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/238

 COLUM BIA A N D M ONTOUR COUNTIES took charge some time in the sam e year. D u r­ ing his pastorate it w as resolved by the cong r ^ i i o n to purchase a lot and build thereon a suitable house for the use of the pastor. A lot was bought o f C. F. H ard er, and a contract was made with him to build a parsonage on the same, which he finished in October, i8So, and on the i ith o f N ovem ber, i8ik>, the pastor, Kev. M r. D iener, with his fam ily moved into h. In 18 8 1 the imrsonage w as enlarged, and in many respects improved and beautified. Unpleasant relations sprang up between K ev. Mr. D icncr and the congregation, so much so that he w as urged to resign, which he did, leaving some time in 1882. F irst the council on Dec. 17, 1882. then the congregation, unanim ously concurred in call­ ing R ev. I). M. Henkel, D. D.. to take cliarge of the congregation as supply (preaching but once a S u n d a y ) until a pastor could be secured, to which proposition Rev. M r. Henkel con­ sented an d at once took charge, continuing un­ til Rev. U . M ye rs accepted and took charge of the congregation M ay 15, 1883. The .storm o f Sept. 30, 1896, which wrought $0 much ruin in many parts o f our land, struck Catawissa with unusual fu ry. T he long wagon bridge a cro ss the Susquelianna w as swept from its foundations into the river, trees w ere tom up from the roots, and many buildings blown down or badly damaged. Am ong the latter was S t. M atthew ’s Lutheran church. O ne of the tow ers w.as blown down, some of the bricks landing in an adjoining h o u se; the roof w as tom o ff. a large memorial window blown in and dcstroyctl, while the |>ouring rain added greatly lo the dam age. A few hours a fte r the storm had subsided the council w as in session, and resolved lo rc-huild at once the waste places of their Zion. T he parts blown aw ay were replaced with new material. A metal ceiling w as substituted fo r the dam aged plaster, and the entire auditorium repainted and re­ fitted, including a new velvet carpet, all at an expense o f S t. 100. Sunday. Dec. 20. t8«/>. was the day set apart fo r rcdcdicatioii. Rev. J. H. W eber, D. 1).. o f Su n b u ry, preached in the m orning and assisted the pastor In con­ ducting the finances. M ost of the pastors o f Catawissa closed their churches and attended this se tv k e . .At 2 :3 0 p. m. a Sunday school service was hehl. anil ad<lrcssc.s made by a number of the m inisters present. A t 6 o ’clock the Lvithcran .Alliance held a special service, and an hour later Rev. R . (». Baiiiien, o f W il­ liamsport. preached the dcilicatory sermon, and Rev. Dr. J. H. W eber, as president of the S u s­ quehanna Synoil. conducted the dedicatory

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services. T h e amount asked fo r at the morn­ ing service w as eleven hundred dollars. S o liberally did the people rcsiMnd that at the close of the evening service about $ 1,6 0 0 had been paid in cash or subscribed, leaving a su r­ plus o f $50 0 fo r use of the council in m aking other improvements and repairs on the par­ sonage, which also w as dam aged hy the storm. In 1900 a magnificent Gothic altar, 14 feet high and 7 feet wide, w as placed in the church through (he efforts of the ladies. It has a statue o f O irlst, hy Thorw aldsen, in front. R ev. D r. M yers has continued a s pastor of the church up to the present time. On M arch 2 3, 19 14, a meeting commemorating his thirtyfive years o f service w as held in the church, the services being in charge of the Bloom sburg Ministcrium. On the twentieth ann iversary o f his pas­ torate a fine pipe organ w as installed, and in 19 14 the entire church w as remodeled at a cost o f $5,000. the entire amount being raised in fo u r weeks. A t the first communion service held in C ata­ w issa by D r. M yers there were thiriy-scvcn attcnilants. T h e present membership is 300. in spite of the rem oval of the Reading rail­ road headquarters, which at one time took aw ay one hundreil memliers and at another fifty more. T h e follow ing charter mcmliers signed the constitution on J u ly 13. 1845. T h e names are placed in the o rilcr in which thcv arc found on the church record and the spelling is closely followed. O ne name only w as added, having been omitted at the time o f sign in g: Christian Brobst. Stephen B ald y, M khacl Breckbill, Michael Brobst, Joseph Brobst. H iram B. E ly , Peter Bodine. A nna M argaret Bodine. C h ris­ tian G. Brobst. W illinicna Zchcndcr, Caroline Zchendcr. Sarah E ly. H annah K ru ck, Caroline Brobst. Ja n e K reig h. Sophia H artm an. Su •sanna Y o d e r, Catharine Baldy. Susan Italdy. Elizalicth Bodine. M ary R in ard. N ancy Brobst. M ary Brobst. S. D. R in ard. Jan e Brobst. Jo sh u a E v an s, Sarah Brobst. Ephraim Brobst. G. I leister Brobst. B arb ara Brobst. Jac o b K ru ck, Susanna K ru ck, W illiam m ina M oyer, M aria C. M oyer. Daniel K nittle. M ary Knittle, Jaco b K reig h. John H artm an. Catharine H art­ man. Elizabeth M over, Su e C. E v er. Peter Strieker. Elizabeth Breckbill, Rebecca B reck ­ bill. Sarah Breckbill. G eorge Strieker. .Amanda Brobst. Susanna Strieker, Daniel G eiger. .Sarah G eiger. Isaiah Brobst. F ran cis Dean. Deborah Dean. M.arv II. Brobst. W m. Y o d e r. I^aniel CIcwetl. G eorge M anhart. Hannah B. Mench.