198
COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES
opposite their old site. The completed build ing was dedicated in 1893. it lias been re peatedly improved and enlarged, and in 19 14 an addition w as made to the Sunday school of a g)'mnasium and meeting halls, costing $10 ,000. The value of the church building alone is placed at $18,000. During the 1 1 8 years o f its existence this church has had but fourteen pastors, and but four since its occupation of the present build ing. They w ere: Rev. M r. Seely, 17 9 5 : Rev. G. V. Stochs, 17 9 6; R ev. Frederick Plitt, 1808; R ev. Peter ila fl, 1 8 1 7; Rev. Peter Kessler, 18 2 0; Rev. Jerem iah Schindlc, 1 8 3 1; Rev. W'illiam J . Kyer, 18 3 7 : Rev. William Laitzel, 18 7 4; Rev. [-. Lindenstrculh. 18 7 8; Rev. J . H. Neiman, l 8 S l; Rev. E . L . Reed, 18 9 2; Rev. Peter Altjwtcr, 1808; Rev. W illiam J . Nelson, 190 6: and Rev. J . 11. Sandt, the present pastor, who came March 28. 1909. The present officers of the church a rc : Church council— Rev. J . I L Sandt. C . L . Pohe (president), J . G. Nelson (secretary), Jolm B. Fortner (treasu rer), D. E . Billcg. H. A. Billeg. K. E . Longenberger, D. E . Nuss. P . J . Dcancr, P . II. Sbuinan, N*. C. Creasy, C. E . K rcishcr. Dr. A . Shuman, Paul Henry, John Miller. William Fedder, Burton Fortner, G. A. F-'ckroat, Jam es Hartman. Trustees— William T . Creasy, J . E . Clayton, E . F . W eaver, C . G. Smith, ^^muel Eckroat, J . W. Kitchen. T he large memlHTship of the church council is due to the fact that many of the memlicrs arc railroad men, liable to calls o f duty at any hour, and there is danger of the lack o f a quonim at calle<l meetings of the council. The membership of the church is 420, and of the .Sumlay school 350. Financially the church is in very prosperous condition. S t. hfatlheti-'s Church The rapid increase o f English speaking per sons during the term of Rev. William J . E yer caused him to suggest a division of the con gregation. and a meeting was held for this pur pose Ju n e 25. 1845. a committee was appointed to draft a constitution, and in 1850 St. M at thew’s Evangelical I.iilhcran congregation w as incorporated, the memlxrrs being: William J . Eyer, pastor; Stephen Baldy. Peter Bodine, elders: C. G . Brobst. Daniel G ew ell, deacons; Michael Brobst, treasurer: mcml>crs. J . B. K essler, William Y oder. Francis De.m. Jacob K reigh. John Hartman. S . D. Rcinard, Peter Strieker. Ephraim Brobst. Joseph Breisch, Benjam in Miller. From the time of the organization o f this
congregation it continued to worship in the parent church, with R ev. William J . E yer a s pastor (preaching every two w eeks), until the English church w as completed, the building o f which w as commenced by taking up sub scriptions on the 3d o f August, 1849. T he list w as headed by Stephen Baldy with $10 0 , or a lot on which to build the church. The lot w as taken on which the church now stands. Quite a number o f subscriptions followed, ranging in amounts from $7 5 down. .After having received in cash and subscriptions at home some $2,500, which was not enough, resort was had to ask aid from friends abroad. A second subscription list was written, which commissioned Hon. Stephen Baldy to receive such donations as the liberal minded were d is posed to give into bis hands. Equip]>ed with this document Mr. Baldy went to Philadelphia and collected from h is merchant friends and others between three and four hundred dollars. T his in addition to that collected at home warrantc<l the con gregation to commence building. T he church w as finished some time in 1850. and either in Jan u ary or Februaiy, 1851 (no records), w as de<licalc<l. the dc<licaiory sermon being <lclivered by Rev. P. W illard, o f Danville. P a. The congregation continued lo be served h y Rev. V. J . E yer until 1862, when he resigned because his pastorate w as entirely too large, la'ing conqiosed o f four or more congrrarti<)i>^Kcv. J . F. W anqwlc succeeded Rev. Kyer in Ju ly, 1862, and resigned in Ju ly, 1864. N ext came Rev. J . R . Dimin, D. D.. in August, i8<»4, and remained until t866. It was during his pastorate (liat the congregation left the Ministcriiim o f Pennsylvania and united with the East Pennsylvania Synod. It has since united with the Susquehanna Synod. Rev. D. Bcckner took charge of St. Matthew's, also of the Vought Church, M ay 12, 1867, and left the charge in i86<). Rev. S . S . Curtis became jk is lor in 1870 and served until the spring o f 1872. A student of theology from Selinsgrovc by the name o f C. S . Coates w as then called to supply the congregation fo r three months, commenc ing Ju n e 9. 1872. In September. 1872. Rev. R . F. Kingsley w as elected and took charge, remaining but one year. Then a long vacancy occurred, with several unsuccessful attempts to elect a pastor, until the election o f Rev. E . S. I.cisenring, who served a s a supply until June, 1875, when he accepted, and remained until 187X. It is on record that Rev. F . P . Manhart. D. D.. supjdicd the church in 1878 for a period o f six months. On Feb. 2. t 8 ^ . the congre gation elected as pastor Rev. J . F . Dicncr. who
