USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania > Part 26
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The pastor, Rev. J. Rauch Stein, has served ever since the organization of the church in 1899. He was instructor in Greek and Latin at Mt. Gretna Chautauqua in 1892 and professor of German and History at Mercersburg Academy. Through his untiring efforts the church was organized and the present edifice built. In 1900 the membership was but fourteen, but to-day numbers 275. Numerous
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auxiliary societies make this one of the strong church organizations of the city. The edifice is among the most attractive in the city and does credit to its designers and the devoted society which caused its erection.
Zwingle Reformed Church was organized in 1870 by members of the Second Reformed Church, who desired the German preaching exclusively. They purchased the property on the corner of North street and Church alley, upon which they erected a neat brick build- ing in 1871.
LUTHERAN CHURCHES.
Up to 1814 the Lutheran congregation in Harrisburg wor- shiped with the German Reformed brethren in a jointly owned prop- erty, elsewhere described. During that year the Lutherans pur- chased a lot on Fourth street, between Market and Chestnut streets, and erected thereon a handsome brick church. The building com- mittee consisted of Christian Kunkle, George Youse, George Zieg- ler, John Shock and Christian Stahl. The contract was awarded to Stephen Hills, and the cornerstone was laid June 22, 1814. An immense assemblage of people were present. After many earnest appeals to sister churches, this building was dedicated October I, 1815. Pews were rented in October the same year. In the language of the original record, "to the complete surprise of everybody every pew was taken the first day." Rev. F. C. Schaeffer and Valentine Hummel, about a year before, had gone to Lititz and purchased an organ, built by Mr. Bachman, which was now placed in position in the new church. In 1816 the congregation sold all their interest in the old church property on Third street to the Reformed Church for one thousand dollars, and in 1822 erected a large two-story brick school-house adjoining their church.
Rev. F. D. Schaeffer, from near Carlisle, preached statedly un- til 1795, when Rev. Henry Moeller became first stationed pastor. The following are the founders of this church, who in 1795 signed the articles of church government : Benjamin Kurtz, Henry Saylor, George Pfeiffer, Matthias Hutman, George Jauss, George Hart- man, Frederick Youse, Johannes Ebert, John Shock, George Zieg- ler, Martin Krieger, George Seidel, George Scheile, George Em- erich, Peter Walter, Casper Shmidt, Stephen Horning, George Buks, Balthazer Sees, John Fager, Peter Bricker, Christoff Sess, John My- tinger, Bernhard Geiger, Peter Brua.
The above building served well its purpose until 1829, when a steeple was added, and as thus changed it served the congregation
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until 1838. October 21 of that year the edifice and adjoining school-house (erected in 1822) were entirely destroyed by fire. The vestry and other members assembled at the ruins and determined to rebuild.
The work was vigorously prosecuted, and the completed church was dedicated on the 10th of November, 1839. It was sixty-four feet front by eighty-four deep, and had a large lecture-room and several Sabbath-school rooms in the basement. It was built of brick, covered with composition, painted white, and the cupola had two bells. The edifice was remodeled and enlarged in 1866-67, and is now one hundred and four feet deep and sixty-four feet front. In the tower, which is one hundred and seventy-five feet high, is a chime of eleven bells.
Up to 1843 the pastors preached in both German and English with the exception of the first two, who officiated in the German language alone. In consequence of the increase of both the German and English branches of the church, an amicable separation was ef- fected in 1843, when the German portion organized the German Lutheran St. Michael's Church.
German Lutheran St. Michael's Church .- In the fall of 1842 difficulties in relation to services in the English and German lan-
POCERS
Zion Lutheran Church. (First)
guages existing in the Evangelical Lutheran Zion's (First) Church led, as heretofore stated, to a separation between its English and German members. The German portion organized the German
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Lutheran St. Michael's Church, July 8, 1843, and chose Rev. G. J. Martz their pastor. At first services were held in the court house, in the old Methodist Church and in the lecture room of the Re- formed Church. Finally the congregation purchased of Thomas Elder a lot on Second street, below Meadow Lane, and built there- on. This building was dedicated September 15, 1844. During the same year the congregation was incorporated, the articles providing that services should be in the German language only. The old building was sold with the land on which it stood, in 1905, to the Pennsylvania railroad company and a new structure built on west State street, and was dedicated July 20 to 22, 1906. Prior to its completion, Mr. Leisman, one of the members, wrote through the American Consul to the Emperor of Germany, soliciting some be- fitting token for this house of worship, and in response received an elegant German Bible for the pulpit. In the same was inscribed a passage of Scripture and the name of the royal donor. The cost of this edifice was $20,000, and of the pipe organ $2,500. The present ( 1907) pastor is Rev. J. G. Pfuhl.
The Second Lutheran Church was the outgrowth of the Mis- sion Sabbath School founded January 11, 1858, by the Sunday School Association of Zion's Lutheran Church, at the timely sugges- tion of William Parkhill. A house was rented on East State street. On a leased lot at the corner of State and Fourth streets, a neat chapel was built in 1858. The Society was regularly organized Sep- tember 13, 1860. The first pastor was Rev. E. S. Johnston. The chapel referred to was removed to Williams street, and on its site the Free Baptist congregation finally erected its church. The Luth- erans then bought for $1,500 a lot on Forster near Elder street, where they dedicated a new building July 14, 1867. Its total cost was $18,000. In 1889 they built their present large and thoroughly modern edifice on Forster and Sixth streets.
Augesburg Lutheran church is on Muench street. Bethlehem Lutheran church is on Cumberland street. Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church is on Thirteenth street. Christ Evangelical Luth- eran Church is on Thirteenth street. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is situated on Kensington street. The Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church is situated on the corner of Fifteenth and Walnut streets. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is situated on South Ninth street. Zion's Lutheran Church is located on South Fourth, near Market street.
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.
The Presbyterians of Harrisburg, prior to 1790, were united with the Paxtang church, a short distance from the town. After the
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laying out of Harrisburg in 1785, the population increased and the residents invited traveling preachers to officiate for them on several occasions.
In October, 1786, a petition was presented to the Presbytery of Carlisle from residents in Harrisburg and the parts adjacent, re- questing that they be erected into a congregation, and be allowed to have a place of worship in the town, and to have supplies appointed them for the pulpit services. No action was taken upon these re- quests at that time, but in April, 1787, the Presbytery met at Car- lisle, and the following account is taken from the records of the meeting :
"A representation and a petition of a number of the inhabi- tants of Harrisburg and others in the township of Paxtang was laid before the Presbytery and read. The said representation sets forth that these people desire to be considered as a Presbyterian congregation, and to have supplies appointed to them by the Pres- bytery, and that in order to promote peace and harmony between them and the Paxtang congregation some proposals had been made and considered, though not accepted by that congregation, a copy of which also was laid before Presbytery. Mr. Elder also gave a representation of the case as concerning these people and the Paxtang congregation. The Presbytery, upon consideration of the case, agreed to propose the following articles to the consideration and acceptance of these people, which may have a tendency to pre- serve peace and unity in that part of the church :
"I. That Harrisburg shall be considered as the seat of a Presbyterian Church, and a part of the charge of Rev. John Elder, and in which he is to preach one-third of his time.
"II. That Mr. Elder's salary, promised by the congregation of Paxtang, shall be continued and paid by the congregation in common who adhere to these two places of worship, viz., Paxtang and Harrisburg.
"III. That the congregation thus united, may apply and ob- tain supplies as assistant to the labors of Mr. Elder, to be paid by the congregation in common.
"IV. That when the congregation may judge it proper, they shall have a right to choose and call a minister as a colleague with Mr. Elder, to officiate in relation with him."
Rev. Dr. Davidson, of Carlisle, president of Dickinson Col- lege, and Rev. John Waugh, pastor of Silvers Springs Church, were appointed to attend at the church in Lower Paxtang, on the last Tuesday of May, 1787, to moderate and assist in the matter. At a subsequent meeting of the Presbytery, held June, 1787, Revs. Dick-
18
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inson and Waugh reported that they had fulfilled their appoint- ment at Paxtang and that the following had been agreed to by Mr. Elder, his congregation and Harrisburg :
"I. That the congregation shall have two stated places of public worship-the one where Rev. Mr. Elder now officiates, the other in Harrisburg.
II. That the Rev. John Elder shall continue to have and re- ceive during his life of incumbency, all the salary or stipends that he now enjoys, to be paid by his present subscribers, as he and they may agree, and continue his labors in Derry as usual.
III. That the congregation may for the present, apply to the Presbytery for supplies, which when obtained, the expense shall be defrayed by those who do not belong to Mr. Elder's congregation and such as may think proper to join them; and should such sup- plies be applied for when Mr. Elder is to be in Paxtang, then he and the person to supply shall preach in rotation, the one in the country and the other in town; but should Mr. Elder be in Derry, then the supplies shall officiate in town.
IV. That the congregation when able, or when they think proper, may invite and settle any regular Presbyterian minister they, or a majority of them may choose, and can obtain, as co-pas- tor with Mr. Elder, who shall officiate as to preaching in the man- ner specified in the third proposal."
Notwithstanding the permission granted by these articles, Mr. Elder continued to be sole pastor of the two congregations of Der- ry and Paxtang, the latter including Harrisburg, until his death in July, 1792.
In 1793, Rev. Nathaniel R. Snowden was ordained and in- stalled pastor over the congregations of Derry, Paxtang and Har- risburg. A year later the Harrisburg Church was regularly organ- ized, with Moses Gillmor, Adam Boyd and Samuel Weir as ruling elders. In April, 1796, Mr. Snowden's pastoral relations had ceased with Derry and Paxtang, after which he served at Harrisburg only, but later was permitted to preach at Middletown. Worship was held in the loft of the old jail until the erection of the court-house, when it was used. As it was customary in those early days to raise money for benevolent purposes by lotteries, an application was made to the legislature for permission to raise by lottery a sum not ex- ceeding five thousand dollars to buy a lot and erect a church thereon. The ticket in this "gift enterprise," which to-day would be neither really moral, Christian or legal, read as follows: (size of card one by three inches ) .
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: Harrisburg
By Authority.
No. 3,912
: Church Lottery
: This ticket will entitle the possessor to such prize as may : : be drawn to its number, if demanded within twelve months after : : drawing. Subject to a deduction of twenty per centum. February 8, 1802. :
ADAM BOYD. : 3,912
March 16, 1798, a law was passed appointing Robert Harris, George Whitehill, Christian Kunkle, William Graydon, George Brenizer, Adam Boyd, Jacob Bucher, Archibald McAllister and Samuel Elder commissioners for the above purpose. The gover- nor approved the scheme, which was completed, and the drawing
Presbyterian Church ..
First Presbyterian Church erected in Harrisburg.
took place from June Ist to 7th, 1803. On June 7, 1804, the commissioners bought a lot on the corner of Second street and Cherry alley for "four hundred pounds Sterling," on which the edifice was erected. William Glass was the builder. It was opened for worship February 12th and 13th, 1808, when Rev. James Buchanan was installed pastor, Rev. Snowden having retired June
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25, 1805. This building was of brick and in size was forty-five by sixty feet. In 1816 an addition to the front was built and used for Sunday School purposes. Rev. Buchanan's time was divided between Harrisburg and Middle Paxtang congregations. He remained until 1815. Three years elapsed. before the Harrisburg church had another pastor, but in October, 1818, Rev. William De Witt, of the New York Presbytery, received a call, removing here in December, 1818.
The congregation obtained its charter in 1818. In 1838 came a division in the general church. The Presbytery of Harris- burg was formed in connection with the New School General As- sembly and this church became a part of that Presbytery.
In the spring of 1841 the old church was torn down and on the same lot was built a church which was dedicated February 13, 1842. This was also a brick structure, and covered with white cement. In size it was sixty-three by eighty-four feet. In front it was'adorned with a portico, supported by pillars of the Corinth- ian order, an exact copy of a monument at old Athens. The pulpit was of fine Italian marble.
In July, 1854, Rev. Thomas H. Robinson, D. D., was called as a col- league of Rev. Dr. DeWitt, D. D. In 1855 he was installed pastor, con- tinuing until 1884, when he was suc- ceeded by Rev. George B. Stewart, D. D., January, 1885, serving until September, 1899, when the present pastor, Rev. J. Ritchie Smith, D. D., was called, beginning January 1, 1900. March 31, 1858, the last men- tioned church edifice was totally de- stroyed by fire, the work of an incen- diary. It broke out in a small stable in the rear of the church, burned sev- eral small frame houses, and soon de- stroyed the church. After this con- flagration a portion of the congrega- tion withdrew and formed the Pine Market Square Presbyterian Church Street Presbyterian Church. The original membership worshiped in Brant's City Hall, Market street, until its new edifice was finished. The corner stone of the latter was laid October 26, 1858, and the edifice was dedicated March 18, 1860. It was built on the corner
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of Second street and Market Square, under the direction of J. C. Hoxie, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its size is sixty-six by one hundred and thirty-three feet. Its spire is one hundred and ninety- three feet in height. The audience room is fifty-eight by seventy- six feet.
The legal title of the Pine Street Presbyterian Church is "The Presbyterian Church of Harrisburg." It was founded May 22, 1858, when a congregation of fifty charter members was organized, many of whom had been connected with the old Market Street Church up to the time their edifice was destroyed by fire. The original ruling elders of the newly formed church were Messrs. Francis Wyeth, H. Murray Graydon and James McCormick, Jr. February 1, 1859, the church was legally incorporated by an act of the legislature. The original (seven) trustees were: James Mc- Cormick, A. B. Warford, Charles C. Rawn, E. M. Pollock, A. Boyd Hamilton, Joseph Casey and J. Donald Cameron.
Various places of holding meetings were provided, including the German Reformed Church, the Baptist Church, the Senate and House chambers of the Capitol, etc. The corner-stone of their first edifice was laid May 12, 1859. The building committee con- sisted of Messrs. A. B. Warford, E. M. Pollock, Henry McCor- mick, John Haldeman and C. C. Rawn. Luther M. Simons was the architect.
Rev. William C. Cattell, D. D., was settled as pastor March 31, 1860. Two years and two months after the organization of this church they dedicated their edifice. Rev. P. D. Gurley, D. D., of Washington, D. C., preached the sermon in the forenoon, and Rev. N. C. Burt, D. D., of Baltimore, in the evening.
A Sunday School room was built and donated to the society by J. Donald Cameron, James McCormick and Henry McCormick, Mrs. Eliza McCormick and Mrs. Mary Cameron. The same cost upwards of thirty thousand dollars. It was commenced April 15, 1874, and dedicated in February, 1875. The church was re- modeled about this time, and is still one of the fine church properties of the city.
Other organizations of this denomination are the Seventh Street, organized in 1868, and the Westminster Church, formed in 1873, which congregation erected a $12,000 edifice on the corner of Reily and Two-and-a-half streets, which served them until 1892, when their present magnificent edifice was erected of brown-stone, and is among the handsomest churches in the city. Also Olivet Church, on Derry street, and Covenant Church, on Fifth street.
The latest organization of this denomination at Harrisburg is
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the Calvary Presbyterian Church, organized out of a former branch of Market Square Church, in October, 1906. Its officers are : G. W. Young, Clifton S. Denny, Milton Hefflehinger and Harry W. Gough, elders; Robert W. Green, William Wenrich and Harry F. Sheesley, deacons; G. G. Young, Daniel Crutchley, David Dough- erty, John W. Urban and Harry Kirk, trustees; Clifton S. Denny, clerk of session ; Harry W. Gough, treasurer.
The Capital Street Presbyterian Church (Colored) was formed in 1858. About September 10, 1857, Joseph C. Bristill, at the instance of M. Mckinney, of Harrisburg, called the attention of Rev. C. W. Gardner, of Philadelphia, to the necessity of forming an additional Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg. Rev. Gardner visited the place September 20 and conferred with Revs. DeWitt and Robinson, of the First Church, who experienced a lively interest in the matter and promised all possible aid, providing a suitable place could be had in which to worship. The great panic of 1857 hindered the plans, but in the spring of 1858, at which time several members of the proposed church rented a large room at Walnut street and River alley, which was fitted up as a meeting-house. A Sunday School was also organized. The new society invited Rev. C. W. Gardner to become their pastor, and he arrived at Harris- burg April 9, 1858, and preached his first sermon the following Sabbath.
The following persons were the charter members: Jeremiah Kelley, Hanna Kelley, Hiram Baker, Nancy Christy, Matilda Greenly, Zillah Gallaway, Sarah Hawkins, Curry Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, William White, Sarah Kelley, Hannah Humphreys. Jere- miah Kelley and Hiram Baker were ordained as ruling elders.
In 1866-7 a stone edifice, plain but substantial, was erected on the corner of Elder (now Capital) and Forster streets, which was destroyed by fire in 1880, but was rebuilt, and is still occupied by the colored people, who during the present year held the fiftieth anni- versary of their Sabbath school. The church is in a flourishing con- dition, under the able pastorate of Rev. Eugene A. Johnson.
BAPTIST CHURCHES.
February 19, 1830, Rev. Dyer A. Nichols came to Harrisburg for the Baptist Board of Missions and proceeded to establish regular services. Meetings were held in private houses. A church was formed April 2, 1830, by the following: Rev. Dyer N. Nichols, Griffith E. Roberts, Mary Berry, Abigail Rittenhouse, Ann Wilkin- son, Thomas Corbitt, Julia Thompson and Fanny Phillips, who then
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constituted themselves the "First Baptist Mission Church of Harris- burg." The first baptism took place July 4, 1830, when Levi L. Tate and Linn Banks were baptized. By September 19th following their number had increased to twenty-one. In the fall the congrega- tion began the erection of a church on Front street, between Walnut and Locust streets, which was finished in August, 1831. It was a brick structure, forty by fifty feet, with a school-room in the base- ment. The original founders were William Griffith, Rev. Dyer A. Nichols, Griffith E. Roberts, and Jeremiah Reese, and the cost of the lot and erection of building was six thousand seven hundred dollars, a large portion of which was contributed by a member of the church. The new edifice was dedicated August 18, 1831.
About 1854 the congregation vacated the church building on Front street, and commenced the erection of a large brick edifice at the east corner of Second and Pine streets. This was put under roof in 1858, but not completed until 1865.
The First Free Baptist Church had its origin in a division in the congregation of the "Church of God" worshiping on Fourth street. The organization of the seceding members was effected July 10, 1862. In a few months thereafter the organization secured a lot of ground on the corner of Fourth and East State streets, on which they subsequently erected a church building at a cost of about fifteen thou- sand dollars. It was dedicated February 5, 1865. It is now used by the Hebrew people.
Other Baptist churches of the city are: The German Baptist, on Hummel street; Second Baptist, on Cameron street; St. Paul's Baptist, on Herr street; Tabernacle, on Forster street, and Zion's Baptist, on Marion, below Calder street.
UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST.
Memorial (U. B.) Church .- Several efforts were made by the denomination to plant the society in Harrisburg, and the records show that as far back as 1850 the United Brethren occupied a small church on Front street, which was regularly supplied by ministers from the Conference within whose bounds it was situated. From 1850 to 1853, Rev. D. O. Farrell was pastor.
The church property was finally sold, and the organization ceased to exist. In 1864 another effort was made to establish a church, but it was soon relinquished. Three years later, at a session of the East Pennsylvania Conference, held in Columbia, it was re- solved to renew the effort. A mission was formed, called the Har- risburg Mission Station, and Rev. W. S. H. Keys appointed pastor.
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Little was done during the first year, but at the next session of Con- ference the Rev. J. Erb was appointed to the work, and the organ- ization of the present society was effected.
Early in 1879 a number of the members, having become dis- satisfied with the advance movements of the church, withdrew and were organized by the East German Conference of the United Brethren in Christ. In 1880 the congregation of Memorial Church determined to build a more commodious house of worship for the accommodation of the rapidly-increasing congregation. By their united and untiring efforts they completed a large two-story brick church, complete in all its departments, at a cost of about thirteen thousand dollars. This church property, including the pipe organ, is valued at twenty-four thousand dollars.
The same denomination has a commodious church on Derry street.
Otterbein United Brethren Church is on the corner of Reily and Fourth streets.
EVANGELICAL CHURCHES.
Salem Church, located on North street near Elder, is a one- story brick structure, erected in 1862. Before its construction the Evangelical Association had services by various preachers, among whom were Rev. Mr. Guhl and Rev. G. Marquart. The congrega- tion was organized about 1853, and for some years worshiped in the lower story of the Sons of Temperance Hall, corner of Second and South streets. The church edifice was built under the auspices of Rev. Mr. Stetzell.
Trinity Church was formed in 1874, with fifty-six members. This grew out of Salem Church, whose services were conducted in German, while the Trinity Church services were in English.
Park Street United Evangelical Church is on Park and Six- teenth streets.
HEBREW CHURCHES.
Ohaf Shalem (Never Ending Peace) Congregation was formed prior to 1858, with L. Bernhard as rabbi. They purchased the first building erected by the Methodist Episcopal people, on Sec- ond street, and still occupy the same.
Other temples of the same denomination are the Chisuk Emuna, on Filbert street, and the Kesher Israel, on State street.
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