Pilgrim’s Progress: chapter two
Franklin Williams gives his Frankly Charleston historical walking tour.
After much discussion, a group of St. Matthews’ Pilgrims, led by Rev. Lisa Frost-Phillips, Rev. Kate Wisz and and Elizabeth Hays, and featuring The Holy Spirit, on the snowy afternoon of February 20.
Our trip in many ways was like other pilgrimages. We were getting to know each other; we were unsure of what we would find – some of us were still not sure what exactly we were seeking. We only knew we wanted to learn and allow God to work in us to help create a Beloved Community.
And he did; every step of the way. With Elizabeth’s meticulous planning, we went to sites of great beauty that masked the ugliness of our Country’s Original Sin. But oh, the people we met along the way! The owner of the Soul Food Restaurant in Florence, our Gullah docent at McLeod Plantation, and our Historian at “Mother” Emmanuel, just to name three – and all within the first 24 hours!
Our 2nd full day began with a tour of the beautiful city, presented fully, with all the beauty stripped away, digging underneath to indisputable facts of the blood, toil, and tears that were as much a part of the “beauty” as the wrought iron fences and “haint blue” porch ceilings. Elizabeth found us an iconic Soul Food Restaurant, currently owned by the 3rd generation of the family, and we were enthralled all over again, filled not just with the wonderful food, but with the spirit, joy and the history of the place. Our final stop was the International African-American Museum. We were all touched by our experiences and filled with awe. We were awed by the joy we saw, by the people we encountered, and by the courage of our enslaved countrymen and women. Such courage.
On our final morning, we worshipped at Calvary Episcopal Church, and shared our pilgrimage history and experiences. The service was beautiful, joyful, and filled with the Holy Spirit.
We left Charleston feeling filled – and not just because of the delicious meal prepared by the members of the church. We were filled with knowledge and better understanding of the sacrifices, determination and courage of the enslaved people of this country. Knowing our history fully, accepting it and learning from it truly will help us to become a Beloved Community.
We hope you will consider a pilgrimage. Catherine Meeks essay, “Searching for Inner Truth,” implores us to work on our inner selves. She tells us that the inner work is more important than the outer work that we do in our day-to-day lives. She states: “The interiority of a human being is projected into the outer world…” It seems, then, that it is incumbent upon us to spend time with trusted, loving friends who honor us and encourage us as we are looking inwardly at ourselves and our world, in order to help that world become a more beloved place. A pilgrimage is a spiritual, enlightening journey with the freedom to experience the places in your own way. If you are thinking that you would like to learn from our history and are determined to work towards a more perfect union, and a Beloved Community, please reach out when the next pilgrimage is scheduled. Yes, there will be times you will feel uncomfortable, but the beauty you will see, the knowledge you will gain, and the Holy Spirit you will feel, will cause any discomfort to pale in comparison.
Allison Bass
