USA > Pennsylvania > History of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of East Pennsylvania : with brief sketches of its congregations > Part 8
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name and with his letters of recommendation, raised contribu- tions to defray the expenses of the school-house, and having, after these were paid, also, by means of his written petitions, collected money in Philadelphia and in the provinces of New Jersey and New York for the building of St. Peter's church, he himself hav- ing, at the same time, as far as it was possible for himself and fellow laborers, served us in the preaching of the gospel."
In the building of the church the Reformed had no share. The ground and school-house were transferred to Revs. Richard Peters, Charles Magnus Wrangel, D. D., Provost of the Swedish Lutheran churches in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, H. M. Mühlenberg and Henry Keppele, Sr., of Philadelphia, John Kop- lin, of Providence, Valentine Miller, Ludwig Kolb and Matthias Sommer, members of the church in Whitemarsh, as trustees. The first school teacher was Michael Seely, who afterwards became blind. In 1765 Conrad Bischoff was teacher, and in 1768 John George Kühn. H. M. Mühlenberg laid the corner-stone of the church in 1761, but it was not completed until several years later. It was a substantial stone edifice, with galleries on three of its sides, and a steeple, surmounted by a cock, a reminder, doubtless, of the one that figured in the history of the denial of the disciple after whom the church was named. It remained standing until 1849. The history of its building is a story of struggle, prayers and tears. They were burdened with debt. C. Raben en- deavored to reduce the debt by means of a lottery-a means often used in those times to raise funds for houses of worship. Fifty pounds were thus secured. The noble Henry Keppele, of Phila- delphia, gave his bond for three hundred pounds. After the diffi- culty at Germantown had been settled and that congregation was again united with Synod, a number of members who assisted Barren Hill returned to their old home, and thus the difficulties at St. Peter's increased.
On March 13, 1765, C. Raben, who had assumed much of the debt, declared that if he were not extricated from his embarrass- ing condition, he would sell the church to "any sect, even to the Papists." In this crisis, Keppele, Wrangel and Mühlenberg each obligated himself for one-third of the debt. Mühlenberg ad- dressed Ziegenhagen at London, Francke at Halle, and others,
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in behalf of the needy church. A collection in the Anglican church for a non-conformist congregation was not allowed in England, but the Archbishop of Canterbury sent twenty guineas out of his private means. In 1 766 a Reformed creditor threat- ened that, unless his loan of one hundred pounds with interest were paid, he would bring the matter to court. Under these cir- cumstances, Mühlenberg had a transfer of the property made to St. Michael's, of Philadelphia, so as to afford a legal protection. He attempted to use his wife's patrimony to liquidate the debt, which she sensibly prevented.
In 1768 ninety pounds' worth of the widely celebrated Halle medicines came to Muhlenberg as a contribution to Zion's church at Philadelphia and Barren Hill, to be equally divided. August 4, 1768, Dr. Ziegenhagen, chaplain to the king of England, authorized Mühlenberg to draw on him for five hundred pounds sterling. But what principally enabled the securities to meet their obligations was a bequest of thirteen thousand gulden ($5,200) from the Count of Roedelsheim, in Germany, to the German Lutheran congregations of Pennsylvania, three thousand of which ($1,200) were expressly given to the church at Barren Hill. The joy of the struggling church can be imagined better than described.
The first election of which we possess a record (though an older record is mentioned as having surreptitiously disappeared) was held April 1, 1766, when Henry Katz, John Bauer, Andrew Koeth and Philip Lehr were chosen elders, and William Hiltner and John Fischer deacons. In June, 1769, Rev. John Frederick Schmidt accepted the charge of the Germantown congregation, and preached occasionally at Barren Hill, in which church ser- vice had been previously held every other Sunday by the German- town and Philadelphia ministers during the time of Pastors John Nicholas Kurtz, 1763-1764, John Ludwig Voigt, 1 764-1765, Jacob Van Buskirk, 1766-1769, and Christopher Emanuel Schultze, 1765-1769. Through the war, and for several years after its close, Rev. H. M. Mühlenberg, as also his son, Rev. H. E. Mühlenberg, of St. Michael's, Philadelphia, officiated here, followed by the Revs. Daniel Schroeder, 1776-1782(?), and John Frederick Weinland, 1786 to 1789, of the Germantown congregation, whose several labors helped to keep the congregation together.
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During the Revolution the church received considerable injury, having been by turns occupied by the contending armies, and used as a battery and stable. Rev. H. M. Mühlenberg, in his journal, under date of November 4, 1777, says that "it was used as a stable for horses by a portion of the American army en- camped in the vicinity," and further mentions that a short time previous the British army had been here and taken from the peo- ple their horses, oxen, cows, sheep and hogs. Lafayette used the church as a point of observation during his brief stay on the Hill, in the middle of May, 1778, and came near being captured by General Grant with a strong detachment of the British army.
The next pastor, Rev. Frederick D. Schaeffer, has left the fol- lowing interesting account of the condition of affairs at this time : " In the year 1790 I was called to the congregation of St. Peter's as its regularly ordained minister, and found the church and school in such a lamentable condition as to be commiserated. Only a few heads of families remained ; the greater number of children had already been sent to English schools, and an Eng- lish schoolmaster had been appointed to teach without my knowl- edge. The church building was in a deplorable condition, like a neglected or disordered house, the rude walls, windows and frames broken and shattered, and the roof appeared also ready to fall in." As the church was injured during the war, the congregation applied to the Assembly, who passed an act, April 13, 1807, authorizing them to hold a lottery to meet the expense. For want of unanimity this was not carried out, and a committee of seven members was appointed in 1809, through whom the build- ings and surrounding property were repaired, and the church re- dedicated January 7, 1810, in the presence of a large assembly. After a pastorate of over twenty-two years Mr. Schaeffer resigned, preaching his farewell sermon August 23, 1812.
Rev. John C. Baker followed, and remained until 1828. Dur- ing his ministry the German language was entirely dispensed with and the English substituted. Rev. Benjamin Keller com- menced his labors in February, and remained until 1835. He was followed by Rev. C. W. Schaeffer, under whom the parsonage, costing nearly $900, was built. Rev. F. R. Anspach became pastor January Ist, 1841, and remained until 1850. He held the
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last communion in the old church April 8, 1849, when the present fine edifice was erected, at a cost of $6,471.46. Under his services the church was greatly strengthened. Rev. W. H. Smith succeeded him in 1850, and resigned May 10, 1852. In November, 1852, Rev. W. M. Baum accepted, served till May, 1858, and was followed by Rev. S. Sentman, who resigned April, 1862. In his ministry the centennial celebration of the church was observed with appropriate ceremonies. Rev. C. L. Keedy was the next pastor, 1862 to 1865, followed by Rev. J. Q. Waters, whom Rev. J. R. Dimm succeeded in 1867. Rev. T. C. Pritchard took charge September 1, 1871, and remained until July, 1883. His successor was Rev. J. Q. McAtee, who resigned November, 1888. February 1, 1889, the present pastor, Rev. A. H. Frank Fischer, took charge. The church at present num- bers about 240 members, is free of debt, is surrounded by about eight acres of cemetery, inclosed by an iron railing and wall. In addition to a good parsonage, with an acre of ground, the church owns another excellent property. Though one of the first churches in Pennsylvania, she is still bringing forth fruit in old age. Her later sons in the ministry, Revs. W. S. Freas, D. D., M. S. Cressman and F. W. Staley, are doing noble work for the Master. Her history, though at times dark, is most inspiring. Her list of servants contains many who stand high in the annals of American Lutheranism. That her growth may be commen- surate with that of the great city on whose border she has stood for more than a century and a quarter, is the prayer of all her faithful children.
XIII. ST. PETER'S CHURCH, MIDDLETOWN, DAUPHIN COUNTY.
BY MR. S. L. VETTER.
St. Peter's is the oldest Lutheran church in Dauphin County, with the exception of the "Hill" church in Derry township. Lot No. 135, upon which the old church edifice now stands, was deeded September 18, 1764, by George Fisher and Hannah, his wife, to Peter Woltz, George Frey and Dieterick Schoball,
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of Lower Paxton township, Lancaster county (now Swatara township, Dauphin county), Province of Pennsylvania, for the sum of seven shillings and six pence, with additional rental of one grain of wheat per annum, payable each consecutive first of May. The deed was acknowledged before Justice John. Allison, and at tested by Joseph Greenwood and Henry Renick. It is written on parchment, is in a good state of preservation, and is recorded at Lancaster, in Deed Book M, page 395. It bears the old colo- nial seal of Lancaster county. In the same year a petition was sent to King George III. through John Penn, Lieut. Governor of the Province, praying for the privilege of erecting a church, and for the privilege of collecting funds for the same purpose, which was granted by license, bearing date September 28, 1764, to Christian Roth and David Ettele, to raise by subscription twelve hundred pounds in the space of three years. This document bears the autograph of John Penn, and is countersigned by Joseph Shippen, his secretary. There are no papers to show how much of this money was raised. It would appear from the read- ing of this document that the members were poor. In fact, Da- vid Ettele, one of the Committee, walked as far as Philadelphia on his collecting tour. Many of the members were driven from their homes by the hostile Indians who roamed the surrounding forests, and who for years had been desolating this frontier with toma- hawk, scalping knife and torch.
The church was built in 1767. The corner-stone was laid by Justice James Bird, in presence of the Rev. T. Engelland, the first pastor, N. Hornell, Conrad Bucher, and the church wardens and elders, Jno. C. Roth, Jno. Metzgar, Geo. Philip Shage, Gottlieb D. Ettla and Jacob King, together with the Building Committee. There were placed in the corner-stone a German Bible, printed at Halle in 1763 ; the shorter catechism of Martin Luther, printed at Philadelphia in 1764 ; three wafers, a half-pint bottle of wine, together with some money in Pennsylvania currency.
The building was constructed in old red sandstone, and was two stories high, with a gallery on three sides and a stairway leading from each door to the gallery. The windows were small, as were the panes of glass in them. The first floor was of bricks that were nine inches square. The pews were narrow, with high, straight backs. The
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pulpit was a sort of martin-box on an enlarged scale, supported by a post eight or ten feet high, and reached by a narrow wind- ing stair ; over it, like a huge extinguisher, hung a sounding- board. There was no provision for heating, but sixty years later stoves were introduced. They were looked upon by the oldest members as a dangerous innovation. The first stoves were cap- able of receiving into their interiors sticks of wood four feet in length. The membership of "St. Peter's Kirche" numbered sixty-six old and sixty-three young persons. In August, 1793, George Frey and Jacob King, acting for the congregation, pur- chased lot No. 134 for £3, and a yearly rental of one grain of wheat. By mistake the deed was made to Frey and King, but their executors afterwards conveyed a deed to the congregation, bearing date October 7, 1807.
On the 10th of March, 1807, application was made by the con- gregation to the Supreme Court and Attorney-General for a char- ter of incorporation. On the 21st of the same month Gov. Thomas McKean issued a warrant to Timothy Matlack, Master of Rolls, to issue the charter prayed for by the petitioners. In 1813 the steeple was built, for which purpose the sum of $1211.35 was subscribed by one hundred and ninety-three persons.
In 1826 Jane Hannegan sold lot No. 133 to the congregation.
In 1830 the brick floor was replaced by a wooden one ; the straight-backed pews gave way to more comfortable ones ; a new pulpit was erected, with steps on either side and a recess under- neath where the pastor could retire to prepare himself for his duties, and a number of other changes were made.
In 1835 the lecture-room was built.
In 1855 the parsonage on High street was erected.
On September 4, 1867, the church celebrated its centennial anniversary, at which were present many distinguished clergymen and persons prominent in the State. On this occasion one hun- dred grains of wheat, enclosed in a silken bag, were sent, as a full satisfaction of one clause of the original deed, to Hon. Robert J. Fisher, of York, Pa., the oldest of the living legal heirs of George Fisher, who sold the church lot to the congregation. The Luth- eran ministers present on this occasion were Rev. A. H. Lochman, D. D., Rev. Peter Sahm, Rev. S. D. Finckel, D. D., Rev. Prof. C.
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J. Ehrehart, Rev. G. J. Martz, Rev. G. W. Hemperly, Rev. W. H. Steck, Rev. J. B. Anthony, Rev. W. M. Baum, D. D., Rev. Peter Raby, Rev. F. A. Barnitz, Rev. C. Reimensnyder and Rev. J. B. Keller.
The pastors of the church from 1767 to 1867 were the Revs. J. T. Engelland, 1767-1773 ; T. F. Illig, 1773-1778 ; J. Kurtz, 1788- 1793; P. Pentz, 1793-1795 ; H. Miller, 1795-1803 ; J. D. Peter- son, 1803-1812 ; F. C. Schaeffer, 1812-1815 ; G. Lochman, 1815-1826 ; A. H. Lochman, 1826-1830 ; J. H. Van Hoff, 1830- 1834 ; P. Sahm, 1834-1837 ; S. D. Finckel, 1837-1840 ; J. Vogel- bach, 1844-1847 ; L. Gerhart, 1847-1848 ; W. M. Baum, 1848- 1852 ; B. Sadtler, 1853-1856 ; C. J. Ehrehart, 1856-1865, and P. Raby, 1865-1872.
In 1872 Rev. J. W. Finkbiner was installed as pastor. Dur- ing his administration it was found that the old building was be- coming inadequate to accommodate the increasing membership, and that it was inconveniently located. Town lots Nos. 149 and 150 were secured from the Frey Estate at a yearly rental of $ 15.00 each.
At a congregational meeting, March 7, 1876, it was resolved to erect a new church edifice. Plans were adopted June 11, 1877, the corner-stone was laid Sept. 6 of the same year, and the church was dedicated Feb. 2, 1878. It is of the Gothic style of archi- tecture, containing an auditorium on the amphitheatre plan, a Sunday-school room with an annex separated by a glass partition from the infant department, and a library room. The pews in the auditorium are constructed of chestnut, ash and poplar. From the vestibule to the front, the floor has a gradual slope. The pulpit, altar and railing are of the same material as the pews. There are three large memorial windows, size 12 by 20 feet ; the one in the east being in memory of Jno. Croll (who was Superintendent of the Sabbath-school for fifty years), by his daughters ; the south window in memory of Margaritta Cameron, wife of Simon Cameron ; the north window in memory of Sophia Young, by her son James Young. The structure cost $19,000.00. The architect was S. B. Valk, of New York.
In 1883 Rev. Finkbiner resigned the pastorate, and in 1884, Rev. H. C. Holloway was elected, who served the congregation until 1889.
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In 1890 the present pastor, Rev. F. W. Staley, was elected. At his installation, Rev. B. F. Alleman, D. D., delivered the ad- dress to the pastor, and Rev. W. H. Dunbar the sermon to the congregation. In the summer of 1890 the Sunday-school room was enlarged at a cost of over $3,000.00. In 1891 a large pipe- organ was built and placed in the church by Messrs. Midmer and Son, of Brooklyn, at a cost of $3,500.00. This organ is one of the best, has an excellent tone, and adds greatly to the appear- ance of the church. About November, 1891, Col. James Young had the walls of the auditorium very handsomely frescoed. In September, 1891, for the first time in the history of this congre- gation, the East Pennsylvania Synod convened in this church. In the spring of 1892 the parsonage on High Street was sold. A few months later the Trustees of the church purchased for $6,000.00 the handsome and commodious residence of Mr. J. H. Baxtresser on Spring Street, scarcely a block from the church. This house has all the modern conveniences, reflecting a great deal of credit upon the members, and giving a comfortable home to their pastor. The property belonging to the congregation is valued at $35,000.00.
Early in the present century this church seems to have awakened to the necessity of imparting religious instruction to the young. A Sunday-school was organized in 1819. It was probably a crude affair. The children were taught to read the Bible in German and English. The first superintendent and teacher was a Mr. Sneath ; in 1823 he was succeeded by Mr. Jno. Croll. In 1873 Mr. Croll was succeeded by Mr. Geo. A. Lauman, and in 1889 Mr. I. O. Nissley, the present superintendent, succeeded Mr. Lau- man. The school now numbers over 600. The membership of the church has more than doubled itself since Rev. Staley became its pastor. Considerable interest and enthusiasm is manifested by the younger members in church work, and the present out- look is most encouraging. The indications are that old St. Peter's will march abreast with her sister churches, and will gladly do her part in the evangelization of the world.
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XIV. ST. JAMES' LUTHERAN CHURCH, GREENWICH, WARREN CO., N. J.
BY REV. T. C. PRITCHARD.
The early history of this venerable foundation and Christian church stretches over two centuries. It goes back to the date of those who fled from the horrors of the "Thirty Years' War " and sought an asylum in the New World. The original settlers were German, and brought with them their religion and religious insti- tutions. Before the erection of the church, religious exercises were conducted regularly in their households, holding in their isolation from the great world to the Lutheran faith. The school- master, then as now, was abroad in the land. When Johann Berger arrived in Sopatcong, he assumed the additional functions of pastor to the scattered community. He had never been or- dained, but was deemed competent to officiate as reader and ex- pounder of the Scriptures. He read to the assembled families one of Dr. Luther's sermons or house-postils. But desiring to en- joy more fully the privileges of the church, they sent to Germany for clerical supplies. In the " Hallesche Nachrichten" it is stated that in the year 1760 letters were received from Lutherans living in "Greenwich township " and "Anweel or Anwill township," ask- ing for the preaching of the gospel.
In the same work, of a later date, the statement is again made, that letters or messages were received from the Lutheran congre- gation of "Greenwich an den Blauen Bergen," showing that the church was in existence as an organization previous to 1762.
The first church erected was called St. John's. It was a union church, Lutheran and German Reformed. This was in 1769. This date, too, marks the beginning of preaching by stated pas- tors. The German Reformed congregation, by death, removals and other causes, became extinct, and the Lutherans acquired sole possession of the property. A complete re-organization fol- lowed. They changed the name to St. James', and affiliated with St. Michael's church in Philadelphia. The tenets of the new organization, formally declared, were the Unaltered Augs- burg Confession, and through more than a century of existence it has clung steadfastly to this profession of faith.
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In 1790 another and more commodious church was erected. It was built of stone, and was a great improvement upon the first.
In 1834 the present large and beautiful edifice was erected. It is built of brick and in the most substantial manner. Thus, dur- ing one hundred and some thirty years, three houses of worship have been used by this congregation in the service of God and the culture of Christianity. During all these years, the organi- zation has had an existence which, without a break, has come up to to day full of vitality and power for good.
We now naturally turn to the list of those who during this pe- riod were shepherds of the flock. Our church record begins A. D. 1769. From 1770-1773, Peter Mühlenberg ; 1773-1777, Chris- tian Streit ; 1777-1781, Rev. Braas ; 1781-1790, John Fred- erick Ernst ; 1792 -- , John Conrad Jeager ; 1812-1815, Christian Endress ; 1815-1837, J. P. Hecht ; 1837-1847, Daniel Miller ; 1847-1851, John McCron ; 1851-1865, J. K. Plitt ; 1865-1868, M. H. Richards ; 1868-1880, S. Henry ; 1880-1883, F. T. Hoover ; 1883-the present, T. C. Pritchard.
The churches at Riegelsville, Stewartsville and Phillipsburg have been at times parts of this charge. At present St. James constitutes the field. But one minister has gone out of this fold -Rev. W. A. Shipman, the pastor of the Lutheran church of Johnstown, Pa.
XV. ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, MAYTOWN, LANCASTER CO.
BY REV. W. H. HARDING.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of this place was founded upon the Augsburg Confession in the year 1770. The congrega- tion began its worship of God in a little old log church at the corner of the old town cemetery. Services were continued here until the year 1804, when the stone church in which the congre- gation worships to-day was erected.
The first pastor of this early people was the Rev. Michael En- derlein, who served them from 1770 to 1778. The number of those who surrounded the Table of the Lord on their first com- munion-day, in 1770, was twenty-eight. This appears to be about the number of the members comprising the organization ; for we
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find that at the two communions held in 1771 there were respect- ively twenty-four and twenty-eight communicants. A brief time after organization, a number of persons gave gifts to the congre- gation. Frederick Swartz gave a communion cup, Jacob Wolf a baptismal bowl, and Mr. Hofin a collection bag and bell. It ap- pears that the bag was funnel-shaped, fastened at the end of a long pole, and at the end of the bag was a little bell, which would jingle as it was passed in and out of the pews. The preaching seems to have been all in German for a number of years after or- ganization. The following places seem to have been connected in the charge, viz. : Maytown, Elizabethtown, Mt. Joy and Mari- etta.
Rev. J. Frederick Ellery was pastor from 1778 to 1784; Rev. Frederick Theodore Melshheimer, from 1784 to 1801.
Rev. John Frederick Ernst, coming from Cooperstown, N. Y., preached his first sermon November 28, 1802. During his min- istrations the congregation were enabled to quit their old log sanc- tuary and erect for themselves a very pretty two-story stone church, in which we worship at the present time. The corner- stone of this was laid April 21, 1804. The communicant mem- bership at that time was nineteen.
Rev, J. P. F. Kramer took charge November 2, 1806, and con- tinued until 1812. Rev. Kramer came from Paxton township, Dauphin Co., Pa.
Rev. Wm. Gotthold Ernst served from March 22, 1812, to 1815.
Rev. John Jacob Strein came December 31, 1815, and served until 1825. The communicant membership in the year 1816 was forty-five ; in 1825 it was seventy. From this year until Decem- ber, 1828, we can find no record of any pastor's care over the church.
Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff took charge December, 1828, and closed his relations as pastor April 29, 1832.
Rev. Peter Sahm took charge June 30, 1833, serving until 1837.
Rev. L. Gerhardt took charge November 4, 1838, and contin- ued his service until October 24, 1847. It was during this pas- torate that the St. Luke's congregation of Bainbridge became connected with this charge.
In the year 1839 St. Luke's, of Bainbridge, in connection with
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the German Reformed congregation, purchased their church property from Mr. Henry Haldeman, and continued to be a union church until September, 1891, when the half-interest held by the Reformed people was purchased from them.
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