USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > Harrisburg > Centennial memorial, English Presbyterian congregation, Harrisburg, Pa. > Part 8
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The records of the Session show that on March 10th, 1853, " Parish Hymns" was adopted for use in the lecture and prayermeeting. This subsequently gave place to the " Social Hymn and Tune Book;" which, in turn, was succeeded by " Hymns and Songs of Praise " edited by Drs. Hitchcock, Eddy and Schaff. This is the book now in use. A new edition of this book by Drs. Hitchcock, Eddy and Mudge, is in use in the public services at Calvary Chapel.
Before 1856 " Union Hymns," a collection of five hundred hymns published by the American Sunday-School Union was in use in the Sunday-school. There is no record of its adoption. In 1856 it gave place to "Sunday-School
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Some Additional Reminiscences.
Hymns," compiled for the American Sunday-School Union by Mr. James W. Weir. There were three hundred and seventy-three hymns in this collection, many of them having been written by Mr. Weir. In later years there has been a great variety of Sunday-school music books in use. Every collection that had any merit, and some which had none, being adopted as it appeared. The present collection is " Winnowed Songs for Sunday-Schools," by Ira D. Sankey.
The Intermediate department has used two compilations of hymns selected by some of the musical people in the church and printed exclusively for use in this department. The last collection was made several years ago, and the expense of its publication was generously borne by Mrs. Eliza E. Haldeman.
This sketch, brief as it is, together with Mr. Graydon's, makes evident that the mother Presbyterian church of Harrisburg has had a history written in song and music, a history which reveals the high musical culture of its people and their sense of the important part music bears in the worship of God.
WEDNESDAY EVENING, February the 14th, 1894, at 7.30 o'clock.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES OF HARRISBURG.
The Centennial committee appreciating the fact that their church is only one of the Presbyterian churches in the city, and believing that the centenary of the mother would not be complete without a large recognition of her mother and her children, arranged for this evening to be devoted to the past history and the present condition of the several Pres- byterian churches which sustain these relations to her.
The Rev. William A. West, the Stated Clerk of the Pres- bytery of Carlisle, now in charge of the Robert Kennedy Memorial Presbyterian Church at Welsh Run, and for many years the pastor of the Westminster Presbyterian Church of this city, was invited to preside on this occasion. Mr. West is greatly revered by this congregation, and his long resi- dence as one of the pastors in this city made this selection eminently fitting. The service began with an organ pre- lude, Guilmant's "Marche Religieuse." In place of Dudley Buck's "Hark, Hark, My Soul," which had been an- nounced for this evening, the choir sang "Iloly Spirit, Come, O Come," a setting by Martin of an old Latin hymn, written about the tenth century, and attributed to King Robert of France. Rev. Reuben II. Armstrong, pastor of the Elder Street Presbyterian Church, read Philippians 2: 1-11. The Rev. Benjamin F. Beck, City Missionary, led in
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Centennial Memorial.
prayer. The congregation joined in singing hymn No. 232, vs. 1, 2, 3, 4:
Jesus ! the very thought of Thee With sweetness fills my breast ; But sweeter far Thy face to see, And in Thy presence rest.
Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame, Nor can the memory find, A sweeter sound than Thy blest name, O Saviour of mankind.
O hope of every contrite heart. O joy of all the meek ! To those who fall how kind Thou art, How good to those who seek !
But what to those who find? Ah! this Nor tongue nor pen can show ; The love of Jesus-what it is, None but His loved ones know.
The PRESIDENT OF THE EVENING. I think it a great pleasure and privilege to be here this evening, and espe- cially to have the honor of presiding at a meeting in which shall be given brief sketches of the dealings of God to and by the churches of this city. The history of one of these churches runs back a century, and of the others to different periods. It has been very properly arranged upon the pro- gramme that before hearing these sketches of the churches of the city, we should hear from the mother church, Old Paxtang, a name loved and revered not only in this immediate section, but throughout the Presbytery of Car- lisle. It has been appointed that brief papers, not exceed- ing fifteen minutes in length, excepting that of the church
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Address by Rev. Albert B. Williamson.
in which we meet, to which thirty minutes have very prop- erly been allowed, shall be heard. We will hear first from Paxtang, organized about 1726, through the Pastor,- the Rev. Albert B. Williamson.
ADDRESS BY REV. ALBERT B. WILLIAMSON.
Owing to the fact that the sesqui-centennial celebration of old Paxtang Church is of such recent date, and that her history was then well-nigh exhausted in the compre- hensive article by the ready pen of our able State Libra- rian, Dr. Egle, (these facts all being printed in the daily newspapers, and preserved in a beautifully bound volume that, most of you, without doubt, have in your possession,) it will be almost impossible for me to say anything to you that will be new concerning the first part of the subject that was given me for this evening.
Paxtang Church is situated three miles east of Harris- burg, taking the court house for a starting point. It was organized by Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, who unable longer to endure the oppression of the old world, sought new homes for themselves in this " land of the free," where they could " worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience," no one but Indians daring to molest and they could not make afraid. They came in their poverty, but they brought along with them their Bibles, catechisms, trusty rifles, and last, but by no means least, their brains. As a result they have established for themselves and their descendants a name for intelligence, resolute patriotism and stalwart christianity, that has distinguished Paxtang parish- ioners through the greater portion of two centuries.
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Centennial Memorial.
Very soon after making homes for themselves in this new world, they built a log church in which to worship God, situated a few yards south of the present- church building. Some few foundation stones of this structure could be seen in recent years. Exactly when this log church was built, how long it stood, and when it was torn down to make way for a more substantial one of stone, no one seems to know. Close by this log structure were the graves of the early pioneers.
Unfortunately all these graves with one exception were unmarked, and that one, we are told, was a rudely chiseled stone bearing the simple inscription, " Died 1716."
In 1740 the present house of worship was built, and this building " is the oldest house of Presbyterian worship in the entire State of Pennsylvania. There it stands to-day, firmer than the day it was built. The stones used in this building are rough surface limestones of all sizes and shapes, picked up from the surrounding fields, and put together with very little skill, and yet no firmer, better walls can be found, and why? Because the builders were the masters of a lost art, they knew how to make good mortar. The strength of the walls lies in the mortar which is as hard as the stones themselves. The storms of over a century and a half have had so little effect upon it that the marks of the mason's trowel are as clear as when they laid it."
The only thing about our past that I may be able to say this evening that will be new to at least a portion of you, will be about the old Pastang charter, which by the way, is the oldest corporation charter in Dauphin county.
1
1
PAXTANG CHURCH. . ERECTED 1740.
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Address by Rev. Albert B. Williamson.
This charter was granted by the Legislature to Paxtang Presbyterian Church, April 1st, 1784. This charter calls for thirteen trustees, one of whom is the pastor elect, " who is entitled to vote equally with any member of the Board of trustees." The trustees, whose names are in this charter, were "persons of prominence, reputation and property ; farmers in the neighborhood." Their position is shown by their names and valuation found upon the assessment roll of 1785 and 1786.
Name. Rate.
Jacob Awl,
£800
Tax. £4- 50-d0
John Covert,
Samuel Cochran,
230
1- 6- 8
Joshua Elder,
875
4- 12- 0
John Forster, .
850
4- 0- 6
John Gilchrist,
500
2- 18- 9
John Harris (founder of Hbg.),
2.145
15- 0- 2
William Kerr,
525
3- 0- 0
Thomas MeArther,
225
1- 2- 6
Alexander McClure,
John Wiggins,
250
1- 15- 0
John Wilson, .
170
2- 10- 0
Rev. John Elder,
480
2- 0- 0
Rev. Mr. Elder was pastor and trustee of Paxtang Church fifty-six years. None of the descendants of these trustees now reside in the neighborhood of Paxtang church.
There are many distinguished men lying in old Paxtang grave yard without any mark to designate their resting place. Among those of known reputation who have head- stones to mark their resting place, are Wm. Maclay, who was the first United States Senator from Pennsylvania ; Wm. Wallace, Gen. Michael Simpson, and also the man,
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Centennial Memorial.
who not only gave his name to this city and laid out its streets, but was largely the means of having Harrisburg made the capital of this great Commonwealth, and- donated for a capitol site a portion of the ground now known as capitol park, on which the capitol buildings are now situated. To me the only surprising thing in connection with this man is, that this city has never yet honored her founder by erecting on some suitable site a monument to his memory.
Throughout all these years the people of God have come up to this sacred spot to worship the God of their fathers. Swarm after swarm have gone off from the mother-hive and have found for themselves new hives which have grown larger and greater than the mother church. She has kept on in the even tenor of her way out under the old gray oaks for more than a century and a half.
The first offspring of Paxtang Church is Market Square, which has now not only reached the mature age of one hundred years, but is much larger and stronger than her mother. It is not, however, with trepidation and fear that the mother comes this evening before her giant child, but to rejoice in the strength of her offspring, to bring her greet- ings of love, and to cordially unite with her in the celebration of her one hundredth anniversary.
The life of a quiet country church may seem to be very unimportant. No wonderful deeds such as challenge the world are recorded in its annals ; yet it may lie near the hearts and hopes of very many of God's children. As a birthplace of souls it is more hallowed than that of Marathon or Bunker Hill. The transformation of character effected
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Address by Rev. Albert B. Williamson.
in its midst is more important than the changes of empires ; the fellowship of faith sweeter and more enduring than the ties of nature. Its worship and its employment give more joy and satisfaction than the deliberations of councils or the transactions of courts.
The church has within recent years renewed her strength, and now bids fair to hold her position for many years to come. In the winter of 1887 and 1888 the interior of the church was reconstructed and thoroughly modernized, and a sexton was employed to take charge of the church and grounds. In the summer of 18SS three new elders were added to the Session. They are now the only ruling elders the church has. The membership of the church, which was thirty-two in the year 1887, has been increased to sixty- seven. The women of the church are actively engaged in missionary work, both home and foreign. The young peo- ple's missionary band is nobly doing its part, and many hearts have been gladdened this winter by the gifts of clothing made by it. The Y. P. S. C. E. has an active mem- bership of twenty-three and is a great help to both pastor and church. In 1892 lights were put in the church, since which time the cottage prayermeeting and the men's prayermeeting have united, and now worship every Wednesday evening in the church. The Sabbath-school is in a flourishing condition. This winter it held its first Christmas entertainment in the church.
The PRESIDENT OF THE EVENING. While it is pleasing to hear these tidings from the mother church, it will be also pleasing to hear from the sturdy daughter which has been doing such valued work during the last century in Harris-
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Centennial Memorial.
burg. It was a child whose birth was not hailed with joy and gladness by the mother, nor by its sturdy, strong- headed, stout-hearted pastor, Mr. Elder, of Paxtang Church. Notwithstanding that, she has grown and prospered and has been doing a good work for God and humanity. This evening my thoughts are turned back just fifty-one years ago to the winter of 1843, when, as a boy, I visited Harris- burg for about ten days or two weeks as the guest of Dr. Charles N. Hickok, now of Everett. During this time Dr. De Witt was holding protracted services in the old church, which stood on Second street and Cherry avenue. Impres- sions were then made upon my mind which were deepened shortly after by hearing Dr. Oliver O. MeClean, of Lewis- town, and led me in April of the same year to take my stand on the Lord's side. So that I have always felt a peculiar interest in Market Square Church from that period to the present. We shall hear of the present condition of this church from the pastor, Dr. Stewart.
ADDRESS BY REV. GEORGE B. STEWART.
It is a matter of profound regret to myself and to all that Mr. MeCarrell, who could so ably have spoken for this church at this time, is unable to discharge this duty. The state of his health is such as to positively forbid his undertaking it. It was not until a late hour that this became evident, and that it fell to my lot to take his place.
To-morrow evening the history of this church will be given by one than whom there is no other more qualified to narrate the story with accuracy, fullness and interest. To-night it devolves upon me to set forth the present
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Address by Rev. George B. Stewart.
condition of the church. I shall endeavor to confine myself strictly to the present condition, and shall only call to my aid so much of the past as may be necessary to a clearer presentation of the present.
It is a source of gratification that after a hundred years of activity the church is to-day in a condition of growing prosperity and strength. There are yet no signs of old age. Her force is in no wise abated. The workers from time to time change. The methods of work are successively modified. The condition and needs of the field vary. Nevertheless the church is as well qualified and equipped to do her mission in this generation as at any preceding time in her history. In celebrating this centennial of her birth, we are not called upon to entertain fears of her speedy dissolution. She is not decrepit, nor has her old age any manifestations of failing strength. I ask you to consider her present condition in respect of
I. Membership.
The present membership of the church is 768. Of this number Mrs. Sarah Doll is the oldest, having united with the church on profession of her faith in 1827. After her the next in age is Mrs. Julia A. Briggs, who united with the church on profession of her faith in 1834. In 1843 there was a great revival, at which time the largest number who ever united with the church on one occasion were received into membership. Of this number the following remain members still with us: Mrs. Susan Fleming, Mrs. Elizabeth Kerr, Mrs. Caroline R. Haldeman, Mrs. Mal- vina L. Ingram, Mrs. Isabella S. Kerr, Mr. Alexander Roberts, Mrs. Mary E. Vaughn, Mrs. Ann E. Zimmer-
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Centennial Memorial.
.
man. There are thus ten members who have been com- municants in this church for more than fifty years, or more than half of the period which we, on this occasion, celebrate. Two hundred and fifty persons united with the church in the twenty years that followed 1843, and yet only thirteen remain with us. They are Mrs. Ellen W. Stees, 1850; Mrs. Jeanette Fleming, 1853; Mr. Samuel D. Ingram and Miss Anna C. Weir, 1855; Mrs. Elizabeth B. Orth and Mrs. Elizabeth Reily, 1857; Mrs. Margaret F. Sumner, 1859; Miss Rachel T. Briggs, Mrs. Louisa C. Fahnestock, Miss Louisa C. Fahnestock, Mrs. Hanna M. Harvey, Miss Mary Vandling and Miss Elizabeth Vandling, 1862. Of those who were enrolled during the next twenty-one years, be- tween 1864 and 1884 inclusive, there remain two hundred and twenty-nine, while of those received during the last nine years, there remain five hundred and sixteen.
II. Organizations.
The oldest organization in connection with the church is the woman's weekly prayermeeting, held on Friday after- noon of each week. The meeting can be traced back as far as 1812, and during all of this long history it has borne an important part in the work of the church. So signal has been the influence and the activity of the women of the church that it was at first thought the centennial services would not be complete without giving special prominence to this fact by having a meeting devoted exclusively to the consideration of the work the women have done. But that not being deemed desirable it seems best for me to lay emphasis upon the activity of the women of the past, and to bear particular testimony to the great value of their
Address by Rev. George B. Stewart. 135
service in the present. There is a large amount of unwrit- ten history in connection with this church which if it were recorded would be blazoned with the names of many godly and eminently useful women who have prayed and wrought to the glory of God and to the salvation of souls. You will pardon me for narrating an incident which has peculiar interest to me and probably to others. It is not likely to get into any history except as I might tell it. In 1884, it pleased this congregation to call me to its pastorate. After receiving that call, I held it under advisement for a considerable, I guess the congregation thought it an incon -. siderable, time. After many days of prayerful deliberation, the day arrived on which my answer must be sent, and I had reached no conclusion. I was in great stress of mind as to where my duty lay between your call and the wishes of the beloved people I had served for six years. The letter must go on a train which left the city a few minutes after four o'clock. Three o'clock had arrived and my deci- sion had not yet been made. In earnest prayer I sought, as I had previously sought, Divine guidance. I thought that I had received it and it became clear that it was my duty to accept your call. That was on Friday afternoon between three and four o'clock. I wrote the letter hastily, posted it and wired my decision to an elder of the church. He received my telegram, and a few moments later he met one of the women of the church and mentioned to her that he had received a telegram from me announcing my deci- sion. She said, " I know what it is. I have just come from the woman's prayermeeting, where we have been praying that he might come, and we seemed to have the
7
136
Centennial Memorial.
assurance that he will come." I cannot but feel the prayers offered in Harrisburg and at Auburn during that one con- mon hour were instrumental in bringing the one common answer.
The woman's Friday afternoon prayermeeting is a lineal descendant of the early meetings of the women in the church, though much of the work which was originally done in connection with its weekly meetings is now carried forward by numerous other organizations. This meeting is now in about the same condition in which it has been for several years. The attendance remains stationary with a few new ones becoming regular attendants who take the place of those called away by death or removal. Probably fifteen or twenty comprise the number of those who attend this weekly meeting. A collection is taken at each meeting which is given for such objects of benevolence as the ladies may decide. These offerings annually amount to about $150, and are appropriated to missionary and other uses.
Another woman's organization is the Dorcas Society, which during the winter months meets each week to cut out garments and to do sewing for the destitute of the con- gregation. During this present winter this society, on account of the present distress, has been unusually active.
The ladies are also carrying on with great and encourag- ing results a sewing-school for girls, which has been in existence since February 1, 1879. No girl is allowed to become a member of the sewing-school unless she is also a member of the Sunday-school. These girls are taught the useful art of sewing from the most elementary up to dress-
F
137
Address by Rev. George B. Stewart.
making, fancy embroidery and fancy knitting. Mrs. Isabella S. Kerr has been superintendent from the beginning, and, notwithstanding her enfeebled health, is still the guiding and inspiring mind. Thus far for this winter there are enrolled about one hundred and sixty scholars.
The Women's Missionary Society was organized October 2, 1871, and meets monthly on the first Friday of each month. This society does a most valuable work in the inter- est of Foreign Missions, though its collections gathered at each meeting are divided equally between the Home and Foreign work. The meetings are well attended, full of interest and valuable as an agency for maintaining and increasing the interest in missions. Our women are also united with those of the several Presbyterian churches of the city in the Women's Union Home Missionary Society, organized in 1881. The ladies also co-operate with the ladies of other churches in the MeAll Auxiliary in the interest of that mission work in France. There is a Ladies Aid Society, which devotes particular attention to the care of the church and its other material interests. It thus appears that now as always in the history of the church the women are foremost in every good work. By pureness, by knowl- edge, by zeal, they further the work of the Master here, and their power has gone into all the world.
The Sunday-school was organized August 16, 1816. The school is divided into Senior, Intermediate, Primary and Chinese departments. The present superintendent, Mr. S. J. M. McCarrell, has occupied this honorable office since the death of Mr. Weir, in 1878, discharging the duties of the
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Centennial Memorial.
same with eminent ability and success. The secretaries' reports for the past year show that we have enrolled in the church school twenty-five officers, ninety-eight teachers, one thousand and ninety-six scholars, a total of one thousand two hundred and nineteen. Many of these scholars are not otherwise connected with the church. The children of our own members are almost without exception communicant or baptized members of the church, are members of the Sunday-school, and are faithful in attendance upon the services of the sanctuary.
Among our young people we have a Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor and a Junior Society of Christian Endeavor. The former was organized Nov. 5th, 1886, and the latter Feb. 3d, 1890. Both are valuable and active organizations. The Young People's Society has a membership of about one hundred and forty. It holds a weekly prayermeeting every Sunday evening before church service, a bi-weekly missionary meeting and an occasional social, and other entertainments. The zeal, enthusiasm and energy of the young people is being wisely directed through this organization along all the lines of church work, and though it is so recent an agent, yet it is one of the most valuable.
The Junior Society is composed of boys and girls, and meets each Monday afternoon. It is under the manage- ment of five ladies, who are most enthusiastie in their work and have stimulated a real enthusiasm among the one hundred members. Just now the pastor is giving a course of lessons on the life of Christ. There is held a monthly
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Address by Rev. George B. Stewart.
missionary meeting, at which a collection for missions is taken. This amounts to about $40 a year.
In addition to these several organizations among the young, there are numerous mission bands-twelve, or more -organized for home and foreign mission work and other good purposes. These ordinarily meet monthly, and are accomplishing good results.
As one of the results of the revival in the winter of 1875-6 came the cottage prayermeeting, organized Dec. 12th, 1875. This meeting is held every Monday evening from house to house. While the immediate purpose for which it was organized has ceased to exist, and many of its most active supporters have withdrawn from it to enter upon larger and more important church work, nevertheless it seems to have a place to fill, and is accomplishing good, though not great' results.
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