 |
| Bethel United Methodist Church |
Bethel United Methodist Church has been standing at the corner of Calhoun and Pitt Street since 1797. The church is located at 222 Calhoun Street. The vision for their church is to welcome all people and embrace a diverse community. Bethel church is Charleston's oldest standing Methodist Church and was the only Methodist Church to remain open during the Civil War. I will be exploring the special symbolic meanings on the gravestones located in the churchyard. Source: Bethel United Methodist Church
Upon entering Bethel's Graveyard, you will notice it is very pretty with its bright green, trimmed grass, and pretty trees. As stated in their vision, a diverse population is also celebrated in its graveyard through a memorial. The "In Remembrance" memorial reads, "They were members of the Methodist Church. Both free and enslaved. They were of different ages, gender, and race."
 |
| Bethel Methodist Graveyard |
 |
| "In Remembrance" Memorial |
The Bethel Methodist graveyard has a variety of gravestones with special symbols on each stone. Below I will share with you the symbols I find and their meanings!
 |
| William H. Fleming, D.D. Jan. 1, 1821-Apr. 16, 1877 |
 |
| C.D. Bateman Sept. 22, 1889 |
The gravemarker is a die on socket. At the top of the stone is a bouquet of flowers. The bouquet symbolizes condolences and grief. This symbol was very popular among this churchyard. Source: Click Here
 |
| Priscilla Sarah Eason Jun. 28, 1809-Mar. 10, 1885 |
This gravemarker is a typanium headstone. The symbol of a cross inside of a crown was also popularly used in this graveyard. The cross and crown symbolize sovereignty of the lord as well as representing trials in life with the cross and the crown represents reward in heaven. Source: Click Here
 |
| Rebecca Jane Jan, 22, 1856-Nov. 21, 1875 |
This gravemarker is a die on socket. The gravestone has a symbol of an angel. An angel represents the guardian of a sacred place, servants of God, or divine wisdom and justice. In this case, the angel appears to be flying which symbolizes rebirth. Source: Click Here
 |
| Anna Chrietzberg 1821-1872 |
This gravestone is a die on socket. The gravestone has two symbols. The wreath symbolizes the victory of the redemption. The second symbol is a dove. A dove represents the Holy Spirit. If a dove is facing downward, which might be perceived here, it represents a descent from heaven and assurance of safe passage. Source: Click Here
 |
| Rosa Mary Oct. 9, 1835-Nov. 2, 1881 |
This gravestone is also a die on socket. The gravestone has a bouquet of flowers as well as a drape laid upon it. The symbolism of the drape depicts the veil between life and death and God's protection until resurrection. Source: Click Here
 |
| James F. M. Lord Feb. 16, 1862 |
This gravestone is a typanium headstone. The symbol on this grave is one of my favorites because I love the beauty of a weeping willow tree. The weeping willow tree represents sorrow and mourning. Source: Click Here
 |
| Emily Andrew, Catharine Frances, James Lust All passed in their pre-teen years |
These gravestones are ledgers. The symbol in the circles are roses. Roses can mean a variety of things depending on its stage of growth. These roses are in partial bloom, which represents the person died while in their pre-teen or teenage years. Source: Click Here
This gravestone is a broken ledger or tombstone. The symbol at the stop is an unbudded flower. The unbudded flower represents the death of a child normally under 12 years of age. The second image focuses on the symbol. Source: Click Here
 |
| Mary Elizabeth Aged 1 year, 6 months and 20 days |
No comments:
Post a Comment