55lT If mlwtt VOL 20. tt nrw siimm pa prttuv ittniw iq imoi NO. 24 There will Iw o V.ct;....i : , c. t j m uie grove at St. James church on the afternoon and evening of Saturday June 13. Mr. Orlando Hess of Benton has been spending a few wecks in West Virginia. He returned home Mon day. J. L. Moyer's brick house has been raised fourteen inches from the foun dation. The work was done by Ten kins of Plainfield N. J. - John Jones (colored) another one of the party who assaulted the Andy girl at Danville, was brought to Blooms burg and lodged in jail last week. The trial of Kllis Young, who is ac cused of the murder of Lieutenant Robinson, is set down for trial in Lu zerne County on Monday June 22. The members of the Reformed church will hold a large festival in the basement of their church and lawn. Friday and Saturday evenings, June 10th and 20th. All who have heard . the "Cradle Songs of Many Nations" are delighted with them. lie sure and hear them on the evening of June 25th, by the Young People's Guild in Miss Arm strong's school room. Admission 35 cts. Rev. Lenker, Western Secretary of Church Extension, of the General Synod of the Lutheran church filled Rev. P. A. Heilman's pulpit last Sun day morning. I le gave a brief report of the work he is doing in the far west. The Methodists of the several schools on Jersey-town charge will hold a Sunday School Convention at Eyers Grove on Saturday, 6th. First ses sion begins at a p. m. and second at 7:30 p. m. All Sunday school work ers are cordially invited to be present and help make the work a success. The Episcopal Church never looked more beautiful than on the occasion of the Duy Kester wedding last week Thursday evening. The chancel was filled with white and green decorations being placed there by the young ladies of the church without the knowledge of the bridal party. Mrs. M. E. Ent will have placed in front of her building on Main street in a few days, some beautiful Ohio sand stone. The stone are now along the railroad, and being dressed by T. L. Gunton, prepatory to laying them. It will be as fine a pavement as any in town. The Boyer tax bill has been signed . by the Governor and has now became & law. If its provisions are carried out the amount appropriated for pub lic schools will be increased from $2, 000,000 to $5,000,000. Bloomsburg School District will therefore get a bout $ 4,000. With this income we should have nine months of school each year. The Senior class of the Normat School numbering 8a being the largest in the history of the school passed a very successful examination before the faculty last week. There was more uniformity in their work than has been in any of its precdscessor. The junior class numbering 106 also passed their final examinations and have been admitted as seniors for the next year. One of the laws passed by the re cent legislature is that of Saturday half holiday, between June 15U1 and September 15th. The banks will prob ably be the only parties that will avail themselves of the law. Notes falling due on Saturday must be paid before noon, as banks will not be obliged to keep open until three o'clock, as upon other days. The State Examining Committee, consisting of Superintendent Waller, Dr. E. O. Lyte of Millersville, Supt. Harpel of Shamokin and Supt. John son of Columbia, finished their exami nation of the seniors Wednesday even ing. No announcement has yet been made of the result. The entire Com mittee went to Harrisburg Wednesday evening where the examination papers will all be examined. The services at the Lutheran church last Sunday evening were in charge of Woman's Home and Foreign Mis sionary Society. Mrs. Grant Herring gave a lengthy report of her recent visit as delegate to the General Convention at Canton, Ohio. The report was listened to with much pleasure and profit. The secretary and treasurer gave their'reports which showed the society in excellent condition, The exercises were concluded with an address from Mrs P. A. Heilman upon the work done in the far west as she observed it, while in that section. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. ITS LOCAL HISTOEY. THE NEW CHURCH. FAREWELL SERVICE AT THE OLD CHURCH. On Sunday last the Presbyterian Congregation of Bloomsburg met in their old church building for their last regular service. Forty three years ago, in September 1 84S it was dedicated, and divine service has been maintain ed within it until the present time. Though to day, seemingly antiquated and contracted, it was, when erected regarded as very handsome and con venient. The plan was furnished by M. L. Brun of Philadelphia an archit ect of note in his day, and built at a cost of over $3000. The lowering of the grade of the street in front, has unduly elevated it, so that the steps, then graceful, and surmounted by an imposing pillared portico, now appear disproportioned. Indeed the church when built was as far in advance of any other in the vicinity, as is now the new one. It was the pride of the pas tor through whose unwearied efforts and sacrifices it Vas erected, and the cherished Sanctuary of the worshippers. Hallowed memories cluster around it, as the mind pictures the congrega tion which so gladly entered and wor shiped within its walls. It was to many, both God's earthly Court and the gate way to Heaven. Forty three years have removed most of the fathers and mothers of that day, and their children, now the fathers and mothers occupy their places in the new Sanct uary. The building has become too small for the congregation, for which the new one will furnish increased ac commodation. This thought was suggested in the text from which the sermon preached on last Sunday morn ing. It was found in Isaiah 49:20, and pictured a scene in the experience of the church in the piophesied gospel dispensation. "The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shalt say again in thine ears, the place is too strait for me: give place to me, that I may dwell." There is something deeply impres sive in the closing services of an old church. If the song of "The Old Oaken Bucket," touches the heart of scattered grown-up children with re miniscences of childhood scenes and lost loved ones, no less do the children of the church associate golden experi ences of divine goodness and mercy with the hallowed old walls. How many were there dedicated to God in baptism and afterwards publicly pro fessed their faith in Christ ? How baptismal scenes, marriage ceremonies and funeral obsequies mingle their as sociations with the sacred spot! How many of those who there joined in cel ebrating the Sacramental Supper, have since taken their places at the marriage Supper of the Lamb 1 Having seen the power and glory of God, in the veiled Shekinah of the earthly sanct uary, they have been admitted into his immediate presence to behold the unveiled glory of the King in his beauty. The exercises of last Sunday night partook somewhat of the character of a Memoral Service. Dr. Waller, under whose pastorate it was erected, who preached in it during the remainder of his active ministry, ami wuu nu uiw worshiped in it as a member of the congregation, gave an address, in which he told of the church's early his tory. As he told of the old church building on Third street superseded by this one, of the members who then encouraged and aided in the work, some of whose names are only a mem ory, and of others stil) represented in their children, the congregation realiz ed more fully, that though God re moves the workers the work goes on. "The fathers where are they? and the prophets do they live forever." Many tear dimmed eyes told how pleasure and pain mingled together in bidding farewell to the "Old Sanct uary." As a brief historical sketch will not be out of place at this time, we print the following from the "History of Columbia County. "The Presbyterian element of the population of Bloomsburg and vicinity was originally connected with the old Fishingcreek church, the organization of which is still sustained in Centre township. This church is mentioned in 1789 in the records of Carlisle Pres bytery. Reverends Henry, Bryson, Porter, Judd, Condit, Andrews and Gray, were successively sent to mis sionate in the valley Of the Susquehan na, and undoubtedly numbered among their hearers, at the Fishing creek church, the McClures, Kinneys, Sloans, Pursels, and others, who afterward formed the membership of the Blooms burg church. Reverend Asa Dunham, a native of Middlesex county, N. J., and a revolutionary soldier, became a resi dent of the Fishing creek valley in 1798, and preached in the barn of Elias Furman, between Bloomsburg and Espy. The fact that public worship was thus held in tlfe vicinity of the incipient village of Bloomsburg, and also at the Briarcreek church, would seem to indicate an increasing number of Preshytcrians at the former place. Their religious privileges were conven ient only through the courtesy of the German people or the Episcopalians, while their growing numbers empha sized the importance of a separate or ganization, and the building of a house of worship for their own use. Accord ingly the Presbyterian church of Bloomsburg was organized in 1817, with James McClure, Paul Leidy and Peter Pursel, as elders. The congre gation united with the Briarcreek and Shamokin churches, in extending a call to the Reverend Samuel Henderson, whose services should be divided equal ly among them. This call was made December 6. 18 1 7, but the Blooms burg organization had already taken measures to provide their quota for his support. His energy was further mani fested in the purchase of a lot at the west end of Third street for a ceme tery and building site. It was decid ed that the church building should be two stories high, with galleries on th' ee sides, and that its dimensions should be thirty-six and forty feet. After the foundation had been laid, a contro versy arose as to whether the entrance should be from the rear, agreeably to the custom of the neighborhood, or from that end of the building next the street. The more modern ideas pre vailed, although a change was requir ed in the work already done. While this structure was in course of erection the trustees united in an agreement wi'.n the officers of the Episcopal church for the use of their church building. An instance in which the announcements of the two clergymen conflicted has thus been described : "When a communion service had been appointed, and the Rev. J. B. Patterson had been published to preach on Saturday preceding, the Rev. Caleb Hopkins, the founder anii rector of the church, wrote a note to Mr. Henderson, announcing that he wished to occupy the pulpit on that afternoon. The notice reached Mr. Henderson, on his coming to town, to meet his congregation, who were already Catherine. Findine Mr. Hod- kins in the little pulpit, which would hold but one, he ascended the steps and asked permission to publish a notice, which being courteously grant ed, he announced that those who wish ed to hear the Rev. Mr. Patterson, would repair to the German church on the hill. The whole congregation left. As the last were passing out Mr. Hopkins said, depressingly, 'Well, if ye will go, ye may.' " Mr. Henderson continued to preach at Bloomsburg until 1824, when he was succeeded by the Reverend John Niblock. Reverends James Lewers, Crosby, Mathew B. Patterson, Robert Bryson, and Irvin succes sively assumed the pastorate, but found no encouragement to remain any length of time. The Reverend John P. Hudson's connection with the Bloomsburg congregation began in December, 1832, when he became stated supply, and subsequently regu lar pastor, until his resignation in 1838. '1 he vacancy that ensued was tempor- arly supplied by Reverends Tobey and Daniel M. Barber, but the latter had established a flourishing boarding school for young ladies at Wjshinton- ville and declined to relinunish it al though importune! to do so. .-' t the instance of Reverend 1. M. Halliday, of Danville, I). J. Waller, a licentiate of New Castle Presbytery, had preach ed once in Bloomsburg, in the summer of 1837; he wait now invited to make his residence in town, and take charge of a pastorate embracing the whole of Columbia county, with several preach ing points beyond its limits, lhe call was tendered and accepted in the aut umn of 1838, and May 1, 1839, the pastor was ordained and installed. The pastoral relations thus established con tinued through thirty-three years. What was then included in one pastor ate has now been formed into five or six. Mr. Waller's reminiscences would fill a volume. His house was the re cognized stopping place for traveling clergymen, book agents, agents of be nevolent societies, and other travelers of a miscellaneous character. He re lates that that hospitality attained such proportions that occasionally more guests and conveyances left his house in the morning than left the hotel ; and when the village landlord erected a new sign-board in hopes of thus em phasizing his claims upon the traveling public, some wags procured the old one and elevated it in a conspicuous place before the pastor's dwelling. Upon the removal ot the seat ot justice to Bloomsburg in 1845, tne future prospects of the town were sup posed to be improved to such an ex tent as to require the erection ot a new church building. The question of location was one of importance, and the different views entertained were widely different, and, unfortunately, equally pronounced. That the ener gies of the congregation might be con centrated on the erection of the church and thus diverted from the considera tion of this delicate subject, the pastor secured financial aid from mends abroad and purchased the lot on Market street which is the present location of the clfurch edifice. The plans for its erection were prepared by Napoleon Le Brun. Its cost was about three thousand dollars. The last sermon in the Third street church building was delivered on the last Sab bath of August, 1848. lhe new structure was dedicated on the follow ing Wednesday, on which occasion the pastor was assisted by the Reverend W. R. Smith. Mr. Waller tendered his resignation in 1871 ; it was accepted and the re lation terminated by the Presbytery. After an interval of one year, the Reverend Stuart Mitchell, D. D., was installed as his successor, October 17, 1872. A parsonage was erected in 1880 on the lot formerly occupied by the old church. Dr. Mitchell resigned in 18S8 and Rev. I. M. Patterson was chosen pastor, and is still in charge. THE NEW CHURCH. The new church, of which the cut on this page gives an idea as to out line, cost complete $55,000. It is built of Hummelstown brown stone, and its dimensions are 76 feet wide and 84 feet long. The spire is of slate and is 130 feet high. The first floor is divided into several parts, lhe church proper is finished and furnished in antique oak, and handsomely fres coed. The ceiling at the highest point is 55 feet. There are two entrances; one from the street and one from the norte cochere. At the south end of the room are two fireplaces. The floor is covered with Brussels carpet. The chandeliers are large aud handsome, and they are arranged for both gas and electric light. I he organ is a hne in strument, located over the pulpit. It is operated by water power, and has twenty-two stops, as fol'ows : On the great organ are the trumpet, Fifteenth, Twelfth. Octave, Bourdon Bass, iiour don Treble, Melodia, Dulciana, and Open Diapason. On the swell organ are the Harmonica, Flute, Open Diap ason, Stop Diapason, Viola, Violina, Oboe, Bassoon, Tremolo, Bourdon pedal, Open Diapson pedal. The me chanical stops are the swell to pedal, great to pedal, and swell to great. Miss Maude Runyan is the organist. On the first floor are also the Ladies' Parlor, lecture Room, and Pastor's Study. Above these is the Sunday School room. In the basement is a kitchen with a dumb waiter to second floor. The windows are all of stained glass. The large window in the south, end represents Jesus and his two disciples, with these words underneath, "Jesus Himself drew near and went with them-" Below is this inscription," To the Glory of God and in memory of William and Elizabeth McKelvey." The first window at the left of the pul pit contains the names of all the Elders of the church from its organization up to the present time. The second window contains the names of William and Betsy Robinson ; the third was contributed by Mrs. V. Neal's Young Men's Bible class and the fourth is in memory of Mrs. Miner va H Mover, put in by her sons. At the right, the first window con tains the names of all the ministers and pastors of the church ; the second contains the names of Robert and Sarah Cathrart, the third is in memory of John and Mary Brugler, and the fourth has no name on it. The large window on the east side in the pastor's study has the following names on it : Mrs. Margaret Melick, Mrs Susan McClure, Mrs. Hannah Armstrong, Mrs. Rebecca I lower, Miss R. A. Rupert, Miss Harriet Ru pert, Mrs. Mary A. Ramsey, Mrs. La vina Miller. The architect of the building was Charles W. Bolton of Philadelphia, and the builder was Mathias Geist of Potts town. The present officers of the Church are as follows : Pastor, Rev. I. M. Pat terson, Board of Trustees, William Neal, President, H. V. White, Secre tary and Treasurer, C. A. Moyer, S. A Wilson, L. Runyan. The Elders are William Neal, C. A. Moyer, Dr. J. Schuyler, and C. G. Barkley. The Building Committee consisted of C. W. Miller and L, E. Waller. AT PEOOTOR INN- On Monday of last week the Proc tor Inn at Jamison City was opened to the public by the new proprietor. Quig- y & Co. On Saturday a party ot about sixty ladies and gentlemen went up on the B. & S., and spent the day at the Inn. Through the courtesy of the railroad officials a special car was pro vided, and everything possible was done by the officers and employes to make the excursionists comiortaDie. Among those who took in the trip were Judge and Mrs. Ikeler, Col. Jam eson and family, W. R. Tubbs and wife, P. S. Harman and wife, Dr. Wil lits and wife, A. L, Fritz and wife, W. S. Moyer and wife, W. H. Snyder and wife, Lloyd Paxton and Mr. Glisson, Col. Freeze aud wife, Mrs. Ent, Miss Annie Ent, Mrs. G. W. Bertsch, M. Q. White and wife, C. H. Campbell and wife, J. L. Moyer and wife, Less Alexander and wife, Judge M. Millard, H. Harman, Miss Williams, Miss Martha Clark, Miss Frick, L. T. Sharp- less, D. F. Weiss, Vice President Wig- fall who had special charge ot the par ty, J. C. Brown, Geo. E. Elwell, and others. Some of the party spent the day in fishing, some walked up to the old Cole cottage, the famous resort of for mer years, while others visited the Hub factory, the Tannery, the saw mill and other points of interest. At noon an excellent dinner was served at the I".n, and all enjoyed it greatly, for it was eaten wijh keen ap petites. 1 he afternoon was passed in vari ous ways, quoit pitching, music and dancing being among the amusements. Mr. Glisson entertained the party by singing some very pretty songs. At c o clock the tram started for home, and p.ll came away highly pleased with the Inn, and with the entire prtv gramme of the day. The party was gotten up in haste, and no invitations were extended to any one. A limited number of tickets were procured, and sold to any who asked for them, up to the limit, and after that it was hard to get them. Excursions to Jamison City and a dinner at Proctor Inn are going to be quite the thing this summer. Numer ous parties are already talking of go ing up to spend Sundays. No pleas- anter resort can be found. The firm of Howe, Williams & Co as ciear manufacturers has been dis solved. F. C. Williams has bought the interest of Mr. Howe, and will continue the manufacture of cigars at the same place. Parties handling ci gars should call and get manufacturers prices. PERSONAL Mrs. M. F. Eyerly of Williamsport is visiting relatives in town. Mrs. N. U. Funk went to Elmira on Saturday for a few weeks sojourn. Mr. Harvey Hess of Benton was in town Monday. ' Mr. Glisson of Philadelphia is the guest of Mr. L. Raxton at Rupert. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Speigelmeycr are boarding at Central Hotel Blooms burg during this month. Warren Eyer started for Rapid City, Dakota, Monday, where he will ac company an engineering party. A. J. Derr the prosperous merchant and ardent democrat of Derr's, was in town Tuesday. Mrs. G. P. Frymire is attending a conference of the W. H. and F. Mis sionary society of the Lutheran church at Hazleton, this week. Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Hanley and Mrs. Woodin of Berwick, started last week Wednesday to California to be absent several weeks. Rev P. A. Heilman is in attend ance at the Susquehanna Synod at south Williamsport. W. II. Brooke is accompanying him as lay delegate. Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Duy will go to housekeeping on Fourth street, on their return from their trip. They visited in Washington and Baltimore, and other cities and returned home on Wednesday. Rev. W. C. Leverctt, Col. J. G. Freeze, E. R. Drinker and Geo. E. Elwell attended the Central Pennsyl vania Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Church, at Wilkesbarre on Tuesday and Wednesday. Christopher Little a well known lawyer of Pottsville, committed suicide :t the American Hotel, Mauch Chunk, on Tuesday night by shooting himself in the head with a revolver. He was found dead in his room. He was well known here. There is much illeeal fishinc done in the streams near Bloomsburg. By the late act, the sheriff, Deputy sheriff, Constable, policeman, or any special officer of this Commonwealth may ar rest any guilty party and bring them before anv justice of the peace or other legally constituted authority. A pen alty not exceeding one hundred dol lars is imposed for the offense ; one half of which coes to the officer mak ing the arrest, the other half to the treasurer of the County, lhe law should be enforced. Bears at Mountain Grove One evening last week as Freeman Benincer was returning to his home in Scotch Valley from a visit to his bro ther at Mountain Grove, he came up on a couple of cubs about one-third grown. 1 hey were piaying in a lane a short distance below tne camp-grounu, and he got within ten yards of them. After watching them for a short time he clapped his hands and in about a York minute they were scooting for the woods as though the old nick was after them. The Mountain Grove Campmeeting Association can now add these to the other natural or native attractions of their grounds. Uataiciasa Item. WHY IS IT ? Ed. Columbian : During a recent campaign circulars were sent abroad over the County pur porting to show the financial condition of the County under the supervision of the old board of Commissioners, which if I mistake not showed by the figures thereon that the assets above liabilities were about $12,000. Was it an election scheme gotten up to help the old board to sit in honor on high places ?. But in looking over the col umns of your paper I find a petition to the Hon. judges of the Court ask ing that body for the right to boirow $20,000. What the people want to know is, what became of the excess money that borrowing should come so soon. In all probability it would be well for that clerk to compare his last statement with the circulars sent a broad a year ago and thus explain to the tax payers in general where the de ficiency comes m so that there may ne a chance for the lowering the valuation of property more than to ennance the same and eat it up in taxes. Pax Paver. The Philadelphia J'rcss asks : "Does The World happen to notice that the Republicans of Philadelphia have a habit of putting their rascals in jail, while Democratic New York lets hers run loose?" Does the J'reta happen ' to remember Tweed and to know Quay ? i ! i : i Mil i ' j -f ill 1 ' r iM; iJ lift 11 '4 1,;;, I'!' 7 11 1 ;l J. I i I
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