USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Maytown > The history of the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Maytown, Lancaster Co., Pa., 1765-1904 > Part 4
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At this time also the great slavery question was agitating the country, and the now historical names of Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lin- coln were coming into prominence.
During the year when Rev. J. B. Crist left the Maytown and Mount Joy charges, Commodore Perry made a treaty with Japan, which opened two ports of the sunrise kingdom to American trade,
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and it proved to be the opening of that country to western civilization.
REV. WILLIAM G. LAITZLE.
1855-1862.
Up to this time the disagreement between the Elizabethtown and Maytown churches had not been adjusted. On October 1, 1854, Rev. William G. Laitzle assumed the pastoral work of the Eliza- bethtown charge, and the following account which is copied verbatim from a record written by Rev. WV. G. Laitzle and pasted in the Elizabethtown church record, clearly explains the whole situation.
"The congregations composing the pastoral dis- trict at this time are Elizabethtown, Bainbridge and Colebrook church. The salary however being small it was decided to make application to con- ference for another congregation.
"In consequence of the resignation of Mr. Crist, the Maytown district was divided, and Maytown was invited to this charge.
"At a meeting of the congregation the following resolutions were unanimously adopted.
"'Resolved, That we solicit conference to grant us another congregation to assist in making up a sufficient salary for our pastor.
"'Resolved, That Mr. John Shaffer be appointed
REV. B. F. APPLE. 1862-1864
REV. GEORGE P. WEWER, M. D. 1873-1875.
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delegate to attend the next meeting of conference to be held at Lancaster and present this request.'
"Conference granted this request, and Maytown was accordingly added to this district. At a sub- sequent meeting of the conference the church at Mount Joy, which had been served by Rev. J. Crist being vacant, they petitioned conference to permit Rev. Wm. G. Leitzle to accept their con- gregation and resign the Colebrook church; con- ference granted this request. The Elizabethtown charge is now composed of the following congre- gations: Elizabethtown, Bainbridge, Maytown and Mount Joy.
"This arrangement continued for the space of six years, when the pastor, Rev. Wm. G. Leitzle re- signed the charge on account of the amount of labor required. The congregation however would not accept the resignation, but proposed and de- termined to have the services of the pastor every Sabbath. Consequently the pastor resigned all the congregations, the resignation to take effect on the first of June, 1862. The pastoral year however, commences on the first of April, 1862. It was also proposed to take the Colebrook congregation in connection with the congregation at Elizabeth- town, provided that that congregation can be obtained.
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"It was afterwards found that the Colebrook con- gregation could not be obtained. The congrega- tion was therefore thrown upon its own resources. Rev. B. F. Appel (who had taken the congrega- tions formerly belonging to this district), resigned his charge in August, 1864, by which those congre- gations became vacant. The congregation at May- towe' made application to be reunited to the Eliza- bethtown district; I commenced preaching for the Maytown church in July, 1865. This congregation is again in regular connection with the congrega- tion at Elizabethtown. The Bainbridge congrega- tion would be anxious to be again united with this district as they have been heretofore. The pastor has, however, been averse on account of difficulties with that congregation growing out of a non-pay- ment of salary."
Our church owes Rev. Laitzle a debt of gratitude for this explicit statement of these events, for with- out it we of the present generation would have been quite perplexed over this period of history. But as it is, he has supplied the needed links which make a clear record of the trend of events of this time.
It appears that there was some controversy about the rights and privileges of members and non-members of the church concerning the use of
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the old burying-ground connected with it, and to settle all future disputes regarding this question the following by-laws were drawn up by the vestry:
BY-LAWS OF THE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH OF MAYTOWN, LANCASTER COUNTY, PA.
Relating to burial purposes, etc.
Ist. All regular members in good standing in the Evangelical Lutheran church of Maytown, shall have the privilege of burial in said grave-yard of said church, and also those who are not members of said church but contributing members yearly of said church for the support of the ministry and repairs, shall have the privilege of burial on said ground belonging to said church.
2nd. Regular members of the Lutheran church of Maytown, removing to another place and still contributing or paying to the church in the place in which they live to the support of the same and the ministry thereof (and there being evidence of the same) can have the privilege of burial in the grave-yard of said church in Maytown.
3rd. Those members, or those not being members of said church, that will not pay to the support of the ministry and re- pairs of the Lutheran church of Maytown when called on by the collector or vestry of said church, shall have no privilege and be barred of burial in said ground, unless they pay a certain amount for the ground as the vestry may direct and demand.
4th. And all persons arriving at the age of 21 years by not paying to the support of the ministry and repairs of the church although they be descendants of members of good standing, shall not have the privilege of burial on said ground, unless they pay for the same burial purposes.
5th. All sermons or funeral sermons that shall be preached
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by ministers of other congregations in this church, the consent of the vestry shall first be obtained.
6th. That the vestry of the Lutheran church of Maytown shall have the power of appointing one of their number to give permits for burial purposes to all those that are not contributing members and wish to be buried on said ground by their wish or their friends.
Passed and adopted by the vestry of said church the 30th day of June, A. D., 1860.
ADAM FLETCHER, JOHN HAYS,
Attest : C. M. BROWN.
ABRAHAM BULLER, JOHN RUMBAUGH, L JACOB BOWERS.
In connection with these by-laws, the following record of a receipt given some years later shows how much was charged by the vestry for burial privileges:
" MAYTOWN, July 29, 187S.
Received of David B. Wilson, six dollars in full payment for his sole right and privilege and right to bury in lot no. 2, com- prising fifteen feet in length by ten feet in width, adjoining that of David Rettew and a part of that plot of ground given by the Maytown Union Cemetery Association to the Evangelical Lutheran church of Maytown."
He was an able and energetic worker, and many improvements were made in the Elizabethtown charge as well as in Bainbridge where he paid off a debt of $400, and in Mount Joy he paid off a debt
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nearly as large. In 1861 he had the parsonage re- paired at Elizabethtown, and in connection with it on page 24 of the Elizabethtown church record the following item of interest is found: "In the year 1861 the ladies of the congregation at May- town paid for the papering of two rooms." On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated President of the United States.
Rev. Wm. G. Laitzle kept excellent records, and as his pastorate covered the intensely exciting period when the burning questions of state rights and slavery culminated in the outbreak of the Re- bellion, we wish that he had made more frequent mention on the state of the feelings of the people in his charge.
On April 14th, 1861, Fort Sumpter was captured by the Confederates. The effect was electrical and no doubt accounts for the following reference, found at the end of the list of 68 communicants (who par- took of the Holy Communion on April 21, 1861, a week later) is the only one he makes to this great event :
"This communion was an impressive one. Some of the members and catechumens are preparing to go to war against the Secessionists and started on Tuesday after communion."
The following year in 1862, Rev. Wm. G. Laitzle, for the reason given in the preceeding pages, re-
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signed all the congregations, and a separation of the Elizabethtown congregation from the others fol- lowed, and Rev. W. G. Laitzle served that congre- gation alone.
Up to this time the preaching in German had grown less and less and when Rev. Laitzle closed his work with this charge in 1862, it was discon- tinued altogether without any serious objections on part of the congregations.
The beginning of the Civil War caused the with- drawal from the General Synod of the four south- ern synods, who have never returned, and together with four other synods now constitute the United Synod South.
REV. B. F. APPEL. 1862-1864.
Two months after the Maytown charge was made vacant by the resignation of Rev. Laitzle the Rev. B. F. Apple assumed the responsibilities of this charge on August 8, 1862, and his period of service covers two years.
During his ministry the parish consisted of the Maytown, Marietta and Bainbridge congregations. Marietta did not formerly belong to this parish; but as Rev. Darinstetter from Columbia, was the German pastor, the English portion of the congre-
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gation of the Lutheran church of Marietta united with the Maytown parish, and had Rev. B. F. Apple preach for them. After Rev. Darmstetter's resignation, a pastor was secured who could preach both in the German and English language and the two congregations of the Marietta church united, and withdrew from the Maytown parish and re- mained in the Ministerium of Pennsylvania.
In the last year of his ministry at Maytown, events were transpiring in the history of the Gen- eral Synod the effects of which were to affect this whole parish. At a meeting of the General Synod at York, Pa., in 1864, the Frankean Synod from New York, was admitted into the General Synod, without previously adopting the "Augsburg Con- fession. It aroused the keenest dissatisfaction among the delegates of the Ministerium of Penn- sylvania, and led by Dr. Seiss of Philadelphia, they left the General Synod to report to their Minister- ium, who sustained their action.
Up to this time no mention had been made any- where of any other name in connection with this church, other than "The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Maytown," but in the following record of the church council the first mention of a change occurs:
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" MAYTOWN, October 26, 1864.
Pursuant to previous notice, the vestry met at John Cassels, Brother Hays iu the chair, the Secretary read a letter, dating Oct. 24, 1864, from the pastor, B. F. Apple, stating that he received a call from congregations in Mt. Bethel, Northampton Co., Penna., and tendered his resignation as pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church of Maytown, which is to take effect Nov. 13, 1864-which was accepted only with feelings of deep regret that we part with him. May God through His infinite blessings guide him safely through tribulations, trials and difficulties.
S. L. YETTER, Sec."
There has been as yet, however, no record found stating when and under what circumstances the name "St. John's" was given to the church.
In 1863 he married a young lady from the May- town congregation, Mary E. Book. On Sunday, June 27, 1863, the entire county was thrown into a furore of excitement by the appearance of a por- tion of Gen. Lee's army, 8,000 strong, at Wrights- ville, where they were for a short time held in check by volunteer companies under the leader- ship of Col. Frick and others, but the enemy being too strong, the volunteers were compelled to fall back, and on their retreat they burned the bridge across the Susquehanna river, connecting Wrights- ville with Columbia, which effectively cut off the threatened invasion. After the burning of this bridge the Rev. B. F. Apple, with many other cit- izens of Maytown and vicinity, organized a home
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guard to help repel this threatened invasion, but though they went to Columbia, their services were no longer needed.
A few days later, July 1-3, was fought one of the world's decisive battles, at Gettysburg, when the "backbone " of the Confederacy was broken, and it put an effectual stop on Lee's northern invasion. The latter part of the year saw the bitter defeat of the Union forces at Chickamauga, September 20, 1863, and the brilliant victory of Gen. Grant's troops at Chattanooga and the storming of Missionary Ridge.
Meanwhile the affairs of the congregation were not making very much progress. Rev. Apple's records show that the communion seasons were increased from one to two within the year. And while the number of communicants did not vary much, yet at the last season he held there were only fifty members present, which caused him to enter the following observation on the general con- dition of the people:
"The reason why so many were absent to-day from the Com- munion Table is because they seem to love the World more amid these political excitements than their church and their God. And again, because many by their very actions seem to have reversed the order of our blessed Saviour's Commandment in His memorable Sermon on the Mount, where He says (Matt. vi. 33): ' Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteous-
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ness.' But they say, if not in words, but by their actions, 'Seek ye first-Politics, and the World, then the kingdom of God and His righteousness.' May the infinite God have mercy upou such, and grant them the true knowledge as it is in Christ Jesus their Lord, Amen. B. F. APPLE."
This communion was evidently the last one lie celebrated, and he left the field in August, 1864. Rev. B. F. Apple is at present pastor of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church at Stroudsburg, Northampton Co., Pa.
REV. WILLIAM G. LAITZLE. 1865-1866.
In July, 1865, Rev. Laitzle again took up the work of the Maytown charge after the resignation of Rev. B. F. Apple. During this period of his ininistry the delegates of the Ministerium of Penn- sylvania to the General Synod were refused ad- mittance to that body, and after much discussion and controversy, a convention was called and held at Reading in 1866, and the Ministerium of Penn- sylvania was changed into the General Council.
At a Council meeting held March 5, 1866, a sig- nificant action was taken by that body, "Bro. Henry Johnstin was appointed by the Vestry in belialf of Evan. Luth. Church to represent the church in the Temperance Convention to be held
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in the city of Lancaster on the ninth (9) day of March next "-a convincing proof of their earnest interest in the great and all-important question which effects every town in our land.
On April 9, 1865, the dreadful Civil War was brought to an end when Gen. Robert E. Lee sur- rendered to Gen. U. S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Va., and on April 14, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
Rev. Laitzle's labors lasted only a little more than a year, when he was called to Pottstown, Montgomery Co., Pa., after serving the charge for eight years.
REV. J. W. EARLY. 1866_1868.
In the spring of 1866, Rev. J. W. Early, of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co., Pa., was called as Rev. W. G. Laitzle's successor, and he served the congregations for two years.
The pastorate of Rev. J. W. Early marks an important period in the history of the Maytown and Bainbridge congregations. The controversy between the General Synod and the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, in consequence of the admission of the Franckean Synod into the former body, re- sulted in the organization of the General Council,
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and this body, through its Secretary, sent a letter to the Maytown charge making certain offers, pre- sumably for their affiliation with the new organiza- tion. This caused a joint council meeting of the Maytown and Bainbridge congregations, and as full minutes were kept of these proceedings they are quoted verbatim :
" BAINBRIDGE, Aug. 19, 1867.
"The Church Council met pursuant to notice at the house of S. Hackenberger. Members present : J. S. Horst, S. Hacken- berger, George Hackenberger, Elders; G. W. Hackenberger, Deacon; C. Gamerling, John Fahs, Trustees.
"By unanimous vote Geo. Hackenberger was chosen Prest. who stated the object of meeting briefly to be for the purpose of appointing a committee, to consult with the Maytown Church Council, on next Saturday, at Maytown concerning the change of Pastor, of our separation with the Elizabethtown charge, the forming of a new charge to consist of this place and Maytown, and also whether we will or will not accept the offer of the Pennsylvania Synod, in a letter sent to Maytown, all agreeable to recommendation of our present Pastor Rev. J. W. Early. The President then appointed S. Hackenberger, John Fahs and Geo. Hackenberger the committee, which was agreed to by unanimous vote of all present.
"G. W. HACKENBERGER, " Sect'y of Church Council."
The following is the report which this com- mittee presented after meeting the Maytown coun- cil :
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"We the undersigned committee, who by appointment of the Church Council, visited Maytown to consult with the Lutheran Church Council of that place, on the change of Pastor, etc., would respectfully submit the following report :
"We met the Council of the church according to your in- structions on Saturday, 24th of August, 1867. By a unanimous vote it was agreed to separate our churches from the Elizabeth- town charge, and to form a new pastoral district to be com- posed of Maytown and Bainbridge. We took no final action on the offer of the Ex. Com. of the Pa. Synod, because a majority of the committees believed, that as Maytown has no other con- stitution than that of the General Synod, as recorded in its English Hymn book, and as Bainbridge is constitutionally a General Synod church, it is best to refer the whole matter to a congregational vote, the majority to decide whether we remain General Synod churches, or connect ourselves with the Pa. Synod, and alter our constitutions. It was believed by a majority that the interest of our churches can best be attended to by uniting with some Synod connected with the General Synod if the same financial interest be taken in us as is offered by the Pa. Synod. Agreeable to the constitution an election was published August 25, to be held in two weeks, whether we join the Pa. Synod, or seek connection with a Synod connected with the General Synod.
"Signed, S. HACKENBERGER, JOHN FAHS."
"LUTHERAN CHURCH, BAINBRIDGE, - SUNDAY, Sept. 8, 1867.
"This being the day appointed for an election by the May- town Committee, Elder J. S. Horst, by virtue of being the seignior elder, in the chair. * * * * The minutes of the pre- vious meeting of the Council was read and adopted. The
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report of the Maytown Committee was now read, after which remarks were made by several members, after which the elec- tion was held which resulted as follows: For the Pa. Synod, 5 votes. For the East. Pa. Synod, 13 votes. Bro. B. (D. R. Brubaker) was now chosen by unanimous vote to attend Synod as a delegate, to represent our cause. Adjourned.
"G. W. HACKENBERGER, "Sect'y Church Council."
This caused the final separation of the Maytown and Bainbridge congregations from the Pennsyl- vania Synod, and also from the Elizabethtown charge, and Rev. J. W. Early resigned from these two congregations. Maytown and Bainbridge con- necting themselves in the same montli, September, 1867, with the East Pennsylvania Synod, which met in Pottsville, Pa.
A noticeable feature of Rev. J. W. Early's records is the departure from the old method of recording the names of the communicants. He arranged the names in alphabetical order and then ruled lines for the various communion seasons, just as all such records are kept at the present time. His method did not seem to meet with ap- proval, however, for none of his successors for the next thirteen years adopted it. That a similar method is in vogue generally at the present time (1904), proves its practical utility and value. The following note written by Rev. Early in connec-
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tion with his last recorded communion, November 10, 1867, under the head of "Remarks," gives us some insight into the affairs of the congregation at this time, and explains in a measure the reference to "the change of pastor," which was one of the questions for discussion by the previously-men- tioned Joint Council meeting :
"The slow but gradual increase of the communion list would seem to indicate a healthy growth. But there are those who are not willing to bide the Lord's own good time. Hot-house growth and feverish excitement would suit them better. Others again, as was likewise experienced by a former pastor (Rev. B. F. Apple), prefer their political notions to their church. A congregational meeting having been called, how- ever, without any notice of the object of the meeting being given, an election for and against the pastor was held without his knowledge. He was at once informed of the trick. He immediately resolved to let the majority take their own course, so that he could not be charged with interfering with the future prosperity of the congregation. May God have mercy on those who stand in their own light." "J. W. EARLY."
Possibly "the slow but gradual increase of the communion list" to which he refers, which in his first recorded communion, November 11, 1866, numbered 19; on his second, March 26, 1867, it had increased to 22; on his last one, Novem- ber 10, 1867, it numbered 27; may have been a partial cause for the friction which existed between
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himself and the Maytown congregation during his pastorate. That the congregation was somewhat to blame for this condition is clearly inferred by his "Remarks."
During this year, 1867, the Tressler Orphans' Home was founded, and the names of two of our former ministers, Revs. Peter Sahm and Jacob Crist, head the list of trustees who applied for the charter.
The separation of the churches from the Eliza- bethtown charge brought his labors to an end in Maytown, and while it is not very creditable to the congregation, yet as a matter of history, it re- quired an action of law ere Rev. J. W. Early secured the remainder of the salary that was due him. Rev. J. W. Early has retired from the min- istry and now lives in Reading, Pa.
REV. F. T. HOOVER.
1868-1870.
On May 24, 1868, Rev. F. T. Hoover began his ministerial labors in the Maytown congregation. His records are well kept. In 1869 he held three communions in Maytown, which indicated a deep- ening of the spiritual life of the congregation. Heretofore the number of communion seasons recorded never exceeded two within one year.
PARSONAGE OF ST. JOHN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH. The gift of Gen. Simon Cameron.
GENERAL. SIMON AND MAS. MARGARET BRUA CAMERON.
JAMES F. JOHNSTIN. Supt. Sunday-School. 1883-1904.
REV. J. IL. HOUSEMAN. 1882-1884.
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The records give but little information concerning him, and he gave up this field in the latter part of the year 1870.
A few months before he began his labors with the Maytown charge, the United States purchased Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 in gold through the diplomacy of William H. Seward, Secretary of State. And while Rev. Hoover was ministering to his people during his first year's pastorate, science, through the mighty persevering efforts of Mr. Cyrus W. Field, achieved a glorious triumph in binding together two continents with the great American cable, which, after many disheartening failures and at a cost of many millions of dollars, was at last successfully accomplished in 1868. During the second year of Rev. Hoover's pastor- ate, in 1869, the Pacific Railroad was opened which connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
Eighteen days before he held his communion on April 17, 1870, the Fifteenth Amendment, having been ratified by a requisite number of states, was formally announced as a part of the Constitution.
REV. D. STOCK. 1871-1872.
On April 1, 1871, Rev. D. Stock began his min- isterial labors in the Maytown congregation, and
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his term of service lasted a little more than a year. One week before he held his second communion, October 15, 1871, at which there were forty mem- bers present, the great fire broke out in Chicago, which destroyed $200,000,000 worth of property, burning 25,000 buildings, and leaving 100,000 peo- ple shelterless.
Rev. Stock's stay in this congregation was of short duration, and in the latter part of 1872 lie left the field.
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