laymen's Movement, went through all of Dr. Greever's works -- books and booklets, both published and unpublished, -- extracted pertinent statements on stewardship, and compiled them into a thirty page booklet entitled Living Roots. This booklet was published and distributed for sale by the Lutheran Laymen's Movement.
During the same period as the United Lutheran Church in America's benevolence campaign, the Church Wide Movement was in the forefront. This movement was launched largely by Presbyterians, and such names as John R. Mott and G. Campbell Morgan were prominent. It was an attempt at interdenominationalism. While Dr. Greever was in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the leaders of the United Lutheran Church in America asked him, with Dr. Charles Wiles, to go to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to the big "kick-off" meeting of this movement and then to New York City, New York, to visit the headquarters. There they were to make an analytical report with definite recommendations, and on the basis of their investigation the United Lutheran Church in America would decide whether it wanted to become a member or not. Much money was involved, so the United Lutheran Church in America wanted to be sure of the soundness of such an investment.
The meeting at Atlantic City, New Jersey, was attended by many volunteers from Lutheran circles. Prominent among those were Dr. Henry Harms, pastor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Dr. George W. Sandt, editor of The Lutheran. Dr. Sandt was greatly impressed and said as he left the meeting, "Evidently this is the work of the Holy Spirit, and we ought to join." Dr. Greever and Dr. Wiles were not so impressed. They conferred after the meeting, and Dr. Greever spent the entire next day thinking about it and working on statements.
They went on to New York City to see the headquarters in action. The movement occupied one floor of a flat. It was a large room with 100 or more stenographers sitting at typing desks in the middle of the floor surrounded by cubby hole offices around the wall. "It was bubbling over with the enthusiasm of an old time revival." They met with Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, head of the movement. The whole thing appeared very unstable and very unionistic. Dr. Greever and Dr. Wiles agreed on a statement recommending the United Lutheran Church in America not join and submitted it to the Executive Board. On the basic of this statement, the United Lutheran Church in America refrained from becoming a part of the movement. The wisdom of this action was seen about six months later when the movement folded and tremendous sums of money were lost by the member bodies.
In 1920 Dr. Greever directed the National Lutheran Council's campaign for World Service. This, once again, required commuting between Columbia, South Carolina and New York City.
Dr. Greever served on four boards and one commission of the United Lutheran Church in America before 1932. He was a member of the Deaconess Board and the Inner Missions Board before 1922. At the 1922 convention he was elected to the Executive Board. He held membership on this board for two terms until 1930, when he was ineligible for re-election by constitutional provision. At the 1930 convention he was elected to the Board of Education. He was also a member and chairman of the Commission on Moral and Social Welfare.
In 1927 the Executive Board agreed to send representatives to the World Conference on Faith and Order in Lausanne, Switzerland. The United Lutheran Church in America had been invited to send six delegates, but decided to send only four. Drs. Holmes Dysinger, M. G. G. Scherer, and A. Steimle were chosen. Dr. Greever was nominated to fill the fourth place. He immediately refused. He did not believe in that sort of conference which he felt tended toward unionism. Dr. Knubel answered that that had been the reason for nominating him. Therefore, Dr. Greever accepted on that basis. Dr. M. G. G. Scherer was chairman of the United Lutheran Church in America delegation, and each of the representatives attended the meetings of the various commissions of the conference. Dr. Greever was in the Commission on the Confessions of the Church. This group was presided over by Episcopal Bishop Manning of New York City. The Episcopalians wielded large influence in the entire conference. Dr. Greever, as the only Lutheran in the group, made a statement from the Lutheran standpoint. Bishop Manning was so impressed that he asked for a copy. In fact, the entire commission was impressed with the Lutheran emphasis on doctrine. Dr. Greever used the Nicene Creed -- to which the conference subscribed -- quite extensively in his presentation. Afterward, a representative of one of the American sects asked if he might have a copy of it.
Dr. Greever was not very enthusiastic about the conference. He stated that he believed in true ecumenicity but not in a movement. As he later wrote, "Church unity is a product of divine grace, not a human creation."
Dr. M. G. G. Scherer had died, and Dr. Abdel Ross Wentz had been appointed interim secretary by the Executive Board and was serving as acting secretary at this convention. The Church voted to enlarge the secretary's duties to include an office in the church house, to be in charge of statistics, to serve as editor of the Year Book, to be in charge of publicity, of transportation activities, of operations of the Lutheran Church House, and to be subject to delegation by the president to attend meetings, etc.
Dr. Wentz refused to allow his name to be considered by the convention because of his duties as professor at Gettysburg Seminary. On the third ballot for secretary 351 votes out of 424 elected Dr. Greever secretary. This placed a great burden upon him. He asked the convention for 24 hours to consider. He had not been a candidate for the office and had fully expected to devote the rest of his life to the seminary. During the night he talked with Dean A. G. Voigt of the seminary who was in attendance. Dr. Voigt rather thought Dr. Greever should accept this summons to duty, so the next day he did. "In accepting the office Dr. Greever pledged himself to the work, feeling that it was 'the call of God through the Church.'" He did not take up his office at once, but waited until January 1, 1933.
In taking leave, on him the South Carolina Synod's Lutheran Messenger said, "Dr. Greever is one of the best known men not only in the South Carolina Synod and the territory of the former United Synod in the South but throughout the United Lutheran Church in America. We rejoice in his exaltation but lament his departure from our midst." His colleague and friend, Dr. John W. Horine, wrote of him,
"....it will be seen how productive and diversified his services have been, how versatile he has proved himself to be, and why the United Lutheran Church has not only elevated him to the secretarial office, but also combined with that office, in his sole official person, the offices of statistician, editor of the Year Book, superintendent of the Church House, and director in charge of publicity. Heretofore he has filled similar offices at various times; now it becomes his duty to fill five offices at one time. A soloist who sings one tune may be talented; but a soloist who sings five tunes at one time is a chorus -- or a genius."
Dr. and Mrs. Greever went to New York City expecting to find an apartment. First they went to the Prince George Hotel on 20th Street to stay until they could find a more suitable place. Dr. Greever had previously corresponded with the manager. Upon the Greever's arrival, the manager took them up to a suite of rooms on the 7th floor, which they liked. He asked Dr. Greever how much he was willing to pay for it. This was during the depression. Dr. Greever replied that the church was making an appropriation of $75 per month for his living quarters, and the manager said they could have it for $75 per month. They began looking for an apartment, but never found anything which equaled the hotel accommodations. They remained there during Dr. Greever's entire tenure of office.
The hotel was very convenient to the Church House, then on 35th Street. The north-south blocks in New York City are very short, and walking time between the hotel and the Church House was five minutes. This meant that Dr. Greever could leave home at the same time as most of the other church workers who rode commuters' trains, and be in his office an hour earlier in the mornings and stay an hour later in the evenings, if necessary. He also could very easily go in on Saturdays. Once he figured up that he saved approximately six weeks regular working time by being so near. It was in these extra hours that he did much of his writing and held many of his conferences. He was also available at any time he was needed. Later the hotel rent increased, though it was never expensive.
One of Dr. Greever's early official acts was voluntarily to request the Executive Board to give him a 10% reduction in salary from $4,800 per year to $4,320. Dr. Knubel had just done this. The depression had reached the bottom, and the Church was feeling its impact.
At his first convention as secretary, held in Savannah, Georgia, Dr. Greever was asked to make an address at the celebration at the site of the old Salzburger settlement. Because of its catchy and enlightening outline the address is remembered to this day and is often referred to. Dr. Greever:
1. The Salzburgers made a quest for a home.
Another of his official duties involved the purchase of the J. P. Morgan mansion from the Morgan estate for the new United Lutheran Church in America headquarters. "More than any other man he is responsible for securing the excellent headquarters the church now has in New York." The old Church House on 35th Street had become inadequate for the growing staff. It became possible to purchase the J. Pierpont Morgan mansion at the corner of Madison Avenue and 37th street. At first Dr. Knubel objected. He suggested Dr. Greever consult with United Lutheran Church in America Treasurer Clarence Miller in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Miller approved. Then it was left up to the Executive Board to make the final decision. Before the proposition was put to the Executive Board, discussion was forbidden. The board went as a body to view the property, after which they voted unanimously to buy it. There had been some objections before the action from the church at large. Some felt it inadvisable for a church body to have its offices in the mansion of a former financial wizard from Wall Street. There were many legal tie-ups in actual acquisition of the property. Approval of the city government was needed. All of this required much of Dr. Greever's time and energy. When the Morgan house was remodelled, Dr. Greever salvaged large portions of the wood and started the hobby of making crosses out of it, which crosses he gave to various individuals and groups. One of these has reached so far as the Carribean Synod to which it was given when that body was formed. Another is in the proud possession of this writer.
One of the new duties the 1932 convention gave its secretary was oversight of publicity. Today this work is done by a department with a large staff. Dr. Greever decided to find out, first of all, how much publicity the Lutherans were already receiving. He made a survey of the leading daily newspapers in the chief cities of the United States. He asked a reliable man in each city to check on Lutheran publicity over a period, make a scrapbooks of the clippings, and submit it with a report. A display of the scrapbook was made, and they were thoroughly studied. Dr. Greever personally interviewed the editors of several of the leading papers, notably the New York Times, to see what was being done normally in Lutheran publicity. Several conclusions were reached from this study. First, the daily papers were not neglecting church news. They were not giving publicity in a partial way to Roman Catholics, and they were not discriminating among Protestant denominations. In all cases Lutherans received proportionate publicity. Sectional representatives, similar to the representatives of The Lutheran today, were appointed in many areas across the country to be responsible for publicity of the Lutheran Church.
In 1938 the United Lutheran Church celebrated the 20th anniversary of its organization. At that time its secretary wrote a poem entitled "Two Decades." The stirring fourth verse read:
And for the Truth, in this our land,
We'll trust in God for all we need,
We'll guard 'gainst wol
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God broke the clouds, and gave new light.
When loyal hands gave it this home;
As symbols true of doctrine pure."
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2. They made a request for help.
3. They left us a great bequest.
4. Now its up to us to see that it was not an inquest.
Our faith is still with his the same;
America, we'll firmly stand.
His sheep and lambs will tend and feed.