Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1884-11-15

So 90, for the purpose Of building q
new church for their joint use, but, for
some cause, the project was never car
| ried out. At q counsel meeting. July
| 26th, 1929, it was resolved to build new
Lutheran church. and September 2Sth, OF
| that year, the lot was purchased Of Jacob
Schoppert, for 1925, and the old deed Is
among the papers of the church. The
building was finished at cost OF o.
/ 786. so, and was dedicated June 10th,
1882. Rev. Abram Reck officiating. In
! 1854, it was improved by extending the
front. BY the erection of the Grecian
/ columns and the tower, in which the
present bell now hangs. The bell now
1 In use was purchased at this time at a
cost of $500. 1t weighs $50 pounds and
/ is tuned to the key of &C." The interest
of the Lutherans in the second bell was
sold to the Reformed congregation for
$40.
The congregation was almost entirely
scattered, during the late war, and, for
! about four years, the church was used
as hospital, and very much injured.
Those were days of strife and bloody
carnage-days that tried mems souls.
In 1868, the United States government
granted 81 .078. for the use of the Church
as hospital, and for damages done to it.
At this time $500 more was raised by the
congregation. and the whole amount
was expended on the church in repairs
and improvements.
/ CHURCH IMPROVEMENT, 1884.
For the increasing labors of the pastor
and congregation in every way, there
was need for enlargement, with better
conveniences for the accommodation of
the growing branches of church work
The old church building was in want of
repairs that would have to be made SOON
er or later. At ono time the intention
was to sell the present church property
and purchase site elsewhere for the
erection of new church.
The pastor and congregation worked
i earnestly together to raise the funds ne
cessary to carry on the improvements
The children of the Sunday school follow
ed this worthy example and labored just
as hard to contribute their part, The
older members of the congregation may
live to see and enjoy the full reward of
their good work, but to the young it will
be particular source of pride in after
years to point to the landmark of their
| fathers and monument of their own
youthful zeal and devotion. After time s
scattering hand has parted families and
congregation and pastor, memory will
| delight to gather all together again, re-
viewing the work and recalling the old
familiar faces-all remindful of long
looked-for and coming day, when there
will be no need of toiling and building
no loss nor separation one fold and
one shepherd in house not built by
mortal hands.
The plan of remodeling the church in
volved extensive and important changes,
that are now rapidly approaching COM
pletion. The work was begun May 10th,
1884, under the superintendent of Mr..
Geo. D. Whitson, of this city, according
to plans and specifications furnished by
w. F. Weber, of Baltimore. The corner
stone was laid July 18th, 1884 Rev. M.
L. Cutler, a former pastor, and other
clergymen of the city assisting the pas
tor, Rev. R. C. Holland. The services
embraced Saturday and Sunday. July
18th and 18th the address of the occa-
sion being delivered in the Court House.
the place of worship of the congregation
in the interim.
| The building takes in the full length
of the lot, rs feet, and also the full width
of the front on Queen Street of go feet
The entrances are through the two tow
ers of the front corners, into vestibules
built on the sides, thence through doors
into the audience room. This mode OF
entrance is unique and commodious, and
is well adapted to the location and di.
mansions of the lot. The auditorium
and lecture rooms extend the full length
of the building space, measuring in the
clear 20 feet long and AZ feet wide. The
| in fouyor 10 ct,rp,o,1ntod uyifh a xoru
handsome spire, which lifts its final
1874 feet above the pavement.
The brick work was done by G.. w.
Buxton; carpenter work by Geo. d,
Whitson stone trimming by BENJAMIN
Irwin Timing by Noble T. Fisher and J.
A. Blondel: spire raised and framed by
Samuel Myers, of Pa. stating spire by
Mr.. lacey, of Harper's Ferry plastering
by Jos. Grimes painting by Cline & Nc
Elroy gas fitting by Conrad Cline.
The cost of the work when completed
will be $4,000. The building committee
consists of Rev. r. G. Holland, Messrs
II. N. Deatrick, Geo. P. Walters, D. A.
Cline, and H. M. Couchman. The lecture
room will be ready to be occupied Dec.
list. The auditorium will be entered
early in the new year.
Incomplete though this sketch may be,
if preserved until the wear and tear of
time and the progress of the church make
further improvement necessary, it will
prove of great interest to the builders of
that day. In this connection, and for
the information of those who are to come
after, it is nothing more than right and
proper that we say few words express
siye of the part the pastor is taking in the
! good work. His well known modesty
forbids much, and even this little we are
aware will not meet with his approval.
Rev. R. G. Holland, present pastor of
st. John Lutheran Church, is jealous
laborer in the cause of religion, and a
worthy leader of every good work in his
congregation. Quiet and retired, he
faithfully performs his duties and is ever
ready to extend helping hand. In his
intercourse with his members and breth-
rem in religion, he has won their friend
ship and esteem and as citizen, the re-
spect of the people. He was born in
Augusta Co., Va; educated at Roanoke
College ordained by the Lutheran Synod
of Virginia in 1859 pastor of Madison
County, Va, the first seven years of his
ministry; served Shepherdstown three
years; connected with Roanoke College
three years, and being called to Martins
burg, w. Va, succeeded Rev. M. l.. Gull
Ter as pastor of st. Johns Lutheran
Church, Nov. 23d, 1881. The present
membership of the church is over 300.
and the Sunday school numbers over 275
scholars.
! The ELECTION RETURNS.