USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Church of the brethren of the Eastern district of Pennsylvania > Part 29
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The present activities of this congregation consist of an evergreen Sunday School at Springville, organized in 1904; and two midweek Prayer Meetings held at the homes of members. The following have been elders in charge of this congregation : Israel Wenger, August 5, 1899, to September 4, 1905 ; John Herr, residing at Myerstown, 1905 to 1908; John W. Schlosser, 1908 to the present.
The Annual Conference of 1846 was held on May 29, at Trout Creek, Lancaster County, in the present bounds of the Springville Congregation, on John Royer's farm, near Springville. The District Meetings of Eastern Pennsyl- vania were held in the territory of this congregation as follows : at the Mohler House, April 29, 1875; April 30, and May 1, 1890, and May 6 and 7, 1908.
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CHAPTER VIII.
AKRON CHURCH.
The Akron Church was organized on April 5, 1913. It was formed from territory belonging to the West Conestoga and Springville congregations. At a council meeting of the Springville Church, held at Mohler's on March 15, 1913, permission was granted the members living in Akron and vicinity to join with part of the West Conestoga Church for the purpose of forming a new congregation, to be known as the Akron Church. Twenty-seven members were in this way taken from the Springville Church.
On March 24, 1913, the West Conestoga Church was divided into three divisions as follows: West Conestoga, Lititz, and Akron. The territory of the Akron Church con- sists of the Borough of Akron, Lancaster County, and vicinity, and some territory including the Brick Church House (Steinmetz's formerly) of the Springville Church.
STEINMETZ'S MEETING-HOUSE.
Bro. J. G. Francis deserves the credit for the following interesting history of this ancient landmark :
"' Memorandum Book of the German Baptist brick meet- ing-house, near Isaac Steinmetz's generally called Steinmetz's meeting-house.
Ephrata Township, January the 12th, 1847. "' Constitution
"'We, the undersigned, having agreed to form a constitution of a meeting house to be erected on the land of Isaac Steinmetz, in the township of Ephrata, Lancaster county, at the cross- roads, near Steinmetz's brickyard, as follows, to wit:
"'The said house to be called "German Baptist Meeting- house." It shall be for the use of the religious denomination, called German Baptists, for them to hold religious meetings in the same at any time. Any preacher or preachers of any other
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AKRON MEETING HOUSE.
STEINMETZ'S MEETING HOUSE, NEAR AKRON.
ELDER SAMUEL HARLEY BORN
MAY 4.1820 DIED MAY 6.1896, ACED 70 YRS. 2 DAYS. TEXT. DANIEL 12. 3.
GRAVE OF ELDER SAMUEL HARLEY, NEAR EPHRATA.
GRAVE OF LUDWIG MOHLER, ANCESTOR OF THE MOHLERS IN AMERICA.
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AKRON CHURCH.
denomination, or some person for him or them, must obtain per- mission from all the Trustees of said house before he or they can go into the said meeting house, with the intention of preaching.
"'A part of said house may be occupied for teaching a day school any time it is considered necessary by the surrounding neighbors.
"'No kind of exhibitions or lectures shall be allowed in said house.
"'One half acre of ground shall be given to build the said house thereon, and for the use of a graveyard
"'Three Trustees shall be annually elected by the contribut- ing subscribers to said house, every year on the second Satur- day of every March, in the afternoon, between the hours of one and four.
"'The election shall be held by the Trustees then in office.
"'No votes shall be accepted at any of the said elections held as aforesaid, which are handed in by proxy. The election shall be held in said meeting-house.
"' Any man elected Trustee must live within one mile of said house.
"'Witness our hands, the day and year above written.
ISAAC STEINMETZ DAVID MARTIN
CHARLES BAUMAN
GEORGE FRANTZ
SAMUEL WOLF
JOHN E. PFAUTZ "
" All of those signing the Constitution were members of the Brethren Church but Samuel Wolf, and he later became one. From this constitution there is no evidence of any sharp dealing on the part of any Brethren. And the deed agrees with the constitution. It is dated April 18, 1848. Isaac Steinmetz received $30 for eighty perches of land, deeded by him to trustees David Martin, George Frantz and Isaac Steinmetz. The meeting-house was already erected at the time of drawing up the deed. It was finished in 1847 and was 36 by 50 ft.
"This farm had belonged to Christian Brubecker. It came to Steinmetz through his wife Mary, daughter of Bru-
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
becker. The south end part, also by the deed as well as by the constitution, could be used for a school house on consent of the Trustees. This fact reveals very clearly the relation of these old Brethren to the cause of public education. The door at the south gable end was the entrance to the school- room. The place of the old partition, now torn out, is very noticeable. In times of worship the partition could be so removed that those sitting in the school-room part could see and hear the preacher. The top and bottom parts were stationary.
"For building the house $686.87 were subscribed by 206 neighbors, or an average of $3.36 per neighbor, certainly a popular subscription. The heaviest subscribers were David Martin, John E. Pfautz and Isaac Steinmetz. In the list we find old substantial Brethren names-Christian Bomberger, Joseph Myers, Jacob Pfautz, Sr., Christian Rupp, Isaac Shirk and Michael Weidler.
"The first election for Trustees was held March 1I, 1848, when David Martin, Isaac Steinmetz and George Frantz were chosen. The following is a list of Trustees up to 1900, when elections ceased :
I. David Martin, 2 yrs.
2. Isaac Steinmetz, 12 yrs.
3. George Frantz, 8 yrs.
4 John E. Pfautz, 19 yrs.
5. Joseph Landis, 4 yrs.
6. John Albright, 4 yrs.
7. Charles Bauman, 9 yrs.
8. Isaac Shirk, 4 yrs.
9. Samuel Wolf, 6 yrs.
IO. Jacob B. Keller, 16 yrs.
II. Jacob Kilheffer, 8 yrs.
12. John Kilheffer, 8 yrs.
13. John G. Kilheffer, 10 yrs.
14. Jacob Holsinger, 3 yrs.
15. Aaron Hummer, 18 yrs.
16. Jacob Neff, 5 yrs.
17. Samuel Kulp, 3 yrs.
18. John Lefever, 7 yrs.
19. John Kilheffer, 4 yrs.
20. Wane Culp, 2 yrs.
21. John Klimes, 4 yrs.
"Last election was held in 1900, but the elections were often neglected and then the old Trustees were simply con- tinued.
" The house was variously called Steinmetz's, the Brick meeting-house, and the German Baptist meeting-house. To whom it belonged and the purpose of its erection are evident.
"Shutters were put on the house in 1853. In 1856 it
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AKRON CHURCH.
was unanimously agreed to make some improvements to said house, by filling up, making out stone steps, and putting water spouts in front of said house. Cost $37.771/2.
"School seems to have been held right along. In 1866 it was necessary to lay a new floor in the school-room. This cost $66.57. These repairs seem to have led to charging the School Directors for the use of the building, for on March 30, 1867, the Trustees received from the School Directors $25, school rent. This sum or a little more con- tinued to be paid until 1884.
" At a council in Mohler's Meeting-house in 1890, it was decided 'to remodel the German Baptist Brick meeting- house.' The doors which had been on the side toward the road were now placed on the opposite side ; the total cost for remodelling was $245.83-$9.17 more than necessary hav- ing been subscribed.
"This is an old house whose history is worthy of pres- ervation. It is perhaps the pioneer brick meeting house in eastern Pennsylvania-logs and stones had previously been used. It is likely the mother of the work at Ephrata as well as at Akron. When the new house was built in Akron many wanted to tear down the old brick structure, but it found a champion in Sister Isabella Smith, who saved it from destruction. She has now over $200 subscribed to- ward repairing it. Regular services are no longer held here, but it will be convenient for funerals. A large cemetery, surrounded entirely with a neat iron fence accompanies the old church and will for generations afford a beautiful burial place for the Akron congregation."
At the time of organization of this church the member- ship numbered seventy-seven. The officials then were: Elder in charge, Elder I. W. Taylor, Superintendent and Secretary of the Brethren Home at Neffsville; minister, David Snader in the second degree; deacons, S. N. Wolf, and A. J. Evans. On October 18, 1913, the following offi- cials were elected : minister, S. N. Wolf ; deacons, George B. Wolf and Elsworth Wenger.
This congregation has two houses of worship. The Brick House above described. The Akron House was built in
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
1898, a frame structure, 44 by 50 ft., and was remodeled for lovefeast purposes with a basement, since the organiza- tion of the church. It was rededicated, October 19, 1913. Elder John Herr, of Myerstown, preached the dedicatory sermon. The first lovefeast of this congregation was held November 1, 1913, following a series of evangelistic meetings conducted by Elder J. H. Longenecker, of Palmyra.
The church has a Sunday School at Akron, organized March 26, 1906, with the following officers: Superintend- ent David Snader; First Assistant, S. N. Wolf; Second Assistant, John P. Snader ; Secretary, H. N. Wolf. There is a weekly Prayer Meeting held at the homes of members.
CHAPTER IX.
LITITZ CHURCH.
Lititz Church was organized on January 10, 1914, with a membership numbering 120. Twenty-three of this num- ber were from the White Oak congregation. The West Conestoga congregation, however, furnished the bulk of the membership; namely, ninety-seven of the charter members. Elder I. W. Taylor, superintendent of the Brethren's Home, was chosen elder in charge; J. W. G. Hershey, clerk; and Nathan Brubaker, treasurer. The resident ministers are : Elder John Myer, and J. W. G. Hershey, in the second degree. The deacons are: George Shreiner, Nathan Bru- baker and Horace Buffenmyer. The Sunday School of the new organization with an enrollment of 85 has been placed under the superintendency of Henry Gibbel. A Teacher Training Class is maintained. The sisters have an Aid Society of which Sister J. W. G. Hershey is president and Sister Florence Gibbel, treasurer. A plain frame house 40 × 50 ft. built in 1887 is the home of this new con- gregation.
The organization was preceded by a two weeks' series of meetings conducted by Elder J. G. Royer, of Mt. Morris, Il1. Bro. Royer presided at the organization of the new congre- gation. His tactfulness likely had much to do with the frictionless evolution of the church.
The Manheim Road and Market Street in Warwick form the northern boundary of the new church; the road from Hess's Mennonite meeting-house to Bushong's Mill bounds it on the east; the southern boundary is an irregular south- western line to the intersection of Peter's Road and the Lancaster and Lititz turnpike; the turnpike is the western boundary to Macpelah cemetery, thence a line northwest to southwest corner of Lititz borough, then north along bor- ough limits and on to Manheim Road. The Lancaster and
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
Lititz turnpike had been the old boundary between the two old congregations, so it will be seen that a comparatively small part of the territory was given by White Oak, as was also the case in the membership. So much for the present status of the new congregation.
Deacon Jacob S. Minnich was the first aggressive worker living within the town of Lititz. When the meeting house was built in the extreme eastern part of the town, Jacob S. Minnich and John R. Gibbel were the Locating and Building Committee. Both Bro. Minnich and Bro. John B. Gibbel lived east of town and John R. Gibbel, son of John B., lived also in the eastern part. Since then, the location of the membership has shifted and the church is far removed from the trolley and membership. There is a strong probability, therefore, that a new house of worship more conveniently located will be erected in the not distant future.
In 1888 John B. Gibbel asked permission to hold prayer- meetings in Lititz on Sunday evenings. The request was granted. Then came the agitation for a Sunday School with Jacob Minnich in the lead. The congregation refused the request for a Sunday School; but nothing daunted, the leader went on, declaring that since Annual Meeting upheld Sunday Schools, one would be organized. The school con- tinued for two years, when it was forced to close. After a few years it was revived, the church having later granted the privilege. It was specified, however, that a minister must be superintendent. Cyrus Gibbel was placed over the reorganized school; he was succeeded by E. B. Brubaker, who in turn was followed by J. W. G. Hershey, who con- tinued in office up to the time of organization of the new congregation. The school has been evergreen since the reorganization.
The first effort for a new congregation was made by pre- senting a petition signed by Lititz members to the West Conestoga council in 1907. This petition was refused. A number of years having passed, the effort was repeated in 1913 and now the members of Lititz rejoice in the realiza- tion that all things come to them who wait. A meeting of the members of Lititz as an unorganized body was held on
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LITITZ CHURCH.
New Year's Day, 1914. Elder Samuel Hunberger of the Brethren's Home presided. It was decided by a unanimous, rising vote to organize, and also to petition West Conestoga to change the line from the one formerly suggested by a committee to the one which was later adopted. The Brethren west of the pike petitioned White Oak for a line and for the privilege of uniting with the members in the West Conestoga portion of Lititz. The petitions were granted with the happy result which we have noted. The new congregation has a territory of almost four square miles, with a population of about four thousand.
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CHAPTER X.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
A. JACOB STOLL.
Jacob Stoll was born in 1731, baptized in 1748, elected a minister in 1753, and died in 1822, in his ninety-second year.
It is not known positively when he was ordained a Bishop, but in an old manuscript the writer of this sketch has seen, it is mentioned that Elder Stoll "was sixty-seven years a Bishop." Whether the author of that manuscript had in view the time he was in the ministry, or whether he was really ordained an Elder two years after his election, we know not, but if the former, he missed it by two years, for from 1753, when he was elected, to 1822, when he died, was sixty-nine years-the longest term of any brother in the ministry in Eastern Pennsylvania we know of. A close second is Samuel Haldeman, now living in Reedly, Cali- fornia, who was born, raised, baptized, and elected a minis- ter, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and afterwards moved to Schuylkill County, and from there to the West. He was born in 1820, baptized in 1840, elected in 1847, and is therefore now (1913) sixty-six years in the ministry. Both he and his wife are living yet. She will be ninety- three next April, and they have been married over seventy- one years. They are both able to attend meeting, and on last August 14, he gave a ten-minute talk in meeting, both edifying, and instructive. (From Eld. D. L. Forney, in Gos. Mess., Vol. 62, No. 39, page 614. )
There was an Esther Stoll baptized prior to 1734, and also Esther Stoll in 1745, who were likely mother and sister of Elder Jacob Stoll.
It was said by the old Brethren who lived contemporary with Elder Stoll that at the time of his call to the ministry,
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
he had an engagement to get married, but after his election he and his fiancee talked the matter over and mutually agreed to cancel the engagement, lest his entanglement in a family relation might be a hindrance to his work for the Master, and so he was never married.
Just where he was born, or where he had his home during his earlier life we know not, but it is known that he always led a simple life, and the probability is that he always lived in the same vicinity, and when he was older he is known to have lived alone over a spring house, on the farm of Bro. Joseph Royer, near where Middle Creek Meeting-house now stands. There he had his loom, he being a weaver by trade, and there he slept and lived, when not engaged in his duties as overseer of a large flock, scattered over a large territory.
By this time some members of Conestoga had moved across the mountain into what is now Lebanon County, where the Brethren would have an occasional meeting at the Brethren's homes, and on such occasions Elder Stoll would take his staff, on Sunday morning early, and walk across the mountain, and preach, and in the afternoon walk home again. On one such occasion, when the meeting was at Brother Henry Royer's, on the farm now owned by a Brother Bucher, east of Reistville, when bidding farewell, sister Royer said she don't know what they will do when Elder Stoll don't come to preach for them any more; then he stamped his cane on the floor and said : "Then you have the same God you now have."
Brother Samuel Gibbel at one time lived in the Conestoga district, and later moved to Lebanon County. One day he went to Elder Stoll and complained about a Brother for being so notoriously untruthful, that the people talk about it, thus bringing disgrace on the church. After waiting a little for a reply, Elder Stoll said : " Make him different." That was all he got. This information the writer has from a son of Gibbel.
Elder Jacob Hollinger, when he lived, told the writer, that Elder Stoll was very simple in his living, that he wore knee breeches made of buckskin, which he wore at all times and
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
places, and that by his trade he became acquainted with a storekeeper in Lancaster, who took such a liking to him that he gave orders that when he dies, that preacher with the " Buckskin breeches " should preach his funeral, and he did.1
In conversation Elder Stoll had little to say, and in preaching his sermons were short and pithy, so that when the people were about ready to listen for what comes next, he would sit down, and when he was urged to preach longer sermons, he would say, "We must not preach people weary, but hungry, so that they come again the next time."
When he was old, and knew that at best his life in this earthly house would be brief he gave instructions that he should be buried in the Middle Creek Cemetery, just inside the gate, so that people going in and out would have to walk over him, and when the grave was dug about the proper depth, they came upon a flat rock, on which they placed the coffin.
Some years afterward the cemetery was enlarged which made it necessary to change the place of entry. His grave is marked by a small stone, with J. Stoll, 1822, on it. "Mark the perfect man, behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." Ps. 37, 37.
Elder Stoll, some time in his active life, wrote a book on religious topics and had it published in German, and with all diligent search so far the writer was unable to find a copy, but remembers having seen it years ago, and all he remembers of the title page is the name of the author, the peculiarity of which made a lasting impression on his mind; viz., "J. St-11." This proves that he had literary abilities above the ordinary of his time. (See cut of Title Page).
S. R. ZUG.
1 When Peter Miller, of the Beissel monastic community died, all the celibates were old and more or less feeble, so that it was determined to invite a clergyman to perform his last rites. Recourse was had to the minister of the nearest Dunker congregation, who was Jacob Stoll, living less than four miles from Peter Miller's residence. It is stated on good authority that Jacob Stoll preached the funeral sermon of Peter Miller on September 28, 1796, taking for his text Rev. 14: 12, 13 .- EDITORS.
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
B. ABRAHAM ZUG.
Abraham Zug was born in Warwick, now Penn Town- ship, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and was the youngest son of Elder Johannes Zug.
He was married to Susanna Royer, from Middle Creek. They had four sons and one daughter : John, who after- wards became the Elder of the Tulpehocken Church ; Daniel. who moved to, and died in Franklin Co., Pa .; Abraham and David, twins, who lived and died in Lebanon Co .; and Catharine, who was never married.
He was a tanner by trade and lived in Rapho Township, about a mile southeast of Mastersonville, where he carried on his trade for some years. About 1805 they moved to Lexington, Warwick Township, where he had a tannery, and where, in 1815, he and Jacob Pfautz were elected to the ministry the same day. When his sons grew up, and needed work he sold out there, and moved to Lebanon County, where he bought a farm, near where Richland now is. Here he, and his wife, lived their remaining years, and now rest in the Tulpehocken Cemetery, not far away.
They still belonged to the Conestoga Church, though living in another county, so in 1823 he and Jacob Pfautz were ordained Elders, and the same day Samuel Myer, and Michael Landis elected ministers, and Henry Mohler, Sr., and Jacob Bollinger, deacons.
In July 1841 Elder Zug died in. his 70th year. In his eldership he was frequently called to Little Swatara to assist in church work. He was a good counsellor, not radical, but firm, wise, and tactful, making few words, well considered, in a kind, mild voice, and always to the point.
He stood well in the community in and outside of the church. At his funeral Thomas Leinbach, a Reformed minister, asked liberty to say something, which being granted, he eulogized the departed as a true model Christian, and his death as an irreparable loss to the community.
S. R. ZUG.
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THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN.
C. CHRISTIAN BOMBERGER.
Christian Bomberger was born in Penn Township, Lan- caster County, Pa., in 1801. Of his parents little is known, but his mother was a daughter of Christian Graybill, a prominent Brother. They were of German descent, and lived on the farm. Christian received a fair education. When he grew to manhood, he chose the profession of medicine.
He was united in marriage to a Miss Fahnestock. Among the Fahnestocks were some prominent physicians. who proved helpful to him in his chosen profession.
To them were born two sons and four daughters. They lived on a farm below Lititz until their sons started out for themselves; then they took to the farm, and the parents moved to Rothsville, where the doctor devoted his time to the church and the practice of medicine. In his medical work he used magnetism and faith cure to some extent and sometimes obtained results that were positively unexplain- able by the ordinary laws of Materia medica. He never undertook important surgical cases, but recommended them to skillful surgeons in Lancaster.
In 1828 he and his wife united with the church. Three years later, he was called to the ministry. While he made a success of medicine, he had little faith in his ability to preach. So often did he say so to his wife that she grew tired, and on one occasion replied to him that God could open the mouth of Balaam's ass to rebuke his master, why could he not his? This gave him some courage at least to make an effort. From this time his influence grew, and he became a physician for both body and soul. In 1862 he was ordained Elder and given charge of the Conestoga Church. In 1864 the Conestoga Church was divided into three churches-Conestoga, West Conestoga, and Ephrata, with Elder Bomberger in charge of the three for the time being. He was one of the best counsellors of the district, and was therefore called from home frequently to aid in adjusting difficulties in many parts of the district. He was one of a sextette in eastern Pennsylvania, who were leaders
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BIOGRAPHICAL.
in the district, the other five being Samuel Harley, Sr., of Indian Creek, John H. Umstad, Jacob Hollinger, John Zug and David Gerlach. His body is at rest in the Conestoga Congregation (Middle Creek Cemetery) and his labors for righteousness and peace are still felt among the churches where he labored. He fell asleep in 1880, in the 79th year of his age.
S. R. ZUG.
D. SAMUEL HARLEY.
Elder Samuel Harley, the second elder of the Ephrata Church, was born and raised in Montgomery County, Penn- sylvania, and came to Lancaster County while he was yet a young man. He was called to the ministry in the Ephrata Church in 1864, after having been elected a deacon in the Conestoga Church in 1861. He was advanced to the second degree of the ministry in 1867 and ordained in 1871.
Elder Harley united with the church in the Indian Creek Congregation in Montgomery County. He was married to Elizabeth Johnson on May 14, 1843, and baptized with his wife the following spring. Their union was blessed with two daughters, the older, Mariette, was married to Yelles Cassel, a son of Abram Cassel, the antiquarian, and the younger was married to Jeremiah Kurtz, of Ephrata. He was married a second time on March 15, 1874, to Sister Catherine Royer, still living.
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