Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1879-09-17

was an enormous garland of gaily col
ored flowers. The effect of this gar.
land was splendid. Still lower was q
second festoon, under which, in letters
of gold, was the heartsome word
"WELCOME."
Within greater taste was displayed.
Without disgusting the eye with an
extravaganza of ornament, the great
room presented one decorated whole.
Festoons Of living green clung to cor
ner and crevice, upright and pendant.
Upon the wall back of the pulpit hung
huge cross of gold and silver foil,
in construction almost faultless, and
much resembling the legendary cross
on the Rock of Ages On the left was
the first line of Luther's famous battle
hymn, "Eta .feste Burg ist anser
Got" :" on the right was the opening
line Of Martin Rinkert's not less
famous hymn, Nun daaket ale Cot "
On opposite sides of THE building, in
letters of gold, resting on background
gracefully fringed with green, were the
exceedingly appropriate verses of Scrip
ture:
'In the wilderness shall waters
break out, and streams in the desert "
"'They that trust in the Lord shall
be as Mount Zion, which cannot be
removed but abideth forever"
The royal benediction, "Peace be
within thy walls and prosperity within
thy palaces" occupied prominent
space between the doorways.
As the multitude was too immense
10 find room inside, the historian, Rev.
d. Luther Roth, of Lunenberg, Nova
Scotia, to whom the work of collecting
the history had been intrusted, mounted
buggy and read in a loud clear
voice a history of st. Johns Evan
gelical Lutheran Church, Lancaster
township, Pennsylvania. The history
was replete with interesting detail and
amusing incident. According to the
historian, the first Lutheran minister
was one named Moeckenhaupt, who
was a veritable Melchisidec, having no
previous, no subsequent history. The
first organization was made in the year
1920, shortly after the advent Of Rev.
Christian Gottlob Schweizerbarth, who
served this people for twenty-nine
years. This organization, originally
called Zion's Gemiende, was effected
in the barn Of John Buechle, Sr. In
the year 1923 material for the erection
of the new ediice was hauled. In
1929 the work of building began, yet
the building was not dedicated until
the third Sunday after Trinity, July
Sth, 1882.
This pastor, who makes the follow
ing quaint record: ain the twenty
seventh year of the reign of Bishop
Schweizerbarth" was a bright and
shining light, whose luster added ra-
dance to the glory of the Day Of Ju-
bilee. There were present about forty
aged, who had been eye witnesses of
the events of 1929, and were the glad
objects for whom the Bishop had
labored With these his memory is
yet green; his deeds they loved to
relate to the bystanders with special
fondness did they dwell on the events
of fifty years ago, and looking upon
the hosts that had assembled they glee-
fully exclaimed "This looks like the
times of 'Ole Schweizerbarth.'
Abundant satisfaction radiated every
countenancc. Surely none had reason
to ask for greater joy. As we gazed
at the beaming faces Of that day we
pondered on the influence for good of
that single Church How much of
the contenyment and pleasure of the
present day was due to the foresight
of the sturdy yeomanry that laid those
blocks Of stone in the name of our
Lord? How much of the civilization
of the present day emanatcs from the
seed sown by the faithful Bishop 2"
1t was good seed, and much fruit is
ready for the reaper
st. Johns history is yet incomplete.
Her Past is halo Of glory enriching
and crowning her statel y walls. Her
Future will be unfolded and made mani
fest to us, as the misty curtain of time
is drawn aside. May that future be
not less glorious than was the past.
Let us echo and re-echo the silent ben
ediction that met our gaze as we passed
out of st. Johns. "Peace be within
thy walls and prosperity within thy
palaces" GAE.