Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1905-11-10
MORTGAGE BURNED
At Church

u.
After an appropriate sermon BY the
pastor, Rev. e. B. Dunn, from the
text, 1st Samuel. TIA, "Hitherto hath
the Lord helped U.S." the Trustees of
the church, standing in the altar hold
ing the platter. the pastor set fire to a
mortgage that had for years encumb.
cred the congregation, and as the
flames asconded, the assem- blage sang
with zeal, "Praise God from Whom
all blessings flow."
Then in a few brief and we'll chosen
remarks the pastor declared the Unit
ed Evangelical church, of Danville,
free from debt.
A brief synopsis of the church in
Danville will be of interest to many
readers.
The ministers of the Evangelical As
sociation of North America. for mum
Der of years preached In the vicinity
of Danville, and at certain times had
regular appointments in the town ;they
were however discontinued. until the
year 1867, when Dauville was taken
up as mission and Rev. H. A. Stoke
was stationed here as pastor In charge.
He labored here for two years, during
which time a splendid revival was
held, class or society was formed,
and subscription circulated to se-
cure funds to build a church. The
building however was delayed, and
many of the class wandered away and
united with other churches. In the
spring of 1859 Rev. W. H. Davis, was
stationed here as pastor; he immedi-
ately set about building the church,
and was successful. the church being
dedicated to the worship of God the
same year, 1869. The building, however
was heavily encumbersd with debt
for many years.
Up to this time no regular Quarter
ly Conference had been established for
reasons not necessary to mention here
at this time, however,a regular Quart.
erly Conference was held by the Pre-.
siding Elder of the District. In the
spring of 1870 Rev. W. II. Davis was
returned as pastor and during that
year perfected the organization and
the regular Quarterly Conferences
have been held quarterly ever since.
Gradually the debt was wiped out. and
for several years the charge was self
supporting.
In March 1888, Rev. H. A. Stoke
was reappointed pastor, AMI in April
1889 movement was started to build
parsonage. The effort was success
ful aud the parsonage was built. This
again encountered the congregation
with debt. from which it was not free
until last evening. 1t is more than
probable the debt would have been
paid long ago but for the fact, that in
1894 there came division in the en-.
tire church both in this aud other
countries. the two factions at the time
we're known as the Esher and Dubs
factions. The supreme court of this
state in deciding property rights be-
tween the two factions, gave all the
property to the Esher Faction. but de-
clared in the same decision, that the
"Dubs faction was morally in the
right" and placed the cost of proceed
ings on Esher. Congregations as re-
suit, here as everywhere else, found
it necessary to repurohsse the property
which they had once built and paid
for. Many became discouraged aud for
years nothing was done toward wip.
ing out the old debt. Since the divis-
ion, the church is no longer known as
the Evangelical Association of North
America, but as the United Evangelic.
al Church, and is now an incorporat-
ed body.
The pastors that have served the
Danville congregation since its origin
in 1857. are as follows: Revs. II. A.
Stoke, H. W. Davis, W. E. Detwiler,
II. W. Buck P. s. Orwig,P. W. Raida
baugh,J. M. Brader, A. s. Baumgard-
| ner, II. A. Stoke, (seoond term j. H.
Dunlap,S, s. Mumey,J. g, Whitmire,
J. f. Hover and e. B. Dunn, the pres
ent pastor.
Rev. J. +. Hover during his past
crate did most excellent work. and
succeeded in cancelling 1876 of the
! old debt. Rev. Dunn succeeded him
in the spring of 1909, when there still
remained $50 900 ON the old debt.
which amount has now been paid in
full and the property valued at 81. 500,
is uninoumb bered.
Notwithstanding the many draw
backs and struggles of this little con-
gregation. it has prospered, aud its
prosperity has been shared by nearly
all the chrohes of the community, as
in nearly all the congregations are
those who came through this mission.
The congregation now numbers
about l50 mem bers, aud while they re-
joice IN the fact that they are free
from the burden of the old debt, they
feel that they need a new. larger and
more modern church built in better
location, and they are hoping that in
the near future they will see their
needs fulfilled. Their untiring, un-
tied zeal and faith. their determined
courage. will surely crown their eff.
forts with success and give them in a
few more years better place worship.