USA > Maryland > Frederick County > Graceham > The history of Graceham, Frederick County, Maryland > Part 12
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February 18. The church-land being open for rent for an- other term of five years, it was agreed by the Committee to rent the 81/2 acres, Lots Nos. 1, 2, 3, and 4, at $4.50 per acre; the grave-yard lot, No. 5, 472 acres, at $3.25, and the grave-yard lot, No. 6, 21/8 acres, at $3 per acre. The brethren Geo. Hesser, John T. Colliflower and Eugene Gernand agreed to take the lots on the above terms, Geo. Hesser and John T. Colliflower joint- ly all except Lot No. 6, which Eugene Gernand took. The agreements had been drawn up, and were duly signed and at- tested during the week.
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April 7. Congregation Council elected Bro. James Creager as a delegate to the Provincial Synod to convene at Lititz, Pa., on May 22.
May 5. The Western Maryland Railroad having resolved to extend the line to Hagerstown, and having located the route through the church-land, asked for the right of way, and Con- gregation Council, after discussion, left the matter undecided un- til May 19, when, in another meeting of Congregation Council, the right of way was unanimously granted to the railroad.
June 10 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council elected Jas. Creager, Bernard Colliflower, James Weller and Isaac Weller as the Committee, and John Colliflower, James Weller, B. Col- liflower and Fred. Stauffer as Sextons.
June 16. Bro. Greider preached his last sermon at Sabillas- ville, as he had accepted a call to Egg Harbor, N. J.
July 15. The Committee agreed to lay off some building lots, advertise them and sell them at public sale ; Congregation Coun- cil to be consulted on Sunday, the 21st.
July 29. Congregation Council having left the matter to the Committee, they agreed to lay off ten building lots, advertise them, and sell them on August 24, at I P.M. The conditions of sale were : A dwelling-house must be erected within the space of three years, or the title to the lot will be forfeited. One-third of the price to be paid in cash, and the balance in three equal annual payments, with interest from date of sale.
July 30. Fourteen lots were laid off, eleven being on the east side of the cross-street leading to the Western Maryland Rail- road. The Committee at once appraised the lots and agreed not to sell them below the appraisement. The first three of the four- teen lots were the lots on the north side of Main Street, east of the cross-street, now numbered 1, 2, 3, and (1912) owned by Charles Laymon, George Firor and Alonzo Buhrman.
October 18 (Sunday). A large congregation gathered at the usual hour, when Bro. Greider preached his valedictory sermon. The Diary says: "The entire congregation has been visited by both of us within the last two months. Bade a final farewell to all the town-people this evening, and made arrangements to start for Littlestown tomorrow morning." Besides his work at Graceham, Bro. Greider preached at Mechanicstown, Centre
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School-house, Sabillasville, Eyler's Valley, Wolfsville, Rocky Ridge, Witherow's School-house and Franklinville.
November 7. The Rev. Henry T. Bachman arrived as Bro. Greider's successor, after a pleasant journey of about two weeks, from Ohio, in a carriage. Membership at close of 1867, 196.
1868 .- January 5-12. The Week of Prayer was observed as usual, and meetings were held every evening of the following week, resulting in "a revival of the work of the Lord in the hearts of his believing ones." The Committee decided that the pastor's salary should be $60 per quarter. Bro. Bachman con- tinued the preaching in Harbaugh's Valley, Eyler's Valley, the Ridge, and at Franklinville for some time, also at Sabillasville, and Smithfield. The preaching at Franklinville was changed to the Furnace, March 14, 1869, and the weekly prayer-meeting at Mechanicstown, begun October 6, 1868, was moved to Bro. En- gel's on the Levels, January 12, 1869.
March 29. By a resolution of the Committee, the Passion Sea- son lovefeast and Holy Communion were changed from Maun- dy Thursday to Good Friday, "as we observe the Lord's Supper in remembrance of the death of Jesus, and not of the institution of the sacrament."
June I (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council elected Ber- nard Colliflower, James Creager, James Weller and John T. Col- liflower as the Committee; and James Weller, B. Colliflower, John T. Colliflower and Fred. Stauffer as Sextons.
July 27. The Committee met to lay off some lots in the "Spring-meadow," and fixed the price of No. I, adjoining the Harbaugh property at $145, of No. 2 at $140, and No. 3 at $100.
August 3. The Committee considered the application of Mr. Burtis Bennet for about 11/2 acres of land adjoining the railroad and his own land, as a site for a warehouse and depot, and on August 10, after the ground applied for by Mr. Bennet had been staked off, as also the right of way considered, which was in- cluded in his application, the price for the land and privilege was fixed at $385.
August 9. Bro. Fred. Stauffer having resigned as one of the Sextons, Bro. Nicholas Engel was elected in his place.
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August 24. In a meeting of the Committee the Trustees con- veyed over to Messrs. Bennet and Fisher a parcel of land of about 11/2 acres, for the sum of $385.
August 30. Bro. Engel having resigned as Sexton, Bro. Geo. J. Hesser was elected in his place.
September 16. Committee fixed the price of the small three- cornered lot opposite the site of Bennet and Fisher's warehouse at $95.
September 20. Congregation Council having met to elect a delegate to the Preparatory Provincial Synod to meet at Beth- lehem November 18, it was resolved that the minister in charge should represent the congregation. At the close of 1868 the to- tal membership was 197.
1869 .- January 3-10. The Week of Prayer was observed.
January 24-February 14. Bro. Bachman held services every evening which were blessed to the awakening of a goodly num- ber of souls, some of whom found peace in believing, and all felt encouraged by the work of grace with which the congregation had been favored. A prayer-meeting for the sisters and one for young men were commenced in Graceham.
February 28. Congregation Council considered the necessity of enlarging the present cemetery or laying off a new one, and appointed the brethren of the Committee, with the addition of the brethren Geo. J. Hesser and Elias Siess as a committee to investigate the matter.
March 2-5. Bro. Bachman visited Washington, D. C., to wit- ness the inauguration of President Grant.
March 14. The special committee appointed February 28 re- ported that the cemetery could be conveniently enlarged and im- proved. A suitable piece of ground had been selected for a new cemetery, should the Congregation Council prefer, but the com- mittee recommended that a new cemetery be not laid off until enough lots had been sold to cover the estimated expenses, say $80-$100. The majority of the Congregation Council opposed laying off a new cemetery.
April 26. The Congregation Council resolved that as a part of the minister's tract had been sold off, a commutation of $20 should be annually paid him.
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April 28 and 29. Bennet and Fisher's warehouse was raised.
May 17 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council elected Jas. Creager, James Weller, Bernard Colliflower and John T. Colli- flower as the Committee, and John T. Colliflower, B. Colliflower, James Weller and Geo. J. Hesser as Sextons.
July 12. Bro. Michael Colliflower put a new roof on the spring-house and covered the wall.
July 21. Bro. Bachman purchased a new Sunday School li- brary in Baltimore.
December 31, 1869. Total membership, 198.
1870 .- March 7. A letter from the Provincial Elders' Confer- ence was laid before the Committee, requesting that the congre- gation no longer look for aid ($100) from the Sustentation Fund in support of their minister. It was resolved to read the letter to the congregation, and to make an effort to raise the subscrip- tion. "We feel our need of an increased membership of whole- souled Christians even on account of this secondary considera- tion," say the Minutes.
March 20. Congregation Council met after preaching and among the rest resolved that "hereafter no meeting of Congre- gation Council shall be called to attend to purely worldly busi- ness on the Lord's Day."
April 10 (Palm Sunday). A special meeting of Congregation Council was held for the purpose of electing a delegate to the Provincial Synod to meet at York, Pa., in May. Bro. Bernard Colliflower was elected as delegate, and Bro. James Creager as alternate. The latter attended the Synod. This Synod divided the American Province North into four Districts, in each of which annual Conferences, composed of ministers and lay dele- gates were to be held.
May I (Sunday). Bro. Bachman and the congregation having been invited to attend the Centenary Celebration at Apple's church, there was no service at Graceham .*
*From Rev. G. A. Whitmore's "Historical Sketch of Trinity Reformed Church in Thurmont" we learn that this celebration was the Centennial of the organization of the Reformed Church at Apple's, April 15, 1770. Also, that the first building, erected according to Graceham records in 1765, was of logs, and was occupied jointly by the Reformed and Lutheran congregations, many of whom came a long distance out of the mountains,
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June 6 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council elected B. Col- liflower, James Creager, John T. Colliflower and Elias Siess as the Committee, and B. Colliflower, John T. Colliflower, Jacob Shown and Jago Colliflower as Sextons. Bro. Siess having de- clined to serve, Bro. Wesley Delaplane was elected, June 19, in his place.
October 5. Bro. Bachman read to the Board the "call" he had received from the Provincial Elders' Conference to be one of the pastors of the Bethlehem congregation, and stated that he had decided to accept the appointment.
October 10. The Congregation Council accepted the Rev. Jesse Blickensderfer as the new pastor.
November 2. The brethren John T. Colliflower and James Creager took Bro. Bachman and family to the railroad station at Double Pipe Creek (now Detour) where they met his'succes- sor, Bro. J. Blickensderfer and wife, who had just arrived.
December 10. Congregation Council agreed to give towards the road asked for by Mr. Bennet a piece of land ten feet in width, provided the road through Bennet's warehouse lot re- mained open and public, and provided the congregation had the privilege of running a road from Mr. Barton's house (in the upper part of the town) parallel to the main street of Graceham, through the lower corner of Bennet's warehouse lot, if said road should strike it. In accordance with this agreement, the Com- mittee was instructed to make a proposition to Mr. Bennet, cov- ering substantially the above terms.
and carried their guns as a protection against marauding Indians. One corner of the church was called the "gun corner." The first church, it is said, stood a short distance below the present stone edifice, (built in 1826, and this year [1912] extensively remodeled) towards the gate leading to the public road. Not far away stood a school-house, and back of it a stable for the pastor's horse. The ground for the church, school-house and cemetery was donated by Mr. Peter Apple, who owned and lived on the adjoining farm.
In former years our ministers at Graceham frequently officiated at funerals and otherwise in both the first log church and the present stone building, as mentioned elsewhere in this history. In 1857 the Lutheran congregation withdrew and built a church in Mechanicstown (Thurmont), and in 1879 a part of the Reformed congregation did the same, the re- mainder still worshipping in Apple's church.
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December 15. The first locomotive engine on the Western Maryland Railroad made its appearance at Graceham.
December 31. Total membership, 199.
1871 .- February 6. The Article of Agreement concerning Mr. Bennet's road was signed.
April 2. Bro. B. Colliflower was elected a delegate to the District Conference of this (second) District, to be held in Phil- adelphia. A subscription towards the expenses of the Confer- ence was ordered to be circulated on the following Sunday.
May 29 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council elected Jas. Creager, John T. Colliflower, B. Colliflower and James Weller as the Committee, and re-elected the Sextons of last year.
August 7. The Committee ordered that the cupola on the church should be re-painted.
October 7-9. The Rev. W. H. Rice, of York, Pa., partici- pated in the celebration of the congregation festival.
December 31. Total membership, 190.
1872 .- January 16. The Rev. Sylvester Wolle, of the Provin- cial Elders' Conference, arrived on an official visit and met the Committee and Congregation Council on the 16th and 17th.
February 19. The Committee fixed the price at which the church-land was to be offered for rent, viz., the grave-yard lot for $3.43 per acre, and the other lot at $4.56 per acre.
March 31. Congregation Council elected Bro. James Cregar as delegate to the District Conference at Lancaster, Pa., and Bro. J. T. Colliflower as alternate delegate. A subscription for the expenses of the delegate was taken up.
April 21. A committee appointed for the purpose having found the congregation able and willing to entertain the next District Conference, the delegates elected March 31 were in- structed to invite the next District Conference to meet at Grace- ham.
May 5. Bro. Blickensderfer preached at the Ridge for the last time.
May 20 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council re-elected the Committee and Sextons elected last year. Bro. Creager reported concerning the District Conference, which he attended.
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August 7. The Committee agreed to try the envelope system for the next quarter in the place of subscriptions for the pas- tor's salary. Also agreed to call on the congregation for $200 for repairs.
August 26. The Rev. Amadeus Reinke and daughter arrived for a short visit.
November. Seven new lamps were purchased for the church at 75 cents each.
December 16. The Committee agreed to grant the use of the school-room on Thursday nights to the Irving Reading Circle, they to pay for fuel and lights.
December 31. Total membership, 195.
1873 .- April 13. Congregation Council elected Bro. James Creager as delegate to the Provincial Synod, to be held at Lititz, in June, and Bro. Jago Colliflower as alternate delegate. A sub- scription was opened for the purpose of collecting the amount due for Synodal Expenses from this congregation.
June 2 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council re-elected the Committee and Sextons.
July 21. The pastor informed the Committee that he had received a call to enter the Publication Office at Bethlehem. Un- til May, 1872, Bro. Blickensderfer preached once a month at the Ridge and at the Furnace.
August 3. Congregation Council voted to accept the Rev. Lewis P. Clewell, appointed by the Provincial Elders' Confer- ence, as pastor.
September 19. Bro. L. P. Clewell and family arrived after a long and tedious journey from Harmony, Iowa, and met with a cordial reception.
September 21. The Rev. H. T. Bachman, of Bethlehem, visit- ing at Graceham, introduced Bro. Clewell to the Sunday School and congregation, and Bro. Clewell preached his introductory sermon.
September 22. The Committee agreed to take up a new sub- scription for the pastor's salary, and one for Bro. Clewell's traveling expenses. The Church Litany still to be used on the first Sunday of each month.
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September 25. Congregation Council met to vote for a mem- ber of the Provincial Elders' Conference in place of Rev. Sylves- ter Wolle, deceased. Bro. James Creager was elected to deposit the vote of the congregation.
December I. The Committee resolved that the pastor should draw from the church fund annually the sum of $40 in addition to the subscription from members, and if possible, more. Al- so agreed to construct a proper inlet and carriage road through the rear yard of the parsonage.
December 31. Total membership, 194.
1874 .- February 2. The Committee considered the practica- bility of re-fitting the pulpit and altar. It was agreed to provide for the present only for a new carpet and stand, and to let the sisters carry out this resolution.
February 15. The expediency of building a church at Me- chanicstown was laid before Congregation Council by the Com- mittee. The following resolutions were, after debate, unani- mously adopted :
Resolved, I. That we, the members of Graceham congregation, regard it as highly essential to the permanent well-being of our Church in this portion of God's heritage to have a permanent and suitable house of worship at Mechanicstown, and therefore
Resolved, 2. That subordinate to the Provincial Elders' Con- ference of the Northern Province of the Brethren's Church in the United States, a Board of Trustees, consisting of five mem- bers, including the pastor in charge as chairman, be created, two brethren to be chosen from Graceham and two from Me- chanicstown, and that they be entrusted with the temporal af- fairs of the congregation.
Resolved, 3. That the brethren holding the office of Trustees, in connection with the pastor as Chairman, form, in their respec- tive congregations, a Board of Elders, entrusted with the spiri- tual oversight of the same. Elections to be held annually on Whit-Monday, decided by the votes of a majority of the adult members present.
May 10. Congregation Council resolved unanimously to con- vert the present lecture-room into a bed-room and dining-room for the use of the pastor's family, by running a partition through
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it, and making an extra door into it, the expenses to be met by individual contributions.
May 23 (Whit-Monday). Congregation Council elected Si- mon Weller, B. Colliflower, James Creager and J. T. Colliflower as the Board of Elders and Trustees (or Committee) and Jago Colliflower, B. Colliflower, Jacob Shown and F. A. C. Willman as Sextons.
LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE AND DEDICATION OF THE MORA- VIAN CHURCH AT MECHANICSTOWN (THURMONT), MD.
July 6. Information having been received from the Rt. Rev. Edmund de Schweinitz, declaring his inability to be present at the laying of the corner-stone of the Mechanicstown church, the Board of Elders requested the pastor to invite the Rt. Rev. D. Bigler, of Lancaster, Pa., and the Rev. W. H. Rice, of York, Pa., and the Rev. H. T. Bachman, of Bethlehem, Pa., to be pres- ent, if possible, on the above-named occasion. The pastor stated to the Board that, in accordance with resolutions of Synod, the Deed of the Mechanicstown church must be held by the Provin- cial Elders' Conference, to which the Board agreed. The fol- lowing notice appeared in The Moravian of July 16:
"The corner-stone of the new Moravian church at Mechanics- town, Md., will be laid, God willing, on Sunday, July 19. All friends and members of sister congregations are cordially in- vited to participate in the festivities of the occasion.
"L. P. Clewell, Pastor."
"The corner-stone of the new Moravian church at Mechanics- town, Md., was laid on Sunday, July 19, Bishop David Bigler, of Lancaster, Pa., officiating, assisted by the pastor, the Rev. L. P. Clewell, of Graceham, and the Rev. W. H. Rice, of York, Pa. The service connected with the laying of the corner-stone began at 10 A.M. After the same there was a preaching service in the Lutheran church of Mechanicstown, which was opened to us on this occasion by the kindness of its congregation. Bishop Bigler preached on the text, 'Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.' (I Tim. 6:19.) The church was crowded with an attentive assembly. In the afternoon at 3 o'clock, the
COURTESY OF C. R. BECK
THE THURMONT MORAVIAN CHURCH.
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Rev. W. H. Rice preached to a large audience on the text, 'Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.' (Eph. 2:20.) 'The deep interest manifested by all the people of the town and neigh- borhood was very marked. Rarely have such assemblies been gathered together on any occasion in Mechanicstown. In the evening the Rev. W. H. Rice preached in the Graceham church. It is expected that the new church will be finished by October." (The Moravian of July 30, 1874.)
In The Moravian of November 26, the following notice ap- peared : "The Moravian church at Mechanicstown, Md., will be dedicated, the Lord willing, to the service of God on Sabbath morning, December 6. Members and friends of our sister con- gregations are cordially invited to attend the festivities of the occasion.
L. P. Clewell, Pastor."
"When the Pennsylvania District Conference was assembled at Graceham last April, its members were rejoiced to hear that a Moravian church was to be built at Mechanicstown, a flourish- ing place two miles distant. In the month of July following the corner-stone was laid and the work proceeded so expeditiously that the edifice was completed by the end of November, and could be dedicated to the worship of the Triune God on the re- cent Second Sunday in Advent, December 6.
"Accordingly, Bishop Edmund de Schweinitz, accompanied by the Rev. Robert de Schweinitz, of the Provincial Board, came to Graceham, in order to conduct the dedicatory services. Pre- paratory to the same a meeting of praise and prayer was held on Saturday evening in the church at Graceham, and was very numerously attended. The Rev. L. P. Clewell presided and wel- comed the brethren from Bethlehem, Pa. Bro. E. de Schweinitz responded by applying the 134th Psalm, from which the Old Testament Text for the day was taken, to the occasion : 'Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanc- tuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth, bless thee out of Zion.'
"Bro. R. de Schweinitz, by referring to his former labors at Graceham and expressing his earnest hope that all the brethren might become lively stones for the building up of a spiritual
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house. Fervent prayers were, morever, offered that God might bless the services of the coming day to the good of many souls.
"Refreshed by such prayer and praise, the congregation at Graceham, their brethren at Mechanicstown and many friends gathered in the new sanctuary the next morning so that it was crowded to the utmost capacity up to the very steps of the pul- pit, and large numbers were obliged to leave for want of room. The service was opened with an anthem by the Graceham choir, which sang remarkably well, led by Sister L. P. Clewell on the melodeon. Next the Rev. L. P. Clewell prayed the Te Deum, and announced the first hymn, 'This day is holy to the Lord,' etc. Thereupon the Rev. R. de Schweinitz made a few introductory remarks and read the first lesson, from I Kings 8, being a part of Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple. The hymn, 'O Thou who didst the temple fill,' etc., followed, after which Bishop E. de Schweinitz proceeded to dedicate the new edifice to the worship of the Triune God, and to offer the dedicatory prayer. An anthem of praise was then sung by the choir, where- upon Bishop E. de Schweinitz preached the first sermon, upon Ezra I :3, 'Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (he is the God), which is in Jerusalem.' A prayer by a Reformed clergyman fol- lowed, and the service was closed in the usual way. Soon after dinner it began to rain. Hence the audience in the afternoon was not as large as in the morning ; nevertheless, the church was filled. The Rev. R. de Schweinitz preached on the text, 'For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.' (I Cor. I :18.) A clergyman from Mechanicstown offered the closing prayer. In the evening the third service was held, the rain con- tinuing; but the church was again well filled. Bishop E. de Schweinitz preached a second time on the words of St. Paul, 'Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.' (Eph. 3:8.) The services of the day were closed with the Doxology for festal occasions and the O. T. benediction by Bishop E. de Schweinitz.
"The new church was planned by Mr. J. C. Trautwine, of Phil- adelphia. It is a small frame edifice, accommodating about 300
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persons, but is, at the same time, a model of architectural taste. By common consent, it is regarded as the most beautiful church in Mechanicstown. The exterior is painted a stone color; the interior is exceedingly attractive, with a convenient pulpit and a recess back of it. An appropriate steeple, in which swings a Troy bell, surmounts the edifice. The furniture is complete, in- cluding shades for the windows, matting for the aisles, a sofa, chairs and carpet for the pulpit and platform, and very fine lamps. The entire cost of the building, and of the furniture, part of which, however, was presented by friends in Baltimore, was only $2400. Of this amount $400 remained unpaid on the morn- ing of the day of dedication. In the course of that day, how- ever, $200 were raised, so that the uncovered debt is but $200, which the pastor will endeavor to collect at once." (The Mora- vian of December 17, 1874.)
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