History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 62

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It was, however, not intended by this change to interfere with the seminary course proper for young ladies, but so to enlarge and arrange the curriculum of study as to allow also of a course for young men. While the primary object of the institution, the edu- cation of young ladies, will thus be reached, the advantages of a higher collegiate education will also be afforded to young men. These departments con- stitute two distinct but co-ordinate courses of instruc- tion. The one was not merged into the other by promiscuously mixing the sexes together in the same course of study. While some branches might be pursued with advantage to both in the same recita- tions, the interests of the higher education of both sexes demand that other branches should be pursued separately, according to the respective wants and re- quirements of each. Hence distinct courses are maintained for the several departments so as not to interfere with each other.

The object of the male department, as given in the first circular, is to afford young men the advantages of a liberal education. The course of study is broad and comprehensive, including all the branches of a good English education, as well as those of a higher or collegiate course. It corresponds substantially with that of our best colleges, and may be pursued with advantage by those desiring it to the junior year.

The attendance in this department has been good from the beginning. The number of students en- rolled for the present term is forty-six. The outlook for the future is encouraging. A great proportion of the students are in the regular course. The study of the languages is a prominent feature of this depart- ment, while mathematics and the sciences receive their full measure of attention.

Thus the work of education has been carried forward for the last four years in the interest of both sexes. The general cause of higher education has thus been subserved, and the usefulness. of the institution greatly enlarged.

The seminary proper has lost nothing by the change, but the institution has gained much by ex- tending its operations in offering its advantages to young men. The institution is doing a good work not only for Westmoreland County, but for Western Pennsylvania. The number of pupils in attendance in both departments is about one hundred. While the majority are from Westmoreland, there are some from five or six adjacent counties. The institution is now in the eighth year of its history. It has had its trials to contend with, such as are incident to all en-'

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terprises of the kind, especially during the hard times we have lately passed through. These have all been overcome, and the future of the institution is looming up with brightest visions of prosperity. The ex- penses of the institution have necessarily been great, but by economy and proper management these have been met, and the institution saved from financial embarrassment. The institution to-day stands on good footing, and enjoys the confidence and patronage of the public, and promises to be a blessing to future generations.

It speaks well for the institution that three mem- bers of the faculty as it was originally constituted are still of membership, and are the most active of its professors.

EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church is that body of Christian believers who hold the doctrines of the gospel as restored to the church and taught by the great reformer, Martin Luther, and as contained in the Augsburg Confession, which was written by Philip Melancthon, and read and published before Charles V., at the Diet of Augsburg, on the 25th of June, 1530.

This Confession has passed into the literature of the Christian world, has been translated into almost every modern language, and now is confessed by more than forty millions of believers. The Lutheran Church in the United States dates back to the colonial times. Confessors of this faith came to this country from Holland in 1626, one hundred and fifty years before the Declaration of Independence, and Lutheran emigrants came from Sweden in 1636, and German emigrants came to this country early in the eighteenth century. At this present time the Lutheran Church in the United States numbers one million communi- cants, with a population of at least three millions.

The history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in our county reaches back over one hundred years, but its early beginnings are difficult to trace, as only very imperfect records of those early times have been pre- served.

Its origin here is like the course of a mountain stream, that winds its way unseen amid woods and forests till it comes into the open country. Lutheran families came from eastern counties and from their fatherland to this part of our State before Westmore- land County was erected. The Detars, the Rughs, the Millers, the Gangawares, the Harrolds, the Alt- mans, and Longs settled in Hempfield township be- tween 1762 and 1770. There were also settlements of Lutheran families in several other localities soon after the county was formed, namely, Brush Creek, Manor, Kintigs, Ridge, Brandts; and the history of the Lu- theran Church runs parallel with the history of the county itself.

The meagre and imperfect records of those early times render it very difficult to give a satisfactory ac- count of the Lutheran Church, and make it impossible

to trace the origin and progress of those old congre- gations with minuteness and accuracy.

We know that congregations existed; we know, too, that they were early founded, and we conclude from the best information that we can gain that where members of the Lutheran Church (and other churches) settled in sufficient numbers in the same vicinity they soon associated themselves together into a religious assembly and engaged in Christian worship, and by common consent constituted themselves into a Chris- tian Church, without a formal organization by passing resolutions or the adoption of a written constitution ; for in many of these congregations we can find neither written constitutions, nor records of the organization and official acts of the congregation for the early years of their history.

At first they met at private houses, and in the ab- sence of regularly ordained ministers the services were not unfrequently conducted by laymen, especially by schoolmasters who acted as evangelists. These ser- vices consisted of reading the Scriptures, singing and prayer, reading a sermon, or making some suitable remarks.

Baptisms were often performed by these evangelists. In the congregations at Harrold's and Brush Creek, in Hempfield township, which were commenced quite early, baptisms were performed and religious services conducted by these schoolmasters for a number of years.

At Harrold's (Zion's Church) a congregation was gathered as early as 1771, and there is a record of baptisms by such an evangelist as we have spoken of above. Balthazer Meyer, a schoolmaster, conducted services and baptized children from 1772 till 1782, during which time this congregation was without a regular setted pastor.

In the Brush Creek congregation, which com- menced, perhaps, a few years later than Harrold's, similar services were conducted by these evangelists until a permanent pastor was secured.

The first Lutheran minister who was settled in this county was Rev. A. Ulrich Lutje.1 He was a Ger- man by birth and education, who came to the Har- rold's Church about the year 1782, just one hundred years ago. He served the Zion's Church at Harrold's about ten years, which he more fully organized, and finished the first church, which was built of logs with floor of puncheon, rough benches instead of pews, and very primitive in all its arrangements.

He secured for Harrold's Church a tract of land by patent as a glebe, which the Lutheran and Reformed congregations now hold in common, on which there is a cemetery, or "God's acre," and a church which was built in 1829. The farm of seventy acres of land is under the control of the trustees of the two con- gregations. Rev. Lutje also ministered to the people at Brush Creek and several other points, but as only

1 Pronounced " Loot-ye."

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few records of his work have been preserved we can- not speak of it with minuteness.

In 1791, Rev. John M. Steck, a native of Germany, came to Westmoreland County from the eastern part of our State, and settled in or near Greensburg. Hq carried on the work that had been commenced by his predecessor with energy and success, for he was then in the prime of life. He was thirty-five years of age when he came to Westmoreland County, and labored here for thirty-eight years. He died the 14th of July, 1880, in the seventy-fourth year of his age, and after a long and successful ministry. His mantle fell upon his son, Rev. Michael J. Steck, who was so well and favorably known in this county, and was successor to his father in the Greensburg charge.

Rev. John M. Steck was really the patriarch of the Lutheran Church in this county, for he organized most of the old congregations and laid the founda- tions for others organized later, and was the only settled Lutheran minister here for twenty-five years. When he located at Greensburg he found two congre- gations that had veen organized by his predecessora, namely, Harrold's and Brush Creek. A few years after his arrival he organized the first German con- gregation of Greensburg. Early in the present cen- tury (1809) Manor Church was organized; also St. James' and Hankey's a little later, in the north of the county ; also St. John's (Kintig), Swope's, Ridge, and Youngstown, south and east of Greensburg. These congregations and a number of stations constituted Father Steck's charge during the many years of his ministry. He served all these congregations and ministered to the spiritual wants of these people as far as possible for many long and weary years. Oc- casionally he received a little aid from other ministers and theological students. His son, Michael J., ren- dered some assistance for a short time before he ac- cepted a call to Lancaster in 1817.

Rev. Jonas Mechling also rendered him some assist- ance whilst yet a theological student, and after his licensing, in 1820, became his co-worker in this large field. He took charge of the St. James and Hankey's Churches in the north of the county, and of the Forks and West Newton and Barren Run in the western part, and Donegal and Brandt's in the south- ern, and the rest of the county constituted the Greens- burg charge during the remaining part of Father Steck's ministry ; but the principal congregations of this important charge were the First German Church at Greensburg, Harrold's, Brush Creek, and Manor. A brief notice of these will not be out of place here, inasmuch as they exerted an important influence on other churches, and their history gives us the history of the church in general.

The first German Lutheran congregation of Greens- burg was commenced soon after Rev. J. M. Steck settled in this county. Baptisms are recorded in 1792, but there is no record of communion till several years later. No precise date can be fixed when this

congregation was formally organised, and we believe that it grew gradually into the stature of a Christian congregation without a formal organisation, like Harrold's and Brush Creek. In the latter end of the last century a log church was erected, which was built after the style of the log church at Harrold's, and corresponded with it in all its appointments. This church stood until the present one was built, commenced in 1815 and completed in 1819.

This congregation has now a history of ninety years, has had a wide field of usefulness, And has no doubt exerted an important influence on other con- gregations. It now numbers over four hundred members, and Zion's (English) congregation, that went out from it in 1848 on the ground of language, numbers three hundred (for at that time the services in the parent church were all conducted in the Ger- man language).

Brush Creek congregation, which was founded before the one at Greensburg, also had a log church built after the same plan, and had the same kind of furniture as the Harrold's Church, which was replaced by a new brick church in 1820, and which is still in good condition.

The Manor congregation, which was founded in 1809, completed the present church in 1815.

These four congregations were associated during the long pastorates of Revs. J. M. Steck, Michael J., his son, and Jonas Mechling, covering & period of seventy-five years.

Father J. M. Steck served them from the time of their organization into a charge till his death, in 1880, and Rev. M. J. Steck became his father's suc- cessor, and continued to be pastor of this charge till his death, in 1848, and then Rev. Jonas Mechling became pastor in 1848, and continued to work in this field till the Master called him to his rest, in 1868.

In Father Steck's time the Greensburg charge had control of the whole county, and he was bishop of Westmoreland County and adjacent parts, and during the ministry of Rev. M. J. Steck, St. James, Hankey's, Seanor's, and other points were connected with this charge, but during the ministry of Rev. Jonas Mech- ling the charge consisted of these four congregations.

Since his death the charge has again been divided. Now Greensburg and Harrold's Churches are under one pastor; Brush Creek and Manor are joined to Adamsburg and Salem respectively.

The pastors who have served this charge under its present arrangement are Revs. G. A. Brenger and Enoch Smith, and the present pastor is Rev. J. C. Kuntzman.

Brush Creek has been served by Rev. J. S. Fink, and Manor by Revs. Brenger, Bauman, Smith, Ulery, and Roth.

The history of the Greensburg charge gives us a comprehensive view of the history of the Lutheran Church in the county, and its growth and develop-

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ment is an index of the general development of the church. At the beginning of this century there was only one charge in the whole county. In 1820 the first division was made, when Rev. Jonas Mechling took charge of the remote congregations that had been hitherto served by Father Steck, and thus became his co-worker.

In 1841, when Rev. Jacob Zimmerman took charge of several churches in the northern part of the county, a still further division was made of the field. He served the following congregations in Westmoreland, namely, Klingensmith's Church (near Leechburg), Hill's, and Hankey's, in Franklin township. The last two he served from 1843 till 1849, and he served the first till he was compelled to quit the active duties of the ministry on account of his failing health.

In 1847, Rev. W. S. Emery was called to West Newton and Seanor's charge, formed out of part of Rev. J. Mechling's and Rev. M. J. Steck's charge. He labored in this field with acceptance and success till 1859, when he was called to Indiana, Pa.

In the autumn of 1847, Rev. J. Rugan came to Greensburg with a view of forming an English con- gregation, and in January, 1848, a small English or- ganization was founded of members belonging prin- cipally to the German Church, and soon after a similar organization was founded at Adamsburg of members from the Brush Creek congregation, and these two congregations constituted the Greensburg and Adams- burg charge, to which Rev. Michael Eyster was called in the autumn of 1848, and in which he continued to labor with remarkable success till death summoned him from his toils on earth to his reward in heaven.

Thus we see that the history of the Lutheran Church in Westmoreland County records consider- able growth since its beginning. Instead of a few feeble congregations they have a goodly number of large ones, and instead of one or two lonely pastors they have a whole conference. Then also it must be borne in mind that many members have removed to adjoining counties and neighboring States, where they have been instrumental in forming and strength- ening new and other congregations. But gratifying as the growth and development of this church is, it would have been much greater but for two things, the lack of efficient English ministers and the re- luctance on the part of the fathers of the Lutheran Church to give up the German language.

The present condition of the church may be briefly stated as follows :

There are now twelve pastoral charges in this county, and there ought, in the opinion of their clergy, to be three or four more, but it is not considered wise to form new charges when pastors cannot be found for some that have been formed.

1. The Greensburg charge, consisting now of the First German congregation of Greensburg and Har- rold's Church, Hempfield township. Rev. J. C. Kuntzman, pastor.

2. Zion's Lutheran Church, Greensburg. Rev. W. T. Ulery, pastor.

3. Mount Pleasant charge, consisting of Mount Pleasant congregation, St. John's, Swope's, and Ridge's. Rev. S. L. Harkey, pastor.

4. Donegal charge, consisting of Donegal congre- gation, Franklin, Donegal township, and Bethel, in Cook township. Rev. D. Earhart, pastor.

5. Ligonier, consisting of Ligonier congregation, Latrobe, Youngstown, and Derry. Rev. H. L. Mc- Murry, pastor.

6. Saltsburg charge, consisting of St. James', Fen- neltown, and Saltsburg. Rev. R. M. Zimmerman, pastor.

7. Delmont charge, consisting of Salem and Manor Churches. Rev. J. D. Roth, pastor.

8. Brush Creek and Adamsburg charge, consisting of Brush Creek, Adamsburg, and Irwin congregations. Rev. G. E. Lund, pastor.

9. West Newton charge, consisting of West New- ton, Barren Run or Hoffman's charge. Vacant. Rev. A. G. Wenzel, stated supply.

10. Seanor's and Stanton. Vacant.

11. Hankey's and Brinton. Vacant.

12. Swedish pastorate, Irwin and Braddock's. Vacant.

13. Hill's Church. Rev. A. D. Potts, pastor.

There are twenty-six Lutheran congregations and three thousand eight hundred communicants in this county, with a Lutheran population of about eight thousand.

MINISTERS OF THE EARLY LUTHERAN CHURCH.

REV. MICHAEL J. STECK, one of the founders of the Pittsburgh Synod and its first president, was the son of Rev. John M. Steck, for many years pastor of the Lutheran Churches of Greensburg and vicinity. He was born in Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., Pa., on the 1st of May, 1793. He early desired to be a preacher in the church of his baptism, and his father availed himself of every suitable advantage to give him a liberal education. After finishing his prelimi- nary education at the old academy at Greensburg he commenced the study of theology under his father's supervision ; but inasmuch as the pastoral duties of his father left him but little time for instructing his pupil, he sent him to the Rev. Jacob Scharle, pastor of the German Lutheran Church at Pittsburgh, under whose care he pursued his theological studies with great diligence and success. In June, 1816, he was licensed by the Synod of Pennsylvania, which held its sessions at Philadelphia. After the meeting of Synod he returned to Greensburg and became an assistant to his father. In this capacity he labored for a short time, preaching mainly to the remote con- gregations of his father's large field.

In December, 1816, he received and accepted a call to Lancaster, Ohio, then in the backwoods. He served congregations in the town of Lancaster and

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vicinity for twelve years with a degree of acceptance and success that is seldom equaled. At his father's earnest request he returned to Greensburg in 1828, to assist him in his declining years in the onerous duties of his large and promising charge.

In 1830, when his father, the Rev. John M. Stock, died, his son became his successor. In that field be labored till his death in 1848.

It is difficult for one at this day to conceive how great were the toils connected with his ministry. His vast field, and his mode of travel over it to points thirty miles distant from his home, and the number of his congregations and preaching-stations would sufficiently indicate the nature of some of those toils.

He served regularly eleven congregations, besides preaching at a number of stations. His journal for nineteen years shows a succession of pastoral duties in his numerous congregations scarcely credible to one unacquainted with his active ministry. He often preached four times in one day, traveling in the mean time many miles. He not unfrequently in- curred no little aanger in filling some of his distant appointments. It has been estimated that during his ministry of thirty-two years he preached eight thou- sand sermons, baptized five thousand children, and received two thousand persons into the communion of the church by the solemn rite of confirmation.

From his social and pastoral intercourse with so many people, and from his agreeable and gentle man- ner, his name and character were perhaps more widely and more favorably known than those of any other minister of his day in this county. To many of his parishioners he was the ideal of a Christian minister. His ministerial work is even yet, by the older members of his communion, spoken of with marked affection and approbation.

It has been observed that in some of the congrega- tions in which he labored he lived his ministry over again in the eyes of some of his devoted followers. Thus when one of his successors therein would say or do something that pleased such well, they would give it their most hearty sanction by saying : "So hat es der Fader Steck gemacht."

He was eminently practical, and saw clearly what were the true interests of his church. He labored with untiring zeal for the introduction of the English language into the services of the church, and did much towards the organization of the English congre- gations in Greensburg and vicinity. The qualifica- tions of a good preacher and successful pastor he united in a more than ordinary or common degree. His appearance in the pulpit was prepossessing, his enunciation was distinct, his voice melodious, his manner natural, earnest, and impressive, his style simple and practical, his matter evangelical, and his appeals to the sinner affectionate and earnest. Pride and self-esteem were far removed from him. As a lesson to young men who might be disposed to be elated with apparent success, he often related an

incident which, he said, cured him of all vanity as to the effect or results of his preaching. On a cer- tain occasion, before his licensure, be was sent out by bis instructor to attend a funeral. The services were to be held at the house of the deceased. The young novitiate was very timid, and during most of the service kept his eyes fixed on the floor. Finally, however, venturing to raise them, he observed an old man with whom he was well acquainted, who, sitting in one corner of the room, was moved to tears. Think- ing that his remarks had made such an impression he took courage afresh, and finished his discourse with increasing energy. After the services were closed the old man came to him and said, "O Mike, ich bin doch so froh dass du glücklich fertig worde bist, ich war doch so lang du thatst stecke bleibe, ich hat müste heule." 1

He held the office of president of the Pittsburgh Synod for five successive years.

One of his biographers, speaking of his ministerial duties, says, " Though almost constantly overwhelmed with labor, yet he never neglected a single call. He was always ready to go to his distant congregationa, or convey the peace of the gospel to the abodes of disease and poverty. By day and by night, even when oppressed by the infirmities of age, or weighed down by sickness, or worn out by constant mental and physical exertion, he would forsake the comforts of home and fly to the post of duty, preaching the gos- pel, instructing the young, and administering the consolations of religion to the sick and dying, bury- ing the dead, and comforting the widow and father- less in their afflictions. Venerable man ! No wonder that the widow's heart leaped for joy, and the sorrow- ful felt a sweet relief, and the dying saint revived again as thy feet entered the abode of suffering. Thy tender sympathy was too real not to shed its balm on the wounded heart, and the consolations of thy lips were as life to the departing soul."

His last sermon was a funeral sermon. His own death was commemorated by a discourse delivered by Rev. W. A. Passavant, from the text, " And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him."

In the cemetery of the German Lutheran Church at Greensburg, on a plain simple stone, is the follow- ing inscription :

"Here sleeps in Jesus the body of the Rev. Michael J. Steck, for nineteen years the faithful Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of Greensburg and vicinity. Born May 1, 1793, died Sept. 1, 1848, aged 55 years and 4 months. He was a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and of faith, and much people were added unto the Lord."

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History of the County of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 62

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages:

Author: George Dallas Albert, editor
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: