USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 18
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There is a blank here in the history of the Coventry Church which we are unable to fill. No church records kept within the church herself, as in the Conestoga Church, have come down to us. Our only sources of information are external-Morgan Edwards' "History of the Baptists " and the "Chronicon Ephratense." Isaac N. Urner, LL.D., pre- viously mentioned, has this to say in the introduction to his "History of the Coventry Church": "We are told that no early records of the Coventry Church were kept. It seems improbable that such a church, would have no records, 'all the early preachers being men of talent and ability,' that the reasonable supposition is that the records have been lost."
In 1770 the Coventry Church consisted of about twenty- two families, whereof forty were baptized. We give the names of these forty members in 1770 as given us by Mor- gan Edwards :
Martin Urner and wife, Barbara, Peter Reinhart, Owen Reinhart, Henry Dasker and wife, Nicholas Harwick and wife, Abraham Grubb and wife, Christian Monsieur, Bar- bara Miller, Barbara Welty, Frederick Reinhart and wife, Barbara Urner, Elizabeth Ingles, Catharine Grumbacher, Catharine Bach, John Eiker, Jacob Pfautz and wife, Abra- ham Bach, Andrew Wolff, Esther Switzer (nee Urner), Wendel Danfelder, Henry Bear and wife, Jacob Switzer and wife, Maud Reinhart, Jacob Light and wife, Philip Waggoner and wife, Elizabeth Halderman, Anthony Ber- nard and daughter, John Light and wife.
While records of the doings of the early Coventry Church seem lost, yet we perhaps have a complete list of her minis- try. Abraham Cassel says : "The Coventry Church always had a very efficient local ministry, as her early preachers were all men of talent and ability, and were often visited by able preachers of other localities and of other denomina-
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tions, such as Morgan Edwards, Elhanan Winchester, George De Benneville, Peter Keyser, and others. Coven- try has always been quite liberal in receiving good men of other persuasions." The early bishops of Coventry were right at the heart of the church. We find Martin Urner much in evidence in the colonial congregations, being the officiating elder at many ordinations. The second Martin Urner was a very able preacher and an intimate friend of Alexander Mack, Jr. Two years previous to the Revolu- tionary War the Prices enter Coventry territory. The early Elders of Coventry were leaders at the Annual Meeting.
There is a peculiarity of the Coventry ministry-families produced them in groups. There were the three Urners, the three Reinharts, the three Prices, the two Harleys, the two Keims; and the two Holsopples moved in as pastors.
The eldership of the Coventry Church has been as fol- lows : Martin Urner, Sr., from 1729 to 1755; Martin Urner, Jr., from 1755 to 1799; Jonas Urner, from 1799 to 1810; George Price, from 1810 to 1823; John Price, Sr., from 1823 to 1850; John Price, Jr., from 1850 to 1879; David Keim, from 1879 to 1897; Jesse P. Hetric, from 1897 to 1912; M. C. Swigart, from 1912 to -. Coventry, though now almost two hundred years old, has only her ninth elder ; in other words the eight elders who have finished their terms of services have each been housekeeper on an average of almost a quarter of a century. Not only have their terms of service been long, but as intimated they have been ex- ceptionally strong men.
The assistant ministry of Coventry we perhaps have as complete as the eldership. The first bishop, Martin Urner, Sr., had as his assistant one Casper Ingles. All that we know of him is that he filled this position. In 1770 Eliza- beth Ingles was the only one in the Coventry membership bearing the name. Likely before Ingles, however, was George Adam Martin. This brilliant but top-heavy man afterward went over to Beissel. He deserves biographical mention at the proper place. Peter Reinhart, Morgan Ed- wards tells us, was assistant to Martin Urner, Jr. Martin and Abraham Reinhart also preached but there is no reason
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to believe they were ever Elders. The last of the Reinharts died in 1842.
In this same year died Jacob Harley, the older of the two Harley preachers. John Harley closed his labors in 1895, but we have not learned when he began them. Peter Hol- lowbush was elected to the ministry in 1842, the year in which as we have seen two of the ministers died. Jacob Connor was elected May 25, 1872.
Concerning the rest of the ministers called out of the Cov- entry membership we have more definite facts, as their elec- tions are recorded in the minutes. Minutes were first kept in 1872, the year in which Peter Hollowbush died.
December 4, 1875, Isaac Urner Brower was elected to the ministry. Henry Cassel was the elder present who installed him. At the same time Jacob Connor was advanced.
Elder David Keim requested, May 8, 1880, the election of an Elder, a minister, and two deacons. All were elected but the Elder. The election was held August 7, 1880. The choice for a minister fell on J. Y. Eisenberg; and Isaac U. Brower was advanced. Lewis Keim was elected to the min- istry July 22, 1893. Elder J. Z. Gottwals installed the newly elected minister. A young man was desired, likely to become pastor. Bro. Keim went to Juniata College to prepare for the new duties devolving upon him. He was advanced to the second degree of the ministry July 25, 1896. He never became pastor at Coventry, although he served two or three other churches in this capacity. He is the last brother to be elected out of the Coventry membership.
January 4, 1902, Bro. Jacob Grater, a minister in the first degree of the Mingo Church, presented his letter at Coven- try and was accepted. He had accepted a position in a Pottstown bank. He entered heartily into the Master's work. Soon afterward, the pastorate at Parkerford be- came vacant, and Bro. Hetric promised to fill the place till a pastor was secured. Bro. Grater then filled the appoint- ments of Bro. Hetric in Coventry. October 4, 1902, Bro. Grater was advanced. September 30, 1905, he was granted a letter, having moved west.
Bro. William Nyce, a minister of Royersford, moved to
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the Harmonyville branch of the Coventry Church, in 1905. Here his active aggressive spirit soon began to tell. See the account of the Harmonyville Church.
THE FIRST PASTOR.
Elder J. P. Hetric was the first pastor of the Coventry Church. He had previously had charge of the Marshall Street Church of Philadelphia. Bro. Hetric was born in Armstrong Co., Pa., December 20, 1843. He had taught school. He was baptized into the Redbank Church by Elder Jas. Quinter in 1864. He was elected to the ministry on June 30, 1866, and advanced to second degree November 3, 1867. He now attended school to fit himself more fully for his high calling, being graduated from Reid Institute in 1870. He had charge of three churches in his home section before coming, in 1874, to Philadelphia, and at the latter place was ordained an Elder in October, 1879. In Novem- ber, 1882, he moved to Parkerford, Chester Co., as pastor of the Coventry Church. January 8, 1898, he resigned his pastorate with the view of securing a younger man for the place, but still retained the eldership of the church. He ceased to be elder of Coventry in November, 1912, but still has the oversight of the churches at Parkerford and Roy- ersford. His work proclaims him a man of fine mind.
On January 1, 1898, Bro. Hetric had called a meeting of. the officers of the church at Coventry and at Harmonyville and had given six reasons why he should be relieved of the burden of regular preaching. The official body appointed a committee of three to act on these reasons and report. Their report was as follows :
"We, the committee apointed by the moderator, beg leave to offer the following as our report,
" Ist. We, after hearing the six reasons given by Bro. J. P. Hetric for retiring as the regular pastor of the Brethren's Coventry and Harmonyville churches, think it would be best for the good of the two churches to accept his statements as reasons for procuring more ministerial help ;
" 2nd. We recommend a young pastor to take charge of the regular services of the two churches."
"Signed by the Committee."
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This report was adopted by the church, January 8, 1898. A committee of three was appointed to procure a new pastor.
Nothing has been said of F. F. Holsopple as a pastor in the Coventry Church. It will be noticed in the fore- going action of Bro. Hetric that Parkerford is not included. Bro. Holsopple had become pastor of the Parkerford branch of Coventry already in October, 1895, and under him Park- erford became a separate congregation in June, 1898.
The Coventry pastor committee secured the services of Bro. J. J. Shaffer of the Shade Creek congregation. His letter of membership there was granted him, September 26, 1898. Bro. Shaffer continued with the Coventry Church only about one year. He resigned as pastor, August 6, 1899.
Ira C. Holsopple, brother of F. F. at Parkerford, was now unanimously elected pastor. Bro. Holsopple's letter was accepted at Coventry, October 5, 1899; but he had begun as pastor already on August 25. He married into the congre- gation and seems at home here. He has given very accept- able service to Coventry during the last fourteen years.
THE DEACONS.
The names of the early deacons of the Coventry Church we have been unable to secure. August 7, 1880, Jonathan Keim and Stephen Brownback were elected to this office. Sept. 5 of the same year Wm. Y. Eisenberg was also elected a deacon. This election was likely held to fill the vacancy caused by the election of John Eisenberg to the ministry, John having previously been a deacon.
J. B. Reiff and David G. Bergey were elected for the Parkerford field, December 27, 1890. Elder J. Z. Gott- wals installed them. The meeting was held in the Parker- ford house.
In Coventry W. W. Kulp and John Buckwalter were elected deacons, August 13, 1892. Also at Coventry, J. H. Haldeman and Rudolph Harley were elected, August 4, 1894, the charge being given by Elder J. Z. Gottwals.
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OTHER OFFICIALS.
The first clerk of the Coventry congregation was John Y. Eisenberg. Through his efforts and those of Jacob Connor regular councils with authorized minutes were kept. Jacob Connor was made moderator and John Eisenberg clerk. This was in 1872. This first regular council was held November 2 of this year. Bro. Eisenberg's account of the matter is interesting and we record it.
Bro. Eisenberg and Bro. Connor held a sort of caucus be- tween them and concluded that it would be well to have reg- ular councils and to have records kept. It would seem from these words that the councils at Coventry had been like the General Conferences at the beginning-called only when occasion demanded. There were no authorized minutes at this time as yet, says Bro. Eisenberg. John Harley kept a list of the members, but beyond this there were no records, unless individuals jotted down happenings for their own use. We have not been so fortunate as to find any records prior to 1872.
Brethren Connor and Eisenberg presented the matter to the church, and the church decided to have regular councils and a secretary. Unexpectedly to himself, Bro. Eisenberg was chosen secretary; and Bro. Connor was made moder- ator. Bro. Eisenberg thought there should be some kind of a constitution ; so he drew one up, presented it to the church and it was adopted. Bro. Eisenberg now not wishing to thrust himself on the church as secretary resigned. But he was unanimously re-elected. On inquiry how long this was to continue, Elder John R. Price replied : " For life or during good behavior, like the members of the Supreme Court." Bro. Eisenberg continued as secretary till 1894; or one year after his removal to Royersford, when he resigned. He is still the custodian of the old minute book, Coventry seem- ing no more anxious to preserve them in a vault than she was to preserve her early minutes which Dr. Urner believes to be lost. What a pity! But she is not the only congrega- tion thus minded. Bro. Eisenberg was succeeded as secre- tary by Bro. J. H. Haldeman, who still fills the position.
The adoption of the regular council and the officering of
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it seems to have been a swing from one extreme to another -much elder authority being followed by little. It seems that the Brethren had been looking to the adjoining elders to decide matters for them, inasmuch as it was decided that Bro. R. Harley should hold the documents (a decision of Elders John H. Umstad, Samuel Harley and Henry Cassel) concerning the money coming to the church from Bro. Philip Hoffman's estate, in place of Peter Hollowbush, deceased.
There seem to have been peculiar conditions in the con- gregation at this time. At the first council meeting the question was asked : " Is it the duty of the church to live out the decisions of the District and Annual Meetings?" This question was repeated again and again in the councils but each time deferred.
It may here be in place to state that there are strong reasons to believe that Bro. Jacob Connor fully merited the position he received as moderator of the council, though only a minister in the first degree. He seems to have been the embodiment of the missionary life of the congregation. A call for a missionary convention to be held at Myersdale, Somerset county, December 4, 1878, was issued. Notice was given in The Primitive Christian and also in The Pil- grim. The notice was read to the church on November IO, and it was decided "to send a delegate and to pay his ex- penses." Bro. Connor was sent. Three or four years later Bro. Connor gave an account of a missionary trip he had made to Lackawanna. It will be here in place to state that beginning with 1887, Bro. Connor served for one term on the District Mission Board and during that time looked after the Upper Dublin Church. Perhaps it was about this time that Bro. Connor moved to Gratersford in the Mingo Church. At his new home quite an interest was awakened. This was also the home of Elder Isaac Kulp and his talented daughter Emma, afterward the wife of the well known evangelist, Elder Isaac Frantz of Ohio. A neat brick church house was built at Gratersford. But the work went down. Bro. Connor now one of our oldest ministers is at present living in the limits of the Parkerford Church.
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For twenty-nine years, ending with 1911, Wm. Y. Eisen- berg, brother of John, served the Coventry Church with great acceptance as treasurer. In recognition of his long and faithful service, the church presented him with a copy of the New Testament and Psalms, with appropriate resolu- tions.
Trustees are officials whose services are too often over- looked, but as we have not the names of the earlier ones, the later ones will also be withheld. But April 5, 1902, the Board of Trustees was fixed at five members, with instruc- tions to organize. In 1909 the term of trusteeship was fixed at five years.
THE CHILDREN OF COVENTRY.
Coventry as a congregation is only a decade less than two centuries old, and she is a mother congregation. The chil- dren of her youth are lost to her. To-day she does not know them when she meets them; and it is impossible for us in our present capacity to make known to her her early children-some farther west in the old Keystone State, some in Maryland, some in Virginia, likely some in the Middle West, perhaps some farther west. Some likely died many years ago and to-day have no tombstone to mark their rest- ing-place. And then her grandchildren, and great-grand- children, and great-great-grandchildren! What a family tree would be hers if constructed! But tangible children, near at home, she has, and she knows them as such.
Coventry's home field was along the Schuylkill River, above being bounded by Northkill and below by Germantown. West of her was her sister, younger than she by only a few days, a sturdy German dame, and perhaps more prolific in offspring than even herself.
THE NANTMEAL MISSION.
In August, 1773, Daniel Price, of Indian Creek, a descend- ant of Jacob Preisz, the itinerant preacher of the Brethren in Germany, bought land for his son George in Nantmeal Township, Chester Co. In 1774 George's name appears on
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the list of taxables. George Price lived in Nantmeal till 1794, when he moved to Coventry Township. But during his sojourn in Nantmeal he opened up a Brethren's mission. Although in his later life the eldership of the Coventry church devolved upon him, he continued to look after Nant- meal until his death in 1823. Nor is Isaac Urner altogether correct in stating that the mission there afterward did not prosper, for the Brethren continued to preach there more than fifty years subsequent to that event.
Elder J. Z. Gottwals, who preached the last sermon for the Brethren at Nantmeal, tells us that beside himself David Keim, Peter Hollowbush, John H. Umstad, and David Rit- tenhouse preached there. Some of these Brethren certainly labored in this field as early as 1850. After the death of George Price in 1823, no doubt his son and grandson took a lively interest in the work of the head of the Price family in the Coventry district.
After Green Tree became a separate congregation, likely about 1845, she maintained a joint interest in the work at Nantmeal, or at West Nantmeal, as the writer so often heard his grandfather call it, and gathered some of the con- verts into the Green Tree fold. Some of the older mem- bers as Samuel Krause and James Guest came to regard Green Tree as more of a home than Coventry, though their membership was never transferred. Those to join Green Tree were Frances Krause, Levi Krause and wife, Emma Shick, Louisa Evans, Mary Boyer, - Witmore, Catharine Shannamon, and John Stover and wife. Among those holding membership at Coventry were John Essig and wife, Samuel Krause and wife, Joel Dillsworth, Daniel Krause's wife and daughter, Samuel Krause's mother, and James Guest and wife. Some of these members were very sub- stantial residents of the community. Some died, some moved away, and some brought reproach on the Brethren name. In 1880 a committee was appointed by the Coven- try Church to visit the Brethren in Nantmeal. This com- mittee, no doubt, recommended discontinuing the work, for it was about this time that it was dropped. Opposition on the part of the Methodists seems to have constituted the death blow.
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THE LUMBERVILLE MISSION.
The writer was informed by a Mr. Showalter that the "Morgan School-house " in Phoenixville was built by the Mennonites and Brethren as a place of worship, the two peoples alternating on Sundays in using it. The ground was given by the Phoenix Iron Co. As long as they con- tinued to use the house for worship it was theirs, but in case they ceased to use it, it was to revert to the Iron Com- pany. The Mennonites soon built a house of their own, and it is suggested that the Brethren turned their interest to Lumberville. This matter, however, has not been prop- erly investigated.
As early as the beginning of the nineteenth century, Elder George Price had a preaching appointment every eight weeks at Methatchton, about two miles northwest of Norristown. It was a long drive and the old-time mis- sionary would start on Saturday afternoon and stop over night with Daniel Brower, a Mennonite, and the farmer im- mediately east of John Umstad. After service on Sunday morning, Bro. Price would return to Brower's for dinner. Frequently in the afternoon, he would hold out-of-door services in Brower's meadow. The old brother would preach in German and his son John, who frequently accompanied him, would speak in English. As a result of these labors, Mary and Elizabeth Brower, daughters of Daniel, united with the Coventry Church.
It was not, however, till a number of years later, in 1833, that a permanent mission was started at Lumberville, now Port Providence. At this time Abel and Isabella Fitzwater, Isaac Price and wife, and John Umstad and wife, as the result of an awakening in the neighborhood, joined the Coventry Church. This led to the building of a joint house with the Methodists, at Lumberville, and the establishing of a permanent work in the neighborhood. For a fuller ac- count see the history of the Green Tree Church.
THE MISSION AT PARKERFORD.
Very few members lived in Parkerford in 1840. Isaac Kulp and wife and Jonas Fisher and wife were among the
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number. Many members by the name of Frick lived not far away. Sarah Rinewalt is mentioned as an active young sister. She married James Wells. Susan Sidel, "who kept a record," lived here. While these members desired meetings, yet the Coventry Church saw here an opening for a mission. About 1840 meetings were held in the school house. All the Coventry ministers preached here, and these included John Umstad, Isaac Price, and James Quinter of Green Tree, for Green Tree was yet a part of Coventry. Father John Price was the elder. In this early day Sarah Major also preached here.
A notable revival followed these efforts. Perhaps James Quinter did most of the preaching. Peter Hollowbush, soon afterward elected a minister, entered the church. The need of a meeting-house was felt; and the present Parker- ford house was built in 1843. Jacob Frick superintended its erection. For a very interesting account of the work at this place see the history of the Parkerford Church by Dr. William Brower.
THE MISSION AT HARMONYVILLE.
The name of Keim stands out above all others in the work at Harmonyville. The Keim home here was pur- chased already by Hans or John Keim, the great-grand- father of Elder David Keim. David Keim moved from Coventry Township, Chester County, to Harmonyville, Warwick Township, in 1845. He at once began to build up a Brethren interest here. "His labors were blessed, and he lived to see the interest grow and develop into the pres- ent Harmonyville Church, with its fine commodious Meet- ing-house."1 Harmonyville has recently been organized into a separate congregation. For a full account of the work see the history of the Harmonyville Church.
EFFORTS IN POTTSTOWN.
Pottstown affords to Coventry her city opportunity-an opportunity not yet improved.
Action was taken, February 1I, 1888, toward holding 1 Urner, "History of Coventry Church."
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meetings in Pottstown. Out of thirty-seven members then living there notified to be present with the committee ap- pointed to consider the matter, only thirteen came. The committee on its report April 7, 1888, was discharged and no further action it seems was taken. What a pity, for with only thirteen, including himself, Christ started the Kingdom of Heaven.
January 20, 1909, Ira Holsopple spoke relative to start- ing a work in Pottstown for members there, it being in- convenient for them to attend at Coventry. But nothing seems to have been accomplished. May the Brethren yet have a strong church in Pottstown!
THE COVENTRY MEETING-HOUSES.
Coventry was only two years behind the old Mother Church at Germantown in erecting a separate house for worship. The first Coventry house was built on the Urner farm in 1772, and was of logs. It stood until 1817, when it was succeeded by a house of stone. The logs of the old church were used to build a residence at Cedarville.
Sister Stover and the Old Log Church should not be ror- gotten. Rudolph Stover had bought the old Urner farm about 1810, at the time that Jonas Urner moved to Vir- ginia. His wife was a pious old sister, although her hus- band was not a member of the church. She loved the old log meeting-house. Here she had been fed on heavenly manna; here her thirsty soul had drunk in the water of life; here she had sat in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The old log structure became dilapidated, unfit for services, but she objected strenuously to tearing it down. The place was dear to her heart For two years or more deference to the pious sister saved the old log church; but finally the day of its doom was set. The evening before the day, at dusk, the aged sister was seen wending her way to the old Bethel. She entered. Curious persons peeped in at the door. Old Sister Stover had gone to her accustomed seat, was kneeling there for the last time to hold communion with her God.
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THE SECOND COVENTRY CHURCH.
This was built in 1817. It was of stone and very sub- stantially built. It was almost impossible to get the stones apart when the walls were torn down. The house though built of stone followed in internal arrangement the frame house built in Amwell, N. J., six years before. The benches had no backs till about 1870. The house was heated by means of two stoves, with pipes coming together in a big drum over the central aisle. This method of heat- ing has been pronounced by some as too hot for the head and too cold for the feet, while others think the comfort given is not discounted by modern appliances. Elder George Price was the overseer of the work of construc- tion, and Bro. James Wells was the carpenter. About 1880 an organ was placed in this church to be used only in the Sunday School. It was then used for evening meet- ings; and about ten years after its admission, it was used in the morning service.
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