White church leaders confess sins of ancestors

Abbeville service focuses on lynchings

July 13, 2005

By SHAVONNE POTTS
Index-Journal staff writer

From left, pastors Johnson Dorn, of Abbeville, and Tony Foster, of Greenwood, and Calhoun Falls Mayor Johnnie Waller lift their hands in praise at Friendship Worship Center in Abbeville, where hundreds gathered for a reconciliation service to atone for lynchings and other crimes against black people.

ABBEVILLE — As people of various races began filling the seats of Friendship Worship Center, they were all gathered for a single purpose: to reconcile the crimes and injustices of their predecessors.
Hundreds of people gathered at the church as white church leaders admitted their forefathers had committed sins against black people and asked forgiveness.
Black church leaders forgave those transgressions – even the sins of rape, murder and the burning of churches.
“The purpose of this meeting is not political. We don’t have a personal agenda. We have a spiritual agenda,” said the Rev. Wendell Rhodes, organizer of the event and pastor of Friendship Worship Center.
Nearly 90 years ago, Anthony Crawford, a black Abbeville farmer, was placed in jail after a dispute with a white man over the price of cotton. He was then mobbed and later hung.
The idea for the service came on the heels of last month’s formal apology by the U.S. Senate to the descendants of victims of lynchings.
Pastor Johnson Dorn, a member of Friendship Worship Center and son of former U.S. Sen. William Jennings Bryan Dorn, spoke about the root of the division between blacks and whites and gave a historical perspective of the racial prejudices that permeated the county and the nation.
“This is not a story about someone a long time ago,” he said. “It’s a story about me and you and our families.”
Dorn told of a time of Klu Klux Klan rallies, Jim Crow Laws and Reconstruction.
“Tonight, I need deliverance from that history,” he said.
Dorn said it didn’t matter if the people in the room were at the lynchings – vicariously, they were all there.
Pastor Byron Jones, of Refiner’s Fire Christian Assembly, Greenwood, communicated the injustices that were done years ago and those that remain.
He also confessed and repented of the sins that were committed on churches that were terrorized and burned.
“We promise to remember the history of slavery, lynching and racism to ensure that these tragedies will be neither forgotten nor repeated,” he said. “We formally ask for forgiveness and we pledge to work together to eradicate racism.”
Jones said white forefathers should have already given the statement of apology.
“I thank God that we can worship together in the open without fear,” he said.
Pastor Tony Foster, of Restoration Worship Center, Greenwood, called Rhodes to the podium to openly accept the apologies and forgive the sins.
There were tears and hugs from both blacks and whites as ministers apologized and others forgave.
Dianne Childes, of Abbeville, attended the service after hearing about it from a friend who attends Friendship Worship Center.
“I came to emphasize more unity for my city, which I live in, and better it as a purpose of what God wants us to be,” she said.
Childes said it was important for her as well as youth to attend and witness a positive event. “I feel like it’s right on time. We can’t bring back years of loss, but it’s a good start,” she said.
Childes said she like the service was something that God would want the church and the community to do.
Sandy Mickler, of Anderson, attends Friendship Worship Center where her father Rhodes is the pastor.
“It’s important for the whole nation, for us to become one,” she said. “It’s not about politics; it’s about love.”
Mickler said she believes the community must join together for true revival and that once forgiveness comes so can healing.
“There’s no separation in heaven,” she said, “and there should not be any here.”
Mickler said she saw in a vision given to her by God two years ago that an event of this caliber would take place in Abbeville. In her vision pastors, both black and white, would reach out to each other in a realm of reconciliation for past sins.
Pastor Dan Henley, of Journey Christian Church in Memphis, Tenn. brought four others with him to the service.
Henley said he read a brief story about the service in a newspaper in Mississippi. He said he was led by God to attend.
“God told me that revival would truly happen here,” he said.
“I think it’s time to rebuild in unity and in the body of Christ,” said Bob Erwin, of Greenwood, who heard about the event through a church member.

Greenwood gets even

Miller’s relief effort overcomes 6 errors as Post 20 wins 4-3

July 13, 2005

By RON COX
Index-Journal sports writer

Greenwood’s Justin Jenkins, 18, beats pitcher Josh Jones, center, and Spartanburg’s Ryan Wilkins, 14, to first base during Tuesday’s American Legion playoff game at Legion Field. Post 20 beat Post 28, 4-3.

One of the tenets of conventional baseball wisdom is it’s hard to win if your team commits more errors than your opponent.
Especially six more.
However, it’s been anything but a conventional season for the Greenwood American Legion Post 20 baseball team.
Despite six errors, Post 20 pulled out a come-from-behind 4-3 victory Tuesday night at Legion Field in the second game of the opening series of the state playoffs.
Greenwood’s win, which came one day after the team suffered a nine-run defeat, tied the best-of-five series at a game apiece.
Post 20, which collected only six hits Monday night, pounded out 11 Tuesday in eight innings and got a stellar pitching performance in relief by Brandon Miller.
The six Post 20 errors, which was one more than the number of hits collected by the Spartanburg batters, led to all three Spartanburg runs.
“We battled,” Post 20 coach Billy Dean Minor said. “It was good to see us being behind and come back, tie it and take the lead. That’s what we’ve been preaching about all year, just battle, battle, battle.
“I’m proud of the kids. I’m not happy with the six errors, but I’m proud of the kids. Now, we just have to be ready to play tomorrow.”
Trailing 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Greenwood began its comeback in the fifth against Spartanburg’s hard-throwing starter Darren Caldwell, who went the distance.
Justin Lovvorn hit a one-out double down the right-field line. After moving to third on a ground out, the Post 20 right fielder scored on Milton Brown’s two-out single up the middle.
Brown’s second hit of the night was the first of three straight singles by Greenwood hitters.
After Kyle Behrendt’s single to shallow left, Will Gary lined a 0-1 pitch into right-center, scoring Brown to knot the game at 3.
With the offense getting on track, Miller became a stable force on the mound.
Looking more like the pitcher who went 10-1 for Class AA Upper State champion Emerald rather than the one who came into the game with a 10.69 ERA in legion play.
Miller entered in relief for starter Josh Jones, who had a difficult outing. Jones, a four-year legion player, surrendered three unearned runs, committed three errors and walked five batters in five innings of work.
The Emerald junior allowed only one base runner from the sixth to the eighth inning, and finished with four strikeouts without a walk.
“We put Miller in in at tough spot,” Minor said. “He made some tough pitches and he finally stuck the inside pitch for a strike.”
Greenwood reclaimed the lead in the seventh and, again, it was Lovvorn who got things going. The North All-Star led off the inning with a single to right-center. A sacrifice bunt and a grounder moved him to third with two outs.
Behrendt, the team’s leading hitter at .395, brought Lovvorn in for the go-ahead run with a double that one-hopped the wall in left-center.
Behrendt was thrown out at third trying to stretch the double into a triple.
“All I was thinking about was just trying to get the ball in play,” said Behrendt, who was 3-for-4. “There was a big gap down the left-field line, but I was just trying to get any hit I could. Anything that could possibly work.
“We came out today really focused. We really played together as a team.”
Possessing a one-run advantage, Miller and Post 20 faced some drama in the ninth.
After pitching three hitless innings, Miller surrendered a one-out single to Jacob Wallace, Spartanburg’s fifth base hit of the night.
Miller then got Ross Hanna to fly out to Lovvorn for the second out. However, designated hitter Chris Bain’s grounder to short was misplayed by Nick Milford for the team’s sixth error, allowing pinch-runner Rand Stegall to go to third.
But Miller struck out Spartanburg’s Jordan Costner, ending the game and tying the series. Game Three is at 7 tonight at Dorman High School with Game Four returning for a 7:30 start at Legion Field.
Despite committing six errors, Post 20 wasn’t devoid of defensive efforts. In the fourth, with runners on the corners and the score tied at 1, Lovvorn made a catch on a fly ball by Patrick West and threw a laser to Wade Scott, who tagged out Thomas Groom tagging from third.
In the sixth with Wallace on first and one out, Post 20 left fielder Clint Burden made a diving grab on a line drive by Ross Hanna. Burden, from his knees, tossed the ball to Milford, who threw to first to double up Wallace.

Opinion

Terror problem solution is up to Muslim nations

July 13, 2005

Before terrorists struck the United States in the early Nineties and in September of 2001, worldwide terrorism didn’t get all that much attention among rank and file Americans. They knew about it, to be sure, but it was something for others to worry about.
After terrorists hijacked commercial airliners and crashed them in the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D. C., all of us were reminded that no one in the world is out of reach of radicals who are willing to die to kill others …... and innocent people are not excluded.
On that fateful day in 2001, though, several South Carolinians were in New York to see first-hand the results of extremists who make hatred their guiding light. The horror was such that it will never be forgotten.

SOME STILL ARE TORMENTED by the memories of that wholesale killing.
Then last week, when terrorists set off several bombs in London and killed other innocent people, other South Carolinians were there to witness the aftermath of those despicable acts. As far as it’s known, none of them were killed or injured, but all the facts are not in.
Many Muslims, including the South Carolina chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have condemned the murderous acts of radical Muslims who carry them out. The terrorists, who say they’re following the teachings of their religion, don’t represent the vast majority of Islam. They do, however, help paint a negative image that is harmful to others.

MEANWHILE, MUSLIM TERRORISTS apparently continue to benefit from the financial and, at times, moral support they receive from Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran and other Islamic nations. And therein lies the problem.
While the U. S., Great Britain, Denmark, Italy and others take the fight to terrorists, they will never be completely successful unless Muslim nations take up the cause. As it is, their direct support and/or passivity should tell the rest of the world something. It is a world problem, certainly, but the rest of the world should have no doubts that it’s the responsibility of Muslim nations to solve. If they are unwilling to do that, they should be seen as friends of terrorists. Some may say they’re our friends. Unless they cut all strings to terrorists, it’s clear: Friends of our enemies, despite what they might say, are our enemies, too.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Gregory L. Calhoun Jr.

Gregory Lavince Calhoun Jr., 11, of 258 Burgess Drive, died Monday, July 11, 2005 from injuries received in an automobile accident.
Born in Greenwood, he was a son of Cassandra A. Jackson and Gregory L. Calhoun Sr. He attended South Greenwood Pentecostal Holiness Church and Restoration Ministries of Greenwood. He was a rising sixth grade student at Westview Middle School.
Survivors include his mother of the home; his father of Ninety Six; a brother, Greterrious Calhoun of Ninety Six; three sisters, Felisha Sade Calhoun and Talisha Dyesha Calhoun, both of the home and Amber Calhoun of Greenwood; his stepmother, Teressa Calhoun of Ninety Six.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Brown and Walker Funeral Home, Abbeville.

Christopher E. Carter

DONALDS — Christopher Elliott Carter, 19, of 117 Lomax Road, died Monday, July 11, 2005 in Hodges.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Robinson-Walker Funeral Service, Ware Shoals.

Mary Emma Glover

JOHNSTON — Mary Emma Burton Glover, 80, of 423 Park Ave., widow of Marshall C. Glover, died on Sunday, July 10, 2005 at University Hospital, Augusta, Ga.
Born in Saluda County, she was a daughter of the late Ben Lee and Ollie Smith Burton. She was a member of Piney Grove Holiness Church, Edgefield and a retired day care worker.
Survivors include seven daughters, Edna Graham of Johnston, Laura G. Werts of Roslyn, N.Y., Eva Graham and Flora Johnston, both of Brooklyn, N.Y., Barbara Pringle of Arlington, Va., Catherine White of Ashburn, Va., and Annie Lewis of Aurora, Colo.; a son, Willie James Glover of Johnson City, Tenn.; five sisters, Louise McKinney, Alberta Carson and Dorothy Dobbs, all of Saluda, Flora Staine of Johnston and Lizzie Young of Edgefield; three brothers, James Burton and Elder Henry Burton, both of Saluda and Curtis Burton of Beach Island; 20 grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Friday at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Marshall Hopkins, assisted by the Rev. Louis Burt. Burial is in Piney Grove Holiness Church Cemetery, Edgefield.
Pallbearers are nephews, and flower bearers are nieces.
The family is at the home of daughter Edna Burton Graham, 135 Long Cane Road.
Butler & Sons Funeral Home, Saluda, is in charge.

Bobby Gregory Sr.

WARE SHOALS — Robert William “Bobby” Gregory Sr., 47, of Richloom Drive, died Tuesday, July 12, 2005 at Hospice House of Greenwood.
The family is at 202 Blyth Road, Greenwood.
Services will be announced by Harley Funeral Home.

Thomas Jackson

Thomas Edward “Flea” Jackson, 47, missing since 1999, presumably died May 2000 in Greenwood.
A son of the late Cleophus Jackson and Lillie Ruth Williams Jackson Hawthorne, he was a member of Mount Pisgah Baptist Church and was employed with Lloyd Roofing.
Survivors include two brothers, Johnny Austin and Randolph Jackson, both of Greenwood; a sister, Doris Williams Jackson of Greenwood; two nieces reared in the home, Maria Hodges and Latisha Hodges of Greenwood; a nephew reared in the home, Antonio “Luke” Hodges of Charlotte, N.C.
Services will be announced by Percival-Tompkins Funeral Home.

Travis Robinson

Travis Robinson, 11, of 814 Greene St., died Monday, July 11, 2005 in Greenwood County.
Born in Greenwood County, he was a son of Hiriam Robinson Sr. and Gladys Mae Calhoun Robinson. He completed fifth grade at Pinecrest Elementary School.
Survivors include his mother of the home; his father of Greenwood; three brothers, Hiriam Robinson Jr. and Demarcus Robinson, both of the home and Shavis Robinson of Cross Hill; three sisters, Cheral Robinson and Ashley Robinson, both of the home and Latisia Gilchrist of Greenwood; and maternal grandmother, Janie Calhoun of Greenwood. The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at robson@emeraldis.com

Doug Sipe

HODGES — Floyd Douglas Sipe, 73, of 212 Daniel Road, husband of Alma Christine Brewster Sipe, died Monday, July 11, 2005 at his home.
Born in Gaston County, N.C., he was a son of the late Junius Floyd and Lueveney “Lou” Kizer Sipe. He was the retired owner of Quality Neon Signs and a Navy veteran, serving on the USS Essex during the Korean conflict. He was a member of the American Legion and Hodges Church of God. He was twice married, first to the late Doris Willis Sipe.
Survivors include his wife of the home; four stepchildren, Shirley Long and Eric Boswell, both of Greenwood, Allison Willingham of Virginia Beach, Va., and Alicia Boswell of Ninety Six; a brother, Charles L. “Booty” Sipe of Greenwood; 12 step-grandchildren; and six step-great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Thursday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Charles Caldwell.
Burial is in Greenwood Memorial Gardens.
Pallbearers are John McKee, Lon Cathcart, Tony Sipe, Johnny Coats, Otis Harvley, Keith Kizer and James Barbee.
Visitation is 7-9 tonight at the funeral home.
Harley Funeral Home is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Evelyn Cowan Wright

GREENWOOD — Evelyn Cowan Wright, 88, died Tuesday, July 12, 2005.
Survivors include two daughters, Hazel Bryant of Fuquay Varina, N.C., and Mrs. Gerald (Beverly Diane) Garron of Laurens; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren.
Graveside services are 1 p.m. Thursday at Greenwood Memorial Gardens, conducted by the Rev. Wade Burton.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
McLaurin at Pinecrest, Funerals & Cremations, Clayton, N.C., is in charge.