Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/211

 COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES natcd by Robert M cCurdy and a two-story brick church w as erected tiavine a seating ca­ pacity o f 350, the entire cost of the structure, then the finest church of the denomination in the county, aggregating $5,000. It w as dedi­ cated in the year 1845, under the pastorate of Revs. John nowcn, William F. Pcntz and T. Bowman. In 1870, under the pastorate of R ev. Finley B. Riddle, this church gave place to another, o f symmetrical elegance, dedicated Sabbath, Feb. 19, 18 7 1, by Revs. Thomas Bow ­ man. D. D „ and Robert 1.. Dashicl, D. D. The whole cost w as $26,000. In subsequent years this building was improved and enlarged and a pipe organ, the g ift o f M rs. Elizabeth S. Jackson (w ife o f Col. C- G- Jack so n ), w as in­ stalled. In the spring o f 1902. under the pas­ torale o f Rev. Richard H. Gilbert. D. D., the third church building to occupy the present site, the fourth to be owned by the denomina­ tion in Berw ick, was b ^ u n. h is a beau­ tifu l and commodious stone edifice, and was dedicated in M ay. 1903, with appropriate serv­ ices lasting over a week, the late Bishop (Chaplain) Charles C. M cCabe conducting the services o f dedication. T he finances were di­ rected by John W. Powell, o f Buffalo. N. Y. T h e cost o f this structure was $50,000. The present parsonage on M arket street was erected under the pastorate o f R ev. W. W. Ev.ans, D. D., in 1 8 8 ^ O r g a n i z a t i o n s .— T he first Sunday school w as organized about 1825 and w as held in the Methodist Church at the com er o f Mulberry and Third streets. Daniel Bowen, a Presby­ terian. w as superintendent. Shortly after its organization, about 1828, the P r e s ^ ’terians withdrew and the school became a Methodist school, (hough (he superintendent. Daniel Bow en, continued in his relation as superin­ tendent. The Epworth I^cague was organized about 1894. T he school and league have been and are great factors in the life of the church. T h e growth of the school has been commen­ surate with the growth of the community and under the energetic pa.<itoratc o f R ev. J. IIo w ard .Akc ranks numcrirally the second in the county, having an enrollment o f over 14 0 0 persons in all grades. T he Sunday school can soon celebrate its centennial. M uch attention has been given the musical features o f thc'church services. T he several choirs through the years past, as at the pres­ ent. have proved greatly attractive to the citi­ zens of the community. Space prevents more elaborate mention o f many individual men and women, as well as its present day officials, ministers excepted.

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who have been and arc identified in lay ca­ pacity with her activities. T he membership of the church has included many of the most progressive business men of the region. T he policy of the church in spiritual and temporal matters w as molded by these men. T o their example the church owes its spirit o f benevo­ lence. In a very liberal way she has sup­ ported the benevolent enterprises of the chuKh. Some o f her members have been prominent in the affairs of the State. Several o f her Laymen have represented the Annual Conference at the General Conference, to­ gether with several o f her ministers. O ne of her pastors. Rev. Richard II. Gilbert, D. D., whose service in the inception and consumma­ tion of the plan leading to the present church building, deserves acknowledgment, w as a del­ egate to the Ecumenical Conference o f Meth­ odism in London, England, in 19 0 1. The church to-day is thoroughly representative, well ofganizcd, well appointed, centrally lo­ cated, evangelical in spirit, and seeks the best interest of the G reater Berwick in which it serves. The membership is t,ioo. $ 1 . Jo h n ’s Lutheran Church In the year 1794 E van Owen, the founder o f Berw ick, donated a lot about in the center o f (he town to Jacob K isner, W illiam M artz and Sebastian Seybcrt, in trust, for the German I.uthcran O uirch o f Berwick. T his lot was subsequently exchanged for another, on M ar­ ket street, in 1873. There w as no substantial oiganization o f this church before 1892, although several pas­ tors had preached in the town hall and (he Y. M. C. A. building before that dale. Among these pastors were Revs. Bahl, F o x, Henry, Sleek and German. In 1892 Rev. M r. Stupp became pastor o f this parish and moved into (he parsonage, now the club room of the Rangers, on E ast Front street. H e soon took in the situation and be­ gan to canvass the town fo r Lutheran people. His energies proved fraiitful, and on the even­ ing o f N ov. 30, 1892, an Evangelical Luth­ eran congregation w as organized, with twenty mcml>crs. The first services were held in the parlor of the parsonage, hut later the Y . M. C . A . hall w as secured fo r r ^ u la r services. On Feb. 13, 1893, the court granted the peti­ tion fo r incorporation. Arrangements were made on A pril 9, 1893. to build a chapel on the ground next to the parsonage, and the completed building, a frame, w as dedicated Dec. 10, 1893.