“It is an enduring monument, not only to God, but to man’s best self.”
That line from a 1905 Manning Times article described the cornerstone of the newly constructed Presbyterian Church at Manning. 120 years later, on Saturday, April 5, dozens gathered to witness the removal and opening of that very cornerstone and the time capsule sealed inside it.
The ceremony, led by members of The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free Masons of South Carolina, followed Masonic tradition with solemn rites, prayers and symbolic offerings of corn, oil, and wine. Bagpipes played as the stone was removed and the capsule carried in a processional around the church and down the sanctuary aisle to be opened at the communion table.
Inside the rusted copper box were a few coins, small paper scrolls tied with ribbon, and a 1905 edition of The Manning Times. The ribbon clasp had deteriorated almost completely, and while the paper items were wet, they were still legible.
“I’ve been wondering about what’s inside that box for 20 years,” said church member and local historian Ferrell Cothran. “But the truth really is, the treasure is this sanctuary—what our forefathers built, the vision they had. It’s a beautiful place. And it’s the relationships we have here that matter most.”
Cothran discovered the existence of the time capsule after reading an archived article from The Manning Times at the Library of Congress. The capsule had been intended to be opened in 2005 for the church’s centennial, but the timing never worked out. Cothran eventually passed the project on to the Young Adult Sunday School class, who coordinated the event under the leadership of Sudan Hayne Furse, who served as chair.
Event organizers included Caroline Buyck, Emily Epperson Way, Jack Furse, Don Bryce, Beverly Parent, and Leslie Paul. Church member and Mason Dee Evans, along with his wife Michelle Evans, helped plan and prepare a lunch for the visiting Masons and embroidered the white coverings that adorned the communion tables during the event.
The capsule’s unveiling marked the first event in a weekend-long celebration of the church’s 120th anniversary and Homecoming. Reverend Dr. C. Jarred Hammet Jr., the church’s pastor, described the moment as both a reflection on the past and a recommitment to the future.
“This is a transitional moment. It is a moment of reflection and renewal,” Hammet said during the ceremony. “We look back. And we look forward. And above all, we give thanks for God’s abiding presence every step of the way.”
Hammet likened the removal of the cornerstone to the biblical story of Easter—when a heavy stone was rolled away from Christ’s tomb. “We, too, come like those who were bearing spices, to mark with honor what has been, what was hidden,” he said. “And so we joyously pray to the one who reveals all secrets and all mysteries.”
The capsule was first placed during the church’s dedication service in 1905, when the cornerstone was laid by the Masons and the church was formally opened to the congregation. That 1905 edition of The Manning Times described the new brick sanctuary as “a monument of labor and love” and “one of the prettiest and best-appointed churches in the State.”
Judge Thomas W. Cooper Jr., who spoke during Sunday’s Homecoming worship, described the decision to construct the church at its present site as one of great foresight and sacrifice. According to the original article, local brick was used to build the church—fired just a few blocks away at Harvin’s brickyard. The same brick was also used in the construction of the courthouse and public library.
Among the highlights of the capsule ceremony was a prayer shared by Hammet:
“Lord, this cornerstone has seen much. Heard much. It has contained it all ... and with each tolling, with each door opening, this stone has pointed us to the chief cornerstone—Christ, the risen and powerful one.”
The artifacts uncovered offer a window into the past, a quiet yet powerful reminder of faith, craftsmanship, and community—a tribute, just as The Manning Times declared in 1905, “to God, and to man’s best self.”
