Charleston, South Carolina

Almost 48 hours have passed since the domestic terrorist attack at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.). Nine innocent people were murdered. We pray for the families of those who lost their lives this past Wednesday evening.

Before I go any further with this blog, I want to say how proud I am of Charleston, South Carolina and their handling of this tragedy. Foremost, I give thanks to God for the families of the those who died; families who displayed and who are still displaying their Christian love and forgiveness. How difficult this must be for them? Or, perhaps it is not that difficult for them because of their own love for Jesus. What a blessing those families are to the nation! This is Christian courage and Christian love, make no mistake.

It is gratifying also to witness the outpouring of love and compassion for the families of the 9 victims - an outpouring not only from Charleston people, but from around our nation.

Allow me to digress to a degree, but historically related.

Anyone who has ever visited Charleston would recognize what I am about to write. Charleston is a lovely town. The downtown area is ripe for visitors and it is always welcoming in the attitude of its people. And it is not simply a summertime place to visit either. Wintertime brings its own welcoming call.

For years the Mere Anglicanism conference is held near the end of the month of January. I do not know how many years it has been convened, but the conference has been a steady Christian witness conference for a long time. Yes, the conference has local founders and organizers, but it is an international event bringing in Anglican (and non-Anglican) scholars, bishops, clergy, and laypersons from all over the world.

Charleston, I learned only this week, is called the Holy City because there are more than 400 places of worship there.

There is a Huguenot Church in Charleston, one of the first, if not the very first, French Huguenot Church founded on Colonial America's shores. The church is not a "tourist trap," it is a living, vibrant Christian community.

The African Methodist Episcopal church has a large presence in South Carolina. The next time you drive, say from Wilmington, North Carolina to Charleston, South Carolina on U.S. Hwy 17, check out the high number of A.M.E. churches established along that highway.

Charleston's history, however, is tainted for its participation in slavery and the slave trade. A slave named Denmark Vesey (I don't know if the name is pronounced "vessey" or "veezey") was one of the founders of Emanuel A.M.E. Church prior to 1820. Vesey was owned by slave trader and ship owner John Vesey who allowed Denmark to work. Denmark Vesey was an excellent business man and eventually bought his freedom and lived in a nice home on Bull Street. But he quietly began to develop over the years a plan to free Charleston's slaves. After attacking their owners, the plan called for slaves to leave by ship and head for Haiti. The conspiracy was discovered and Vesey and many other black men were hanged.

During those early days of the American colonies and the beginning of the new United States, Charleston was a commercial rival to New York City. Charleston harbor provided for much international shipping trade and commerce. Young British entrepreneurs trying to make their money on Barbados relocated to Charleston to make their fortunes when land on Barbados became scarce. Barbados was a slave trading center as well as a center of other commerce. Those young British entrepreneurs were known in Charleston as Barbadians.

Charleston has come a long way in how it understands itself and how each of its citizens regard one another. Most of that progress has come, mostly likely, in the most recent 45 to 50 years. But progress it is.

I am proud of Charleston, South Carolina, and I am humbled by their gracious spirit, particularly now as they mourn.