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| Bethel United Methodist Church |
Have you ever walked through a cemetery and wondered what the meaning was behind the symbols you saw on the tombstones? For my Beyond the Grave class, we visited the
Bethel United Methodist Church graveyard and our goal was to interpret the meaning of the symbols that we saw on the different graves.
The Bethel United Methodist Church is the oldest standing Methodist Church in Charleston and has a unique racial history. The first church served black and white members from 1797 to 1852. The first church is now known as "Old Bethel" and was donated to the black congregation in 1876 when a new and larger sanctuary was built. The
Old Bethel Church was physically moved across the street while the new church was built on its old spot.
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| Old Bethel United Methodist Church |
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| Catherine Lord's Headstone |
To the right, is the grave Catherine Lord, who was born in 1826 and died at 32 years old. Her grave is decorated with a wreath and has a ribbon in the background. The use of wreaths was adopted by the Christian religion from the ancient Greeks. It symbolizes victory and redemption. It is also said to indicate memory and victory over death. This grave marker has been moved from its original spot, however, it is most likely a die on socket.
