USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Womelsdorf > A history of Bethany Orphans' Home of the Reformed Church in the United States : located at Womelsdorf, Pa. > Part 3
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"His burial took place the following Friday after- noon. It was an affecting scene, as the whole com- pany of orphans, to whom he had been a father, his own children, then his sister and last of all his aged mother stooped down and kissed his cold forehead. Rev. John Kuelling, of Baltimore, preached the fun- eral sermon, taking for his text the same words from which Rev. J. G. Neuber had preached the sermon at the funeral of Mrs. Bohringer, five weeks before, Isaiah 55: 8, 9. After the sermon, Rev. J. G. Wiehle delivered an address, full of comforting words, directed especially to the mother and sister of the departed. Other ministers took part in the services and Rev. John Gantenbein conducted the ceremony at the grave."
Thus closed, in early life, the earthly labors of one of God's chosen servants. Truly of him it may be said: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth; Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." Rev. 14: 13. This was a severe blow to the young
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institution which had its origin in the mind, in the love, in the activity of him who was so early in his work called to his reward. The work which he was instrumental in starting was of the Lord's planting, and it has continued unto this day. The writings of Rev. Bæhringer are replete with Scripture passages, and his life, as we now study it, is an illustration of the words of St. Paul: "As we have therefore oppor- tunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." The oppor- tunity to do good for the orphans of the Church came to him, and he immediately began his labor of love. Had he postponed his work for a year, thinking that then a beginning might just as well be made, this in- stitution, now so dear to the Church, might not have been started; humanly speaking, it certainly would not have been by him, for in one year from the day of the opening of the Home, Mrs. Bohringer died, and five weeks later her husband followed her to the grave.
Pastor and Mrs. Bohringer were buried in the ceme- tery of Emanuel's Reformed church, of Bridesburg. Their graves remained unmarked for some time. This fact having been brought to the attention of the Board of Managers of the Home, at a meeting held on the 21st day of July, 1869, it was "Resolved, that those members of the Board residing in Philadelphia be in- structed to have suitable tombstones erected over the graves of Mr. and Mrs. Bœhringer." The expenses were paid by private contributions.
The six children of Pastor Bohringer were nurtured in the Home until they were able to provide for them-
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selves, or good places were secured for them elsewhere; and for many years Mother Bohringer was tenderly cared for in the institution founded by her son, but the last year of her life she spent with her daughter in Portsmouth, Va., where she died in April, 1873.
CHAPTER V.
THE HOME AT BRIDESBURG-REV. JOHN GANTENBEIN SUPERINTENDENT-ELECTION OF D. Y. HEIS- LER-SECURING CHARTER-B. BAUSMAN PRESIDENT BOARD OF MANAGERS.
A T a meeting of the Board of Managers, held shortly after the death of Superintendent Bæhringer, Rev. J. S. Kessler, of Allentown, was elected President of that body, and Rev. John Gantenbein was elected Secretary, Treasurer and Superintendent of the Home.
On the 20th of December, 1864, Doctor Kessler, the first regular President of the Board, died. The early fortunes of this institution were tried as by fire. In a period of a little more than one year after its start, three of the persons most directly interested in its welfare were removed by death. Notwithstanding that the Home did not yet have that hold upon the Church which it attained in later years, there were always persons ready to take the places of those who were called away; friends of the cause were not want- ing, and, though the prospects were at times dis- couraging, the Lord tenderly guarded this child of faith and made it strong through its early trials.
That Pastor Bohringer was stricken down in the midst of manifold cares and active work at Brides- burg, is evident from the following article, which ap- peared in the Læmmerhirte, shortly after his death, written by his successor in office:
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"What is now necessary, after the death of both parents of this family, is a Superintendent. A presid- ing head is absolutely necessary to the active life of such an institution. Piles of letters, accounts, appli- cations and similar papers awaited a hand with author- ity to act upon them. The plasterers and carpenters
REV. JOHN GANTENBEIN, SUPERINTENDENT ONE YEAR AND NINE MONTHS.
were at work on the new building, and desired to know what would now be done. The Læmmerhirte had to be gotten ready for the press, and, as the machinery for the manufacture of envelopes was already in posi- tion, steps were to be taken to give industrial employ- ment to the children. This work could not be delayed,
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and so the writer, with the concurrence of the Board of Managers, decided to take upon his shoulders the duties which Pastor Boehringer, as editor of the Læmmerhirte and Superintendent of the Orphans' Home, had left."
On January 17, 1865, Mr. William D. Gross, having previously been elected a member of the Board, was elected Treasurer of the Home, which position he held to the end of his life, a period of about twenty-one years, during which time he rendered invaluable ser- vice to the institution. At the same meeting, Rev. B. Bausman, of Reading, and Mr. Nicholas Wetzel, of Philadelphia, were elected members of the Board. That was forty-two years ago. Rev. Dr. Bausman is still an active member, having all this time had the best interests of the Home and its inmates at heart, and in this capacity doing much blessed service for the Master.
At this meeting also a draft of a charter was adopted, which was afterwards granted by the Legislature of Pennsylvania, the main features of which are as fol- lows:
"The object of the institution shall be 'for the pur- pose of providing for orphan, friendless and destitute children, without reference to the place of their birth or the creed of their parents, and to educate them to lead industrious, moral and religious lives, and to pre- pare grown-up young persons as teachers and over- seers for the work of educational charity.'
"The name of the corporation shall be 'The Orphans' Home of the Shepherd of the Lambs' [in 1873 the title of the institution was changed, by an order of the court, to 'Bethany Orphans' Home'], and as such it
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shall have the right to have a common seal, and to do all lawful business as a corporation.
"The affairs of the Home shall be conducted by a Board of Managers, composed of not more than seven members. [In 1867 this number was, by act of the Legislature, increased to thirteen.] This Board shall have power to elect new members (in case of vacancy), to expel any for misconduct or neglect of duty, and to receive and act upon the resignation of any. The members of this Board shall be communicant male members of the German Reformed Church, and shall be able to speak and read the German language. The Board shall have power to appoint a Superintendent of the Institution, and other officers of the Board and the corporation.
"This corporation shall stand in auxiliary relation to the General Board of Directors of the General Synod of the German Reformed Church in the United States of America, appointed by the Synod to supervise the interests of providing Christian homes for poor orphan children, to which it shall annually submit a report of its operations; but this corporation shall, neverthe- less, be under the immediate management of its own Board, in all respects as to the particular internal affairs of said institution.
"The Superintendent shall be elected by the Board of Managers and hold his office in like manner as min- isters of the German Reformed Church are elected by and hold their offices under their congregations. He shall be a minister of the German Reformed Church, if possible, and a member of the Board of Managers. He must be conversant at least equally well with the German as with the English language. He shall have power to select assistants as they are needed in every branch of the institution.
"The Board may receive children under its care in either of the following modes: Children who shall be
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voluntarily surrendered by their father, or in case of his death or absence, by their mother, or by their guardian, or by the overseers of the poor of any bor- ough, city, town or county of the United States, or by the next friend of destitute orphan children, in case they shall have no surviving parent or guardian.
"The Board shall have charge over the children during their minority, and shall educate them, and shall also have the power to bind them out during their minority to learn reputable trades.
"Any contributor who pays into the treasury $1,000 as a single benefaction, has the right to nominate and send to the Home one child. Any church or society has the same right, and any church, school or benevo- lent society which shall make an annual contribution for the benefit of this institution amounting to the sum of one hundred dollars, shall have the right to keep a child in the Home."
This charter was approved by Gov. A. G. Curtin, February 17, 1865.
At a meeting of the Board of Managers, held on the 9th of March, 1865, Rev. B. Bausman, of Reading, Pa., was elected President of the Board, which position he holds to this day. And as President, his name has been actively identified with every forward movement in this important work of the Church.
At this meeting, the Superintendent, Rev. J. Gan- tenbein, presented a report of the financial condition of the Home, from which it appeared that the Board, as then constituted, had to assume a debt of $12,000. A direct and earnest appeal to the Church for relief and for the support of this holy cause was issued. At this time there were seventy children in the Home.
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After having been Superintendent for a period of about one year and nine months, Rev. John Ganten- bein was succeeded in that office, August 30, 1866 by Rev. D. Y. Heisler, a minister of the Reformed Church and at the time of his election, stationed at Bethlehem,
REV. D. Y. HEISLER,
SUPERINTENDENT FOR TWO YEARS AND THREE MONTHS.
Pa. He and his congregation had been earnest and liberal supporters of the Home from the very begin- ning.
In January, 1867, the number of orphans was ninety- five. At this time there were one German and two
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English teachers in the Home. According to an esti- mate made, it required about $1,000 a month to meet the expenses of the institution. It was in this year that the Board of Managers, feeling the great respon- sibility of their work, and recognizing the importance of having the various sections of the Church, and especially influential laymen, directly interested in the management of the Home, made application to the Legislature to have a supplement to the original charter passed, asking for an increase in the number of members of the Board, from seven to thirteen. This supplement was approved by Governor Geary, April 2, 1867.
While the Home was at Bridesburg, it was occa- sionally reduced to very straightened circumstances. At various times, individuals were engaged in can- vassing the congregations in the vicinity of Philadel- phia for provisions, in order that the family might be properly provided for.
CHAPTER VI.
PURCHASE OF NEW PROPERTY AND REMOVAL TO WOMELSDORF.
T 'HE question of the proper location of this Orphans' Home was not finally solved with its removal to Bridesburg. As the quarters at Southwark were too limited for the rapidly growing institution in its in- fancy, so it was now found that, after nearly three years of growth and activity at Bridesburg, it was necessary again to transplant it. Much money had been spent upon the property, the friends had watched over it, had prayed for it, and had hoped at one time that it might remain in this suburb of Philadelphia, But it was found that the location was unhealthy. many of the children and employees being afflicted with chills and fever during a large part of the year. The buildings were poorly adapted to its wants, and there being only about two and a half acres of land belonging to this institution, the Board could not pro- vide the proper employment for the larger boys. Thus, taking all things into consideration, it was decided to remove the family to a more desirable place.
When it became known that the Church desired a new location for its Orphans' Home, numerous proper- ties were offered for sale for this purpose. The Board of Managers, either as a body or through its commit- tees, visited and viewed proposed sites at the following
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places: The homestead and farm of Hon. Judge Krauss, near Norristown, Pa., a farm near Allentown, Pa., a farm near Lyons, Pa., two farms near Sinking Spring, Pa., and a tract of seventy acres of wooded mountain land, at Moselem, Berks county, Pa., offered as a gift by Mr. Nicholas Hunter, proprietor of the Moselem furnaces, upon condition that the Home be located there. Finally, having heard that the property used as a summer resort, and known as the Manderbach Springs, at the foot of the South Mountain, near Womelsdorf, Pa., was for sale, the Board met at this place, June 27, 1867, with a view of purchasing it, if in their judgment they considered it desirable for such a purpose.
This was a memorable meeting in the history of the Home. The following members of the Board of Man- agers were present : Rev. B. Bausman, President ; Rev. D. Y. Heisler, Rev. Chas. H. Leinbach, Rev. P. S. Fisher, Joseph Laubach, David Schall, Joseph Cob- lentz, Adam Leiss, Isaac McHose, John Wiest, George Gelbach and N. Wetzel. Two of these are still living.
After viewing the property, the members of the Board met in the building to take action. The price asked was $34,000, with the promise of the proprietor of a subscription of $1,000 to the Home in case the Board decided to take it at that figure. What was to be done? The Home must be removed from Brides- burg, and this, in the judgment of the Board, was the place best suited for its location. Here was pure air, an abundance of the best mountain spring water, a large brick building, considered as well adapted for all
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the purposes of an orphans' home. Moreover, the property was near enough to the railroad for necessary communication with the outside world.
At this time the Board did not have $50 on hand, and where were the $33,000 to come from? Nothing could be realized from the Bridesburg property. It was taken by Mr. George Gelbach for its debt, to save the institution from further embarrassment. (This generous act occasioned him a loss of from $500 to $1,000.)
The spirit and faith of the founder of the Home, the principle of the mustard seed, took possession of these faithful men, and depending upon God's promises and the interest of the Church in this work, it was decided to buy the property. This action at once infused new life and interest into the Board itself, and then one of the members, feeling that "God helps them who help themselves," proposed that every member of the Board contribute $1,000 towards paying the sum of $33,000, and that no member be excused from this obligation, except those who felt themselves unable to pay this amount. This motion prevailed and its import was faithfully carried out. Seven of the thirteen members gave $1,000 each, and each of the rest a smaller yet, relatively, a liberal sum. The members of the Board realized that, in order to get the Church sufficiently interested in this work, to pay for this property, it was necessary for them to do something more than simply to give their time and the benefit of their experience to its management, invalu- able at that was. These large contributions inspired
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confidence in the enterprise and enabled the Board to challenge successfully the sympathy and support of the Church.
The property at this time consisted of a three-story brick building, 120 feet long and 28 feet deep, with convenient out-buildings, 26 acres and 65 perches of land, of which more than half was under cultivation. To this place the Orphans' Home family, numbering in all, at the time, about 110 persons, was removed on the first day of October, 1867. An account of the principal incidents of this day is best given in the words of Rev. D. Y. Heisler, who was Superintendent at the time, in a letter written to Rev. D. B. Albright, in January, 1879:
EASTON, PA., January 23, 1879.
Dear Brother : I have just received your note of in- quiry, and in reply. I will give you a kind of transcript of my remaining impression of that day-the day of the Home's removal from Bridesburg to Womelsdorf. Having done up the work of packing, as far as possible, during the several weeks immediately preceding the "flitting" we bedded the children on the floor the last night of our stay with such things as we could easily and speedily pack up, also prepared the food we needed for their breakfast, except getting the coffee. We got them out of bed early, dressed them, and gave them their breakfast, so as to get them ready to leave in the street cars at six o'clock in the morning, for the Phila- delphia and Reading Depot. In the meantime, the remainder of the goods were being packed by several of the hands and gotten ready for the freight train. Two passengers cars and quite a number, four or five, freight cars were gratuituously furnished us, through the generosity of Mr. Smith, at that time President of the
ORIGINAL HOME AT WOMELSDORF.
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P. & R. R. R. Company, he having ordered the money, which I had already paid, to be refunded on his recov- ery from a spell of sickness, which had prevented him from attending to my application for some reduction in the fare of the children and other inmates of the Home. This kind and generous act saved us several hundred dollars and prepared us to commence our transit in a very comfortable state of mind. We also got along quite well and without any accident, both on the street cars and on the regular train, and reached Read- ing, if I remember correctly, about noon or a little after. Then we were joined by some friends, who accompanied us to Womelsdorf, where others were already engaged in getting up a well-prepared meal. When we reached the Home, a short address of wel- come was extended to us by the President of the Board, if I do not mistake, to which I made a short reply, in the presence of the people who had come there to wit- ness our arrival. After the speeches, we entered the Home and enjoyed the good things prepared for us.
After the collation, we went to work vigorously to get up the beds for the children and make such ar- rangements as appeared necessary for the accommo- dation and comfort of those concerned; and as a neces- sary and welcome finale to the labor and worry and excitement, we enjoyed a good, sound sleep, which, I have no doubt, you will as readily believe as any part of this story.
Yours, etc., D. Y. HEISLER.
We are told that at some of the stations along the railroad friends of the orphans and of the Home greeted them as the train passed by. At the Womels- dorf station, teacher Robert Lyttle formed the orphans into a procession, and then, led by the Board of Man- agers and by the Womelsdorf band, they proceeded to
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their new home. There they were welcomed by from two to three hundred people, who had come from various places.
Before entering the building, the orphans sang a hymn, entitled, "Our Dear Mountain Home," in front of the main steps. Here also the President of the Board and the Superintendent addressed the orphans and the assembled people. Rev. B. Bausman, in the name of the Board, thanked the people for their kind reception, stating that, "we have come to live among you, and we hope to be good neighbors, as your friendly presence gives us assurance that you will be to us."
On the day of the moving, Mr. G. A. Nicolls, Super- intendent of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, sent to Dr. Bausman, the President of the Board of Managers of the Home, a check for $50.00, together with a note, congratulating him on bringing the institution to Womelsdorf.
CHAPTER VII.
DEDICATION OF THE HOME AT WOMELSDORF-HIS- TORICAL ADDRESS BY REV. C. Z. WEISER.
T HE Home at Womelsdorf was dedicated with ap- propriate religious services on the 29th of Octo- ber, 1867. Although the weather was unfavorable the day being dark, dreary, with violent rain storms prevailing, still the chapel was filled with people, who had come from far and near to attend the ceremonies. The religious services began at 1 P. M. Rev. George Wolff opened with prayer. After the singing of a hymn by the children, the Rev. J. W. Nevin, D.D., of Lancaster, performed the dedication act. Revs. A. S. Leinbach and D. B. Schneck* delivered addresses in the German language, and Revs. J. W. Nevin, D.D., and C. Z. Weiser in the English language. The address delivered by Rev. C. Z. Weiser was afterwards, by re- quest of the Board of Managers, published in the Guardian, a monthly periodical of the Reformed Church. The address is found in the December issue for 1867. We here give about one-half of it, as being of much historical interest in this connection, especi- ally so, since the Home is located on ground which belonged to the original "Conrad Weiser Tract."
*The official records give the name as D. B. Schneck. It should probably be B. S. Schneck.
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A HOME FOR THE FATHERLESS.
"Let me here relate the history of these charity grounds. These charity grounds have a history, and why may we not know it, since this Home will likewise pass into history to-day! God is the original propri- etor of all lands. 'The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof.' Who can tell the number of ages during which these grounds lay as virgin soil? How long was this region wild waste and untrodden by man? These acres, farms, mountains, valleys-this now richly cultivated and thickly peopled territory was once a wilderness. But a wilderness is not a void or a desert. Birds sang here, beasts echoed their cries through the forests, flowers bloomed, the waters rushed musically downward in their channels, and the sun shone. It was a natural theatre for God's crea- tures to roam in, and He knew and understood their tributes of praise.
"This is all that we can tell you of the primitive era of these grounds.
"But the fiat had gone forth during the infancy of time and the race already, that man should fill the earth and subdue it. In order to the realization of this precept, power was given him over the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea. And although 'God created of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth,' yet, it is also added, that He had appointed 'the bounds of their habitation.'
"Accordingly the Aborigines, the Indians or red men, possessed themselves of this territory. The
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'Six Nations'-the Tsanandowans, Onondagoes, Gan- gingoes, Cayoogoes, Oneidas and Tuscarores-also called Mingoes-roamed here. Then the wilderness became a hunting ground. Wigwams rose over these acres. The cry of wild beasts was drowned in the song of still wilder men. Their gambols gave way to the dance. The savage animals were supplanted by still more savage men. The flying fowl was quivered by swifter flying arrows. This vast unbroken and untrodden region God gave to His dusky children. He allotted them a 'local habitation,' and they gave it the name Tulpehocken. As such the grounds were known and are still known, though the Aborigines have long since passed away.
"Here let us close the history of the second era. Another epoch opens, and William Penn-Brother Onas, as the Indian tongue relates-the founder of the Commonwealth, comes upon the stage and pos- sesses himself of these lands. And if history, into which he has immortally passed, be gospel, we may pride ourselves on account of the honesty and fair dealing of our colonial governor. His advent is dated A. D. 1682. Now it is no longer a wild forest, nor the red men's forest, but 'Penn's Forest.' But the Indians were tenacious in lingering about these acres. In 1728 even we find them desirous to retain them. Ac- cordingly, a petition, subscribed to by fifteen Palatines and 'Natives of Germany,' pray his Excellency, Wil- liam Keith, to free them from the demands of the Indians, who still laid claim to 'the Tulpehocken Lands,' and had pretended to claim it from their ar-
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