Exhibitions • Expositions

STERLING FAITH: 300 Years of Charleston's Sacred Silver
June 1 – October 31, 2004

The Charleston Museum, 360 Meeting Street, Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.

Courtesy of Circular Congregational Church, Charleston, SC.

Inspired in part by the creation of the British Museum (1759), the Charleston Museum was established in 1773 by the Charleston Library Society and is commonly regarded as America’s first museum. Many of the original collections were destroyed by fire in 1778 and operations were suspended during the American Revolution; however, collecting resumed in the 1790s.

This summer The Charleston Museum will cooperate with local churches and synagogues to display examples of local historical ecclesiastical silver. The Museum will feature selections from its own nationally recognized collection of southern American silver in conjunction with pieces loaned by local places of worship. This exhibition will offer an exclusive glimpse at the holy artifacts of the Holy City by opening the vaults of the city's oldest and most esteemed churches and synagogues and displaying her treasures.

STERLING FAITH will explore Charleston's ceremonial and sacred treasures, assembled for public display for the first time. Among the many cherished and protected artifacts to be displayed are Holy chalices and flagons from South Carolina's early Parish System, several very rare silver communion tokens, personal Menorahs used in private ceremonies, and the Christening cup of President George Washington.

According to First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, the use of communion tokens by the Church of Scotland and other Reformed Churches existed in Europe generations before it migrated to colonial America. These coin-like pieces served to identify persons who were properly prepared to receive the sacrament during the week before it was celebrated, generally four times per year. Ministers or elders interviewed candidates and expected them to be able to recite and understand the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed, as well as convince the interviewer that the candidate “walked in the ways of the Lord.” Those individuals found to be properly prepared received a token, which they returned on the following Sunday before they received the sacrament. On the other hand, anyone judged to be unprepared was barred from communion for a time, a practice called “fencing the table”. While the use of tokens was discontinued after the Civil War, preparatory services extended well into the 20th century. First (Scots) Presbyterian Church remains unique in its predominant use of silver, rather than copper, tin, lead, or pewter tokens. The silver tokens were previously reserved for the white members of the congregation, while the African American members received pewter. Prior to the Civil War, the church possessed 500 pewter tokens and between 200 and 300 silver tokens. The looting and burning that accompanied the war diminished the number in existence to the remaining few.

Courtesy of First (Scots) Presbyterian Church, Charleston, SC.

Communion Tokens. First (Scots) Presbyterian Church remains unique in its predominant use of silver, rather than copper, tin, lead, or pewter tokens. The silver tokens were reserved for the white members of the congregation, while the African American members received pewter ones. Prior to the Civil War, the church possessed 500 pewter tokens and between 200 and 300 silver tokens. The looting and burning that accompanied the war diminished the number in existence to the remaining few.

Private Collection.

St. Thomas Chalice.
The chalice of St. Thomas was commissioned for the Parish around 1711 and is one of only four documented pieces attributed to colonial South Carolina silversmith Miles Brewton. A closer look reveals how this remote area embraced its cultural diversity in order to serve the spiritual needs of its community.

Located northwest of the Wando River and southeast of the Cooper River, St. Thomas Parish was established by the Church Act of 1706. A group of over 100 French Huguenots lived in St. Thomas Parish. The South Carolina Assembly established a separate parish for the French-speaking settlers for the purpose of allowing them group to worship in their native language.

The parish was named after St. Denis, France's patron saint. A provision of the creation of St. Denis Parish was that it would eventually merge with St. Thomas' Parish when its people could understand English. The two parishes coexisted quietly until 1768, when the Assembly dissolved the French-speaking parish and gave its assets to the vestry of St. Thomas' for the benefit of the poor. The official name for the parish eventually became the Parish of St. Thomas' and St. Denis'. Descendants of the original settlers still meet and worship annually at two Parish sites.

STERLING FAITH will bear witness to Charleston's diverse and religious citizens - both past and present. It will also pay homage to the silversmiths and their fine craftsmanship that created these relics.

Courtesy of The Charleston Museum, Charleston, SC.

Christening Cup of George Washington
Made by Alexander Kincaid. Edinburgh, Scotland, circa 1730.
At the young age of three months, this cup was presented to George Washington at the time of his baptism, April 5, 1732. The initials “JS” and “GW” are engraved at the front. Research has not yet revealed who the former is. Once one of a pair, this cup was separated from its mate in the 1930s when they were each sold individually at a New York auction. This piece was The Charleston Museum’s first accession of 1998 - our 225th anniversary year.

The three covered cups (see above) were manufactured by Enos Reeves, a former officer who traveled through Carolina with his troops during the American Revolution, returned later to Charleston after the war in the interest of a lady - Amy Legare, the great-granddaughter of silversmith, Solomon Legare. The cups are commissioned from Reeves by what is today known as the Circular Congregational Church (on Meeting Street). Their records of 1799 note the following:

"To the following amounts paid...31st October, 1798 for 84 ounces and 3 dwt of Spanish cut silver...for the purpose of making two large and two smaller wine cups, with handles and shifting covers...which silver I put into the hands of Enos Reeves as the only person in Charleston capable of finishing such in a proper manner; and of whom have only received the smaller cups in June last...he is very slow about them, and his pew rent is to be discounted from his charge of making 21.0.8" (Burton and Ripley, South Carolina Silversmiths 1680-1860).

Copyright © 2004 The Charleston Museum
info@charlestonmuseum.org
The Charleston Museum
360 Meeting Street
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A.