Churches

By Jack Gray

No one knows when the church was torn down, but it was noted that it was still standing in 1888. The church was listed to be in very bad shape with the cemetery covered with brush, the church was closed and fell apart over the years. Today there is no sign that the church was ever there. Other names were the Whetstone Meeting House, Whetstone Tabernacle, and Tabernacle as it is listed today. The cemetery still remains and maintained by the Sons of the Confederate Veterans Camp #73, (Olin M. Dantzler Camp), from Orangeburg. Buried there are some of the first settlers in the old Orangeburg District, such as Keitt, Whetstone, Dantzler, Kennerly, Miller, Amaker, Boatwright, and also Lt. Col. Olin M. Dantzler.

The cemetery is on the Old State Road, (Hwy 176), outside of St. Matthews, (Calhoun Co.), one country mile, (actually 1.8 miles), from US 601. A sign is visible from Hwy 176 on the left hand side, put up by the Sons of the Confederate Veterans Camp #73. A complete listing of tombstones are in the book “Cemeteries of Families of Amelia Township and Calhoun County South Carolina Vol. 1”. It’s a publication of the Calhoun County Museum and Cultural Center. Debbie Roland is the director there. The church there was a witness of the great revival and movement of the Methodist circuit rider Francis Asbury. Afterward, many from that area bear the first and middle names of Francis, Asbury, John, and Westly. Cemetery was used from 1808-1887

A short account of William Whetstone

Contributed and researched by Betty Lou Dewitt Koltash

Wesleyan Journal: Charleston, S. C. - Saturday Morning, May 13, 1826: page 3, Cols. 3 - 4

William Whetstone, was born December 19, 1767, of respectable parents, who were members of the Lutheran Church. At the age of eight, William, was seriously impressed by the spirit of God with a sense of his native guilt and wretchedness in so much that his soul was greatly distressed. In this state it was one day impressed on his mind, that he should retire to some secret place and pray. He followed the impression, and falling before the Lord he endeavored to cast himself upon the mercy of a gracious Redeemer, nor did he pray in vain the Spirit of God which had wounded, decended to heal him and he was able to cry " Abba, Father. In the enjoyment of this liberty he continued to walk some time and would probably have never departed from the good way if he had been blessed with proper religious instructions. He had no one to take him by the hand and encourage him in the way of the Lord, but was surrounded by the workers of iniquity whose example seems at length to have had a fatal influence on his feelings and conduct. As he advanced toward manhood, he became negligent of religious duty, and gave himself up to the indulgence of sinful pleasure, he even addicted himself to card playing, and other similar practices calculated to alienate his mind entirely from every thing like religious truth and piety. In the midst of these backslidings however, the Spirit of God continued to reprove him, so that his soul could not take rest even in his most choice pleasures. Frequently while at playing cards, the Spirit of the Lord so powerfully awakened him. that he was scarcely able to hold the cards in his hand, and he has since declared that frequently on such occasions he has been at the point of throwing them down and fleeing both the place and his companions, but he was afraid of being laughed at, and by means of this chain, he was long lead captive by the devil, at what time he was reclaimed I have not been informed. I have learned however, that it was through the instrumentality of the Methodist preacher that it was effected. under their ministry the Lord brought him to see and feel thoroughly his lost and helpless condition, and so deep and thorough was his convictions, that he could take no rest day or night. One evening he retired to pour out his soul before God in private, and resolved never to cease the struggle till his soul should be set at liberty. Under the influence of this resolution he sought a place in which he might, unobserved by man converse with his Creator, he found such a place in a gully which the rain had washed in his field, and in this lonely and lowly spot he fell to his knees determined on a struggle which only forgiveness, or death, should terminate. It was not long before the Lord met him and spake to him the second time, Be clean, he united himself to the people, who had been so greatly instrumental in his salvation, and was not long afterwards appointed leader of the class in his neighborhood. How long he continued to occupy this station, is not known, but his license to exhort is dated October 1, 1803, and is signed by George Doughterty, as P. E. His license to preach is dated March 9, 1805, and signed by Britton Capel, as P. E. He was ordained Deacon, by the venerable Asbury, November 25,1810, and on the 11th of January 1821, he was ordained Elder by Bishop George. In all these different stations he maintained the character of an upright and useful man. While he was able, he labored extensively as a local preacher, with general acceptance and usefulness. Ultimately however the inroads which a fatal consumption had made upon a once strong and vigorous constitution rendered him unable for the active duties of the pulpit. Yet, even then, when no longer able to preach, he would be carried to the house of God, and after the preacher had closed his sermon, the old man would seat himself on the step of the pulpit, and exhort the people as long as his strength would permit. Finally however, he was confined to his house and was not permitted even to tread the counts of the sanctuary. He could think of the church look after it and pray for its success, and all that he did. During all the time of a long and painful confinement, he exhibited the most uncomplaining submission to the will of God, and unshaken confidence in his promise his chief delight during affliction was to quote verses of Scripture, and of our Hymns, and to converse with his Christian friends on the subject of exper- imental religion. When his friends would inquire of him how he was his common reply was "I am sinking lower and rising higher". The last time I saw him (some few weeks previous to his dissolution) he was expecting death every hour, yet he seemed cheerful and talked of dying as though he felt indeed that death was the gate to endless joy. I observed particularity, how entirely he trusted in Jesus and renounced all confidence in himself, although perhaps, very few men in the community might have claimed more on the score of uprightness and usefulness, yet in the approach of death he seemed to forget every plea, but that Jesus was his Savior. He repented with considerable emphasis, "I the chief of sinners am, but Jesus died for me". A short time previous to his death, he repeated frequently this verse, "0 when shall I see Jesus, and reign with him above". In his happy frame of mind, he continuted till the 27th of January 1825, when he changed a world of pain and suffering, for a world of bliss.

Mr. Whetstone, was a man of great plainness and honesty, his discourses were pointed, were delivered with zeal, and much of the divine unction attented them, hence he was abundantly useful. Many indeed were offended at his plainness and zeal, but God gave him many seals to his ministry. On a certain occasion, a gentleman of high standing said to him if you will conclude your discourses as you begin them, you may preach here, but if you preach as you did at such a time you will scare the women into fits. Mr. Whetstone replied, I'll preach as God directs, and if you don't let me preach here, I'll preach some where else. Few men have been honored more abundantly with the confidence of society, than Brother Whetstone, where he was best known he was most beloved, and in the neighborhood in which he lived he was looked up to as a.sort of patriarch. But, his work is done, and it behoves us to follow him as he followed Christ.