USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Maytown > The history of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Maytown, Lancaster Co., Pa., 1765-1904 > Part 3
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A pulpit, better known by the present generation as the "Wine-glass pulpit" was built against the the centre of the east wall, and was so high that a
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winding stairway was necessary to get into it. Just below this pulpit was the altar, which was in- closed by a circular altar rail around which the members gathered to partake of the holy com- munion.
In the north corner there were three box pews, with a small door opening into each one, which were reserved and used only by the elders and deacons of the church. On the opposite side, in the south corner, the pews were ordinary benches, as were all the other pews. This corner was usually reserved for the " carriers " at funerals.
The pews were plain and at the top on the back of each one a small shelf was attached, upon which the members in the next pew could rest their hymn- and prayer-books. These pews were very long, extending from the aisles leading from the two entrances at either end of the building.
When the offering was taken, a bag with a little bell attached, fastened to a long, slender pole was used, and when occasion demanded it, the bell was insistingly jingled to call the member's attention from the spiritual to the practical portion of the service. There were also pews under the galleries in the space not taken up by the stairway on either side facing the aisles.
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Near the centre of the room in both aisles there were two large stoves of the old "cannon " pattern, which, we are told, but inadequately heated the church.
Separating the front pew from the altar was a neat wood partition which was also provided with a shelf for the books of the members occupying the first pew. The accompanying diagram will perhaps give a better idea of the arrangement of the interior. By referring to the picture of the old church, taken after it was remodelled in 1853 (when the old arch windows were taken out and the square ones put in), the old stone arches and the size of the old windows can easily be seen.
The church was finished by October, and on the 30th day of that month, 1803, Rev. Ernst held his first communion in the new church. He was a progressive inan and the stone structure planned by and erected under his supervision is an enduring monument of his earnest labors, as it is also of the founders of our church, of whom it can be said, " they builded better than they knew." How well Alexander and Ulrich Shireman did their work, the massive walls of the church, after weathering the sunshine and storm of a hundred years, silently but eloquently speaks for them. The workers have gone to their reward, but their work remains a
ALEXANDER SHIREMAN, Builder of the Stone Church, 1804.
REV. W. GERHARDT, D. D. 1×47-1450 The oldest living pastor of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.
REV. W. G. LAITZLE 1355 1856
REY J W. EARLY 180-146%.
REV. F. F. 1100\'J.R. 1865-1870
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lasting tribute to their faithful and painstaking labors. Rev. Ernst's work in this charge covered a period of four years, and during the last year of his service he was also instrumental in building the stone church in Elizabethtown, and about the middle of the year 1806 he left the field.
REV. PAUL FERDINAND KRAMER.
1806-1812.
Rev. Kramer was called from Lykens Valley, and preached his introductory sermon in Maytown, November 2, 1806 .* He was an active worker, and judging from his records took a keen interest in the details of the work of the congregation. From the treasurer's report dated April 30, 1808, one item, " to expenses for one year's house-rent for the Pfarrwohnung in Maytown to Dr. Wis. Preys, $26.63c.," shows that the congregation rented a parsonage for him. During his five years' service in this field his communions were large and his records are among the best kept in the "Kirchen Protocol."
* In the following year, 1807, an event of world-wide import- ance occured when Robert Fulton's steamboat, "The Cler- mont," the only steamboat the world could boast of for years, made its memorable voyage on the Hudson river from New York to Albany. Fulton was born in Lancaster county.
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In the year 1810 the, bell and belfry were added to the church and placed on the south end of the building. His labors in this charge closed in June, 1811, and the following is a brief note concerning him in the Elizabethtown record : "Er wurde von der synode ausgestosen."
REV. WILLIAM GOTTHOLD ERNST.
1812-1815.
Rev. Ernst was called to serve this congregation and preached his "eintrits" sermon March 22, 1812. His first catechetical class numbered 21, who were confirmed by him on September 26, and on the following day, September 27, 1812, took their first communion with the other members, the total number being 83. Judging from the decline in the number of communicants, the work during his three years' service did not prosper, and in October 1815, he accepted a call to Lebanon and left the field.
During Rev. Ernst's pastorate the second war with England took place, beginning in 1812 and ending 1814.
REV. JOHN JACOB STREIN. 1815-1822.
Shortly after Rev. W. G. Ernst left the field Rev. J. J. Strein was called and preached his in-
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troductory sermon December 31, 1815. His pas- torate continued for six years, and his records are the best and evince the greatest care of all in the "Kirchen Protocol." They clearly show that it was the custom to have but one communion season a year. During his pastorate the attendance at these services was large and shows a steady increase.
While pastor of this congregation, the Minis- terium of Pennsylvania, to which this church belonged, in the year 1818, led a movement in which it declared that it was "desirable that the Evangelical Lutheran synods in the United States should in some way or other stand in closer con- nection with each other." The plan was sub- mitted to the other synods for consideration and approval, a convention was called, and the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran church in the United States was formally organized at Hagers- town, Md., October 22, 1820.
On November 19, 1822, Rev. Strein resigned, according to the Elizabethtown record, because "of quarrels in the congregation, which he did of his own free-will."
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1823-1827.
Rev. Speck was called to the Maytown and Elizabethtown charges in 1823. Gross carelessness and neglect marked his four years' ministry. A note on page 129 of the "Kirchen Protocol " records the following: "Children baptized, re- corded by request of parents because Rev. J. Speck through carelessness neglected to record them when their preacher."
An important fact in connection with this charge against the minister, is brought to light by the discovery that page 59-60 of the "Kirchen Pro- tocol" has been carefully cut out close to the bind- ing, which a casual observer would hardly notice. 'This page was cut out of the section devoted to " baptisms," which seems to clearly indicate that when Rev. Speck was notified of his expulsion from synod and from the ministry as well, he wilfully and maliciously mutilated the church book by cutting out this record of baptisms to vent his spite upon the people who had brought charges against him.
Through his cupable negligence he did great harm to both congregations. It is said that one of his favorite pulpit admonitions was "Ihr müssen
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nicht thuen was ich thue; ihr müssen thuen was ich sage " (you must not do as I do, but you must do as I say). In 1827 he was "expelled from the synod for destroying the congregation," and when he received the notice of his disinissal he humor- ously remarked ; " mit speck fangt man gewöhn- lich die mäuse, aber diesmal haben de mäuse den speck gefangen." During his pastorate (save tlie mark) in the year 1823 the Ministerium of Pennsy- lvania withdrew from the General Synod on account of the antagonism in the rural districts, who feared that what they thought was a centralization of the ecclesiastical power might take from them their congregational privileges.
REV. FREDERICK RUTHRAUFF.
1827-1833.
In December, 1827, Rev. Rauthrauff assumed charge of the Maytown congregation, which he served for five years and five months. He was an earnest and zealous worker and quickly restored the congregations from their disordered to a more orderly condition, and his first communion held in Maytown on Whitsunday, 1828, was very large, considering the harrowing experiences undergone during Rev. Speck's maladministration, the total
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number being eighty-nine. Up to this time no mention had been made upon the records of the existence of a congregation at Rohrerstown. *
This congregation was added to the Maytown district and was served by Rev. Ruthrauff at odd times, the records being very intermittent.
In this year 1828, the first sunday-school was formed, and in 1830 it was regularly organized. (For account of this see the history of the sunday- school appended). He served the following
charges : Manheim, Marietta, Elizabethtown, Mount Joy, Maytown and Rohrerstown.
He was called to Gettysburg, and on April 29, 1832, he closed his labors in this field. Later on through his persevering efforts, with the assistance of ten other ministers of the Lutheran church, among whom was another minister who served this congregation, Rev. Win. G. Laitzell, the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of East Pennsyl- vania was organized at Lancaster, Pa., May 2, 1842, and Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff became its first president.
This pastorate closes the records in the Kirchen
* Rohrerstown at this time was a small village, which to- gether with Richland, an adjacent village, was incorporated into Mount Joy when it became a borough in 1851 .- [Evans' History of Lancaster County. ]
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Protocol which covers the period from 1767 to 1832.
In 1832, Pennsylvania College, the oldest Luth- eran educational institution in the United States, was founded at Gettysburg, Pa.
In the Elizabethtown church record we find that Rev. Frederick Ruthrauff's successor was Rev. John Hermann Bernheim, who was called to the charge in August 1832, but no mention is made of him in the Maytown church record, and no minis- terial acts are recorded by him, nor is there any mention made of any rupture in the friendly rela- tions hitherto existing between these two congre- gations. A brief note in the Elizabethtown record states that in 1833 he built the parsonage in that town, and that he served that congregation until October 23, 1838, when he left the field. It is quite evident that there must have been some misunder- standing and dissatisfaction between the two con- gregations, though this may not have occurred until the following year, and he may have served the congregation in Maytown from 1832 to 1833, when the misunderstanding occurred, though no reason for it is recorded.
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REV. PETER SAHM.
1833-1837.
On June 30, 1833, Rev. Peter Sahm preached his introductory sermon at Maytown. The few re- corded communions held by him show good attend- ance, but in this respect he, like so many of his predecessors as well as his successors, was very remiss, a fact which is sincerely to be regretted. His baptismal records are fairly well kept. During the last two years of Rev. Peter Sahm's ministry at Maytown, the whole country was plunged into the greatest financial panic, during the administra- tion of President Martin Van Buren, when the losses in New York City alone exceeded $100,000, 000, and the Government itself could not pay its debts. Business and trade was paralyzed, and the shock of this calamity affected the remotest villages in the United States. During this same period another event occurred, which while having no connection with the history of the church, is still worthy of a passing notice. It was Canada's rebellion against English sovereignty in 1837, and it thoroughly aroused the sympathy of the Americans, and many volunteered to assist the Canadians in their effort to throw off their yoke of bondage, in spite of President Martin Van Buren's neutrality procla-
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mation. In 1838 England quelled the revolt. Rev. Peter Sahm left the field in the latter part of 1837.
REV. LEONARD GERHARDT.
1838-1847.
On November 4, 1838, Rev. Leonard Gerhardt began his ministerial duties in Maytown, and served this charge faithfully for a period of nine years. His records are among the neatest, and his communions were well attended and were characterized by a deepening of the spiritual life of the members. His ministry was one of steady progress both in spiritual and temporal affairs. In a note, written by Rev. Leonard Gerhardt, at the close of the list of members who communed on May 16, 1841, which numbered 94 souls, he writes: "This communion season was very refreshing and encouraging. A work of grace commenced in Maytown about the middle of March and continued for a considerable time.
The state of religion in Maytown is better now than it has been since I am here (viz. 272 years). Some of the members of the Reformed church communed with us. This is very encouraging to see our members go hand in hand in the bonds of christian love and fellowship. L. G."
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It has been a constant temptation to insert some of these communion lists, but they are long and would hardly be a true representation, for a mem- ber might for valid reasons be absent and hence would not have his name recorded, and for fear of causing any dissatisfaction they have been gener- ally omitted, except where there was some distinct bearing in connection with this history.
Among the eleven catechumens who partook communion with the regular members of the church on May 15, 1842, occurs the name of Mon- roe Alleman, who a year or two later, left the con- gregation and entered upon his studies for the Lutheran ministry at the Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Pa. He is the only one given to the gospel ministry from this congregation. There is but one mention made of Rev. Monroe J. Alleman in connection with this congregation, which oc- curred in the minutes of the church council held June 13, 1871, when Rev. G. P. Weaver, then pas- tor, was "appointed committee to write to Rev. M. J. Alleman, requesting him to assist at the re- opening of the church on the 28th of June." The early years of his pastorate marked an impor- tant event in the history of the Lutheran church in the United States, which necessitates a brief retrospect.
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The steady growth of the Lutheran church brought about a constant extension of its work, and true to the divine command of its Lord and Master, it took up the commission, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost," and plans were taken as early as 1833 in the Gen- eral Synod, which met in Baltimore, Md., "look- ing towards the beginning of organized Foreign Mission work by the Lutheran church in America."
In Hagerstown, Md., at the meeting of General Synod, "The German Foreign Missionary Society in the United States of America" was organized in May, 1837. Later on this name was changed to " The Foreign Missionary Society of the Lutheran Church in the United States of America." It was decided to begin work in southern India among the Hindoos, and Rev. C. F. Heyer was appointed as the first foreign missionary of the Lutheran Church to India in 1840. Because of a proposed connection of the Lutheran Society with the American Board of Foreign Missions, he resigned. The Ministerium of Pennsylvania at this time had also a separate missionary organization, and by it he was appointed to the same field, and in the third year of Rev. Leonard Gerhardt's ministry,
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Rev. "Father Heyer " (as he was afterwards known) sailed from Boston, October 14, 1841, and on July 31, 1842 he reached Guntur, in India, where he sowed the gospel seed which has grown a thousand fold.
Just about the time that Rev. Leonard Ger- hardt entered upon his work in this field, the Lutherans living in and about Bainbridge formed an organization, and with his assistance the Lu- therans and Reformed churches jointly bought the Methodist Episcopal church from Mr. Henry Haldeman, who owned the property, and had for some reason become dissatisfied and closed the doors against the congregation. In 1839, St. Luke's congregation of Bainbridge came into the May- town and Elizabethtown circuit, and was served by Rev. L. Gerhardt .* Nor was this his only effort in extending the Master's kingdom in this practical way, and the following brief summary taken from the Elizabethtown Record speaks vol- umes of his energetic work: "During his terin (1838-1847) a church debt of - was paid; the new church at Colebrook was built ; the Bainbridge Methodist Episcopal church was purchased, and the lecture room in Elizabethtown was built."
* The first Lutheran minister who served St. Luke's congre- galion at Bainbridge, was Rev. Jos. Heinrich Von Hof in 1838.
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With this record, characteristic of godly and indomitable zeal, he ceased his labors in this field November 4, 1847.
REV. WILLIAM GERHARDT, D. D.
1847-1850.
The important work thus left by Rev. L. Ger- hardt was turned over into his brother's hands, the Rev. William Gerhardt, who assumed the re- sponsibilities of the Maytown congregation on the very day his brother left the field, November 4, 1847. His records like many of his brother's, ap- pear as though they were made by a copper plate, and it is restful to the eye and brain to turn to these clear-cut and well-written entries, from the many old hieroglyphics found in the "Kirchen Protocol," though in justice to some of the old fathers it must be said that their writing is very seldom excelled.
Rev. William Gerhardt's connection ceased with the Maytown church, November 15, 1850, and the following resolution, found in the "Protocol of the church council of Christ Evangelical Lutheran church of Elizabethtown, Lancaster county, Pa.," explains why he gave up this field: At a meeting of the church council, held March 9, 1850, among other actions taken was the following:
" Resolved, That our pastor be requested to re-
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sign the congregation at Maytown, for the follow- ing reasons, namely,
"I. Because the district is too large and requires too much labor, and
"2. Because this congregation stands in need of more english preaching, and also
"3. Because we find that our pastor does not re- ceive an adequate compensation from the congre- gation in Maytown."
This resolution caused the separation of May- town and Elizabethtown, and the Mount Joy con- gregation which also was in the "district," went with Maytown, though Bainbridge remained in the Elizabethtown circuit.
Rev. William Gerhardt, D. D., at the age of 87 is the oldest living minister who served this con- gregation. He resides at Martinsburg, W. Va.
In 1850 an epidemic of dysentery prevailed in Maytown and ten adults and twenty-three chil- dren lost their lives.
EPOCH THE THIRD
1853-1896
THE REMODELLED CHURCH
NEW LEAVES DEVELOPING ON THE
CENTURY PLANT
THE gradual growth of the work of the church during the past half century, manifested itself in this Third Epoch by a vigorous and healthy ex- pansion and development which brought many changes with it. These clearly show that the members of the Lutheran church of Maytown were of a progressive and self-reliant nature and only needed a leader to direct them in the im- portant work which was to be accomplished. Such a leader they found in the minister who served them at the beginning of this epoch.
REV. JACOB B. CRIST. 1852-1854.
Beginning with the pastorate of Rev. Crist, many important changes occurred in this Third Epoch, which clearly show that the members of the Luth- eran church in Maytown were a very progressive and self-reliant people. In all probability the May- town church was without a pastor until March I, 1852, when Rev. Jacob B. Crist assumed his duties in this field, and his records while they are neatly written, are very meagre, and nothing much can be gleaned from them. He was an earnest
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worker, and recognizing the needs of the growing congregation and sabbath-school, lie planned the remodelling of the old stone church to meet those needs, and it was not long ere he was hard at work carrying out his plans, which no doubt accounts for his neglect in keeping better records.
The following paper written by Mr. D. M. Book, is the only record preserved concerning this work, and is herewith copied verbatim as follows:
"To the citizens of Maytown who may be flour- ishing in the year 1900.
Statistics relating to the remodelling of the Lutheran Church in the year of our Lord 1853, and other matters.
Building Committee.
Adam Fletcher, Nicholas Clepper, John Hays, Jacob Bower, John F. Gephart.
Painters.
The paint work was done by Chas. M. and Jno. Brown in highly creditable manner; the remodel- ling of the building was commenced in May 1853. On the 28th day of August of the same year the basement was consecrated, and four weeks from that day this room will be dedicated to the service of the Lord.
The pastor of the congregation is the Rev. Jacob
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B. Crist to whom great credit is due for the spirit displayed to have the church modernized.
The work to the building will not cost more than $750.00.
The health of the country is unusually good at this time taking the season into consideration, yet in some parts of the states they are greatly afflicted with yellow fever; it is committing great ravages in New Orleans as papers which accompany this will show.
There is a very beautiful comet visible in the north-west and has been seen for some two weeks, but at the present writing it has lost much of its brilliance and will soon be among 'things that were.'
Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire is President of the U. S., and Wm. Bigler of Clearfield Co., Governor of Pennsylvania. The village of May- town at this time, August 31, 1853, numbers 700 inhabitants and some 110 houses.
Persons present when this paper, etc., was de- posited, all at the time residents of Maytown: Chas. M. Brown, George Murrey, Jr., Nich. Clep. per, Fred'k. Fletcher, John Brown, D. M. Book, Dr. G. Wash. Breneman, Jr."
This paper was found beneath the pulpit, when it was removed during the remodelling of the
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church in 1896. At this modernizing time the old arched windows were taken out and rectang- ular ones put in as is shown in the illustration on the opposite page. The old galleries, pews, altar and pulpit were removed, and the whole in- terior remodelled. A floor was put in just above the lower windows which changed it to a two- story structure. The lower floor was consecrated as a sunday-school room, August 28, 1853, and on September 26, 1853, the main audience room was dedicated to the service of the Lord. The accom- panying photographs illustrate the full nature of these changes, which were a radical departure from the old established ideas of a house of worship. While it marked the destruction of an old historical landmark, this change enchanced the beauty and increased the efficiency of the church work in manifold ways.
On the first Sunday in October, 1853, Rev. Crist celebrated his first holy communion in the newly dedicated audience room upstairs, and in the fol- lowing year 1854, he gave up the work and left the field.
In the year 1851, Rev. Morris Officer made his first public effort to awaken the church to an in- terest in the dark continent of Africa, by inserting "a brief paragraph " in the "Lutheran Observer "
THE LORD REICHETH.
MAIN AUDITORIUM AFTER THE REMODELLING IN 1853.
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL ROOM AFTER THE REMODELLING IN 1853. This picture was taken after the room was remodelled in 1879.
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of July 18, 1851. It closed with the following pertinent inquiry: "Is the Lutheran church able and willing to furnish the men and means to establish a mission in Africa ? or if suitable and willing men can be found, will the church send and support them ? "
The valuable missionary station at Muhlenberg, in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa, which was established by this consecrated servant of God, in 1860, and the long and illustrious list of the noble men and women who have given their lives for Africa's redemption, eloquently show how well the Lutheran church answered Rev. Morris Offi- cer's question.
It was during the latter part of Rev. J. B. Crist's pastorate, in 1853 that the Ministerium of Penn- sylvania again reunited with the General Synod, very likely because the rural opposition which had caused its withdrawal in 1823, had been overcome.
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