USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of East Pennsylvania : with brief sketches of its congregations > Part 23
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LXIII. FIRST LUTHERAN, SHENANDOAH, SCHUYL- KILL COUNTY.
BY MR. WM. A. KEAGEY.
The First English Lutheran church of Shenandoah, Pa., was organized December 18, 1881, in Egan's Hall. The following were enrolled as members : J. H. Kurtz, Jacob Glover, John C. Glover, H. L. Neff, Henry Miller, Mrs. J. H. Kurtz, Mrs. Jacob Glover, Mrs. John C. Glover, Mrs. H. A. Swalm, Mrs. D. W. Glover, Mrs. I. P. Neff, Miss Mary Glover, Miss Maggie Glover, Miss Robena Glover, Miss Sue C. Neff.
Rev. I. P. Neff was chosen as pastor. The following officers were elected by acclamation : Elders, J. H. Kurtz and H. Miller ; Deacons, Jno. C. Glover and H. Neff; Secretary, J. C. Glover ; Treasurer, J. H. Kurtz.
At 1 : 30 o'clock on the same day, the Sunday-school was or- ganized, with J. H. Kurtz as superintendent, Henry Miller, assist- ant superintendent, John C. Glover, treasurer, Maggie Glover, secretary, and the following as teachers : Robena Glover, Annie Kurtz, Mary John, Geo. Kurtz and John C. Glover.
A congregational meeting was called on April 1, 1883, for the purpose of devising plans for building a church. J. C. Glover was appointed as a committee to solicit money for the purpose of building, and at the same meeting secured $374.00. On May 8, 1883, the congregation bought a lot from J. H. Kurtz for the con- sideration of $1,250.00, and the following persons were appointed by the pastor, Rev. I. P. Neff, as a building committee : J. H. Kurtz, Jacob Sanders, Henry Miller, Geo. Wagner, Jno. C. Glover.
The next minutes are dated September 30, 1883, with Rev. Wal- ter Miller in the chair. On March 12, 1884, fifteen hundred dollars was received from the Board of Church Extension. Rev. Walter Miller resigned October 14, 1885. On January 31, 1886, Rev. D. A. Shetler became pastor, and continued up to July 10, 1888. On June 10, 1889, Rev. D. B. Treibley was elected pastor of the church, and served until August 1, 1891. Rev. M. H. Havice was then called to the charge. He entered upon his work here December 1, 1891, and is the present pastor.
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The church appears to be now on a good footing and should prosper. The membership is about ninety. The Sunday-school numbers over one hundred. The sermons of the pastor are ap- preciated, and the congregation is harmonious.
LXIV. BETHANY (FORMERLY ELIZABETH MONROE SMITH MEMORIAL) CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA.
BY REV. S. G. SHANNON.
Bethany is one of the youngest churches in the north-western section of the city of Philadelphia. It is not yet ten years old, and these have been years of toil, self-denial and anxiety to the little band of faithful soldiers of the Cross. Of this church it can truthfully be said : "They have come up through much tribula- tion." A preliminary meeting was held at the residence of R. I. Heim, October 22, 1883, looking toward the organization of a General Synod Lutheran Church somewhere in the north-western section of the city. The following persons were present : R. I. Heim, C. F. Reinstein, W. H. Faunce, George F. Bultman, Jas. Lehman and George C. Bultman, Jr. After considerable de- liberation, R. I. Heim was elected chairman, G. C. Bultman, Jr., secretary, and W. H. Faunce, treasurer, in order to carry the project to a more complete and successful end.
Several meetings were held in private residences, and one pub- lic meeting in the Independent M. E. church on Ridge avenue, near Twenty-fifth street, October 28, 1883, which was addressed by Rev. L. E. Albert, D. D., Rev. W. M. Baum, D. D., Rev. E. Huber, and Rev. J. H. Menges. This meeting proved a great stimulus toward a permanent organization, which was effected November 4, 1883, with eighteen members, in a hall at No. 2529 Ridge avenue.
Rev. John R. Williams became pastor, and held the first regular service in the aforesaid hall the same day.
He was formally installed as pastor, January 3, 1884. A con- stitution for the better government of the newly-formed congre- gation was adopted on Wednesday evening, January 23, 1884.
At a congregational meeting held September 21, 1884, it was resolved to make formal application to be received into, and be-
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come an integral part of, the East Pennsylvania Synod. This re- solution, with a formal application, was presented to Synod, which was then in session at Easton, Pa., by R. I. Heim, and the con- gregation regularly admitted.
BETHANY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA, PA.
On December 1, 1884, by action of a committee appointed for the purpose, of which R. I. Heim was chairman, the lot at the corner of Twenty-fifth street and Montgomery avenue was pur- chased, for the sum of $7,333.33.
On January 5, 1885, the congregation was incorporated under the corporate title of "The Memorial Lutheran Church of Phila- delphia."
At a congregational meeting held June 10, 1885, it was resolved to erect a chapel on the recently purchased lot, whereupon Rev.
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J. R. Williams, Lewis H. Bolton, C. F. Reinstein, R. I. Heim and C. E. Bauder were appointed a building committee to carry out the design of the congregation. Accordingly, a contract was entered into with J. M. Anderson, of Philadelphia, for the erec- tion of a stone chapel forty by seventy feet, for the sum of $6,000.00, which sum was increased $500.00 by deviations from the original design.
The chapel (a cut of which is herewith presented) was com- pleted and dedicated to the service of Almighty God April 1I, 1886. Rev. J. C. Zimmerman, Secretary of the Board of Church Extension, and Rev. F. W. Conrad, D. D., editor of the Lutheran Observer, officiated on the occasion, other Lutheran pastors of the city assisting the pastor loci.
The requisite amount of money to satisfy the claims of the con- tractor was not realized on the day of dedication, and, after the most strenuous self-denial and sacrifice on the part of members, the congregation was unable to meet the demands or longer carry the debt.
On May 30, 1886, the contractor notified the council that he would place a builder's lien on the church, which was promptly executed. On September 6 of the same year an advertisement of sale was placed on the church door, and on September 20, 1 886, the sheriff of Philadelphia sold the building to J. M. Ander- son's attorney, Samuel Baker, for the sum of fifty dollars ($50.00) subject to the claim against it, deeded the same to the said Anderson, and at the same time served a notice on the congre- gation to vacate the premises, or lease the same from him at a rental of $60.00 per month in advance. This was disheartening to the little band of earnest workers who had invested their all for the purpose of having a church home, and they were almost
ready to disband. Some of the more enthusiastic members thought they could see day dawning in the distance, and believed there was yet a future for a General Synod Lutheran church in the north-western part of this great city. They encouraged the weaker ones to hold on, even though the future looked dark and unpromising. After much prayer and deliberation, the congrega- tion determined to make another heroic effort. Having no church home, and there being no other alternative, the congre-
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gation resolved to pay the rent demanded, which they did for nearly five months, during which period an amicable arrange- ment was effected between the contractor and the congregation, and, according to agreement, the church was re-sold by the sheriff of Philadelphia, December 28, 1886, for the sum of $5,050.00, R. I. Heim becoming the purchaser for the congrega- tion.
The congregation, now once more in possession of their own church home, sought assistance and sympathy from philanthropic persons. Overtures were made to the (now deceased) benevo- lent John F. Smith, of Broad Street, Philadelphia, who generously came to the rescue. A proposition was made to memorialize the chapel to his deceased wife, Elizabeth Monroe Smith, on con- dition that he would pay $4,000.00, which he did.
At a congregational meeting held March 6, 1886, it was re- solved to change the corporate title to the "Elizabeth Monroe Smith Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church of Philadelphia." Accordingly, a petition, dated May 2, 1887, was sent up to the Court of Philadelphia, praying for a change of charter, and on June 2, 1887, the Court granted the prayer of the petitioners, and the chartered title was changed to the above. Rev. John R. Williams resigned as pastor September 23, 1888, the resignation to take effect on the 30th day of the same month.
At a congregational meeting held January 2, 1889, Rev. S. G. Shannon, of Sunbury, Pa., was unanimously elected pastor, and a call was extended to him at an annual salary of $1,400.00, the Home Mission Board agreeing to pay seven hundred of the above amount the first year. After due deliberation the call was ac- cepted, and he entered upon his duties as pastor of the congre- gation April 4, 1889, and was formally installed June 2, 1889. Rev. E. Huber, D. D., pastor of Messiah Lutheran church of Philadelphia, delivered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. H. M. Bickel, office editor of the Lutheran Observer, delivered the charge to the congregation.
At this time a mortgaged debt of $10,500.00 rested on the church property. A systematic effort was engaged in to liquidate this bonded indebtedness, which was only partially successful, on account of the Memorial Title of the church. Mr. Smith had
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died, meanwhile, and persons not related to Mrs. Smith hesitated to contribute to the completion of the work. This was reported to the East Pennsylvania Synod, and at its meeting held at Middletown, Pa., September 16-22, 1891, the following was offered by Rev. H. W. McKnight, D. D., LL.D. :
" Resolved, That a committee of five be appointed to unite with the pastor and church council of the Elizabeth Monroe Smith Memorial Lutheran Church of Philadelphia, in the effort to induce the Smith heirs to pay the indebtedness on the property."
The President of Synod appointed as such committee Rev. R. W. Hufford, D. D., Rev. H. W. McKnight, D. D., LL.D., Rev. Eli Huber, D. D., Mr. Henry S. Boner and F. A. Hartranft, Esq. This committee, in company with the pastor, Rev. S. G. Shannon, held a colloquium with Mr. Monroe Smith, son of John F. Smith, deceased, and representing the estate. This meeting was fruit- less so far as the liquidation of the debt was concerned, but an agreement was effected to join in a petition to the court to re- move the Memorial and change the chartered title, providing the congregation thought best. Accordingly a congregational meet- ing was held November 11, 1891, at which it was unanimously decided that it was to the best interests of the congregation to secure a release of the said Memorial and a change of the corpo- rate name.
A joint petition of the congregation and Monroe Smith and Mary A. Smith (now Combs), children and heirs of John F. Smith, deceased, through their legal attorney, was presented to the court, praying a change of corporate title from " The Eliza- beth Monroe Smith Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church of Philadelphia " to " Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church of Philadelphia." The prayer of the petitioners was granted by Court No. I of Philadelphia, January 6, 1892.
At a regularly-called congregational meeting held May 18, 1892, it was
Resolved, To enlarge our church capacity by the erection of a permanent building on the rear of the lot.
The pastor was appointed to canvass for funds for this pur- pose. This canvass is now in progress, with what result time alone will tell.
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LXV. BETHLEHEM CHURCH, HARRISBURG.
BY REV. W. H. FISHBURN.
In February, 1875, Rev. George F. Stelling, D. D., then pastor of Zion Lutheran church, Harrisburg, Pa., originated a movement in the Sunday-School Association of his charge, having for its object the establishing of a mission school in West Harrisburg, "to care for the Lutheran interests in that part of the city." The result of the steps taken was the organization of Bethlehem Lu- theran Mission Sunday-school, on April 4, 1875. It first met in a rented room on Broad street. Mr. L. H. Kinnard was chosen superintendent ; Mr. James M. Miller was the secretary, and Dr. Charles T. George was the teacher of the Bible class. A corps of faithful and efficient co-workers made steady progress. Many of the first workers in the Mission " remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep." The Mission School occupied the rented room for eleven years. The discouragements, the trials and dis- appointments, the headaches and heartaches, the self-denials and thankless labor-with efforts to do good frequently misunderstood and unappreciated-that were encountered in those years by the faithful mission workers, cannot be detailed. Yet the school was kept alive, the laborers hoping that a better time would come.
The plot of ground now occupied by chapel and tabernacle, at the corner of Green and Cumberland streets, was purchased in 1879, but it was not until 1885 that a contract was made for the erection of the first building for Sunday-school and other pur- poses. The corner-stone of the chapel was laid on August 23, 1885, by Rev. A. H. Studebaker, then pastor of the mother church, and on March 21, 1886, the structure was dedicated by the same minister. This building, which is of brick, with brown-stone trim- mings, in Romanesque architecture, is forty-five by ninety-five feet in dimensions, and was comfortably furnished. A week after the dedication, the Sunday-school was transferred to its first home, and officers and teachers realized that their labors had not been in vain.
In the fall of 1886 a weekly prayer-meeting was established ; a few months later the workers in the school, together with a few
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others in the western part of the city, feeling that the distance to Zion was great, that the mother church could spare them, and that a Lutheran church was needed in this locality, expressed a desire for a separate organization. Overtures were made to the church council of Zion, having this end in view, the mother church gave her consent, and on March 5, 1887, the Court of Dauphin county granted a charter to "Bethlehem Lutheran church of Harrisburg, Pa." The charter was granted on March
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BETHLEHEM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, HARRISBURG, PA.
5, on Saturday. On Tuesday, March 8, just three days after- wards, a congregational meeting was held for the purpose of elect- ing a pastor, and it resulted in the election, by a unanimous vote, of Rev. William Haller Fishburn. A call was extended to him, and, after mature deliberation, he accepted it.
The formal organization of Bethlehem Lutheran church took place on May 15, 1887, when pastor Fishburn preached his intro- ductory sermon. Zion church was closed that day, and the entire membership was present with Bethlehem, to wish the new-
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born child God's blessing. Prof. Knoche, the organist of Zion, with the choir of Zion, led the singing. The children of Albert and Catharine Hummel presented the new congregation with a silver communion service, in memory of their parents ; and the Bible class of Dr. C. T. George made the church a gift of six silver plates for the offerings.
On the following Sunday, May 22, pastor Fishburn received one hundred and six members into full communion with the church, eighty of whom came by certificate from Zion church. From this date services were regularly held in the unpretentious chapel, which, although large, soon became overcrowded. The officers in the first church council were as follows : Trustees, Dr. Charles T. George and L. H. Kinnard ; Elders, Alexander Blessing and Adam Reel; Deacons, James M. Miller, Henry Fraley, Charles M. Singer, Charles C. Schriver, James H. Lytle and Charles Y. Fink ; Treasurer, Alexander Blessing ; Secretary, James M. Miller.
The crowds soon became so great that the chapel was alto- gether too small to accommodate them. A larger building be- came imperative. But the congregation did not feel able to erect a large building of costly material. Mr. Fishburn suggested a "Tabernacle " of wood, built to accommodate 2,000 or more peo- ple, and so constructed that it could afterward be covered with some incombustible material. He preached about the needs of the congregation, and in June, 1889, when the organization was only two years old, it was decided to build a big tabernacle. Plans were approved, and the contract let to Joshua Sweeger, of Newport. The new building, with its furnishings, cost $25,000.00. It was formally dedicated to Almighty God on November 2, 1890, the pastor's father, Rev. Jeremiah Fishburn, of Elizabethtown, conducting the services of consecration. The tabernacle is the most beautiful church building in Harrisburg. It is seated with as- sembly chairs that are convenient and comfortable, and so ar- ranged that all their occupants are brought within easy hearing dis- tance of the preacher. Wide stairways lead from the pulpit plat- form to the galleries, which are also seated with assembly chairs. In the front, facing the pulpit, is the choir gallery, on which is a magnificent three-manual organ, containing 1859 speaking pipes.
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The main auditorium is lighted by fifty-seven windows of cathe- dral glass of richest colors. The pulpit is of brass, and is on the large platform between the stairways.
In the new building the congregation's growth has been rapid. On the first Easter after dedication 106 new members were re- ceived ; and on the following Easter, 193. Members have been received every time the communion has been celebrated. The total membership is now between 700 and 800.
From time to time pastor Fishburn has found it necessary to increase the number of men in the working council of the church, until it now numbers 2 trustees, 4 elders, 12 deacons, 12 advisers, 12 third committeemen, 60 auxiliaries, a treasurer, and the pastor, -in all, 104 men. The city has been divided by the pastor into twelve wards, and over each ward a committee of eight men is placed. A complete directory of the church and all its auxiliary societies is published annually. There are in connection with the church a Mite society, a Social Circle, a Christian helpers' society, a senior and junior Young People's Society of Christian Endea- vor, a Sewing society, and other organizations, all of which make the outlook for the future most encouraging.
LXVI. IMMANUEL CHURCH, NORWOOD, DELAWARE COUNTY.
BY REV. E. S. MORELL.
Norwood is, a suburban village, situated in Delaware County, Pa., on the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, about eight and a half miles from Broad and Market Street Sta- tion, Philadelphia. In the former part of June, 1888, Rev. E. S. Morell, pastor of the St. James' Lutheran Church at Chalfont, Bucks County, Pa., visited Norwood, and ascertained that there was no religious organization there save a few Methodists, who held religious services in a room of a vacant dwelling-house, and that a large proportion of the population were of Lutheran per- suasion. Regarding it as a promising field for mission work, he held a consultation with the brethren in Philadelphia, and a self- appointed committee, consisting of Rev. Wm. M. Baum, D. D.,
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Rev. Eli Huber, D. D., Henry S. Boner, Superintendent of the Lutheran Publication House, and Rev. E. S. Morell, visited the locality. After a careful observation, all were favorably impressed, and decided that a Mission of our church should be started at once. A communication was then sent to Rev. Jacob A. Clutz, Secretary of the Board of Home Missions, directing his attention to it. In the meantime, permission was obtained from the pub- lic school directors to hold meetings in the school building. Circulars were then distributed throughout the community, in-
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IMMANUEL EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, NORWOOD, PA.
forming them that a Lutheran Sabbath-school would commence on the following Sabbath afternoon, and also requesting the par- ents to assemble there on Sabbath evening.
The attendance at the first session of the Sabbath-school was nine adults and twenty-eight children. An organization was then effected, with Chas. G. Boekenkamp, a staunch Lutheran, as its Superintendent. In the evening, about sixty adults were present, and a preaching service was conducted by Rev. E. S. Morell. On July 29, 1888, Rev. Jacob A. Clutz, Secretary of the Board of Home Missions, was present at the morning and evening service.
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He preached in the morning, and Rev. E. S. Morell in the even- ing. When, before closing the service, Rev. Clutz asked for an expression by a rising vote, of the willingness of those present to co-operate in the work of a Mission enterprise, there was a unan- imous response.
After the return of the Secretary to Baltimore, the Board of Home Missions sent a commission to Rev. E. S. Morell to com- mence the establishment of a Lutheran Mission at Norwood, Delaware County, Pa., September 1, 1888. The organization of a church was formally effected, September 30, 1888, with twenty- two members, after which a church building-lot in a central lo- cality was purchased for five hundred dollars. Upon this lot the corner-stone for a church building was laid with appropriate ser- vices, May 1, 1889, the sermon being preached by Rev. Eli Huber, D. D. The church building was dedicated November 10, 1889, Rev. J. H. Menges preaching the dedication sermon and conducting the financiering. Subscriptions to the amount of $1,010.09, were secured during the day. The total cost of the church building and ground was $5,114.47, which was covered by donations and subscriptions, except about $1,775.00, of which $775.00 has since been paid off, leaving the church encumbered at present with a mortgage of $1,000.00, at five per cent. interest
The present communicant membership is sixty-nine, with a Sabbath-school of one hundred and forty-eight officers, teachers and scholars. Rev. E. S. Morell is the pastor, his salary being six hundred dollars, of which the Board of Home Missions pays three hundred. The members of the Church Council are : Trus- tees, Chas. G. Boekenkamp, Frank W. Taylor, Dr. J. N. Wunder- lich, Theodore Kreeger, Sr .; Elders, John Harrison, Henry Schroeder, Dr. Geo. F. Baier ; Deacons, Walter L. Orwig, Chas. H. Boekenkamp, Thos. W. Pennypacker, Jacob Meier.
LXVII. ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA. BY REV. F. P. MANHART.
In December, 1888, a Lutheran Sunday-school was organized in a building on Sixteenth street, near Cayuga, in the northern part of Philadelphia. The building had been erected by Mr.
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Wm. F. Shaw, a large publisher of music, who expected to have a permanent Moravian church established in it. An effort by the Moravians to establish such a church failed ; succeeding efforts to maintain a union Sunday-school languished. Mr. Frank A. Hart- ranft, an attorney· at-law, and a member of the Messiah Lutheran church, was invited to take charge of the Sunday-school. He did so in December, 1888, with the understanding that the school would become Lutheran, and that the property would be deeded to trustees appointed by the Philadelphia Conference, to be held in trust by them for a congregation to be formed, and to be con- nected with the Synod of East Pennsylvania.
The conditions were met. The property consisted of a lot thirty-four by one hundred and sixty-eight feet, having upon it a building thirty-four by one hundred and twenty-eight feet. It was encumbered by a ground-rent and mortgage, together amounting to $6,200.00. Through the efforts of the Conference and Mr. Hartranft, regular services were maintained from Decem- ber, 1888, to April, 1889. In February, 1889, Rev. Frank P. Manhart, of Bloomsburg, Pa., was asked to become pastor. He accepted, and commenced his labors on Sunday, April 7, 1889. On April 14 a congregation was organized with seventeen mem- bers. It was based upon the doctrinal position and polity of the Synod of East Pennsylvania and the General Synod. On Wed- nesday, the 17th, a congregational constitution and the name, " All Saints' ", was adopted. (Three adjacent streets being named St. Luke's, St. Mark's and St. Paul's respectively, a desire was felt to secure a name apropos to local surroundings.) A Church Coun- cil consisting of the following was elected : Elders, Frank A. Hartranft, Esq., Charles G. Marshall and Hamilton Bingham ; Deacons, Charles C. Hess, Sam. J. Lauber and A. J. Rudolph. The congregation was received into the Synod of East Pennsyl- vania in September, 1889. At the time of this writing it numbers seventy-seven communicants, and an enrollment in the Sunday- school of two hundred.
On June 1, 1892, it took title to a plot of ground about one- half acre in size, and fronting on Germantown avenue and Cayuga and Nineteenth streets. The cost, $6,000.00, was hardly more than half its market value. It is admirably located, and with its
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