A Sunday in a Graveyard

The inside of the Second Presbyterian Church of Charleston

On Sunday, November 19th, my class got together to go to yet another grave site. While they were walking around churchyards on that Sunday afternoon, I was in a church of my own attending the baptism of my little cousin. Unable to attend the walk with my class I soon had to find a way to get all of the pictures and posts in by the time of class.

The inside of the Charleston Unitarian Church

Using a combination of a website Dr.Harwood blessed us with at the beginning of the year and my own two feet and phone I was able to get this project accomplished. The class went to the Second Presbyterian Church, which is an extremely beautiful church, as well as the Charleston Unitarian Church.

While being in these graveyards my classmates were looking for historical epitaphs in these graveyards.  And I can say it was very interesting to see how these epitaphs have changed over the years. These epitaphs can be anything from scriptures, poetry, quotes, or even just what they thought about the loved one that passed away.

Out of all of the ones I found these are the most interesting to me because I feel as if they do a great job of giving me a feeling of the people buried here. Even though they passed away some over 200 years ago.

Name: Jane Ann Adger
Cemetery: Second Presbyterian Church
Type of Grave Marker: Die on Base
Epitaph: "Thine eyes see the King in his beauty"
Source of Epitaph: The Bible, Isiah 33:17






This grave below is actually very interesting because it commemorates a couple. There are even two different epitaphs to go along with it.
First is:

Name: Elizabeth 
Cemetery: Second Presbyterian Church
Type of Grave Marker: Box Tomb
Epitaph: "In the presence of the Lord"
Source of Epitaph: Exodus 33:14
The Second being:
Name: Rev. John B Adger
Both the cemetery and type of grave are the same as Elizabeths
Epitaph: "I was a sinner but through grace, repented and believed my spirit was with Christ; here sleeps my mortal parts, till He shall bid the rest."
Source of Epitaph: the poem Christ the Friend of Sinners.

Name: John Bulow Brown
Cemetery: Second Presbyterian Church
Type of Grave Marker: Box tomb
Epitaph: "A las how chang'd this lovely flower, which bloom'd and cheer'd the heart. Fair fleeting comfort of all hour I bow soon we're call'd to part."
Source of Epitaph: The poem; A elegy written in a country churchyard.

Name: Andrew Moffett Adger 
Cemetery: Second Presbyterian Church
Type of Grave Marker: Box tomb
Epitaph: "I know whom I believe and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against the day"
Source of Epitaph: The Bible, 2nd Timothy 1:12

Name: Jane Caw
Cemetery: Unitarian Church of Charleston
Type of Grave Marker: Obelisk
Epitaph: "Blessed are they who die in the Lord"
Source of the Epitaph: The Bible, Revelation 14:13












Name: Ann Eliza Graves
Cemetery: Unitarian Church of Charleston
Type of Grave Marker: Pedestal Urn
Epitaph: "Blessed are the pure in heart"
Source of Epitaph:The Bible, Matthew 5:8






Name: Mary Rebecca Colburn
Cemetery: Unitarian Church of Charleston
Type of Grave Marker: Die on Base
Epitaph: "Suffer little children to come unto me and for them not"
Source of Epitaph: The Bible, Matthew 19:14

Name: Thomas W. Dickman
Cemetery: Unitarian Church of Charleston
Type of Grave Marker: Pedestal 
Epitaph: "Those destronger the hope of man"
Source of Epitaph: The Book of Common Prayer and Administration fo the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church of Europe.

Name: Anna Maria Rose
Cemetery: Unitarian Church of Charleston
Type of Grave Marker: Obelesk 
Epitaph: "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God"
Source of Epitaph: The Bible, Matthew 5:8



Looking at these epitaphs I came to the realization that now adays people are much less religious in the face of death. There are no where near as many bible verses and such on the gravestones today. It is more of a loving mother or ect. They are much less personal then they were back then. This has been a very eye opening project for me by seeing the way that people have gradually gone away from that.