Church History: Jerusalem Reformed Church, Penryn, Lancaster County, PA Copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/lancaster/ ________________________________________________ History of the Classis of Lancaster of the Eastern Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States, 1852-1940; Part II, Histories of the Congregations of the Classis of Lancaster, Pg. 138-142 Printed by The New Holland Clarion, New Holland, PA; Editors Rev. Daniel G. Glass, Rev. C. George Bachman, Rev. Harry E. Shepardson, Rev. John F. Frantz, Rev. J. N. Le Van, D.D. ________________________________________________ JERUSALEM REFORMED CHURCH, PENRYN Rev. George B. Raezer, Pastor Jerusalem Congregation, Penryn, was originally known by the name "White Oak". The origin of the congregation was somewhere between 1720 and 1727. The Rev. Michael Schlatter states that in 1747 he visited this congregation which was being served by Conrad Tempelmann, a tailor, whom the people "some twenty years ago urged to this service". Taking this into consideration we conclude that the first date in the congregation's history was somewhere between 1720 and 1727. Rev. Mr. Schlatter administered the Holy Communion to the congregation in 1747. There were seventy communicants. In 1735 the first church was built. Where the congregation worshipped previous to the erection of the first church is not definitely known, but in all probability they worshipped in the homes of those who belonged to the congregation. Rev. Conrad Tempelmann ended his ministry to this congregation in the year 1752, at which time the following three elders were in service: Peter Becker, Wendel Laber, and Adam Keener. Baptisms and Confirmations are recorded in the old records, but no lists of communicants. The first baptism is recorded in the year 1741, and from that date on baptisms are recorded in unbroken succession to the year 1765. The first class of catechumens recorded is for the year 1749, and consisted of sixteen persons. . .nine males and seven females. This congregation was exclusively Reformed to 1766, when a deed was secured for a Union Church. This deed was granted September 4, 1766. The Pastors of Jerusalem Church have been the following: Rev. Conrad Tempelmann . . . . . . . . . . –1752 Rev. John Waldschmidt. . . . . . . . . . . 1752-1786 Rev. Anthony Hautz . . . . . . . . . . . . 1786-1790 Rev. John Christian Wilms. . . . . . . . . 1790-1802 Rev. Charles Helfenstein . . . . . . . . . 1803-1807 Rev. John Theobald Faber . . . . . . . . . 1807-1819 Rev. Frederick A. Herman . . . . . . . . . 1819-1823 Rev. Daniel Hertz (Supply) . . . . . . . . 1823-1831 Rev. Jacob Leymeister . . . . . . . . . . 1831-1833 Rev. Samuel Seibert. . . . . . . . . . . . 1833-1837 Rev. Christian Weiler. . . . . . . . . . . 1837-1849 Rev. N. B. Habliston . . . . . . . . . . . 1849-1850 Rev. Isaac Gerhart . . . . . . . . . . . . 1850-1859 Rev. William T. Gerhard. . . . . . . . . . 1859-1870 Rev. D. C. Tobias. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1870-1891 Rev. F. Pilgram. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1891-1895 Rev. F. C. Hullhorst . . . . . . . . . . . 1896-1904 Rev. H. H. Spahn . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1904-1910 Rev. A. O. Bartholomew (Supply). . . . . . 1910-1911 Rev. George B. Raezer. . . . . . . . . . . 1912- As has been stated, the first church of Jerusalem congregation was built in 1735. This was built of logs. The second church, built in 1832, was also a log building, but it was weatherboarded. This building had a gallery on three sides, and a wine glass pulpit with a sounding board. During the pastorate of Rev. D. C. Tobias, a steeple was added, a new bell was secured, and other improvements were made to the property, at a cost of more than $600. The first Sunday School of Jerusalem congregation was organized in 1841, by Mathias Hoffer, Sr., Henry Keiser, and others, and continued in existence for three or four years. In 1853 the school was reorganized, the sessions being held in Moyer's Schoolhouse, not far from the Church. The school was active for four years. In 1861 the School was again reorganized, meeting now in Blocher's Schoolhouse. In 1864 the school was again transferred from the Schoolhouse to the Church. At this time Mathias Hoffer, Sr. was superintendent, and Samuel Holl and Peter Will were among the leaders of the school. In 1881 two schools were organized; one under the auspices of the Lutheran congregation; and the other, a Union School, conducted by members of both congregations. This Union School met on alternate Sundays, when there were Reformed preaching services. Henry Plasterer and Emanuel Hoffer, Jr., were the superintendents of the Union School. There were assisted by Thomas Keath, Michael Keath, and others. As has been stated earlier, the two congregations, the Lutheran and Reformed, worshipped in the same building from 1766, when a deed was secured jointly for the ground upon which the church stood. Accordingly the first and second churches were Union Churches. The tract of land owned jointly by the two congregations contained little more than twenty-six acres, part of which was used for cemetery purposes. This joint ownership and use of the church by the two congregations continued until 1913, when the Lutheran congregation erected a separate church on an adjoining lot. Early in the spring of 1914, the land belonging to the two congregations was divided. A few acres were set apart for the future development of the cemetery; a portion of the ground, which is well studded with fine trees, most of which are white oak, was left to be used as a picnic grove, as it has been for more than sixty years; and the remainder of the land was equally divided between the two congregations. In March, 1914, the old church building, that is the second church building used by Jerusalem congregation, erected in 1832, was torn down. A new church building was erected, which was dedicated November 14, 1914. This Church is a substantial white oak frame building, with a Sunday School building attached. In the tower of the new church was placed the bell, which hung in the steeple of the second church building, which has been in constant use for more than seventy years. All but $1,200 of the cost of the new church was paid before the day of dedication. This indebtedness was completely wiped out in 1926. In October, 1940, improvements, including new lights, an improved heating system, were made to the church building, at a cost of about $1,100.