The Penn's Grove record., 1906-03-30
4 REDEDieATioN
P~edricktowh Baptists Will Hold Services
Sunday April Ist, In their
New Church.

New Church.
The members OF the Baptist Society a
Pedricktown have been working Tx
beavers for the past five menths on Tie
enlargement of their church which is now
completed and the dedjcatory services
will be held on next Sunday.
Prof. Milton G. Evans, d. d., dean OF
Grocer Theological Seminary, Chester, Ia
will preach in the morning at III O'CLOCK
Deacon Robert T. Seagraves, OF Salem
will address the Sunday School at 2 p. m
President John Howard Harris, OF Buck
nell University, Lewisburg, Pa, vii
preach at 7.30, after the close OF a song
service. Rev. Delavan De Wolf, CORES.
ponding secretary of the New Jersey Bap'
fist State convention, and Rev. A. f.
Douglass, of Vinaland, will be present
and take part in the services.
CHURCH HISTORY
Sometime in the year 1857 a few Ger
man Baptists who were united with the
First German Baptist Church, Philadel-
| phia, organized a mission branch at Ped
ricktown. For two years they worship
ed in private houses. principally i'll the
house of Mrs. G. Huber. In the summer
of 1859 a chapel 2Ox3O feet was built, and
in it they worshiped for thirty years,
Casper Schlag, acting as minister until
| 1887.
About this time a younger generation,
who understood English better, began to
agitate tile matter of having preaching in
the English language. A council OF the
Baptist Churches in South Jersey was
called and on March 81, 1888 a church
was organized.
Julius J.. Berger, a student at CrOZier
Seminary was called as pastor. The morn
ing sermon was preached in German and
the evening one in English. In the
summer of 1889 a new church was built
nearer Pedricktown, at a cost of $500 for
building and ground. 1t was 81 by go it.
with tower and bell and had a seating
capacity of about 250. The corner stone
was laid July Sth and the dedication was
on October % and "a, 1889.
THE NEW CHURCH
The rebuilt edifice consists OF an annex
to the former church 6 by "a feet on one
side of the old building for the pulpit,
baptistry and dressing Don An annex
"a by 80 feet has been added to the other
side for the primary department of the
Sunday School and prayer meeting, which
can be opened by a rolling door twelve
feet high into the main audience room.
A tower II by II feet has been built 80
feet high, in which is a new 54-inch bell.
The seating capacity will be about 500,
every one of whom can be seen by the
speaker, altho all cannot see each other.
The windows are all memorial of very fine
quality The heating is with an up-to-
date steam plant. The seats are of quar-
ter oak i'll a complete circle. The lights
are improved blue flame gasoline lamps.
The floor is covered all over with brussel
carpet. The cost will be about $4,000.
In 1892 a parsonage was built at a cost
of $500.
The Church was organized in 1888 with
81 members. Rev. J j. Berger contin-
ued as preacher until Jan. 81, 1890. The
membership was SO. Rev. J. c.. Stump
supplied until April 1890, when he be-
came pastor. He preached until May 81,
1898, and resigned because of failing
health. Under his faithful ministry the
membership increased to 81.
Mr.. Stump continued to occupy the
parsonage until his death on January 2,
1899, also his widow until her death Nov.
Z, 1900. Thus a very happy Christian
home was broken up. Their two orphan
children now live with Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank j. Gaventa.
The Church was without a regular pas
tor until September l, 1898, when Rev.
John Warren Davis accepted a call. He
is still pastor and his grand good work
has increased the membership to 1872.
The Sunday School has 172 scholars on
roll and II teachers.
CHURCH OFFICIALS.
Pastor, j. Warren Davis.
Deacons, John Hertz, ST., Jacob Hees,
William Huber, John Hertz, Jr., Peter
strimple, George Gaventa. Clerk, Frank
J.. Gaventa; assistant, Carrie Strimple.
Trustees, Norman Layman, John Hertz,
Jr., James Harrington, Lawrence S. HUI
Der, George Richards.
Sunday School Superintendent, Frank
j. Gaventa; assistant William Richmond;
Primary Supt., Mrs. F. J. Gaventa; Sec
rotary, Aquilla England; Treasurer,
James Harrington.