USA > Pennsylvania > Two centuries of the Church of the Brethren in western Pennsylvania, 1751-1950 > Part 21
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The second child, Sarah Mack, was born June 25, 1798, and after uniting with the church of her fathers, became the second wife of her neighbor, Joseph Longanecker, and became the step-mother of five motherless children. This second marriage was blessed with three children. One of these children was Nancy Longanecker, born on Brown's Run, on September 27, 1821. Her birth certificate, a work of art, is well preserved. [See cut.] It is 131/2 by 161/2 inches, in colors, red and yellow, apparently undimmed by age. Who ever filled it out added an "e" to the name Mack.5
Nancy Longanecker being the niece of the elder, or bishop, the use of the birth certificate must have been the usual and accepted practice of the church at that time.6 The quarter- century from about 1820 to 1845 seems to have been a period of advance movements in the Brotherhood, and especially of a great increase in the church membership in the Monongahela Valley, including both the Georges Creek and the Ten Mile congregation.
In 1835, Ephraim Walters donated a lot upon the hilltop on his land. John DeBolt, owner of a sawmill, agreed to saw the lumber. They had to go to the forest and cut the timber and have it sawed and dried. This they did by appointing certain days to come together and donate work. In 1836 they erected this frame house 40 by 60 feet. In this church they wor- shiped until July 30, 1887. Joseph Moser was the contractor for the erection of the church house, which they decided to call "Fair View." Ephraim Walters and Samuel Aughey (Ache) were the trustees.
The work grew and new converts were taken in until it was decided
5 From Alexander Mack the Tunker and Descendants, by Freeman Ankrum, a lineal descendant of Alexander Mack. Quotations used with the author's permission. 6 Baptismal certificates were used by the Brethren in Eastern Pennsylvania in 1825. See Falkenstein's History of the German Baptist Brethren Church (1901), page 88.
Our wa sting lives grow shorter still
Infinite joy or endless woe Attends on every breath, And yet how unconcern'd we go Upon the brink of death!
As dit ys and months increases And ecer y beating poise tre tell, Leaves but the number less.
CERTIFICATE or Birth and Baptism.
To these turo Parents :
AS Soreph Kongenekas and his Wifa bon Marche
Daughteron the 22# Day of
external in the year of our Lord 1891
This Child was born in
County, in the
in North America :1
was baptised by the Her.
and received the name of
Witness present at the net of bapfrom :
'Twas the commission of our Lord, To teach the Nations and Baptise : The Nations have received the word Since HE ascended to the skies,
Repent and be baptised, he said, For the remission of your sins: And thus our pense nesists one faith, And shows us what his gospel means.
An inward baptism of pure fire, "Tis all my longing soul's desire ; Kindle în me the living fame, Baptise me in Jesus' name! Wherewith to be baptis'd I have, This, only thin, my soul can save.
Prinnã má for ngãi try : A, Petern, Harrisburg, Po
Courtesy Reverend Freeman Ankrum
Birth Certificate (1821) of a Niece of Elder Mack
James Quinter (Aged Forty), at the Close of His Fourteen-year Pastorate at Georges Creek
to launch out into other fields. On September 15, 1837, William Moser of Georges township sold to Samuel Ache, Ephraim Walters and Daniel Moser, trustees for the "Georges German Baptist Association," fifteen and one-half perches of land in Georges township for the purpose of erecting a church. In 1838, a log building, the Grove church, was erected.7
In 1839, Brethren John Umstead and James Quinter (age 23) visited the churches of Western Pennsylvania. The Georges Creek Brethren were much impressed with Brother Quinter, and asked him to move into their congregation. This he did in 1842, moving upon a small farm the Brethren had bought for him. Here he lived fourteen years, teaching school in the winter and in the summer doing some farming along with his preaching. So far as we know, this arrangement by purchasing a farm was the first gesture towards a "paid ministry" in the Brotherhood. In harmony with present custom, they gave Brother Quinter the privilege of doing evangelistic work outside of their congregation.
Brother Quinter was a teacher of more than ordinary at- tainments; in addition to teaching he was selected by the board of directors of Nicholson Township to examine the teachers with reference to their qualifications for teaching. In 1856 he sold the farm to James Hamilton, and after a trip to Philadelphia (where his picture was taken),8 he went to Ohio to assist Henry Kurtz in editing the Gospel Visitor.
The work of the church was at a high peak during the fifties
7 From Ankrum's Alexander Mack the Tunker and Descendants. Pages 319, 320.
8 Information and photo courtesy Mrs. Grace Quinter Holsopple, daughter.
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4
Home of James Quinter From 1842 to 1856 From Reaching the World Through America, by W. J. Hamilton, 1926
and the sixties, the membership numbering about two hundred twenty-five. A Sunday school had been organized in the Grove church in 1859, and in 1861 the log building was replaced by a frame building, in which Sunday school was continued three or four years. Sunday school was organized at the Fairview church in 1863 with Samuel C. Johnson and John J. Cover as superintendents. Two years after Brother Quinter went to Ohio, Joseph I. Cover was chosen to the ministry, serving until 1885. We quote briefly from his report in 1872:
The branch now, in Fayette county, has been much encouraged with frequent additions. ... The faith of the Brotherhood is growing stronger. The Lord has deemed it good to send our brother-beloved, J. P. Hetrick, of Oakland, Armstrong county, to labor with us in the cause of our risen Savior. He spake wholesome words, and . . after his second interview they began to come. On the 3rd of December 17 souls were added by immersion. On New Years day 10 more entered the deep. .. . Sunday evening, January 7th, 4 more were baptized, 22 in all for the week, 60 for the year.
Jos. I. Cover.9
John C. Johnson was elected to the ministry in 1878 and or- dained in 1883. Alpheus DeBolt was elected in 1883 and ordained in 1902. The frame building at Fairview was replaced in 1888 with a brick building, equipped with a tower and a bell, which has been removed in recent years.
The Sunday school enjoyed a period of growth and prosperity for a number of years, (in 1903 the enrollment was 120), but, along with [some] other rural churches, has also experienced a decline. The present enrollment is about fifty.
Brother DeBolt was a faithful minister and elder for nearly forty years. Recent pastors have been: C. M. Driver, 1917-1922; L. G.
9 From the Christian Family Companion, January 23, 1872.
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Humphreys, 1923-1925; Jesse W. Whitacre, 1925-1927; J. H. Gingrich, 1927-1930. Since that time the work has been cared for by the local ministers, Francis F. Durr, Edgar DeBolt, Albert M. Haught, and Arthur Durr. Within the last year ten have been baptized.10
Since the publication of the above report, except for the brief pastorate of John Middlekauff, Brother Haught has served as pastor and elder, and continues in that capacity.
In addition to the able and devoted ministers who have served this congregation during its one hundred sixty years of history, there have been a great many faithful deacons with their wives, along with a loyal laity.
One other name deserves special mention, that of a young student at the Monongahela Academy at Morgantown (in the Mount Union branch). It is the name of Oliver W. Miller. He graduated from Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1859 with the A. B. degree; was the principal of the New Vienna Academy, Ohio, about 1860-1864; was the president of our first Brethren college, Salem College, Bourbon, Indiana, summer, 1871, and summer, 1872.11
-Albert M. Haught and W. J. Hamilton
CHAPTER 19. THE GREENSBURG CHURCH
Sunday school organized, October 25, 1910 Church house dedicated, February 11, 1912 Present church membership, 511
This congregation grew out of the initial interest of two persons, Homer P. Galentine and Meyers Moore, who came here from Somerset County in 1903. However, since the history of the work of the Church of the Brethren in and about Greens- burg begins earlier than that date, we shall speak of the history in definite periods.
THE PRE-MISSION PERIOD
The Mount Joy church, having a number of members living about Greensburg, provided worship services for them in the schoolhouse at Swede Hill. These services were conducted about every four weeks, during the summer season, from 1893 to 1900. Among these members
10 From The District Herald, July 1931. Page 22.
11 Educational Blue Book (1923). Page 443.
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THURLILO THE BRETHREN
Greensburg Church
were Peter Kaylor and wife, Rachael Kaylor; John Kaylor and wife, Harriet Kaylor; Mary Sniteburst of South Greensburg; and Jacob Altman. The ministers who conducted these meetings were: Abraham Summy, J. K. Eicher, A. D. Christner, H. S. Meyers, and Levi Storer. This effort left an unmistakable mark on the later development of the church, although it had no direct connection with the formation of the mission.
THE MISSION PERIOD-1908-1911
The little chapel is an outstanding symbol of the mission period. In 1908 mission work was begun by the two aforenamed brethren. The first persons to make a decision and unite with the church were Sallie Y. Bolton and Susie Huffman Deemer, who went to Pittsburgh to be baptized by Elder M. J. Weaver, September 20, 1908. Ministers from outside points were called in to help them. Regular services were held at the union mission church on West Pittsburgh Street, which church gave permission for the Brethren to hold meetings there every two weeks.
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Robert T. Hull, of the Middlecreek congregation, was secured as the regular minister; he was assisted occasionally by Clayton S. White- head, who lived in the Mount Joy congregation. Elder Hull held several evangelistic meetings, as did also William M. Howe, who was then the pastor at Walnut Grove. D. K. Clapper, who was then a traveling evan- gelist and missionary for the district, also held one series of meetings in the union mission. These meetings resulted in obtaining added mem- bers. To these ministering brethren belong much credit for the develop- ment of the Brethren mission.
The members now felt that they needed a worship location which they could call their own. Accordingly, in 1910 they pur-
The First Chapel
chased a three-lot piece of ground at Mace and Stanton streets, at the cost of $2,500.00, which is now the church site. Here the twenty- by thirty-foot chapel was built, at a cost of five hun- dred dollars. A Sunday school was organized on October 9 by William M. Howe with an enrollment of twenty members. The chapel was dedicated on November 16 by J. F. Dietz of Johnstown.
The same year the Mission Board of Western Pennsylvania heard the petition of the mission and authorized a grant of six hundred dollars a year for pastoral support. Mahlon J. Brougher, minister in the Middlecreek congregation and schoolteacher at the time, was asked by the Mission Board to consider the call. He preached his trial sermon on Sunday, November 20, 1910, and began his pastoral ministry on January 1, 1911.
During the month of April 1911 a series of meetings were
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held by H. S. Replogle, resulting in twelve decisions for Christ and making a total membership of thirty-two.
The District Meeting which was held in April 1911 granted the privilege for the mission to be organized into a congrega- tion; this was done by a called council meeting, held Monday evening, May 1, 1911, by the district committee, William M. Howe and D. H. Walker.
The devotional service of this council meeting included the reading of Acts 6:1-7. The first item of business was to name the church; the name chosen was the Greensburg Church of the Brethren. A motion was then passed authorizing the church to be chartered under that name. The council proceeded to elect, by ballot, the following officers: elder, William M. Howe; deacons, Homer P. Galentine and wife, Kathryn Galentine, and Walter Moore; church clerk, Walter Moore; treasurer, William M. Pletcher; trustees, Homer P. Galentine, William M. Pletcher, James A. Osterwise, Clyde M. Kuhns, and Myers Moore. The deacons were then installed and received by the right hand of fellowship and the kiss of love (minutes, May 1, 1911). Of the thirty-two members, twenty-three were present at this council meeting.
The pastor was married on May 11, 1911, to Mary Kathryn Wolford, a member of the Ligonier congregation, and together they came to Greensburg the evening of May 12 to assume the pastoral duties of the newly organized church. In this position they continue at the time of the writing of this history.
Upon arriving at the small apartment, previously furnished, Brother and Sister Brougher, to their great surprise but to their complete joy, found the membership gathered and waiting to express their congratula- tions and good wishes, and to present grocery gifts heaped upon the table.
The charter membership as constituted during the year 1911 consist- ed of the following names: Lawrence Altman, Mrs. Emma Altman, Mrs. Sallie Y. Bolton, Murray McKee Bolton, Charles William Bolton, Jr., Mary Elizabeth Bolton, Lula Broadwater, Mahlon J. Brougher, Mrs. Mary Wolford Brougher, Mrs. Rosan Carr, Mrs. Beulah Culp, Adam Deemer, Homer P. Galentine, Mrs. Kathryn Galentine, Susie Huffman Deemer, Mrs. Jennie Jackson, Agnes Kaylor, Warren C. Kaylor, Clyde M. Kuhns, Ella Pyle (later Mrs. Kuhns), Ella Livingston, Mrs. Eliza M. Miller, Meyers Moore, Walter Moore, James A. Osterwise, Mrs. Clara B. Osterwise, William M. Pletcher, Mrs. Sarah Pletcher, George P. Riehl, Mrs. Sarah Riehl, Jennie Riehl, Louis B. Riehl, Lawrence Smalley, Paul Smalley, Mrs. Linnie Sperber, Edward Sperber, Sanford Stover, and George Tinkey.
PERIOD OF ORGANIZED CHURCH LIFE
The newly organized congregation began at once to plan for a church building, which was erected during the fall and winter of 1911-1912 and was dedicated February 11, 1912. At the dedication, William M. Howe presided, J. J. Shaffer read
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the Scripture lesson, 1 Kings 8:12-31, and Dr. Charles C. Ellis preached the dedicatory sermon, using for his text 1 Kings 8:27: "But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Behold, the heaven of heavens cannot contain Thee; how much less the house that I have builded." J. H. Cassady, who was present to begin evan- gelistic meetings that evening, conducted the financial solicita- tion. A large group was present from the local community and also large delegations were present from other Brethren church- es, especially the Walnut Grove congregation.
The pulpit Bible, which was used on dedication day, and continued in use for thirty-five years, was a gift from Clyde M. Kuhns, made possible by his parents, William S. Kuhns, Sr., and Martha Kuhns.
The congregation largely assumed the responsibility for its own finances from the beginning; however, the district continued pastoral support for six years, and the churches of the district gave $2,600.00 toward the church building.
The evangelistic meeting which followed the dedication was a marked success; forty-two persons made decisions for Christ, most of them uniting with the Church of the Brethren. J. H. Cassady, then pastor at Roxbury, was the evangelist, and Charles Blough, also of the Roxbury church, directed the singing.
The church enjoyed rapid gains in membership from the beginning. Evangelism was the keynote of growth. The love feasts, two each year, were always largely attended, and were considered by all as mountaintop spiritual experiences.
The offering which is received at the Sunday morning worship service each love-feast day is brought forward by each contributor, who places his offering in an offering plate on the table at the front of the church. These offerings run from four hundred dollars to nine hundred dollars on each love-feast occasion for Sunday and Monday (the two evenings being necessary to take care of the membership). This consecration of life, in thus giving the offerings, has brought great individual and congregational blessings.
The Sunday morning and Sunday evening worship services, the Sunday school, the evening fellowship group meetings, and the midweek prayer meeting constitute the major weekly services. The council meeting decides on all policies of procedure. During the now thirty-nine years of organized church life the increase of membership has been encourag- ing-from thirty-two members at the time of the organization to about five hundred communicant members at the present time.
The parsonage, which stands on the former chapel site, was dedicated February 15, 1925. This dedication service was also carried forward by Charles C. Ellis of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. The total cost of the church site, the church building, and the parsonage with the improve- ments was approximately $35,000.00. In addition to this, the church recently acquired the adjoining residence at the rear of the church, on
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Parsonage at Greensburg
Mace Street, and a plot of ground one hundred twenty feet square on Welty Street, for church-expansion purposes.
Basing all of our local church policies and program on the polity of the church as set forth in the minutes of the Annual Conference, with an endeavor to keep the spiritual emphasis in the lead, the organization of church activities expanded as the need demanded. The congregation kept in mind the de- velopment of the spiritual, educational, social, and service departments of church life.
In the administrative field are such boards as the official board, con- sisting of ministers and deacons; the trustee and finance board; the board of Christian education; the ministerial committee; the auditors; and the nominating committee.
In addition to the pastor, at present on the ministers' list we have the following, all of whom are actively co-operating in the program of the church: F. F. Beeghly and wife, April May (Walker) Beeghly; Galen M. Bittner and wife, Valma (Barnhart) Bittner; George W. Detar, Jr., and wife, Laura (Scott) Detar; Judson E. Faust and wife, Mary Elizabeth (Marshall) Faust; L. R. Fox and wife, Ida (Shaffer) Fox; E. E. Holsopple and wife, Ruth (Truxal) Holsopple; Earl Kaylor, Jr .; Frank Rehm and wife, Della (Pritts) Rehm.
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The church has produced from her own group a number of ministers who are engaged in the work of the church; John G. Osterwise (co- operating at East Mckeesport) and his wife, Anna Osterwise (deceased); John H. Clawson, pastor at Robinson, Pennsylvania; George Detar, busy in the local church; and Earl Kaylor, Jr., taking postseminary work.
The following ministers and their companions also co-operated with the ongoing program of the church while they were located here: J. C. Beahm; Orville Holsinger; Mrs. Fannie (Weaver) Holsopple (deceased), first wife of E. E. Holsopple; Emanuel Neiderhiser and wife, Goldie (Seighman) Neiderhiser; Paul Smalley and wife, Olive (Foreman) Smal- ley; James Widdowson and wife, Ethel (Sollenberger) Widdowson.
This congregation also produced five sisters who became wives of ministers: Mrs. Anna (Kepple) Osterwise (deceased); Mrs. Ruth (Truxal) Holsopple; Mrs. Valma (Barnhart) Bittner; Mrs. Lois (Shope) Bair; and Mrs. Elberta (Fox) Hursh.
The present board of deacons is made up of the following brethren with their companions: William Baker and wife, Esther (Harrold) Baker; J. Howard Barkley and wife, Lucile (Beahm) Barkley; W. R. Blystone; Howard Harrold and wife, Evelyn (Murray) Harrold; Earl Kaylor and wife, Sylvia (Appleby) Kaylor: Clyde M. Kuhns and wife, Ella (Pyle) Kuhns; Myers Moore and wife, Maud (Keener) Moore; James A. Osterwise and wife, Clara (Faust) Osterwise; William C. Peters and wife, Hazel (Thomas) Peters; Josiah H. Pyle and wife, Carrie (Bowser) Pyle; David A. Rummel; Samuel S. Sanner and wife, Minnie (Wentzel) Sanner; Richard Sanner and wife, Louise (Blystone) Sanner; James P. Shope and wife, Emma (Wilson) Shope; H. C. Smeltzer and wife, Sara (Riehl) Smeltzer; LeRoy H. Smeltzer and wife, Alice (Cribbs) Smeltzer; Howard W. Smeltzer and wife, Sara F. (Fox) Smeltzer; G. Raymond Smith; Russell Tinkey and wife, Kathryn (Ritenour) Tinkey; Paul S. Truxal.
The following sisters who were helpmeets of deacons, now deceased, continue faithfully in their respective duties; Mrs. Anna (Sheets) Barn- hart; Mrs. Minnie (Campbell) Ghrist; Mrs. Grace (Keener) Moore; Mrs. Keturah (Hays) Neiderhiser; Mrs. Carrie (Carr) Radebaugh.
The following deacons with their wives served until transferring their membership elsewhere: William Barnes and wife, Trissa (Ritenour) Barnes (deceased); Homer P. Galentine and wife, Stella (Wible) Galen- tine; Ronald H. Rowland and wife, Gladys (Brougher) Rowland; Lawrence Smalley and wife, Myrtle (Kessler) Smalley (deceased).
Further in the list of deceased deacons and/or their wives are: Harrison Bashioum and wife, Clara Bashioum; Milton I. Barnhart; Daisy (Lawson) Blystone; Kathryn (Henry) Galentine, first wife of Homer P. Galentine; William H. Ghrist; Walter Moore; E. D. Millen and wife, Mary (Anthony) Millen; Norman Neiderhiser; Elizabeth (Galentine) Pyle; C. T. Radebaugh; Rose (Keiper) Rummel; Alice (Gibson) Smith; Nora (Hays) Truxal.
In the purely functional and expressional fields are these interest committees: missions, peace and Brethren service, temperance, Lord's Day observance, Bible reading, stewardship-tithing and offerings, home and family life, and evangelism. Also in the functional groups are: men's work, women's work, youth fellowship organization, children's work, music committee, and ushers' association.
These interest committees and functional groups spon- sor many activities, such as the raising of special mission money through the daily va- cation Bible school. One year three hundred dollars was raised for the transportation of a child, Melody Ann Eik- enberry, to Nigeria. Another The Heifer, "Hope," With New Owner in Germany year, money was raised to buy and send a heifer, named Hope, to a needy European family. The happy family who owns the heifer now is that of Otto Ran- tenberg, refugee family from East Prussia.
Personal evangelism through the "Seventy" organization- or the two-and-two method-and mass evangelism with the help of outstanding evangelists (mostly pastor-evangelists) have con- tributed much to the development of the church.
In other fields the church has made an average contribution, giving to the service of humanity three medical doctors, a num- ber of trained nurses, teachers in public schools, and still others who are serving the needs of people in varied fields.
We come now to a very important occasion in the history of the church, the observance of the thirty-fifth anniversary of the church organization, which was held from Tuesday, April 30, to Sunday, May 5, 1946, with community, circuit, and district interests emphasized until Sunday, when the anniversary proper was kept. H. L. Hartsough, executive secretary of the General Ministerial Board, was in charge for the day, preaching at the three services with the emphasis given as planned by the anni- versary program committee. The morning worship was the anniversary service, a service of rejoicing based on the subject, The Church, from "The praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:6) and also "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12b). The afternoon session was the memorial service for the almost seven hundred loved ones who had departed in the thirty-five years of church life. The subject was The Church and Her Cloud of Witnesses from "compassed about .. . " (Hebrews 12:1). In the evening was the service of evangelism, the subject being The Church and the Commission, from "Go ye . . . " (Matthew 28:19).
The anniversary, as is readily seen, was for two purposes: to rejoice in and thank God for the achievements in one gen- eration (thirty-five years) ; and to open a new period of "going
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forward," designated in the Anniversary Resolution as the Fourth Epoch of the Greensburg Church. We present briefly these purposes by quoting from the anniversary booklet:
WHEREAS, it is the first purpose of the church to continue, with increased effort, in the evangelistic program, which has been char- acteristic of the Greensburg Church throughout the past generation, -NOW, therefore, be it resolved, that the present membership of the Greensburg Church of the Brethren, and all who become mem- bers during this first year (May 1, 1946-May 1, 1947), shall be recognized as charter members of this new period of church life, designated as the FOURTH EPOCH.
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