The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-08-18
Laying of the Cornerstone of Grace
Lutheran Church.

| occasion, and Rev. Samuel Domer, ID. d., O
Washington, ID. c., will preach in the even
ing at 100 at ST. Paufs Reformed Church
The service in the morning will be held in the
grove opposite the church, where similar
service was held seventeen years ago If the
weather should be unfavorable, the service
will be held at st. Paul's Church. The Ger
emony OF laying the cornerstone will be con
Quoted by Rev. H. c. Kuhns, the pastor.
HISTORY OF GRACE CHURCH.
Prior to 1866 there was no Lutheran Church il
! Westminster and there were not a score of person,
of the Lutheran faith in the place In 1872 or ISL:
acongregation was organized here by Rev. PHILIP
Willard then pastor of Krider's, Leister's Rausts
! ana winters, constituting one charge. This con
grcgatlon held services in the old Union Church. in
| Westminster Cemetery, now standing but unused
Reimensnyder and John Winter. but for some
cause the congregation only held together 1oI
! Union Church Those that were here in 1866 wor'
| shipped at Lcster'S. Rev. II. G. Holloway, now
pastor Of 1.-THE the Neville Penn Church was the
| gan to consider the organization of congregation
| and the building Of a church here and meetings
the winter of :Sfj in the schooIhons at the West
End. The spirit that resulted in Lutheran Church
! in Westminster says Mr. Holloway, were begotten
! i'll the Wednesday evening prayer-meetngS held in
! the same Schoolhouse. Even before organization
effected the little band of workers began solic-
| iting contributions for a church. Five thousand
dollars were secured, Mr.. William Reese making
the first subscription, and it determined to go
q
! Wagner donated the two lots upon which the
church and parsonage were subsequently built. 1t
required long and arduous labor to bring about
even a beginning but energy and perseverance ac-
complished the work.
The building committee was VIM. Lawyer, David
Fowble Rev. H. c. Holloway and others.
The building was at once proceeded with, under
the direction of Joshua A. Shorb and Samuel
Kneler, contractors. The cornerstone was laid
with appropriate services August 9TH, 1866. The
services were conducted Immediately opposite the
church under the trees i'll beautiful grove that's still
partly remaining. The day delightful one
and the assembly was very large. The sermon was
preached by Rev John McCrOn, D. d. of the First
Church, Baltimore, and the stone laid by Rev.
II. c. Holloway. In the cornerstone was tin box
containing the following A copy OF the new tesla
ment; minutes of the General Synod of the Lutheran
Church of the United States, held at Pittsburgh,
Pa from May 18th to Goth, 1885, minutes of the Ma
ryland synod of the Lutheran Church, held at Ha-
gers town October 9TH to 10TH 1865; Lutheran Alma
nae 1860 Lutheran Observer, Baltimore August 10TH
lSGG, with the name of Rev. II. G. Holloway on it,
Lutheran ard Missionary, Pittsburg Pa, June 9th,
/ 1866 with the same name on it; american SeRtiLct
August md, 1866 DEMOCRATIC ADVOCATE, August
2md, 1866: on the ADVOCATE was Il slip with names
of the officers of the church it; 10 cent govern
mcnt note; l, . and cent government coins, and
Lutheran Catechism. When the cornerstone was
opened after the burning of the church on the 9th
of April last the contents were found to be in avery
bad condition, though they will be replaced i'll the
same stone and be put i'll the new church.
Late i'll the month of November, 1866, most I'M
fortunate accident occurred, which very much de-
ayed the progress of the building. While the car
pcnters raising the heavily framed rafterS on
the structure, the Scatfolding gave way, and the
hands engaged Were precptated through the bull
ding to the ground No lives were lost, but num-
Der were much injured They were William Fow-
Ter, James King, John GeiselmHn, James fancy,
VIM. Myers, Al. Ruby, James Warner, William
Shaeffer and Jacob Elgin.
Cold weather set in shortly after and no more
work done on the building the entire winter
spring, when work was again resumed. On account
of the scarcity of material progress was slow but
after hard struggles the work was accomplished.
On the 23rd Of February, 1865, the beautiful new
church was dedicated. The attendance was very
large, ard the sermon was preached by Rev. {. A.
Stork d. D., of st. Marks Church, Baltimore from
IS. 1OD-5-'And His truth cndureth to all genera
tons Rev II. c. Holloway performed the dedica
tory services giving the name Grace to the church
Rev. Samuel Henry, then of LittlcstOwn Pa, Rev
DR.. WcisCr, of Manchester, and Rev. DR.. J. G. But
Ter, of Washington, d. C., were the other Lutheran
ministers present. Some three thousand dollars of
debt still remained, and Goodly sum was raised on
the occasion.
preached to crowded house, and afterward bap
tiZed the first child chriSencd in the new building,
the child being the daughter Of the pastor and her
name Grace alter the name of the church. Services
were held every evening of the week, DIR. WCiScr,
Of Manchester, preaching on Monday evening. and
the pastor the other evenings. The beautiful pulpit
bible and hymn-book were presented by +. Newton
KurtZ, of Baltimore, since deceased.
The original cost Ofth church was about $4,000
possibly more. David Wantz made the brick, Mr.
Kncller, then of Manchester, did the brick work,
and Joshua a. Shorb, Of Westminster, the wood
work.
few days after the dedication meeting to organ
izc acongregatiOn was held. Organization effect
ed ana by laws were
elected. The officers chosen werc-Jesse Reifsnider,
David Fowble, j. Henry Hoppe VIM. Lawyer Henry
b. Grammcr and Jesse Einging. but to what posi-
tons they were assigned we not informed, the
records being burned and survivors not recollect-
ing. OF these Messrs Hoppe and Reifsnidcr are now
dead. The congregation had twenty-five members,
nearly all of whom having been members at Kr-
derS and Rev. H. c. Holloway elected pastor.
The first preparatory services held i'll the
church by the pastor May 2nd 1865 and the first
communion May 3rd, at 10 a. m. SiXty-seVcn per
sons communed. Mr.. Holloway's pastoragc was of
a hn 1nI Hfn
mon of the Westminster charge i'll the evening of
the same day All the churches in the city were
T. Ward, ID. D., of the NJ p Church; Rev. Mr. Gal
laudct of the Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Mr..
Hofimeier, of the Reformed Church, Manchester.
Rev p. \. Strobel, Of New York. now dead succeed
ed Mr. Holloway, assuming charge July lst 1865 but
remained only one year, relinquishng it July LIST,
1863 lie was succeeded by Rev. John a. Earnest,
now of Rhncbeck, y. Y, who assumed charge Janu-
airy 1s 1870. In the first year of Mr.. Earnests pas
forage the parsonage was built the congregation
carrying an interest bearing debt of $500. The
second wear $1,000 of this paid nine members
contributing 500 each and the Ladies' Aid Society
raised, which was used in paying interest and
in making Improvements. In 1876 special collec-
tons realized $1,000, and all the Understanding
debt was paid At another time George Schaefer
raised fund of $500. During Mr.. Earnests pastor,
age. also the sunday School was rcorganiZed, and
the pastor prfied himself upon its work. The con-
gregation first incorporated July b. 1867, but on
October ~ 1870, the act OF lnGQrp2rhtion was
nest the pastor and by J. Henry Hoppe, VIM. Reese,
David Fowblc and Joseph NJ Parke; trustees; The
original incorporators were Rev IL: e. Holloway,
pastor. and VIM. a. Cunningham, Elijah Wagner,
Henry b. Grammer Vim. Reese. trustees.
Mr.. Earnest resigned the pastOrage of the West
minister charge (Which includes Grace, kriders and
Lestcr's Churches in May. 1873. On July 18th the
same year, call was extended to Rev ii. W. kuhnS,
of Newberry South Carolina. The call was ac-
ccpted, and Mr. Kuhns arrived here exactly one
month later preaching for the first time Septem-
her Ist. He was duly installed pastor November
3rd 1878 by Revs J. G. Morris, of Baltimore, and S.
w. Owen, of Hagerstown.
since its formation. During Mr.. kuhn's charge
there have been 81 additions TO the membership.
When he assumed charge the Sunday School num-
hered about 20 scholars and it now has over 80.
debt of 500 owing by the congregation has been
lquldated, inc parsonage [elhouelSo az a cosV VI
about 800, 800 bell purchased and the church re-
painted. -,
on the night of the 9th of April last the church
and parsonage, church records furniture and the
library and most of the wearing apparel of the pas
tor and his family were consumed i'll the great con-
fagration here. There was an insurance of $1,000
on the church and 81 800 on the parsonage. With
this sum i'll hand the congregation at once COM
menced to prepare for rebuilding both buildings.
AT meeting of the council-MesSrS VIM. Lawyer,
George Schaeffer. David Wantz, John f. Smith, Jos.
NJ Parke Henry b. Grammar, Jacob +. Elgin. o. II.
p Matthias and VIM. G.. Rinehart-a resolution was
passed to rebuild. The following gentlemen were
appointed a building committee; Milton Schaetier.
f. j. Lawyer, Orlando Reese; and the following al a
subsequent meeting appointed to collect funds
for the purpose Milton schaeffer, L. J. Lawyer,
Orlando reese and b. F. Grouse. and the pastor was
authorized to give books for subscriptions to such
other parties as he might deem advisable The
building committee obtained plans lot tne CHURCH
from Lawrence b. Walk. of New York, and a con
tract for the building awarded to Jacob F. FL
gin, who sublet the mason work to samuel kneller
and Adam Reigel. The work of taking down the
old walls and clearing the former site was begun at
once. The work of rebuilding the parsonage was
commenced at once brick building taking the
place of the frame structure The parsonage will
be ready for occupancy about the first of september
The committee on building the parsonage were WIN.
c. Rnchart Daniel Burns and Zephaniah Lester.
The soliciting committee-trace Church; Mrs: DR..
George Baughman, Mrs Alexander kllnedlnst;
Krcider'S Church. Miss Emma Sehaeffer, Miss Mary
Hoppe Miss Lydia Circle, Miss Ida Young; Leister's
Church J. Adam Meyles, Jacob Brehm
Orphans Court,
Monday, August l3.-Ioseph II. Lppy,
executor of Joseph Lippy, deceased, returned
list of sales of goods and chattels.
DIR. Geo. Il. Motter, surviving executor OF
Thomas Rudisel, deceased settled LIST ac-
count.
DIR. Geo r. Motter, executor of VIM. L..
Rudisel, deceased, returned list of sales OF
personal property.
/ III will op1 Of Leonard