History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 92

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 92

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Lutheran Churches, Whitemarsh and Upper Dublin. Pastor, Rev. Matthias Sheeleigh. Text, Psalm xxxiv. 11-12: "The Lord God is a sun and shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory ; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in Thee!" Synopsis : Happy choice of waiting on the Lord; what the Lord is to his people, will do for them, and the blessedness he assures to them. At- tendance, two hundred.

St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church, North Wales, Pa. Rev. George D. Foust, pastor. Text, Psalm 1xxxix. 15: " Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound ; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance." The increasing popula- tion of our county, its fertile fields, the thrift and in- telligence of its citizens, its numerous schools, its venerable churches, all show the God of nations has watched over our interests in the past. If we have come to a knowledge of the glad tidings of grace in Christ, and walk in the light of the Sun of righteous- ness, the closing of this first century will be like a brilliant sunset, prophetic of the rich and fragrant dawning of a new century with many blessings in store for us.

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CHURCH HISTORY.

New Goschenhoppen Reformed Church. Pastor, Rev. C. Z. Weiser. Text, St. Luke x. 23: " Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see." Theme : Christ, the Ideal Man; and Christianity, His civiliza- tion.

Zion's Reformed Church, Pottstown. Pastor, Rev. C. S. Wieand. Text, St. Luke x. 25-37. Parable of Good Samaritan. Synopsis of sermon: Mankind a traveler, robbed and wounded by Satan; Christ the Good Samaritan; Church of Christ the inn; Chris- tian ministry the host; imitate the Good Samar- itan.

Pleasantville Reformed Church, Pastor. Rev. Uriah Weidner. Text, St. Matthew xi. 29. Synopsis of sermon,-A call for scholars : 1, Christ has opened a great school; 2, Not a compulsory education; 3, The competeney of the teacher ; 4, The qualifications the teacher expresses, meek and lowly; 5, The diploma given the graduate is rest. Number in attendance, two hundred and seventy-five.

Trinity Reformed Church, Pottstown. Pastor, L. Kryder Evans. Text, Exodus xx. 2, 3: Synopsis of sermon : God had delivered Israel from bondage and they were now to be raised to the privilege of a nation ; God's covenant promises made to Abraham are now ratified ; loyalty and obidience would keep them in possession of the laud; the same God that made Israel of old a mighty nation has also made us what we are as a people. Number in attendance three hundred.

St. Luke's Reformed Church, Trappe. Pastor, H. T. Spangler. Text, Jeremiah vi. 16: "Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Line of thought: Only walking in the good old paths revealed by God's word, the true standard for all ages, as did the fathers, will insure the peace and safety of the sons. Estimated congregation, two hundred and twenty-five.

Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church. Pastor, Rev. T. T. Mutehler, JI.D. Text, St. Matthew vii. 11 : "If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him." Synopsis of sermon : 1, God's disposition to give good things, how great; 2, Man's need of good things known by experience; 3, Good things God will give to them that ask Him. Number in attend- ance, fifty.

Methodist Episcopal Church, North Wales. Pastor, Rev. Henry Hess. Text, 2 Peter i. 18: "And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount." Theme: Trans- figuration of Christ : Peter writes to remind them of the evidence of Christianity; heard a voice on mount ; circumstance of the same ; purposes of trans- figuration, (1,) glory of Redeemer, (2,) supreme law- giver ; (3,) only Redeemer. Number present, two hun- dred and fifty.

Methodist Episcopal Church, Montgomery Square. Pastor, J. Wesley Perkinpine. Text, Proverbs xxiii. 10: "Remove not the old landmark." The speaker showed some few advancements made in the county during the century, how that human landmarks crum- ble and fall, but the landmark of salvation has con- tinued all through the century in building churches and giving blessings to mankind. Number present, two hundred.

First Methodist Episcopal Church, Norristown. Pastor, Rev. S. H. C. Smith. Text, Psalm xevii. 1 : " The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice." Topic : The avowed purpose and legitimate tendency of the Chris- tian revelation is to originate those virtues which are confessed to be the only foundation of all true social and public elevation, and which also are the safe- guards of freedom and felicity. Number of congre- gation, three hundred.

Oak Street Methodist Episcopal Church, Norris- town. Pastor, Rev. G. W. F. Graff. Centennial ser- vices afternoon of September 7, 1884, conducted by the pastor,-Scriptural lesson, Esther i .; addresses of an historic character were made by the pastor, by William H. Ortlip, J. H. Crankshaw and others. Estimated attendance, three hundred and fifty.

St. Luke's Methodist Episcopal Church, Bryn Mawr. Pastor, J. D. Martin. Text, Hebrews iv. 14. Theme: "The Priesthood of Christ."-The Jewish high priest typical of Christ: 1, Superiority of Christ, He was sinless, His offering once for all, His priesthood in heaven; 2, He purifieth the conscience. Number in attendance, eighty.

First Presbyterian Church, Norristown. Pastor, Rev. Win. B. Noble. Text, 1 Kings xix. 8: " And he arose and did eat and drink and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights uuto Horeb. the mount of God." Estimated attendance, three

hundred and fifty.

Central Presbyterian Church, Norristown. Pastor, Rev. J. McAskie. Text, Psalm xxxvii. 3: "Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land and verily thou shalt be fed." Synopsis of sermon : 1, Confidence in God is essential to a nation's stability, the old dynasties perished for lack of it; 2, Confi- dence in God implies (I) knowledge of him, (2) obe- dience to his laws; 3, Confidence in God is essential to true prosperity, " verily thou shalt be fed,"-there will be a bountiful provision for the physical, the in- tellectual and spiritual nature of man. Number in attendance, three hundred and fifty.

Centennial Presbyterian Church, Jeffersonville. Pastor, Rev. Charles Collins. Text, Deuteronomy xxxii. 7: "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders and they will tell thee." Synopsis of discourse : I, That a remembrance of the past is well calculated to awaken our gratitude ; 2, That a becoming remembrance of the past gives en- couragement for the future; 3, That God's faithful-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

ness in the past should abundantly inspire us with trust. Estimated number present, one hundred.

Baptist Church, Norristown. Pastor, Rev. N. B. Randall. Theme: "The outlook, or the century be- fore us." The speaker made mention of the fact that our fathers had a new government to found, a new society to create and new homes to build. Notwith- standing the many dangers which, all admit, we be- lieve that the age before us will be a grander one than any century which has preceded it; for, 1, It will be an age of abundant wealth and leisure; 2, It will be remarkable for mental culture and practical discovery ; 3, The century before us will witness the universal diffusion of the gospel. Estimated number in at- tendance, three hundred and fifty.

Baptist Church, North Wales. Pastor, Rev. J. A. Aldred. Text, Deuteronomy xxii. 22: Subject ; "' Earthquakes," a theme suggested by the earthquake visitation of August 10, 1884: " The text teaches us : 1, That the earth is treasured or stored with fire; 2, That God kindled this fire ; 3, That He did so as a token of his righteous anger against the sinful and re- bellious race of men who dwell on the earth's surface ; 4, That these fires lie deep down and below the bases of the mountains which they set on fire and excite to volcanic action ; 5, These spasmodic beats and convul- sive throbs are constantly reminding us of man's full and persistent rebellion against his Maker." Number in attendance, two hundred.

Church of the Evangelical Association, Lansdale, Pastor, Rev. G. C. Knobel. Text, Psalm exli. 4: " And let me not eat of their dainties :" Synopsis of sermon : 1, The circumstances in which this psalm was written (1 Samuel, 27); 2, The Christian of to-day often finds himself in "Gath ; " 3, The lesson to be learned from David's resolution. Number present, forty (evening service).

Church of the Evangelical Association, Hatfield. Pastor, Rev. G. C. Knobel. Text, Philippians iv. 6, 7. Synopsis of sermon : 1, How are we to understand the apostle's injunction, " Be careful (anxious) for nothing? " 2, The means to be used in order to aecom- plish this ; 3, The happy results. Number present, fifty (morning service).

Evangelical Church, Pottstown. Pastor, Rev. S. F. Heisler. Text, Hebrews iv. 16: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Synopsis of sermon (preached in German) : 1, The throne of grace as compared with the mercy-seat; 2, The manner of approach, with boldness; 3, The motive prompting, viz., to obtain mercy and find grace. Number present, one hundred and fifty.

German Baptist or Dunker Church, Skippack . (Detwiler's Meeting House). Minister, Isaac Kulp. Text, 2 Cor. xii. 1. Synopsis of sermon : 1, Paul's reasons of defiance ; 2, Paul's opinion about religious boastings ; 3, Paul's only allowable boastings.

ville. Pastor, Bishop Moses Gotshall. Text, Colos- sians ii. 7: "And be ye established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanks- giving." Synopsis of sermon : 1, The only way to salvation is (a) the firmess of faith in the Saviour and (b) belief in the pure teachings of the gospel; 2, He only who possesses this faith can be truly thankful. Number of congregation, one hundred and fifty.

Lower Mennonite Church, East Perkiomen. Pas- tor, Bishop Amos K. Bean. Text, Isaiah xxviii. 17. Theme,-" The Sinner Warned : " 1, Through preaching, sickness, tribulation, etc., the sinner is many times convinced of the necessity of seeking a suitable refuge ; 2, There is great danger of sinners seeking a false refuge by simply laying off gross sins and connecting themselves with the visible church ; 3, Jesus Christ is the true refuge in whom we are per- fectly safe in the hour of death. Number present, one hundred and fifty.

Trinity Christian Church, Collegeville. Pastor, Rev. J. H. Hendricks, A.M. Text, Ephesians iv. 13. Theme: "Christian Manhood." Synopsis of sermon : 1, Wherein Christian manhood consists-(a) being possessed of Jesus' communicable attributes, (b) the life conformed to Jesus' life, (c) the personal em- bodiment of all conceivable moral excellence ; 2, How it is attained; (a) God's part in the work, (b) man's part in the work ; 3, Its supreme value-(«) it is man's highest dignity and happiness, (b) it is society's rich- est boon, (c) proclaims the riches of divine grace. Number present, two hundred and fifty.

Friends' Meeting, Abington. Alvin Haines and Rachel A. Mather spoke at this meeting on September 7, 1884.

CHAPTER XXVI.

EDUCATIONAL.

THE importance of educating the youth of the colony was the subject of early and continued solici- tude upon the part of men charged with the adminis- tration of public affairs. The following provincial act was the first official step having reference to the establishment of public or common schools:

"The Govener and the Provinciall Councill having taken into their serious consideration the great necessity there is of Scool-Masters for the instruction and sober education of Youth in the towne of Philadelphia, sent for Enoch Flower, an inhabitant of the said towu, who for twenty year past hath been exercised in that care and indoyment in England, to whom having communicated their minds, he embraced it upon these following terms : to learne to read English, 4s. by the Quarter; to learn to read and write, Gs. by the Quarter ; to learne to read, write and cast account, Ss. by the Quarter ; for boarding a scholler, that is to say, dyet, washing, lodging and scooling, tenn pounds for one whole yeur. "

The work of Enoch Flower was fruitful in results. Six years later, 1689, the first grammar school was established by direction of Penn to Thomas Lloyd.

Gottshall's Mennonite Meeting-House, Schwenks- This school was placed in charge of George Keith, a

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EDUCATIONAL.

Quaker preacher of Scotch descent, who had accom- panied Penn and Fox in their travels through Germany in 1677, and was hopeful and energetic in all things connected with the "Holy Experiment." The school was liberally patronized by those whose circumstances enabled them to pay the cost of tui- tion, while its doors were open and its privileges were freely extended to the children of indigent parents. The number of pupils soon made the appointment of an assistant necessary. Benjamin Makin was selected, who subsequently succeeded Keith as principal. The salary of these carly teachers was fifty pounds sterling per annum, with dwelling- house and school-house provided and the "profits of the school for one year." If the teacher thought fit to stay longer and teach the children of the poor without charge, his salary was to be doubled for two years.1 This school was chartered February 12, 1698, by enterprising citizens, such as Samuel Carpenter, Anthony Morris, Edward Shippen, James Fox, David Lloyd, William Southby and John Jones, and adopted a characteristic seal, with an open book con- taining the Greek motto, " die te a ?? provs," and the inscription, "Good Instruction is better than Riches." The building stood on Fourth Street, below Chestnut. and this ohl Philadelphia High School had an envi- able reputation for many years, numbering among its teachers, besides Keith and Makin, such men as D. J. Dove, Robert Proud, the historian William Janney. Jeremiah Todd, and Charles Thompson, the secretary of the Continental Congress.2

1 There were notable school-teachers at work in the province many years prior to the labors of Enoch Flower. In the year 1670 one Ed- mund Draufton, near Bensalem, subsequently Bucks County, brought snit " for the recovery of two hundred guilders for teaching the children of Duncan Williamson to read the Bible." The teacher recovered .- Report of II. W. Woodruff, Bucks Co. Supt. Public Schools, 1877.

: " PETITION. - I'pon reading the petion of Sam" Carpenter, Edward Shippen, Anthony Morris. Jaines ffox & david Lloyd, William southbee & John Jones, in their words, viz : To the Governor & Council of the province of peunsilvania & territories yrof, sitting att philadelphia, the tenth day of the 12th mo., Anno domi, 1697-8. The Humble prtion of Sam" Carpenter, Edward Shippen, Anthony Morris, James fox, david | Corporate, To Have Continuance for over, by the name of The Overseers Lloyd, William Southbre & John Jones, in the behalf of theneives & the | of the publick schoole founded in Philadelphia, at ye request, costs & rest of the people called Quakers, who are members of the monethly meetting, holden & keept att the new meeting-house, lately built upon a piece of ground fronting the High-street, in philadelphia aforesaid, ob- tained of the present Governor by the said people, Sheweth : That it hath been & is much desired by MANY, That a School be set up & upheld in this town of philadelphia, where poor children may be freely maintained, taught and educated in good Literature, untill they are fit to be put out apprentices, or Capable to be masters or nshers in the said school.

"And for as much as by the Laws & Constituons of this governmut, It is provided & enacted That the Governor and Council shall ereet & order all publick schonles, & encourage & reward the authors of usefull sciences & Laudable inventions, in the said province and Territories, Therefore, may it please the Governor & Council, to ordain and establish that at the said town of philadelphia a publick schoole may be foundrd, where all children and servants, male & female, whois parents, guardians & inas- ters be willing to subject ym to the rules & orders of the said schoole, shall from time to time, with the approbaoo of the over-eers thereof for the time being, be received or admitted, taught and Instructed; The rich at reasonable rates, and the poor to be maintained & schooled for Nothing. And to that end a meet & convenient house or Houses, build- ings & rooms, may be erected for the keeping of the said schoole, & for the entertainment & abode of such & so many masters, ushers, mistrisses,

At the second Assembly of the province, which met in Philadelphia, March 10, 1683, the following law was enacted with reference to the education of chil- dren :

". And to the end that the Poor as well as the Rich may be instructed in good and commendable learning, which is to be preferred before wealth, Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid. That all persons within the Province and territories thereof having children, and all the Guardians and Trustees of Orphans, shall canse such to be instructed io reading and writing, so that they may be able to read the Scriptures and write by the time they attain to the age of twelve years, and that then they may be taught some useful trade or skill that ye Poor may work to live, aod the Rich if they become poor, may not want, of which every county court may take care ; and in case such Parents, Guardians or Overseers shall be found deficient in this respect, every such Parent, Guardian or Overseer shall pay for every such child five pounds, except there should appear an incapacitie of body or understanding to hinder it."

Although this law did not refer especially to any particular county, yet we have deemed it proper to give it a place in this sketch, as it shows the concern that the early legislators of the province had in the rising generation, and also whence the courts derived their authority to require children in certain cases to be taught to read and write. In 1693 the Swedish colonists wrote to the goverment of Sweden for books. They wanted primers and different kinds of religious books. The King, Charles XI., graciously donated them the books desired, and they received them in 1697. It is reasonable to suppose that what- ever instruction the children received in those days was given them at their homes, either by their parents or by others. The time had not yet fully come for the establishment of schools and for the building of school-houses in the district. Legislative sanction seems to have been freely given to establish

& poor children, as by the order & direction of the sud monethly meet- ing shall be Limited & appointed from time to time. Aod also, that the members of the aforesaid meetting for the time being. may, at yr respec- tive monethly meetings, from time to time make choice of & admitt such and on manie persons as they shall think fit, to be overseers, masters, ushers, mistrisses & poor children of ye sd schon], and the summe persons, or anir of yo, to remove and displace, as often as the said meeting shall sie occasion. And that the overseers and schoole aforesaid, may for ever stand & be established & founded in name & in deeil, a Body politick and

charges of the people of God called Quakers. And that they, the said overseers, may have perpetual succession, and by that name they & their successors may forever have, hold & enjoy, all the Lands, Tene- ments & chattells, & receive & take all gifts & Legacies, as shall be given, granted or devised for the use & maintainance of ye said school & poor schollars, without any farther or other License or authoritie from this goverunt in that behalf ; Saving unto the Chief proprietor His Quitrents out of ye sd Lands. And that the said Overseers, by the same name, shall & may, with Consent of the said mretting, have power & capacitie to demise & grant, by writting, under their hands & Comon seal, any of the sd Lamls & tenements, & to take & purchass any other Lands, tene- ments or Hereditaments, for the best use & advantage of the said schoule. And to prescribe such Rules and ordinances for the good order & gov- ernmt of the same schoole, & of the masters, ushers, mistrisses, and poor children successively, & for their & every of their stipends & allowances, as to the members of the said monetlily meetting for the time being, or the major part of yin, shall seem meet ; with power also to she and be sned, and to do, perform & execute all & every other Lawfull act & thing, good and profitable for the said schoole, in as full & ample manner asany other body politick or Corporate. more perfectly fonuded and Incorpor- ated may doe.

" The Governor and Council doe grant this petition as is desired. "

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

common schools throughout the colony, and in every constitution adopted by the State from 1776 down to 18741 the subject of education has been considered paramount to the best interests of the commonwealth. The common schools of the colonial era were those established in connection with the church or meeting- house, and sometimes in the family as private schools.2 It would be doing violence to the truth of history to assume that our carly settlers were indif- ferent to the necessity of elementary education. The church and the school-house were generally built side by side, and the preacher was often the teacher. The parochial schools of the English Church, later the Protestant Episcopal, were import- ant factors in society. The private schools main- tained by the Society of Friends were taught by persons of exemplary character and in many in- stances of eminent ability.

Among the eleven thousand two hundred and ninety-four Germans who reached London in 1709, on their way to this country, there were eighteen school-masters, and these teachers were all associated with the religions societies to which these migratory people belonged. In many instances the teacher was also sub-preacher, and had ministerial powers dele- gated to him; as, for instance, the catechists were men who catechised, read sermons and baptized children in cases of necessity in connection with their regular school duties.8

1 J'enn's frame of government provides that the Provincial Council shall erect and order all public schools.

Constitution of 1776 provides that a school or schools shall be estab- lished in each county.

Constitution of 1790 provides that the Legislature, as soon as may be, shall provide by law for the establishment of schools throughout the State in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis.

Constitution of 1836 adopted the provision of 1790.

"Constitution of 1874, Article X .- Section 1. The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public schools, wherein all the children of this Commonwealth above the age of six years may be educated, and shall appropriate at least one million dollars each year for that purpose.

"Section 2. No money raised for the support of the public schools ot the Commonwealth shall be appropriated to or used for the support of any sectarian school.

" Section 3. Women twenty-one years of age and upwards shall be eli- gible to any office of control or management under the school laws of this State."

2 Among the latest of the family schools in Montgomery County was that maintained at the residence of the late Thomas Hopkins, in Upper Providence township, in 1851-52. This school was taught by Elizabeth Garret, Elizabeth Yerkes and Ann E. Casselberry, nce Heebner.

3 " ACT OF ASSEMBLY.

" Section I. It shall be the duty of the Commissioners of the several counties within this commonwealth annually to direct the Assessor of every township, ward and district to receive from the parents the names of all the children, between the ages of live and twelve years, who reside therein, and whose parents are unable to pay for their schooling ; and the Commissioners, when they hold appeals, shall hear all persons who may apply for alterations or additions of names in the said list, and make all such alterations as to them shall appear just and reasonable, and agreeably to the true intent and meaning of this act ; and after adjust- ment they shall transmit a correct copy thereof to the respective Assessor, requiring him to inform the parents of the children therein contained that they are at liberty to send them to the most convenient school, free of expense ; the said Assessor, for any neglect of the above duty, shall

The following pen-picture of our German ancestry on the Perkiomen is alike quaint and truthful :

"The earliest settlers upon their arrival here were not dilatory in the establishment of schools for their children, and in any locality where a sufficient mumber of families lived near enough to each other to render a school necessary, all would assemble at some central point, armed with axes, hundpikes, manls, and wedges to erect a school-house, and while- some felled trees others notched the logs and put them in their place, and still others split clap-boards or shingles for the roof. Some sought out and hanled shapely stones for the hre-place, and some prepared the sticks and mnd for the chimney. The builling was about eighteen by twenty- two feet, of round logs, one story high, the cracks daubed with mortar, called " kat and clay " ; a large log (the mantel) was placed across the building, four feet from the end wall and five feet high, upon which the chimney was built of split sticks, the cracks and inside of which were daubed with tough mortar; the floor was made of split logs, hewed, called punchcons ; the hearth was of stone about four feet wide and as long as the width of the fire-place ; the back wall and the sides of the fire -¡ Hace also of stone. At the end of the hearth a piece of mother-earth was left without a floor to afford the writers a place to stick their goose

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 92

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534