The Tidings - February, 1999

"Archives Corner"

 

In a follow-up conversation with Brother William E. Fuller III of Greenville, SC on December 18, 1997, I reviewed some points of interest.  His grandfather, W.E. Fuller, Sr., was one of the principal preachers and church-planets of the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church.  In 1908, because of legal problems of blacks and whites worshipping together, Rev. Fuller requested that his black followers be granted a separation.   They needed to find places of worship since integrated meetings were now forbidden.   His group became the Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas.

They established the Fuller Normal and Industrial Institute on present Anderson Road in Greenville where he had established a number of churches.  That section of SC Highway 81 is named the "Bishop W.E. Fuller, Sr., Road."  His son, Bishop W.E. Fuller, Jr., is still leading the church, with his residence being in Atlanta.  His grandson, William E. Fuller, III is a teacher and former principal at the institute.   The school serves as the headquarters for the denomination.  The denomination will also have 1998 as their Centennial because of our common heritage.

 

Carl J. Sexton
Archivist, Upper South Carolina Conference