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/391

 COI.UMBIA AXD MONTOUR COUNTIES history, but nothing showing a continuous work. O n e named Shelhart, whether minister or not is not disclosed, visited this r ^ io n in the interest of the Lutheran Church. T liere seems to have been some sort o f organization among these few people as early as 1803, and Rev. Joh an n Paul Frederick K ram er seems to have been a pastor among them. In 1 8 1 0 Rev. J. F. Engel took chaige of the work, and continued until 18 16. In 1820 the nucleus o f what is now the Pine Street L u ­ theran co n gr^ atio n w as gathered, nourished and developed by Rev. Peter K istler, who at the time w as pastor o f nearly alt the Lutheran churches in Columbia county and the north­ western part o f Northumberland county. Rev. Mr. K istle r labored until 1825. .After his labors ceased a movement w as made to build a union church, joined in by several congre­ gations. ]>romineni among which were the L u ­ theran and the Protestant F.piscopal denomi­ nations. T h is church w as com|ileted Oct. 25, 1829. In 18 30 Rev. Jerem iah Shindcl o f BkiomsImrg began to till r ^ u la r appointments with the Lutheran congregation in the new church. He gathered the scattered memliers into a congregation and in a short time had forty members enrolled. .Aliout this time an un­ fortunate dispute arose between the Lutheran and the Episcopal congregations about the oc­ cupancy of the new church. T he Episcopalian.s claimed the exclusive right. .As a con­ sequence Rev. M r. Shindcl withdrew his peo­ ple to the courthouse, where they continued for some time. H e served the congregation for about six years, when he accepted a call to Lehigh county. T h e congregation had no pastor for several vears, hence the members l)ccamc .scattered. wissa charge and R ev. W illiam J . E v e r served them once a month for a year and a half. Rev. E . M eyers then Iw a m e (lastor fo r six months, and a fte r that lim e the church was without a pastor until 1843, when Rev. Elias Sw artz w as installed. T h is godly man found the conditions very discouraging. H e could count only about twenty mcmhers. many of Ihe form er members having gone to other churches, and in other ways deserted the church of their fathers. T lie first move of the pastor w as to hold a series o f meetings imploring divine help and gathering anew (he congregation. God blessed these meetings and forty o r more were received into the com­ munion of the church. .After a year’s work
 * rhey (hen connected themselves with the Cata­

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the pastor, a s well as the congregation, felt the need o f a permanent church home, a meet­ ing w as called, and (he following committee w as appointed tu superintend the building 0|>crations: John Reynolds. WiUiam G- Miller, Thom as EUis, Samuel Gulick and WiUiam Scchlcr. The church w as erected, and is the present brick home o f St. Joh n 's Imtheran congrega­ tion on E ast M arket street. It w as dedicated under the name of the Evangelical Lutheran Church o f DanviUe, in Jan u ary, 1845. The minL^icrs officiating were Revs. E lias Sw artz, W illiam J . E y e r and Jaco b Smith. R ev. M r. Sw artz servw l the congregation until 1845, when he accepted a call to .Manchester, M ary­ land. The congregation w as (hen connected with the Milton charge, licing served by Rev. Mr. R.nuthr.-iuff every two weeks fo r a period o f nine months. T his arrangement, being very inconvenient fo r both pastor and jicoplc, w as discontinued, and Rev. M. J. Allen w as called to the |>astor.ite. entering upon his labors in 1846. T his pastor scrv'cd the congregation until 1848. when he accepted a call to Sunbury and .Northumberland. I lis successor w as Rev. F. W illard, who at the time o f his call w as .acting agent of the theological seminary at Gettysburg. The ch.arge then in addition to D.anviUc included Sham okin and Back Valley. Rev. .Mr. W illanl entered upon his work in February. 1850. .At the time conditions were discouraging, Irath temporal and spiritual. No c expected a fte r having a puljiit vacant fo r some years. It was not long until the new pastor had secured a deed for the church lot, and at the first communion, in February, 1850. saw (he attendance o f 162 communicants. A scries o f meetings followed the communion season, at the end o f which 100 more were added to (he church, in fuHillment of the words o f our Ixird. "A s k . and it shall be given y o u : seek, .and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be ojiened unto you.” ,A lot o f ground w as purchased at the close o f 1850. ami laid out in cemetery lots. In the beginning o f 18 5 3 a parsonage vras purchased. 'H ie congregation w as thoroughly united and working in unison, and the result w as what it alw ays is under such conditions, “ the IvOrd added to the church daily such a s should be saved.” In 1854 the congregation outgrew this ch u rch : the conditions necessitated a move-