Conference History

From the HISTORY OF THE PENTECOSTAL HOLINESS CHURCH written by Dr. Joseph E. “Pappy” Campbell, we were able to determine that the first session of the Lower South Carolina Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church was held in 1910 with Rev. J. J. Carter serving as the first Conference Superintendent.

Since that early beginning in 1910 until the present date, 2014, we have had 14 men that have led this Conference with the title of Conference Superintendent or Conference Bishop. These men through the leadership of the Holy Spirit have brought the South Carolina Conference to where it is today.

It is interesting to note that the name of this conference, The Lower South Carolina Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church was changed to The South Carolina Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church, dropping the word “Lower” in the 33rd Conference Session held on September 18, 1943. Bishop Dan T. Muse presided over this session. In 1943, the Conference had 87 ministers, 71 churches and 1,810 members.

The earliest recollection of a listing of the South Carolina Conference Board in the early 1910 and 1911 included: State Superintendent – Rev. J. J. Carter, Assistant Superintendent – Rev. A. J. Page, Secretary – Sarah M. Payne, Treasurer – Rev. M. H. Israel and Board Members – Rev. E. D. Cannon and Rev. A. M. Gappins. In this early session of the Conference, there were 30 preachers who were members of the Conference and 23 existing churches.

The South Carolina Conference has been instrumental in beginning many “firsts” in the Pentecostal Holiness Church which have been adopted and has become a part of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church today. Among those include what is known today as the Global Outreach Offering, having its beginning under then Conference Superintendent, Rev. T. O. Evans back in 1952. The Ministers Wives Fellowship had its beginning in the South Carolina Conference as well as the Mobile Feeding Kitchen and Disaster Relief USA.

The South Carolina Conference has made a dynamic impact on the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and the International Pentecostal Holiness Church has impacted the South Carolina Conference.