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/393

 COLUMBIA ANT) MONTOUR COUNTIES I'o r sonic lime this building was used by the Iwo congregations, Rev. Jam es DcPui be­ ing the rector o i the Episcopal congregation and Ke%*. Jerem iah Shiiidel the Lutheran pas­ tor. 1 l i e lot u(K)n which the church w as built W'as donated by G m . Daniel Montgomery, and is the site the present massive Christ’s Church. The original building is said to have cost some $4,000. w ere some differences between the two congre­ gations* the Episcopalians claiming the exclu­ sive use of the building. The Lutherans finally withdrew’ and worshipped in the courthouse until (hey built their first church. From this time (probably about 1835 or 1836) the build­ in g was in the exclusive possession of the Kpiscopaiians. Kev. Janies DePui w as rector froni 1829 to (83^. in the latter year Bishop Onderdonk vssitc<l this parish and confirmed four per­ sons. The church was then without a rector fo r some months. Kev. Benjamin Hutchins* rector at Bloomsburg. officiating irregularly. In November, 1833. Bishop Onderdonk or<lainc<l to the ministry, in this church. Rev. Isaac Smith. Mr. Smith began his work as rector of the parish Feb. 23, 1834. but retiiaim*<l only eight months. In January. 1834* the first Sunday school was o rg an iz^ . with s ix teachers and forty-nine scholars. In 1836 the church was incorporated* the incorporators being Peter Baldy, (Jeorge A. Prick, Daniel Pursel, Jr .. Jonathan Pursel. E. F. Greenough, D avid Petrikin, David Phillips, LcG rand Ban­ cro ft. John Clavton. On Feb. 1, Rev. George C Drake be­ cam e rector of this parish, in connection with nioomslnifg, Sugarloaf and Jerscytow n, he iigreeing to preach at Danville on alternate Sundays in the afternoon. M r. Drake found on ly six resident communicants: Miss Agnes Petrikin, Peter Baldy, Davtd Phillips and wnfc, M iss Rebecca Reynolds and Ephraim Scott. In .August, 1837, Rev. A lfred I^ouderback, a deacon, took charge o f this parish in conn^tton with Sunbury. and served the congrega­ tion at Danville until 1841. “ Upon entering h is ministry he found no font, no surplice, nor g o w n : no organ, nor leader in music, and no lights.” T he congrva.s the rector o f this church and reported ten families, one bapti sm. sixteen comnninicaiUs and forty-five members of the Sunday school, with an increasing congrega­ tion. Rev. .Milton C IJghiner, deacon, his ministrations in ihe parish Oct. 1, 1842. The church from this time seemed to start afresh in the Lord's work. A s the result o f seven months’ work that minister reported twentyeight liaptisms. fifty-seven continned, sixtysix communicants and eighty-ihree in the Sun­ day school. In M ay. 1844. the first lay deputies repre­ sented the parish in the Sixtieth convention. These were Peter Baldy. Sr.* E li Trego and Edward H. Baldy. During the vcar a bell wa.s placed in the tower, the g ift o f Peter Baldy, S r. A t this time a communion service W'as presented to the parish by the ladies of S t Jam es' Church, Philadelphia. In 1845 a new roof w as pul on the church and an organ placed in the gallery. T his was said to have been the first organ ever placed in a Danville church. Its cost was $675. In 1846 the interior of the church w as repaired and repainted, the cliancel altered, a new pul­ p it altar and lectern placed therein, the pews were reconstructed, and a new heating appara­ tus and lamps installed. In 1847 there were reported seventy-five communicants. In 1848 Mr. fjg h tn er resigned and was suc­ ceeded by Rev. Joseph I. Elsegood. The church in 1850 suffered considerable loss in membership by removals from the town. Mr. Elsegood resigned in August, 18 5 1. and was succeeded by Rev. Kolia O. Page on Dec.!st o f that year. In 1852 the rectory w as presented to the jKirish by Peter Baldy, S r.. who was so gen­ erous in his gifts and so timely in their selec­ tion. Mr. Baldy the same year presented the parish the ground for a cemetery'. In 1853 considerable repairs were again made, and other tmprovcmcnts added, including a new fence. In February, 1855, Rev. Edwin X. Lightner Inxame the rector of the parish. T his was the lieginning o f a long and blessed ministry. He served until 1870. for fifteen years, a period most trying and eventful. Four years o f that lime w*crc years o f war drums and bat­ tle flag s: fathers and sons and brothers were enlisted from the homes and churches o f Dan­