The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-12-05

this community. Anything which
affects the prosperity and welfare of the
Reformed church is of surprising in
terest to me.
THE first preaching of the gospel un-'
der the auspices of the Reformed church
denomination in this community was
by man who came here from Column
biana county to hold services in barn
north of the city, where Nimisilla park
now is. He was followed later by an
other minister who came irregularly in
to this community to preach the gos-
pei. After his death the Rev. Benjamin
Faust, grandfather of Messrs b. f. and
Cornelius Frost, of this city, became the
minister of the Reformed people and an
| organization of a congregation was
affected. When he died, a student un-
der him, the Rev. Peter Herbruck, now
my sainted father, began preaching in a
church that was built is this
city, which stood on the lot
where the First Presbyterian
church building now stands. 1t was a
very low and wooden structure, rather
| frail. A brick church was erected on
East Tuscarawas street where the
| German Lutheran church now stands.
There was a union of the Reformed and
Lutheran congregations. In that build
ing there was a high pulpit and gall
leries on the three sides; in fact it was
so high that the people who sat below
| had to have
RUBBER NECKS'
or a swivel" in their necks to be
| enabled to see the preacher while
| listening to a sermon. In the middle
there was a stove, which represented
the four zones, the torrid, a short tenn
| perate, and the two frigid zones. Around
| the stove it was torrid, a short distance
off 1t was temperate and in the corners
where the people generally sat, it was
frigid. And they had music, too, it was
so cold you could catch guitars (catar-
rhs), influenza and other musical in
struments. In 1860 they determined to
separate, and have a building each of
their own. The property was divided,
the Lutheran congregation obtaining
the corner, where there church building
now stands. or the east half, and the
Reformed congregation the west half.
In 1870 Trinity Reformed church was
first organized as an Offspring of the
German Reformed church. Three years
ago this congregation was organized
and after an arduous struggle they have
succeeded in erecting here this COM
Portable and cozy structure. You can
readily understand, as a Reformed
minister, with a Reformed pedigree
reaching back to 1870, why should be
particularly interested in this people
and these services. Every member
should
LOVE HIS CHURCH
every patriot his country, every
IL,
church. Not unlike the Englishman
and Frenchman who met. If I was
not Frenchman would like to be an
Englishman,' remarked the Frenchman.
Thanks" said the Englishman, If 1
were not an Englishman 1 would like
to be one" And if were not a member
of the Reformed church 1 would like to
be one; it suits my temperament and
mentality and fraternity to be in that |
church. I am cosmopolite, seeing |
something good in all other churches. |
I am Catholic, not Roman Catholic |
I do not know that st. Peter ever was
in Rome, but he was in bethlehem |
There's no doubt about that. My |
Catholicism comprises all the christians
in christiandom, and I believe that
there is now more genuine unity today
than ever in the history Of the world.
1t is not organic unity. That's not a
good thing. Through it people become
lazy and go asleep, like in the middle
ages. There is more fraternity and
harmony now in the history of the
christian church on earth than ever be-
fore. There is more fraternity among
the ministers of the gospel today than
at any time.
"If you come into this organization
YOU will find Brother Strassner extend
ng cordial welcome, it matters lot
Who you are. 7 10 not believe lie will
cast stone at tho denomination to
which you belong, CT out of which YOU
lave come. He will observe denomni-
rational courtesy and lines. ] don't
believe that because a church is locat-
ID in certain part of a city that the
minister has a right to visit all the
people in that part of the city who
ave denominational connections.
NOW he will observe the lines in his
york here, and he will welcome all who :
nay desire to come here. He is heartily
Welcome to any members of
TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH
Who reside in this part of the city. / Z
ant tell them to come here. But they
alton I am ready to give them their {
etters. 1 trust members of other d
hurches who are not regularly con- /
ected with other churches. that they
ill enter into this organization in
arrying on the Cody work to be done !
ere.
This neat and commodius structure
! an evidence Of his faithful and hard
york on his part and of his family.
wish to congratulate and commend
hem to all men. Trinity Reformed =
hurch has donated this organ here, and .
nancial contributions have been and
ill be made In the future, and I hope :
hat this Reformed church will be a
lorious success"
In responding, Rev. Strassner stated
nat all denominational lines and
ourtesy would be observed, but that
hrist would be placed as figure
/