CORNELL 
 
 ■UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 FROM 
 
_„_. Cornell University Library 
 BX6480.N8 D33 
 
 "'**SI!XiiiRJ!i,.te„.,S!;?' Baptist church of N 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 029 452 814 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029452814 
 
HISTORY 
 
 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 
 
 OF NORRISTOWN, Pa. 
 
 FROm THE 
 
 Organization, 1832, to the Present Time, 1897 
 
 ALONZO ALVIN DELARME 
 
Copyrighted, 1897, 
 By Alonzo a. DeLarme. 
 
 LEHMAN & BOLTON 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
TO 
 
 THE MEMBERS AND FRIENDS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, 
 
 WHOSE MANY KINDNESSES AND UNFAILING COURTESIES 
 
 HAVE MADE THE YEARS OF A BUSY PASTORATE 
 
 AMONG THE HAPPIEST OF MY LIFE, 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED 
 
 IN LOVING AND GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The First Baptist Church of Norristown lias had a remarkable and 
 noteworthy history. It has long seemed to many that the events connected 
 with the founding and building up of a church which has been such a 
 potent factor in the propagation of Christianity in the community should be 
 recorded in a permanent form. 
 
 Sketches have been written at different times, but this is the first 
 attempt at a comprehensive narrative. 
 
 In the year 1892, Mr. M. H. McVaugh, Mr. I. N. Harrar, and Mr. 
 George Wright were appointed -a. committee to revise previously written 
 accounts, and complete the work up to date. 
 
 In 1893, Mr. Theo. Knabb was added to the committee. This 
 committee held a number of meetings and something was done in the way 
 of gathering statistics and historical facts. 
 
 In January, 1897, on motion of Dr. J. K. Weaver, who had taken 
 great interest in the matter, the church appointed the writer to undertake 
 the work and complete it as speedily as could be done in connection with 
 his pastoral duties. The following pages are the result of the effort to 
 carry out this design. 
 
 It would be impossible to acknowledge all the sources that have been 
 drawn upon in the preparation of this volume. The church records, of 
 course, have been the chief source of information. The Minutes of the 
 Central Union Association and the files of the Norristown Herald have 
 also been of great service. Interesting incidents in " The History of 
 Montgomery County," by Theodore W. Bean, have been suggestive. Many 
 important facts in connection with the lives of several pastors have been 
 found in Dr. William Cathcart's " Baptist Encyclopedia," M. Auge's 
 "Men of Montgomery County," and " The Life of Rev. Samuel Aaron,'" 
 by L. C. Aaron. N. B. Randall, D. D., is entitled to much credit for 
 letters from former pastors, and other information gathered by him in 1892 
 and published in The Norristown Baptist. 
 
The author has received valuable suggestions and intefestlng incidents 
 from persons who have had a personal knowledge of the history of the 
 church, some of them from its beginning. Grateful acknowledgments are 
 made to all these. 
 
 While the writer has tried to avail himself of every suggestion or 
 criticism that might make the work the more accurate and complete, it is 
 but fair to say that he has not slavishly followed any of these, but has 
 allowed himself freedom in the collation, arrangement and presentation 
 of all facts and data. 
 
 Although this work has been an arduous one in some respects, it has 
 been at the same time a labor of love, with a desire to perpetuate and 
 extend the knowledge of events of more than ordinary interest and 
 importance. 
 
 Deeply sensible of imperfections in the presentation of many sections 
 of this book, notwithstanding the painstaking care given to every chapter, 
 it is now committed to the considerate judgment of its readers. 
 
 In sending this volume forth, the writer cherishes the hope that its 
 perusal may promote a sincere love for the church whose history it narrates 
 and beget an unswerving devotion to all her future interests. 
 
 Alonzo a. DeLarme. 
 
 Norristown, Pa., July, iBqy. 
 
CHARTER. 
 
 " An act to incorporate the society known by the name of the Norristown 
 Baptist Church, in the County of Montgomery. 
 
 " Section l. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Represen- 
 tatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, 
 and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That the society 
 known by the name of the Norristown Baptist Church, in the County of 
 Montgomery, is hereby erected into one body politic and corporate, in deed 
 and in law, by the name, style, and title of the ' Xorristown Baptist Church,' 
 and by the same name shall have perpetual succession, and be able to sue 
 and be sued in all courts of law and elsewhere, and shall be able and 
 capable in law and equity to take and hold lands and tenements, goods and 
 chattels, of whatsoever kind, nature and quality, real, personal or mixed, 
 which are now, or hereafter shall become the property of the said congre- 
 gation, by gift, grant, bargain, sale, conveyance, assurance, will, devise, 
 bequest, or otherwise, by any person or persons capable of making the 
 same, and the same to grant, bargain, sell, mortgage or dispose of, and the 
 yearly value or income of the real and personal estate of said corporation 
 shall not at any time exceed two thousand dollars, nor shall more than one 
 hundred and fifty acres of land be at any time held or enjoyed by said 
 Association, incorporated by this Act, nor shall it be lawful for said corpo- 
 ration to appropriate any of its surplus funds to any other than a charitable 
 or religious purpose. 
 
 " Sec. 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That 
 the affairs of said corporation shall be managed and superintended by seven 
 trustees, five of whom shall be a quorum to transact business, to be chosen 
 from the members of the said congregation, who shall choose by ballot 
 from among their number, a president and secretary, and shall also choose 
 a treasurer from among the members of the congregation who is not a 
 trustee, and who shall, if required by the trustees of said corporation, give 
 sufficient security for the trust reposed in him, and shall account to such 
 
MiStORY OP THE 
 
 trustees for all sums of money received by him, or remaining in his hands 
 at any time ; and in case of the removal of the president, or any of the 
 trustees, by death, resignation or otherwise, the vacancy or vacancies shall 
 be supplied by the board of trustees till the next annual election, and the 
 following named persons shall be trustees, until others shall be elected in 
 the manner hereinafter prescribed, viz : — Phinehas Phillips, John White- 
 head, Samuel D. Phillips, D. Sower, Jr., Geo. Eve, Jerome Walniit and 
 B. F. Hancock, to continue in office until the first Thursday in January, 
 one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four, on which day the members of 
 said congregation shall elect seven trustees, to continue in office for one 
 year, or until others shall be elected to fill their places, and the annual 
 election of trustees shallbe on the first Thursday in January in each year: 
 Provided, always, that the same trustees or any of them may be re-elected. 
 
 " Sec. 3. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That 
 all elections to be held in pursuance of this Act shall be conducted by 
 three members of the corporation, who shall be appointed inspectors at the 
 same place where the trustees are to be elected as aforesaid, by the electors 
 then assembled, in such manner as may be agreed on by said electors, and 
 the inspectors so chosen shall appoint one or more persons as their clerk or 
 clerks, to perform such duties as the nature of the case may require; and 
 any person not a member of said corporation, contributing yearly a sum not 
 less than two dollars to the support of the said church, shall be entitled to 
 vote at the elections of said corporation, and shall be eligible as a trustee, 
 and each election so had as aforesaid shall be closed, and the number of 
 votes for each person shall be ascertained; the inspectors of said election, 
 or a majority of them, shall thereupon make out, under their respective 
 hands, a return thereof, with the names of the trustees-elect, and shall 
 deliver the said return to the secretary of the corporation, who shall within 
 three days thereafter give notice in writing to each of the trustees elect, of 
 their respective election. 
 
 " Skc. 4. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That 
 any person who shall hereafter be a member of said congregation shall be 
 entitled to all the privileges, and subject to the same regulations as other 
 members, and every member shall be at liberty at any time to withdraw 
 from said corporation. 
 
 " Sec. 5. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That 
 the said corporation shall have a right to make and use a common seal, 
 with such device and inscription as to them shall seem meet, and to alter 
 and revise (he same at pleasure. 
 
FIRST BAfTIST CHURCH. 
 
 " Sec. 6. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the 
 said trustees and their successors shall have power to enact and enforce such 
 by-laws and ordinances as may be proper and necessary for the regulation 
 and transaction of the business of the said corporation, to establish and 
 change the time and place of the annual election of trustees from time to time, 
 as the same may be found convenient, or if said congregation neglect to 
 elect on the day of the annual meeting, appoint any subsequent time on 
 which said election shall be held : Provided, That public notice shall be 
 given on Lord's day, immediately before or after divine service, and in 
 such other manner as a majority of the trustees may direct, at least one week 
 previous to the time and place of holding such elections : And provided, 
 also. That said by-laws and ordinances shall not be inconsistent with the 
 constitution and by-laws of this State or of the United States, and that the 
 same be approved of by a majority of the members of the congregation, 
 qualified as aforesaid to vote at any special meeting called by the trustees 
 for that purpose, on notice given as aforesaid, and the by-laws and ordi- 
 nances of the said corporation shall be fairly entered and registered by the 
 Secretary, wliich book, and other records of the corporation, shall be open 
 to the inspection of any member of the corporation at all reasonable hours, 
 on application to the Secretary, and in case an election of trustees shall not 
 be held at the time or times appointed, the corporation shall not thereby be 
 dissolved : And moreover, The Legislature reserve the right to repeal, 
 alter or amend this act, or any part thereof, at any time hereafter 
 
 SAMUEL ANDERSON, 
 Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
 THOS. RINGLAND, 
 
 Speaker of the Senate. 
 
 " Approved the eighth of April, A. D. 1833." 
 
 GEO. WOLF. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 
 
 OF NORRISTOWN 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Organization. 
 
 The Baptist cause in Norristown had its beginning 
 with a series of meetings held in the Court House and 
 in the old Academy Building, during the month of 
 November, 1832. These meetings were planned and 
 conducted by the Rev. Leonard Fletcher, pastor of 
 the Great Valley Church, Upper Merion, Chester 
 County, Pa. 
 
 Mr. Fletcher had associated with him in these 
 meetings William T. Brantley, D. D., pastor of the 
 First Baptist Church of Philadelphia, and Rev. Dyer 
 A. Nichols, pastor of the Roxborough Church. 
 
 The only churches in Norristown at this time were 
 St. John's Episcopal, which was founded in 1812, and 
 the First Presbyterian, founded in 1819. 
 
 The Baptists were little known in this section, the 
 only churches in the county being the Montgomery, 
 in Montgomery township, organized June 20, 17 19, 
 and the Lower Providence, in Lower Providence 
 township, established in 1809. 
 
 On the seventh of November, 1832, the following 
 notice appeared in the Norristown Herald : 
 
 " Protracted Meeting. — A meeting of several days' continuance 
 will be held at the Court House, in Norristown, commencing on Wednes- 
 day, the 7th of November, at 7 p. m. Ministers of the Gospel, and other 
 members of churches of every denomination, are affectionately invited to 
 aid in the services and participate in the joys of the occasion. 
 
 " (Signed) L. Fletcher. 
 
 " Pastor of the Baptist Church in the Great Valle}', Pa." 
 
14 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 In accordance with this announcement meetings 
 were held every day for about two weeks, in the old 
 Court House on Penn Street, and in the old Academy 
 Building, DeKalb and Airy Streets. There were 
 usually three services daily, at lo a. m., 2 p. m. and 
 6 p. m. In those days a "protracted meeting" usually 
 monopolized the time and attention of the people 
 generally. Oftentimes stores were closed and business 
 suspended during the hour of service, for a fortnight 
 or more. 
 
 These evangelistic services, as they would be called 
 to-day, were very largely attended. The Presbyterians 
 generously offered their house of worship, and both 
 this church and the Court House were unable to con- 
 tain the crowds that flocked in from the towns and 
 surrounding country. The Herald^ in speaking of the 
 meetings, said, "On Saturday evening the Court 
 House and Presbyterian fleeting House were both 
 crowded, and on Sunday both of the churches and the 
 Court House were full." The other church probably 
 being St. John's Episcopal. 
 
 These services being popular in nature, evangel- 
 istic in character and free from everything that was 
 formal and stereotyped, they would naturally attract 
 the attention and enlist the interest of a community 
 unaccustomed to this simple mode of worship. But 
 aside from this the men who were conducting the 
 meetings were preachers of marked ability. 
 
 Rev. Leonard Fletcher, who seems to have taken 
 the initiative step in this missionary enterprise, had 
 been greatly blessed in his work at the Great \'alley 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 5 
 
 Church. His pastorate there was marked by the 
 abundant and continuous outpouring of the Holy 
 Spirit. One, in writing of his work, says: "Day 
 after day the house was thronged with rejoicing wor- 
 shipers and weeping penitents. This continued with 
 but little cessation during Brother Fletcher's entire 
 stay. Many of you remember, with tenderest emotion, 
 those precious days and the gracious words which 
 proceeded out of his mouth. During the eight years 
 of his labor in this pastorate he baptized more than 
 four hundred into the membership of the church." His 
 missionary spirit often led him outside of his own 
 particular field. After establishing the church at 
 Norristown, he went to West Chester and conducted 
 a series of meetings in the Court House there that 
 resulted in an organization which has grown into a 
 large and influential church. After this he labored 
 for twenty years in the South. And then, "as God 
 heard the prayer of Jacob and brought him back to 
 his father's house in peace, so he brought Brother 
 Fletcher back in the evening of his life, that his flesh 
 might repose in the midst of those he had led to Jesus, 
 awaiting with them the resurrection of the just." 
 
 Rev. Dyer A. Nichols, of Roxborough,wasafaithful 
 worker and an earnest preacher and rendered valuable 
 services both in these meetings and in the subsequent 
 work of organizing and establishing this new interest. 
 He frequently preached for the infant church until 
 they called a pastor. 
 
 Brother Fletcher was particularly fortunate in 
 having the assistance of such a noted preacher as 
 
1 6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 William T. Brantley, Sr., D. D., pastor of the First 
 Church of Philadelphia. The Baptist Encyclopedia 
 says of Dr. Brantley, "In Philadelphia his success 
 was remarkable. In eleven years he baptized six 
 hundred persons into the fellowship of the First 
 Church, and he was instrumental in founding the 
 Norristown Church. Dr. Brantley was a man of fine 
 talents, his learning was profound, his classical 
 scholarship was of the highest order, his voice had 
 unusual compass and melody, and his heart went with 
 his eloquent utterances, so that his oratory was over- 
 whelming, his whole audience would be alternately 
 bathed in tears or carried up to the third heaven in 
 jubilant delight. Christ was everything in his heart 
 and in his sermons. ' ' 
 
 Such were the talents and lofty qualities of the 
 preachers who laid the foundation of the First Bap- 
 tist Church in Norristown. 
 
 It is supposed that almost the whole community 
 heard the Word as it was proclaimed by these earnest 
 eloquent irien of God, during this first revival effort. 
 Seed was ^own at that time whose harvest will con- 
 tinue to be reaped until that day when the Son of 
 Man shall come in all His glory and the church mil- 
 itant shall become the church triumphant. 
 
 The meetings were a success, not only in point of 
 the numbers attracted and the widespread interest 
 incited, but in visible results as well. A good number 
 professed faith in Christ and promptly confessed Him 
 in baptism. Mr. Fletcher seems to have adhered 
 strictly to the New Testament order. Like Peter, his 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I 7 
 
 cry was "Repent and be baptized every one of you," 
 and "straightway" those who believed were baptized. 
 
 There was very little machinery or routine in 
 church methods among Baptists in those days. The 
 simple mode of worship, the preaching, praying, 
 singing and conducting services after the New Tes- 
 tament type, had already attracted the attention and 
 enlisted the interest of the entire community, but the 
 greatest event was the first baptism. On November 
 the twelfth, five days after the first meeting, sixteen 
 obedient converts were led into the Schuylkill river 
 and "buried with Christ in baptism." This was 
 probably the first Scriptural baptism ever witnessed in 
 Norristown. The Herald, in commenting upon it, 
 said that the ordinance was witnessed by about fifteen 
 hundred persons. A few days later eleven others 
 were baptized, making twenty-seven in all who "pro- 
 fessed a good profession before many witnesses." 
 
 This series of meetings was indeed Norristown' s 
 Pentecost. It was not only the first real evangelistic 
 effort of the Baptists, but the first genuine religious 
 revival, conducted according to the New Testament 
 and Apostolic pattern, by any denomination. Here 
 was set in motion a mighty movement for God, whose 
 results cannot be fully known this side of eternity. 
 The event proved a real crisis in the religious life of 
 the town and vicinity. It was the setting of that New 
 Testament type and mould of doctrine which in after 
 years proved effectual in establishing the spiritual 
 worship of primitive Christianity in the midst of a 
 strongly ritualistic community. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 In the days of the apostles, as the disciples went 
 from place to place, preaching the Gospel and bap- 
 tizing believers, they organized churches in the 
 various towns and cities, as the Holy Spirit gave them 
 direction. 
 
 So it was here, as believers were added unto the 
 L,ord steps were immediately taken to organize a 
 church. According to appointment, a number of 
 individuals who had previously agreed to unite in the 
 formation of a Baptist church in the Borough of 
 Norristown, Montgomery County, Penna., assembled 
 at that place, on Wednesday, December 12, 1832, for 
 the purpose of being regularly organized as a church 
 of Jesus Christ. On the day of the organization of 
 the church a council, which had been previously called, 
 assembled with the brethren and formally recognized 
 the new body as a regular Baptist church. This 
 council consisted of the following brethren : W. T. 
 Brantley, D. D., of the First Baptist Church of 
 Philadelphia ; L,eonard Fletcher, pastor of the Great 
 Valley Baptist Church ; Dyer A. Nichols, pastor of 
 the Roxborough Baptist Church; Deacons John Pugh 
 and Daniel Abraham, of Great Valley ; Deacons 
 William Rawley, Berriah Willis and Perry W. Lev- 
 ering, of Roxborough, and David S. Hall and John 
 Dixon. 
 
 W. T. Brantley, D. D., was chosen moderator, and 
 Daniel Abraham, secretary. 
 
 A letter was then read from the Great Valley 
 Baptist Church, dismissing the following persons to 
 be embodied in the new organization, viz. : Phinehas 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 19 
 
 Phillips, Joseph Abraham, Ann Abraham, Sarah 
 Sturges, George Eve, Thomas Mann, Deborah Mann, 
 George Crow, Ann Crow, Mira Moore, Mary Ann 
 Bolton, Clarissa Eastburn, Hannah McCoy, Harriet 
 Davis, Jane Eastburn, Mary Anderson and Ann 
 Jenkins. Another letter was read from the Rox- 
 borough Baptist Church, dismissing the following 
 members to be united in the new church, viz. : 
 Joseph Marchman, Hannah Randall, Rebecca Stelle, 
 Edith Ayers, Mary Ann Dougherty, Mary March- 
 man, Mary Price, Sarah Ann Ayers, Wilmina Ran- 
 dall, Almeda Ayers, Rebecca Davis, Mary C. Ayers 
 and Emeline Ayers. The following had recently 
 been baptized and had not yet united with the mother 
 churches : Mary Stilagen, Martha Kugler, Louisa 
 McGee, Susannah Kugler, Caroline McGee, Margaret 
 Richafus, Sarah Ann Harris and John Buck. These 
 thirty-eight persons were the constituent members of 
 the new church. 
 
 The recognition sermon was preached by Dr. 
 Brantley, from Matt. 8: 20, " The foxes have holes 
 and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of 
 Man hath not where to lay his head." The prayer 
 was offered by Rev. Mr. Nichols. 
 
 The council met at the house of Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Grosscup, on the corner of Main and Green Streets. 
 From here they marched in a body to the Court House 
 for the public services. Upon arriving at the Court 
 House they found that the doors had been closed 
 against them. Hereupon the exercises were held in 
 the Court House yard. Dr. Brantley preaching the 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 sermon from the steps, outside the locked door. The 
 next week the following statement from Dr. Brantley, 
 as moderator of the council, appeared in the Herald 
 of December 19 : 
 
 " A number of persons convened in the borough of Norristown, on 
 Wednesday last, for the purpose of forming a Baptist church, when about 
 fifty individuals [he wrote apparently from memory only; the exact num- 
 ber was thirty-eight], some of whom had been dismissed from the Great 
 Valley and Roxborough Churches, and others recently baptized in this 
 place, were solemnly united and embodied in church relation. 
 
 " The sermon on the occasion was delivered by William T. Brantley, 
 of Philadelphia, in the Court-hotise yard, and the prayer was made by 
 D. A. Nichols, of Roxborough. Leonard Fletcher, of the Great Valley 
 Church, introduced the exercises preparatory to the constitution. The 
 house occupied by Mrs. Grosscup was kindly offered for the occasion. The 
 undersigned takes this opportunity, on behalf of himself and his brethren, 
 to express a proper sense of the course pursued by those individuals who 
 rendered it necessary that the exercises of divine worship should have an 
 uncommon prominence. (Signed) 
 
 " Wm. T. Brantley, 
 
 " Chairman of the Council.''* 
 
 George Frear, D. D., in describing the proceedings 
 of this memorable council, in 1875, ^^i^ • "N° doubt 
 these loyal Baptist ancestors of the Apostles were very 
 thankful that they were on the outside of the locked 
 doors, for oftentimes their Baptist fathers had seen the 
 inside of fastened doors, for preaching the very same 
 gospel. The spirit which tried to shut the Baptists 
 out of New England would have shut them out of 
 Norristown, if possible. Dr. Brantley must have felt 
 nearer kinship to Baptists of ' je olden t\me,' as he 
 stood on the Court-house steps and preached from the 
 text : ' The foxes have holes and the birds of the air 
 have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay 
 his head, ' ' ' 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 N. B. Randall, D. D. , in writing of the event, in 
 1882, said : "All honor to those noble Christian men 
 and women of fifty years ago ! They had the courage 
 to stand by their convictions amid persecution, and 
 not only to march through the streets singing praises 
 to God, but to stand out of doors, in the cold Decem- 
 ber wind, for His worship." 
 
 These brethren, who so coi;rageously launched this 
 noble enterprise for God and humanity, in the midst 
 of such grave difficulties, evidently planned to make 
 the little band strong against attacks from without 
 and pure from heresy within by firmly placing the 
 church on a platform of principles and doctrines from 
 which it could never be moved by any opposition or 
 persecution that might be directed against it. 
 
 The following questions which were propounded, 
 together with the answers given, constitute the solemn 
 compact under which the infant church began its 
 heroic battle for truth and righteousness : 
 
 1. Do you all seriously and solemnly desire to be 
 united as a church of the Lord Jesus ? 
 
 Answer. — We do so desire it. 
 
 2. Do you maintain and believe those principles 
 and doctrines usually held among the Baptist 
 churches, viz, of three equal persons in the God- 
 head, the total depravity of all mankind by the fall of 
 our first parents, eternal, personal and unconditional 
 election, justification by the imputed righteousness 
 of Christ, efficacious grace in the vocation of the elect, 
 water baptism by immersion only, on profession of 
 faith and repentance, the Lord's supper, a privilege 
 
i2 HiSTOkV OF THE 
 
 peculiar to the church, the final perseverance of the 
 saints to glory, the resurrection of the dead, the 
 general judgment and the future happiness of the 
 saints and misery of the wicked alike, interminable ? 
 
 Answer. — Our views and sentiments are, so far as 
 we have received light and grace, in accordance 
 therewith. 
 
 3. Are you resolved with the help of the Lord to 
 perform to each other, and to the world about you, so 
 far as you know and understand, the duties of church 
 members ; to make it your care and study to grow in 
 grace and in the knowledge of our L,ord Jesus Christ ; 
 to watch over one another with tender concern, and 
 to admonish one another with prudence and meekness ; 
 not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together, 
 but to act faithful and constant in your attendance 
 upon the meetings which may be held for the worship 
 of God, except when hindered by ill health or some 
 other cause ? 
 
 Answer. — This is what we purpose and resolve. 
 
 4. Are you now willing to give yourselves to the 
 L/ord, and to each other, to devote yourselves as far as 
 in you lies to the blessed work of advancing hjs cause 
 and kingdom on the earth, and to make your light so 
 to shine before men that they, seeing your good works, 
 may glorify your father in Heaven ? 
 
 Answer. — To this we are desirous of being devoted. 
 
 5. Do you acknowledge the duty of sustaining, bv 
 your contributions of worldly substance, to the best of 
 your ability, the ministry of the Gospel, especially in 
 the pastoral relation ; to the cause of missions, of 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 23 
 
 Sabbath schools, of bible and tract societies, and other 
 benevolent plans for the increase of goodness, virtue, 
 righteousness and peace in the world ? 
 
 Answer. — We so acknowledge our duty. 
 
 6. Do you now feel fellowship one with another, 
 and will it be your study to keep the unity of the 
 spirit in the bonds of peace? 
 
 Answer. — Yes. 
 
 After these questions and answers, it was agreed 
 by the council that the brethren before them were 
 ready for constitution. They were then solemnly 
 commended to God by prayer, and afterwards received 
 the right hand of fellowship, and were solemnly con- 
 stituted and recognized as a Baptist church of Christ, 
 under the name and title of the Norristown Baptist 
 Church. 
 
 What a splendid foundation for the new enterprise. 
 There is nothing unsound, weak or superficial in it. 
 Such a solid foundation was well suited to give shape 
 and comeliness to the superstructure. Only that 
 which is sound in doctrine, scriptural in practice and 
 spiritually symmetrical, ought ever to be placed in a 
 structure whose foundation has been so deeply and 
 securely laid. 
 
 These pioneer brethren built upon the strong, broad 
 ' ' foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus 
 Christ himself being the chief corner stone." And 
 if ever a little band of disciples needed a strong, 
 clearly stated platform of principles and doctrines, 
 surely it was the founders of the Baptist Church in 
 Norristown. They needed, indeed, to be ready always 
 
24 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason 
 of the hope. A bitter spirit of religious intolerance 
 prevailed at this time in many sections of the country. 
 In Norristown, there was a very strong feeling of 
 prejudice against the Baptists. 
 
 There was not the denominational comity, in the 
 early part of this century, that there is to-day. Bigotry 
 and sectarianism were very marked. The full Gospel 
 of religious toleration had not yet been preached in 
 many sections of the country. The same spirit of 
 intolerance, which imprisoned John Bunyan for twelve 
 years in Bedford jail, and which exiled Roger Williams 
 from the Massachusetts colony, prevailed to some 
 extent in Norristown. 
 
 The first few months of the young church's his- 
 tory were quite eventful. It was not altogether unlike 
 the beginning of the Apostolic church. They had 
 the Pentecostal blessing ; there were great numbers 
 who flocked to hear the word. A good number 
 believed and were baptized. The young church had 
 also to face bitter opposition, closed doors, threats, 
 persecution and all sorts of outrages. One evening, 
 when the congregation had assembled for worship in 
 the old Academy Building, there was an exhibition 
 of maliciousness such as, doubtless, has seldom been 
 witnessed in a Christian community. Mi-. Fletcher 
 had delivered, with unusual power, a very graphic 
 sermon on the subject of "The Final Judgment." 
 At the close of the sermon the congregation was 
 singing, with great solemnity, 
 
 " That awful day will surely come ; 
 The appointed hour makes haste 
 When I must stand before my judge 
 And pass the solemn test." 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 25 
 
 when a terrific crash was heard, which brought 
 the services to a sudden end, and awakened in some 
 minds the thought that the day of judgment had 
 surely come. Investigation showed that miscreants 
 had placed a keg of powder against the building and 
 fired it by a safety fuse, just at the time when it would 
 cause the greatest panic. 
 
 These early Baptists could not as yet thank God 
 that they had ' ' a place to worship where none dare to 
 molest or make afraid." But such exhibitions of 
 malice and intolerance only tended to intensify the 
 zeal of these earnest disciples of the Lord Jesus. With 
 consecrated loyalty to Christ and unswerving fidelity 
 to His Word they went forward, nothing daunted by 
 the opposition and hostilities which they encountered. 
 
 They were an heroic band, worthy to be the pro- 
 genitors of a great church, whose power and influence 
 should be widely felt, and from whose pulpit should 
 be proclaimed the full Gospel of salvation, liberty 
 and sobriety, by some of the most eloquent and fearless 
 preachers of the nineteenth century. 
 
 At the first regular business meeting of the church, 
 Phinehas Phillips and Samuel D. Phillips were chosen 
 as deacons. It was decided that the ordinance of 
 the lyord's supper should be administered the second 
 Lord's Day in each month, and that the business 
 meeting of the church be held the Saturday evening 
 preceding. At this first business meeting a committee, 
 consisting of Phinehas Phillips, Joseph Abraham, S. 
 D. Phillips, David Sower and B. F. Hancock, was 
 appointed to purchase a lot and make other necessary 
 preparations for building a house of worship. 
 
HISTORY 01' THE 
 
 These bretliren undertook at once their difficult 
 task, and issued the following notice in the Norristown 
 J?e£-tsier of Ja.nna.ry lo, 1833 : 
 
 " The members of the Norristown Baptist Church and others who feel 
 
 interested in the erection of a Baptist meeting house, at or near Norristown, 
 
 are requested to meet at the Academy, on Saturday, the 19th of January, 
 
 at three o'clock p. m. 
 
 Phinehas Phillips, 
 
 Joseph Abraham, 
 
 Samuel D. Phillips, 
 
 D. Sower, Jr., 
 
 B. F. Hancock, 
 
 Cojitniiiiee. 
 
 Pursuant to this public notice, a number of persons 
 met in the Academy, when it was decided that 
 the meeting house should be built in Norristown. 
 Subsequently the committee purchased a piece of 
 ground on Swede and Airy Streets, of Mr. Potts, for 
 which they agreed to pay the sum of $1200. This lot 
 comprised nearly the whole square between Swede 
 and Cherry and Airy and Penn Streets. It proved 
 a desirable and convenient location, and the wisdom 
 and judgment of the committee who made the selec- 
 tion have been attested in the subsequent history of 
 the church. 
 
 At this meeting, it was resolved that the church 
 apply to the L,egislature for act of incorporation. This 
 charter, or act of incorporation, was secured, and 
 approved by the Governor, George Wolf, April 8, 
 1833. The full text of the charter is found in the 
 front of this volume. 
 
 At the business meeting held February 9, 1833, 
 it was decided that the church should unite with the 
 
li-IRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 2 7 
 
 Ceatral Union Association. At nearly all these meet- 
 ings, and frequently on Sunday mornings, candidates 
 were examined and received into the fellowship of the 
 church after baptism. 
 
 At the regular business meeting of the church on 
 April lo, 1833, it was voted to seek a pastor, and 
 Phinehas Phillips, Joseph Abraham and S. D. Phillips 
 were appointed to attend to the same. Rev. Mr. 
 Fletcher and Rev. Mr. Nichols continued to supply 
 the church from time to time until a pastor was 
 secured. Meanwhile, the work of building a house 
 was pushed forward. By September, 1833, the base- 
 ment was ready for use. Up to this time the services 
 of the church had been held sometimes in the 
 Academy and sometimes in the Court House. The 
 Sunday school held its sessions in the school house. 
 All these services were now held in the basement of 
 the new church, although the entire building was not 
 completed until the following spring. 
 
W. M. JOKOAN 
 i'nslor IriHii Scplcnilior, iS^^.to April. 1X^4. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. W. H. Jordan to that of Rev. H. O. Wyer- 
 September, 1833, to July, 1834. 
 
 The committee appointed to recommend a suitable 
 man for pastor reported from time to time having 
 made inquiries, but were unable to recommend any 
 one to the church. Finally, during the fall of 1833, 
 Rev. William Hull Jordan, of North Carolina, during 
 a trip north, preached for Dr. Brantley, in the First 
 Church of Philadelphia. At the request of Dr. 
 Brantley, Mr. Jordan soon after visited Norristown 
 and entered into an arrangement with the church by 
 which he was to preach for them Sabbath mornings, 
 living in Philadelphia. He was to leave Philadelphia 
 Saturday evening and return to the city the following 
 afternoon. This arrangement, however, was not 
 satisfactory and so was of short continuance. Mr. 
 Jordan then agreed to remove to Norristown and to 
 serve the church as regular pastor ; but before this 
 matter was effected, circumstances rendered it neces- 
 sary that he should return to North Carolina. So, 
 Mr. Jordan's connection with the church was a very 
 short one. While he was the first to preach statedly 
 for the church, and has generally been regarded as 
 their first pastor, he was probably never constituted 
 such. 
 
32 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 His coiinection with the church came to a close 
 probably in March, or the first of April, 1834 — certainly 
 before the twelfth of that month. 
 
 Rev. William H. Jordan was born in North 
 Carolina, August 15, 1803. His mother afterward 
 married Rev. Mr. Poindexter and became the mother 
 of the noted Dr. A. M. Poindexter. Mr. Jordan was 
 converted in 1823 and began preaching the same year. 
 He is said to have been one of the ablest and most 
 eloquent ministers in the South. A great revival 
 began from his first preaching in North Carolina, 
 which, it is claimed, resulted in the conversion of 
 fully two thousand souls. 
 
 At a church meeting on January 11, 1834, a letter 
 was read from the brethern at West Chester, referring 
 to the constitution of a church in that place, requesting 
 the attendance of Mr. Jordan and likewise a delegation 
 from the church, whereupon Phinehas Phillips and 
 J. Courtney and S. D. Phillips were appointed. 
 
 In February it was resolved that the church deem 
 it desirable to hold a "protracted meeting" as soon as 
 the meeting house should be finished, and five brethren 
 were appointed, W. H. Jordan, Phinehas Phillips, 
 Joseph Abraham, Geo. Eve and S. D. Phillips, to make 
 the necessary arrangements for the same. At this 
 same time it was recommended that the church take 
 into consideration the propriety and necessity of 
 forming a society to contribute monthly, or oftener, 
 for the purpose of liquidating the debt on the meeting 
 house. 
 
First Church Edifice 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 35 
 
 The much needed house of worship was finally 
 completed, and formally dedicated in March, 1834. 
 The exact date when the dedication services were 
 held is not known. Dr. Brantley, who had preached 
 the sermon on the occasion of the church's recog- 
 nition, was present and delivered the dedicatory 
 sermon. Rev. Messrs. Fletcher, Nichols and Hall 
 took part in the services. 
 
 The building was a plain stone structure, seventy 
 feet long by forty-eight feet wide. It contained two 
 stories, with a basement room forty-three feet square, 
 for conference and Sunday school purposes, and cost, 
 including the grounds, about seven thousand dollars. 
 
 The auditorium now being ready for use the pro- 
 tracted meetings commenced agreebly to the foregoing 
 arrangements. These services were begun on Thurs- 
 day, the thirteenth of March, 1834, probably immedi- 
 ately after the dedication exercises, possibly on that 
 very day, in which case, the thirteenth of March 
 would be the exact date of the dedication. The 
 special meetings seem to have been largely attended 
 and great interest was manifested. The preaching 
 was by the Rev. Messrs. Brantley, Fletcher, Nichols 
 and Hall. There were a number of conversions and 
 thirty-three were added to the church. 
 
 The discipline at this period was quite rigid and 
 members were frequently disciplined for the violation 
 of the rules of the church, or for disorderly walk. 
 The necessity of this, always unfortunate, must have 
 been particularly disheartening to the church in its 
 infancy. 
 
36 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 At the church meeting held on the twelfth of 
 April, 1834, it was resolved to seek a successor to Mr. 
 Jordan, and Phinehas Phillips and S. D. Phillips were 
 appointed acominitteof correspondence. Rev. D. A. 
 Nichols again supplied the pulpit until a pastor was 
 secured. He was also present and presided at most of 
 the business meetings of the church. 
 
 On June 7, 1834, Benjamin F. Hancock, Esq., 
 related his Christian experience and was baptised on 
 the Sabbath following. Mr. Hancock had before this 
 time been active in the financial and business aflfairs 
 of the church and soon became a leader in its spiritual 
 interests. He was one of the church's first trustees, 
 acting as secretary of the Board, and, what would 
 seem strange enough now, he was Sunday school 
 superintendent for two years before his conversion. 
 A Sunday school had been organized a few months 
 prior to ihe constitution of the church. 
 
 The sessions of the school were held at first in the 
 house of Mrs. Grosscup, and later in the school build- 
 ing, situated at the corner of Cherry and Airy Streets, 
 until the basement of the church was ready for 
 occupancy, in September, 1833. ^^- Hancock being 
 a reputable and highly respected citizen, and much 
 interested in Christian work and in sympathy with the 
 efforts of the Baptists to establish a church in the 
 community, was chosen its first Sunday school super- 
 intendent. 
 
 Benjamin F. Hancock, Esq., was born in 1799 
 and died in 1867. He was a successful lawyer at the 
 Montgomery County bar for many years and greatly 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 37 
 
 respected throughout the county for his ability and 
 rare integrity. Besides being Sunday school super- 
 intendent and trustee in the Baptist church, he was 
 for a number of years an honored deacon. He was a 
 man of deep convictions and of marked individuality. 
 In his government of the Sunday school he was rigid 
 and methodical. He loved his church and labored 
 with untiring devotion for what he believed to be the 
 highest interests of the cause of Christ. His more 
 illustrious son, General W. S. Hancock, the hero of 
 Gettysburg and the Democratic candidate for President 
 in 1880, was, in his childhood, a scholar in the Baptist 
 Sunday school, where his father had been so many 
 years a faithful superintendent. 
 
 At the meeting in June, 1834, a very important 
 resolution was passed, " that special prayer be made 
 to the great Head of the church, that He would send 
 us a pastor, whose labors He would own and bless in 
 the conversion of many sinners and the upbuilding of 
 this church in all the graces of His Holy Spirit." 
 Not a few of the precedents of church business 
 nieetino' are more honored in the breach than in the 
 observance, but here is one that ought to be assidu- 
 ously observed and invariably followed whenever a 
 pastor is to be chosen. 
 
H. 1). W >, II,' 
 I'astcjr liciii July, iNj4, lu LicUihrr, lS_;-i. 
 
CHAPTER HI. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Henry Otis Wyer to that of Rev. C. E. Wilson 
 —July, 1834, to January, 1835. 
 
 Rev. H. O. Wyer visited the church in July, 1834, 
 and on the thirteenth of that month was unanimously 
 called to the pastorate. 
 
 Mr. Wyer, like his predecessor, was a young man, 
 being only thirty-three, but like him, also, already a 
 preacher of marked power and abilit}'. He was 
 educated at the Waterville College and Columbian 
 University. At the age of twenty-two he became 
 pastor of an important church in Savannah, Ga. , where 
 hundreds were converted under his ministry, and 
 the Baptist cause in that city was greatly advanced. 
 As a preacher he is said to have had few equals, 
 being especially fitted for the pulpit by his good voice, 
 comprehensive mind, cultivated intellect and sancti- 
 fied heart. Among his converts, whom he baptized in 
 the South, was Richard Fuller, D. D. , who became 
 one of the most noted men in the denomination. Dr. 
 Fuller was educated at Harvard, and, entering upon 
 his chosen profession of the law, soon became one of 
 the most accomplished lawyers in his state. He was 
 for a number of years a member of the Episcopal 
 
42 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 church, but, during a great revival of religion, he 
 became convinced that he had never been converted, 
 and so professed conversion at this time. He had 
 been immersed by the Episcopal rector when he 
 united with that church, but, dating his real conver- 
 sion from the influence of this revival season, and 
 thoroughly convinced that believer's baptism only 
 was scriptural, he was re-baptized by Mr. Wyer. Dr. 
 Richard Fuller achieved a national reputation by his 
 memorable debate with President Francis Wayland 
 on the slavery question. 
 
 The baptism of this remarkable man, which was 
 an event of such importance that it became known 
 throughout the country, was among the last pastoral 
 duties of Mr. Wyer before coming to Norristown. 
 
 During this pastorate, September 13, 1834, a com- 
 mittee was appointed for the purpose of examining 
 candidates for baptism, and also to attend to all cases 
 of disorder in all members of the church. This com- 
 mittee consisted of the pastor, Phinehas Phillips, 
 Thos. Shaw, George Eve and Benjamin F. Hancock. 
 
 Prior to this, candidates for baptism and all cases 
 of discipline came directly, and at once, before the 
 church. Now these matters were to be considered 
 first by a committee and then brought before the 
 church for final action. At a previous meeting a com- 
 mittee had been appointed to examine persons pro- 
 fessing to be called to preach the Gospel, and on 
 September 13, 1834, John Courtney, having been 
 recommended by said committee, was granted a 
 license to preach. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 43 
 
 Mr. Wyer's pastorate came to a close in October, 
 1834, after only three months' duration. He was 
 broken in health when he came from Savannah, and 
 he did not recover sufficiently to do the work, even 
 of the small church in Norristown. 
 
 During this brief pastorate there were several 
 and a few were added to the church. 
 
C. E. Wilson 
 
 I'aslor IVuiii lanunry, lSj;5, to A|ii-il, 1S38. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Charles E. Wilson to that of Rev. David 
 Bernard — January, 1835, to June, 1838. 
 
 The church now being pastorless, a committee, 
 consisting of three brethren, Phinehas Phillips, B. F. 
 Hancock and S. D. Phillips, was appointed to obtain 
 supplies for the pulpit. At a meeting in December, 
 1834, two unsuccessful attempts having been made to 
 secure a pastor, it was voted that ' ' a day be set apart 
 for humiliation and prayer, believing that our condi- 
 tion at present particularly called upon us to seek 
 divine aid." 
 
 On Thursday, January i, 1835, the following 
 persons were elected as trustees for the year, viz : 
 Phinehas Phillips, S. D. Phillips, George Eve, 
 Thomas Shaw, George W. Thomas, B. F. Hancock 
 and John Branch. 
 
 On the tenth of January, Rev. Charles E. Wilson 
 was called to take charge of the church for three 
 months. Mr. Wilson had been engaged in missionary 
 work in the West. He was also very successful in 
 evangelistic meetings. He was at one time president 
 of the New Jersey State Convention. The following 
 appeared in the obituary notice of that convention in 
 
HISTORY Ol'" THE 
 
 1870: "The purity of Bro. Wilson's character, the sim- 
 plicity of his life and his earnest piety deeply 
 impressed those thrown into his companionship. His 
 out-spoken loyalty to his country illustrated his un- 
 selfish integrity. Extremely diffident, our brother 
 shunned notoriety and place ; nevertheless, sought 
 out, he was trusted and beloved as a wise man, a good 
 man and a man faithful in all things." 
 
 In the reminiscence of Mr. Wilson's Norristown 
 pastorate by his widow, Mrs. Theresa Wilson, she 
 says: " One of the most prominent events in the life of 
 Mr. Wilson was the stand he took on the slavery 
 question. Dr. Wm. T. Brantley delivered a lecture on 
 slavery. Mr. Wilson heard it and replied through 
 the papers. It was like the explosion of a bomb-shell 
 in the community. Intense excitement prevailed. 
 It was the beginning of a long controversy. There 
 were not many ready then to stand by their pastor, 
 but before the discussion closed they were almost 
 united on the subject. Mr. Samuel Aaron dated his 
 first convictions on the anti-slavery question from 
 this controversy. Mr. Wilson was no respecter of 
 persons, when great principles were at issue, but with 
 quiet intrepidity took his stand for the truth." 
 
 In 1882, Rev. lyevi S. Beck wrote of his friend 
 as follows : "My acquaintance with Mr. Wilson began 
 at the time he became pastor at Norristown, forty-seven 
 years ago. I was then pastor at Milestown. Both 
 churches belonged then to the Central Union Asso- 
 ciation, and this connection frequently brought us 
 together. About this time protracted meetings began 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 49 
 
 to be held among the churches of our denomination, 
 and those of the Central Union Association were 
 especially active in holding such meetings. Many in 
 the old Philadelphia Association looked upon these 
 movements with suspicion, and were disposed to 
 regard the Central Union brethren as unsound in 
 the faith, because of their adoption of such 'new 
 measures' to promote the cause of Christ. Bro. 
 Wilson entered heart and soul upon this revival work. 
 I remember laboring with him in three meetings of 
 this kind — at Milestown, Reading and Norristown. 
 Mr. Wilson was a singularly modest man, never 
 obtruding himself upon his brethren, and yet fearless 
 and faithful in the presentation of truth and in the 
 maintenance of what he believed to be right. I have 
 a distinct recollection of his controversy with Dr. 
 Brantley on the subject of slavery. The very fact of a 
 controversy at that time and on that subject, with an 
 intellectual giant like Dr. Brantley, proclaims how 
 unflinchingly and faithfully Mr. Wilson adhered to 
 his convictions. The Lord be praised for such men! 
 There is no one among my earlier acquaintances in 
 the ministry whose memory I cherish more tenderly 
 than that of Bro. Wilson. , His deep piety, his conse- 
 cration to his work and his loving spirit won not only 
 my warmest regard but gave him a place in the con- 
 fidence of all with whom he came in contact." 
 
 During this pastorate, the question of admitting 
 colored brethren to the church came up and was 
 discussed at several meetings. August 8, 1835, it 
 was resolved that the colored brethren take their seats 
 
50 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 at communion with the other members. At this 
 same meeting a letter was received from Hatboro, 
 requesting the church to send delegates to assist them 
 in constituting a church at that place. The pastor, 
 Mr. Wilson and B. F. Hancock were chosen. 
 
 September 12, it was unanimously decided that 
 Mr. Wilson, who had now been serving the church 
 as acting pastor for eight months, be continued as 
 regular pastor without limitation. 
 
 At this meeting it was voted to elect two more 
 deacons, whereupon Thomas Shaw and George Bve 
 were set apart to that office. 
 
 January 7, 1836, the following brethren were 
 elected trustees for the ensuing year: Thomas Shaw, 
 Phinehas Phillips, S. D. Phillips, George W. Thomas, 
 George Eve, William White and B. F. Hancock. 
 
 At the regular business meeting, held January 9, 
 1836, B. F. Hancock offered a series of resolutions, 
 which were adopted at the February meeting, making 
 it obligatory upon every member to pay at least one 
 and one-half cents weekly for the maintenance of the 
 Sabbath school and the church, and that a committee 
 of ten should be appointed, whose duty it would be 
 to collect these weekly fees. 
 
 This was the first effort of the church to devise 
 a Scriptural plan for systematic and proportionate 
 giving. It aimed to secure a regular weekly offering 
 from every member of the church and congregation. 
 It would tend to make the matter of giving to the 
 Lord's work not only an honorable business-like pro- 
 ceeding, but also an important religious duty. It 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 5 1 
 
 would make the offering of the people a sacred and 
 essential part of worship. This Gospel plan of finances 
 introduced into the church at that early date, was one 
 of the most important measures they had thus far 
 enacted. The plan shows the business-like head and 
 consecrated heart of its author. What a blessing such 
 a talented consecrated Christian lawyer as Mr. Hancock 
 would be to every church and commuuity. 
 
 At this time the church took an advanced and pro- 
 gressive step on the temperance question. On the 
 tenth of September, 1836, after some discussion, the 
 following resolutions were passed: "Whereas, the 
 church is fully convinced, from observation and 
 experience, that the use of intoxicating liquors as a 
 beverage is neither needful or useful, and that its 
 continuance tends to the formation of intemperance 
 appetites and habits ; and whereas, the general spirit 
 of the Bible unequivocally interdicts the indulgence 
 of any irregular propensities, and we are solemnly 
 commended therein to ' give none occasion of stum- 
 bling to any brother,' 'to give non-offence to the 
 Church of God,' ' to love our neighbor as ourselves,' 
 and 'to abstain from all appearance of evil,' and 'if 
 meat maketh my brother to offend I will eat no flesh 
 while the world stands. ' He further says, ' when we 
 sin so against the brethren we sin against Christ' 
 Wherefore, resolved, that this church verily believes, 
 that manufacturing, vending or using intoxicating 
 liquor for a bevesage is a manifest violation of the 
 spirit of the Bible, and is morally wrong and should 
 be abandoned by every person, and especially by every 
 
52 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 professor of religion. That, hereafter, no person shall 
 be admitted a member of the church who is not a 
 member of some temperance societ}', constituted on 
 the broad plan of total abstinence from the use of all 
 intoxicating liquors as a beverage, or who does not 
 fully recognize the principle of abstainers as aforesaid, 
 to be obligatory upon him or her." 
 
 The spirit and sentiment of these resolutions have 
 been marked in all the subsequent history of the 
 church. From this noble and aggressive stand on 
 this question, the church has never departed. The 
 principles enunciated by these resolutions have been 
 more or less fervently proclaimed and strongly empha- 
 sized by nearly all succeeding pastors. They have 
 been a marked feature in the life and teachings of the 
 ablest minister in the pulpit and the most prominent 
 workers in the church and Sunday school, from that 
 day to this. 
 
 The church has always been recognized as a strong 
 factor in the promulgation of temperance sentiment 
 in the community. Its determined and uncompromis- 
 ing stand against the saloon, the liquor traffic and 
 the whole license system, has more than once brought 
 upon ministers and laymen the calumny and persecu- 
 tion of the opponents of virtue and sobriety. 
 
 Total abstinence from the use of all intoxicating 
 liquors as a beverage is still one of the required con- 
 ditions for church membership. 
 
 On May 31, 1836, the Central Union Association 
 met for the first time with the Norristown Church. 
 Dr. Brantley was moderator, Vigorous resolutions 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 were adopted, declaring against intemperance; also 
 the following on Sabbath schools: "That this asso- 
 ciation regard with deepest interest the establishment 
 and success of Sabbath schools, and recommend that 
 the church not only have a Sabbath school in its place 
 of worship, but to organize branch schools in every 
 destitute place wherever practicable. ' ' 
 
 It was customary at this time for the church to set 
 apart a day, occasionally, for special prayer, to suppli- 
 cate the bestowment of divine grace. Accordingly, 
 on October 8, 1836, it was resolved "that, as the state 
 of the church calls for humiliation and sorrow, it is 
 earnesth- recommended that it should embrace an 
 early opportunity of holding a special prayer meeting, 
 to deplore before God the low state of religion and to 
 supplicate the bestowment of his spirit and grace." 
 
 About this time, the denomination had undertaken 
 to raise $5,000 to purchase tracts and bibles for the 
 "Great Western Valley." The Norristown Church 
 appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions for this 
 work, and a collection was taken annually for the 
 same. Thirty dollars was raised, also, by the church 
 to constitute the pastor, Mr. Wilson, a life member 
 of the American and Foreign Bible Society. Collec- 
 tions were taken regularly for the aid of Foreign 
 Missions. 
 
 April II, 1837, Pastor Wilson's salary was raised 
 to $400. 
 
 The first choir of the church was organized at this 
 time. Abram Anderson, Geo. Wright and E. G. 
 McCarter were chosen a committee to select a choir 
 of singers from the church and congregation. 
 
54 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 It was the custom of the church to resolve, 
 formally, from time to time, to hold protracted meet- 
 ings. At such time the pastor would invite a number 
 of neighboring ministers to assist him in preaching. 
 These meetings were usually held in winter, but that 
 the church depended more upon the indications of 
 Providence and the direction of the Holy Spirit, than 
 upon the season, is evident from the following: At a 
 business meeting on August 12, 1837, it was resolved 
 to hold a "meeting of days," commencing on Friday, 
 the fifteenth of September; that Pastor Wilson be 
 authorized to request the attendance of ministering 
 brethren, and that subscription papers be circulated 
 to defray the expenses of the protracted meeting. 
 
 The last important work of Mr. Wilson as pastor 
 was the introduction of a series of resolutions, making 
 the Sunday school an organic part of the church and 
 under the supervision of the same. Before this time, 
 the school had been sustained by a society organized 
 for that purpose. 
 
 On lyord's Day morning, November 26, 1837, Mr. 
 Wilson resigned the pastoral charge of the church and 
 stated his determination to leave Norristown about 
 the first of April, 1838. 
 
 This pastorate of three years and three months was 
 a very successful one, during which many important 
 measures were introduced, and eighty were added to 
 the church. 
 
 A society having been organized by the denomi- 
 nation for the printing and distribution of bibles over 
 the world, the Norristown church, on February 10, 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 55 
 
 1838, voted as follows : " That we heartily approve 
 of the formation of the American and Foreign Bible 
 Society, and do hereby tender it out best wishes and 
 our aid ; that in our opinion, the society, in its 
 operation, should be confined to no place, but should 
 be at liberty to dispense the Word of God wherever 
 needed; that the clerk transmit to the corresponding 
 secretary of the American and Foreign Bible Society 
 a copy of the foregoing resolutions. ' ' 
 
 In their letter to the Association, they state that 
 an active sympathy is felt by this church in the great 
 designs of evangelistic enterprise, but especially in the 
 cause of Sabbath schools, missions and temperance. 
 The next month a society was formed in the church, 
 auxiliary to the Baptist State Convention, for mis- 
 sionary purposes. Phinehas Phillips was appointed 
 the agent. 
 
IMVID BHKNAKD 
 Pastfir iVoni hme, iSjN, to April. 1841. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. David Bernard to that of Rev. Samuel 
 Aaron — June, 1838, to April, 1841. 
 
 It was on March 20, 1838, one month after the 
 departure of Mr. Wilson, that the church voted 
 unanimously to call as pastor Rev. David Bernard, 
 of Bedford, New York. He was to have a salary of 
 $800; also house rent, fuel for one fire and $60 to 
 defray expenses of moving. Mr. Bernard accepted 
 the call and entered upon the duties of his office 
 June 9, 1838. 
 
 The Rev. David Bernard was born in Utica, New 
 York, in 1798. He was educated at Columbian 
 University, Washington, D C, and read law with the 
 Hon. Felix Grundy, of Nashville, Tenn. After his 
 conversion he abandoned the study of law and decided 
 to enter the ministry.. He was ordained at Stillwater, 
 New York, in 1824. ^^ 1869, Mr. Bernard wrote as 
 follows concerning the choosing of his life work : 
 "When a young man, four paths lay open before me, 
 all inviting my acceptance. One led to wealth, one 
 to fame, one to pleasure and one to usefulness. By 
 grace I ignored the first three and chose the fourth. 
 I have gone through this path for seventy years. I 
 
6o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 look back and around me. I look forward. I 
 have gathered no coffers of wealth, no chaplets of 
 flowers, no cups of nectar. I am poor, but my wealth 
 is in the bank that never fails. My crown is laid up 
 in heaven ; it is a crown of life." 
 
 When Mr. Bernard came to the Norristown church 
 he was, as each of his predecessors had been, a 
 preacher of some prominence in the denomination. 
 Although he had been preaching but fourteen years, 
 and was still a young man, he was widely known. 
 That which brought him into prominence during his 
 early life was his attitude to secret organizations. At 
 this time the feeling was very strong throughout the 
 country, particularly in New York, against free 
 masonry. It was in 1826 that William Morgan wrote 
 his famous book exposing the secrets of this fraternity. 
 The mysterious abduction of Morgan occurred in the 
 same year. The Baptist churches in many sections of 
 the country felt it their duty to take action upon the 
 matter. It became an article of faith, with those so 
 convinced, that no person could be a good citizen, or 
 a good Christian, and at the same time be a mason. 
 The more the excitement grew the stronger became 
 this conviction. Meetings were repeatedly held, and 
 associations passed their resolutions of condemnation 
 and disfellowship, alleging the institution to be injur- 
 ious in its tendency, barbarous in its oaths, unwar- 
 ranted in its claims to antiquity, and impious in its 
 pretensions and ceremonials. The following was a 
 common form of resolution in many Baptist associa- 
 tions and conferences : 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 6 I 
 
 ** J^t'sohvii, that in the opinion of this Conference, it is the duty of 
 every member of our churches who is a Free Mason to dissolve all connec- 
 tion with the Masonic fraternity, and hold himself no longer bound by any 
 ties of allegiance to the Masonic institution ; and that he give to the church 
 to which he belongs satisfactory evidence of the same, thereby practically 
 disapproving the institution.'' 
 
 Dr. Alexander M. Beebee says that probably nine- 
 tenths of Baptist Masons dissolved their connection 
 with the order. Those who did not, for the most 
 part, had their connection with Baptist churches 
 dissolved. 
 
 It was impossible that a wide-awake, aggressive 
 young man like David Bernard, who had just been 
 ordained to the ministry and was living in the section 
 where the battle was hottest, should not take a 
 decisive stand upon a question that was agitating the 
 political and religious world. He spoke and wrote 
 strongly and fearlessly against the abduction of 
 Morgan, and openly denounced the institutions of 
 masonry. His son, Charles B. Bernard, Esq., said 
 his father was a marked man after he renounced 
 masonry, yet he was fearless enough to travel alone 
 in all sections of the country. 
 
 In 1829, Mr. Bernard wrote a book entitled "Light 
 on Masonry," of which President John Ouincy Adams 
 once said, in a public address: "Elder David Bernard 
 was a minister of the Genesee Baptist Association, in 
 New York. He was a man of good repute and of 
 blameless life. To him, perhaps, more than to any 
 other man, the world is indebted for the revelation of 
 the most execrable mysteries of masonry, nor could 
 he, as a minister of the word of God, have performed 
 
62 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 a service to his country and fellow-Christians more 
 suitable to his sacred functions." 
 
 What gave Mr. Bernard's book a special interest 
 at that time, was the fact that he had himself been 
 for several years a prominent mason, having taken 
 the four chaptoral degrees, the seven ineffable degrees 
 and the "higher degrees." His secession from the 
 order was therefore the more significant. 
 
 Mr. Bernard was also a very strongly pronounced 
 anti-slavery man, and it was during his pastorate that 
 the Norristown church took those first decisive steps 
 that made them the strong fervid abolitionists that 
 they afterwards became, and by which they were 
 distinguished until slavery was finally abolished. 
 
 The work for which Pastor Bernard will always be 
 remembered by Bible students is his translation of 
 the Scriptures. This work, which is a new version of 
 the entire Bible, bears the impress of the translator's 
 profound and accurate scholarship. He was engaged 
 upon this task during his stay in Norristown, but it 
 was not until 1842, the year after leaving the church, 
 that the work was given to the public, from Lippin- 
 cott's publishing house. 
 
 Mr. Bernard's preaching is said to have been 
 exegetical and expository. He occasionally wrote his 
 sermons, but rarely used his manuscript in the pulpit. 
 He preached for thirty years, and was for fifteen years 
 agent for Bible societies. He died in Troy, New 
 York, July 11, 1876. 
 
 In the year 1839, the trustees sold for the church 
 the first piece of land from the original tract. This 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 63 
 
 policy of selling lots from the church property to pay 
 off current debts was unfortunately continued, until 
 only the immediate site of the building was left. 
 While this course seemed necessary then, and was 
 probably not inexpedient when the lot embraced 
 nearly a whole square, it was an egregious mistake to 
 continue it so as to hinder or greatly embarrass the 
 future enlarging or remodelling of the church 
 building. 
 
 Considerable attention was given to instruction 
 in sacred music at this time. Singing schools were 
 held in the church regularly, on Saturday evenings, for 
 three months at a time. At this early date an impetus 
 was given to congregational singing, for which the 
 church has long been noted. 
 
 A little later a gallery was erected for the choir in 
 the rear of the auditorium, in accordance with the 
 old-fashioned and ridiculous way of having the organ 
 and the singers behind the audience. 
 
 October 12, 1839, the Montgomery County Anti- 
 Slavery Society, through Phinehas Phillips, asked for 
 the use of the church for the society's quarterly 
 meetings. Although the house, at this time, was not 
 granted, the fact that the society asked for it, and that 
 the request was formally considered, shows plainly 
 that the church was regarded as being to a greater or 
 less extent in sympathy with the anti-slavery move- 
 ment, even at this time. 
 
 It was while Mr. Bernard was still living in Norris- 
 town that an anti-slavery meeting was held in the 
 Baptist church, when addresses were delivered by 
 
64 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Hods. Garret Smith and Frederick Douglass. As the 
 people were leaving the church stones were hurled 
 through the windows, and so Mr. Bernard remained 
 in the church through the night, lest the building 
 might be destroyed. 
 
 Sabbath desecration was now becoming a serious 
 matter, and the church adopted the following : 
 '■''Resolved^ That we believe it to be the duty of 
 Christians to abstain from all labor on the Lord's 
 Day, except what is absolutely a work of necessity or 
 mercy, and to keep the day as a day of woship to the 
 Lord." 
 
 The Central Union Association at this time also 
 declares, " whereas the Sabbath is constantly violated 
 by traveling and pleasure riding on that holy day ; 
 therefore, resolved, that this association urge upon 
 all churches and the public generally to discount- 
 enance such practices altogether, as morally wrongs 
 except in cases of mercy and necessity." 
 
 On December 13, 1840, Mr. Bernard gave notice 
 that he would vacate the pastoral office on the ninth 
 of April following, and requested the church to look 
 out a suitable person to fill the place. Accordingly 
 a committee was appointed, consisting of the pastor 
 and brethren Hancock, Thomas, Scattergood, March, 
 Shaw and S. D. Phillips. One could hardly conceive 
 of a more commendable course than this, in the 
 delicate and important matter of choosing a pastor. 
 If this course were always pursued, and every retiring 
 pastor, before he leaves his field, with the aid of the 
 wisest members of the church, would endeavor to 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 65 
 
 select and place his successor, the dreadful evils 
 resulting from long interims of pastorates and the 
 abominable practice of " candidating" would be 
 largely avoided. The retiring pastor, who has the 
 highest interests of the church at heart, and who is 
 likely to be better and more widely acquainted with 
 ministers than the laymen, ought to be the most 
 competent to select a suitable man as his successor. 
 
 During the pastorate of Mr. Bernard, as was the 
 custom at this period, protracted meetings were held 
 at different times. Nearly one hundred were added 
 to the church by baptism, during his ministry. 
 
 During these first eight years of its history the 
 church had made rapid progress and was now quite a 
 strong and vigorous body. There were two hundred 
 and ninety-one members, among them were some of 
 the most influential men of the county. Excepting 
 the Eirst Church of Philadelphia, the Norristown 
 Church was much the largest one in the Central 
 Union Association. There was a good number of 
 accessions every year, the largest number any single 
 year being sixty, in 1834, fifty-five by baptism and five 
 by letter, and the smallest number being twelve, in 
 1836 ; so that, although the discipline was rigid and 
 there were frequent exclusions, the membership was 
 steadily increasing. The Sunday-school, of which 
 Mr. Hancock had been superintendent from its begin- 
 ning, now numbered one hundred and forty scholars, 
 with twenty teachers. 
 
 Norristown was building up quite rapidly at this 
 time, and during these years the Baptist church kept 
 
66 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 apace with the town. As many as fifteen persons 
 were sometimes received by letter in a year. 
 
 The church had already identified itself with all 
 the missionary and benevolent organizations of the 
 denomination. It had taken a determined and ad- 
 vanced stand in the matter of temperance reform and 
 was soon to be equally pronounced and progressive on 
 the slavery question. Indeed the church had already 
 come to be looked upon as a true representative of 
 virtue and sobriety in the community. Its influence 
 in the diffusion of the principles of a pure Christian- 
 ity was second to that of no other organization. 
 
SAAUIliL AARON 
 I'astdi- riiMll April, lS;l,l.i Juno, lS_|4. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Samuel Aaron to that of Rev. I. N. 
 Hobart — April, 184I, to June, 1844. 
 
 The young church was now about to make a move 
 which would prove to be one of the most momentary 
 events in its history, and by which it would render 
 its greatest service to Norristown and confer an ever- 
 lasting benediction upon the entire community. This 
 event was the calling to the pastorate of the church 
 the Rev. Samuel Aaron. 
 
 At a special church meeting, December 31, 1840, 
 Pastor Bernard, chairman of the committee appointed 
 to obtain a pastor, reported that the committee were 
 prepared to recommend Rev. Samuel Aaron, of Bur- 
 lington, N. J. , as a suitable person for pastor. After a 
 free interchange of views among the members, it was 
 unanimously agreed to invite Mr. Aaron to take the 
 pastoral charge of the church. At the January meet- 
 ing, a letter was read from Mr. Aaron, informing the 
 church of his acceptance of the call to the pastoral 
 office. Thus, Mr. Bernard, at the close of a faithful 
 and successful ministry, rendered his greatest services 
 to the church by securing, as his successor in the 
 pastoral office, this noble man of God. He was 
 instrumental, under God, in bringing to Norristown 
 one who no doubt did more than any other man has 
 
7o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 ever done to mould the life and character of its people, 
 in accordance with a high and divine pattern. 
 
 Early in April, 1841, Mr. Aaron, accompanied by 
 his wife and his daughter Martha, came to Norristown 
 and assumed, at once, the duties of his new charge as 
 pastor of the church, at the same time conducting a 
 school, at first in the mansion-house of Hon. Burd 
 Wilson, and later in the Norristown Acadenly. 
 
 The moulding influence of Mr. Aaron's mind and 
 heart was soon manifest along all lines of Christian 
 activity in the church, and of moral reform in the 
 community. In the Central Union Association he 
 was, from the first, a recognized leader in all the 
 deliberations of the body. At its session, held with 
 the Norristown Church, the spring that Mr. Aaron 
 became pastor there, he was made moderator, and his 
 hand is known to have shaped the resolution on 
 slavery, that elicited an animated and prolonged 
 discussion, which was long remembered as the chief 
 event of the session. The preamble and resolutions 
 read as follows: "Whereas, a large portion of the 
 Baptists of the United States of America do directly 
 or indirectly sanction the system of American slavery ; 
 and, whereas, this system aims, both by law and 
 usage, to make an enslaved brother man as nearly as 
 possible a valuable article of property, inflicting the 
 severest punishment on anyone unwilling to become 
 such, thus perpetrating a shocking outrage on what 
 every man feels to be his natural rights, and prevent- 
 ing a human being from knowing and honouring God 
 according to the dictates of conscience and the terms 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 7 1 
 
 of the Gospel ; and, whereas, the Great Head of the 
 Church has afiBrmed his followers to be the light of 
 the world, and ordained them his witnesses ' till the 
 end of time : therefore, resolved, That we do 
 hereby, in obedience to our Lord and Saviour, being 
 accountable to him alone for our motives and conduct, 
 bear our solemn testimony against American slavery 
 as a sin ; and that we warn and implore all Baptists 
 to clear themselves, by open confession and repentance 
 in the sight of God and men, of all participation in 
 this great national crime. ' ' 
 
 The resolution was first laid on the table, and 
 afterwards called up and settled by thirty- one votes 
 in the affirmative and twelve in the negative. Other 
 important measures enacted at this meeting were the 
 following : " That we regard the organization of the 
 American Baptist Publication Society as an era in 
 the history of our denomination that calls for devout 
 thankfulness to God, and that we recommend it to 
 the enlarged liberality and fervent prayers of all our 
 churches ; that we recommend to the churches the 
 ' Baptist Record, ' published in Philadelphia, and the 
 'Christian Reflector,' published in Worcester, Mass., 
 as worthy of patronage. ' ' 
 
 The Norristown letter to the association spoke of 
 "the Sabbath school as a favorite and famed nursery 
 of the church, to which a number of the worthiest 
 members had devoted themselves with fervid and 
 long enduring zeal and charity. " It declared that "the 
 church is in principle opposed to the use of intoxica- 
 ting drinks, and would surely discipline a dram 
 
HISTORY OK THE 
 
 drinking or dram selling member, and commend the 
 same rule to their brethern. They believe that the 
 saints are not their own, but bought with a price, and 
 that their personal service and their substance should 
 be unreservedly devoted to the real cause of God, so as to 
 give a translated Bible and the Gospel, through a pious 
 ministry, to every human soul, as well as consolation 
 and aid to saints in affliction, poverty and bondage. " 
 
 Although Pastor Aaron's time was so largely 
 occupied with his school and with many public affairs, 
 he still gave much attention to the spiritual and 
 financial interests of his church. Upon his recom- 
 mendation six persons were chosen, whose duty it 
 should be, in conjunction with the pastor and deacons, 
 to attend to cases of discipline, seek out delinquent 
 members, and endeavor to promote the spirituality of 
 the church. 
 
 October 8, 1842, the church proceeded to elect 
 four additional deacons. The election resulted in the 
 choice of Thomas Scattergood, B. F. Hancock, Wm. 
 White, and John McCrea. The church followed the 
 apostolic order, in the setting apart of these deacons 
 formally by the laying on of hands and prayer. 
 Brethren from other churches were invited to assist in 
 the ordination services, which consisted of a sermon, 
 prayer and charge to the newly elected officials. 
 
 There had been, all along, some difficulty in raising 
 sufficient money to defray the necessary expenses of 
 the church ; so, on March 12, 1842, a resolution was 
 passed, declaring "it lo be the indispensable duty of 
 every member of the church to contribute something 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 73 
 
 toward defraying the expenses of keeping up divine 
 worship in our meeting house and the expenses incident 
 thereto." And the ensuing August, the trustees 
 enacted the following : " The president shall appoint 
 a suitable person collector, whose duty it shall be to 
 collect the pew rents, and such other money as shall 
 be required of him by the board of trustees, or the 
 church, and from time to time, as collector, pay the 
 same over to the treasurer and take his receipt there- 
 for, and whenever required by the board of trustees, 
 or the pew committee, he shall exhibit to them 
 his books for settlement or otherwise. " It was also 
 voted " that the collector shall be entitled to receive 
 five per cent, of all moneys by him collected and paid 
 over to the treasurer. " These business like methods 
 of managing that very delicate and difficult matter of 
 church finance reflect great credit upon those who 
 enacted them. 
 
 Owing to Pastor Aaron's numerous and exacting 
 duties outside the church, in connection with his 
 academy, it was resolved, finally, to invite Rev. I. N. 
 Hobart, who had been recently ordained to the 
 ministry, to become assistant pastor, and that he be 
 paid two hundred and fifty dollars per annum. Rev. 
 Emerson Andrews, an evangelist, also rendered val- 
 uable assistance during a protracted meeting. 
 
 In the meantime, Mr. Aaron's popularity and 
 success as a teacher became so great that in 1844 he 
 undertook the building and founding of Treemount 
 Seminary. This great work required his attention so 
 constantly that in June he asked the church to release 
 
74 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 him from the pastoral office, which they reluctantly 
 consented to do. 
 
 During this pastorate of three years, eighty-seven 
 were added to the church by baptism and forty-three 
 by letter. 
 
 The spiritual interests, in the midst of many trying 
 circumstances, seem to have been fairly well sustained, 
 yet there were times of lamentable declension, as is 
 evident from the following letter to the association in 
 May, 1844: "This church speaks of their religious 
 state as being languid and unfruitful. They say that 
 many of the converts of past days seem, to a fearful 
 extent, wedded to the world. A few humble brethren 
 and sisters are regular in their attendance at the 
 prayer meeting, but those assembling seem to languish 
 under the blighted faith and chilled affections of the 
 mass. The congregations on the Sabbath, however, 
 are large, and the outward attention to the Word all 
 that could be desired." 
 
 Mr. Aaron remained an active and influential 
 member of the Norristown Church until he removed 
 to Mount Holly, N. J., in 1859. Among the active 
 members at this time were Phinehas Phillips, S. D. 
 Phillips, Thomas Shaw, Thomas Scattergood, Joseph 
 Abraham, Abner Supplee, Jacob Cauffman, B. F. 
 Hancock, Eli G. McCarter, Charles Pugh, Geo. W. 
 Thomas, John Dykes, Charles Slingluff and Isaac 
 Eastburn. 
 
 At this time much attention was given to the 
 discussion of questions of moral reform, in the sessions 
 of the Central Union Association ; so much so, that 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 75 
 
 matters pertaining to the spiritual interests were some- 
 times neglected. This fact led to the calling of a special 
 session of the association, to meet with the Norristown 
 Church, November 26 and 27, 1844, to adjust these 
 matters. After prolonged and animated discussion, 
 the following resolutions were adopted: "That no 
 question of moral reform shall hereafter be discussed 
 by this body more than one hour, during its session, 
 and that no speaker shall occupy more than ten 
 minutes ;" " That no resolution shall be recorded as 
 the sense of this association, on any moral subject, 
 unless sustained by a vote of two-thirds of the mem- 
 bers present ;" "That a committee be appointed, at 
 the commencement of each future session, so to 
 arrange the devotional exercises as to occupy all the 
 time not really needful for the business of the associ- 
 ation ;" "That this association hereafter act as a 
 Domestic Missionary Society. " This last resolution 
 was the entering wedge that afterward separated a part 
 of the association from the missionary union. 
 
I. N. HOP.AIJT 
 Pastor I'mm June, I.S44, to [ulv, 1S46. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. I. N. Hobart to that of Rev. Hiram 
 Hutchins — June, 1844, to Marcli, 1847. 
 
 On the twelfth of January, 1845, Rev. I. N. 
 Hobart was unanimously elected pastor to succeed 
 Mr. Aaron. Mr. Hobart had been acting pastor for 
 a year prior to this. 
 
 In August of this year, the trustees were author- 
 ized to purchase a piece of ground for a cemetery and 
 mortgage the church property for the payment of the 
 same. They accordingly purchased of Rev. Samuel 
 Aaron two acres of ground, on Sandy street, adjoining 
 the borough line, for $600.00. At the suggestion of 
 Mr. Aaron the graveyard was named Treemount 
 Cemetery. It was then enclosed with a fence, planted 
 with trees and made ready for use. It shows the 
 high regard the church had for the Phillips family 
 that the trustees were instructrd to select and present 
 to Phinehas Phillips one of the best lots in the 
 cemetery. 
 
 An important action, at this time, was the intro- 
 duction by Mr. Hancock, and the adoption by the 
 church, of a series of resolutions to make the church 
 pews free, and to raise the necessary funds, for the 
 support of the church, by voluntary contributions. 
 The following was the estimate of the ordinary 
 
8o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 expenses of the church for the year 1846 : Pastor's 
 salary, $500; fuel and lights, $70; sexton's salary, 
 $60; Sabbath schools, $40; interest money, I90; 
 contingencies, I40; total, $800. To the cause of 
 missions, whether at home or abroad, and that of 
 ministerial education, and to such other objects of 
 Christian beneficence as were attracting attention, the 
 church gave its sympathies and material support. 
 
 The first Lord's Day in each month was appro- 
 priated to missions, and a collection taken each 
 evening for the work. 
 
 During this pastorate the slavery question was 
 paramount in the minds of the people. Applications 
 were made, from time to time, by the Anti-Slavery 
 Society of Pennsylvania, for the use of the church for 
 their regular meetings. These applications were duly 
 considered, but, although there was a strong anti- 
 slavery sentiment among a majority of the members, 
 no formal vote favorable to granting the requests 
 could yet be secured. Meetings in the interest of the 
 abolition cause continued to be held, however, from 
 time to time. The Baptist church alone, in Norris- 
 town, would open its house for the discussion of the 
 slavery question. On this subject, as on that of tem- 
 perance, the church was far in advance of the times. 
 All the pastors, thus far, had been radical reformers 
 and fearless advocates of the true principles of 
 morality, liberty and sobriety. No one doubted where 
 the Baptist church would stand upon the two great 
 issues of an ti- slavery and temperance. The large 
 majority could be counted on to take the noble stand 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 demanded alike by morality and Christianity, and to 
 maintain it in the face of bitter opposition and cruel 
 insult. Public agitators of these issues occasionally 
 took advantage of the church's known pronounced 
 position and sometimes injured the cause they sought 
 to advance by intemperate speech and rabid denuncia- 
 tion of those who differed from them in any way, as 
 is shown by the following letter of Mr. Hobart: "At 
 the time of my pastorate, 1844-46, public attention, in 
 the free states, was largely drawn to the subject of 
 slavery. There were, however, but two churches of 
 our denomination in Eastern Pennsylvania that were 
 out-spoken. These were Norristown and Radnor. 
 In Norristown a large majority of the church favored 
 opening the doors of the meeting house to anti-slavery 
 speakers, and the minority yielded very gracefully. 
 But those favoring it sometimes found their courtesy 
 and kindness — and themselves — much abused. It is 
 remembered that a certain lecturer asked the use of 
 the house for an anti- slavery address, on a certain 
 Sabbath afternoon. The request was granted. The 
 lecturer came with whip and spurs. The church and 
 ministry were the chosen point of attack. After cen- 
 suring and rebuking, and finding almost all manner of 
 faults with the church and ministry generally, all else 
 were dropped and the Baptist church in Norristown, 
 in particular was taken up. We were lashed and 
 gored in front and rear, and on either side, in the most 
 merciless manner, as though we were sinners above 
 all men dwelling in Pennsylvania, or anywhere else, 
 in Christendom or out of it. This done the speaker 
 
82 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 had the unblushing impudence to ask the use of the 
 house for further lectures. But, while the church and 
 pastor, in respect to their anti-slavery sentiment and 
 convictions, were far in advance of the church and 
 ministry generally, they were not so destitute of true 
 manliness and self-respect as to brook the insult, and 
 decidedly refused the request." 
 
 At each annual session of the association, a heated 
 discussion arose over the question of human bondage. 
 The following was the usual form of resolution 
 adopted : Resolved, that, in the opinion of this 
 association, American slavery is a flagrant violation 
 of the moral precepts of the Gospel of Christ, and, 
 therefore, ought not to be tolerated in a Christian 
 church, and that we earnestly entreat all Christians, 
 and especially all Baptists, to have no participation 
 in this sin, and to enter their solemn protest against it. 
 
 This pastorate was not marked by many conver- 
 sions. Only two baptisms are reported. It seems 
 to have been a time of pruning, rather than of reap- 
 ing. At a single church meeting sixty members were 
 disciplined, and twenty-two were excluded or dropped. 
 The membership was reduced from three hundred and 
 thirty-nine, in 1843, to two hundred and thirty-eight, 
 in 1847, a loss of one hundred and one members in 
 four years. 
 
 The letters to the association, in 1845 ^"<1 1S46, 
 sound disheartening notes of lamentation over the 
 general spiritual declension. "No special outpouring 
 of the Holy Spirit has been enjoyed. Have nothing 
 to deplore but a want of likeness to our vital Head, 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 83 
 
 and lack of engagedness in His services. It would 
 afford us pleasure if in this, our annual epistle, we 
 could mention the revival of God's work among us. 
 This we cannot do. We trust there are some among 
 us who pray for the peace of Jerusalem ; for the pros- 
 perity of Zion. Still we have occasion to humble 
 ourselves before God, and deplore, with the deepest 
 self-abasement, our want of love to him, and our want 
 of zeal in his cause." 
 
 This was a season of unusual barrenness, through- 
 out the churches. The Norristown Church reported 
 only two baptisms during the four years of ^44, '45, 
 '46 and '47. In 1846, seventeen churches of the 
 Central Union Association reported but sixty-two 
 baptisms, the smallest number in the history of the 
 association. In 1843 they had reported four hundred 
 and forty-five baptisms. 
 
 On Sunday morning, June 28, 1846, Mr. Hobart 
 read his resignation as pastor, but, at the request of 
 the church, he continued as supply until his successor 
 was chosen. 
 
 Rev. I. N. Hobart, D. D. , was born inL,ynn, N. H., 
 February 20, 1812. He was converted in 1831, and 
 baptized the same year. He was ordained to the 
 Gospel ministry August 12, 1841, at Radnor, Pa., and 
 was pastor of the Radnor Baptist Church from this 
 date to October, 1844, when he resigned to accept the 
 call to Norristown, as the successor of Rev. Samuel 
 Aaron. Owing to impaired health, he resigned this 
 charge in 1846, and soon after returned to New Eng- 
 land, and for about two years remained without 
 
84 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 pastoral charge. He labored in several fields in New 
 England and New York, until 1868, when he was 
 appointed, by the Home Mission Society, to take 
 charge of its work in Illinois. Subsequently he 
 became district secretary for the States of Illinois, 
 Iowa and Wisconsin. Dr. Hobart was a man of 
 marked self-devotion and administrative ability. He 
 was a valued and intimate friend of Mr. Aaron, 
 through whose influence he came to Norristown, first 
 as assistant and afterwards as full pastor. Doctor 
 Hobart was much attached, also, to the Norristown 
 Church. In writing of his labors there, forty years 
 afterward, he speaks of B. F. Hancock, Phinehas and 
 S. D. Phillips, Thomas Scattergood, Joseph Abraham, 
 Abner Supplee, Thomas Shaw, George W. Thomas, 
 George Eve, William White, John McCrea, Samuel 
 Morton, J. D. McVaugh and Alfred Scattergood as 
 "a goodly company of excellent men." 
 
 Dr. Hobart, like his immediate predecessor, was a 
 radical reformer, and took a firm stand on the great 
 issues of temperance, anti-slavery and "Free Mis- 
 
]'ash 
 
 Hllv'AM IIIITOIINS 
 liniii Marili, lS_|7, lo Jam 
 
 ry. 1N50. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Hiram Hutchins to that of Rev. W. E. 
 Cornwell — March, 1847, to November, 1850. 
 
 The committee appointed to look out a suitable 
 person for pastor, after diligent and faithful search, 
 recommended Rev. Hiram Hutchins, of Richfield, 
 N. Y. , who visited the church and preached with 
 much acceptance, and on the twelfth of November, 
 1846, was unanimously elected to the pastorate. He 
 proved to be one of the most popular and successful 
 pastors in the history of the church. He was in per- 
 fect accord with the views of Mr. Aaron and those of 
 the church, in relation to evangelistic work and all 
 questions of moral reform. Mr. Hutchins assumed 
 his charge in March, 1847, and became at once an 
 indefatigable and persevering laborer. 
 
 The old question of renting the house of worship 
 for the annual meetings of the Eastern Anti-slavery 
 Society came tip again, and on the twelfth of June, 
 after a long discussion, it was finally voted to grant 
 the request of the society, upon their payment of one 
 hundred and twenty-five dollars rental, and on the 
 condition that the church reserve the right to rescind 
 the grant at any time after the first meeting. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The society's anniversaries were held here for 
 three years. These meetings were largely attended, 
 and were the occasion of many stirring and exciting 
 scenes. Such celebrated abolitionists as Wendell 
 Philips, Wm. Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass 
 were among the speakers who came from a distance. 
 These noted and eloquent anti-slavery leaders con- 
 firmed and greatly strengthened the already strong 
 anti-slavery sentiment in the community. They 
 served, at the same time, to incite the violent opposi- 
 tion of the pro-slavery portion of the community, 
 who threatened to burn the house down, if such men 
 as Phillips, Garrison and Douglass were allowed to 
 speak there ; but the church, nothing daunted by 
 these threats of violence, continued to throw wide 
 open its doors, and to stand firm for the truth, loyal 
 to God and humanity. 
 
 Norristown was one of the stations on the line of 
 the underground railroad. Prominent among the 
 agents in charge of this route were Rev. Samuel 
 Aaron, Pastor Hutchins and other members of the 
 Baptist church. The number of fugitives who 
 passed through Norristown, assisted by their friends, 
 increased from year to year, as many as twelve or 
 fifteen being sometimes concealed within the town at 
 one time. Owing to the bitter animosity against 
 abolitionists, upon the part of a large number of the 
 citizens, those who made active efforts in behalf of the 
 fugitives had to incur general denunciation and social 
 ostracism. Malignant threats were frequently made. 
 These were not often carried into effect, however. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 89 
 
 The nearest approach to a mob demonstration was the 
 stoning of the Baptist church, during a session of one 
 of the anniversaries of the Anti-slavery Society, which 
 was held there. The meeting was broien up and the 
 most intense excitement followed. 
 
 This church was the only building in the town in 
 which these meetings could be held, while the 
 anti-slavery agitation was at its height. Among the 
 interesting incidents in the anti-slavery movement, 
 in which the Baptist church participated, was that of 
 Henry Brown, or Henry (Box) Brown, as he was called. 
 He was a slave in Richmond, who conceived the plan 
 of securing his freedom by having himself boxed up 
 and sent to Philadelphia as merchandise. With the 
 aid of his friends, the plan was successfully carried 
 out. The box reached Philadelphia at twelve o'clock 
 at night, when those who had been appointed to 
 receive it were in waiting. Brown had kept himself 
 alive by means of water which he had in a sack, some 
 crackers, and a gimlet with which he could let in 
 more air as needed. Theo. Bean says that, after his 
 arrival in Philadelphia, he was taken to Norristown, 
 where an anti-slavery meeting was being held in the 
 Baptist church. Here Brown, with his box and all 
 his outfit, was exhibited. Then he took the under- 
 ground railroad to Canada. 
 
 Through all these thrilling and exciting incidents 
 and scenes. Pastor Hutchins was a trusted and valued 
 counselor and a fearless and efficient leader, not only 
 among the Baptists, but among all the more aggressive 
 advocates of social and moral reform in Norristown 
 
90 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and vicinity. He stood shoulder to shoulder with Mr. 
 Aaron, who was the distinguished champion of 
 emancipation in the county. 
 
 ■ An outgrowth of the rapidly growing anti-slavery 
 sentiment among Northern Baptists was the formation, 
 in 1843, of t^^ V'lee Mission Society. The more 
 radical of the Baptist abolitionists had long opposed 
 the policy of the Missionary Union, in receiving 
 directly or indirectly, the avails of slavery to prosecute 
 missionary work. The chief plank in their platform 
 of principles was, "We solemnly pledge ourselves to 
 God and one another to unite in the support of a 
 Baptist Missionary Society, that shall be distinctly 
 and thoroughly separated from all connection with 
 the known avails of slavery, in the support of any of 
 its benevolent purposes. ' ' 
 
 The Free Mission Society continued as a separate 
 organization for nearly thirty years. It was instru- 
 mental in establishing foreign missions in Hayti, 
 Japan, Burmah and Africa, and home missions in the 
 West and South. They founded McGrawville College, 
 in New York, and aided in establishing Leland 
 University, at New Orleans. The society was served 
 by many cultured and forcible speakers and writers. 
 Most of its members were among the foremost pro- 
 moters of temperance. They opposed secret societies 
 and the use of the title "Reverend," among Christian 
 ministers. 
 
 Mr. Hutchins was known to be in hearty accord 
 with this movement. Indeed, this was one of the 
 reasons why he was called to the pastorate of the 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 9 1 
 
 Norristown Church. So, in their letter to the Central 
 Union Association, during the first year of his minis- 
 try, they write, " Believing that some of the principles 
 on which the American Baptist Missionary Union is 
 founded are repugnant to the principles of the 
 Baptist denomination and to the Word of God, they 
 withhold their contributions for missionary purposes, 
 and give them to the world through the American 
 Baptist Free Mission Society." 
 
 The Norristown Church had, before this, however, 
 manifested its hostility to what they regarded as an 
 unholy alliance and needless co-operation of the 
 denomination's Foreign Missionary Society with slave 
 holding interests in the South. Because of their 
 withdrawal from the Missionary Uiiion, many of the 
 brethren of the denomination regarded the Norristown 
 Church as schismatic and disloyal. The matter 
 elicited frequent and warm discussion, at the sessions 
 of the Central Union Association. Resolutions of 
 commendation were offered in 1844 and 1845, both by 
 the friends of the regular missionary societies of the 
 denomination and by the adherents of the Free Mission 
 Society and its organs. But, after protracted discus- 
 sion, each of these resolutions was laid on the table. 
 Owing to the rule requiring a two- thirds vote to pass 
 any such measure, neither party could secure the 
 tiecessary majority, consequently, neither the regularly 
 constituted organization, nor the Free Mission Society, 
 received the indorsement of the association. The 
 association remained divided upon the question until 
 1872, when, the war having rendered needless the 
 
92 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 existeuce of the Free Mission Society, it was voted 
 to suspend its operations, except so far as was necessary 
 to execute trusts and perpetuate legacies. At first only 
 four churches, Norristown, PhcEuixville, Radnor and 
 East Nantmeal, withheld their contributions from the 
 regular society and gave them to the Free Mission 
 Society. A few more were added to these later. The 
 Norristown Church continued to support the society 
 as long as it existed. It is only fair to add that, after 
 1868, they contributed also to each of the other 
 benevolent societies of the denomination. 
 
 In May, 1848, the Central Union Association 
 held its sixteenth annual session in Norristown. 
 B. F. Hancock was moderator, and the circular letter 
 was prepared by Rev. Mr. Hutchins. It was a strong 
 appeal to the churches on the subject of moral reform. 
 The principal evils, which he denounced in emphatic 
 terms, were covetousness, Sabbath breaking, rum 
 selling, worldly conformity and slavery. 
 
 One of the signs of prosperity, during this ministry, 
 was the erection, on Airy Street, of a parsonage, at 
 a cost of sixteen hundred dollars. This was a much 
 needed improvement. The sale of this property, 
 some years later, was a great mistake, upon the part 
 of the trustees. 
 
 An effort was also made, at this time, to ptit a 
 baptistry in the church, and a committee was appointed 
 to inquire into the propriety and expediency of the 
 same. A resolution offered by Mr. Aaron was passed, 
 adding one hundred dollais to the pastor's salary. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 93 
 
 That considerable attention was paid to the matter 
 of church attendance is shown from the fact that six- 
 teen persons were disciplined at one time, for neglecting 
 to attend the regular services. 
 
 Special efforts were made to promote the spiritual 
 welfare of the church, and overcome the declension 
 and depression of the preceding years. Bvangelists 
 and neighboring pastors were invited, at different 
 times, to assist Pastor Hutchins, and the church 
 enjoyed some precious seasons of revival. On March 
 II, 1849, twenty-five persons were baptized on a 
 single Sunday ; but only three others were baptized 
 during the entire year. There were seventy-four 
 additions to the church, during this pastorate : forty- 
 six by baptism, and twenty-eight by letter. 
 
 The church sustained a heavy loss in the death of 
 three prominent members, Dr. George W. Thomas, 
 Deacon George Eve and Deacon Phinehas Phillips. Dr. 
 Thomas was a good man and a great worker. Deacon 
 George Eve was a valued member in the devotional 
 meetings, being very spiritual, and gifted in prayer 
 and exhortation. Phinehas Phillips was one of the 
 founders of the church, a liberal giver, and a man of 
 eminent piety. He was much devoted to the doctrine 
 of the Second Coming of Christ. For many years he 
 served upon every important committee, and filled, 
 at different times, nearly every office in the church. 
 The building of the first house of worship, and many 
 subsequent improvements, were made possible largely 
 by his munificence. His noble spirit and lofty Chris- 
 tian bearing won for him the esteem and confidence of 
 
94 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 all his brethren. He lived a most exemplary Christian 
 life, and came to the grave in a good old age, as a 
 shock of corn in its season. In accordance with his 
 own request, he was buried on his farm in Upper 
 Merion. 
 
 The First Baptist Church of Norristown has been 
 influential, not only in the way of moulding public 
 sentiment, but has also been instrumental in estab- 
 lishing other churches. On the ninth of March, 
 1850, nine persons received letters of dismission for 
 the purpose of forming a Baptist church at Bridgeport. 
 Those dismissed for this purpose were Rev. William 
 Smith, Sarah Ann Smith, Sylvester Makens, Susannah 
 Makens, William B. Crow, Catharine Thomas, Mary 
 Matilda Smith, Mary Carter and Mary Harris. The 
 mother church showed a magnanimous spirit, toward 
 this first offspring, by contributing three hundred 
 dollars to the new enterprise this year. 
 
 After the departure of Mr. Hutchins from Norris- 
 town, Mr. Aaron supplied the pulpit for a time. It 
 was fortunate indeed to have such a man to call on 
 during the interim of pastorates. A teacher in 
 Treemount Seminary, Rev. John Duer, also supplied 
 occasionally. There was a good number of conver- 
 sions, at this time, of persons who afterwards became 
 very active in the church. Twenty-five were baptized 
 on a single Sunday morning by Mr. Aaron. 
 
Second Church Edifice 
 
riRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 97 
 
 The long contemplated improvements in the 
 house of worship were now undertaken. S. D. 
 Phillips and B. F. Hancock were appointed a com- 
 mittee to superintend the same. A well-known 
 architect, Thomas U. Walter, of Philadelphia, was 
 engaged to furnish suitable designs. These repairs 
 and improvements were quite expensive, and included 
 an entire new front, with a cupola about one hundred 
 feet high. A baptistry was also built in the edifice, 
 and the whole exterior and interior were improved in 
 a ver}- tasteful and proper manner. The expense of 
 this was largely paid for by the bequest of Deacon 
 Phinehas Phillips. 
 
 The church meeting of November 4, 1850, is 
 memorable for the adoption of a set of resolutions, 
 declaring in strong terms against the Fugitive Slave 
 Law, just then enacted by Congress, as a part of 
 Henry Clay's omnibus bill. The resolutions were 
 proposed by Mr. Aaron and read as follows : ' 'Resolved, 
 That we as Christians and members of the Norristown 
 Baptist Church do solemnly believe that the provisions 
 of the bill lately enacted by Congress for the recovery 
 of fugitive slaves are contradictory of the command 
 of Jehovah, 'thou shalt not deliver unto his master 
 the servant which escaped from his master unto 
 thee. ' Resolved, That, in commanding us to assist in 
 re- enslaving the person who has escaped from slavery, 
 it commands us to do to others as we would not that 
 they should do to us, and thus positively contradicts 
 the L/ord Jesus Christ. Resolved, Therefore, that we 
 will obey God rather than men, hide the outcast. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 betray not him that wandereth, feed the hungry, 
 clothe the naked fugitive and speed him on his way 
 to freedom, and, for ourselves, cheerfully bear the 
 penalties that human statutes may impose for the 
 performance of the duties that we owe to God and to 
 our neighbor." 
 
 These are strong, vigorous words, and showed the 
 intense feeling and deep patriotic sentiment of the 
 church at that time. Nor were they simply resolu- 
 tions enacted and then unheeded and forgotten. The 
 same brave men, who, by their voice and vote dared 
 to say to the United States Congress, as the Apostles 
 said to the Jewish Sanhedrin; "Whether it be right in 
 the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto 
 God, judge ye," had the moral courage, also, to make 
 their words effectual in actual deeds. Many a poor 
 dusky fugitive, fleeing from an inhuman bondage, 
 was given an asylum and hurried on to freedom by 
 the members of this patriotic church. 
 
 Early in January, 1850, Mr. Hutchins resigned 
 the pastorale to accept a call to Charlestown, Mass. 
 
 Excepting Mr. Aaron, with whom he was closely 
 identified, Mr. Hutchins was probably the most 
 vigorous and outspoken advocate of freedom in 
 Norristown, during these years. His position, on 
 the issues of the age, was deemed by many radical 
 and extreme. But none doubted his sincerity and 
 few could resist his logic. The pure doctrines of 
 evangelical Christianity he held with a firm grasp. He 
 taught that the Gospel, brought face to face with the 
 public conscience, would prove itself to be that which 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 99 
 
 it professes — the great power of God in purifying the 
 churches and the nation. Hence he had no sympathy 
 with the doctrine of many modern reformers, that 
 Christ's death was only a sublime example of self- 
 sacrifice. He saw in it something higher, more 
 inspiring, something deeper, something far better 
 adapted to touch the heart and stir the soul. He 
 loved the person of Christ and cordially admired His 
 precepts and exhorted men to copy His example. 
 But of all subjects, the one most dear to him, most 
 constraining in its influence, was His atoning blood. 
 A course of sermons which he preached on the 
 necessity and nature of the atonement was considered 
 by Mr. Aaron and the church as containing the 
 key-note of all reform. In these discourses the 
 opinion was expressed that the first want of the age 
 was a return to the old, simple and sharply defined 
 doctrines of the evangelical system, while the second 
 was a bold, unflinching application of them to all 
 transgressors of God's law. Their vitalizing power 
 would then be known and felt by all. Slavery, 
 intemperance, rationalism and infidelity would, in the 
 face of such assaults, be paralyzed and wither away. 
 The moral conquests that have been made, however 
 small, have, from the time of the Apostles till now, 
 been made by men who drank in deeply the spirit of 
 evangelical truth. If men not of this class have 
 been successful, they have been made so by the use 
 of evangelical weapons. You look in vain for the 
 victories of rationalists, evolutionists, scientists, over 
 irreligion and all the forms of evil that have, and do 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 still, afflict our world. But there is an everlasting 
 freshness and vitality in "the old, old story " of the 
 Cross, and, rightly preached, it is still eifectual in 
 removing all wrong. Of course, a church, energized 
 by such principles, is a progressive and aggressive 
 body. The members are transformed gradually by 
 the spirit of Christ, and, with such "a fire in their 
 bones, ' ' they cannot be inactive, but must labor to 
 bring souls to Christ, and they will be "zealous of 
 good works. ' ' 
 
 Mr. Hutchins served but two churches, after 
 leaving Norristown. From Charlestown he went to 
 Brooklyn, and was pastor of the Bedford Avenue 
 Church for thirty-one years. He was then made 
 pastor emeritus until his death. 
 
VV. H. CORNWl:;!.!, 
 ['astoi- rr<im Novcnilicr, iSso. to |iine, l^S~ 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. VV. E. Cornwell to that of Rev. Roswell 
 Cheney — November, 1850, to July, 1854. 
 
 On the first of December, 1850, Rev. William E. 
 Cornwell, who had been preaching for the church for 
 a month, was engaged as stated supply for a period 
 of six months. Mr. Cornwell had been a minister in 
 the German Reformed denomination for a number of 
 years, and had lately accepted the Baptist view of the 
 Bible doctrine and church ordinances. A council was 
 called for his ordination as a Baptist minister, on 
 December 25, 1850. Upon the convening of the 
 council, Mr. Cornwell gave a satisfactory statement of 
 his conversion and call to the ministry, also his view 
 of Bible doctrine and his change of views concerning 
 baptism and church government. After hearing him, 
 the council unanimously agreed to ordain him as a 
 regular minister of the Baptist denomination. 
 
 The way in which Mr. Cornwell became a Baptist 
 is related by Rev. W. B. Tolan, as follows : " While 
 Mr. Cornwell was pastor of the Reformed Church at 
 Pleasantville, Pa., the Baptists were gathering in the 
 people around them and, fearing lest they should lose 
 some of their own members, they requested him to 
 
104 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 preach on the subject of baptism and defend their side. 
 He wisely told them not to agitate that matter, as it 
 would do them no good, but they insisted upon it, and 
 he finally told them that he must have time to give the 
 subject a thorough examination, that he might speak 
 intelligently on it and set forth the truth in its proper 
 light. About this time he became acquainted with 
 Brother Smith, pastor of the Baptist Church at Hat- 
 boro, and he loaned him Dr. Carson's work on 
 baptisrn. By a thorough search of the Scriptures, 
 Mr. Cornwell became convinced that he was wrong, 
 that sprinkling had no place in the word of God, and 
 that the Baptists were right. When he came before 
 the church to preach on the subject, he said : ' you 
 have demanded that I preach on the subject of bap- 
 tism, and I am here to answer your request, but, after 
 a prayerful and thorough search for the truth, I am 
 obliged to take the Baptist side of the question.' 
 When he made this announcement, one of the elders 
 jumped up and said, 'My God, Mr. Cornwell, I hope 
 not. ' He replied ' it is so,' and he set forth the truth 
 in its true light. Then he resigned and left them, 
 and was baptized by Brother Smith, at Hatboro." 
 
 He continued as supply of the Norristown church 
 until July 20, 1851, when he formally accepted the 
 invitation, which had been extended him in March, 
 to become regular pastor. 
 
 The second Tuesday in November, of this year, 
 having been designated as a day of fasting, by the 
 Central Union Association, it was so observed by the 
 Norristown church. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I05 
 
 On the fourteenth of December, 185 1, Uriah 
 Caufftnan, having stated to the pastor his conviction 
 of a call to preach the Gospel, it was unanimously 
 voted to grant him a license. He then settled with 
 the church at Mt. Pleasant, Ambler, Pa., where he 
 was ordained. 
 
 On the fifth of January, 1852, Deacon Benjamin 
 F. Hancock, who for some time had not been in 
 sympathy with the majority of the members in their 
 strong, an ti- slavery views, expressed his desire to 
 withdraw from the church. His request was granted, 
 and, as is unusual among Baptist churches, he and 
 his wife were given general letters of dismission to 
 any Baptist church. His resignation of the super- 
 intendency of the Sunday school was also accepted at 
 the same time. Mr. Hancock's withdrawal from the 
 church was one of those unfortunate things which 
 sometimes occur in the history of almost all churches, 
 when a member, for personal, social, or political 
 reasons, severs his connection with a church where 
 he has been very useful. Mr. Hancock was now 
 fifty-three years of age. He had been superintendent 
 of the Sunday school from its organization. In the 
 church he had been a valuable member. He had 
 served faithfully and efficiently as trustee, deacon and 
 church treasurer, for years. Many of the most 
 important measures adopted were planned and pro- 
 posed by him. He was loved by his pastors and 
 respected and esteemed by all. 
 
 Mr. Hancock remained without church connection 
 for a time, and then united with the Bridgeport 
 
Io6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 interest. Here he became a leader, the Sunday 
 school superintendent, and a valuable counselor and 
 devoted worker, until his death, which occurred in 
 1865, at the age of sixty-six. 
 
 As there were now two vacancies in the board of 
 deacons, George W. Lloyd and Benjamin Eastburn 
 were elected, and publicly set apart to that office, the 
 pastor preaching a sermon appropriate to the occasion. 
 
 March 14, 1852, Charles E. Aaron was baptized, 
 and the next month elected to the office of clerk. Up 
 to this time the office had been filled by S. D. Philips 
 and Alfred Scattergood. 
 
 June twentieth, of this year, Pastor Cornwell 
 tendered his resignation, which was accepted, with 
 the request that he continue his labors as long as it 
 may suit his convenience, but he removed at once to 
 Bridgeton, N. J., where he had received a call, and 
 where he labored with great acceptance for years. 
 
 Mr. Cornwell's pastorate was not, in all respects, 
 a successful one, but he was a good man and a 
 thorough-going Baptist, more pronounced than many 
 who had not been educated in the Pedobaptist faith. 
 He was also very strong in his anti-slavery convictions. 
 He died at the age of fifty, mourned by a devoted 
 family and many warm friends in the denomination. 
 
 An effort was now made to induce Rev. Hiram 
 Hutchins, whose great popularity in Norristown had 
 not waned, to return to this field. He expressed a 
 strong desire to do so, but felt that duty demanded 
 that he remain with his church in Charlestown, Mass. 
 In October, the church, by a rising vote, decided 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I07 
 
 unanimously to call Rev. Duncan Dunbar, of New 
 York city, who had been proposed by Mr. Aaron. 
 Upon being notified of this call, Mr. Dunbar stated 
 that circumstances rendered it impossible for him to 
 accept, but that he would be willing to serve them 
 as supply, for a time. The church was instructed to 
 invite him to come as early as possible and remain as 
 long as convenient. He supplied the pulpit for about 
 six months, for which he received seventy dollars per 
 month. 
 
 The Rev. Duncan Dunbar was a Scotchman, and 
 over sixty years of age, at this time. He was con- 
 verted at the age of nineteen. After his conversion, 
 for a considerable period, he was greatly exercised 
 upon the Scriptural mode and subjects of baptism. 
 At length his mind found rest in the adoption of 
 believer's baptism. He came to America in 1823, ^^'^ 
 was pastor of important churches in Boston and New 
 York city. He also had a brief, but successful 
 ministry, with the Second Church, of Philadelphia. 
 As a preacher, Mr. Dunbar was earnest, sympathetic, 
 and full of spiritual life. In his long ministry he had 
 abundant evidence of the blessing of God. He died 
 in 1864. 
 
 When Mr. Dunbar found that he could no longer 
 stay with the church as supply, th-ey undertook to 
 secure at once a regular pastor. The name of Rev. 
 Hiram Hutchins was again proposed, and on Sunday 
 morning, May i, 1853, the church voted with almost 
 entire unanimity — so great was the charm of that 
 name — to extend him a call. But this second attempt 
 
Io8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 to induce him to return to Norristown was also 
 unsuccessful. Mr. Hutchins, while appreciating the 
 continued esteem of the Norristown church, felt it 
 his duty to remain in Charlestown. The church 
 there also wrote a letter, giving their reasons for not 
 being willing to part with their pastor. 
 
 Joseph E. Sagebeer, having asked the church to 
 grant him a license to preach the Gospel, a committee 
 was appointed to interview him, and after their report, 
 on June sixth, the church voted unanimously, and 
 with utmost heartiness, to grant the license. . 
 
 Mr. Sagebeer was baptized at the age of sixteen, 
 by the Rev. Robert F. Young. He united with the 
 Norristown church by letter, in 1845. In 1856, three 
 years after receiving his license, he was ordained at 
 Balligomingo. He became an excellent preacher, 
 persuasive and convincing. For an uninterrupted 
 period of thirty-three years he was a faithful and 
 successful minister of Christ. He died while pastor 
 of the Coatesville church, June 5, 1890. 
 
 The church, still being without a pastor. Rev. 
 E. R. Warren was engaged as supply, at fifty dollars 
 per month. The pulpit was also supplied by Rev. J. 
 Newton Brown. 
 
Kosvviii.i, CHl;^l:^■ 
 
 I'astnr fiuin Jiilv, 1S5.1, lo Mau'li, 1S50. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Roswell Cheney to that of Rev. Alfred 
 Piimey — July. 1S54, to June, 1S60. 
 
 It was nearly two years after Mr. Cornwell's 
 resignation before a pastor was secured. Finally, 
 on Sunday morning, tlie twenty-sixth of February, 
 1854, the church, by a unanimous vote, decided to 
 call Rev. Roswell Cheney, of Erie County, Pa., to 
 the pastoral charge, which he formalh- accepted, on 
 the third of July. His salary was fixed at SSoo per 
 anniiui, to be paid monthly. 
 
 In April preceding, the church was asked to send 
 delegates to meet in council, on the nineteenth of that 
 month, to take into consideration the propriety of 
 constituting the brethren at Cold Point an independent 
 Baptist church. 
 
 In this year, a very important resolution was 
 passed, b\- which tlie church decided to contribute to 
 the various benevolent objects of the day bj- regular 
 collections, at stated times ; and that when agents 
 visited Xorristown they would be at liberty to see 
 members personally, without receiving public col- 
 lections in tlie cliurch. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 On the fourth of June, another deacon was chosen, 
 in the person of Isaac Johnson, who had lately been 
 received from Lower Providence. 
 
 About this time there was some thought of 
 removing the headquarters of the American Baptist 
 Free Mission Society and its official organ, "The 
 American Baptist," from New York city to some 
 locality where there would be less danger of lawless 
 violence, and where they would be insured legal 
 protection and hearty co-operation, and an effort was 
 made by this church to have them locate in Norristown. 
 Pastor Cheney submitted the following resolution : 
 "That if, in the judgment of the trustees of the 
 American Free Mission Society, a removal of the 
 'American Baptist' and of the seat of the Society's 
 operations be deemed necessary, we most cordially 
 invite the society to make Norristown their place 
 of publication and the headquarters of its future 
 efforts, and we hereby pledge the society our earnest 
 co-operation." The resolution was adopted, but the 
 removal was never effected. 
 
 The great panic of 1857 was now pending. There 
 was general financial depression. The church, like 
 other institutions, was greatly straitened to obtain 
 means to meet its current obligations. A committee 
 of ten persons was appointed to visit every member 
 of the congregation to obtain voluntary contributions. 
 This method of collecting proved remarkably success- 
 ful, so that the church was enabled to meet all its 
 ordinary obligations, and increase, somewhat, its 
 offerings to benevolent objects. The total amount 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. II3 
 
 raised for benevolence, in 1855, was three hundred 
 and forty-four dollars. Of this amount, two hundred 
 and two dollars went to the Free Mission Society. 
 In 1857, they raised four hundred and eighty-two 
 dollars, the largest amount, thus far, in the history of 
 the church. Of this, one hundred and ninety dollars 
 was for the Free Mission Society. The membership, 
 in this year, was two hundred and seventy-eight. 
 The next year the offering for benevolence was four 
 hundred and forty-seven dollars, and sixty dollars 
 went to McGrawville College. This is the first time 
 the church offering for education was distinctly 
 designated for this institution. 
 
 The college at McGrawville, N. Y., was founded 
 and maintained by the friends and advocates of 
 abolition. It was undenominational in character, and 
 was opened to students, irrespective of color or sex. 
 For a number of years it was quite a prosperous 
 institution. Several unsuccessfirl attempts were made, 
 by the trustees, to secure Samuel Aaron for its 
 president. 
 
 On the question of using unfermented wine for 
 the I/Ord's Supper, the Norristown church was quite 
 as advanced as along other lines of reform. At this 
 time, a committee was appointed, whose duty it 
 should be to prepare the wine needed for communion 
 purposes from the pure juice of the grape, thus 
 putting themselves on record against the use of 
 unfermented wine. Twenty-five years later, the 
 question was much agitated, throughout the country, 
 among many evangelical churches. The sentiment 
 
114 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 became so strong against the alcoholic wine that 
 nearly all churches adopted the use of unfermented 
 wine. 
 
 At a regular meeting of the church, held May 3, 
 1858, delegates were appointed to meet in council, 
 at Pottstown, Pa., May 26, 1858, to consider the 
 propriety of recognizing the brethren there as an 
 independent Baptist church. This new enterprise 
 soon became a strong and influential church in the 
 association. 
 
 On Sunday morning, March 18, 1859, Mr. Cheney 
 presented his resignation as pastor of the church. 
 They voted, unanimously, not to accept it, and a 
 committee was appointed to notify the pastor of the 
 action, and to urge him to withdraw his resignation. 
 In a formal reply, he expressed his appreciation of 
 the esteem and confidence manifested in the cogency 
 of their appeal to him to remain with the church, 
 but he could not be induced to reverse his decision. 
 
 Rev. Roswell Cheney was pastor of the church for 
 nearly five years, and so had the distinction of having 
 the longest pastorate of any one who had thus far 
 served the church in that capacity. It was not only 
 the longest, but, in some respects, the most successful 
 and prosperous. True, there had been no great 
 ingathering ; only about forty persons were received 
 by baptism, during the five years of his ministry, and 
 the church membership increased only from two 
 hundred and fifty-four to two hundred and seventy- 
 two, but it was a period of great iinrest and 
 disturbance throughout the country. The minds of 
 
FIRST HAPTIST CHURCH. IIS 
 
 the people, everj-where, were turned to the paramount 
 issue of slavery-, and the thoughts of all were upon 
 the now impending and threatening war. ]\Iany, in 
 such times, would become absorbed in the exciting 
 affairs of the nation, and indifferent to spiritual 
 interests ; \et, the body of the church remained 
 faithful, and the fires of patriotism kept brighth 
 burning. 
 
 The offerings, both for home church expenses and 
 benevolent objects, were larger and more uniform, 
 during tliis pastorate, than at an>- previous period. 
 Mr. Cheney was held in high esteem, by the church, 
 and was greatlj' respected in tlie community. He 
 was an able preacher, a safe leader, and a faithful 
 pastor, and as devoted to his people as they were to 
 him. In tlieir letter to the association the bretliren 
 bore testimony to "his remarkable simplicity, integ- 
 rity, moral courage, humanity, able exposition of 
 divine truths, advocacy of universal charitj', and his 
 deserved enjoyment of tlie respect and confidence of 
 the church and community." 
 
 The following brethren were active and prominent, 
 during this pastorate : Samuel Aaron, S. D. Phillips, 
 Benjamin Eastburn, John McCrea, Thomas Shaw, 
 William White, Isaac Johnson, George Wright, D. J. 
 and M. H. Mc\'augh, Thomas Scattergood, Isaac 
 Styer, Samuel Overholtzer, Abner Supplee, Thomas 
 D. Abraham, John G. Reese and others. A loss to 
 tlie church, as great as that of their beloved pastor, 
 was occasioned bj' the removal of Rev. Samuel Aaron 
 and family to Mount Holly, Xewjersej', in December, 
 
Il6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 1859. Mr. Aaron had been a member of the church, 
 and the most prominent figure in all its spiritual 
 interests, for nearly twenty years. During this time, 
 there had been four pastors, beside himself and a 
 number of supplies. Nearly all of them were strong 
 men and faithful workers. But Mr. Aaron's influence 
 was the most potent factor in the shaping and the 
 development of the church's life and character, 
 throughout this period. The influence of his great 
 mind, his warm heart, his noble life, his eloquent 
 words, is still seen and felt. From the year 1840 to 
 1859, his name appears as a delegate in the minutes 
 of every session of the Central Union Association. 
 He was the recognized leader and distinguished 
 champion of the advanced and aggressive wing of the 
 great questions that stirred the hearts of men in those 
 days. He was not always present, but, even when 
 absent, his influence was felt, and his sentiments 
 were usually expressed in the Norristown letter, and 
 in many of the resolutions placed before the body. 
 
 His son, Charles E. Aaron, was, also, an active and 
 useful member of the church, from the time of his 
 conversion. He was clerk of the church from April 
 10, 1852, to the fall of 1859. Mrs. Aaron and the 
 daughters were, also, active and earnest Christians. 
 
 On Sunday morning, October 23, 1859, a vote was 
 taken, inviting Rev. Thomas J. Thomas to supply 
 the pulpit for six months. The invitation was 
 accepted, and Mr. Thomas filled the pulpit with 
 much acceptance, for that time. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 Jolm L. Tustin was now made churcli clerk. 
 'SI. H. McVaiigh continued to act as assistant clerk, 
 as he had done for some time. 
 
 John G. Reese and George ^A'right were elected 
 deacons, to fill the vacancies caiised by the removal 
 of Deacons Thomas Scattergood and Isaac Johnson. 
 The new deacons were duly ordained, at a meeting 
 for that purpose, Sundav afternoon, November 27, 
 1S59. 
 
 Among those excluded, this year, was Mrs. Lydia 
 Oram, for neglect of Christian duty and s/azr Jiolding. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Life of Rev. Samuel Aaron. 
 
 The influence of the remarkable man of God, 
 whose name stands at the head of this page, was so 
 widely extended and his work of so noble and endur- 
 ing a character that it will be fitting to devote some 
 space to a review of his life and labors. 
 
 Samuel Aaron was born in New Britain township, 
 Bucks County, Pa., October 19, 1800. He was of 
 Welsh-Irish descent. His parents were persons of 
 sincere and humble piety, who endeavored to train 
 their children to know and love the Lord. They were 
 both consistent members of the Baptist church. 
 Samuel Aaron was left an orphan at an early age. 
 He was then placed under the guardianship of his 
 uncle, a kind hearted man, but, unfortunately, addict- 
 ed to habits of intemperance. Doubtless this is where 
 Mr. Aaron's bitter hatred of the drink traffic had its 
 genesis. 
 
 At the age of sixteen he entered the academy at 
 Doylestown, Pa., taught by Rev. Uriah DuBois. 
 Here he advanced rapidly in his studies, and, at the 
 age of twenty, he connected himself with the classical 
 and mathematical school of John Gummere, at Bur- 
 lington, N. J. He entered as a student, but soon 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 became an assistant teacher. Mr. Aaron was, from his 
 youth up, of pure morals and exemplary habits, but 
 he soon saw that something more than this was 
 required of him, so, at the age of twenty-six, he 
 publicly confessed Christ and united with the Baptist 
 church at Burlington. Being persuaded that he was 
 divinely called to the ministry, Mr. Aaron was, some 
 months after his conversion, ordained, and in 1828 
 became pastor of the church at New Britain, Pa., 
 being at the same time principal of the Doyelstown 
 Academy. In 1830 he had the sad misfortune to lose 
 his wife. Three years after he married again, and 
 removed to Burlington, N. J. Here he was elected 
 principal of the Burlington High School. In addi- 
 tion to the work of conducting a large school, Mr. 
 Aaron was, for five years, pastor of the Burlington 
 Baptist Church. While here he frequently delivered 
 public addresses on scientific subjects and questions 
 of moral reform. It was in these addresses and lec- 
 tures that his ability as a public speaker, which so 
 distinguished him in after years, first became known. 
 
 In 1838, the honorary degree of Master of Arts 
 was conferred upon Mr. Aaron by Brown University, 
 Francis Wayland, President. 
 
 In 1841, he came to Norristown, in response to the 
 call of the Baptist church there, and entered upon his 
 double duty of pastor and teacher. 
 
 Mr. Aaron's success as a pastor has been noticed 
 in a previous chapter. He also achieved great success 
 and won deserved popularity as a teacher. But he 
 was most distinguished, at this time, as the champion 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I2t 
 
 of temperance and anti-slavery. On these high 
 themes he spoke with an eloquence that was thrilling 
 and with a logic that was irresistible. His fearless 
 and scathing attacks on the liquor traffic brought 
 upon him the enmity and persecution of those allied 
 to this nefarious business. Once, while he was 
 teaching in the Norristown Academy, after he had 
 dismissed his school and was in the building alone, 
 he was attacked by two cowardly ruffians, the 
 McClenaghan brothers, of Spring Mill, and brutally 
 beaten with raw-hide whips. They alleged, as their 
 provocation, a personal offence given to them in one 
 of Mr. Aaron's temperance addresses. For this 
 heinous crime they were arrested, convicted, and 
 mildly sentenced to pay a fine of thjrty dollars, and 
 the short imprisonment of thirty days in the county 
 jail. Judge Burnside, who gave the sentence, is said 
 to have stated that he was not giving his own decision, 
 or it would have been the utmost extent of the law, but 
 he was overruled by two associate judges, who were 
 in sympathy with the liquor venders. The scars which 
 he received at that time he carried with him to the 
 grave. 
 
 The popular teacher's success had now become so 
 great that he was warranted in opening a school upon 
 a much more elaborate plan than was possible in the 
 town academy. He therefore purchased a tract of land 
 on Sandy Street, erected buildings, and opened a 
 school for young men, which he christened Treemount 
 Seminary. A more beautiful site could not have been 
 secured anywhere in the country. The school was 
 
122 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 foniially opened in December, 1844. He now resigned 
 the pastorate of the church, and devoted himself, with 
 all the energy of his being, to Treemount. 
 
 His labors were speedily rewarded. The school 
 soon became famous throughout eastern Pennsylvania 
 and New Jersey, and was widely known in many 
 sections of the entire country. Beside the common 
 branches, instruction was given in higher mathe- 
 matics, the sciences, and lyatin, Greek, French and 
 German. Many of the business and professional 
 men of Norristown and vicinity secured their entire 
 educational equipment for life, in this institution. 
 Not a few, through its influence and training, have 
 become earnest and useful ministers of the Gospel. 
 There were as many as two hundred and thirty-three 
 students enrolled in a year, and the institution 
 became a very profitable business. During the 
 fifteen years that Mr. Aaron was principal of the 
 school, he was a regular worshipper at the Baptist 
 church, unless called away to speak or preach 
 elsewhere. His accustomed place was on the pulpit 
 platform with the pastor, whom he would invariably 
 assist in the services. Rev. Hiram Hutchins, in his 
 reminiscences of the Norristown pastorate, says : 
 " At first, the talents and eloquence of Brother Aaron 
 embarrassed me, making me timid, when preaching 
 before him. This timidity soon wore away, however, 
 for I found him free from any spirit of improper criti- 
 cisin, and a very charitable hearer. He was, moreover, 
 a devoted and firm friend. Never, while memory lasts, 
 shall I forget his kindness to me." 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 23 
 
 When Mr. Aaron came to Norristown, the Baptist 
 church was far from being unanimous on the slavery 
 question, while the community was almost wholly 
 against him. Here and there were men who saw eye 
 to eye with him, but they were notable exceptions. 
 This made but little difference to Mr. Aaron. He 
 would rather be right alone, than wrong with all the 
 world. He was a man of deep convictions and per- 
 fectly fearless in their defense. His whole being 
 seemed pitted against anything that was essentially 
 wrong, and what was essentially wrong to him, no 
 custom, or legislation, or tradition, could make 
 right. His love of the truth was the mastering and 
 controlling passion of his soul. This virtue was 
 innate with him, and showed itself in the great frank- 
 ness, openness and simplicity of his character, and in 
 an imperious disdain of all sin and wrong doing, 
 either in the individual, or the state. Homer's 
 couplet might be appropriately applied to him : 
 
 " That man within my soul I hate, 
 Even as the gates of hell, 
 Who speaks fair words, but, in his heart, 
 Dark lies and treachery dwell." 
 
 He was a born orator. He was dramatic in the 
 best sense. There was nothing about his oratory that 
 was studied or affected. Everything came as the 
 spontaneous, fervid outburst of nature. 
 
 When combating a great and institutional evil, 
 like human bondage, he dealt fierce invective, with 
 burning and transcendent eloquence. He knew 
 how to move men. He understood human nature. 
 
t24 kISTORY OF THE 
 
 No orator could ever do more by a single word, and 
 he was especially gifted in quick and apt retort. He 
 was always perfect master of himself, and of the 
 situation. 
 
 Mr. Aaron's warm heart went out in sympathy 
 with all sincere Christians of every denomination, 
 but he was especially devoted to his own church, and 
 was ever ready to defend the principles of the Baptist 
 faith. His debate, which continued through many 
 evenings, with Rev. J. H. Lightburn, of the Meth- 
 dist church, on Scriptural Baptism, was long 
 remembered by the citizens of Norristown. In this 
 discussion, Mr. Aaron proved much more than a 
 match for his opponent, not only in scholarship and 
 Biblical knowledge, but also in the keenness of his 
 logic. 
 
 As a reformer, Mr. Aaron was a firm believer in the 
 efficacy of the ballot, when wisely cast and fairly 
 counted, to correct civil and social evils. 
 
 "We show our religion," he said, "by the way 
 we vote. Our voting is a prayer, and when I vote 
 for a drunken, unprincipled man, it is equivalent to 
 a prayer to the Almighty. If good men would 
 scratch out the names of those unworthy to fill public 
 offices, there are enough to prevent their nomination." 
 
 In 1854, Mr. Aaron was the Free Soil party's 
 candidate for Congress, in this district. In 1856, 
 he was an active participant in the great Republican 
 convention at Philadelphia, which nominated Free- 
 niontforthe Presidency. In the year 1859, Norristown 
 was compelled to witness the removal of this great 
 man from the town and state. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 25 
 
 In the panic of 1857, many of Norristown's 
 strongest business men became financially involved. 
 Mr. Aaron had given endorsements for friends, whose 
 failure carried him down with them. Thus, being 
 overwhelmed with financial embarrassment, he was 
 forced to surrender the possession of the institution 
 he had founded and fostered to his creditors. 
 
 Mr. Aaron's financial failure, and his consequent 
 abandonment of Treemount and removal from 
 Norristown, was a great misfortune to the entire 
 community. For nearly twenty years he was inti- 
 mately connected with every improvement of a moral, 
 social or religious nature, in Montgomery county. 
 " During that time," says the Norristown Republican^ 
 "no plan for the elevation of society, or the improve- 
 ment of the town and county, wanted his endorsement 
 or co-operation, and no one who had a plea of real 
 charity to prefer, or enterprise of benevolence to 
 inaugurate, was ever turned empty away from his 
 door. Unselfishness, excess of charity and benevo- 
 lence combined, prevented his acquisition of wealth. 
 It is doubtful if any man in eastern Pennsylvania 
 wielded a deeper or wider influence in moulding the 
 rising generation, or giving the impress of free 
 thought to others in active life. 
 
 John W. I/Ock, Ph. D. , who was, for a time, 
 associated with him in the Treemount Seminary, says 
 that Mr. Aaron made the most lasting impression 
 upon the community of any man who has ever lived 
 here. Davis, in his history of Bucks county, says : 
 ' ' He was one of the most brilliant men Bucks county 
 ever produced. ' ' 
 
126 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Mr. Auge, in his "Men of Montgomery County," 
 writes : " The most noted clergyman that has figured 
 in Montgomery County annals for forty years was un- 
 doubtedly Rev. Samuel Aaron. In mere scholastic 
 sermonizing, or revival power, we may have had his 
 superiors, but in breadth of intellect, exalted imagina- 
 tion, gifts of oratory, melting pathos, abounding 
 charity and liberality, both of religious sentiment and 
 alms-giving, we never had a greater. He was preacher, 
 politician, philanthrophist and teacher, all combined 
 in one." 
 
 Theodore W. Bean, in his history of Montgomery 
 County, writes "As an educator, he left a lasting 
 impress of his individuality upon his scholars, and all 
 of the young men who studied under him acknowl- 
 edged his conscientiousness as a teacher." 
 
 By Mr. Aaron's removal, the poor lost a faithful 
 helper, the oppressed a watchful advocate, the school 
 an inspiring instructor, the wise an able counselor, 
 the learned a genial companion, the cause of reform 
 a staunch and stalwart defender, and the church a 
 devoted friend and trusted leader. 
 
 His departure was as sore a trial to Mr. Aaron 
 himself and his family as it was to his friends. 
 Treemount Seminary, next to the church, had long 
 been the idol of his heart. Here too was his pleasant 
 home, which he had beautified and adorned in accord- 
 ance with his taste and enterprise, and where he, 
 naturally, anticipated passing the closing years of his 
 life. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 27 
 
 He took leave of all these sacred associations, 
 December, 1859. '^^^ Baptist Church of Mount 
 Holly, N. J., had given him a hearty and unanimous 
 call to become their pastor. This he accepted, and at 
 the same time, assisted by his son, Charles E. Aaron, 
 opened the Mount Holly Institute. The school 
 obtained a liberal patroriage, and Mr. Aaron was soon 
 happy in his work. In a letter to a Norristown friend, 
 he wrote, "A new world is spread out before me, and 
 nothing seems wanting to my felicity but the presence 
 of my dear ones, the payment of my debts, and the 
 conversion of souls. ' ' 
 
 During his six years residence in Mount Holly, his 
 time was fully occupied in teaching, preaching and 
 in good works generally. He was frequently called 
 upon for public addresses and lectures. His correspond- 
 ence was also extensive, during these closing years of 
 his life. Among those who wrote him frequently, in 
 these perilous days of the war, were Wendell Phillips, 
 Charles D. Cleveland, Charles S. Bates, John G. 
 Whittier and William Henry Channing. 
 
 He enjoyed the confidence and esteem of many 
 noted men in the army and in the United States 
 Congress. At the time of his death, he was under an 
 appointment to preach in the Hall of Representatives, 
 at Washington. The chaplain, W. H. Channing, in 
 his invitation to him, wrote, "it will give us pleasure 
 to place the Hall of Representatives at the service of 
 one so distinguished for earnest advocacy of the 
 cause of freedom. ' ' 
 
128 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Among the world's noble men, her educators, her 
 patriots, her Gospel preachers and Christian philan- 
 throphists, he stood and labored in the front rank. 
 He lived just long enough to see the triumph of the 
 cause he had so long and eloquently defended, and 
 to hear the news of the nation's victory. 
 
 He died peacefully and in the conscious triumph 
 of the Christian's hope, on the evening of April ii, 
 1865, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. During his 
 last illness, which was of short duration, he took a 
 lively interest in all that was transpiring in the nation. 
 His last hours were spent in reading and expounding 
 to those who ministered to him portions of that 
 precious Word, which had been his guide all through 
 life. On the day of his death, he asked a friend to 
 open the windows of his room, so that he might 
 inhale ' ' the glory of the heavens. ' ' It was a beautiful 
 morning in the spring, his favorite season. As he 
 looked at the clear sky, and then at the trees and 
 grass and flowers, he said, ' ' how beautiful are all of 
 God's works." 
 
 Upon hearing of the fall of Richmond and the 
 surrender of Lee, a few hours before his death, he 
 exclaimed, " Thank God ; I rejoice in the salvation 
 of my country. ' ' His last words were : ' ' Thy grace 
 is sufficient for me," and thus, surrounded by his 
 sorrowing family and friends, "he fell asleep in 
 Jesus. ' ' 
 
 " Servant of God, well done! 
 Thy glorious warfare's past ; 
 The battle's fought, the race is won. 
 And thou art crowned at last." 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I 29 
 
 His funeral, which was held on the fourteenth of 
 April, the day that lyincoln was assassinated, was 
 largely attended by many from distant places. The 
 funeral sermon was preached by Rev. William S. 
 Hall, of Philadelphia. 
 
 A marble monument, erected by the Baptist 
 church of Mount Holly, bears this appropriate 
 inscription: "Honored as a minister, beloved as a 
 friend, revered as a teacher of youth, he is mourned 
 as the guide and comforter of many." 
 
Al FK'Hl) PIKNFV 
 
 l'asl,.i fi 
 
 iSdo, 1,. N, 
 
 iliLT, I Si. J. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Alfred Finney lo that of Rev, Hardin 
 Wheat — June, i860, to July, 1863. 
 
 In May, i860, Rev. Alfred Pinney, of Zanesville, 
 Ohio, was called as pastor, at a salary of eight hund- 
 red dollars per annum, or six hundred and fifty dollars 
 and parsonage. The call was accepted, and the new 
 pastor began his labors the first of June. 
 
 The Free Mission Society held its meeting with 
 the church on the thirtieth and thirty-first of May. 
 
 During the autumn there were some repairs and 
 improvements made to the house of worship, at a cost 
 of one thousand dollars. Before this time the weekly 
 prayer meetings had been held on Saturday evening. 
 In September the time was changed to Friday even- 
 ing. It was during this year that the ladies of the 
 church took the first step looking to their organization 
 for more efficient work among them. They formed 
 what was known as a sinking fund for the purpose of 
 aiding the church in its financial affairs. 
 
 The church was now passing through one of the 
 most trying and dispiriting periods of its existence. 
 These were dark days in American history, and the 
 church faympathized deeply with the afflicted nation. 
 The long pending war had begun in earnest. The 
 
134 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 war spirit swept over the country like wild-fire. The 
 stars and stripes, the symbol of Revolutionary glory 
 and of national unity, were everywhere unfurled. 
 The best men in the church and out of it were eager 
 to enlist in the army. But the outlook was disheart- 
 ening. The union army had been defeated with 
 terrible loss, at the battle of Bull Run. The northern 
 people were, at first, chagrined by this defeat. Then 
 came a renewal of determination. Congress voted 
 five hundred million dollars and five hundred thous- 
 and men. President Lincoln had great faith in 
 prayer. He urged all Christians, who loved their 
 country, to petition Almighty God in behalf of the 
 nation, in this time of darkness and distress. He 
 appointed Thursday, September 26, as a day of prayer. 
 The Norristown Church, in common with northern 
 churches generally, voted to devote the entire day to 
 prayer and supplication for the union and the cause 
 of freedom. The ultimate success of the northern 
 army and the happy termination of the war are 
 doubtless due more than men are wont to think to 
 the faithful fervent prayers of the patriotic churches 
 of the north. 
 
 These stirring events so engaged the thoughts of 
 the people, that little room was left for the ordinary 
 duties of the church, or the usual spiritual exercises. 
 Men's minds were occupied with the one great question 
 of the life of the nation. There was much coldness 
 and indifference on the part of many members. It 
 was a season of unusual barrenness and declension. 
 There were but few conversions. Only nineteen 
 baptisms are recorded for the whole pastorate of two 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I35 
 
 years and a half. The number of exclusions and 
 erasures exceeded the number of baptisms. The 
 church was unable to meet its current expenses. 
 There was not entire sympathy between pastor and 
 people, and on the thirtieth of November, 1862, Mr. 
 -Pinney resigned the pastoral charge. 
 
 There were several things that conspired together 
 to prevent any great success, during the ministry of 
 Pastor Pinney. In the first place, he had the mis- 
 fortune to serve the church during a very trying 
 period. The disturbed condition of the country, and 
 the consequent diversion of the minds of the people 
 from spiritual things, were not conducive to any great 
 religious awakening. In the second place, Mr. 
 Pinney was not well adapted to this field. He was 
 not so strong a man, nor so able a preacher, as some 
 of those who preceded him. The character of the 
 church had been shaped and developed by such force- 
 ful preachers and patriotic leaders as David Bernard, 
 Samuel Aaron, Hiram Hutchins, Roswell Cheney, 
 and others, whose convictions were more fervid and 
 whose sentiments were more pronounced than those 
 held by Mr. Pinney. Although he was not altogether 
 suited for the work of so advanced and progressive a 
 church, Mr. Pinney was a good man, and, in many 
 respects, a faithful and earnest worker. He was 
 much interested in the Sunday school, and was, for 
 a time, its superintendent. If no great success was 
 achieved, it still remains to be said, to his credit and 
 honor, that he left the church a united and harmon- 
 ious body, free from disturbing factions and discordant 
 elements. 
 
136 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 After the resignation of Mr. Pinney, in November, 
 he continued as supply for several months, but the 
 church was pastorless from November to the following 
 July. In their letter to the association, in June, 1863, 
 they "speak of the past year as one of comparative 
 unfruitfulnes5, deplore their lukewarmness, and 
 lament the little progress they have made heaven- 
 ward." The number of members reported, this 
 year, was two hundred and twenty-seven, the smallest 
 number since 1838, six years after the organization of 
 the church. In this same letter, in which they 
 lament the lack of spiritual progress, they "reiterate 
 their interest in their country's conflict, and hail 
 President Lincoln's proclamation of freedom with 
 great delight. They continue to pray for peace in 
 the land, and that with the close of the war, slavery, 
 the cause of it, may end. 
 
llAkniN WllliAT 
 Piislnr froTii |iil\, iNli;, lo ( )ii(il it-r, 1S70. 
 
CHAPTER Xni. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Hardin Wheat to that of Rev. George 
 Frear — July, 1863, to February, 1872. 
 
 On Sunday morning, May 24, 1863, the church 
 extended a call to Rev. Hardin Wheat, of Eaton, 
 N. Y., to become their pastor. He accepted the 
 invitation and entered upon his labors the first of 
 July. 
 
 Mr. Wheat was only twenty-eight years of age, 
 when he came to Norristown. He was born in 
 Franklin, Delaware County, New Jersey, in 1835, 
 and was converted at the age of seventeen, during a 
 revival conducted by Evangelist A. B. Earle. Being 
 convinced of his call of God to the work of the 
 ministry, he entered Madison (Colgate) University in 
 in 1857, and graduated four years later, at the age of 
 twenty-six. Without waiting to take a course in the 
 theological seminary, he entered at once upon his 
 chosen work, being ordained as pastor of the Baptist 
 church in Eaton, N. Y He was there for nearly 
 two years, when he resigned to accept the call to 
 Norristown. 
 
 During his student life and also while pastor at 
 Eaton, Mr. Wheat had been known as a firm and 
 unflinching supporter of the anti-slavery cause and 
 
140 HISTORY OF THfi 
 
 temperance reform. It was this that brought the 
 young minister, through the influence of Rev. G. F. 
 Post, to the notice of the church in Norristown, and 
 Mr. Wheat himself felt that there was a peculiar 
 fitness in that Providence which had called him to 
 become the pastor of a people whose views, on all 
 questions of social and civil reform, so thoroughly 
 coincided with his own. 
 
 It was during those days of fearful suspense, just 
 before the battle of Gettysburg, that Mr. Wheat left 
 Eaton for his new field. As he was leaving, a friend, 
 alluding to the change he was making, asked him if 
 it would not be wiser to wait a few days, as, should 
 the enemy prove victorious, their next point of attack 
 might be Philadelphia and that vicinity. Mr. Wheat 
 replied, " So much the more then will the church 
 need its pastor. '' Already he had identified himself 
 with that people, and he was longing to be at the 
 post of duty, which was ever to him the post of honor 
 and of privilege, and no threatening danger could 
 detain him when duty called. Arrived at Norristown, 
 he found anxiety depicted on almost every counte- 
 nance. But before the patriotic young pastor had 
 preached his first sermon to his new people, Sunday, 
 July fifth, the decisive battle had been fought and 
 General Lee had recrossed the Potomac. The news 
 of this wonderful victory had a most cheering and 
 animating effect upon all those who had been waiting 
 with bated breath, but unfaltering hopes and fervent 
 prayers, for the success of a righteous cause. With 
 the repulse of the invading foe, the tide of the war 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 141 
 
 rolled backward, and those who had enlisted merely 
 to meet that emergency soon returned to their homes, 
 and business again resumed its wonted course. 
 
 Mr. Wheat was soon earnestly engaged in his 
 work, using every moment that could be spared from 
 his study in seeking out and becoming acquainted 
 with his people, and assuredly they needed the care 
 and prayers of a tender shepherd. From nearly 
 every home some loved one had gone, and not a few 
 fathers, husbands and brothers were still on the 
 battle-fields of the South, or lying wounded and 
 helpless in Northern hospitals. 
 
 With the prospect of a successful issue of the war 
 and the triumph of freedom, all became more hopeful. 
 Renewed zeal was manifested along all lines of church 
 activity. The new pastor gave himself with a will 
 to the work of building up the congregation. Every- 
 thing took on new life ; conversions and baptisms 
 became quite frequent. During the year twenty-five 
 persons were baptized and fifteen were received by 
 letter. Of those received by baptism, eighteen were 
 from the Sunday school. 
 
 With those spiritual advances came financial 
 prosperity. On the sixteenth of February, 1864, it 
 was voted to purchase a musical instrument for use 
 in divine services. M. H. McVaugh and J. L,. Tustin 
 were appointed a committee to procure the instrument, 
 which they did, at a cost of one hundred and thirty- 
 seven dollars. D. J. McVaugh stated that, as there 
 was no one in the church to perform on this 
 instrument, the members of the choir had invited 
 
142 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Aliss A. E. Balleau to do so for the time being. It 
 was then resolved that the church pay her seventy-five 
 dollars per year for her services. The next year her 
 salary was increased to twenty-five dollars a quarter, as 
 organist and music director. In December the church 
 gave evidence, in a very material and practical way, 
 of their appreciation of the faithful labors of their 
 pastor by increasing his salary two hundred dollars 
 per year. 
 
 At the same time the congregation, by the advice 
 of the trustees, made a most egregious financial 
 blunder in selling their parsonage without procuring 
 another. It is difiicult to understand how men, who 
 showed so much business tact and forethought in some 
 respects, should be so short-sighted as to make so 
 great a mistake, both for their own time and the 
 future welfare of the church. 
 
 April 4, 1865, J. L. Tustin resigned the office of 
 clerk and J. T. Ely was appointed. 
 
 During this year a resolution was passed assessing 
 each member one dollar per year, in addition to what 
 they had been paying for the current expenses. The 
 names of persons failing to comply with this require- 
 ment were to be read out publicly, at the end of the 
 year. 
 
 During this same year the pastor's salary was 
 again increased, making it one thousand dollars per 
 annum. This was a mark not only of the magnani- 
 mous and generous spirit of the congregation, but 
 also of the church's financial and spiritual prosperity. 
 One thousand dollars was a large salary for a minister, 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 43 
 
 in those days, and one which but few churches were 
 able to pay, and the membership was then only two 
 hundred and sixty-seven. 
 
 The Central Union Association met with the 
 church, this year, for the first time since 1S4S, a 
 period of seventeen years. Many resolutions were 
 passed, at this session, regarding the evangelization 
 and education of the freedmen. The churches were 
 urged to aid in their moral, social and intellectual 
 elevation. The abstract of the Norristown letter 
 says: "Extend to the association a cheerful and 
 cordial welcome to their house of worship and to 
 their hospitalities. They have enjoyed many tokens 
 of the divine favor ; congregations are good ; Sabbath 
 school is flourishing ; report four large and prosperous 
 Bible classes ; mention the demise of their esteemed 
 brother, John Johnson, who has not been heard from 
 since the terrible battle of the Wilderness ; they 
 sorrow over the martyrd om of the ' father and 
 redeemer of our country ; ' they rejoice over the 
 success of our arms, and the destruction of the 
 inhuman system of American slavery, and hail, with 
 grateful emotions, the return of peace ; mention, with 
 affection and sorrow, the death of Rev. Samuel 
 Aaron, who" was formerly their beloved and faithful 
 pastor — greatly beloved in life ; in death much 
 lamented. ' ' 
 
 The year 1S66 was an uneventful one, but the work 
 moved steadily and harmoniously along. The num- 
 ber reported to the association was three hundred and 
 three. Nineteen had been received by baptism and 
 
144 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 twenty-seven by letter. In those palmy days it was 
 not unusual for the number received by letter from 
 other churches to exceed the number received by 
 conversion and baptism. After the war, Norristown 
 grew rapidly for a number of years. New families 
 were constantly moving into the town. The Baptists 
 received a fair proportion of those, so that the church 
 grew rapidly, without the labor required when the 
 additions come principally from new converts. 
 
 In April, 1867, J. T. Ely resigned as clerk and 
 C. H. Detwiler was chosen to that office. 
 
 In July of this year, it was voted to adopt a set 
 of by-laws and rules of order, for the government 
 of the church. Those, together with the articles of 
 faith and church covenant, were printed and bound 
 as a booklet, called the "Church Manual." 
 
 At the regular business meeting in October, on 
 motion of Deacon N. B. Johnson, it was voted to add 
 two hundred dollars more to Pastor Wheat's salary, 
 making it one thousand two hundred dollars. This 
 was the third time his salary had been increased, 
 inside of four years. 
 
 During this season there were few conversions. 
 Only nine baptisms were reported for the whole Asso- 
 ciational year ; fourteen were received by letter, and 
 two by experience. In their annual letter they report 
 large congregations ; express their interest in the 
 efforts of the civil government to solve its problem of 
 re-construction ; lament the treachery of some in 
 power ; manifest more than usual interest in the cause 
 of temperance ; sustain two Sabbath schools, and 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 45 
 
 express gratitude for the manifestation of the Master's 
 presence. They mourn the loss of four esteemed 
 members. Charles Cauffman, one of the number, 
 was a most devoted and influential Christian, zealous 
 in every good work. 
 
 On the thirteenth of November, 1867, a special 
 meeting was called to take into consideration the 
 building of a new house of worship. After due 
 consideration, it was resolved to build a new house, 
 adequate to meet the demands of the church, as soon 
 as twenty- five thousand dollars should be subscribed. 
 A committee of three was appointed, consisting of 
 Deacon David Allabough, Samuel D. Delp and C. H. 
 Detwiler, to solicit subscriptions. 
 
 This building project constituted the chief business 
 of the church, at all their regular business meetings 
 and at every called meeting, for six years, or until 
 the house was finally built, in 1873. It was first 
 decided to rebuild on the old site. Afterwards, many 
 favored building on DeKalb Street and further out. 
 Accordingly, a lot was purchased on the corner of 
 DeKalb and Jacoby Streets. An effort was made to 
 sell the property on the corner of Swede and Airy 
 Streets. Fifteen thousand dollars was the price 
 asked. Thirteen thousand was offered for it. Many 
 were in favor of accepting the ofier. Finally, after 
 vacillating between the two places for three years, 
 it was voted, April 18, 1870, to dispose of the property 
 on DeKalb and Jacoby Slreets and to build according 
 to the original plan, on the old site, Swede and Airy 
 Streets. The trustees succeeded in selling the DeKalb 
 
146 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 Street property soon after. Subsequent years have 
 abundantly testified to the wisdom of rebuilding on 
 the present site, which is now and is likely to be 
 for years to come, a central, convenient and suitable 
 location. There is not now a more desirable site for 
 the old First Church than the same historical and 
 hallowed foundation where it was first built. 
 
 In the year 1868, conversions were more frequent. 
 There were baptisms during three different months, 
 and thirty-nine, in all, were buried with Christ in 
 baptism, during the year. The present excellent 
 practice of baptizing almost every month in the year 
 and, for long seasons, every Sunday in the month, 
 was then unknown. They apparently depended more 
 upon special seasons and extra meetings and less upon 
 the regular weekly services, as times for ingatherings, 
 than the church is accustomed to do now. Many of 
 those baptized during the year became valuable and 
 influential members of the church. The number of 
 members was now officially stated to be three hundred 
 and fifty-eight. This was the largest membership in 
 the history of the church. They now enjoyed the 
 distinction of being the largest church in the Asso- 
 ciation, Frankford being next in size. The First 
 Philadelphia withdrew from the association in 1858. 
 
 On April 12, i86g, two more deacons were elected — 
 James Shannon and C. H. Detwiler. Both were 
 spiritually-minded men and hence suited to the office 
 to which they had been elevated. 
 
 The year 1869 was a comparatively unfruitful one 
 in the way of ingatherings. Only six were baptized 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 47 
 
 during the year, but fifteen were received by letter. 
 Though not a time of reaping, it was certainly a time 
 of sowing, for the next year was the banner year in 
 the history of the church, in respect to additions by 
 baptism. 
 
 The week of prayer was followed by a most 
 gracious revival. Twenty-one were received for 
 baptism on the twenty-ninth of January, thirty on 
 the fourth of February, eight on the eleventh, 
 twenty-three on the twenty-fifth, nine on the twelfth 
 of March, six on the nineteenth, one in April and 
 two in August — one hundred and two in all. These 
 did not all continue to walk with the Lord, but many 
 of them remain faithful to this day, and are among 
 the church's most loyal and devoted members. 
 
 The Sunday school work was also very prosperous, 
 at this time. Two schools were reported. There 
 were thirty-three teachers and two hundred and 
 eighty scholars. This is the largest number in the 
 history of the school. Of the one hundred and two 
 baptisms, seventy-five were from the Sunday school. 
 
 This year of unprecedented prosperity proved to 
 be the last of Mr. Wheat's pastorate. Although he 
 was but thirty-five years of age, he was already broken 
 in health. The responsibility and anxiety, connected 
 with the labors of the large ingathering of this 
 memorable winter of 1870, overtaxed his feeble 
 physical powers and incapacitated him for preaching 
 and pastoral duties. He was loath to leave a field of 
 so many pleasant and precious memories, and where 
 he was surrounded by such a host of loyal friends. 
 
I4S HISTORY OK THE 
 
 But it was evident, both to the church and to himself, 
 that he could not, with safety to his health, longer 
 continue the ministrations, or bear the exacting duties 
 of this rapidly growing congregation. Accordingly, 
 on the third of October, 1870, he resigned the pastoral 
 charge. The resignation was accepted, but his salary 
 was continued for four months. A donation of three 
 hundred and twenty-five dollars was also made him 
 by the members, and a committee, consisting of D. J. 
 McVaugh, Samuel D. Delp and Dr. J. K. Weaver, 
 was appointed to draft resolutions of respect, to be 
 printed in the "National Baptist" and the "American 
 Baptist. ' ' 
 
 The pastorate of Mr. Wheat was one of the most 
 successful and satisfactory in the history of the 
 church. He was not so strong a preacher as some 
 who had preceded him, but what he may have lacked 
 in ability he made up in zeal, faithfulness and 
 untiring devotion. Although diffident and retiring, 
 he was fearless in pursuing the path of duty. He 
 was a man of much fervor and spiritual power, and 
 devoted to his holy calling. He was an excellent 
 pastor. He had an ardent love for the souls of his 
 fellowmen and showed his adaptation to his divinely 
 selected work by winning many to Christ. He was a 
 man of tender sympathies and great kindness of heart. 
 Mr. Wheat moved to Millville, New Jersey, where 
 his health improved considerably. After a time, he 
 acted as supply for the church in this place. He then 
 accepted a call to the church of Broadalbin, New 
 York. The work here proved too great a tax upon 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I49 
 
 him, and his disabilities became so great he was 
 compelled to resign. Then he removed to Palmyra, 
 New York, where he served a pleasant village church, 
 amid a loving and devoted people. But disease had 
 done its work. After a brief service there his pure 
 spirit passed away, in the year 1876, in the forty-second 
 year of his age. He died triumphant in that faith in 
 Christ which had strengthened him for manifold 
 labors and sustained him in great afflictions. He died 
 while yet young in years, but full of noble deeds and 
 heavenly honors. 
 
 Among other things that contributed to the 
 marked prosperity of the pastorate of Mr. Wheat was 
 the unusually large number of valuable members who 
 were received by letter from other churches, during his 
 ministry. He baptized two hundred and thirteen. 
 The membership was four hundred and eighty-six. 
 
 Among the many prominent, earnest workers in 
 the church, those years, were: David Allabough, 
 D. J. McVaugh, Thomas Shaw, Evan Davis, William 
 White, George Wright, James Shannon, Thomas 
 Scattergood, Alfred Scattergood, N. B. Johnson, 
 M. H. McVaugh, Augustus Hart, C. H. Detwiler, 
 Joseph E. Rapp, Henry Still, J. L. Tustiu, J. T. Ely, 
 J. McCrea, Charles Cauffman, Isaac Styer, E. B. 
 Waltz, Samuel Overholtzer, Thomas D. Abraham, 
 J. K. Weaver, M. D. , J. Howard Arnold, Samuel 
 Butz, G. W. Wainwright and many others just as 
 faithful, including a host of notable, consecrated 
 women. 
 
150 HISTORY or 'JHE 
 
 At the same meeting in which Pastor Wheat's 
 resignation was accepted, it was voted to hold business 
 meetings on the first Monday evening of each month, 
 instead of once in three months, as had been the 
 custom. No reason is given for this change and it 
 was surely an unwise move. Perhaps the church 
 never had more legitimate business to transact than 
 during the pastorate of Mr. Wheat, and certainly 
 during no term of years have the business affairs of 
 the church been better conducted. Ordinarily, the 
 fewer business meetings there are the better. Some 
 men can talk eloquently in business meetings, when 
 a whole evening is given to this purpose, whose voices 
 are never heard in prayer or praise. It is the 
 consensus of opinion, among those who have had 
 most experience as leaders in Christian work, that 
 one or two, or, at the most, four distinctive business 
 meetings in a year, is the most satisfactory method. 
 The receiving and dismissing of members and many 
 other matters can be appropriately attended to in 
 connection with the appointed devotional services, as 
 was done during Mr. Wheat's pastorate. Special 
 meetings can always be called, when the business is of 
 such importance as to warrant it. IMuch valuable 
 time is wasted, and many misunderstandings and 
 "causes of offense" have their genesis in these too 
 frequent distinctive business meetings. A judiciary 
 and advisory committee, before which all matters of 
 business shall come, before being presented to the 
 body, would contribute much to the harmony and 
 success of many congregations. Then business which 
 
KiRsr BAPTisr CHURCH. 151 
 
 should be laid before the whole body would be well 
 uu\tured before it is brought in, and so much 
 uufortuuate discussion woiild be avoided. In this 
 way, a Baptist church can have all the advantages of 
 churches which have sessions with legitimate func- 
 tions and still retain its democratic character. 
 
(iHORCib FRliAR 
 I'uslor friim hrlu ii:iry, T,S72, In |iiiu-', 1S75. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. George Frear to that of Rev. Simeon 
 Siegfried — February, 1872, to September, 1875. 
 
 After the resignation of the Rev. Hardin Wheat, 
 the church was pastorless for sixteen months. There 
 was some decline, naturally, during this interim, in 
 the spiritual interests, and only two were received by 
 baptism. But there was regular preaching by supplies, 
 and the Sabbath school was well sustained. The 
 pulpit committee, from time to time, recommended 
 several well-known ministers of the denomination, 
 among them, A. J. Rowland, D. D. , J. R. Murphy, 
 D. D., and Win. H. Young, D. D., for the pastoral 
 office, but they could not be secured. Rev. Mr. 
 Wheat was also thought of. He would have been 
 glad to return and the church would have been glad 
 to receive him had his health been sufficiently restored 
 to permit it. 
 
 Finally, on the third of December, 1871, Rev. 
 George Frear, of Reading, was called, at a salary of 
 one thousand and eight hundred dollars a year. He 
 accepted the call and entered upon his duties February 
 I, 1872. At the installation services, which were held 
 February twenty- second, John Peddie, D. D. , preached 
 the sermon, Lemuel Moss, D. D., delivered the charge 
 to the pastor, and John H. Castle, D. D. , that to the 
 church. 
 
156 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 J. D. Tustin, having resigned the position of chor- 
 ister, and Miss Mary Tustin that of organist, March 
 fourth. Dr. Philip Y. Eisenberg was chosen as chor- 
 ister. Dr. Horace Still was, at the same time, elected 
 organist, the church agreeing to pay him forty dollars 
 a year. In 1874, his salary was increased to seventy- 
 five dollars a year, and the chorister was allowed one 
 hundred dollars a year. Dr. Still has held the position 
 of organist for twenty-five years, and has been 
 regarded as a skilled and accomplished musician. 
 The Baptist hymn and tune book was adopted for 
 use in the Sunday services. 
 
 The same year, the present plan of offering for 
 the several benevolent objects of the denomination 
 was adopted as follows : The annual offering for the 
 Missionary Union, first Lord's Day in October; for the 
 State Mission Society, the first Lord's Day in December; 
 Home Mission Society, the first in February; Educa- 
 tion Society, the first in April ; the local Sabbath 
 school, the first in June; the Publication Society, the 
 first in August. 
 
 The chief event, during the pastorate of Mr. 
 Frear, was the building of the present church edifice, 
 on the corner of Swede and Airy Streets. A building 
 committee of the following brethren was adopted, viz: 
 Samuel L. Butz, Justus P. Leaver, M. H. McVaugh, 
 C. H. Detwiler and Jos. E. Rapp. This committee 
 employed an architect, and on February 3, 1873, 
 reported a plan, together with specifications, for the 
 new edifice. The work of taking down the old 
 building, in which the congregation had worshipped 
 
HKST RAPTIST CHURCH. I57 
 
 for forty years, was then begun, and the foundations 
 were laid for the new, the corner stone being laid Juh' 
 4, iS; V During the demolition of the old aud the 
 construction of the new house, the Sunday services 
 were held in the court house, and the Wednesday- and 
 Friday evening meetings were held in Hill's Hall. 
 
 The work of building was now pushed rapidly 
 forward, and the lecture room was ready for occupancy 
 by the fifth of March, 1S74. The entire structure 
 ^Yas completed by November first. The taste and 
 skill displayed in its erection called for iniiversal 
 admiration. 
 
 The dedication occurred on Sunday, November 15, 
 1S74. The ceremonies were of an interesting and 
 imposing character. In the morning the audience was 
 large, even the aisles, hall and gallerv w^ere crowded. 
 The services commenced with singing the Doxolog}-, 
 followed by the Lord's prayer. The choir sang the 
 anthem, "Oh, How Beautiful is Ziou, City of our 
 Lord." The music during the entire day deserved 
 special praise. Members of the choirs of several of 
 the churclies of the town rendered valuable assistance. 
 Dr. Eisenberg led the singing and Dr. Still presided 
 at the organ. After the reading of Psalms eighty- 
 four and one hundred and thirty-two, and prajer by 
 Pastor Frear, John Peddie, D. D., preached the ser- 
 mon, from Luke 4 : 14, 15. This was followed by a 
 hymn, w^ritteu for the occasion. Pastor Frear tlien 
 made a statement in regard to the building and furn- 
 ishing of tlie church, and invited proposals to meet 
 tlie claims incurred. The first subscription was one 
 
158 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 thousand dollars from the Mite Society, and about 
 one thousand dollars was received by miscellaneous 
 offerings. The dedication prayer was offered by Rev. 
 Wm. Smith. In the afternoon, P. S. Henson, D.D. , 
 preached from Judges 7:7. In the evening, the ser- 
 mon was by President Henry G. Weston, D. D. 
 Pastor Frear then read a poem, written for the occasion 
 by a member of the Sunday school. 
 
 The cost of the building, not including the furn- 
 ishing, was twenty-five thousand, six hundred and 
 eight-two dollars, of which twenty thousand dollars 
 had been raised and paid at the time of the dedication. 
 
 The subscription committees had been engaged in 
 collecting for several years, and had done faithful and 
 successful work. The expense of furnishing the lec- 
 ture room, which amounted to five hundred and eighty- 
 two dollars, was chiefly borne by the Sunday school. 
 The auditorium was furnished at a total cost of one 
 thousand, nine hundred and fourteen dollars and 
 ninety-four cents. This was assumed by the Mite 
 Society, which, by heroic efforts, they succeeded in 
 paying. The furniture in the pulpit, costing about 
 one hundred and thirty five dollars, was purchased by 
 the children in the Sunday school. The entire cost of 
 the building when completed was, therefore, twenty- 
 eight thousand and three hundred dollars. This seems 
 almost impossible. It certainly required careful over- 
 sight to erect such an edifice at figures like those. 
 This handsome brown stone structure, which adorns 
 the south-west corner of Swede and Airy Streets, is a 
 credit to Norristown and an honor to the Baptist 
 
PRESENT CHURCH EDIFICE 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 denomination. It is conveniently and centrally 
 located. It is in the Romanesque style of architecture. 
 The dimensions are sixty-two by ninety-two feet. 
 On the north-west corner is a turret, rising one hundred 
 feet from the ground. There are three front doors, 
 affording ample means of egress. The windows are 
 filled with stained glass of a neat pattern, that in the 
 large front window being of quite elaborate design. 
 The basement is divided into a lecture room, forty-one 
 by fifty-five feet; infant school room, twenty-three by 
 twenty-five feet ; a parlot or committee room of the 
 same size; also a library and secretaries' room. The 
 auditorium is a beautiful and spacious room, with a 
 seating capacity, on the main floor, of six hundred 
 and sixty ; or about eight hundred, including the 
 gallery. It has three aisles, and is seated with pews of 
 oak and walnut, in semi-circular form, affording a full 
 view of the pulpit from any part of the house. On 
 each side of the pulpit are rooms for the use of candi- 
 dates on the occasion of baptism. The ceiling and 
 pulpit recesses are beautifully frescoed in neutral tints, 
 the side walls being painted plain. The gas arrange- 
 ments in the room are of rather novel style, it being 
 lighted by means of a reflector of twenty-six burners 
 in the ceiling, below which is suspended a corona of 
 thirty-six cluster burners, and a small corona of four 
 burners at the pulpit. 
 
 This splendid church edifice is a fitting testimonial 
 of the careful oversight and wise direction of Pastor 
 Frear, and a noble monument to the persevering labor 
 and Christian beneficence of the faithful band of men 
 
l62 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 and women who carried the work on to its successful 
 completion. During these years of building, the 
 growth of the church in numbers was rather slow. 
 Only forty-five were baptized during Mr. Frear's pas- 
 torate. A number had been dropped, and some 
 dismissed by letter, so that the membership, in 1875, 
 was but four hundred and fifty-eight, or twenty-eight 
 less than in 1870. But the building of the spiritual 
 temple, like that of the material, was of a sound, 
 substantial and enduring character. 
 
 The church lost a number of valuable members 
 by death, during Mr. Frear's pastorate, among them 
 D. J. McVaugh, who was called to his reward after a 
 long illness, borne with Christian resignation and 
 fortitude, in the year 1873. Brother McVaugh was 
 held in high esteem by a large circle of friends, and he 
 was greatly missed in the church and community, 
 where he lived and labored so unselfishly for the cause 
 of his Master. "He was a good man, full of the 
 Holy Ghost and of faith. ' ' 
 
 Pastor Frear, having expressed his intention to 
 resign the pastorate to accept a call to Lewisburg, a 
 special meeting was convened, when he was requested, 
 by a hearty vote, to reconsider his purpose and remain 
 with the church. But, notwithstanding, his resigna- 
 tion was formally presented on the third of May, 
 1875, to take effect the first of June. 
 
 George Frear, D. D., was born June 21, 1831. He 
 was baptized in 1849, ^^ Eaton, Pa., by his father, 
 Rev. William Frear, who was pastor there for forty 
 
FIRST HAPTIST CHURCH. 1 63 
 
 years. He graduated with honors at L,ewisburg, now 
 Bucknell University, in 1856, and from the Theologi- 
 cal Department in 1858. He was ordained the same 
 year, and became pastor of the First Church of 
 Reading, Pa. While here he was instrumental in 
 organizing the Second Baptist Church of Reading. 
 Dr. Frear was, for a time, during the Civil War, 
 chaplain of the Third Pennsylvania Reserves. In 
 1872, he accepted the call to Norristown. While 
 here, he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
 from Bucknell University. In 1875, he became pastor 
 of the church at Lewisburg, and in 1879 removed to 
 Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he labored until 1894, when 
 failing health compelled him to retire from active 
 pastoral duties. 
 
 In all these important pastorates. Dr. Frear won 
 the hearts of the people to whom he ministered, and 
 will be remembered as an able preacher, a wise builder 
 and a most faithful exponent of the principles of the 
 denomination he served for so many years. Aided by 
 the State Mission Society, Brother Frear reorganized 
 the church at Wilkes-Barre, and established it on 
 a sure foundation. For fourteen years he labored 
 here, building up a strong and prosperous church. 
 He was for eight years trustee of the Keystone 
 Academy and served a number of terms as vice-presi- 
 dent of the Education Society. Dr. Frear died at 
 Wilkes-Barre, December 27, 1894. 
 
MMEi >N SiHijFRltiU 
 I'astor from ScptcmliCr, 1^75, It' ' 'cld'er, 1S7Q. 
 
CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Simeon Siegfried to that Rev. N. 
 Randall — September, 1875, to February, 1880. 
 
 The church now being without a pastor, Dr. J. K. 
 Weaver, C. H. Detwiler, I. N. Harrar and Malcolm 
 Lindsay were appointed a pulpit committee, and on 
 the second of August, 1875, they reported the name 
 of Rev. Simeon Siegfried for the pastoral office, and 
 on Sunday morning, August fifteenth, he was elected, 
 ninety-nine voting in favor and twenty-three against 
 the call. He entered upon his duties the first of the 
 next month. Mr. Siegfried was nearly fifty years of 
 age, when he came to Norristown, but he was still 
 young in spirit. His work was highly appreciated 
 and he soon became exceedingly popular. He was 
 kind-hearted and liberal by nature, and possessed a 
 commanding presence and rhetorical manner in the 
 pulpit. Personally, he was of a genial disposition. 
 He frequently preached special sermons to the mem- 
 bers of the various societies and secret orders, with 
 whom he was a favorite. The audiences grew large 
 and its pastor became popular with the masses. 
 
 No special evangelistic effort was undertaken, but 
 a few were baptized at different times during the year. 
 
l68 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The Central Union Association met with the 
 church on the sixth of June. Among the strong 
 resolutions passed by that body was one commending 
 the United States commission of the Centennial 
 Exhibition, which was then on in Philadelphia, for 
 refusing to open the doors of the exposition on the 
 L/ord's day. They declare "that the opening of the 
 exhibition on the Lord's day would be a falsification 
 of our national history, a misrepresentation of our 
 national morality, an injustice to the multitude of 
 Christian exhibitors and employees, a wrong to the 
 most solemn conviction of the great body of our 
 American Christian people, and would go far to 
 neutralize the Christian teaching of the country 
 respecting the value, use and sacredness of the Lord's 
 day." 
 
 In their letter to the association, the Norristown 
 church refer with affection and sympathy to the death 
 of their former pastor. Rev. Hardin Wheat, and ask 
 the prayers of the association for his deeply afflicted 
 family. 
 
 Several efforts were made, at this time, to liquidate 
 the church debt, but without entire success. The 
 panic of 1876-7 was keenly felt by many of the 
 members, and the church had difficulty in meeting 
 its current expenses. 
 
 The year 1878 was not a very prosperous one, 
 although the congregations continued large. In 
 January, the pastor and deacons made a gloonn- report 
 on the spiritual condition, and deprecated the evils 
 of lax discipline. In February, I. N. Harrar was 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 169 
 
 elected deacon. Mr. Harrar had been prominent in 
 committee work before this time. He also served as 
 trustee for a number of years, and later he was made 
 treasurer of the church. He has always been faithful 
 in his attendance upon the appointed meetings of the 
 church, thus setting a good example in this important, 
 but often neglected duty of church members and 
 officials. 
 
 The church manual was again revised, and five 
 hundred copies purchased for distribution. There 
 were many exclusions and erasures, and only two 
 baptisms during the year. 
 
 In February, 1879, delegates were appointed to sit 
 in council with the brethren at Royersford to consider 
 the propriety of recognizing them as an independent 
 Baptist church. In the beginning of this year, a 
 rather discouraging report was made by the trustees 
 of the financial condition of the church, in which they 
 say that a long list of members do not contribute 
 anything to the support of the Gospel. In spite of 
 the depressed financial conditions, however, there was 
 considerable interest on the spiritual side. Very 
 profitable meetings were held under the auspices of 
 the Young Peoples' Association, presided over by Mr. 
 C. H. Grigg. There was a number of conversions, 
 and during the year thirty-two were baptized, the 
 largest number any year of Mr. Siegfried's ministry 
 here. 
 
 The church was now about to meet its sorest trial 
 and experience its deepest affliction. The pastor 
 started in October to attend the state anniversaries. 
 He had taken a heavy cold and suffered with a severe 
 
1 70 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 chill, immediately on arriving at the convention. He 
 returned home at once. A failure of railroad connec- 
 tions made the journey tedious and disastrous. He 
 reached his home October sixteenth, and immediately 
 summoned his physician, Dr. J. K. Weaver, who 
 found him already beyond the help of medicine. The 
 cold had developed into acute pneumonia. He died 
 on the twentieth of October, 1879, after an illness of 
 only four days. His sudden death produced a 
 profound impression on the entire community. The 
 funeral services were held in the church, and were 
 attended by a great concourse of people. Addresses 
 were delivered by several pastors from Philadelphia. 
 Thousands of persons took a last look at the lamented 
 dead, and all that was mortal of the beloved pastor was 
 conveyed to Newark, New Jersey, for burial. He 
 died in the full and blessed hope he had preached to 
 others, with his eye upon the fadeless wreath, "the 
 prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. " 
 
 Rev. Simeon Siegfried, Jr., was born at West 
 Chester, Pennsylvania, on the twenty -first of Feb- 
 ruary, 1828. He was one of a race of Baptist 
 ministers. His grandfather. Elder George Siegfried, 
 was one of the early pioneer preachers, who did 
 valuable service in the state of Ohio. His father, 
 Simeon Siegfried, Sr. , was at one time a fellow pupil 
 with Samuel Aaron, and won honorable distinction as 
 preacher and editor in Pennsylvania and Ohio. He 
 continued in active labor for more than fifty years. 
 
 Simeon Siegfried, Jr., was converted at the age of 
 twelve years, and from that time to the day of his 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 71 
 
 death he ' 'adorned the doctrines of God his Saviour. ' ' 
 He learned the trade of a printer, and much of the 
 time which would otherwise have been spent in school 
 was spent in the printing office. This, with a full 
 course of instruction in the Mount Pleasant Academy, 
 constituted the educational facilities enjoyed by him. 
 
 In 1857, he was ordained to the work of the Gospel 
 ministry, in Ohio. He was pastor, successively, at 
 Adamsville and Alexandria, Ohio, at Newark and 
 Trenton, N. J. , and Norristown, Pa. He was in love 
 with his work, and hence was successful. He was a 
 Christian whose love for his Divine Master found its 
 most happy expression in earnest, self-denying service. 
 He was a patriot and loved his country well, and his 
 voice and sword were lifted up in defence of his 
 country's honor. He was a man among men, whose 
 warmth of heart won friends and gave him influence 
 and power over his fellows. Busy and cheerful, earn- 
 est and hopeful, his presence was always a blessing 
 and an inspiration. 
 
 November 9, 1879, the church adopted the follow- 
 ing resolutions: "Whereas, God, in his providence, 
 has seen fit to remove from us by death our beloved 
 pastor. Rev. S. Seigfried, Jr. : Therefore, Resolved, 
 That we have lost an earnest, efficient and faithful 
 minister of the Gospel, a champion of every needed 
 reform, a defender of the public morals, a genial 
 companion, a warm-hearted and sympathizing friend. 
 Resolved, That we cherish his memory as a true 
 Christian minister ; that we remember and heed his 
 wise counsels, and that we imitate his many virtues." 
 
N. R. U'ANDAI.L 
 Pastor from P'fl iriiriry, iSSo, tn Sc| ilcnil'cr. 1SS7 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. N. B. Randall to that of Rev. C. A. Fulton- 
 February, 1880, to April, 1888. 
 
 After the death of Mr. Siegfried, the church soon 
 took steps looking to the settlement of another pastor. 
 On the eighteenth of January, 1880, Rev. N. B. 
 Randall was called, and entered upon his work the 
 fifteenth of the next month. The church now sus- 
 tained a severe loss by the death of Deacon David 
 Allabough, in the eighty-sixth year of his age. He 
 was a man highly esteemed, a valuable officer, and of 
 irreproachable character. Among other valuable 
 members, who died during the year, were Mrs. Thos. 
 D. Abraham, John Tustin and Henry Still. A deep 
 spiritual interest prevailed during the year, and about 
 forty persons were added to the church by baptism. 
 
 In 1881, the church made another heroic effort to 
 cancel the church debt of about five thousand dollars. 
 This amount was divided into shares of ten dollars 
 each, the entire amount was soon subscribed and 
 subsequently paid. 
 
 During this year the church lost another deacon 
 by death in the person of Thomas Scattergood. He 
 was a faithful servant of the Lord, and, like Deacon 
 Allabough, died at the good old age of eighty-six. 
 
176 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 His devout Christian life continues to bear fruit to the 
 praise and the glory of his name. There were now 
 two vacancies in the board of deacons, and Joseph E. 
 Rapp and Walter L. Butz were chosen to fill the 
 places. 
 
 Mr. Rapp was a good man and much devoted to 
 his church, being active both in the spiritual and 
 temporal affairs, he was well suited to the high office. 
 He afterwards became the superintendent of the West 
 Side Mission Sunday School, and, when that interest 
 developed into the Second Baptist Church, Mr. Rapp 
 became an important officer and pillar there. 
 
 Mr. Butz, although a young man, had manifested 
 much interest and devotion to the church and had 
 been a useful member. He subsequently united with 
 the Second Church of Norristown, also. 
 
 Thirty-five were added this year by baptism. 
 
 On the twenty-fifth of April, 1882, C. H. Detwiler 
 died suddenly at his home. Mr. Detwiler was a very 
 useful man in the church. Hardly any one could 
 have been missed more at this time. He was deacon, 
 church clerk and Sunday school superintendent, and 
 had served faithfully and efficiently in all these offices, 
 as well as on many important committees. The large 
 attendance at his funeral, which was held in the 
 church, was an evidence of the high esteem in which 
 he had been held. 
 
 On the fourteenth of May, 1882, J. K. Weaver, 
 M. D., was elected superintendent of the school. 
 This was an excellent choice. Dr. Weaver proved a 
 wise and efficient leader. His management of the 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I 77 
 
 school was ever in accordance with the most approved 
 methods. He exercised great care in the selection of 
 teachers. As a rule, only those who were students of 
 the Word and "apt to teach" were assigned to this 
 important work. The men and women whom he 
 gathered about him were among the most reliable and 
 earnest workers in the church. 
 
 Among the many noble men who have served this 
 church, Dr. Weaver will be remembered as one of the 
 most capable, progressive and broad-minded leaders, 
 who gave himself with disinterested fidelity to its 
 highest interest. Although well known throughout 
 the state, through his connection with various educa- 
 tional and missionary boards of the denomination, of 
 which he has been a valued member, his deepest 
 interest has always Centered in the Bible school work 
 of his own church. Greatly interested in mission 
 schools, he took the initiative step in the establishing 
 of the mission on the West Side, out of which has 
 grown the Second Baptist Church, and, in 1890, he 
 recommended the organization of the school in the 
 East End. Ever loyal to his pastors, Dr. Weaver 
 has been held in high esteem by them, as a wise and 
 trusted counselor, a genial and generous hearted 
 companion. 
 
 A series of resolutions was adopted at this time, 
 on the death of Deacon Detwiler, in which they 
 speak of his inestimable services to the church and 
 Sunday school, and in which they deplore his death, 
 while in the prime of his manhood. 
 
lyS HISTORY OF THE 
 
 R. N. Wood, who was about to remove to England, 
 resigned as church collector, and R. K. Fulmer was 
 elected to fill the place. 
 
 At the June meeting, Theo. Knabb was elected 
 church clerk. Mr. Knabb became a prompt, careful 
 and competent ofiicial, being well adapted to the duties 
 of this important position. 
 
 December 12, 1882, being the fiftieth anniversary 
 of the organization of the church, the event was 
 appropriately celebrated by a series of services. 
 Among those wh o participated in these semi-cenl ennal 
 exercises, were Hiram Hutchins, D. D. , of Brooklyn, 
 pastor of the church from 1847 to 1850 ; Geo. Frear, 
 D. D., pastor from 1872 to 1875; Rev. W. E. Corn- 
 well and Rev. T. J. Siegfried, sons of ex-pastors. 
 Letters were also read from other former pastors. 
 
 This was a fruitful year, spiritually; fifty- two were 
 added by baptism. 
 
 The year 1883 was uneventful, but one of quiet 
 work, and twelve were baptized. Thirteen were 
 received by letter. 
 
 February 4, 1884, M. H. McVaugh was elected 
 deacon to fill the vacancy caused by the death of 
 C. H. Detwiler. Mr. McVaugh was fifty-seven years 
 of age, when he was chosen deacon, and had been for 
 years a faithful and devout man of God. Assuredly, 
 in this choice, the church observed the Scriptural 
 injunction, " and let these also first be proved." 
 
 This was not a year of fruitage in soul winning, 
 only four persons being received by baptism, but ten 
 were added by letter. 
 
FIRST KAPTlSr CHURCH. 1 70 
 
 This church has all ;Uong- its history taken a deep 
 interest in the important work of establishing and 
 niaintainino mission Sabbath schools. At this time, 
 Dr. Weaver, the superintendent of the main school, 
 urged the opening of a mission in West Xorristown ; 
 accordingly, at llie January business meeting, in 1883, 
 the first decisive steps were taken in this direction. 
 The following resolutions were adopted: "That we 
 nuvke an effort to establish a mission Sunday school in 
 West Xorristown, and that a committee be appointed 
 tor that purpose. " Jos. E. Rapp, Jas. A. Hurst, Harry 
 Cassel, Augustus Hart, Dr. J. K. Weaver and T. C. 
 Davis were appointed that committee. At the March 
 meeting, this committee reported that a site for the 
 building of a chapel could be secured on George 
 Street, between Marshall and Airy, lor one thousand 
 and six hundred dollars, and it was agreed to make 
 the purchase. At a special meeting, held on the 
 eighteenth of March, it was decided to abandon the 
 effort to purchase lots on George Street, as lots could 
 be secured at the nortli west comer of Marsliall 
 Street ;md Haws Avenue, better adapted to the purpose. 
 The committee was then instructed to purchase tliese 
 lots, on which there was a building suitable for 
 mission pur^x»ses, at a cost of three thousand and two 
 hundred dollars. It was fortunate indeed tliat this 
 change of purpose -was made, as the property on Haws 
 A\'enue is one of the most beautiful and centrally 
 located sites for a church in that vicinity. 
 
 January i, 1885, the church selected tlie following 
 persons as officers and teachers for the proposed 
 nnssion sdiool : Superintendent and treasurer, Jos. 
 
l8o HISTORY OF THE 
 
 E. Rapp ; assistant superintendent, Jas. A. Hurst ; 
 chorister, Harry Cassel ; organist. Miss Walker ; 
 secretary, James Harley ; librarians, Edward Kellar, 
 H. F. Reifsnyder and Wm. Burton ; teachers, T. C. 
 Davis, Jas. A. Hurst, Mrs. Hurst, Harry Cassel, Mrs. 
 Reed, Mrs. Jos. Kohl, Mrs. Phillips, Miss Hannah 
 Rapp and Miss Annie McVaugh. The school was 
 opened June 21, 1885, with sixty-six scholars. In the 
 home school, at this time, there were fifty-one officers 
 and teachers, and five hundred and thirty scholars. 
 
 The Central Union Association held its fifty-third 
 anniversary with the Norristown Church, this year. 
 One hundred and forty delegates were present. Among 
 the important measures adopted was a vigorous resolu- 
 tion on the prohibition of the liquor traffic. There 
 were one hundred baptisms reported, and twenty-three 
 thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight dollars, 
 the total contributions. 
 
 In September, Dr. J. K. Weaver, on behalf of the 
 Social Union, offered the following resolution, which 
 was adopted : ' ' That the church approve of the efforts 
 of the Social Union to secure sufficient money to 
 purchase a pipe organ for the main audience room." 
 The Social Union made another progressive move in 
 organizing a singing class among the young people, 
 in order to awaken an interest in music. At this same 
 time a committee, consisting of Thos. Sames, Harry 
 Cassel, P. Y. Eisenberg and Jos. Roberts, recom- 
 mended the adoption of the Baptist Hymnal. The 
 recommendation was heartily approved, and this most 
 excellent selection was adopted as the hymn book of 
 the church. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 
 
 On the fifteenth of October, the building which 
 had been fitted up for the mission school on Haws 
 Avenue was dedicated with appropriate exercises. 
 
 During the spring of 1886, Pastor Randall was 
 assisted in special service by Rev. Clias. H. Thomas 
 and Wayland Hoyt, D. D. The afternoon Bible 
 meetings of Dr. Hoyt were very instructive and 
 inspiring, and were largely attended. 
 
 During the spring of 1887, the church united with 
 other churches of the town in a series of union meet- 
 ings, conducted by Evangelist Geo. C. Needham. 
 These meetings were well attended and great good 
 was done, although they did not prove particularly 
 productive in immediate conversions. 
 
 On the fourth of April, Dr. P. Y. Eisenberg 
 tendered his resignation as chorister. It was accepted, 
 and the following commendatory resolution was 
 adopted : ' ' That Dr. P. Y. Eisenberg, who has acted 
 in the capacity of chorister for the last fifteen years, 
 having resigned his position, the church hereby 
 express their confidence in his ability as a leader, and 
 their appreciation of the patience and fidelity with 
 which he has discharged his duty. ' ' A committee on 
 chorister was appointed, and soon after reported 
 Lafayette Ross as willing to take the position tempo- 
 rarily, and he was accordingly engaged. 
 
 At this time Deacon Rapp, on behalf of the 
 workers at the mission in the West End, asked the 
 advice of the church in regard to the organization of 
 an independent church. A committee, consisting of 
 Thos. Sames, Jos. E. Rapp, Jas. A. Hurst, M. H. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 McVaugh and Dr. J. K. Weaver, was appointed to 
 consider the request, report the number likely to join 
 the new church and the advisability of the matter, and 
 a plan for its accomplishment, in case it is approved 
 by the . church. On the second of May, 1887, a 
 majority of the committee reported in favor of the 
 project. This report was accepted, and the trustees 
 were instructed to deed to the new church the mission 
 property, with its encumbrances, as soon as the orga- 
 nization could be effected. 
 
 On the twelfth day of May, letters were granted 
 to forty-five members to form an independent Baptist 
 church. June second, a meeting was held at the 
 mission, and an organization efifected, under the name 
 of the Second Baptist Church of Norristown. The 
 usual articles of faith were adopted, and seven trustees 
 and five deacons were elected. A council of Baptist 
 churches was called to meet on the sixteenth of June, 
 1887, and, after considering the usual documents and 
 evidences, voted unanimously to recognize the new 
 organization as a regular Baptist church. The new 
 enterprise was launched auspiciously, and rapidly 
 grew into a vigorous church. Being situated in a 
 residential and rapidly growing section of the town, 
 the Sunday school and the church both grew apace. 
 In September, 1887, they called as their first pastor. 
 Rev. W. E. Staub. During his ministry a new stone 
 chapel was built, at a cost of six thousand dollars. 
 Mr. Staub was succeeded by Rev. J. G. Dyer. He 
 resigned in 1892, when Rev. J. H. Haslam became 
 pastor. During each of these pastorates the Second 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 1 83 
 
 Baptist Church has made strong and substantial 
 progress. 
 
 At this time several efforts were made to have the 
 deacons elected for a term of years, instead of for 
 life. As there were some vacancies in the board, 
 elections were held for the purpose of filling them, 
 and in July, R. N. Wood was chosen. Mr. Wood was 
 constant in his church attendance and prompt in the 
 discharge of his official duties, while Mrs. Wood was 
 well qualified for the exacting duties of a deacon's 
 wife. In visiting the sick and ministering to the needy 
 her services were much appreciated. 
 
 On the first of August, 1887, Pastor Randall, in 
 accordance with his announcement in May, tendered 
 his resignation, to take effect the first of September. 
 The resignation was accepted, and the following 
 resolutions adopted : " That the thanks of the church 
 are due Rev. N. B. Randall for the work he did while 
 pastor, in assisting materially in cancelling the debt ; 
 in his untiring devotion to the Master ; in his visits 
 to the sick ; in his efforts to promote the various 
 reforms of the day; but above all, in his clear exposi- 
 tions of the Scriptures. ' ' 
 
 Mr. Randall was a strong preacher and a faithful 
 pastor ; a suggestive and inspiring teacher. Of indus- 
 trious habits, his mind was ever employed in planning 
 for the advancement of the church. During his 
 pastorate he edited, for a few years, a small paper, 
 entitled "The Norristown Baptist, " afterwards "The 
 Central Union Baptist." In this he published an 
 historical sketch of the Norristown Church. This 
 
184 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 must have cost him much labor, and was in some 
 respects an invaluable work, particularly in the gath- 
 ering and collating of interesting incidents and 
 important data. 
 
 Mr. Randall was with the church seven years and 
 six months, making the longest pastorate in its history. 
 During this time he baptized one hundred and ninety- 
 two converts. Many of these soon became very strong 
 and prominent Christians, taking an active part in 
 every good work. The membership at the close of 
 this pastorate, after dismissing fifty-one to form the 
 Second Baptist Church, was five hundred and forty- 
 three. 
 
 Mr. Randall was blessed with a faithful and con- 
 secrated wife, whom God richly endowed with many 
 rare gifts, and who was, therefore, fully competent 
 and ever ready to second all his toils. 
 
 The interval between the pastorate of Mr. Randall 
 and that of his successor was marked by frequent 
 business meetings, which were not always characterized 
 by that degree of harmony and humility of spirit 
 which should prevail among God's people. Yet at no 
 time was there any serious difficulty, or any wrong 
 that might not have been amicably righted b\- the 
 exercise of good judgment and mutual forbearance, 
 and an earnest appeal to the Good Shepherd to guide 
 his own sheep into the right way, and to preserve the 
 fold in peace. 
 
Chari.hs a. Flilton 
 
 Pastdi- from April, iNSS, lo l-Vliruurv, l8()I. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. C. A. Fulton to that of Rev. W. C. 
 Richmond — April, 1888, to November, 1891. 
 
 March 19, 1888, Rev. C. A. Fulton, of Camden, 
 S. C. , was chosen pastor by a large and nearly 
 unanimous vote. He came on the field at once, and 
 began his labors on the first of April, the installation 
 services being held on the twenty-fourth. On this 
 occasion. Dr. J. B. Gough Pidge preached the sermon, 
 and Rev. J. L. L,itch, pastor of the Central Presby- 
 terian Church, delivered the address of welcome. 
 Rev. William E. Staub, J. G. Walker, D.D., and 
 David Spencer, D. D. , were also present and partici- 
 pated in the services. 
 
 On the twenty-seventh of May, delegates were 
 chosen to sit in council with the Lower Providence 
 Church, for the ordination of Deacon S. O. Perry to 
 the work of the Gospel ministry. 
 
 During the 3'ear 1888, the Social Union completed 
 the work, on which they had been engaged for several 
 years, of purchasing a pipe organ for the auditorium. 
 The organ was placed in the church in March, 1889, 
 and the grand opening was held on the ninth of that 
 month. The house was filled with an appreciative 
 audience, and the keys of the grand organ were tested 
 by a number of distinguished performers, among 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 them Prof. David D. Wood, Mr. Elwood Beaver, Mrs. 
 K. B. Jacoby and Miss Annie L. Cressman. This 
 magnificent instrument was purchased of William 
 King & Sons, Elmira, New York, at a cost of $3000. 
 It has one thousand three hundred and ten pipes, 
 sixty-one notes on manual and thirty notes on pedal. 
 It has ten stops in great manual, nine stops in swell 
 manual and eleven mechanical stops, and is propelled 
 by a patent water-motor. At the same time the 
 church building was renovated at a cost of two 
 thousand, four hundred dollars. 
 
 In their Associational letter, the church reported 
 improved spiritual interests, and an addition by 
 baptism of thirty-two. This was the largest number 
 of baptisms in a year since 1882. 
 
 In April, Henry F. Scatchard was chosen deacon. 
 Mr. Scatchard, together with his wife and daughter, 
 had been received by letter from the Second Church, 
 Germantown, a short time before, where they had 
 been useful and highly esteemed members. There 
 Mr. Scatchard had been deacon and trustee. His 
 coming into the Norristown Church and his election 
 to the office of deacon, just at this time, were 
 exceedingly fortunate. Being an experienced busi- 
 ness man, of excellent practical judgment, a devout 
 and consecrated Christian and a liberal giver, Mr. 
 Scatchard became at once a most valuable and 
 influential member. Gifted in prayer and testimony, 
 and possessing a sweet Christian spirit, few men have 
 rounded out more fully the New Testament require- 
 ment for the office of deacon, to be "full of wisdom 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. iSq 
 
 and the Holy Ghost." He was greatly esteemed by 
 his pastors as a kind, wise and agreeable fellow 
 worker. 
 
 In May, Lafayette Ross tendered his resignation 
 as leader of the choir, and the next month S. H. 
 Wright was elected to the position. 
 
 During this j'ear the young people of the church, 
 led by Pastor Fulton, took an advance step in the 
 organization of a Christian Endeavor Society, in 
 accordance with the plans as promulgated by Francis 
 E. Clark, D. D. This society was a much needed 
 auxiliary to the church. Their regular prayer meet- 
 ings on Wednesda}- evenings were well attended, and 
 stimulated general activity on the part of the young 
 members of the church in many good works. 
 
 On the seventeenth of June, i8Sq, J. K. Weaver, 
 AI. D., was elected deacon of the church. Dr. Weaver 
 had been superintendent of the Sunday school for 
 seven years, and a member of the board of trustees 
 for a number of terms. In these offices and on many 
 important committees, he had evinced a marked 
 faithfulness and efficiency as a leader. His practical 
 knowledge of progressi\'e methods of church work 
 and the deep spirituality of his life made him well 
 qualified for tlie high office of deacon. 
 
 September second, the church voted to grant a 
 license to preach to T. C. Davis. This same month 
 it was decided to unite with the other congregations 
 of the town in a series of meetings, to continue four 
 weeks, conducted by Evangelist W. ly. Munhall. 
 These meetings were very largely attended, and 
 
I go HISTORY OF THE 
 
 resulted in a large number of conversions. A good 
 proportion of these united with the Baptist church. 
 
 During this year, Deacon George Wright requested 
 the church to relieve him from the office of deacon, 
 which he had held so long. He was thereupon 
 appointed deacon emeritus. Mr. Wright had been 
 a prominent member and an active worker in the 
 church for many years. He was a great admirer of 
 Rev. Samuel Aaron, and during the days of slavery 
 was known as one of ^Ir. Aaron's most trusted 
 lieutenants in the transportation of slaves to Canada. 
 
 In the spring of 1890, Dr. J. K. Weaver suggested 
 the importance of establishing another mission school, 
 this time in East Norristown, and in February, Dr. 
 Weaver, Deacon Scatchard and Deacon Harrar were 
 appointed a committee, to consider the matter and 
 report to the church. In March, they recommended 
 the opening of a school in the Sandy Street school 
 building, permission having been granted by the 
 school board; that Deacon Scatchard be appointed 
 as superintendent, and that the church appropriate 
 twenty-five dollars for literature. The school was 
 accordingly opened in March, 1890, with fifty-eight 
 scholars; H. F. Scatchard, superintendent. 
 
 A great improvement was now made in the lecture 
 room of the church by replacing the pews with chairs, 
 and otherwise remodeling it and the infant and 
 intermediate class-rooms. 
 
 In their associational letter, this year, the church 
 gives a most flattering account of their work. Sixty- 
 seven had been baptized. The membership was now 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. I9I 
 
 six hundred and two, and there had been a substantial 
 increase in their benevolent contributions. This last 
 was secured by adopting a system whereby an offering 
 was solicited from every member. 
 
 In September, S. H. Wright resigned the position 
 of chorister, and the same month Wilmer M. Bean 
 was appointed to succeed him. In October, the state 
 anniversaries were held with the church. There was 
 a large attendance, and two hundred and eighty-four 
 delegates were entertained. 
 
 In February, Pastor Fulton resigned the pastoral 
 office to accept a call to Baltimore. Mr. Fulton was 
 pastor two years and ten months. During this time, 
 one hundred were added to the church by baptism, 
 and many important improvements effected. He was 
 a pleasing and attractive speaker, a cordial friend and 
 a genial companion. During much of his time here 
 he was burdened with deep sorrow for the loss by 
 death of loved ones, and thus, providentially, unfitted 
 often for pastoral duties, yet, in the midst of his 
 aiRictions and bereavements, he was of a cheerful 
 spirit, and bore all with marked Christian fortitude. 
 
 Mr. Fulton took his collegiate and theological 
 course at Madison (Colgate) University. His first 
 church was at Camden, S. C, whence he came to 
 Norristown, which was his second pastorate. Fitting 
 resolutions were adopted by the church, in which they 
 state "that we deeply regret the severance of the 
 pastoral relation and the removal from our midst of 
 so able, earnest and devoted an under-shepherd; 
 one who has developed the spiritual strength of the 
 
192 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 young; always been valiant in defense of the truth; 
 clear and concise in expounding the Scriptures, and 
 in declaring the whole counsel of God." 
 
 Mr. Fulton preached his last sermon on the eighth 
 of February, 1891, to one of the largest audiences 
 which had ever assembled in the church. 
 
W. (".. KK:MMONn 
 
 I'listdl rnilli ?\iivcih1iii, iSm1.Ii' Innc. iSc)^. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. W. C. Richmond to that of Rev. Aloozo 
 A. DeLarme — November, 1891, to November, 1893. 
 
 It is an evidence of the united and harmonious 
 condition of the church, upon the departure of the 
 Rev. ]Mr. Fulton, that two months after, the church, 
 by an almost unanimous vote, extended an invitation 
 to Rev. J. H. Parshley, of Philadelphia, to become 
 their pastor. This call was not accepted, and on the 
 ninth of November, 1891, the pulpit committee 
 recommended Re v.W. C. Richmond, of Massachusetts. 
 He was accordingly called, and entered upon the field 
 at once. The public installation was held on the 
 twenty-first of December. W. T. Chase, D. D., 
 preached the sermon, and Rev. F. S. Dobbins, T. R. 
 Beeber, D. D., Rev. C. A. Soars and Rev. J. G. 
 Dyer also participated in the services. 
 
 Mr. Richmond was educated at Oberlin College 
 and Rochester Theological Seminary, and had been 
 pastor of several churches in New England. He was 
 an earnest man and endeavored to accomplish a good 
 work, but his pastorate here was not altogether satis- 
 tory, either to himself or to the church. He labored 
 under many disadvantages and trying circumstances, 
 which greatly hindered the progress and prosperity of 
 
196 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 the cause he desired to enhance. He continued his 
 labors, however, until the first of June, 1892. During 
 his ministry of one year and six months, thirty-six 
 persons were added to the church by baptism, and 
 fifteen by letter. 
 
 On the fourteenth of June, the church sent dele- 
 gates to the Second Baptist Church of Norristown 
 for the ordination of Rev. J. H. Haslam, who had 
 been called as their pastor. 
 
 During the interim of pastors the pulpit was filled 
 as usual by supplies. 
 
 At this time several attempts were made to fill two 
 vacancies on the Board of Deacons, and finally Dr. 
 Horace Still was chosen as one. Dr. Still had served 
 acceptably, for a number of terms, on the Board of 
 Trustees, but was best known as the church's compe- 
 tent and popular organist. 
 
A. A. iJbLARME 
 Piescnt I'ljslof 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Pastorate of Rev. Alonzo A. DeLarme. 
 
 September 3, 1893, Rev. Alonzo A. Delvarme, of 
 New Haven, Connecticut, was called to the pastorate, 
 and entered upon his duties Sunday, November twelfth. 
 The installation services were held the following 
 Thursday. The sermon, on this occasion, was preached 
 by E. H. Johnson, D. D., of Crozer Seminary. Mr. 
 DeLarme, a native of Pennsylvania, taught school 
 for a few years in Clearfield County. He prepared 
 for college at Mt. Pleasant Institute, and graduated 
 from the State University of Indiana in 1887, and 
 from the Crozer Theological Seminary in 1890. He 
 became pastor of Hope Church, New Haven, Conn., 
 immediately after graduation from Crozer, and was 
 ordained in that city July 17, 1890. He remained 
 pastor there until he resigned to accept the call to the 
 First Baptist Church of Norristown. The church 
 numbered five hundred and sixty-four members, but 
 was not thoroughly organized, and there was consider- 
 able discord and dissension in various parts of the 
 congregation. But the new pastor believed he had 
 been divinely summoned to this field and determined, 
 in the strength of Him who had called him, to labor 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 faithfully and persistently for the glory of God and 
 the salvation of souls. He had the hearty co-operation 
 of many at the beginning, and very soon of the whole 
 body. By a systematic and diligent house to house 
 visitation, harmony and good will were soon restored 
 and made strong factors in the upbuilding of the 
 whole church. Existing auxiliary organizations were 
 revived and new ones formed. The week of prayer 
 was followed by meetings every evening for several 
 weeks, which resulted in many conversions, with 
 baptisms every Sunday for nearly three months. 
 
 On the fifth of March, 1894, Thomas Sames was 
 elected deacon. He was one of the youngest elected 
 to that office, but was well qualified by faithful service 
 and spiritual fervor for the performance of its duties. 
 Active in the prayer meeting and all devotional ser- 
 vices, and blessed with a wife zealous and capable as 
 a leader in Christian work, Mr. Sames became a most 
 useful and valuable official. 
 
 Early in 1895, the pastor called a joint meeting of 
 the deacons and trustees to consider the advisability 
 of erecting a chapel for the use of the Mission, in the 
 east end of the town. On the sixth of May a 
 recommendation was made to the church, advising 
 the erection of the chapel. A plan of the proposed 
 iDuilding accompanied the recommendation. After 
 considerable discussion, the measure was unanimously 
 adopted. A building committee was then appointed, 
 consisting of Deacon H. F. Scatchard, Dr. J. K. 
 Weaver, Charles Pennypacker, Thomas Sames and 
 Edwin W. Levering. A large subscription committee 
 
FIRST TiAPTlSr CHURCH. 
 
 was also appointed. This committee workedzealously, 
 and soon succeeded in securing a subscription nearly 
 sufficient to meet tlie expenses of the building. 
 
 This much needed chapel was made a possibility, 
 at this time, by the noble generosity of Mrs. Ellen 
 M. White, who contributed one thousand eight 
 hundred dollars for the purchase of desirable lots, 
 beautifully situated at the southeast corner of Marshall 
 and Violet Streets. Edwin F. Bertolett, a competent 
 and successful architect, and fortimately a member of 
 the church, furnished, without cost to the congrega- 
 tion, the designs and specifications of the new building, 
 and, during the course of its structure, gave much 
 valuable advice. \\'ork was commenced at once, and 
 the corner stone was laid September seventh, at 
 which time addresses were made b}* Elder William 
 ^IcDermott, of the Presbyterian church. Rev. J. H. 
 Haslam, of the Second Baptist, and Rev. A. T 
 Steward, of the Bridgeport Baptist, and the pastor. 
 
 The building committee now pushed the work 
 along as rapidl}' as could be done, tlirough the winter, 
 and by spring the prett}- chapel was ready for 
 occupancy. The dedication occurred on Thursday, 
 the twenty-sixth of March. Interesting services 
 were held in the afternoon and evening, presided 
 over by Pastor Del<arme. Rev. John Love preached 
 the sermon, and there were addresses by Deacon 
 H. F. Scatchard and the pastors of the local churches. 
 Special music for the occasion was furnished by the 
 choir of the First Church. 
 
Mission Chaphl 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 205 
 
 The entire cost of the chapel, including ground, 
 was teii thousand dollars. The structure is built of 
 rough blue stone. It is "T" shaped, and is seventy 
 feet on Violet Street and fifty feet on Marshall Street. 
 The auditorium is fifty feet square, contains a large 
 gallery and will seat three hundred and fifty persons. 
 The basement is designed for the infant and interme- 
 diate departments of the Sunday school. The whole 
 building is well adapted to Sunday school purposes, 
 and is one of the prettiest and neatest church edifices 
 in the town. It is a credit to the denomination, and 
 marks another progressive step in the history of the 
 First Baptist Church. The congregation, generally, 
 responded liberally to the appeal made for this enter- 
 prise. The trustees in office, at this time, were Thomas 
 Sames, Benjamin F. Woodland, Chas. Pennypacker, 
 Dr. Horace Still, R. N. Wood, Theo. Knabb and 
 Horace H. Johnson. 
 
 The Bible School, the prayer meetings, the Mite 
 Society and other organizations of the Mission hold 
 their regular services here. There has been preaching 
 every Sunday evening. W. C. Myers, secretary of the 
 local Y. M. C. A. , and a licentiate of the First Church, 
 preached acceptably for the first year. The pastor 
 also preached at stated times on week-day evenings. 
 
 With these better and increased facilities the 
 mission grew rapidly in numbers, until over two 
 hundred scholars and teachers were enrolled. Under 
 the leadership of an earnest superintendent, sur- 
 rounded by a loyal band of workers, this mission 
 became one of the vigorous branches of the church. 
 
2o6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 instrumental in the salvation of not a few precious 
 souls for the Master. 
 
 The year 1896 was marked by another advance 
 step, in the way of lighting the church by electricit}'. 
 The Social Union placed an electrical chandelier in 
 the auditorium, at a cost of three hundred and thirty 
 dollars. 
 
 In May, the Central Union Association held its 
 sixty-fourth anniversary in Norristowu. More than 
 two hundred and fifty delegates were entertained, and 
 all the sessions were largely and enthusiastically 
 attended. 
 
 In June, 1896, Pastor DeL,arme was granted a 
 vacation of two months for a visit to Europe. He 
 sailed on July first and returned September twelfth, 
 having been away ten Sundays. 
 
 Preceding and during the week of prayer, a 
 gracious revival began, both in the church and at the 
 mission, resulting in a good number of conversions 
 at both places. Evangelist G. R. Cairns was then 
 invited to assist the pastor. He remained two weeks. 
 The church worked heartily and prayerfully with him, 
 and the Lord blessed their united labors in a large 
 ingathering of souls. 
 
 In April, a council was called to consider the pro- 
 priety of ordaining J. R. Wood to the work of the 
 Gospel ministry. The council met June 10, 1897, and, 
 after a thorough examination, voted unanimously and 
 heartily for his ordination. The ordination sermon 
 was preached by Henry G. Weston, D. D., president 
 of Crozer Seminary, and the ordaining prayer was 
 
FIRST BAin-lST CHURCH. J07 
 
 offered liy Pastor Delvanne. N. B. Randall, D. D., 
 and Geo. W. Folwell, D. D. , also participated in the 
 services. 
 
 The next week the cluirch sent delegates to meet 
 with the Lower Providence Church, on June sixteenth, 
 for the ordination of Theodore Heyshani. 
 
 Early in the year 1S97, Mr. DeLanne began the 
 preparation of this histor\-. Carried on in connection 
 with the exacting duties of the pastoral office, and in 
 the midst of many interruptions, it proved an onerous 
 and difficult task. The work was given to the pub- 
 lisher in July. 
 
 During this pastorate of nearly four years to date, 
 one hundred and seventy-six persons have been bap- 
 tized. Many of these have proved valiant and helpful 
 laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. 
 
 Among the valuable members received by letter 
 were Miss M. A. Heydrick, a consecrated Christian 
 and liberal giver; W. C. Myers, who rendered excel- 
 lent service at the East End Mission ; and Rev. and 
 Mrs. C. F. Williams, whose presence was always a 
 cheering inspiration ; and others equally useful. 
 
 The membership of six hundred and eighty, the 
 largest in the history of the church, includes many 
 very earnest and efficient Christian workers, loyal to 
 their pastor, faithful and devoted to the highest 
 interests of the cluirch. To these is due verv largelv 
 the success and prosperity of this period, marked by 
 the uniformly large congregations at the Sunday and 
 mid-week services, the continued high spiritual con- 
 dition of tlie church, with conversions almost every 
 
208 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 montli, and baptisms every week for a portion of each 
 year ; enlarged contributions to the benevolent objects 
 of the denomination ; increased sociability among the 
 members ; the attachment to the church of a large 
 body of young people ; and the aggressive work of 
 the Bible School, I^adies' Missionary Society and 
 other auxiliary departments. 
 
 The new organizations formed during this pasto. 
 rate were the " Young Men's Ivcague ;" the "What- 
 soever" and "Jewel Seekers" circles of King's 
 Daughters, and the Junior Endeavor Society, each of 
 which has done good work in its own particular line. 
 Mention must also be made of the efiBciency, at this 
 time, of the large and well trained volunteer choir, 
 and the corps of tactful ushers. 
 
 The history of our Church has thus been traced 
 from its beginning to the present time (1897), a period 
 of sixty-five years. During these years, thirteen 
 hundred and sixty-five have been baptized into the 
 fellowship of the church, and six hundred and fifty- 
 six have been received by letter, and many more here 
 found Christ as a personal Saviour. To many, this 
 place has been the very gate of Heaven. How many 
 have left heavy burdens and many found inspiration 
 for the trials of life. Tender memories, both of the 
 living and the dead, gather about this dear old home. 
 It has been, for nearly three quarters of a century, a 
 potent factor in the propagation of Christianity in the 
 community, and a conspicuous example of the power 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 209 
 
 of a church, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, to elevate 
 men and redeem society. True, mistakes have been 
 made, and the mind of the Divine Master has not 
 always been exemplified, nor the Spirit's leading 
 always followed. Yet mistakes have not been made 
 willfully. The heart of the Church has been right 
 and its purpose true and steadfast. The influence 
 for good has been widely extended and it has left its 
 blessings upon unnumbered souls. From the pulpit 
 of this Church the full Gospel of Christ's salvation has 
 been preached in demonstration of the Spirit and 
 power, and the lofty principles of national virtue have 
 been proclaimed with no uncertain sound. Here some 
 of the noblest men and women who ever labored in 
 the Church militant have toiled and prayed and min- 
 gled in earnest worship. Who can tell how many this 
 church of ours will find, among the blessed, to honor 
 and cherish her forever, when this life is over and the 
 Church militant has become the church triumphant? 
 The past has taught its lesson ; the present has its 
 duty ; and the future its hope. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 The outline sketches of the auxiliary organizations, 
 which are here appended, have been furnished mainly 
 by the following persons: Miss Mary J. Perry, Miss 
 Mary E. CaufFman, Mrs. R. F. Hoffecker, Mrs. 
 Ambrose Dettre and Miss Arvilla Hart. 
 
THE BIBLE SCHOOL. 
 
 The Bible School of the Firet Baptist Church was organ- 
 ized a few months prior to the constitution of the church, in 
 1S32. rhinehas Phillips, Samuel D. Phillips, Geo. Eve and 
 B. F. Hancock, Esq., were chiefly instrumental in its organi- 
 zation. The school held its sessions, at first, in the house of 
 Mrs. Grosscup, corner of Main and Green Streets, and later 
 in the school building, Cherrj- and .\iry Streets. The first 
 superintendent was B. F. Hancock, Esq., and the teachers 
 were George Eve, Mre. Hancock, the Misses Grosscup and 
 Miss Mar\- Bolton. Each scholar who could read was expected 
 to commit to memor)-, each week, a portion of God's Word 
 and recite it to the teacher. Blue tickets with a verse of 
 Scripture were given to the scholars, according to the number 
 of verses committed, and six blue tickets were exchanged for 
 a red one. It is said that some of the scholars in that little 
 school sometimes committed a whole chapter in a week, and 
 also a hymn from their hymn book. A printed certificate 
 was given by the superintendent to each scholar who had 
 complied with the rules and attended the school for one year. 
 A form of certificate used was as follows: "John Anderson, 
 having complied with the rules of admission to the Sunday 
 School attached to the Baptist Church of Norristown, is this 
 day enrolled as a member thereof, and is henceforth entitled 
 to all its prixileges. May God guide and keep him, and bless 
 the instruction he may receive to the everlasting good of his 
 soul. (Signed^ B. F. Hancock, Supt." 
 
2 14 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 At a business meeting of the cliurch, in 1837, it was 
 resolved that the church take the Sunday school under its 
 supervision. The average attendance of the school, at this 
 time, was about seventy-five or eighty. In 1849, seventeen 
 years after the school was organized, the number of scholars 
 was two hundred and sixty-two, and the number of officers 
 and teachers twenty-six, The expense of the school for the 
 year was forty-four dollars. Mr. Hancock remained superin- 
 tendent for twenty years, when he withdrew from the church, 
 and subsequently became superintendent of the Bridgeport 
 School. He was succeeded by George Wright, who served in 
 this capacity for eight years. 
 
 From i860 to 1862, the office of the superintendent was 
 held by three different persons, D. R. McDermond, John 
 Rees and Rev. Alfred Pinney. After this, D. J. McVaugh 
 was chosen superintendent and filled the office until failing 
 health compelled him to resign, in 1869. 
 
 A musical instrument was placed in the school at this time. 
 During this year, Deacon N. B. Johnson was elected superin- 
 tendent and served until 1874. It was during Mr. Johnson's 
 superintendency that the International Lessons were adopted. 
 The intermediate department was formed in 1878. Miss 
 Lizzie Clark was its first superintendent, and upon her resigna- 
 tion Miss Linnie Mills, now Mrs. Thomas Sames, was chosen. 
 
 Deacon Christian H. Detwiler became superintendent in 
 1874 and served until his death in 1882. He was succeeded 
 by J. K. Weaver, M. D. Dr. Weaver proved a most efficient 
 leader; prompt and constant in his attendance, he inspired 
 like virtues in the teachers and scholars. A diligent student 
 of the Bible himself, he was ever careful to select teachers who 
 were students of the Word. The teaching, therefore, has 
 been eminently practical and efficient. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 215 
 
 The first superintendent of the infant department was 
 Mrs. B. F. Hancock. Other teachers have been Deacon C. 
 H. Detwiler, Mrs. R. F. HofiFecker, Miss Sarah E. Fry, Miss 
 Irene Clark and Mrs. Lafayette Ross. Deacon Detwiler had 
 charge of the infant department about eight years, or until 
 1874, when he was elected superintendent of the main school. 
 
 In 1885, the mission school in West Norristown was 
 organized, out of which has grown the Second Baptist Church. 
 In 1890, another mission was started in East Norristown, with 
 Deacon Henry F. Scatchard as superintendent. This school 
 held its sessions for six years in the Sandy Street Public 
 School building. Then the church built a beautiful and 
 commodious chapel for its mission, at Marshall and Violet 
 Streets. With the improved facilities, which this chapel 
 afforded, the school has greatly increased in numbers and 
 influence. 
 
 The singing of the school has long been a very attractive 
 feature. Lafayette Ross, the musical director, has manifested 
 much patience and skill in his untiring efforts to make this 
 important part of the work effective. Miss Jennie Roberts 
 has been faithful as pianist, a position for which she is well 
 qualified. 
 
 In the spring of 1897, a new department was formed, 
 called the Junior Department, under the superintendency of 
 Miss Irene Clark. 
 
 The aim, kept steadily in view, has been the conversion 
 of the scholars, consequently a good number of converts from 
 the school is reported each year. 
 
 The present officers of the school are Dr. J. K. Weaver, 
 superintendent ; I. N. Harrar, assistant superintendent, R. N. 
 Wood, Horatio Seltzer and C. Augustus Evans, librarians; 
 Lewis A. Irons, George McGlathery and E. N. Harrar, 
 secretaries. 
 
2l6 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The following are the present teachers : Miss Mary A. 
 Rees, Mrs. R. N. Wood, Miss Mary J. Perry, Mr. Thomas 
 Sames, Mr. Lafayette Ross, Mr. Charles Anselm, Miss Mary 
 Cauffman, Miss Laura Cauffman, Mrs. John Kennedy, Miss 
 Arvilla Hart, Mrs. Ambrose Dettre, Miss Mary A. McVaugh, 
 Miss Jennie Jarrett, Mrs. Mary Bean, Miss Josephine Tyson, 
 Miss Ida M. Davis, Miss Katharine Detwiler, Miss Bessie 
 Ward, Miss Sue Doan, Miss Emma Edwards, Miss Florence 
 Harrar, Miss Jennie Roberts. 
 
 Junior department: Miss Irene Clark, superintendent; 
 Miss Edna Schrack, assistant. 
 
 Intermediate department : Mrs. Thomas Sames, superin- 
 tendent ; Miss Laura McVaugh, Miss Mary Hallman and 
 Miss Eva Wagner, assistants. 
 
 Infant department : Mrs. Lafayette Ross, superintendent ; 
 Miss Adele Glenn, Mrs. Elroy Williams, Miss Esther Thomas, 
 assistants. 
 
 Mission schools have been maintained, at different times, 
 in outlying districts, by members of the church. Henry 
 Still, for a number of years, conducted such a school at Penn 
 Square. Thomas D. Abraham has been the faithful superin- 
 tendent of a school at Upper Merion, and William E, Phillips 
 of that at King-of-Prussia. 
 
THE SOCIAL UNION. 
 
 This organization had its origin in a concentrated effort 
 to raise means for the furnishing of the new church edifice, 
 built in 1873. The honor of first suggesting a Mite Society, 
 afterwards called the Social Union, belongs to Mr. John E. 
 Overholtzer and Miss Mary Spang. 
 
 A meeting was held at the house of Mr. Sam'l Overholtzer, 
 November 26, 1872, when the society was organized. A 
 committee, consisting of John Overholtzer, R. G. Sheppard 
 and Miss Lizzie Clark, was appointed to draft a constitution 
 and by-laws for the future government of the society. The 
 preamble is as follows : "We, the undersigned, having in view 
 the furnishing of the new church, as well as the cultivation of 
 sociability among ourselves, do organize and associate for the 
 furtherance of the above objects." 
 
 On December 3, 1872, a permanent organization was 
 effected, with Miss M. Hallowell, (Mrs. Hurst,) as president; 
 Miss Lizzie Clarke, (Mrs. Chas. James,) as secretary, and 
 Mrs. R. G. Sheppard, treasurer. The monthly dues were 
 fixed at ten cents per member, and a box for voluntary offer- 
 ings was decided upon. The amount collected was three 
 dollars and ten cents. A committee was appointed to canvass 
 the church for new members, and at each meeting additions 
 were reported. Everyone seemed determined to make the 
 society a success. All went to work vigorously, and at the 
 fourth meeting it was decided to give an entertainment in the 
 old church, just before demolishing it, in the form of a reunion 
 and supper of the entire membership and friends. This 
 
2l8 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 reunion was given on March 27, 1873. ^^ "'^ ^ grand success 
 and realized four hundred and forty-seven dollars and twenty 
 cents. 
 
 At the April meeting, it was decided the society should 
 elect one trustee to take charge of and invest the money 
 belonging to them, which now amounted to five hundred and 
 fifty-eight dollars and sixteen cents. Deacon Detwiler was 
 elected. At the end of the first year, the handsome sum of 
 one thousand and nine dollars and seventy-seven cents had 
 been raised by hard work. 
 
 On August 4, 1874, a church-furnishing committee was 
 appointed, one-half to be named by the church and one-half 
 by the society. The entire committee worked earnestly, 
 and by November had the entire church furnished. Before 
 the dedication of the new church, which occured on Novem- 
 ber 15, 1874, the society had paid one thousand nine hundred 
 and fourteen dollars and ninety-four cents for all furniture, and 
 held a special meeting, November 10, 1874, at which it was 
 decided to obligate itself for one thousand dollars in liquidat- 
 ing the church debt. All labored cheerfully for this new 
 object. 
 
 For the year 1875, ^^^ treasurer reported money raised, 
 eight hundred and ninety-two dollars and fifty-seven cents. 
 By June, 1876, the one thousand dollars was paid, and a new 
 obligation assumed, namely, to pay four hundred dollars of 
 the eight hundred dollars borrowed from the cemetery fund 
 by the church. 
 
 At the June meeting, 1877, the committee in charge 
 reported the cancelling of this obligation, and now the society, 
 after much deliberation, agreed to raise one thousand dollars 
 on a mortgage against the church. 
 
 By January, 1880, the society had again in the treasury, 
 five hundred and seventv-nine dollars and fiftv-seven cents. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 2ig 
 
 On May 4, 1880, it was decided, at a regular meeting, 
 that the Mite Society raise five hundred dollars towards the 
 payment of the three thousand dollars mortgage held against 
 the church, to be paid one year from date. Also a new carpet 
 for parlor, purchased at a cost of sixty-seven dollars and ninety 
 cents. A receipt was received for the five hundred dollars by 
 February, 1882, and one hundred dollars additional promised. 
 
 In September, 1882, Dr. Weaver, from the committee on 
 objects of work, proposed two, church repairs and a pipe 
 organ. At the November meeting, it was decided to work 
 for a pipe organ. 
 
 On December 9, 1884, the Mite Society's name was 
 changed to the Social Union. Work went bravely on, and 
 festivals, excursions and concerts were given to swell receipts, 
 until December 2, 1886, when a committee, consisting of Mr. 
 Ross, Drs. Still and Weaver, was appointed to purchase the 
 new organ, and June 4, 1891, in the presence of a large audi- 
 ence assembled in the auditorium of the church, the president, 
 Mr. Ross, presented the beautiful organ to the church. It 
 cost three thousand dollars, and was paid in full by the society. 
 Dr. Weaver, president of the board of trustees, accepted the 
 gift on behalf of the church. 
 
 September 30, 1892, a special meeting of the Social Union 
 was held, at which it was decided to buy a piano, at a cost of 
 two hundred and thirteen dollars. There being no special 
 object for which to work, the society accomplished nothing 
 for about a year, when a meeting was held, at which it was 
 decided to remit all back dues of members ; also, to reduce 
 monthly dues to five cents. All former members were urged 
 again to interest themselves and to secure new members. 
 
 In June, 1894, the society granted an order for six dollars 
 and ninety-six cents, as half payment for china-closet for 
 dishes of missionary circle. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The last work done to date, by this society, was putting 
 up an electric chandelier and other lights in the church, at a 
 cost of three hundred and thirty dollars. 
 
 Summary of money raised : 
 
 ;?i9i4-94 • 
 
 . Church furnishing. 
 
 1000.00 . 
 
 . At dedication on debt. 
 
 1000.00 , 
 
 . On cemetery loan. 
 
 lOOO.OO . 
 
 . On church mortgage. 
 
 600.00 . 
 
 . On ^3500 church mortgage. 
 
 67.90 . 
 
 . On church parlor carpet. 
 
 3000.00 . 
 
 . Pipe organ. 
 
 213.00 . 
 
 . Piano. 
 
 25.00 
 
 . To missionary society. 
 
 6.96 
 
 . For lumber. 
 
 330.00 . 
 
 . For electric chandelier, etc. 
 
 ^9157.80 
 
 The other object for which the society was formed, to 
 promote sociability, was not neglected while the members 
 worked to help the church financially. For years the meetings 
 were held at the homes of members, at all of which literary 
 programs were rendered and sociability cultivated. All the 
 pastors. Dr. Frear, Mr. Siegfried, Mr. Randall, Mr. Fulton, 
 Mr. Richmond and the present pastor, Mr. DeLarme, have 
 taken an active part and manifested a lively interest. A 
 society that has worked so faithfully and well, for almost 
 twenty-five years, should be encouraged and supported. 
 
THE WOMAN'S MISSIONARY CIRCLE. 
 
 " Gods tabernacle 
 Shall fail of finish, though in order laid, 
 Unless ye women lift your hands to aid." 
 
 On April 4, 1875, Mrs. Rose Adams Bailey, a returned 
 missionary, attended the forty-third anniversary of the Sunday 
 school of the Baptist Church of Norristown, and after giving 
 an enthusiastic address on the subject of missions, she invited 
 the women to the evening prayer meeting for the purpose of 
 forming a woman's missionary society. In accordance with 
 Mrs. Bailey's request, thirty-three met her, and each pledged 
 to give two cents a week to the support of the gospel in foreign 
 lands. The pastor's wife, Mrs. George Frear, was chosen 
 president, Miss Lizzie Clarke, secretary, and Miss Lemontine 
 L. Stewart, treasurer. Miss Isabella Allabough, Miss Cath- 
 arine Major and Mrs. Samuel Overholtzer were chosen solicitors. 
 A meeting was held in the parsonage, on April 19, 1875, when 
 the following constitution was adopted. 
 
 I. This association shall be called the Woman's Missionary 
 Circle of the Norristown Baptist Church. 
 
 II. Its object shall be to aid the Woman's Baptist Foreign 
 Missionary Society in the work prescribed by the constitution 
 of that society. 
 
 III. Any person may become a member of the circle by 
 contributing one dollar a year. 
 
 IV. Its officers shall be a president, secretary, treasurer 
 and solicitors, performing the duties usually assigned to such 
 officers. 
 
HISTORY OF THE 
 
 V. All moneys raised by this circle shall be paid over by 
 the treasurer to the general society named in the second 
 article. 
 
 Within three months, the circle met with a great loss in 
 the resignation of its efficient president, Mrs. George Frear, 
 a woman of marked ability. Miss Mary A. Rees filled the 
 chair, until the election of Mrs. Simeon Siegfried, September 
 20, 1875, who held the position until June 17, 1878. At the 
 next annual meeting, Miss Rees was chosen president, and 
 continued in office until March 15, 1880, when Mrs. N. B. 
 Randall was elected president, and Miss Rees, vice-president. 
 
 Through the earnest efforts of Mrs. Randall, it was 
 decided, on September 21, 1880, to unite the foreign and 
 home interest. It was unanimously agreed : 
 
 I. That each member should have the privilege to decide 
 whether her annual contribution should go to the foreign or 
 home work. 
 
 II. All moneys raised by the circle for foreign missions 
 should be paid into the Woman's Baptist Missionary Society, 
 and all moneys raised for home missions should be paid into 
 the Woman's Baptist Home Mission Union of Philadelphia. 
 
 In November, 1881, the first decided effort to raise money, 
 aside from annual dues, was made. A circular letter, asking 
 for contribution to missions, was sent to each sister in the 
 church, and also an invitation to attend a praise meeting to be 
 held December 12, 1881. The encouragement received from 
 the pastor, the interest manifested by a large audience and a 
 liberal donation from the people, led to other special endeavors, 
 and thirty public meetings have been held, nearly all of which 
 were addressed by eminent speakers, twenty of whom were 
 laborers from mission fields. 
 
 Through these meetings and other earnest efforts, blessed 
 by God, the circle has given to foreign missions one thousand 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH. 223 
 
 four hundred and sixty-one dollars and sixty-three cents, and 
 to home missions, six hundred and two dollars, and to miscel- 
 laneous objects, two hundred and twenty-four dollars and 
 fifty-one cents. With a single exception, (a gift to Philadel- 
 phia Training School,) the whole amount was raised by the 
 Scriptural plan of voluntary offerings. 
 
 Mrs. Lizzie James, nee Clarke, resigned November 2, 1882, 
 on account of her removal to Allentown. By this, the circle 
 lost not only a good officer, but one who was ever ready to 
 speak, work and give for the cause she loved. She fully 
 illustrated that, 
 
 " The Gospel of a life like hers 
 Is more than books or scrolls." 
 
 The president appointed Miss Jennie Roberts secretary 
 for the remainder of the year, and at the following annual 
 meeting. Miss Ida M. Davis was chosen secretary, and served 
 until December 14, i89r, when Miss E. Irene Clark was 
 elected. 
 
 The meetings of the circle, for fourteen years, have been 
 held monthly. For a short period the time was given to 
 preparation of work for the Freedmen in the South, but with 
 this exception, the sessions have been entirely devoted to the 
 acquisition of missionary knowledge. 
 
 A mission band of twenty-five members was formed on 
 November 10, 1886, and did efficient work for several years, 
 under the direction of two members of the circle. 
 
 Mrs. N. B. Randall sent her resignation to the circle 
 September 12, 1887. This was the cause of universal regret, 
 for she was deeply interested in this department of Christian 
 work, and her sound judgment, cultured mind and conse- 
 crated heart eminently fitted her for a leader. 
 
 Mrs. Charles A. Fulton was elected president, May 14, 
 1888, and served until November 8, 1888, when she entered 
 
2 24 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 into eternal rest. Mrs. Fulton's labors in the circle were of 
 short duration, but a glimpse was caught of her earnest life, 
 her high attainments, her great simplicity, and the ineffable 
 sweetness of character that Jesus gives to His beloved. Miss 
 Mary A. Rees was elected president and Miss Mary J. Perry, 
 vice-president, December 17, 1888. 
 
 Death and removals have made many changes, and only 
 nine of the constituent members remain in the circle, which 
 now numbers sixty-four. Miss Catharine Major has been a 
 solicitor and Mrs. R. F. Hofifecker, nee Stewart, has been 
 treasurer since its organization. 
 
 The last three years have been especially marked by a 
 deep interest and increased liberality in giving. The adop- 
 tion of the apportionment plan by the Woman's Baptist 
 Foreign Missionary Society of the Central Union Association 
 has led the circle to realize more fully that the gold and silver 
 of earth belong to the Lord. And now, before any extra 
 effort is made to solicit money to carry the news of salvation 
 through Christ to a perishing world, a time is appointed for 
 prayer. The humble petitions have been signally blessed by 
 Him who said, "Go ye into all the world and preach the 
 Gospel to every creature." 
 
THE DORCAS SOCIETY. 
 
 The Dorcas Societ\', which at this writing is one of the 
 several valuable adjuncts to the work of the Firat Baptist 
 Church, is the outgrowth of a movement instituted a number 
 of years ago, and known as the missionary work of the Sunday 
 School Association. While from year to year much was done 
 by the few interested, it was thought that, if a society were 
 regularly organized, with a name, its work would be better 
 understood and systematized, the need of such a society for 
 such work would be more fully realized and more and better 
 work accomplished. Accordingly, in response to a call from 
 the pastor. Rev. Charles A. Fulton, a number of ladies met 
 in the church parlor, on the afternoon of May 14, 18S9. 
 After a backward glance over the work done and a careful 
 statement of the present need, Mr. Fulton made a stirring 
 appeal to the ladies, which resulted in their very enthusiastic- 
 allv effecting an organization, to be known as the Dorcas 
 Society of the First Baptist Church of Norristown, Pa. A 
 committee, consisting of Mrs. R. F. Hoffecker, Mrs. Emma 
 Reed and Mrs. R. N. Wood, were appointed to draft a con- 
 stitution and by-laws. These were adopted at the next meeting, 
 held one month later, when Mrs. H. F. Scatchard was chosen 
 president, and IMrs. Wm. M. Clift, Mrs. R. F. Hoffecker 
 and Miss Annie McVaugh, respectively, vice-president, treas- 
 urer and secretary. For different causes, several who have 
 served the society faithfully as its officers have resigned. 
 The present incumbents are : president. Miss Mary J. Perry ; 
 vice-president, Mrs. R. N. Wood; treasurer. Miss I. M. Smith; 
 and secretary. Miss Annie McVaugh. 
 
2 26 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 The work of the society is, and always has been, that of 
 looking after and supplying as nearly as practicable, the needs 
 of the poor and unfortunate, not always of tlie congregation, 
 but often those who have no special claim on the church and 
 Sunday school, save their duty to all men, and of clothing 
 some little ones in the orphanage, at Angora, Philadelphia. 
 The society, in connection with other denominations, has 
 assisted in supporting children placed in other homes in the 
 same city. It has responded to appeals for help from sufferers 
 from blight and drought in the far West, by sending clothing 
 and other necessities, not forgetting the " word spoken in due 
 season . ' ' 
 
 The receipts of the society, which have never been large, 
 are obtained by the collection of monthly dues. They have 
 been augmented, however, from time to time, as occasion 
 demanded, by holding bread and cake sales, which have been 
 generously patronized by the people of the church and those 
 interested in the work. Valuable contributions of new and 
 partly worn material have been made into comfortable and 
 tasteful garments for the poor. So that cash receipts do not 
 -fully represent the money value of work done. 
 
 The society has never attempted great things. It has often 
 been disappointed in those to whom it has extended its helping 
 hand, while many, less promising, have been retained as 
 beneficiaries and are doing well. And so the work goes 
 quietly on, "Not knowing which shall prosper, this or that, 
 or whether both alike shall be good ; ' ' but realizing, more and 
 more, that, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the 
 least of these, ye have done it unto Me." 
 
THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S SOCIETY 
 OF CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR. 
 
 The First Baptist Young People's Society of Christian 
 Endeavor was organized, June 19, 1889, during the pastorate 
 of Rev. Charles A. Fulton, who was the first president. As 
 the work of Christian Endeavor Societies is done through 
 committees, at the first business meeting committees were 
 named and assigned their several functions. Believing that 
 "in union is strength," application was made for admission 
 in the Schuylkill Valley Union of Christian Endeavor. The 
 International Christian Endeavor Convention was held in 
 Philadelphia, on July ninth, tenth and eleventh of that year, 
 and delegates were appointed to attend it. 
 
 In September, 1889, there were sixty members. This 
 steadily increased until May, 1890, when there were ninety- 
 five. Good meetings were held, but few being absent. But, 
 like other organizations, there are times when it is at ebb tide, 
 and so it was with this society. Many did not keep the pledge, 
 but others have been faithful from the beginning, and by their 
 faithfulness have tided the society over discouraging times. 
 
 The model constitution of the united societywas adopted. 
 The meetings were to be held every Wednesday evening, 
 which was done, except ashort time during the summer of 1892, 
 when they were held on Sunday evening, one hour before the 
 regular service. The last meeting night of every month was 
 to be a consecration meeting. The business meeting was to 
 be held the first Wednesday evening of every month, after 
 prayer meeting. Collections are taken at every meeting. 
 
228 HISTORY OF THE 
 
 It has been the aim of the society to work as near to the 
 plan laid out as possible. Some excellent prayer meetings 
 have been held. Some have taken the lead tremblingly, but 
 have been rewarded by a growth and strength only obtained 
 by doing the Lord's will. It has been a school for prayer 
 and a more accurate knowledge of the Bible. 
 
 The Religious Literature Committee have distributed such 
 papers as the National Baptist, Youth's Temperance Banner, 
 Golden Rule, (the paper of the society,) Sunday School 
 Times, King's Messengers, Ram's Horn, The Commonwealth, 
 and other good literature that tended to uplift. These papers 
 were sent to the State Hospital, Charity Hospital, the Alms- 
 house, the Jail, barbershops and other places where they might 
 be appreciated, or do good. 
 
 By means of occasional sociables, such as lawn parties, 
 literary and musical entertainments. Christian sociability has 
 been greatly enhanced. 
 
 The "White Ribboners" have also had a share of the 
 work of the society. Recitations, lectures, music, and the 
 experience of some in the line of temperance work, have 
 been brought before the society fromtime to time. 
 
 In the spring of 1890, some of the members canvassed 
 the east part of the town, and obtained promises of seventy- 
 five members for the mission Sunday school, about to be 
 started in that locality. 
 
 Another nice service rendered has been the decorating of 
 the pulpit, every Sunday in the year, with plants and cut 
 flo'wers. At the close of the services these are generally sent 
 to the sick of the congregation. 
 
 The society has in many ways been a useful adjunct of the 
 church. Its chief work, of course, has been the cultivation 
 of the various Christian graces among young Christians. 
 Through this agency, many young Christians have cultivated 
 the important gifts of prayer and testimony in public meetings. 
 
FIRST BAPTIST CHIRCH. 229 
 
 In the fall of iSo6, a Junior Christian Endeavor was 
 organi/ed, with Miss Ida M. Davis as superintendent. This 
 latest organization was a much needed branch. A large 
 number of children met Saturday afternoons and were instructed 
 by efficient leaders in the way of salvation, singing, temperance 
 and missions. A Scripture lesson, illustrating some topic of 
 Christian conduct, was taught at each meeting. 
 
Pastors of the First Baptist Church, 
 FROM 1833 TO 1897. 
 
 Rev. W. H. Jordan — September, 1833, to April, 1834. 
 
 Rev. H. O. Wyer— July, 1834, to October, 1834. 
 
 Rev. Charles E. Wilson — January, 1835, to April, 1838. 
 
 Rev. David Bernard — June, 1838, to April, 1841. 
 
 Rev. Samuel Aaron — April, 1841, to June 1844. 
 
 Rev. I. N. Hobart — June, 1844, to July, 1846. 
 
 Rev. Hiram Hutchins — March, 1847, to January, 1850. 
 
 Rev. W. E. Cornwell — November, 1850, to June, 1852. 
 
 Rev. Roswell Cheney — July, 1854, to March, 1859. 
 
 Rev. Alfred Pinney^June, i860, to November, 1862. 
 
 Rev. Hardin Wheat — July, 1863, to October, 1870. 
 
 Rev. George Frear — February, 1872, to June. 1875. 
 
 Rev. Simeon Siegfried — September, 1875, '° October, 1879. 
 
 Rev. N. B. Randall — February, 1880, to September, 1887. 
 
 Rev C. A. Fulton— April, 1888, to February, 1891. 
 
 Rev. W. C. Richmond — November, 1891, to June, 1893. 
 
 Rev. Alonzo A. DeLarme — November, 1893. 
 
RECORD. 
 
 Year 
 
 RECE 
 by 
 Baptism 
 
 :iVED 
 by 
 Letter 
 
 Total 
 Member- 
 ship 
 
 Year 
 
 66 
 
 REC 
 Baptism 
 
 EIVED 
 by 
 Letter 
 
 Total 
 
 Member 
 
 ship 
 
 33 
 
 50 
 
 10 
 
 87 
 
 19 
 
 27 
 
 303 
 
 34 
 
 55 
 
 5 
 
 145 
 
 67 
 
 9 
 
 14 
 
 317 
 
 35 
 
 38 
 
 6 
 
 178 
 
 68 
 
 39 
 
 16 
 
 358 
 
 36 
 
 5 
 
 7 
 
 175 
 
 69 
 
 6 
 
 15 
 
 368 
 
 37 
 
 4 
 
 15 
 
 176 
 
 70 
 
 102 
 
 3 
 
 486 
 
 38 
 
 24 
 
 8 
 
 194 
 
 71 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 457 
 
 39 
 
 32 
 
 15 
 
 230 
 
 72 
 
 12 
 
 10 
 
 4U 
 
 40 
 
 39 
 
 10 
 
 268 
 
 73 
 
 4 
 
 8 
 
 437 
 
 41 
 
 33 
 
 13 
 
 291 
 
 74 
 
 12 
 
 11 
 
 443 
 
 42 
 
 8 
 
 18 
 
 305 
 
 75 
 
 17 
 
 OO 
 
 458 
 
 43 
 
 46 
 
 12 
 
 339 
 
 76 
 
 24 
 
 8 
 
 470 
 
 44 
 
 
 
 5 
 
 323 
 
 77 
 
 24 
 
 10 
 
 475 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 11 
 
 264 
 
 78 
 
 O 
 
 4 
 
 459 
 
 46 
 
 2 
 
 12 
 
 254 
 
 79 
 
 32 
 
 13 
 
 489 
 
 47 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 238 
 
 80 
 
 44 
 
 19 
 
 510 
 
 48 
 
 18 
 
 10 . 
 
 249 
 
 81 
 
 35 
 
 5 
 
 533 
 
 49 
 
 28 
 
 7 
 
 266 
 
 82 
 
 52 
 
 1 
 
 576 
 
 50 
 
 31 
 
 7 
 
 284 
 
 83 
 
 12 
 
 13 
 
 571 
 
 51 
 
 13 
 
 11 
 
 292 
 
 84 
 
 4 
 
 10 
 
 567 
 
 52 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 286 
 
 85 
 
 20 
 
 19 
 
 5! H 1 
 
 53 
 
 5 
 
 3 
 
 258 
 
 86 
 
 14 
 
 12 
 
 602 
 
 54 
 
 1 
 
 6 
 
 254 
 
 87 
 
 15 
 
 20 
 
 tU9 
 
 55 
 
 25 
 
 20 
 
 280 
 
 88 
 
 o o 
 
 5i;; 
 
 56 
 
 1 
 
 7 
 
 274 
 
 89 
 
 .32 13 
 
 540 
 
 57 
 
 8 
 
 15 
 
 278 
 
 90 
 
 67 10 
 
 602 
 
 58 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 274 
 
 91 
 
 7 3 
 
 571 
 
 59 
 
 10 
 
 6 
 
 272 
 
 92 
 
 23 
 
 12 
 
 5S7 
 
 60 
 
 13 
 
 8 
 
 265 
 
 93 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 561 
 
 61 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 256 
 
 94 
 
 51 
 
 10 
 
 608 
 
 62 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 241 
 
 95 
 
 38 
 
 8 
 
 619 
 
 63 
 
 2 
 
 9 
 
 227 
 
 96 
 
 on 
 
 8 
 
 633 
 
 64 
 
 25 
 
 15 
 
 247 
 
 97 
 
 66 
 
 4 
 
 680 
 
 65 
 
 11 
 
 17 
 
 267 
 
 
 
 
 
^.-ip.J'.Jv-w-w:- 
 
 
 
 !i?-v'i;:%''ilS^i?-