Milford chronicle., 1933-11-17
ST. JOHNSTOWN
st. JOhnstown Church
(Near Greenwood)

rev. hODeFI Green, pastor, VII
son c. Hatfield, superintendent Sun
day school.
Sunday, November 1872 D. m. Sun
day school; p. m, special program
by junior class under direction o.
the teacher, Mrs. Rhea Tatman.
A large number of people were
present at the Harvest Home Coming
services last Sunday. The follow.
ing visitors were present: Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles B. Porter of Milton
former State Senator Charles M
Hollis and Hr. and Mrs. Charles F.
Cannon of Seaford; Mr.. and Mrs
Linwood C. Penuel of Georgetown;
Mr.. aud Mrs. Charles T. Gray and
Mr.. and Mrs. Edwin Wiley OF
Bridgeville; Mr.. and Mrs. Donald
Peet and Mrs. Bertha Peet of Mil
ford; Mr.. and Mrs. d. H. Coverdale
of Bowers; Mrs. Fred G. Clifton and
Miss Nellie Cahall Clifton of Lewes;
Mr.. and Mrs. Edgar English and
family, Mr.. and Mrs. Dorsey F. Hud-
son, Mr. and Mrs. H. f. Speicher,
Mr.. and Mrs. Norman Lofiand, Mr..
, C. ii. Collision and S. l.. Richards of
Greenwood.
The special program for the oc-
casion consisted of the following:
Historical sketch of st. Johnstown
Church and community, by Mrs.
George r. Wiley; cornet solo by
Sewell McIlvaine, Jr.; vocal solo by
Catherine Stayton; special music by
Young Peoples Choir under the di-
rection of Miss Leila Tatman; re-
marks by Rev. Robert Green, and a
very inspiring sermon by Rev. L. w.
Layfield former pastor at st. Johns
town 25 years ago. Rev. Layfield,
who is S5 years of age and very ac-
tive, is always welcome at our
church. Everyone surely enjoyed
his splendid sermon.
Several cans of fruit were donated
by the people of the community.
This fruit will be given to the Meth
odist Hospital. All those who did
not receive empty cans in return for
those that contained fruit can Sc
cure them next Sunday at the
church. Special thanks is extended
to everyone who gave fruit for the
hospital and contributed money to
aid in our local missionary work of
securing u way for those who do
not have a means of transportation
to church.
The. intermediate and senior
classes of the Sunday school under
the directiO nof the Misses Leila and
Hazel Tatman are TO be congratu-
lated for the beautiful decoration of
the church for the occasion and the
splendid program which they ar
ranged
Mrs. Charles F. Cannon of Sea-
ford, who was a visitor at our
church last Sunday and a former
resident of our community walked
three miles to st. Johnstown each
With our modern means of
everyone should at
tend church every Sunday. Give
the Lord at least an hour or two of
your time each Sunday out of the
16S hours each week or approx /
mately one per cent of your time.
History of 1T. JOhnstOwn
Following is a historical sketch of
the st. Johnstown Church and com
as presented by Mrs. George |
R. Wiley, church historian, last
There were few towns, of any. inn
portance in Delaware in the mid
die of the Eighteenth Century. st.
Johnstown, which is shown on all of |
The ancient maps of the county, is |
4 very old settlement and antedates |
he Revolution. 1t was on the old |
State line leading s0uth-westerly |
through the county, and at one time |
supported the usual country tavern
md several stores. 1t was an i'm
)ortant center for a large, scattered
inland population, both in business
md social life, as is shown by the
of a school prior to
ZIG and the founding of an Episco-
,al Church at the close of the Rev
,lution. 1t continued as the main
own or village of the hundred until
he building of the Delaware Rail-
Dad and the establishment of rail-
Dad station at Greenwood, little
ess than a mile away.
The first Methodist Church of
Janticoke hundred grew out of a
tIltS. VI UlCCLAABb iiCAu Ut bhS |
( William Laws, near st. Johns
own, under the inspiring preaching
f Francis Asbury in 1873. A church
uilding was erected at st. Johns
own about 1856, and a church of
he Methodist denomination has been
Maintained at that place through all
ne intervening years.
In May, 1873 great work COM
lenced in the region of st. Johns
lwn on the occasion of the death
+ q young man whose name was
ohm Laws. In his sickness he was
Iade acquainted with the nature of
'ue religion, and his experience and
,stimony wrought powerfully on !
is family and neighbors, who had !
ever heard from a dying man such !
lrning words of victory, or seen
ich triumph over death as he ex-
bited. Many were influenced by :
IS exhortations to reform their
yes and seek the Lord. Mr.. AS
Try had visited him in his sickness
nd had been instrumental in his
inversion to God and preached his ,
neral to about thousand people. :
In Asburf's' Journal we find the x
flowing letters: IL
March II. 1851 rode to st.