The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-02-24
For the Democratic Advocate.
Jubilee of st. Johns Evangelical
Lutheran Congregation.

Jubilee of st. Johns Evangelical
Lutheran Congregation.
On Sunday, February llth, 1894, the
above-named congregation celebrated its
semi-centenuial, the pastor giving the
following account Of its origin and history ::
THE ORIGIN OF THE CONGREGATION.
During the revival period of 1913 and
1874 Rev Philip Willard held divine SER
vices in the Abbott schoolhouse, = snort
distance northeast of the church, on the
road leading from Westminster to Hamp-
stead The result of these special services
was the nucleus of a Lutheran congrega-
ton. After faithfully instructing large
class of persons in the doctrines of the
Bible, as set forth in Luther's smaller cat
echsm, Rev. Mr.. Willard organized a con-
gregation with iifty-two members. The
day was fair, but cold, with two feet of
snow which had fallen the night before
Jacob Sharrer and some other young men
OF that day used drags to make paths for
the people to get TO the schoolhouse where
the first communion service was held after
the new congregation was organized, and
notwithstanding the community was
sparsely populated and the snow deep, the
house was well filled with devout worship
ers Forty-nine of the fiity-two members
were present and communed 1t was a
Joyous day TO the participants and from
this feeble beginning have gone out
"Streams of blessing which have made glad
Al. q INnI ~ D,,,,,,nn,t
those who formed the new organization We
find the names OF the Leisters, Sharrers,
Zimmermans, Houcks Zinkarns, Derrs,
Zepps, Weekys, Hoffmans, Schaeffers and
others.
THE CHURCH PROPERTY.
Daniel Leister and John Reese each
gave nearly an acre of land to the congre-
cation upon which to erect a church. The
site is one-half mile east of Brummel and
about FIVE miles northeast of Westminster,
Carroll county, Maryland. One year after
the organization was effected building
committee was appointed. Henry Lester,
Joseph Sharrer, Lutheran, and Henry
Keller, German Reformed, constituted the
committee. Henry Keller, the Reformed
member of the committee, desired to build
a Union church, but to this the Lutherans
would not agree. Mr.. Keller withdrew,
and Messrs. Lester and Sharrer proceeded
with the work and built St. Johns Evan
gelical Lutheran commonly called Leis-
ter's) Church 1t was a plain log struct
ure, s35 by 40 feet in dimensions, one story,
not painted, not plastered, nor ceiled. At
this date no information can be gathered
concerning the laying of the cornerstone
if there was such ceremony
THE DEDICATION OF THE CHURCH.
In the autumn of 1916 when the day
of dedication arrived the people assem-
bled from all parts around with hearts
filled with JOY and gladness because their
house of worship was finished.
Rev. Solomon Seminar, of precious
memory, the then popular pastor of the
Taneytown charge, preached the dedicatory
sermon to large and appreciative audi
ence, and the pastor in charge, Rev. +.
Willard, performed the impressive cere-
mony dedicating the church to the service
of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy
Ghost.
The congregation then became part of
the Westminster charge, which consisted
of six congregations. Rev. Philip Willard
served the congregation until 1916. He
was followed by Rev. Cornelius Reimen-
snyder, who served the congregation until
1850, and then Rev. John Winter was the
pastor until 1853 when Rev. Samuel
Henry took charge and served until 1889.
lie was followed by Rev. Jacob Martin,
who commenced his ministry in the charge
May, 1860. and continued until April,
1868
From the records nothing of special
interest can be CLEANED either in reference
10 church Improvement or work OF grace
during the ministry of the four above
named pastors.
May 24th, 1863, Rev. Ii. G. Holloway
became pastor The church, by this time,
was in diapidated condition. in Sep
tember and October Of the fall of 1854 The
church was weatherboarded, plastered, re-
rooted, painted aud refurnished. The pas
tor preached tire reopening sermon Nov. 6,
1864, from the text Psa. 2T:-l, a large
congregation having been present. Enough
money was raised TO pay all the indebted
ness. During Rev. Mr.. Holloway's minis
try, from 1868 to 1868, the membership
was largely increased
Rev. p. A. Strobe served the congre-
CATION from July, 1863, to 1859. Rev.
j. A. Earnest took charge January LIST,
1870. During his ministry the congre-
cation developed in vital piety, christian
activity, and benevolenee. In the year
1870 the Germans in the community found
Il home in ST. Johns Church in this man
ner The pastor agreed, with the consent
of the Church Council, to preach German
sermon once in six weeks for their benefit
On these conditions the German families
in the community generally united with
the church. Pastor Earnest had the
pleasure of instructing and confirming
many of the children of these German par
ents and felt well rewarded for the difficult
task of ininistering to them in the German
tongue. He continued to serve the con-
gregation until April, 1878
Rev. Fl. W. Kuhns, d. d., took charge
September LIST, 1873, and continued the
German preaching until 1880, when some
of the Germans became dissatisfied with
the service, &C., and Withdrawing, built
a church for themselves, one mile south of
st. Johns There was no German preach
ing after this time, but number of the
German families remained and they and
their descendants form part of the mem
bcrship 1T the present time. During Dr.
Kaha5s ministry the grounds about the
church were beautifed and shed built
for the pastors horse and buggy. The
yonng people secured an organ which