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.
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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.
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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.