Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-06-02

'NH't hN'HE tIb lllHI HIUllC CIIltFIlDD
taken for that purpose The bendictiun
was pronounced by the Rev. Mr.. Henry,
Next Sunday the 10th anniversary
OF tina conservation of the church will
BIO celebrated.
The cornerstone Of Old Sweies Church
was laid on Saturday, May 2Sth. 1858,
and here Ia tho account given by the
pastor, the Rev. Eric Bjork. in his
comprehensive diary: $50 in ono way
or another. through Gods grace and
blessing, all was got together, and tho
iirst foundation stone was laid with my
assistance twhen hy happy circum-
stance, Mr.. kaufman, MIR. Aureen aud
Capt. Lasse Cock we're down. on the
2Sth of May 1898, a Saturday, On ths
north corner of the cast gahIe, which
foundation wall ia the deepest down
though not Just there the cornerstone
stands as IL seemed too much out of
the ground.
Tho foundation was laid all around
nbout one foot deep except piece 10
the south wall, ami for here and there a
Riave-and some stumpe and not much
more was done that day
EARLY HISTORY OF THE PARISH.
Tho history of the parish higgins at
an ehrlier daie than thut, however, as
Is pointed out by DR.. Horace Burr in
bis sketch Of the old church 10 Scharf's
History Of Delaware. IL was in lG3S
that Potter Minuit built a fort on the
north side OF MinquHa Creek, at place
call led by the Indians. llopokshacking,
aud named it Christina, nrtor the
Queen OF Sweden, and mere it WAS that
tim Raw Raarpe 'Nanly; i
services for several years. Their church
yard or cemetery was on hillside in
the rear OF the present Old Swedes. In
1867, the services we're transferred to
a timber church at Crane Hook, near
the old Alrich housa. Among the sue
cessors OF the Rev. MIR. Torkillus az tho
pastor of the Swedish peopls 10 this
vicinity were the Revs. John Cam
panius, Isrnel lIolgh, Lawrence Charles.
Mr. Peter, Mr.. LOkenius and Jacob
FHbriciua. From about 1903, Charles
christopher Springer, a young Sweds
OF good education, conducted the ser
vicea for few years. Springer and
others sent request to Sweden for twn
priests and religious works. As re.
suit of this petition Eric Bjork, A ndrew
Rudman and Jonas A ureen, all ordained
men, were Hent TO this country. arriving
in Philadelphia about July I'd, 1857.
Mr.. Rudman took charge of the church
at Wicacoe, and Mr.. Bjurk took up his
residence in Christina, conducting his
first service in Crane Hook Church on
July 18th. The charge of Mr.. Bjork
embraced the settlement on both sides
of the Delaware River, from what is
now Chester to st. Georges on the vast
side; and from Raccoon Creek (Swedes.
bury to Pumpkin Hook fI'enn's Neck)
on the east side. JoGaH Auroen, who
did not prove very reliable. was his
assistant.
Biork not only instructed the Swedes
in their religious duties, hut also
preached TO the English in their own
language and acted as q pastor to them.
The people ut Christina soon desired
a church ediiice Of their own, so that
they would not be required to 90 all
the way to Crane Hook to attend SER
vices. and on July Both, 1857, Charles
Springer, John Nummerson, Hans
Pietterson. Hendrick Juarsson and
Brewer Sinnike for the west side, and
Ole Stoby, Staffan Jurausson, Jacob
Van de Yer and Ole Frausson, for the
east side OF the Delaware. discussed
the selection of site for a new
church. IL was finally agreed to build
the church at Christina. One OF tue
provisions was that the people on this
side the Delaware should furnish n
canoe for those from the other side who
came by way OF SandhOok, in order that
they might crubs Christiana Creek
without having to pay for ferrying.
BUILDING THE CHURCH
Hans Peterson took upon himself to
superintend the building of ths new
church. II was at first decided TO make
the structure 40 feet long, 30 feet wine
and IL feet high, the height, however,
being subject to change in order to
make it accord with the othor dimen.
sioHs, but the contract, made with
Joseph Richardson, q mason of Upland,
to build the walls, called for length
of so feet and height OF 10 feet. When
they came to fix the site Of the editice,
John Stalcop, church warden, gave some
land adjoining what they already pos
sassed, in order TO enable the locating
of the church on higher ground.
Richardson broke his contract, with
out any cause on our part" writes
Bi0rk, and the work was given to
Joseph Yard OF Philadelphia. The
pastor wished the dimensions OF the
church Increased and carried his point,
Yards contract calling for length of
66 feet, Il breadth of 36 feet. and a
height OF 90 feet. For this work no
was to receive esq, and the church
people were TO find ye said Joseph
and his Assistants during ye tins OF
We said work, with sufficient Meat,
Drink. Washing and Lodging, with
sufficient Labourers for him and his AS
aiatanoa mud In find all naoaoanry
Material fit for We work, and the said
Joseph not to be hindered for Materials
or LaboureIs or Carpenters work. +"
The carpenter work was done by John
Smart and John Britt both of Phila-
delphia, their cuntraut price being el30
Of current silver money.
Yard completed his contract On the
walls August 18th, 1865. About that
time it was decided TO have guble ends,
and Yard was engaged to do the stune
work on them, as we'll as to plaster the
interior OF the structure and lay the
floor of Htono and brick, for f45. Smart
was somewhat delayed in his contract
and let part of ii to John Harrison.
Pastor Biork gives interesting details
OF the progress Of the building, de-
scrbing the inscriptions on the four
sides Of the edifice. the letters being
made of iron lie decided to have the
conservation services on Trinity Sunday,
1909, and to name the church Holy
Trinity, intending as he says, 1.-THE
name of the church TO Ie a perpetual
humble offering to the greut Iriune
God and o hearty anu sincere thanks
giving for the unspeakabls grace which
lie through me 60 humble and in so
lid n 1nunfpN n IN uhorf tip,a mud