Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-05-27
PINE ST. CHURCH
CELEBRATES GOTH
ANNIVERSARY
First Worshiping Place of the
Congregation Was Jail
Loft, a Century Ago

Appropriate ceremonies yesterday
morning marked the celebration of
the sixtieth anniversary of the Pine
Street Presbyterian Church. In a
remarkable sermon, rich in histori-
cal value, DIR. Lewis s. Nudge re-
viewed the history of Presbyterian
ism in Harrisburg, telling of It's
struggles through the early pioneer
days and OF the subsequent success
growing the efforts of the leaders
of the church.
Dr. Nudge declared that Pine
Street Presbyterian Church has
grown and grown, acquiring such
great possessions that 1t has been
necessary to divide it into three
companies. The church has three
centers, the main church, the Girls
building and the Boyd Memorial
building. Surely we who are the
successors of those who started
forth with only staff in hand. should
take as our own the words of the
patriarch of old.
Pioneer Presbyterians worshiped
in the Paxton Church under the pas
torate of the Rev. John Elder. Har-
risburg members of the church pre-
sented, in 1885, a petition for place
VI WOTSlllD Ol luSlT OWUt " p1lS Sdi-
Isle Presbytery. In the petition they
asked that supplies be appointed.
The Rev. Mr.. Elder. who had hith-
erto regarded preaching in the town
by other ministers as interference
with his work, also presented his
side of the case. The Presbytery.
through a committee, succeeded in
reaching an agreement, to the effect
that the Presbyterian should have
two places of worship, one in Pax
ton and the other in Harrisburg, and
that when the Harrisburg cohgrega-
ton was able, it should choose a
Presbyterian minister as co-pastor
with the Rev. Mr.. Elder, According
to the facts presented by DR.. Nudge
in his sermon, the Rev. Mr.. Elder
was the first Presbyterian minister in
Harrisburg, though church distinct
from the Paxton Church was not
organized until after his death,
which occurred in 1872.
Worshiped in Jail Loft
In 1898. the Rev. Nathaniel r.
Snowden received through the Car
isle Presbytery. a call from the con-
gregation of Harrisburg, Paxton and
Derry. Afterward the pastoral re-
lations between him and the Paxton
and Derry congregations were dis
solved. and he became pastor of the
Harrisburg congregation which wor-
SHIPPED in the loft of the Jail and the
second story of the courthouse. The
first church built was formally dedi-
Gated in 1909. The Rev. Mr.. Snow
den was succeeded by the Rev.
James Buchanan, and in 1919 the
latter was succeeded by the Rev,
William r. Dewitt, who continued
as pastor until his death in 1867. In
1854 DIR. Thomas II. Robinson was
elected as associate pastor and re-
mained with the congregation until
1884.
In 1858 the Presbyterian Church
of Harrisburg, the corporate title of
the Pine Street Presbyterian Church,
was organized. Certificates of dis
mission from various churches were
presented by fifty members who unit
ed with the new church. Ruling Ell
ders were appointed and installed.
A Sunday school was organized and
in 1859 the church was incorporat-
ed by an act of Legislature. The
original trustees were James Nc
Cormick, A. B. Warford, Charles C.
Rawn, E. M. Pollock. A. Boyd Ham
ilton, James Casey and j. Donald
Cameron. The congregation wor-
shipped in the lecture room of the
German Reformed Church. the lee
ture room of the Baptist Church. the
halls of the Senate and House of
Representatives, and the cornerstone
of the church sedifice was laid May
12, 1859. Pastors of the church were
the Rev. William c. Cattell, the Rev.
s. S. Mitchell, the Rev. A. K. Strong,
the Rev. John r. Paxton. the Rev.
George S. Chambers and the Rev. L.
S. Nudge.
The Woman's Foreign Missionary
Society was organized in 1876. The
various other organizations connect
ed with the church were brought
into action and the James McCor-
mick Bible Glass. which has the
unique distinction of being two years
older than the church. was organ
lied in 1856. The John Y, Boyd
Memorial building was dedicated for
the use of men and boys in 1916. and
the Women and Girls building was
opened in October, 1917.
The present enrolment of the
church is 1926 members. Contri-
buttons toward all causes in the
past sixty years have been $1,512,-
SS5. The net gain in membership
during the past ten years has been
almost ninety per cent. In 1908
the mem bership was S75. A Division
Street and Bethany Street Chapel
have been opened under the wing of
the church, and all affairs are now
in flourishing condition.