USA > Pennsylvania > A History of the Church of the Brethren in southern district of Pennsylvania > Part 4
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
John E. Rowland received by letter; advanced to second degree July 26, 1913.
Trostle Dick elected November 25, 1915, at Prices.
Harry Muck elected November 14, 1915, at Weltys and ordained May 29, 1926.
Harvey D. Emmert received March 4, 1914, by letter; minister in first degree.
29
CONGREGATIONS OF SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
AARON NEWCOMER AND WIFE
Laban Leiter elected to the ministry May 24, 1919, at Weltys. Died in 1928.
M. C. Valentine was elected a deacon in 1920 and licensed May 27, 1923. Ordained May 28, 1932.
Sherman Eshelman was elected November 18, 1923, and licensed renewed 1924, but never installed.
J. I. Thomas was received by letter July 25, 1925. Ordained November 19, 1932.
Walter A. West, formerly a deacon, was licensed May 4, 1929, and was installed May, 1930.
Willis Rice, formerly a deacon, was licensed May 4, 1929, and was installed May, 1930.
Sunday Schools
The Sunday schools in the Antietam Congregation were due to the desire of the members to teach the Gospel and to witness for Christ.
The first Sunday school to be organized was in Waynes- boro, in 1872, with Bishop J. F. Oller as Superintendent. The record shows on May 5, 1877, the meeting opened by J. F. Oller and closed by John Gehr; collection 47 cents; weather very pleasant; address by John Gehr; visitors present, Amos Garver, Mr. Bowman; lesson, II Kings 4:12-20. For other information, see Waynesboro.
Weltys Sunday School
Weltys Sunday School was organized in the Spring of 1886 with J. Mitchell Stover as superintendent and William Swope as assistant. This was a union Sunday school. They used Cook's Sunday school literature. The church was also a union church for a number of years. For other information see Weltys.
30
HISTORY-CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
Pennersville Sunday School
In the summer of 1917 much thought was given to finding a place for missionary activity. Being moved with the spirit of missions, Brothers H. J. Bare and H. M. Stover arranged to have a prayer meeting conducted in the village of Pennersville in the outlying borders of Antietam territory.
In the house by the spring where there had been held a kindergarten, the prayer meeting was held each Thursday evening with marked success. One evening there were 78 persons present. This was sufficiently encouraging, so a Sunday school was started in 1918 in the same house with H. J. Bare superintendent and his wife one of the teachers.
Prayer meeting and Sunday school continued to grow. All who were willing to work were used irrespective of church. The Sunday school rented the house where services were being held and sub-rented the eastern part to a family with the privilege of using the rooms as class rooms. Later after
Snyder and Stoor
Baker
Ruthrauf and Oally
Braunesbono
Antietam Mattia
Amsterdam Ringgold
Magnesio
Antietam
Helles Amsterdam
Ringgold
Manesboro
Antietam
Amsterdam
Ringgold
Jan 15 829
20 10-8
29
1
2.2
File 2619
12 26
19
5
12
Mar
12
19/200
1219265
Apr
19
2 23.30
1692
2330
16
May 2 N4
728-21
14
4/11/18
Voulu
2 16-24
3092
162330
9
Auc # 6/24
20/5
227
20
124/7
3 10 24/7
3 10
oct
29 8 12 21
.29
8/15-20
1
20 120
1926
12
2 3410
124
PREACHING APPOINTMENTS ANTIETAM
1899
Avellino
7 28
25 4
31
CONGREGATIONS OF SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
moving into the larger quarters belonging to the organization of Red Men, and since Sunday school was held in the after- noon, it was decided to have church following Sunday school or in the evening. As the school and prayer meeting con- tinued to grow, a vacant lot was bought in 1919 in view of building a church. In 1920 this lot was sold to an advantage and the Red Men's hall was purchased for $800 and equipped for church and Sunday school as reported in council October, 1920.
After Brother Bare could no longer care for the Sunday school on account of ill health, Brother M. A. Jacobs cared for the Sunday school in the morning. Brother Jacobs took with him teachers from Rouzerville as Brother Bare did from Waynesboro. After Brother Jacobs went to York in 1926, the Sunday school was looked after by the preachers and others until January, 1927. Earl Kline was elected in 1927 to act as superintendent with a promise that the church would pay one dollar a trip toward his expenses.
In 1930, a committee of five brethren were appointed to act as superintendent. The committee was Earl Kline, Wilbur Kline, Hobart H. Shockey, Henry Shockey, and J. L. Embly. This continued for a year and finally ceased to function entirely.
Several series of meetings were held in Pennersville with some success by Brethren John R. Zook, of Palmyra, Pennsyl- vania; John Graham, of near Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and M. A. Jacobs. There were about twenty-five members added to the church by these efforts.
In 1931, church services were held once a year, but in 1934, the trustees rented the church to the Seventh Day Adventists, who continued services for nearly two years until February, 1936, when they removed their personal belongings and returned the custody of the church to the owners.
In 1935 a petition was presented to the council asking for church services once a month to be held by our own people. This was the afternoon of the second Sunday of each month. The attendance was not so good at these services.
Rouzerville Sunday School
On the afternoon of the day of dedication of the Rouzer- ville Church, May 29, 1910, seventy-two persons gathered by appointment and organized a Sunday school by electing the following officers: Superintendent, H. J. Bare; First Assistant, George Socks; Second Assistant, Rufus Smith Secretary, Addison Haugh (not yet a member of the church) ; Assistant Secretary, Mrs. Nellie Haugh; Treasurer, C. E. Brown (not yet a member of the church) ; Chorister, A. R. Deardorff ; Assistant Chorister, George Socks ; Librarian, Alan
32
HISTORY-CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
Speilman (not a member of our church) ; Assistant Librarian, Charles G. Weber.
Everybody seemed pleased and they decided to meet each Sunday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock for Sunday school. The school grew to such an extent that on December 18, 1910, there were 132 present, which was the largest attendance at any meeting for that year. The following year the record shows the largest attendance to be 179.
It seemed wise to hold the Sunday school in the morning before church services and while the attendance materially fell, it soon began a more permanent growth. It was due to the constant self-sacrificing work of the teachers and officers that made the Sunday school a success and proved a profitable place for the church. From the Sunday school came most of the persons who made application for baptism at times of evangelistic meetings.
Each year the Sunday school held an outing at what seemed the most convenient time and place, but the most popular time was July 4, and the place was Herr's Grove, just northeast of Rouzerville. At these outings a program with the devotional exercises was always held in the afternoon.
The rally day about 1925 was held on the first Sunday in October and has regularly been observed on that date ever since. In the summer of 1927, a committee composed of C. E. Brown, Mildred Baer (afterward Mrs. Morris McClean), and H. M. Stover was appointed to frame a constitution which was formerly adopted December, 1928. Amendments have been added to meet the needs of the Sunday school as occasion demanded. The superintendents who have served at Rouzer- ville were : H. J. Bare, B. F. Kline, Cyrus Bonebrake, M. A. Jacobs, W. A. West, and Frank Snively.
Prices Sunday School
After the new church was built at Prices in 1890 there began to be some desire for a Sunday school and at council meeting of April 23, 1893, the permission was given to have a Sunday school at Prices Church. The following organiza- tion was effected : Superintendent, J. D. Demuth; Assistant Superintendent, Samuel Hartmen; Secretary, Henry X. Stoner; Treasurer, Frederick Strite; Librarian, Mrs. I. Foreman. Mrs. Foreman was not a member of our church, but was much interested and willing to help maintain a Sunday school.
This was a summer school and closed in the winter, usually at Christmas, as was done for several summers until it failed to open again in the spring.
In 1903 Sunday school was again held in the summer with Brother Samuel McFerren as superintendent, closing at Christ- mas, which was done for two or three succeeding summers.
33
CONGREGATIONS OF SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
Sunday school was again asked for at council of April 9, 1910. In 1914 it was again organized with Brother J. W. Newcomer as superintendent and continued throughout the year, and has been continuous ever since that date. Those serving as superintendents were: J. E. Demuth, J. W. Newcomer, Samuel McFerren, William Tharp, Samuel A. Friedly, S. Edward Kline, Wilbur R. Kline, and Clarence Hartman.
Mount Vernon Sunday School
As Mount Vernon school house was in the midst of a thickly settled district it was thought a good place to have a Sunday school. Accordingly, Benjamin Welty, realizing the necessity of moral training in the community, succeeded in getting Brother C. R. Oellig to start and conduct a Sunday school in the school house on the hill. This was in the summer of 1892 and also in 1893. Brother Oellig then lived near Good's mill. The old school house was formerly located at the point of the road leading to Cress Station.
In the spring of 1896, Brother Frank Boerner in company with George Snider walked from town and conducted the Sunday school, which continued until Christmas with marked success. Each spring a Sunday school was organized and operated during the summer until an addition to the house was added making it a two room house and not so well suited for Sunday school. The Sunday school was not opened again be- cause the new state road made the approach to the school house extremely difficult. Those acting as superintendent for one or more summers were C. R. Oellig, F. S. Boerner, H. M. Stover, and Holly Garner. For about five years regular preaching services were held in the evening of every two weeks and sometimes the house was so crowded that the people stood. In the fall of 1911, F. D. Anthony held a series of revival meetings at this place, resulting in the baptism of six persons who were Orpha Heefner, Helen Snively, Nelle Gantz, Anna Sheffler, Frank Heneberger, and Charles Mulenix.
Plain Hill Sunday School
In the little brick school house on the corner of the road leading to Poketown from the Hagerstown road about one- half mile west of where Plain Hill school house now stands the Brethren had preaching services for many years and many came to the church through the influence of these serv- ices. Those living in the community who were interested in church work-the Barrs, the Bakers, the Kings, the Newcomers, and the Kriners-secured the permission to have church services in the school house once a month by the Brethren with the understanding that it should be kept in
34
HISTORY-CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
shape for school next day. The Kriners on Friday evening would go over and scrub the school house floor. On Saturday evening in cold weather they would start a fire in the big egg stove so as to have it warm for services the following day.
This continued until in 1893, when a new and larger brick school house was built about one-fourth of a mile eastward. To this the church gave twenty dollars to help pay for a heater in the house. They were to have the privilege to the use of the house for religious services under the same condi- tions as formerly expressed. On December 2, 1893, it was decided to have church services each two weeks at Plain Hill. The following spring, 1894, Brother Frank Boerner and Mr. David Barnhart started Sunday school in the school house which functioned in the summer time for several years. Brother Samuel McFerren also acted as superintendent for one year. At the council of February 3, 1894, it was decided to have services each two weeks in the evenings. On April 9, 1898, it was decided to lift the bi-monthly services at Plain Hill and have them in Waynesboro each alternate Lord's Day.
Snowbergers Church
At the southern end of the village of Glen Furney, some years before the Civil War, the community built a little red brick school house on the west side of the road, near to Snowberger's land. It was furnished with a large ten-plate stove in the center, two rows of long desks with benches with- out backs for the pupils, and a table and chair for the teacher. In this house that was torn down in 1875 or 1876, the Brethren met to worship God.
As the membership grew, they needed a larger and more comfortable place to worship, and decided to build a church. The place selected was at the end of the other lane to the Snowberger's homestead. On August 9, 1856, the deed was given for one acre of ground, from George and Elias Snowberger to Jacob Snowberger and Henry Bonebrake, trustees for the German Baptist Brethren Church, for the sum of fifteen and 00/100 dollars. These trustees acted as direc- tors of the building which had already been started, and was completed that same year.
The church was rectangular, about 25x30 feet, with a double door on the east side, a large stove in the center, a row of seats next to wall nearly the whole way around the church, and two rows of benches with backs, on either side of the stove. One side for the men, and the other side for the women. On the southwest corner of the building was the preachers table, facing the men, and close in front of the table was the deacons bench.
George and Elias Snowberger and a maiden sister, Elizabeth, lived on the home place nearly all their lives.
35
CONGREGATIONS OF SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
Their love for the church or the church people was always prominent. They always made special arrangements to entertain the ministers on the day of services.
The church was plain and comfortable. The social con- tact and spiritual food was very far-reaching. One account says that a Brother and Sister Eigenbrode, from near Thurmont, Maryland, would come to services on one horse, not both riding at the same time, but one would ride while the other walked. They would take dinner with some of the members, and return the same evening.
Services were held once in every four weeks, until 1880, when it went into the hands of the Old Order Brethren who continued the services for some years, though poorly attended, and finally, about 1900 it was sold to Mr. Christian Shockey for a dwelling. The bodies of those who could be identified in the grave yard were removed. The ground was leveled and put in grass. Thus the Snowbergers Church continues to live only in memory.
The ministers serving at Snowbergers from 1870 to 1880 were: Joseph F. Rohrer, Joseph Garver, Daniel Holsinger, Jacob F. Oller, Daniel F. Good, Jacob Snider, Daniel M. Baker, John D. Benedict, Abram Golley.
Rouzerville Church
When the unfortunate division of the church occurred in 1881 and the Old Order Brethren secured possession of the Amsterdam meeting house, the conservative body of the German Baptist Brethren Church, now the Church of the Brethren, began holding services in the Amsterdam school house every four weeks.
One Sunday in March, 1904, when it was raining and the snow was falling in big flakes, one of the ministers, H. M. Stover, and the janitor, Mr. Philip Wagoman, were present.
The officiating minister and the entire audience sat to- gether on one seat by the stove and studied the Sunday school lesson. Then and there it was decided to start the movement to have the meetings held in the village of Rouzerville, one mile away, so the people could walk to church. At the next council of the church, April 9, 1904, the matter of moving the appointment was brought up, and it was decided to refer it to the people in the vicinity of Amsterdam and Rouzerville.
In January, 1906, a committee consisting of C. R. Oellig, H. M. Stover and Henry H. Shockey was appointed to find a suitable place in Rouzerville to hold services. In April, 1906, they reported having secured the Methodist Episcopal Church for each alternate Sunday. The appointment was ordered moved.
After about two and one-half years of meeting in the M. E. Church, it was suggested by Mr. Lewis Brown, one of
36
HISTORY-CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
the trustees of that church, that we hold a series of revival meetings. The suggestion was taken, and in the fall of 1908 a revival was started by one of the local ministers, which resulted in six persons being baptized.
A great desire arose among the members to have a church of our own. A committee was appointed to solicit funds and buy ground for a new church. This committee, George Socks, Aaron Newcomer, and H. M. Stover, reported at council of April 17, 1909, that money had been raised, and a parcel of ground purchased from Harvey Hartman for $300.00. The report was accepted, and the committee instructed to continue to solicit funds for the new church.
On October 28, J. J. Oller, and H. J. Bare were added to the soliciting committee. A building committee consisting of Allen M. Good, Marshall Baumgardner, and Benjamin F. Welty was appointed.
A few days later, a number of members met on the ground, and Sister Ella Socks turned the first shovel full of ground for the new church. Excavation began, and a corner stone was ordered, and later put in its proper place.
This building was patterned somewhat after the Ringgold church, being in size 30x50 feet, frame with brick veneer, four windows on each side, two at the rear, and two windows and a double door at the front. Inside there is a main room, a vestibule and on either side a class room separated from the main room by rolling partitions. Above these rooms was a
ROUZERVILLE CHURCH-ANTIETAM CONGREGATION Dedicated in 1910.
37
CONGREGATIONS OF SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
gallery or balcony, entered by a stairway from one of the class rooms. The speaker's platform at the opposite end of the church was built two feet high, built high purposely so that the people in the gallery could get a clear view of the speaker. A small pulpit and three chairs were the only pul- pit furniture. In 1932 the whole church was carpeted. A deep cellar was under the whole building, in which the heater was placed. In 1933 the entire cellar floor was cemented.
The cost of this building was $3,288.69, and the entire amount was secured by gifts, and subscriptions. As the full amount of the subscriptions were not paid in at once, $500.00 was borrowed from the bank to meet the emergency. The church was ready for dedication, with the expense of building, fully provided for.
On Sunday morning, May 29, the new church was formally dedicated, and the sermon preached by Elder C. R. Oellig, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, to a very large audience. Brother William H. Miller, of Newport, Pennsyl- vania, began a series of revival meetings, which resulted in four persons being received into church fellowship by baptism. The following year another series of meetings was held by one of the local ministers, Brother H. M. Stover, which resulted in 15 persons being baptized. Nearly every year since then, a revival meeting has been held, until the membership surround- ing the Rouzerville Church has grown to be about 175.
A Sunday school was organized in the afternoon of the day of dedication, of which more is given under the head of Sunday schools.
A prayer meeting was soon inaugurated, and has had a continuous existence since its inception.
The trustees, first elected by the church, for a period of three, two, and one years, respectively, were George W. Socks, C. E. Brown, and Benjamin F. Welty.
The spiritual needs of the people were supplied by the deacons and the preachers of the Antietam Congregation, of which they were a part, with no designated remuneration, except their expenses paid when on definite church work, and individual gifts from the people. The pulpit was filled by the several ministers of the congregation, according to a pre- pared schedule, alternating as was most convenient for them. However, in the years from 1924 to 1926, and again from 1928 to 1930, the activities were directed almost entirely by one person.
Amsterdam Meeting House
About three hundred yards east of the junction of the Red Run and the Falls Creek, at the cross-roads, diagonally across from the old saw-mill, because it seemed to be a center of the community, there was erected the Amsterdam school house.
38
HISTORY-CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN-SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
Here the Brethren met for worship and religious educa- tion in the first half of the Nineteenth Century, meeting regularly each eighth Lord's Day for church services.
While this building was not designed for a church, it was a place of warmth and shelter for those who wished to meet to worship God.
After the Annual Meeting at Prices in 1866, there arose a feeling among the membership that a more comfortable and commodious, as well as a more permanent place of worship was needed. After much talking about a new church, arrange- ments were made to build on a corner of the farm of Messers Good and Stouffer, just across the road from the school house.
On November 3, 1868, Mr. Abram Shockey purchased land from Jacob S. Good, and Jacob Stouffer on which was the lot reserved to be used for the church, and half acre of land near the church for a burial ground.
The plot of ground for the church was a level tract, well set with beautiful virgin timber of oak, hickory, and willow, and had thereon a never failing spring of soft water.
Enthusiasm ran high among the members, and the churchi was finished that same year. The plan was purely co- operative, the members giving of what they had in material, cash and labor. The Shockeys were so active in the work that in later years it was said that, "He built the church". Although Mr. Shockey gave the ground and most of the build- ing material, he did not at this time give a deed for the church property. In 1880, Mr. Shockey and his family went with the "Old Order" part of the church, and the exclusive right to worship in the church was given to them.
On September 13, 1883, a deed was issued to the "Old German Baptist Brethren Church", and they continued to hold regular services in the church until the summer of 1940.
While the meetings were being held in the school house at Amsterdam each eight weeks, meetings were also held in the school house in Rouzerville, and in Waterloo on the bank of Falls Creek.
These services were held each eight weeks. After the new church was built at Amsterdam, the meetings were lifted at Waterloo and held each four weeks at Amsterdam in the new church.
In 1920 the school house was sold to Mr. Marshall Baumgardner who converted it into a dwelling house. It was in this house that the conservative part of the church held services once each four weeks and continued until 1926 when the place of meeting was moved to Rouzerville.
The Ladies' Aid Society of the Antietam Congregation
The Ladies' Aid Society of the Church of the Brethren in Rouzerville Antietam Congregation, was organized on
39
CONGREGATIONS OF SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA
January 15, 1920. The first officers were: President, Mrs. Nettie Spielman; Secretary, Mrs. Carrie Brown; Treasurer, Mrs. Dollie Brown. The Aid functioned continuously, but sometimes were more active than at other times. Their meet- ings were social, in that they intensified their fellowship as well as helped the needy in their own and other communities. The purpose of their first meetings was to furnish clothing to needy children so that they could come to the Sunday school. In the first two years of their existence, the Sunday school was more than doubled. Not having a room in the church, they met once a month for the business meeting in one of the homes. Often extra meetings were held.
In the 20 years of their existence, they had passed through their hands about $800.00. They gave in amounts of $10.00, $25.00, $50.00 for the following causes : Bethany Bible School ; Green County, Virginia, Social Work; The District Brethren's Home; and the Children's Home. In the home church, they furnished new blinds for the windows, helped pay for the carpet, cementing cellar floor, and the furnace. Besides this, they were constantly helping with clothing, and furnishing prayer veils for those that were unable to pay for them. They have laid aside at this date (1941) $100.00 for the new addition to the Rouzerville Church.
The Christian Workers Meeting
The Christian Workers Meeting at Rouzerville, Pennsyl- vania, was organized on January 10, 1932, for the purpose of advancing the Christian spirit and developing the Christian character and usefulness, among the young people of the church and the community.
The first officers were: President, Edwin Eigenbrode ; Secretary, Anna Swope; Treasurer, Mildred Palmer; and Young Peoples Director, H. M. Stover.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.