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/388

 342

COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

coniribiited bandsoniely towards defraying the expenses o f this work. T he church w as re­ opened for public worship Oct. 12, 19 13, the redcdicatory address t>cing dcIiveriM by Rev. Robert Bonner Jack, o f Hazleton. The present elders of the church a r e : David Shelhart, H oward B. Shultz, Dr. J. E. Rob­ bins, J. E. Moore and 11. M. Hinckley. Those who have served as elders from the organiza­ tion of the church, not including the present session, a re : William Montgomery, S r., Jacob (icarhart, John Montgomery. William Mont­ gomery, J r ., Paul .Adams, John Emmett, Hugh Caldwell, Daniel Montgomery, Jam es Oglesby, M. IX, Jam es Donaldson, Richard Matcliin, Samuel Y orks, S r., Michael C, Grier, A lex­ ander Montgomery, John Bowyer, Jacob Shultz. Archibald G . V oris, Paul I.rcidy, Josiah Reed, Patterson Johnson, Benjamin W. Pratt. S. S . Schultz. M. D., ^ m u c l Bailey, Horace G. Furman, Reuben B. Voris, Jobn M. Sechler. 11ie Mahoning Church has sent into the ministry the following so n s: Rev. W . B . Mont­ gomery, Rev. Samuel Montgomer)*, Rev. John Montgomcr)*, Rev. Edw ard D. Yeomans, D. D.. Rev. Isaac A . Comelison, D. D., Rev. A lfred Yeomans, D. IX, Rev. John Boyd G rier, D. D., Rev. Geotgc Van ,Alen, Rev. lames C. Russell, IX IX, Rev, Robert Bonner Jack . Rev. John Essington Miles, Rev. R ay­ mond H. Wilson. Rev. John Patterson Lundy, D. D. S t. Paul Methodist Hpiscopol Church The Methodist system o f pastoral succession ts not conducive to accurate historical records. It is generally known that the Methodist w.is the second religious organization in Danville, but there seems to be no accurate record of the exact time of its form,ation. The first appointment o f a minister to the congregation here by the conference w as made in 179 1. The settlement here was then included in the NorthumlK*rland circuit, which extended from NorthumlK*rlanil town up the North Branch u f the Susurg. Catawissa, Blooms® burg, Berwick. Orangeville, Bloomingdale, Sunbury and portions o f Center county. territory covered some three hundred miles and the circuit rider made it in about six

weeks. Those were days o f strenuous work. 'Fhere was not much time for study, except that o f nature, and no time for m ^ itation and communion, except on horseback. The preacher’s only vacation w as a change o f scenery and congregations. Those were days o f foundation work, and how well that work was done is shown by the Methodist spires chat alt over that great stretch o f territory now point to heaven, like so many monuments to the faithfulness and untiring energy of the formative circuit rider. The ap{>ointmcnt5 of 1791 name Richard Parrott and Lew is Browning as the supnlics for this large circuit. A complete list of the names of the pastors who supplied the circuit in which Danville was included from 17 9 1 to 1843 will be found in the chapter on "R eligiou s Denominations” in the fore part o f this volume, and will not be repeated here. There was no church building in those early (lays, and public worship was held in the homes or other buildings of the devoted members. NVe quote from a historical sermon preached by Rev. Ililcs C. Pardoe, Dec. 14, i f ^ : "T h e preaching place was first the dwelling house 01 Judge Jacob G earhart; afterw ard s fhe barn, and then the meeting-house erected in 1828. Who composed that class wc cannot say. M r. Gearhart was fifty years o f age when Bishop .Asbury stopped there, an exhorter, and intelligent and grand old-fashioned M ethodist; taking some o f his Presbyterian friends and going out into the nevr settlements to hold revival meetings. H is w ife w as also a member, and their home was long the itinerrants' lodge. Their son John w as a prominent and exemplary member for fifty y e a rs; quiet, unobtrusive and capable; his last words were. 'I am passing over Jord an.' H is w ife, ‘ Aunt .Sophia,' was converted under the ministry of Benjamin Paddock, and united with the church at fourteen, and for sixty-nine years by lips and life told the story o f Jesu s’ love. • ♦ * T he early organization at G earhart’s accounts for the lateness of the o^anization at Danville. T liis had been a village since 1776, the Methodists worshipping across the river. In i 8 i 2 the Shamokin Circuit w as fonned, which took in the appointments west of the Susquehanna. The nrst class ever fonned in Danville was in 18 15. ,ind consisted o f William Hartman, M ary Hartman, George Ix>tt and w ife, Samuel Steele, and Susannah Donald­ son. It was a feeble b a n n in g, but splendid material out o f which to form a society. These persons threw open their homes for prayer and class meetings, and made the placff of the