USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Reading > The history of St. Stephen's reformed church, Reading, Pennsylvania, 1884-1909; by the Rev. Thomas W. Dickert > Part 2
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The first communion was celebrated on Eas- ter, April 11, 1884, when, according to the church register, seventy-nine members com- muned.
At this time the following persons were re- ceived by confirmation, sixteen in number :
John O. Glase, Mrs. Catharine E. Noll, Mary Roth, Lizzie C. Roye, Rosa A. Smeck, Adaline Zechman, Mary B. Keller, Samuel B. Keller, William Sollenberger, Lemon H. Hertz, Charles W. Wanner, Oliver J. Wanner, Amos M. Woodworth, George A. Ruth, J. Wilson Klein and G. Calvin Klein.
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ORGANIZATION OF THE CONGREGATION
The following eight persons were at the same service received by certificate of dismission :
Mrs. Susan Herbein, Edwin B. Titlow, Mrs. Mary N. Titlow, Mrs. Amanda M. P. Kissinger, James McGuigen, Mrs. Mary McGuigen, Lizzie McGuigen and Mrs. Alice M. Glase.
This made the total membership at the first communion service eighty-one.
On Whit-Sunday, June 1, 1884, twelve ad- ditional names were enrolled, all of whom were received by certificate of dismission, namely :
Susan S. Greenwald, Emma C. Reiss, Mrs. Loretta Deininger, Edmund R. Millard, Mrs. Mary E. Millard, Thomas Laing, Mrs. Josephine Laing, F. Roger Moyer, Mrs. Mary Trout, John B. Herbein, Mrs. Martha C. Her- bein and Isaac Barto.
In his first report to Schuylkill Classis, June 11, 1884, the pastor said : "Our progress thus far has been unusually satisfactory and encouraging in every respect." He reported ninety-three communicant members of the con- gregation and two hundred and thirty mem- bers of the Sunday school, six infant baptisms, sixteen received by confirmation, seventy-seven received by certificate, ninety communed, one death, and $9.00 contributed for benevolence. The consistory had elected Daniel Bucher dele- 3
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
gate primarius and Daniel S. Klein delegate secundus to this meeting of Classis.
At the fall communion, September 28, 1884, the following twelve new members were re- ceived by certificate :
Peter S. Fisher, Mrs. Louisa E. Fisher, Ida B. Stauf- fer, William H. Tragle, Mrs. Emma F. Tragle, Albert L. Bickel, Mrs. Kate L. Bickel, Minnie I. Bickel, Frank C. Hull, Mrs. Lizzie M. Hull, Edward Dunkelberger and Mrs. Caroline B. Dunkelberger.
On New Year evening, January 1, 1885, a meeting was held at the pastor's residence for the purpose of organizing a Ladies' Aid Society. Twenty-one persons were in attendance, and it was decided to call the organization "St. Ste- phen's Aid Society," that it meet every other Tuesday evening, and that the initiation fee be ten cents and the dues five cents a meeting. At the next meeting, held January 6, 1885, eight new members were elected, making the mem- bership twenty-nine. An election for officers was held, which resulted as follows : President, Mrs. Kate L. Bickel; Vice President, Mrs. Emma C. Gerhard; Secretary, Mary Roth ; Treasurer, Mrs. Mary A. Klein. The receipts for the evening were $2.90.
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1386400
ORGANIZATION OF THE CONGREGATION
This society, whose complete history will be found in another chapter of this book, has had an unbroken and successful history from the evening of its organization to the present time, and has been a great help to the congregation in many ways. In addition to raising almost $8,000 it has sent flowers to the sick, has made a very large number of social calls and visits to the sick, and has aided and comforted the poor. Providence permitting, its twenty-fifth anniver- sary will be celebrated with special services on Sunday evening, January 2, 1910.
At the fourth communion of the first year in the history of the young congregation, Jan- uary 11, 1885, eleven additional members were received by certificate, as follows :
Lewis Sebastian Levan, Agnes Levan, Rose Albright, Mrs. Mary Neiman, Mrs. Mary Kinch, Mrs. Emma Fleck- enstein, Edward F. Yeich, William Grant Yeich, Mrs. Mary Greth, Isaac H. Gerhard and Mrs. Kate S. Gerhard.
The first annual meeting of the congrega- tion was held on Wednesday evening, January 14, 1885, when the following members of the con- sistory were re-elected : Elders, Daniel Bucher and Daniel S. Klein ; Deacons, Milton J. Col- ler and Samuel Palm. The treasurer's report was read, as follows: Envelope contributions,
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
$117.05 ; regular and special collections, $169 .- 95; total receipts, $287.00. Paid to Rev. C. S. Gerhard, $117.05; sundry expenditures, $166 .- 83; total expenditures, $283.88. Balance on hand, $3.12.
The first anniversary of the congregation was celebrated on Sunday, March 15, 1885. The total membership of the congregation was one hundred and sixteen, which was more than double the original membership, and the Sun- day school had an enrollment of three hundred and seven. The pastor preached a special an- niversary sermon based on 1 Samuel 7: 12, " Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." We quote the following paragraph from the interesting sermon :
"This first year has been in all respects a prosperous and happy year. Our affairs have been moving forward so steadily and regularly that we almost forget that we are not an old-established congregation. There have not even been any cases of prolonged illness among our mem- bers, no fatal accidents, not a single death in the congre- gation, and only one in the Sunday school."
The first year of the mission congregation closed very auspiciously. It was now well or- ganized, and gave promise of steady growth, healthful life and a prosperous future.
E.A.WRIGHT, PHILA
b. S. Gerhard
CHAPTER III THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
S T. STEPHEN'S Reformed congre- gation was a healthy and robust child from the very beginning, and made steady and rapid progress during the whole of its history. The section of the city in which it was established was built up rap- idly, and many Reformed people came in from the country districts, furnishing abundant material to work upon and to mold into a homogeneous congregation. The Rev. Mr. Gerhard was an active pastor and took ad- vantage of his opportunity, and at each anni- versary of the congregation he had the satisfac- tion of seeing that the membership had materi- ally increased and that the Sunday School was making rapid progress. These anniversary oc- casions, which were regularly celebrated, served as landmarks in the history of the congregation and afforded excellent opportunity for taking account of what had been accomplished.
On August 8, 1885, the consistory decided to build an addition to the church, consisting of
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
a vestibule five feet and two inches by twenty- one feet, with a steeple, and a class room seven- teen feet and eight inches by twenty-one feet. The pastor was elected treasurer of the building fund.
These improvements were made at a cost of $599.36, and the addition to the church was dedicated with appropriate services on Sunday afternoon, October 25, 1885. The sermon was preached by Dr. J. W. Steinmetz, and Drs. B. Bausman and L. K. Derr assisted the pastor in the services. After the bills for the addition to the church had all been paid, four dollars addi- tional was contributed, which was used to lay a pavement in the yard.
In his third report to Schuylkill Classis, in 1886, when the congregation was a little more than two years old, the pastor stated that the membership was 183, and that of the Sunday School 350.
A missionary society was organized October 19, 1886, and by March 20, 1887, when the third anniversary of the congregation was cele- brated, it had ninety-eight members.
At a special meeting of the congregation on December 5, 1886, the pastor called the atten-
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
tion of the members to the appearance of the interior of the church, whose walls had been left plain when the building was erected, and stated that it could be renovated at a cost not to exceed $150. On motion the consistory was instructed to beautify the church as suggested. One end of the church was frescoed, the other end and sides were calcimined, and the ceiling was papered, at a total cost of $129.11, and the appearance of the church was greatly enhanced.
At the consistory meeting on December 6, 1886, it was ordered that at the next annual congregational meeting three elders and three deacons be elected, one of each to serve respect- ively three years, two years, and one year. The meeting was held January 5, 1887, and the fol- lowing persons were elected : Elders, Daniel S. Klein for three years, H. Y. Stoner for two years, Daniel Bucher for one year; Deacons, Milton J. Coller for three years, Samuel Palm for two years, Charles W. Wanner for one year.
Miss Mame Smith was elected organist of the congregation at a salary of sixty dollars a year, December 20, 1886. The first organist, Miss Sallie Westley, had resigned December 6, 1886. The sexton's salary was increased to
40 ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
$2.00 a week for six months in the year, but the remaining six months he was to receive only $1.50, as before.
The consistory reorganized February 7, 1887, by electing H. Y. Stoner recording sec- retary, Daniel S. Klein financial secretary, and Milton J. Coller treasurer.
The charter for the congregation was read at a special meeting of the consistory, March 13, 1887, and signed by Daniel Bucher, Daniel S. Klein, Milton J. Coller, H. Y. Stoner, Charles W. Wanner and George H. Long. It was read to the congregation and adopted by it, March 20, 1887. The members of the consistory were elected trustees for the current year.
At a special meeting of the consistory held on Sunday, September 25, 1887, before the morning service, it was decided to make an ef- fort to raise money to pay off the debt on the church lot, amounting to $3,000. The pastor was elected financial secretary of the fund to be started for this purpose. He presented the pro- ject to his people in a special sermon preached at the morning service following the consistory meeting. He appealed to them to begin a sys-
-
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
tematic effort to meet this obligation. Among other things he said :
"Why should not 250 church members and as many more Sunday school scholars be able to get rid of a debt of $3,000? If we go to work in the right way we can wipe it out in short order. About 450 years before Christ the city of Jerusalem was in a deplorable state. The greater part of its walls was in ruins, the gates were burned. Nehemiah heard of it. For three or four months he prayed to go there. At last he was sent by Artaxerxes as Governor of Judea. The walls were rebuilt in the incred- ibly short space of fifty-two days' time, with a compara- tively small force of men. His success depended on three things : First-A resolute determination to rebuild at once all the wall that was torn down. Second-Co-operation. He made all to feel that it was a privilege and a duty. He got all to work. Third-Division of labor. Every one commenced at the breach nearest his house, and so the wall was rebuilt in fifty-two days.
"We do not want to build a wall, but tear one down. Such a debt at first seems like a stone wall. We cannot go over it, we cannot go around it. We must tear it down. And three things are necessary : First-A resolute deter- mination that the whole shall be paid. Second-Co- operation. Third-Division of labor. Each one com- mence right where you are. If about 300 of us begin to batter at our stone wall of $3,000 all at once, none of us need to remove a very large piece, and yet we can sweep away the entire amount."
The following Easter, April 1, 1888, a spe- cial offering was taken for the payment of the interest on the church lot debt. It amounted to $109.26. The interest being only $82.50, the
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
balance of $26.76 was applied to the payment of the debt, being added to the sinking fund which had been started for the purpose. From this time on the Easter offering became a spe- cial feature in the financial history of the con- gregation, and large offerings have been received in this way amounting to many thousands of dollars.
As a result of the above effort the consistory was enabled at a special meeting held August 24, 1888, to authorize the payment of $1500 on the debt, renewing the balance of the loan at 5₺ per cent. per annum.
The janitor resigned December 5, 1887, and was succeeded by Isaac Gerhard, who was elected December 18, 1887, at a salary of $8.00 per month, beginning with January 1, 1888.
At the regular meeting of the consistory held February 6, 1888, the pastor was granted a leave of absence for six months, beginning April 2, 1888. On April 3, 1888, he left New York City for a five months' tour in Europe, Egypt and Palestine. He visited many places of historical interest and of Scriptural renown, and returned home greatly benefitted by his trip and enthused by what he had seen and heard.
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
While in London he attended the meetings of the Alliance of Reformed Churches as a dele- gate of our denomination. During his absence the congregation was supplied by Mr. George B. Walbert, a student in the Theological Semi- nary at Lancaster.
The consistory planned for his reception upon his return by appointing a committee to make the necessary arrangements. This com- mittee consisted of Elders Daniel Bucher, Dan- iel S. Klein and H. Y. Stoner, and Deacons Milton J. Coller, Samuel Palm and Charles W. Wanner, from the congregation ; T. D. Bausher, Mrs. Kate L. Bickel and Mary Roth, from the Sunday School ; Mrs. Loretta Deininger, Mrs. Mary A. Klein and Mrs. Alice M. Glase, from the Ladies' Aid Society ; and Andrew H. Smith, Mamie McGuigan and Lillie Schoenberger, from the Missionary Society. This committee elected Daniel S. Klein, president; H. Y. Stoner, sec- retary ; and Samuel Palm, treasurer.
Rev. Mr. Gerhard returned home on Sep- tember 2, 1888. He was met at New York by his brother, Rev. D. W. Gerhard, and Elder James T. Reber, and in Philadelphia by his whole consistory. The formal reception was
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
held in the church on Tuesday evening, Sep- tember 4, 1888. The church was beautifully decorated with bouquets and potted plants. A floral arch graced the front part of the church, together with an illuminated sign bearing the words "Welcome Home." The congregation sang "Home again from a foreign shore." Prayer was offered by Dr. C. F. McCauley. Brief addresses were delivered by Mr. George B. Walbert for the congregation and Dr. B. Bausman for the Reformed churches of Read- ing, whose pastors and their wives had been in- vited to attend the reception. Rev. C. S. Ger- hard responded with much feeling, expressing his appreciation of the cordial welcome home tendered him. The service closed with the sing- ing of the hymn "Now thank we all our God," when all who were present greeted Rev. Mr. Gerhard with a hearty hand-shake.
For some time after his return the pastor delivered sermons to his people about his trip to the Holy Land, and also lectured in numer- ous other places, where his discourses were heard with great interest and profit. His first sermon in the series preached to his people on Sunday evening, October 21, 1888, was on the subject, "My First Day's Experience in Palestine."
INTERIOR OF THE OLD CHURCH.
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
A special meeting of the congregation was called on Sunday morning, September 16, 1888, when the pastor read a letter from the Super- intendent of Home Missions suggesting that the congregation raise $700 a year toward the pas- tor's salary. On motion it was unanimously decided to comply with the request.
The janitor of the church having removed to Philadelphia, the vacancy was filled by the election of Thomas B. Jones, at a salary of $8.00 per month, beginning October 31, 1888 .*
The St. Stephen's Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle, which had been formed during the previous year, was granted free use of the li- brary room on Thursday evening of each week.
On November 1, 1888, the Ladies' Aid So- ciety paid the semi-annual interest on the church lot debt, amounting to $41.25.
At a special meeting of the consistory held December 19, 1888, it was decided to insure the church for $3,000 for a period of five years.
Elder Daniel S. Klein, who had served in that capacity from the organization of the con-
* On November 6, 1889, the janitor's salary was increased to $10.00 per month from November 1st to May 1st, and $9.00 per month from May 1st to November 1st.
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
gregation, resigned December 19, 1888, because of his removal to the West. He was succeeded by J. Frederick Schoenberger, who was elected at the annual congregational meeting, January 2, 1889.
At the consistory meeting held January 17, 1889, it was decided to secure a corporation seal, and a tentative Constitution was read and rec- ommended to the congregation for adoption. It was read to the congregation at a regular church service, slightly amended, and afterward unani- mously adopted at a special congregational meet- ing on March 13, 1889. The Constitution was printed for distribution among the members.
On March 6, 1889, the pastor was author- ized to publish a four-page paper, which was to contain a copy of the Constitution, a directory of the members of the congregation, and such reading matter as might be of interest to the members. It was called "The Annual Visitor of St. Stephen's Reformed Church," and was published every year during the remainder of Rev. Mr. Gerhard's pastorate.
The consistory decided, July 1, 1889, to rec- ommend to the congregation the enlargement of the church by building an annex on the south
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
side. This expansion was made necessary by the growth of the Sunday School, which could no longer be accommodated without enlarging the building. At a special meeting of the con- gregation held July 7, 1889, it was unanimously decided that the south wall of the church be removed, and that an annex 25 by 46 feet be built. The consistory was elected as a building committee. The contract for building the an- nex was given to Daniel C. Roth. It was com- pleted at a cost of $1633.91, increasing the size of the church to 61 by 70 feet.
The annex was dedicated with appropriate services on Sunday afternoon, October 27, 1889. Addresses were delivered by Drs. H. Mosser and B. Bausman, and Rev. Rufus W. Miller. Drs. L. K. Derr and J. W. Steinmetz took part in the service. The pastor, Rev. C. S. Ger- hard, performed the act of consecration.
At the meeting on July 31, 1889, in re- sponse to an overture from the Board of Home Missions, the consistory resolved that the con- gregation should become self-supporting, begin- ning with April 1, 1890.
The pastor prepared the way for this step, when, in preaching the sixth anniversary ser-
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mon on March 16, 1890, he advocated self- support, taking for his text Acts 14 : 10, " Stand upright on thy feet." We feel justified in giv- ing room to the following liberal extract from the sermon :
"To-day it is six years, to the very day, that this con- gregation was organized. The original members num- bered fifty-seven. Of these, forty-seven are with us to- day. Our present membership is three hundred and fif- teen. The time has come for us to stand upright on our feet. We are no longer in our infancy. Neither are we in a crippled condition: A year ago we already had the largest membership of any congregation receiving aid from the Missionary Board. The Board think that we ought now to be able to stand alone. They say to us, 'Stand upright on your feet.' They have a right to say so. After next first of April we are expected to be self- sustaining. Does not the Board, after they have done so much for us, have a right to say, 'Stand upright on your feet?' Surely they have. And most undoubtedly we can stand alone if we wish to. If we all do our part there will be no difficulty about the matter whatever. We must. pray, we must work, and we must give.
"The Gospel is freely offered to all, but it costs a great deal to so offer it. It is not free, in the sense that it costs nothing to furnish it. The public schools are free, not be- cause it costs nothing to conduct them, but because we all pay tax for their support. They are free, but certainly it costs quite a good deal to maintain them and keep them free. The Gospel is free, but it cost the Lord Jesus Christ His life to enable Him to offer us a free Gospel. So' to- day the Gospel is free, but we must pay to have it main- tained and kept free.
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DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONGREGATION
"It costs self-sacrifice, consecration, devotion, prayer, and also money, to keep our churches open and have the Gospel proclaimed. It costs money to have ministers to preach and administer consolation from the pulpit, in the Sunday school, and from house to house. It costs money to build churches and keep them in repair. It costs money for organist, light, fuel, sexton, Sunday school library, papers and other supplies.
"In order that the Gospel may have a chance to be free and progressive, there must be contributions, and these must come, not from one or two or a few, but from the entire flock. 'To do good and to communicate (con- tribute) forget not,' says St. Paul, 'for with such sacri- fices God is well pleased.' Giving money is as much a part of worship as singing and prayer. Taking up the collection is an act of worship. This includes the usual Sunday collection, special offerings, the communion alms, and the amounts contributed in your monthly envelopes. All this money is given to the Lord, and, as His, is used for the various Church purposes for which it is needed.
The Lord loveth a cheerful giver,' says the Apostle Paul. Giving for the support of the Church, you give to the Lord.
"And now, what is involved in our standing alone ? First, we are to realize that we must now depend on our own resources in the Lord. Again, to stand upright on our feet, each one must see well to his own growth in grace. This is the first and central source of all activity in the work of the Lord. A saving knowledge of Christ, and our relation to Him, is fundamental. Only as we keep our vows and live near to Christ will we be truly in- terested in His work. Then, too, our only right to exist as a congregation is that we may grow in grace and be instrumental in saving others."
4
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
St. Stephen's had now developed into a con- gregation of 315 members, with a Sunday School numbering 663 officers, teachers and scholars. It was well established, well equipped, self- supporting, and was looking hopefully forward to a prosperous future.
REFO
ST.STEPHEN'S
BIBLIA
IRCH
C
887.
O P
ITED
THE SEAL OF THE CHURCH.
CHAPTER IV
THE INCORPORATION OF THE CONGREGATION
A
T a special meeting of the consis- tory held March 13, 1887, an ap- plication for a charter was read and signed by the members of the consistory. It reads as follows : To the Honorable the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Berks County :
The undersigned, all of whom are citi- zens of Pennsylvania, having associated themselves to- gether for the purpose of the support of public worship, and desiring that they may be incorporated according to law, do hereby declare:
I. The name of the proposed corporation is "St. Ste- phen's Reformed Church of Reading, Pa."
II. The purpose of the said corporation is the support of the public worship of Almighty God, according to the Constitution, canons, discipline, doctrine, faith, govern- ment and forms of the Reformed Church in the United States, which it hereby accedes to, recognizes and adopts.
III. The business of the said corporation is to be trans- acted in the City of Reading, in the county of Berks and state of Pennsylvania.
IV. The said corporation is to exist perpetually.
V. The number of trustees of said corporation is fixed at six, a majority of whom shall be lay members, and the
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ST. STEPHEN'S REFORMED CHURCH
names and residences of those who are chosen trustees for the first year are:
DANIEL BUCHER, Reading, Pa.
DANIEL S. KLEIN,
HENRY Y. STONER,
MILTON J. COLLER,
SAMUEL PALM, 66
CHAS. W. WANNER,
VI. There is no capital stock, nor are there any shares of stock. The yearly income of the said corporation, other than that derived from real estate, shall not exceed Ten Thousand Dollars.
VII. Any estate, real or personal, which may be be- queathed, devised or conveyed to said corporation, shall be taken and held to inure to it, subject to the control and disposition of the lay members of the congregation, or such constituted officers or representatives thereof as shall be elected by a majority of lay members.
VIII. The officers shall consist of a Pastor, three Eld- ers and three Deacons, which may be increased at the pleasure of the members of the corporation to six Elders and six Deacons, who together shall constitute the con- sistory of the congregation. They shall be elected by the members of the congregation at such times and for such terms as shall be prescribed by the By-Laws.
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