Church: History: Salem (Walmer's): Union township, Lebanon Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Linnea T Miller ltmiller@geocities.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ____________________________________________________________ Centennial History of Lebanon Classes of the Reformed Church in the U.S., 1820 - 1920, Compiled by Prof. Thos. S. Stein, Lebanon PA: Sowers Printing Company. Excerpts from Chapter VI: "Sketches of Congregations" Salem (Walmer's), Union Twp., Swatara Charge. Rev. David Scheirer, Pastor. This church, situated in Union township, Lebanon county, dates from the year 1750. In 1900 it observed by appropriate gatherings a triple anniversary, the sesqui-centennial of the organization of the Reformed congregation, the centennial of the union church (Lutheran and Reformed), and the semi-centennial of the erection of the present church. These events were commemorated on September 29th and 30th, 1900. Pastors connected with the past career of the church preached sermons and others gave historical addresses. From a brief sketch of the history of the church, written in the Church book by the late E.B. SHUEY, we gather many of the following facts. The northern section of Lebanon county, as far east as the Swatara, was settled by the Scotch-Irish. One of the few Germans to settle there was Peter WALHEIMER (or WALDHEIMER, it may have been). "In the heart and mind of this man was conceived the thought of establishing what has since been known as Walmer's* Church. Sadly missing the services of the sanctuary enjoyed in his home beyond the sea, and realizing the difficulty of giving his family a proper religious training, he one day said to his sons, six in number, 'Boys, we must have a church.' This was in 1750. No sooner was the suggestion made, than arrangements were made to carry it into effect. A site was selected on his farm, and he, along with his six sons, began the erection of a log structure, 30 x 32 ft. in dimensions. The time required for the completion of the building was six days. The completed building consisted of the bare walls, with a few windows and a door and a roof. The floor was added about fifty years later, as was also the stove. The worshipers were seated on logs, laid in regular order on the bare ground." Would our religious fervor be intense enough to worship amidst such surroundings? The building stood until 1850. Until 1800 the congregation was wholly Reformed. The improvements in the building were made at a cost of 105 £, 2s. 10-1/2d. Because a number of Lutheran families in the vicinity had contributed to make these improvements, the Lutherans were granted the right to worship there, and ever since the church has been a union church. In 1850 the present, substantial, brick structure was erected in the pastorates of Rev. John GRING (Reformed) and Rev. John STEIN (Lutheran). There is no early history of the church extant. In its early years it was not connected with a regular charge. Rev. John GRING, 1828 - 1870, was its first regular pastor. Because of this independent relation, Walmer's Church was ofttimes, the prey of spiritual mountebanks and fanatical preachers. There was no lack of roving individuals at that time who represented themselves as regular preachers of the Gospel, but inwardly they were ravening wolves that preyed on the flock. Tradition says that Rev. Conrad TEMPELMAN preached in Walmer's Church. As he preached until 1759 in the Swatara Church, only five miles east of Walmer's, this tradition is not an improbable one. So quite likely TEMPELMAN was the first supply at Walmer's. The next name we meet is that of Rev. Wm. STOY (Sto-ey) in 1763. "It is said that one day he came to this church (it may have been some weekday) carrying his gun. (He was very fond of shooting game.) He placed his gun beneath the pulpit, hung the shot pouch on the muzzle of his gun, turned around and glanced over the room. When he saw that the congregation consisted of only a few old women, he indulged in the following soliloquy: 'Am I to preach to those few old women? No, I shall not do so; I prefer shooting prairie hens.' So saying, he took his gun and left the church." In 1777 it is supposed that Rev. Jno. Wm. RUNKEL began to serve Walmer's, as he served a number of churches in the vicinity. In 1786 Rev. Ludwig LUPP began his pastorate at Lebanon and preached occasionally at Walmer's. There is also a tradition that a Rev. STOCK preached here sometimes. If this was the Rev. Philip STOCK, he was no credit to the Church, as a reference to Harbaugh's "Fathers" will show. Rev. John George PHRIEMER - 1801 - is also mentioned in connection with Walmer's. He was a man of fanatical tendencies. "This man has not only been ordained by the Synod, but this Synod pronounces his ordination, performed by an individual member of the Synod, as null and void." From 1820 (perhaps before) to 1827 Walmer's enjoyed the services of Rev. William HIESTER. Later pastors were as follows: Rev. John GRING, 1828 - 1870. Rev. C.H. MUTCHLER, 1870 - 1878. Rev. A.R. BARTHOLOMEW, 1878 - 1882. Rev. Tobias KESSLER, 1882 - 1889. Rev. J.A. WICKERT, 1889 - 1895. Rev. W.D. DONAT, 1895 - 1907. Rev. H.J. LEINBACH, 1907 - 1913. Rev. David SCHEIRER, 1913 - . It may be of interest to know that Walmer's Church had a parochial school house, erected in 1783 near the church. The Sunday School connected with the church was opened in October, 1843. On October 6, 1918, the 75th anniversary of the organization was celebrated. The school was founded by Revs. Jacob and C.D. ZEHRING. The latter was its first superintendent. These former pupils of the Sunday School have joined the ranks of Gospel heralds: Revs. Jacob ZEHRING, C.D. ZEHRING, W.G. DRESSLER, Jacob B. BURGNER, D.B. SHUEY, D.G. GERBERICH, A.H. KLICK, Ira W. KLICK, J.A. KLICK and T.H. MATTERNESS. This may not be a complete list. Not only has the Sunday School sent out a number of its members to proclaim the Gospel and further the uplift of humanity, but the community of which Walmer's is the center has furnished a remarkable number of teachers for the public schools and higher institutions. This section was the first in Lebanon county to adopt the public school system. The Consistory of Salem (Walmer's) is at present (1920) constituted thus: Elders - John S. WALMER, Philip P. BOESHORE, Jacob L. SHUEY, William EDRIS. Deacons - Harvey HOUSER, Clarence BOESHORE, H.J. HALDEMAN, Adam S. BOMBERGER. ----- *It is supposed that Walmer is a corrupted abbreviation of Walheimer, adopted by the Scotch-Irish community. -----