In the last issue of The Good News Extra, this column reviewed Mr. Thomas’ first tour as rector of St. John’s (1901-1905). As discussed, he left St. John’s to accept a call to St. James Church in Wilmington and was succeeded - briefly - by the Reverend W.E. Callender. Upon Mr. Callendar’s resignation on December 1, 1906, the vestry recalled Mr. Thomas and he resumed his position as rector on March 1, 1907.

Upon his return, Thomas revived the East Florence mission that he established in his earlier term (and Mr. Callendar had disbanded) and took on several others. He conducted services at the missions, taught, baptized, prepared congregants for confirmation, and made himself available for any pastoral needs that developed. Members of St. John’s conducted Sunday School classes at some of the missions. As described by Nick Zeigler in Refugees and Remnants, Mr. Thomas spent so much time on missions that the vestry worried that he did not devote enough time to St. John’s and to needs within the city.

The vestry passed a resolution to the effect that the rector shall be required to spend his entire time as rector of the church in Florence. Mr. Thomas was again undeterred. He consulted a visiting bishop, who advised him that if he officiated three times on Sunday in the parish church, he was free to leave Florence on Sunday afternoons and weekdays and take care of his extended mission activity. ¹

To make matters worse, Thomas’ preferred mode of transportation to and from his various missions was on a motorcycle. According to Zeigler, “The image of the rector with helmet and goggles speeding down dusty roads alarmed the vestry. The senior warden admonished him (Thomas) that many in the congregation felt that it was unseemly for the rector to ride a motorcycle. This did not deter Thomas, who continued to use this mode of transportation when he found it convenient to do so.” ²

Despite the vestry’s concerns, St. John’s did not suffer from Thomas’ dedication to mission work. Data indicates that his zeal - and, perhaps, his example - invigorated the parish. During Thomas’ years as rector, St. John’s flourished in numbers and in ministry. The choir grew (and caused a bit of a stir when its members began wearing vestments; see box below); a new organ was installed; a processional cross carried by a crucifer was added to the regular Sunday procession; the St. Agnes Altar Guild was established; the Ladies’ Aid Society continued its work in both parish and community; a Junior Auxiliary, Willing Workers, and chapel societies developed; the Brotherhood of St. Andrew was instituted; a men and boys group was organized; and the number of male communicants grew. This last fact is particularly significant. Zeigler reports that prior to 1911 “the number of communicants had been three women to every one male. By 1911, the number of male communicants was reported to be 80 and female communicants, 170.” ³ Not only did the male population grow in number; it also grew in active participation in the life of the parish.

Mr. Thomas’ fervor was also manifested in his efforts to make St. John’s known in the community. He took advantage of print advertising to publicize services at the various missions, as well as at St. John’s. Thanks to the support of Hartwell Moore Ayer, parishioner and the editor of the Florence Daily Times, Mr. Thomas saw to it that St. John’s enjoyed a good deal of publicity. Mr. Zeigler offers the following quote from an article describing elements of an Easter service:

The music was very sweet and effective, the choir being all in white vestments. In the Easter decorations, lilac and white predominated, lilac and white wisteria, snow drops, locust, dogwood, lilies, all the spring beauties in fragrant profusion. The decorations were contained almost exclusively to the chancel. The reading desk had been decorated with clusters of purple wisteria, the bishop’s chair was prettily dressed with garlands of white wisteria and the baptismal font was almost covered with trailing green vines and by a pot of rich bright peach blossoms. ⁴

In 1911, Thomas added to his missionary work by accepting the position of chaplain at the new juvenile corrections facility built by the State on National Cemetery Road. He conducted services on Monday nights and, in 1911, baptized 12 boys. That same year, Bishop Guerry* confirmed three of those boys. (Guerry confirmed 28 at St. John’s that year - the largest confirmation class to date.) Thomas also preached at the State Reformatory, Unity Chapel (Black Creek), and St. Stephen’s Mission (in St. Stephen’s, SC, 70 miles south of Florence).

Between October 1912 and February 1913, Mr. Thomas presented 59 people for confirmation. This is one indication of St. John’s growth during Thomas’ tenure. So quickly was the parish growing that plans were developed to build a larger church in Florence. Those plans, however, were set aside due to financial constraints caused by the World War I. The parish was able, however, to build a new rectory (at a reported cost of $5,000 ⁶) and convert the old rectory into a parish house (now fondly referred to as “the old parish hall”).

The parish continued to grow, boasting record-breaking numbers of confirmations in 1913 and 1914 (including missions). The steadily rising number of confirmations during Thomas’ time was an unending source of amazement to Bishop Guerry, who wrote of the 85 confirmations between December 1, 1913 and January 17, 1914, “I believe this breaks all records for the diocese. I congratulate Mr. Thomas and his congregation on the splendid work they are doing.” ⁷

Poor health required Thomas to take a four-month sabbatical in late 1916. During this time, his duties were covered by the Rev. Henry D. Bull (hired by the vestry as an assistant rector) with assistance by the Rev. T.A. Porter and the Rev. O.T. Porcher (St. Matthew’s, Darlington). On June 1, 1917, soon after his return, Mr. Thomas resigned and accepted a call to St. Luke’s in Charleston where he served until 1947. That assignment was followed by three years at St. Mark’s, Chester, and then a position as missionary to the Medical College of Charleston. Thomas died in 1972.

* William Alexander Guerry, rector of St. John’s from 1888-1893, became the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of South Carolina in 1908.