continued
As was customary a quarter of a century ago, the records show that the pastor
was frequently assisted in the communion services by a brother pastor, and at
many of these services there were accessions to the church.
Bethany has not produced many preacher boys but she is not altogether barren
in this respect. Rev. C. R. Zahniser is one
of her sons as is also Mr. Plummer Osborne, who is
now taking a course in Princeton Theological Seminary.
If the number of preachers from this church is not large, the teachers are
many and there are some ten or twelve members of the church at present who have
been teachers.
In some respects Bethany is perhaps above the average country church.
It sustains a midweek prayer meeting, has a good Sunday school with teachers
meeting, Home Department and Cradle Roll, and normal class. There is a
Woman's Missionary Society of fifteen members. A good Christian Endeavor
Society. All of these organizations are doing good work.
As this is altogether a farming district, many of our best boys and girls,
when old enough to start out in life for themselves, go elsewhere in order that
they may have opportunities for developing their talents along lines that would
be impossible here. Thus we are constantly sending out many good men and
women but there are few coming our way to fill up the ranks except as they grow
up in our midst. But we work through those whom we send out and thus our
field of usefulness is enlarged.
Bethany is one of the Pennsylvania churches that tries to help in larger work
of the church. Not one of the enterprises has been forgotten during the
last four years.
We know not what may be our future but God has always cared for his church
and he will still care for us if we are part of that church.
"What is a church? Let
truth and reason speak,
They would reply, The faithful, pure
and meek
From Christian Folds- - the one
selected place
Of all professions, and of every
race."
(Source: The Fieldview, published monthly in the interest of the work
of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Vol. III, No. 6, Brownsville, PA, June
1905)
Submitted by Norris
Burdette.