Church History: Salem Reformed Church, Leacock, 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. 131-137

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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SALEM REFORMED CHURCH AT HELLER'S NEAR LEACOCK
Rev. Fred D. Pentz, Pastor

As early as 1712 members of the Reformed Church came into this section of 
Pennsylvania, now known as the Conestoga Valley, then, as the "Canastoga 
region".  Here they cleared away the wilderness, and built themselves homes.  
But they were not so busily engaged with this strenuous work as to forget that 
they were Christian people, and had the solemn responsibility resting upon them 
to maintain worship, and keep the altar fire of faith aglow.  Hence, we may 
reasonably assume, that as soon as they had built homes for themselves, they 
assembled at one or another home for public services.  And certainly, when the 
first opportunity presented itself, they erected for themselves a place of 
worship.  Thus it is that Salem Church at Heller's came to be established.  
According to the cornerstone, the date when the Church was founded, is the year 
1722.  If this dating is to be accepted, then this would be one of the first 
(German) Reformed Churches founded in America.  Unfortunately, either no records 
were kept by this congregation in those early years, or else they have been lost 
or destroyed.  And if it were not for outside sources, there would be but little 
evidence favoring this date.

In these outside sources is the transaction between "one Phillip Scott, 
landowner, and John Line, Junr. and Michael Weidler, Vestryman, representing the 
'Prisbiteirian Congregation' (Reformed)".  These men bought two acres of land 
adjoining Jacob Heller's land, "whereon the Meeting House now stands."  The 
paper is dated February 11, 1742-43; and though this date is twenty years later, 
the phrase, "whereon the Meeting House now stands" confirms the belief that the 
church was built some years prior to that time.

When the fourth church was build in 1860, the following statement was put in the 
cornerstone:  "This house is the property of the German Reformed Church of the 
United States. . . This congregation was founded in the year 1722; repaired in 
1802; rebuilt and enlarged in 1838. . .".

However, the most fruitful source of information concerning those early days is 
to be found in "The Minutes and Letters of the Coetus of Pennsylvania, 1734-
1792".  For many years it was believed that these letters and records were lost; 
at any rate only a few of the American documents could be found.  But in the 
year 1896, Rev. James I. Good had the good fortune to discover the bulk of them 
at The Hague in the Netherlands.  In collaboration with Prof. William J. Hinke, 
he copied and translated them into English, making the records available to the 
Reformed Church in the United States.

From these accounts we learn that Salem Church was in all likelihood established 
by John Conrad Tempelmann.  In the report that John Philip Boehm made to the 
Classis of Amsterdam, 1744, we find this record:  "The surrounding congregations 
around or near Conestoga, have long taken up with a man, Conrad Tempelmann by 
name (he is from Heidelberg), a tailor by trade, and have made the same their 
minister.  I know him, for he was a school teacher and reader in the Hill Church 
when I served them at the beginning (1727)".

In a most important letter which Tempelmann wrote to the Synods of North and 
South Holland, February 13, 1733, he tells about the origin of the Reformed 
Church in the Conestoga Valley:  "The church at Chanastocka had its origin in 
the year 1725, with a small gathering in houses. . . with the reading of a 
sermon and with song and prayer, according to their High German Church Order 
upon all Sundays and holidays, but on account of the lack of a minister, without 
the administration of baptism and the Lord's Supper.

"Thereafter Dominie (Rev.) Boehm served them at first (1727) voluntarily at the 
request of the people, later after becoming fully ordained he administered 
baptism and communion to them for the space of two years (1730-1731), upon a 
yearly call. . . Subsequently he also established a church order (constitution) 
among them and the congregation chose elders, and he himself (Tempelmann) 
exercised a careful and strict supervision over them. . .".  In this letter are 
also notes that there are 55 members, and the Elders are, Rudolph Heller, 
Michael Alber, Andries M----.  It is signed, Conrad Tempelmann, "Reader of the 
Congregation".  Because the names of the elders are given, the Church is 
identified as Salem Church, or what Boehm calls the Hill Church (Berg Kirch), 
for in 1740, Boehm gives the name Michael Albert as an elder from this church.  
It reads:  "The Reformed Congregation of the Berg Kirch promises to contribute 
annually to a minister's salary, if one is sent to them by the Christian Synods:  
Eight pounds of this country's currency and twenty-five bushels of oats, which 
we hereby attest:  Lorentz Herchelroth, Michael Albert, Michael Weidler, JOhn 
Leyn, Elders".  The date is February 16, 1740.  These are the same names (Lein 
and Weidler) that occur on the deed of the Heller's Church property; and in the 
cemetery adjoining, Michael Weidler is buried, having died July 23, 1770.

Then again in 1747 Michael Weidler was the Elder from the church, when the 
Coetus of the Reformed Church in Pennsylvania was organized in Philadelphia, 
September 29th.  His names is given in connection with John Bartholomew Rieger, 
Minister from Schaeffer's Church and Erlentown (Earl township).

In the Coetus of 1748, the second meeting of this body, John Leim (Lein) is 
registered thus, "of the first congregation in Conestoga, organized May 31, 
1730, where Do. Rieger preaches".

The first communion was celebrated in the Hill Church, Conestoga, October 14, 
1727, when 59 members communed.  John Philip Boehm was the celebrant.  Shortly 
afterward, George Michael Weiss visited the Church and took it away from Boehm.  
How long he remained with the congregation is a matter of conjecture.  At any 
rate he left them in a short time, and when the members heard that Boehm had now 
been ordained, they invited him to return.  This he did on May 30, 1730, when he 
told them about his ordination in New York on November 23, 1729, as well as the 
constitution his churches had agreed to accept.  They then expressed their 
readiness to be taken under the care of Amsterdam Classis.  To that end they 
drew up a petition, which Boehm agreed to send to Holland.  At the time of his 
visit he gave communion to 75 members, and also organized the congregation, as 
noted above, May 31, 1730.

After 1730, from 1731-1732 Do. John Peter Miller ministered to the congregation.  
But he soon renounced his Reformed faith, and joined one of the sects.  Thus it 
was that Boehm was again invited by the Conestoga Congregations.  He went there 
on May 11, 1735, and gave communion in the Hill Church, to 92 communicants.

Boehm tells us that after 1735 the churches in the Conestoga valley made Conrad 
Tempelmann their pastor.  Probably he served the various congregations until 
1739, when John Bartholomew Rieger who had returned from Holland, took over the 
care of several congregations including the Hill Church.  How long Rieger served 
this church is difficult to say, but certainly not for a very long period.  He 
served at least from 1746-1750.

It is believed that, when the members of the Hill Church did not have a regular 
Pastor of their own, they went to neighboring churches, either Lancaster or 
Zeltenreich.  Very likely, to Lancaster, where they received the sacrament of 
the Holy Communion, and baptism.  Mention is made that Do. Hendel, who served in 
Lancaster from 1765-1769 supplied a church at Pequea and Conestoga.  Whether the 
Hill Church is meant here is a matter of conjecture.  Still, the close proximity 
of Lancaster would naturally bring members from the Hill Church to Lancaster.

In the Coetal Statistics of 1788, the word Heller's occurs for the first time, 
and this is in connection with the charge served by the Rev. Anthony Hautz, who 
was ordained June 6, 1787.  He served Muddy Creek, Heller's, Zeltenreich, and 
Reyer's.  This arrangement prevailed probably from 1787 to 1790.

From this time on, we hear nothing of the Church, but in 1818, Rev. Samuel 
Trumbauer, a Lutheran Pastor, with the consent of the Reformed membership 
organized a Lutheran congregation at Heller's.  Here in Salem Church he 
continued to serve his people for a period of twenty years.  During the greater 
part of the time, Rev. D. W. Gerhard writes, the Reformed members assisted in 
supporting the Lutheran pastor, but maintained their Reformed faith, and 
continued to receive the Holy Communion and baptism in Lancaster.

It is only since 1830, when the Rev. Daniel Hertz, pastor at Ephrata, assumed 
the pastorate of this Reformed congregation, that this congregation has had a 
regular and unbroken ministry.  He celebrated his first Communion May 22, 1831, 
when nine communicants received the sacrament.

In 1838 the Lutheran congregation withdrew to its own newly-erected edifice in 
Mechanicsburg.  In that same year the Reformed congregation rebuilt and enlarged 
its own building.  This church was consecrated August 12, 1838.  Rev. Hertz 
continued to serve Salem Church from 1830 to May, 1867.

Following Rev. Hertz, came the Rev. D. W. Gerhard, who served the congregation 
from 1867-1906, the time of his death.  His was the longest pastorate that the 
church has ever known.  Other Pastors who served the congregation were Rev. Barr 
(who preached English during the time of Rev. Hertz) and Rev. Gast (who preached 
English in the same pastorate).  Following Rev. Gerhard's death, the Rev. H. J. 
Hillegass was elected Pastor, who served faithfully and well from 1907 to 1928.  
The pastorate of these three Pastors embrace a period of one hundred years, a 
unique distinction.  It is through the labors of these men that the church has 
increased in power, and come to independence.

The present Pastor is Rev. Fred D. Pentz, ordained and installed in May, 1929.

The ministerial sons of the congregation are:  The Rev. William S. Gerhard; the 
Rev. Oliver Sensenig; the Rev. John C. Raezer.

Two Missionaries have gone out from this congregation:  The Rev. Paul L. 
Herhard, Pd.D., teacher in the North Japan College, Sendai, and Miss Mary E. 
Gerhard, teacher in the North Japan College, Sendai.