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/394

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

ville. M any were the benedictions pronounced over them as they departed, and earnest and pleading were the prayers that went up to the I'ath cr's throne in I leaven for their safety and their sp w d y return. Frequently were the church scr'iccs disturlied by the ringing of the old courthouse bell, sumnKining (he citizens to meet to provide ways and means to sustain the government in its hour o f trial. Women met to make liandagcs and other necessaries for the boys at the front, and children gathcrc<I with them to pick tint to stanch the blood of the wounded. Through all this period, with its trials and its intense bitterness and excitement, Rev. Kdwin N . Lightner stood as a beacon light, pointing men, women and children to the path o f duty. lAjyal, brave, bold and clear-headed, he did much to guide the action and mold the thought of the community. With no uncer­ tain tone (lid his pulpit proclaim the patriot’s duly and teach (he G iristian citizen the claims o f countr)' and o f God. T he writer takes great pleasure in pausing a moment to l>car jKTsonal tribute to the high Christian char.actcr and exalted jiatriotism o f this holy man o f God. Impressions were made upon him by the words and actions o f this earnest preacher that will last while life evoI(mI lo his church. M r. I-ightncr w as not narrow or bigoted; he rcs'ognizcd with a lib­ eral spirit the gt»d in every follow er o f Je su s G trist. and w as ready to join hands with his Christian brethren in all good w ork fo r God and the community. H e w as a favorite in the town, and many o f all denominations listened to and enjoyed his preaching. .A sermon preached by him just after the assassination o f I'rcsident Lincoln, when the conspirators were licing captured and tried, is well remembered. H is text w a s: “ Though liand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.’’ T he w riter may be pardoned for dropping fo r a moment the ])en of the historian and re­ cording his own humble opinion that the pres­ ent prosperity and success o f Christ Church, Danville, is in a great measure due lo the de­ vout spirit and consecrated life o f Edw in N. f.ightner. These were the days when form w as subservient to spirit, and w as but the vehicle which conveyed to Heaven the long­ ing desires and the consecrated thoughts of the true child o f God. T he lay deputies to the convention o f 1856 w ere Peter Baldy, S r., John T u rn er and John O'Conner. In 1857 the church w as repaired, within and without, at a cost o f about $2,500.

r>iiring .Mr. Lightner's term the salary of the rector w as raised from $600 to $ 1,2 0 0. In 1863 the church w as enlarged by adding a recess chancel, and installing a new organ, the whole costing $4,500. A reopening service w as held Dec. 13. 18 6 3; Bishop Steven s preached and administcrc(] communion and confirmed twenty-two persons. On Sept. 8, 1870, K cv. John M ilton Peck became rector of the parish, and for some th ir­ teen years served the con gr^ ation . P eter Baldy, J r ., w as the faithful organist, givin g liberally o f his time and means to the church and its work, and devoting his w on derful encrg)' to building up and maintaining a choir. .A number o f important events characterized the rectorship o f M r. Peck. In .November. 1880. Peter Baldy, S r ., died and by his will left the sum o f $5,000 to be invested and the interest paid for the support of the preaching of the gosjicl in C h r is t’s C h u rch : also the sum o f $50 0 to the Su n d ay school, the interest o f which w as to be used for th.it work. H e also left this provision, by a codicil in his w ill: “ 1 also bequeath to m y executors the sum o f F ifty Thousand D o llars to 1)c appropriated by them fo r any m em orial they may see fit to erect the memory o f th eir parent.s.’ ’ •At once the executors proposed to the church corporation to erect a new church, demolishing (he old one and building on its site. T his w as agreed to, and the last se rv ­ ices were held in the old church A pril 19. 18 8 1. The cornerstone o f (he new church w as laid with imposing ceremony Ju n e 24. tS S i. Between the years 1880 and i88( R e v. Charles F. Sweet w as assistant rector, and a fte r him Rev. John London. In Tanuar)', 1883. R ev. G eoige Breed w as called to the rectorship o f (he parish. H e served but one year, resigning in Ja n u a ry , 1884. During this year the new church w as dedicated. Right Rev. M arc Antony D cW olf Howe, bishop of the diocese, officiating. In the spring o f 1884 R ev. George C. H all, who had form erly served Shiloh Reform ed Church o f Danville, as pastor, became rector o f this parish, and remained until 1886. R ev. Jam es M axw ell followed as rector, and in the short time he labored he won the resfKct and confidence o f a large portion of the community. H e left in 1889. In M arch. 1889. R ev. W illiam R. M ulford was called to the rectorship, and for five years did faithful and earnest work. H e resigned in 1894. and the p r is h remained vacant for