Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-28

J grown Until now there are more than
eighty churches in the city. represent
ing all the principal denominations
and creeds. Among them are three
synagogues, a handsome cathedral
and numerous church buildings, rang
Ing in value from few hundred to
several hundred thousand dollars.
In addition are number of strong
and growing missions, a congregation
OF the Christian Science Church. which
is thinking Of building church home
Tor itself. and there are social centers
| and clubs of all kinds conducted in
| connection with the church organ
izations. There is also q Young Mems
Christian Association, housed in
modern building; q railroad Young
Mems Christian Association that has a
handsome home of its own and occu-
pies a large place in the community; a
Young Womens Christian Association
that will go into its new home this
year and Is planning a membership
campaign, and social work organ
| lzatlons for boys and girls in connec-
tion with the Cathedral and Episcopal
churches and many minor associations
| and affiliations of the kind.
Harrisburg has always been distin-
guished for its church activities. For
instance, so far as can be found, the
nrst sunday school of the world was
! held here. A writer some years ago,
a1tef careful research. set down the
racts OF this organization as follows:
About 1919 the children of the
| poor and Children of colored parents
were without means of obtaining an
education; there We're no public
schools and they could not, of course.
afford to attend the private schools
! flnally, school was opened SUNDAYS
| at which the rudiments of the three
RS were taught. The Bible served as
q textbook for reading and for SPELL
ing In those days. And it might be
wel to add, in passing, that in those
IN his class for spelling. separate with
three "e's" at least not through any
fault of the textbook.
| The attendance at these schools got
TO be quite an important factor in the
work of the churches and others in
terested in the education of the poor
folks and finally the question of
whether or not the Organization of a
regular Sunday school session were
| possible was raised
| Who could we get to come? was
| usually the answer. Or, where will we
| get the children?
Let the school be open to all the
children, was one answer; if no dis
JUNCTION as to color or circumstances
In life is made. there will be plenty of
children, was another answer.
| And so, on September 10, 1919, the
first Sunday school in the world was
begun"
Every denomination in the city
Lutheran, Presbyterian. Baptist, Meth
4 GAf Dllx II g..
Evangelical-has had a part in the
increase of number of new churches
| erected within the last decade. and the
Lutherans lead. Most of the churches
or that denomination to-day are Off
spring of old Zion Lutheran, which,
next to Paxton Presbyterian, at Pax
| tang, and the Reformed Salem Church.
Is the Oldest in the city. In the last
decade the Church of the Redeemer,
the Church of the Holy Communion
and st. Matthew's have been built.
The Presbyterians organized I'm
manuel Church while conducting a
very fiourishing mission at Bethany
| Chapel and the Episcopalians organ
| lzed st. Andrews. at the end of Mar
ket street, and st. Augustines. for col
ored folks, at Thirteenth and Herr
streets, and removed st. Paul's Church.
Forster and Sixth streets, to a brand
new structure at Seneca and Green
streets.
| The Baptists have not been behind.
Less than four years ago the Market
Street Baptist Church was organized
| on Allison Hill. The Church of Christ
had been formed within the past dec
| ade, while the United Brethren proved
oonclusively that they were not behind
the times by any means by forming
the Sixth Street United Brethren
Church.
Among the new churches erected in
the last ten years on old sites are the
| Derry Street United Brethren, Stevens
Memorial Methodist and st. Francis
| Roman Catholic Churches. The pres
ent buildings rose from the ruins of
structure which had been burned.
The Derry street edifice was In a par
tally completed state when 1t caught
| fire in some mysterious manner and
the nearly completed building was SO
badly damaged that practically a new
one had to be reared from the ruins.
Still others of recent construction are
the st. Johns Reformed, the Harris
and the Park Street United Evan
gelical, the Lutheran Churches OF the
Redeemer and Holy Communion.
| Augsburg Lutheran, st. Michaels Ger
man Lutheran. st. Mary's and Sacred
Heart Roman Catholic Churches.
Ridge Avenue Methodist and the
Fifth Street Methodist have been re-
modelled at costs OF thousands of dol
lars. and new parsonages that have