The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-04-06
AFTER MANY YEARS
Religious Services are Held I'm the Elrs
Presbyterian Church,

Religious Services Held I'm the First
Presbyterian Church.
After lapse of almost decade religious
services were again held in the First Pres
byterian church on Northampton street,
last Sunday morning and evening by Rev.
Allen, of Lafayette College, Easton, who
has accepted call to the pastorate. Ow-
ing to the bad weather the audiences were
not large at either services, though it was
pleasant to observe that what lacked in
numbers was made up in appreciation.
Services will be held at 1880 a. M, and
1880 p. M, next Sunday. At 900 in the
morning Sunday school will be organized
in the church basement.
Strenerous efforts will be made TO perfect
a thorough reorganization of the church.
A quarter of a century and five years
more have rolled away since the inception
of Presbyterianism into this town. 1t was
in the era of scrub oak desolation, and just
as Sunday was beginning to send its radiat-
ing influences oyer the Blue Mountains
that Rev. Hodge and Elder Smith, by di-
rection of the Luzerne Presbytery, met
Rev. j. Darroch, of the church at Wealth
erly, in school house here. where the first
sermon from John III, 3, was discoursed
to small audience by Rev. j. A. Hodge,
after which certificates were received from
membership on profession of faith, and on
this day. Dccem Der "a, 1859, the congrega-
tion by expressed desire was organized into
the church of Christ under the care of the
Gnaden Hutten Presbyterian church of
| Lehighton. Samuel Kennedy was elected
Ruling Elder and Rev. j. Darroch was to
preach once every Sabbath. The period
between 1860 and 1870 is without record to
our knowledge. further than the fact that
various missionaries held irregular services.
In 1872, on the 10Th day of February, Rev.
Earle, of Catasauoua, and Rev. Belville, OF
Mauch Chunk, met with the congregation
in the old school house on the corner of
Pine and Iron streets, at which time four
teen new members were baptised and re
ceived into the faith. Philip Miller, of
town, and Thomas Harleman, of Packer
ton, were appointed Ruling Elders. The
necessity of a suitable building for worship
inc purposes began to be felt with the in
creased membership, and a subscription
book was passed around to raise funds for
the erection of a building. The amount
thus collected, together with the money
left by the recluse of Gnaden Hutten,
Fredricka Misca, formed safe nucleus to
begin operations, and on Thursday, the
10th day of May, 1878, the corner stone of
the First Presbyterian church, on North
amp1on street, was laid with services APP
propriate to the dedicating of a temple of
worship to the mercy of Divine God. The
ceremonies were conducted by the pastor,
H. f. Mason, assisted by pastors of other
congregations. On Thursday, February
10, 1874, Rev. Mason, owing to some diff
Guilty rendered his resignation to take effect
June l. Services were held in the base
ment of the church building for the first
time on March 10Th, 1874, and tie first
communion was administered on Sunday,
April 9th. On Thursday, May 7th, the
church edifice entire was dedicated with
services appropriately fitting to the occa-
sion. The church experienced a measure
of prosperity for several years, but finally,
owing TO hard times, want of members
and divers causes, church services were
suspended. Church services on Sunday
March 81, 1889, note the reorganization
let US trust that from neneeforth its career
} in the service of Almighty God will be
truly successful one.