Have you wondered what is in those three locked cabinets in the church library? Those cabinets contain a wide variety of old records of church organizations and committees. Some date back to the 1800s.

In 1999-2000, a small group of church members gathered these documents from the old church vault, a variety of closets, and other dusty storage places. Under the direction of a capable archivist for the Charleston Museum, and with financial assistance from the State Historical Records Advisory Board, the church archives were formally established and an Archives Committee formed by the Session. The old records have been sorted into groups of similar material and placed in the boxes you see in the locked cabinets. They have also been microfilmed for permanent record at the Presbyterian Historical Foundation in Montreat, NC, the S.C. Historical Society, and the Charleston County Public Library.

Included in the collection are minutes of the Session and Diaconate from the 1880s to the present; records of many women's groups from the 1840s to the present; Sunday School records going back to the 1800s; and many sermons and notes from former ministers, including Dr. Aaron Leland (1812-1817), Dr. John Forrest (1832-1879), Dr. W. T. Thompson (1880-1900), Dr. Alexander Sprunt (1901-1937), and Dr. Edward Lilly (1937- 1955).

The collection also includes many scrapbooks and photographs of significant events in the life of First (Scots), such as the 1886 earthquake, the 1945 fire, and Hurricane Hugo (1989). There are also copies of programs and bulletins from various anniversary events, such as the Centennial in 1831, the Bicentennial in 1931, and the 250th anniversary in 1981.

In addition, the Archives Committee has compiled a variety of old records dealing with our graveyard. Working from records that go back to 1880, a consolidated computer-based file has been generated. This file includes data on about 800 graves, many of which are now covered by Molly Wier Hall and other buildings constructed in the 1950s. Plans are being made to include this graveyard file on the church's website (www.first-scots.org) and, therefore, to make them available to genealogical researchers on the internet.

Does this listing of old church records and current archival activities whet your appetite to get involved in their collection and protection for the future? If so, the Archives Committee invites you to join in this fascinating effort to preserve the historical records of First (Scots). If you would like to help, please contact Charlotte Hay, David Ward, or Bill Wier. We welcome assistance in the collection of additional documents by donations of old minutes of former church committee members, in cataloging records already in the library cabinets, or in just passing the word to others about the historical information already available. The Archives Committee meets regularly to plan and review our activities.

We invite you to join us!