USA > Pennsylvania > Perry County > Churches between the mountains : a history of the Lutheran congregations in Perry County, Pennsylvania > Part 24
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their good standing; and the pastor shall call such members be- fore the congregation, pray with and for them, and in the name of the congregation dismiss them by the right hand of Christian sympathy and love.
CHAPTER IV.
OF CHURCH MEMBERS.
SEC. 1. Every member of this congregation shall faithfully perform all the duties enjoined on him in Chap. 5 of the For- mula, and be governed by the provisions of said chapter of the Formula.
SEC. 2. No member of this congregation shall engage in the manufacture or sale of intoxicating liquors as a beverage, or be- come partaker of the sins of others by renting houses for this purpose to those who are so engaged.
CHAPTER V.
OF ELECTIONS.
SEC. 1. All elections for officers of the church shall be held according to Chap. 6 of the Formula.
SEC. 2. In electing a pastor, not more than one minister shall be invited to preach and be voted for at the same time.
CHAPTER VI.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
SEC. 1. This church shall have a prayer-meeting and Sabbath- school. The prayer-meeting shall be kept up regularly, meeting at least once a week, and shall be conducted according to Chap. 7 of the Formula. Of the Sabbath-school the Church-Council shall always be a committee, to act in concert with the superin- tendent and other officers of the school in promoting its interests and extending its usefulness.
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SEC. 2. This Constitution, together with the Formula ap- pended to our Lutheran Hymn-book, shall serve all the governing and disciplinary purposes of this church.
SEC. 3. The Church-Council may, for their own purpose, make such by-laws as the welfare of the congregation may demand ; provided, however, that such by-laws do not conflict with this Constitution and the Formula above mentioned.
SEC. 4. But it is especially provided that no alterations or amendments can ever be made in this Constitution which would conflict with its doctrinal basis and Chap. 1, Sec. 1, as long as two regular members can be found who are opposed to such a change.
Signed in behalf of the members of the congregation by :
D. H. Focht, Pastor. Lewis Acker, - Deacons. John Moritz, Elder. Jacob Harris, -
THE LAYING OF THE CORNER-STONE OF CENTRE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The exercises connected with the laying of the corner-stone commenced on Friday evening, the 15th of June. Seats were prepared in a shaded grove, a short distance from the site of the church, and here the Rev. G. M. Settlemoyer and the pastor addressed the assembly.
On Saturday forenoon it rained. Hence, instead of preaching in the grove, the people assembled in the barn of Mr. Harris, and here, at 11 o'clock, A.M., Rev. Settlemoyer preached a sermon in the German language, from Isa. 28 : 16; Eph. 2 : 20-22. The pastor followed him with a short discourse in the English lan- guage, from 1 Pet. 2 : 6. It had now ceased to rain. The assembly proceeded to the site of the church. Here a few appro- priate verses were sung. The constitution and the following paper were then read, and the documents named in said paper were deposited with a copy of the Constitution :
" In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
"1. The Centre Evangelical Lutheran congregation in Buffalo
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Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania, deeply sensible of the want of a house of worship, resolved, in reliance on the aid of God and for the promotion of His glory, to erect this house, wherein the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is to be preached in purity, and the sacraments of the New Testament are to be ad- ministered according to the word of God, our only infallible guide in matters of faith and practice.
"2. The doctrines to be preached and taught in this church shall be in strict and full accordance with the doctrinal basis of the Synod of Central Pennsylvania and of the General Synod of the Lutheran Church in the United States, and every doctrine or shade of doctrine that in any wise deviates from or conflicts with said basis is hereby forever excluded from this house.
"3. The Formula of the General Synod of the Lutheran Church in the United States, together with the Constitution adopted by this congregation, shall be the rule for the government and discipline of the congregation worshipping in this house.
"4. This house we build with an eye single to the glory of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for our present and eternal good, the good of our children and successors, and that of the community at large.
" Having thus set forth the rule of our faith, the form of our government and discipline, and the end for which we erect this house,-
"Be it therefore known to all to whom these presents shall come, that this, the corner-stone of Centre Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Buffalo Township, Perry County, and State of Penn- sylvania, was laid in the name of the Triune God on the sixteenth day of June, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty, and the eighty-fourth year of the Independence, James Buchanan being President of the United States, and William F. Packer, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania. And when the tooth of time shall have demolished these walls, and all those who aided in rearing them shall have gone to their graves, may those who shall uncover this stone learn from these papers and documents the religious belief and benevolent designs of their forefathers,
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and be thereby stimulated to prosecute and extend the great and glorious cause of the Divine Redeemer, to whom, with the Father and Holy Spirit, be given all praise and honor, thanksgiving and glory, both now and forever. Amen.
"1. The ministers present are-
Rev. D. H. Focht, pastor of the congregation.
Rev. G. M. Settlemoyer, pastor of the Loysville Lutheran charge.
"2. The Church-Council consists of-
Rev. D. H. Focht, Pastor. Mr. Lewis Acker, Deacons. Mr. John Moritz, Elder. Mr. Jacob Harris,
"3. The Trustees and Building Committee are : Messrs. John Moritz, Lewis Acker, and Jacob Harris.
"4. The contractor is Mr. Philip Peters.
"5. The documents deposited with this paper are, 1. The Holy Bible (English). 2. The Lutheran Hymn-book (English; re- vised edition ; miniature). 3. Luther's Smaller Catechism (Eng- lish ; General Synod's 6th edition). 4. The proceedings of the Fifth Annual Convention of the Synod of Central Pennsylvania. 5. The proceedings of the Nineteenth Convention of the General Synod of the Lutheran Church in the United States. 6. Lu- theran Almanacs for the year 1860 (German and English). 7. The Lutheran Observer of June 1st, 1860. 8. The Lutheran Sunday-School Herald of April, 1860. 9. Lutherischer Kirchen- bote, den Sten Juni, 1860. 10. A sketch of the history of the church, and a copy of the constitution of the congregation. 11. A copy of each of the Perry County periodicals, namely : a. The People's Advocate and Perry County Democratic Press, of June 13th, 1860. b. The Perry County Freeman, of June 14th, 1860. c. The Perry County Democrat, of June 14th, 1860. d. The Newport Gazette, of June 7th, 1860."
All these documents having been carefully deposited, a short form from the Liturgy was read, after which Rev. Settlemoyer offered a prayer. A suitable hymn was then sung, and the as- sembly dismissed with the apostolic benediction.
A table was spread in Mr. Harris' barn, and persons from a
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distance, and all others, were cordially invited to partake of the provisions. At 2 o'clock, P.M., the men on the ground proceeded to raise the frame of the church, so that it was ready for the rafters. Rev. Settlemoyer having left, the pastor preached this evening at 6 o'clock, in the grove near the church, to a large congregation, from Heb. 11 : 6. And also on Sunday, the 17th, at 10 o'clock, A.M., at the same place, he preached to a large and attentive audience, from Matt. 18 : 11. Here ended the ex- ercises connected with the laying of the corner stone of Centre Lutheran Church.
The church-edifice was pushed rapidly forward towards com- pletion.
On Sunday, the 30th of September, the congregation worshipped the last time at Huggins's School-house, when the pastor preached from Luke 15 : 1-7.
DEDICATION OF CENTRE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The church-edifice being completed, the congregation assem- bled in it the first time for divine worship on Friday evening, the 19th of October, 1860, when the pastor delivered a discourse based on Matt. 6 : 10, "Thy kingdom come." On Saturday, the 20th, at 10 o'clock, A.M., the pastor preached the preparatory sermon in the German language, from Matt. 6 : 33, and was fol- lowed by a discourse based on John 7 : 37, in the English lan- guage, by Rev. John W. Tressler. This evening Rev. Tressler preached from Ezek. 33 : 8. On Sunday, the 21st, at 10 o'clock A.M., the pastor preached the sermon of consecration in German, from Psalm 46 : 4, and Rev. Tressler preached in English from 1 Tim. 5 : 8. By subscriptions and collections forty-six dollars were obtained. This amount covered about the liabilities of the congregation, and the church was paid for. The pastor then consecrated the church, according to the formula of the Liturgy, by the name of Centre Evangelical Lutheran Church. The work is done. "Bless the Lord, O my soul !" At 3 o'clock, P.M., the pastor preached the sacramental sermons, in both languages,
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from John 19 : 30, "It is finished." The Lord's Supper was then administered to twenty-eight communicants. This evening Rev. Tressler preached from Heb. 2 : 3. Here closed the reli- gious exercises connected with the consecration of the church.
The church-edifice is 36 by 30 feet in size, weather-boarded and painted white outside, is entered by two front doors, and the internal arrangement is convenient and judicious. The entire cost of the edifice, stoves, and other furniture, was about six hun- dred and thirty dollars.
Soon after the consecration of the church, the weekly prayer- meeting and Sunday-school were removed to it, and have since then been kept there, and are generally well attended.
From the decd of conveyance, written by Attorney J. Don L. Gantt, of Newport, we will give the following extracts :
" This Indenture, made the first day of January, A.D. 1861, between Jacob Harris, of the County of Perry, and State of Pennsylvania, yeoman, and Appilonia his wife, of the one part, and John Moritz, Lewis Acker, and Jacob Harris, all of said County and State, trustees of the Centre Lutheran Church, in said County, of the second part, Witnesseth, that the said parties of the first part for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, lawful money of the United States of America, to them in hand paid by the parties of the second part at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby ac- knowledged, and also for the further consideration of the benefit and advantage arising from the preaching of the true Gospel in said Centre Lutheran Church, do grant, bargain, sell, &c., ... all that certain lot of ground, situate, &c., ... containing twenty- four square perches, &c .; ... said lot and church thereon erected to be held by the trustees aforesaid, and their successors, for the use of the Centre Evangelical Lutheran congregation, and none other, unless by permission of the whole Church-Council, who may, by their unanimous consent, permit the preaching of a funeral or other occasional sermon, provided such preaching does not cause disturbance or interfere with the regular appointments of the church, &c., . . . to have and to hold the said lot of ground,
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buildings, &c., . . . unto the aforesaid parties of the second part, and their successors, &c." See Deed Book S., Vol. I, p. 315.
Thus the members of the church in this valley, destitute of a preached Gospel so long a time and organized into a congregation only two years ago, have now a convenient and beautiful house of worship. May they prosper in piety as individuals and as a con- gregation ! and may the saving influences of the preached Gospel and the ordinances of God's house be the means of here leading many souls to Christ, now and for all time to come ! Amen.
As the Bloomfield charge was so very large, and the Centre Church is nearer to Millerstown than to Bloomfield, Rev. Focht transferred Centre Lutheran Church to the Millerstown charge, and preached his last sermons on Sunday, the 24th of Novem- ber, 1861, at three o'clock P. M., from 1 Cor. 15 : 28, and in the evening from James 4 : 17, having preached for this dear people nearly three years. May God bless this congregation ! On the 1st of December, 1861, the
Rev. William O. Wilson
commenced preaching for this congregation in connection with the Millerstown charge. He lectured on the Catechism soon after, and in January following it pleased the Lord to pour out his Spirit on the congregation, and a number professed to have experienced a change of heart. These were still further instructed, and on the 26th of April, 1862, the following persons were admitted to incmbership by confirmation :
Daniel Hilbert, Mrs. Deborah Ann Hilbert, Miss Elvina Silks.
" Smile, Lord, on each divine attempt To spread the Gospel's rays ; And build on sin's demolish'd throne The temples of thy praise."
Since the organization of the congregation in June, 1859, the following brethren have served as its officers :
Elders.
John Moritz, . from June 5th, 1859, yet in office.
29
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Trustees.
John Moritz, . from March 26th, 1860, yet in office.
Lewis Acker, . 66 66
Jacob Harris, .
66
Deacons.
Lewis Acker, . from June 5th, 1859, to 1861.
Jacob Harris, .
1860.
Jacob E. Ziegler,
1860, yet in office.
Lewis Acker (re-elected),
1861,
SECTION III.
TUSCARORA EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CONGREGATION IN RACCOON . VALLEY, TUSCARORA TOWNSHIP.
In Raccoon Valley, Tuscarora Township, about five miles west of Millerstown, and near Donally's Mill, at Rice's or Bull's School-house, where a number of members resided, the
Rev. Josiah Zimmerman
preached occasionally from 1856 to 1859. The members here belong mostly to the Millerstown congregation.
Rev. J. A. Hackenberger
also preached here occasionally for about one year, from August, 1859 to '60. In July, 1861, when the
Rev. William O. Wilson
entered on his labors at Millerstown, he commenced to preach here once every two weeks, and met with encouraging success. After catechizing and preaching for some time, it became evident that the word of life awakened some souls. In October, a pro- tracted meeting was held, when the pastor was assisted by the Revs. P. M. Rightmeyer and W. H. Diven. A considerable
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number professed to have passed from death to life. These were still further carefully instructed. It became apparent now that in order to permanent success a congregation must be organized. Hence, on Friday evening, the 29th of November, 1861, the Rev. D. H. Focht, assisting the pastor, preached from Luke 7 : 37, 38, and on Saturday, the 30th, he preached from 1 Cor. 15 : 58. After sermon, the organization was effected in the following order :
With the change of names and dates, the same form of organi- zation at Millerstown (see page 318) was adopted in organizing Tuscarora Evangelical Lutheran congregation, and was subscribed by the following persons as members :
William Rice,
John Rice,
Levi T. Diener,
Christiana Kain,
Samuel Rice,
Wilhelmina Trankler,
Daniel Rice,
Susan White,
Adam Rice,
Jemima Cath. Dromgold,
Margaret Eliz. Rice,
Amaretta J. Kain,
Mary Ann Rice,
Julianna Bowers, Godfrey Kain.
From the above members, the following were elected and in- stalled as officers of the congregation :
William Rice, Elder.
John Rice, for 2 years,
Deacons.
Levi T. Diener, for 1 year,
The following persons were then confirmed, and a number of infants baptized.
David Mahaffey;
Mary Cath. Jacobs,
John Frey, Mary Malinda Rice,
Daniel Macher (baptized),
Catharine Rice,
Lydia Ann Frey,
Amaretta Jacobs.
Elizabeth Jacobs,
Thus the congregation was regularly organized. This evening
Mary Ann Rice,
Sarah Dromgold, Sophia Kerr,
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CHURCHES BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.
Rev. Focht preached from 1 Tim. 1 : 15, and on Sunday fore- noon (December 1st) the communion sermon from Acts 18 : 21. Forty-six persons united then in celebrating the Lord's Supper. This evening Rev. Focht preached from 1 Cor. 16 : 22. Here ended the exercises connected with the organization of the con- gregation.
A church-edifice is now very much needed by this congrega- tion, and we hope the members will before long build one. A Sunday-school was organized on the 18th of May, 1862. May the Lord bless pastor and people !
" Behold th' expected time draw near, The shades disperse, the dawn appear ; The barren wilderness assume The beauteous tints of Eden's bloom."
SECTION IV.
PREACHING-STATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE MILLERSTOWN CHARGE.
1. Wright's School-house. Every two weeks Rev. Wilson preaches here, and the attendance is good. A Sunday-school has been organized and seems to be in a flourishing condition. This school-house is " located at the west end of Wild Cat Valley, about three miles east of Millerstown, and one mile and a half from Juniata River, in a grove on a hill by a small graveyard, where some of the Wrights lie buried." The location seems to be romantic, a fit place where to worship God.
2. Kauffman's School-house. This is located in Little Foutz's Valley, about three miles north of Millerstown. Here Rev. Wil- son preaches once every two weeks on Thursday evening. He organized a Sunday-school at this place last spring. The pros- pects of doing good are encouraging.
From the foregoing pages it will be seen that the Millerstown
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charge is as yet in a formative state. For some time to come much hard labor and great self-denial will be required of the pastor. But the field is promising, there is abundance of mate- rial, and by patient perseverance in tilling the ground, an abun- dant harvest may be gathered into the kingdom of Christ.
" Can we, whose souls are lighted With wisdom from on high,- Can we to men benighted The lamp of life deny ? Salvation, O salvation, The joyful sound proclaim, Till earth's remotest nation Has learn'd Messiah's name."
. 29*
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CHURCHES BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.
CHAPTER VII.
THE REV. JOHN WILLIAM HEIM.
AFTER what has been said, in the preceding chapters, respect- ing the labors of this eminently useful servant of the Lord, we need to add but a brief sketch of his life. It may be said, in truth, that the history of the Lutheran churches in Perry County and his life are so inseparably connected, that the former cannot be written without writing the latter. Our object will therefore be to endeavor to supply what may be wanting, and to connect the leading facts of his life, and thus present a general outline of the man, the Christian, and the minister of the Gospel.
John George Heim, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Würtemberg, Germany, and arrived on the shores of America in October, 1751 .* He was the father of William Heim, who settled in Mahanoy Township, Northumber- land County, Pa., in about 1780, and removed to Jackson Town- ship, Perry County, Pa, in 1815, and died here in 1856, at an advanced age.t
* See I. D. Rupp's " Thirty Thousand Immigrants," page 199.
7 " Died in Jackson Township, Perry County, Pa., on Sunday, the 2d of March, 1856, Mr. William Heim, aged ninety-five years. Mr. Heim was the father of the Rev. John W Heim, who ministered so long and faithfully to the Lutheran Churches of the upper end of this county. In recording the death of this aged patriarch, we lose one of the links that connected us with the past. He was an honest man, the noblest work of God. Mr. Heim was the only surviving hero of our memorable revolutionary struggle living in this county. He could narrate many incidents of the long contest which resulted in the declaration of our independence. He asked the Government to reward him for his services, but he could furnish no evidence, except the existence of his name on the roll of his company. The State had given him a trifling sum." People's Advocate of Perry County, March 5th, 1856.
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John William Heim, the oldest child and son of William and Elizabeth Heim, was born in Mahanoy Township, Northumber- land County, Pa., on the 8th of August, 1782. At an early age he was sent to school, and aided his father on the farm. At the age of seventeen, in 1799, he attended the catechetical lectures of the Rev. Henry Miller, by whom he was confirmed according to the custom of the Lutheran Church. Rev. Miller was at that time pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Harrisburg, and also occasionally visited the scattered and destitute members of the Church in the southwest part of Northumberland County.
Although young Heim worked on his father's farm, he never- theless neglected no opportunity to improve his mind, and his proficiency was such that he was soon solicited to teach a common school. As a teacher he enjoyed additional advantages for study and self-improvement. He was known as a pious, studious, and most excellent instructor of children. He opened and closed his school every day with the singing of a hymn and the offering of a prayer, and the pupils were required to recite to him daily a given portion of the Catechism. The instruction he had received from his pastor in the catechetical class had sunk deep in his heart, and whilst engaged as teacher, and repeatedly reviewing the Catechism in the school-room, the Holy Spirit, accompanying the divine truth, convinced him " of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." He saw himself a vile sinner, undone, and deserving of no mercy. But in his lost condition, he remem- bered the precious promises of God's word, and, relying with a believing heart on the merits of the death of Jesus Christ, he found peace to his troubled soul. He was a new-born man. With renewed zeal he now gave himself to the reading of pious and in- structive books, and to the doing of good by teaching others the fear of God.
He gave his hand in marriage to Miss Catharine Drenkel,*
* When about four years old, Catharine lost her mother under the most painful and melancholy circumstances. Her father resided on Penn's Creek, now in Snyder County. A marauding party of hostile Indians, in passing through that neighborhood, attacked the house of Mr. Drenkel, who was at
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who shared with him the joys and sorrows of a long life. She was noted for her piety, modesty, industry, and frugality.
When that great, good, though almost unknown man, the Rev. Conrad Walter, became acquainted with Mr. Heim, he found him possessed of those qualities of heart and mind, which seemed to justify the propriety of urging him to prepare for more extended usefulness in the ministry of the Gospel. Mr. Heim took the subject into prayerful consideration, and after hesitating for some time, he said : " Here am I; send me."
In the year 1809, with a view to the ministry, Mr. Heim com- menced a course of study under the direction of Rev. Walter, who resided at Middleburg, Snyder County, and is said to have been an eminently pious and laborious, and highly talented and edu- cated minister. Under the guidance of this good and gifted man, Mr. Heim pursued a five years' course of theological training. Dur- ing this time, at short intervals, he taught school at Rowe's ( Ger- man, Rau's) Church, a few miles southeast of Middleburg, as a means to support his family.
We have before us, in manuscript, fifty-two skeletons of ser- mons and part of a system of didactic theology, all of which are in Mr. Heim's handwriting, though they were evidently dictated by Rev. Walter, or copied from his manuscripts. The system of theology bears date, January 7th, 1813. Definitions of theologi- cal terms are given in Latin, and quotations from the Scriptures sometimes in the Greek and sometimes in the Hebrew languages. The whole production, as far as it goes, is thorough and exceed- ingly suggestive. The study of a concise system of theology like this, with verbal explanations, illustrations and amplifications, by such a man as Rev. Walter, would certainly be a good theological
the time in the field at work. When he became aware of the perilous condi- tion of his family, he hastened to their rescue. But though he saved the life of Catharine, the wife and mother, a little brother and the bahe in the cradle were cruelly murdered hy the relentless savages. The mother was scalped by the Indians, and was buried with the two children on the bank of meandering Penn's Creek. The grave of these innocents, like that of Moses, is unknown. This statement we have from the lips of Mr. George Heim, and Mrs. Krosier, a granddaughter of the murdered mother.
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preparation for the ministry. This was the kind of training Mr. Heim enjoyed for five years ; and this little book bears decided evidence to the high theologieal attainments of Rev. Walter as well as to the sound and thorough theological instruction Mr. Heim received .*
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