HISTORY OF ORANGE COUNTY
CHAPTER 8
THE CHURCHES OF CHAMBERSBURG
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Chambersburg was organized during the early part of the decade of the forties, and for ten or twelve years met in private dwellings and in schoolhouses. Then a frame church was built largely from the donations of outsiders and other denominations, which building is yet standing and used. Among the early members were Daniel Robbins, Jane Robbins, and several of their children, Alexander Kearby, Joel Kearby, Edward K earby, and others of the Kearbys to the number of half a dozen or more, Robert Paschal, Mary Pashal, John G. Cadle and family, Milton Hobson, Hiram T. Lindley, Mrs. Caroline Baker, several of the Boyd families, Mary Stewart and others. At times the society has been on the point of dissolution, and at other times has been quite strong and prosperous. It has usually been supplied with ministers from Paoli and elsewhere. At present it is weak and meets irregularly. The United Brethren Church of Chambersburg was not organized until after the Methodist had been in good working order for several years. The Methodists really had an organization in the country near Chambershurg for a number of years before their removal to that village, and after the removal did not erect a church until about 1856. The United Brethren formed a society about 1851-52, and for some time, also, occupied the schoolhouse alternately with the Methodists. About the year 1858-59 they were strong enough with the help of the Methodists and other denominations and outsiders to build a frame church of their own, at a cost of about $800. This building is still used by the society. It is said that the founder of this church was the Rev. Linus Chittenden. Among the early members were Solomon Danner and family, Joseph Cox and family, William Gray and family, and others; and a little later were Joseph Moore, Elijah Purkhiser, J. T. Wolf, R. S. Dillinger and others. The society has at no time been very strong numerically, though at times it has been prosperous. For several years the two denominations, Methodists and United Brethren, have conducted a Union Sunday school in the town with much greater effect for good than either or both could alone.
CHURCHES AT ORLEANS
Following close upon the earliest settlements in Orleans came the pioneer preachers, who were the "holy men of old," and dispensed the Gospel in all its original austerity. These early and advance ambassadors of God were, and always have been, noted for their earnest devotion to the cause in which they labored. It is said that as early as the year 1816, Bishop Roberts began preaching at Orleans, with all the zeal that characterized that eminent divine while working for the Master, and which earned for him a place among the foremost ministers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In those primitive times, there were no costly church edifices where the pious could worship in luxury, but as "the groves were God’s first temples" and ever dedicated to His cause, the first meetings of the religious were held in their friendly shelter, unless the inclemency of the seasons drove the worshipers to some of the log dwellings that, then studded the frontier. In this way religious meetings were held for about four years by Bishop Roberts, and under his lead was founded the Methodist Church at this place, and his efforts were crowned with success. A church building was erected, and the society grew and prospered. In 1850, a nice brick house was built at a cost of about $2,000, and besides this a parsonage is owned by the organization, valued at about $600. The first deed of property to the Methodist Church at Orleans, was Lot No. 273 in the town of Orleans, Francis Wood to Shadrach B. A. Carter, John Sears, Henry Redfield, Samuel Worrel, Joshua Brothers, Lewis Hailer and John McCoy, "Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States," for $17.50. This was sometime very early in the twenties, and is the first deed of church property in the records of Orange County. The deed for the parsonage property was in 1837, from John B. Mayer and wife to David Bruner, John Holmes, Henry R. Williamson, Eleazer H. Taylor and Henry Lingle, Trustees to build a parsonage. This was for Lots Nos. 275, 276, 297, and 298, the church paying $100 therefor.
This church now has a membership of 140, and is at present, under the charge of Rev. J. V. R. Miller as pastor. Here as elsewhere, the Methodist Church is energetic in maintaining a Sunday school. In this about eighty scholars are in regular attendance, and it is presided over by Mr. William C. R. Kemp as the Superintendent. When this society was organized in 1820, the following were among the principal members: John and Mary Sears, Henry R. and Catherine Williamson, S. B. A. and Margaret Carter, David and Jane Worrel, and four others, whose names have gone from the recollection, the records having been destroyed. The first church house was built in 1822, of logs, and was 30x36 feet in size. It was furnished with the old style high pulpit, whence the preacher looked out upon his congregation with a magisterial complacency, and retailed his religion in no homoepathic portions to the spiritual invalids.
What is now the Orleans Presbyterian Church, was first organized on the 24th of August, 1818, nine miles northwest of Orleans, at the house, it is said, of Mrs. Nancy Fisher. It was at first called Concord Church, and started with a membership of nine, and Rev. W. W. Martin as pastor. In October, 1820, the place of meeting was changed to Orleans, and the name to the one it now bears. The ground on which the church is built is Lot No. 87, in Orleans, and was donated to the society in 1835, by John B. Mayer and wife. At that date Samuel Campbell, William Fisher and James Shields were the Trustees. The first house of worship was a frame, and it served for about ten years, when it was taken away to give place for the present brick building. This is a nice one in every respect and was built at a cost of nearly $3,000, being one of the best churches in Orange County. A part of the old frame is now used by Mr. Irwin as a barn. The present membership of this society is seventyfive, but a lethargy has of late years been over the association, and it is rather declining than advancing. There has formerly been a very good Sunday-school in connection with this church, but that has been abandoned within the past year and there is no regular pastor in charge at this time.
On the 26th day of March, 1832, the following Elders of the Missionary Baptist Church met in the Methodist Church at Orleans, for the purpose of considering the propriety of constituting certain members of that denomination a regular Baptist Church at Orleans: E. P. Bond, of New Albany, J. D. Crabbs, William McCoy, R. M. Parks and 3. Blackwell. Besides these a council from each of the following churches was present: Spice Valley, Mount Horeb, Mount Pleasant, Lost River, Freedom and Bedford. A sermon was preached by E. P. Bond, after which the council organized by electing J. D. Crabbs, Moderator, William McCoy and R. M. Parks, Secretaries. After proper examination the council expressed satisfaction with the articles of faith and covenant adopted by the members and decided to recognize them as a legal Baptist Church as soon as the proper officers should be appointed, and accordingly extended the right hand of fellowship to the following members: T. N. and Edna Robertson, Z. C., Mary A. and Martha J. Smith, Catherine Yandall, Levisa Shields, Reed and Phoebe Walden, Mary Back, Anna Shevedien, J. M. and Jane Archer, Perlina Dean, Robert Patton, Anna Moore, Sarah A. Long, Charles Tiensch, William, Sarah, Catherine and Sally Gallihar, Letty Paul, Allen and Mary Stevens, Jeremiah V. and Margaret Alexander. Frederick Baker, William, Elizabeth and Ellen Duncan, thirty-one in all. At this meeting Elder T. N. Robertson was unanimously called to be their pastor. The first regular meeting was held on the fourth Saturday of April, 1832, and at that time Allen Stevens was elected Clerk, Z. C. Smith and J. M. Archer, Deacons. The Trustees elected then were J. V. Alexander, Z. C. Smith and J. M. Archer, and on the same day Elder Robertson accepted the call of the church to the pastorate. To this Board of Trustees Benjamin Blackwell and wife soon afterwards deeded Lot No. 223 in Orleans for $5, and Lawrence Bradley and Albert Alien and their wives deeded Lot No. 6 in Bradley and Allen’s Addition for $10. At the second regular meeting of the church it was decided to furnish a house and lot for Elder Robertson and wife for life. This was done, and from that time forth he continued mostly in this place, and among the flock which he had helped to form and care for. Such a long and continued confidence between pastor and congregation is seldom seen, and examples of this kind are surely worthy of emulation. The society at once began the erection of a church house, and it was finely completed in 1834, at a cost of $800. It is a very good frame building and is yet in use, although it has been several times repaired and once reseated. A good Sunday-school has been organized in connection with this church for over thirty years, which now has an attendance of eighty scholars. This church now has sixty-six members, is flourishing well, and under the charge of Rev. J. H. Wright as pastor. Among the important ministers have been W. L. Boston, R. M. Parks, B. J. Davis and J. K. Howard. About the year 1868, Elder Boston held an important and interesting revival, in the course of which a large number of recruits in the cause of the Master were added to the church, and much moral regeneration in the community effected.
The Orleans Christian Church was organized in the fall of 1867. Prior to that time a good frame house of worship had been erected at the cost of over $2,000. The original membership was about twenty-five, and the first Trustees were E. D. Laughlin, William Wright, Sr., and George Hon, who had superintended the church building. The first minister was James Mathews, who remained but a short time. Since him the following pastors have been in charge: Moses Smith, L. B. Bray, Samuel Moore, Mr. Littell, Mr. McGowen, George Terrell, Jonathan Stanley and Enoch Bower. About the year 1880, Rev. Stanley held an important revival, in which great interest was manifested, nearly one hundred professing religion, many joining the church. This association is out of debt and in a prosperous condition. The salary paid to its minister is $400 per year for service every two weeks. The total number of members is now about 100, and a flourishing Sunday School of sixty scholars, with Thomas Sculley, Superintendent. E. D. Laughlin, William Montgomery and Moses Lewis are the present Board of Trustees.