Pinckney Lectures

Pinckney Lectures are a series of sermons, for the foundation of which Charles Pinckney, chief-justice of South Carolina under the provincial government (father of the late general C. C. Pinckney), provided. He died in 1758, and by his last will directed that two sermons, in May and November, annually, being on the first Wednesday after the second Tuesday in each of these months, should be preached in St. Philip's Church, Charleston, on the "greatness of God, and his goodness to all creatures," with the view, as he states, "to encourage and promote religious and virtuous principles and practices among us, and to raise an ardent love of the Deity in us; and in order to excite an emulation in my wealthy countrymen, whose abilities and fortunes will better enable them thereto, for establishing lectures among us, in humble imitation of those founded by the Hon. Mr. Boyle in Great Britain." For effecting these pious purposes, the will states, "I do hereby charge my said mansion and land and buildings in Colleton Square, devised to my eldest son, with the payment of five guineas yearly, and every year forever, unto such lectures."