USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of East Pennsylvania : with brief sketches of its congregations > Part 13
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It is a remarkable fact that since the organization of the church in 1835, the Reformed part of the congregation has had but two pastors, father and son, Revs. C. G. and A. J. Herman, the former serving twenty-seven and the latter thirty-one years.
In 1878 the church was remodeled. Rev. J. M. Deitzler offici- ated at the re-consecration. November 29, 1885, was the occasion of the semi-centennial festival of the church, during which, among others, Rev. Dr. F. W. Conrad preached.
The services have always been held every two weeks, the Lutherans and Reformed alternating. The German language has been used from the beginning. The present Lutheran membership is about sixty, and there are nearly one hundred and fifty persons connected with the Union Sunday-school, of which Mr. A. W. Held has been the superintendent for many years. Rev. Cyrus E. Held, pastor of the Hamilton charge, entered the ministry from this church.
XXVIII. TRINITY CHURCH, GERMANTOWN.
BY REV. L. E. ALBERT, D. D.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Michael's, German- town, dates its origin in the early part of the last century. It existed as a distinct organization, and was provided with its own place of worship previously to the year 1740. At that time there were about four hundred dwelling-houses in Germantown. The principal part of the population was German, but as the congregation was not favored with the ministry of a regular pastor, the number of members was small and the circumstances of the church not very flourishing. In the year 1742 the Rev.
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Henry Melchior Mühlenberg arrived in Philadelphia and began his labors as pastor of the Lutheran church in that city. Soon after his arrival, the church in Germantown attracted his at- tention, and his interest in it was so earnest, that he took it at once under his pastoral care. Finding that his duties pressed too heavily upon him, he made arrangements to relieve himself of at least a portion of his pastoral care. Accordingly his assist- ant, Rev. Peter Brunnholz, who arrived from abroad in 1745, took charge of the church in Germantown. So the pastorates are as follows :
Rev. Henry Melchior Mühlenberg, 1742-1745 ; Rev. Brunn- holz, 1745-1751 ; Rev. Handschuh, 1751-1757. From 1757- 1763, the accounts are musty, and the times stormy. Clearer skies came in 1763, for then pastor John Nicholas Kurtz served the congregation one year. He was followed by Rev. John Ludwig Voigt, 1764-1765 ; Rev. Jacob Van Buskerk, 1766-1769 ; Rev. John Frederick Schmidt, 1769-1786 ; Rev. John Fred- erick Weinland, 1786-1789 ; Rev. Frederick David Schaeffer, 1790-1812 ; Rev. John C. Baker, 1812-1828; Rev. Benjamin Keller, 1828-1835 ; Rev. John William Richards, 1836-1845.
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, GERMANTOWN.
Trinity Lutheran church is an offshoot of St. Michael's church of Germantown. It was organized with a membership of about thirty persons, February 28, 1836, when the vestry was installed by the Rev. Philip F. Mayer, D. D., then of St. John's church, Race street, Philadelphia. The names of the vestrymen were Thomas Haddin, Henry Goodman, Michael Trumbauer, David Heist, Henry Nicholas, Jacob Mehl, John Felton, George Heist, George Geysel and Joseph Heist. The original name of the church was the English Evangelical Lutheran church of German- town. At first the congregation worshiped in the brick building at the corner of Main and Mill streets, now occupied by the Woman's Christian Association. While worshiping there it elected as its first pastor William N. Scholl, who had just com- pleted his theological studies at the Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa. Mr. Scholl preached his first sermon in the brick building April 17, 1836. On June 2, 1836, he was licensed, at the meeting
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of the Synod of Pennsylvania at Easton, to preach the gospel. On June 12, he preached his introductory sermon from Ist Cor- inthians, 2d chapter and 2d verse : "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." In the meantime the congregation had purchased the property at the corner of Main and Queen streets for the sum of $3,000.00 on which it immediately proceeded to erect a church edifice 45x55 feet, at a cost of $2,699.68. The corner-stone of this building was laid on May 15, 1837, Rev. Philip F. Mayer, D. D., and Rev. Jacob Medtart officiating at the morning services, and Rev. Charles W. Schaeffer at the afternoon. On December 3, 1837, the building was dedicated, the Rev. Dr. Mayer preaching the sermon from Psalms lxxxiv. I : "How amiable are thy taber- nacles, O Lord of hosts !" The first communion was held on June 19, 1836, and the first accessions to the congregation were made on Whitsunday, May 14, 1837. The first baptism in the church under the Rev. William N. Scholl was that of Henry Ernest, son of Henry and Maria Goodman ; the first marriage, that of Reuben G. Tomlinson to Hannah K. Shepherd ; and the first burial, that of William Saunders, of Rising Sun. As a pastor the Rev. W. N. Scholl stood high in the estimation of his flock, being diligent in the discharge of his duties, and watchful of the interests committed to his care. His pastorate over the congre- gation extended from June 12, 1836, to March 5, 1840.
Rev. Mr. Scholl was succeeded by Rev. Samuel D. Finckel, who came to Germantown, May 28, 1840. His first com- munion was held June 7, 1840, and his last, December 1, 1843. His first recorded accessions to the church took place on September 5, 1840. On February 7, 1844, Mr. Finckel re- signed the pastorate of the congregation. Although his pastorate was short in its continuance, the impress he made upon the con- gregation was remarkable. There was something in the very make of the man that told upon all with whom he came in con- tact. Genial in his manners, warm-hearted in his disposition, brilliant in intellect, and eloquent in speech, he drew men of all classes to him personally, and also attracted them to the house of God.
Rev. William F. Eyster became the successor of Mr. Finckel,
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and assumed the pastorate on May 12, 1844. His first recorded communion is that of July 7, 1844. The largest accession to the church at any communion occurred during the ministry of Rev. Mr. Eyster. This was on April 16, 1848, when thirteen persons were received by adult baptism, twenty-eight by confirmation, four by renewal of profession, and seven by certificate from the Presbyterian church. At that time there was a wonderful awakening on the subject of religion in Germantown, and this church shared largely in the ingathering that followed. On August 14, 1851, Rev. Mr. Eyster resigned the pastorate of the congregation, to take charge of the church at Chambersburg. Mr. Eyster was a living embodiment of a Christian gentleman. Sincerity beamed forth in his speech and actions. To him a mean deed was impossible. Ever courteous, ever gentle, ever loving, ever forbearing and forgiving, he walked in his Master's footsteps and preached daily sermons by his constant exhibition of these Christian graces. At this present writing he is a resident of Crete, Salina county, Nebraska.
Mr. Eyster was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. Luther E. Albert, who came to Germantown on November 23, 1851. His first recorded communion was held in the month of March 1858, when 95 persons participated in the blessed ordinance of the Lord's Supper. After a few years had elapsed, the congre- gation undertook the building of a new church edifice. The con- tract for the building, exclusive of the furniture and the spire, called for $13,500. The corner-stone was laid on October II, 1856, the Rev. Philip F. Mayer, D. D., officiating. Among others who were present on that occasion were Rev. Theophilus Stork, D. D., and Rev. Edwin W. Hutter, D. D. At the dedication of the church, which occurred on October 12, 1857, Rev. John G. Morris, D. D., of Baltimore, Md., officiated. In 1867 the organ was purchased at an expense of $2,096.15, and in 1870 the church was frescoed. In 1886 the church was renovated and improved at a cost of $16,000. The growth of the congregation, in every direction, has been marked and steady. The number of those entitled to membership, at this present writing, is about 300. The active communing membership is about 250. The strength of the Sunday-school is as follows : officers and teachers, 46 ; scholars,
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325. The present superintendent is Theophilus H. Smith. In connection with the church is a Woman's Home and Foreign Missionary Society, a Young People's Lyceum, and a Society of Christian Endeavor. The Board of Trustees consists of the fol- lowing members : President, M. L. Finckel ; secretary, F. Studen- mund ; treasurer, Jacob Green ; associates, Theophilus H. Smith, Samuel Goodman, George Jenkins, William Martin, Theophilus Stork, William Maybury, David Barrows, Jr., Charles Longmire and Henry Yeager ; assistant pastor, Rev. Clinton E. Walter. Such is a brief history of Trinity Lutheran church, Germantown. Thankful for the past, she moves on hopefully into the future.
XXIX. ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH, READING.
BY MR. CHARLES H. TYSON.
Trinity Lutheran church, the mother church of St. Matthew's, as well as of all the other Lutheran churches of Reading, was founded in 1751 by German Lutherans. The early pastors were as follows : H. B. G. Wordman, 1752 to 1753 ; D. Schuhmacher, 1754 to 1755 ; J. C. Hartwig, 1757 to 1758 ; B. M. Hausihl, 1759 to 1762 ; J. A. Krug, 1764 to 1771 ; Henry Moeller, 1775 ; D. Lehman, 1779 to 1780; C. F. Wildbahn, 1782 to 1796; D). Lehman, 1796 to 1801; H. A. Mühlenberg, 1803 to 1829; Jacob Miller, 1829 to 1850.
For almost. a century the worship was carried on in the Ger- man language. About the year 1842 the town had a large English population ; the English language was spoken in the schools, in business transactions, and in social intercourse. The children, though of German parentage, were growing up in total ignorance of that language. A large number of the congrega- tion discovered that their children were deriving no benefit from the worship and were wandering away to the English churches, which were the Presbyterian, the Episcopalian, and the Metho- dist. To prevent this loss to the Lutheran church, several members, with Dr. Diller Luther as spokesman, requested the pastor of Trinity, Rev. Jacob Miller, to hold English services at
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intervals of a month or six weeks. Rev. Miller was a pious, con- scientious and earnest man ; but, fortunately for us in this instance, very conservative in his views. Having been educated under the German system, and being somewhat advanced in years, he could not appreciate the importance of the situation. He refused ab- solutely to comply with their request.
ST. MATTHEW'S EVANGELICAL. LUTHERAN CHURCH, READING, PA.
Earnestly desirous of accomplishing their object, they started an English service at 5th and Penn streets, in the Old State House, which was destroyed by fire in 1873. In order to secure a large attendance and also the co-operation of the English
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community, they held services in the afternoon, the English churches being open in the evening. The attendance from the beginning was large, and at length overtures were again made to the pastor of Trinity, which were again rejected. They now had no alternative except a separate permanent organization.
Rev. J. S. Schock, then lately graduated from the Seminary at Gettysburg, had acted as pastor of this little flock from its first gathering. He was young, talented, active, and eminently fitted for the hard task he had undertaken to perform. His salary when engaged was $300, which was afterwards reduced to $150, owing to the meagre resources of the congregation. The first council meeting was held in March, 1842, and the officers were Rev. Schock, president, Dr. Diller Luther, secretary, and Henry Haas, treasurer. The men most active in this movement, to whom St. Matthew's church is largely indebted for what she is to- day, were Dr. Diller Luther, John Hepler, Sr., Frederick Fox, Henry Haas, Peter Filbert, Henry Fry, Adam Rightmyer, Dr. S. S. Birch, Jacob Sallade, Peter Shanaman, Joseph Moyer, William Ziegler, Nicholas Mason, John German, Jeremiah Hagenman, Marks B. Scull, George Frees, Jesse Orner, Paul Ammon and Samuel Focht. The first communion was held in September, 1842, when 17 communicants presented themselves ; at the same time a considerable number were confirmed. The first infant baptism occurred in 1842, Susan Yeager being the subject ; the first marriage ceremony of which there is now any record was performed in 1843, and Levi Moser and Catharine Myers were the contracting parties. In spite of all difficulties and hin- drances, the congregation grew rapidly. In 1843 an appeal was made to the other churches in Eastern Pennsylvania for aid in building a church. Rev. Schock was sent out as collector, and during his absence Rev. Kohler acted as his substitute. The church was begun in May, 1844, and dedicated on the 22d of December of the same year. The services were prolonged for several days, and many eminent divines were present, from Phila- delphia, Baltimore, and other places ; among these were Rev. J. G. Morris, D. D., who preached the dedication sermon, Rev. F. W. Conrad, and Rev. John McCron, who preached an impressive sermon from the text, " What think ye of Christ?"
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The congregation increased in numbers slowly but steadily in their new home, notwithstanding some opposition on the part of outside parties. The following incident is related to show the feeling (now happily extinct) which existed on the part of the old toward the new congregation. The first death, that of Dr. Birch, occurred in 1845. As the plot surrounding the church was very small, the pastor first applied for permission to bury upon Trinity graveyard. Permission was granted, upon condition that the pastor of Trinity should conduct the services. Not deeming it proper to accept the conditions, the body of Dr. Birch was buried in the space on the eastern side of the church, from which it was afterwards removed to Charles Evans' ceme- tery. No incident worthy of mention occurred until 1849, when Rev. Schock received a call from New York City, resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Brown. During Rev. Brown's pas- torate, a schism arose in Trinity church and a large number se- ceded, some forming a new church and others swelling our mem- bership. Among those prominent in this second period of the church's history were Major S. E. Ancona, Dr. Ulrich, Jacob S. Livingood, Esq., Messrs. Weida, Lindemuth, Craig and Lehman, and Mrs. Esther G. Otto, familiarly known as Mother Otto. In consequence of this diminution, the council of Trinity made propositions to our council looking to the return of our con- gregation to the bosom of the mother church, which were re- spectfully declined. Rev. Brown resigned in 1859, and was succeeded by Rev. Milton Valentine, during whose term the church was repaired ; Rev. M. W. Hamma, from 1866 to 1869; Rev. Samuel Domer, from 1869 to 1872 ; Rev. J. M. Anspach, from 1872 to 1877; and our present pastor, Rev. T. C. Bill- heimer, D. D.
For many weeks after the first meeting of the congregation, the attention of the members was centered upon the growth of the church. Their children were scattered, some attending the Presbyterian, some the Methodist, and others the Union Sunday- school which had been opened by Judge Darling in the Old Court House on Penn Square. At length, early in December, 1842, several of the younger members of the church-Misses Eliza, Lydia and Louisa Filbert, Miss Hope Pettit, Miss Boyer,
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Mr. George Frees, Mr. Jacob Boyer, and Rev. Schock-met in the office of Peter Filbert, Esq., and organized our Sunday-school, whose first regular session was held on the Sunday before Christ- mas. Dr. Diller Luther was elected president, Frederic Fox vice-president, Rev. Schock superintendent, Jeremiah Hagen- man secretary, Mrs. McCombs directress, Jacob Boyer treas- urer and A. Raiguel librarian. The school first met on Frank- lin street above 6th, in a building upon the site of the Reading fire-engine house. The attendance numbered about forty. The meetings were held in this building, then called the infant school, until early in the following spring, when the building was dam- aged by fire and the school was removed to the public school house at Chestnut and Carpenter streets. Here the sessions were held until November, 1844, when the church was so far completed as to allow the school to meet in the basement. On the day of its removal the school was addressed by several clergy- men then attending the Synod held in our city. The school numbered 60 when they left Franklin street, 75 when they came to the new church, and about 100 when Rev. Schock resigned in 1849. The infant school was established in 1845 by Rev. Schock, and Mrs. John Craig, then Miss Eliza Filbert, was the first teacher. A celebration was held at High's Woods on the Fourth of July, 1845 ; a large table was set, and the whole congre- gation as one family celebrated the day. That celebration seems to have been kept green in the memories of the older members of the church.
Mr. George Frees, who had acted as superintendent in con- nection with Rev. Schock from the organization of the school, served until 1851, and was succeeded by Charles Davis, Esq., whose term continued only for one year. He was succeeded by Mr. Frederic Fox, who served for three years. Rev. Brown then became superintendent, and continued such until his resig- nation as pastor. Jacob S. Livingood, Esq., was then elected, who, after serving a short time, resigned in favor of his brother, William H. Livingood, Esq., who held the position until 1863. During the 15 years from 1848 to 1863, the school increased from a membership of 100 to that of 250. The pastor, Rev. Valen- tine, filled the position of superintendent from 1863 until he re-
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signed in 1866. Mr. Frank Fichthorn was then elected, and served for II years-during the pastorates of Revs. Hamma, Domer, and Anspach. During Rev. Hamma's pastorate, the school numbered 400-a greater number than it ever had before or has had since. During the terms of Revs. Domer and Anspach the number fluctuated between 300 and 400. Mr. Fichthorn was succeeded in 1878 by Mr. Edward Scull, who served until January, 1888. Frank S. Livingood, Esq., was then elected and served until January, 1892, when he was succeeded by Mr. Jacob A. Buch, the present superintendent.
The first mission was organized in 1860, at 10th and Green streets, by Rev. Valentine and Mr. Frederic Fox, and soon grew from a membership of 17 to that of 175 in 1865. Owing to the resignation of Rev. Valentine and the removal from town of Mr. Fox, the school fell into other hands, and is now known as St. Luke's Lutheran church, a very flourishing congregation. The second mission, known as the Rose Valley Sunday-school, was organized in 1874 by Major S. E. Ancona, Mrs. Bessie Hunter, and Mr. Frank Fichthorn, and finally abandoned in 1879 as un- fruitful. The third mission was founded in the winter of 1881, at 4th and Elm streets, by Mrs. A. S. Ladd, Rev. Daniel A. Shetler, and Mr. Cornelius T. Anderson. The membership num- bered 30, and, upon Rev. Shetler's removal from town, he was succeeded by Mr. A. B. Yorgey in 1881, who was in turn suc- ceeded by Mr. Edward C. Hecht in 1882. In 1886, when the movement had begun for the erection of a new chapel, this mis- sion was merged into the main school.
During Dr. Billheimer's pastorate the congregation and school grew too large to be accommodated in the building at Franklin and Pearl streets, and under his leadership, in 1886, a fund was started for the erection of a chapel for the Sunday-school upon an adjoining property, but eventually the movement expanded into a fund for a new church. A lot was bought at 5th and Elm streets, and in April, 1889, ground was broken for the erection of a church and chapel. On January 19, 1890, the corner-stone was laid by Rev. W. H. Dunbar and the pastor, in the presence of the other clergy of the city and the congregation. On July 12, 1891, the building was dedicated by Revs. W. H. Dunbar,
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H. W. McKnight, D. D., and Samuel B. Barnitz, with impressive ceremonies, and funds were collected to pay for the edifice. The congregation, headed by the pastor and council, marched in a body from the old to the new church. The new edifice is an im- posing structure, built of stone, containing in front an auditorium with a seating capacity of 550 persons, with vaulted ceiling, beau- tiful windows, altar and pulpit, and comfortable pews and furni- ture. The chapel, with an entrance from Elm street and another from the auditorium, has two stories, upon the first of which is the lecture room and infant school, and upon the second story, a beautiful main school room with a gallery for the larger classes. Later results have justified the congregation in the erection of their new edifice, as the Sunday-school has grown so large that arrangements are now making to utilize the basement of the church for its use, in addition to the rooms already occupied. The whole structure when completed will cost about $65,000. The church and Sunday-school now number about 350 persons each, with indications of a steady increase in the future.
XXX. ZION CHURCH, LEBANON.
BY H. H. ROEDEL, M. D.
The earliest records of the Lutheran church at Lebanon are a marriage, February 25, 1731, and a death, April 28, 1734. About the years 1733-1735 the first efforts were made to gather the scat- tered Germans, who had settled around where the town of Leb- anon now stands, into a congregation. Worship was conducted at a point about two and a half miles south-east of the present site of the town, where a house of worship was afterwards built, called "Die Kruppe Kirche." This edifice was occupied by the congregation until about 1768. In March, 1765, a lot of ground, within the present borough limits, was deeded for church pur- poses, by the Rev. John Caspar Stoever and others for the use of the Lutheran congregation for "the yearly rent of one red rose in June of every year forever hereafter, if the same shall be lawfully demanded." A school-house was built the same year, which was also used for church purposes. The church was probably erected
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about four years later. The corner-stone of the present edifice (Salem) was laid June 8, 1796. The regular pastors who served this congregation from the time of its location in the town until the organization of Zion church were as follows : F. A. C. Mühlen- berg, 1773-1775 ; William Kurtz, 1775-1794 ; George Loch- man, 1794-1815 ; William G. Ernst, 1815-1836; Jonathan Ruthrauff, 1836 to 1844.
The views of church membership held by Rev. Ruthrauff dif- fered widely from those entertained by many clergymen in this vicinity. Horse-racing, gambling and drinking to excess, were practices not infrequently indulged in by members of this com- munity who claimed positions in the church as officers. The pastor, however, refused to install such. When expostulated with, he claimed the introduction of no new tenets, but referred to the formula for the government and discipline of the Evangelical Lu- theran Church, of which they were a part. This proceeding was the origin of a long church strife. True, the issue was not claimed to be such. To speak or preach English, was almost looked upon as wicked. So prejudiced was the community against English preaching, that this was made the cudgel which the wily enemies of Sunday-schools, prayer-meetings and vital godliness used to en- list the sympathies and obtain the influence of church members against the introduction of the latter. So bitter did the feeling against the pastor and his adherents become, that the opposite party locked the church, forbidding the pastor to preach. This resulted in a suit at court, which eventually was compromised, the followers of the pastor accepting less than $800, for which they relinquished all right, title and claim to the church, graveyard and parsonage.
These members, with the pastor, formed the nucleus of a new church organization, which was incorporated by an Act of As- sembly, dated March 14, 1844, the corporate name and title being, "The Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of the Borongh of Lebanon and its vicinity." Immediate steps were taken to build a church. A lot on the corner of Market, now North
* The facts above have been gleaned from the published History of Leb- anon County.
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Ninth Street and Spring Alley, was purchased by Mr. Jacob Stoe- ver, a member of the Board of Trustees, from Mr. Jacob Schaff- ner, of Marietta, upon which to erect a suitable building. Little money was in circulation here at that time. Business transac- tions were carried on by barter. Labor was exchanged for pro- duce, and produce for merchandise.
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