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WEST MIDDLESEX METHODIST CHURCH
1836-1959
By Mrs. Maude Garrett Anderson
As
early as 1796 people began to settle in the surrounding territory now
known as West Middlesex and Shenango Township. The borough was first
called Middlesex for Middlesex County in England, but to distinguish it
from a place of the same name in the eastern part of the state, the
name was changed to West Middlesex. It is located in part of Shenango
Township in the southwestern part of Mercer County, on both sides of
the river.
The first concern of these
early
settlers was the spiritual educational needs of their families. At
first this was cared for by itinerants (Circuit Riders) who traveled
certain routes and spread the message to these early immigrants,
preaching the gospel in the homes, in barns, and even in tents wherever
a place was available. These services were conducted about once a month.
The Methodists being a
God-fearing
people, knew they needed a spiritual leader. Their first class meetings
were held in a barn on South St. which belonged to George C. Veach. It
had previously been used as a tannery. Later they moved to a more
suitable building on Main Street formerly known as Gundy’s Wagon Shop. Mr. Gregg in his “History of
Methodism, Erie Conference,” says: In an earlier day Mr. John F.
Newkirksettled his family about two miles from Middlesex, and opened
his log cabin to the Methodist ministers, who continued to preach in it
for a few pioneers until 1833, when, under the labors of Rev. Messrs.
Jones and Thompson, a
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The Methodist Church of West Middlesex
in 1959
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revival
took place and a society was formed,
consisting of J. F. Newkirk and wife; William
Bennett and wife;
Thomas Swayze and wife; and Mary Cannon.
The
class and preaching were subsequently moved to Middlesex, where a good
degree of religious prosperity had been experienced.”
A
revival of great intensity was conducted by an itinerant minister— a
Mr. Parker. Many converts were added to the Methodist Society, and,
with more people moving into the district, a larger place of worship
was necessary to accommodate the growing membership. The congregation
of Middlesex was established in 1836.
A two-story frame
structure on North Street was purchased for the Methodist Episcopal
Church. It served a dual purpose for both lay school and church
services, also for prayer meetings which formerly were held in the
homes of Society members. This place of worship was used by the
Methodists until 1861, when the present brick building was erected on
Main Street by Steve and Allen Cameron, the contractors. The old
building on North Street was sold to the United Presbyterians for $800.
“The
History of Mercer County” published in 1877 by L. H. Evert &
Company has the following to say about the first Sabbath Schools in
Middlesex:
“In March 1842, Revs. E. B. Lane and J. Leslie, of
the Methodist Church, instituted a movement to organize a
Sabbath-school in the village. The attempt at first was met with great
opposition, as it was thought that it would lead to desecration of the
Sabbath, but the objection was at length overcome, and the
Presbyterians and the Methodists combined in organizing the school, at
the home of David Bradford, which is now occupied by J. F.
Newkirk on Main Street opposite the St. Charles Hotel.
“For some
time it was continued in different houses, but was finally divided and
separate organizations formed, which exist at the present day in the
churches.”
The brick building erected in 1861 has been remodeled
many times. Hardwood floors have replaced the original plank floors in
the main auditorium. Cement floors have been laid in the Sabbath School
assembly room, hall, and kitchen. Folding chairs have taken the place
of benches in the Sabbath School room which had been used for many
years. In the early days the building was heated by wood and coal
burning stoves. These were replaced by gas heaters. Later a gas furnace
was installed to heat the upper room and a large gas heater was placed
in the Sabbath School room.
The lighting of the church has
played an important part since the earliest days. Candles were used at
first, then lanterns served the purpose until oil burning lamps became
available. The oil lamps were mounted on brackets and attached to the
wall at the sides of the windows and the choir loft, in time gas lights
replaced the oil lamps with a chandelier in the center of the ceiling.
Inventions helped, and electric lights with a center chandelier—which
is still in use [1959]—adorns the sanctuary. The Sabbath School has
taken the same steps of improvement, recently replacing the outmoded
electric lights with the fluorescent lights. The corridor has also been
furnished with electric lights and an electric light has been placed at
the street entrance.
In 1905 a pipe organ was installed. Mrs.
Margaret Byers Johnston and Mr. Marshall Edeburn, each donated large
sums and many others contributed generously which enabled purchasing
the instrument. This organ, with the aid of a piano, furnished the
instrumental music for the church for more than fifty years until it
was dismantled and an electric organ installed in 1956. The Youth
Fellowship (MYF) with the assistance of their worthy advisers, Miss
Hilda Sweezy, Jack Stephenson and Perry Patton by holding chili
suppers, bake sales, etc., raised five hundred of the eight hundred
dollars needed to purchase the electric organ.
In 1916 plate
glass windows adorned the Sanctuary instead of the plain glass windows.
This noteworthy improvement added beauty and reverence to the edifice.
Many visitors have remarked that the artistic beauty of these windows
is not found in many of the large city churches. The Ladies’ Aid
Society donated one window and the Gleaners donated two. Others were
purchased by members of the church in memory of loved ones. The window
in the choir loft honors the faithful choir and the director.
Two
important events, running concurrently, in the history of this church
took place in August of 1936 with the church observing its
one-hundredth anniversary and the Republican Party launching its
national campaign with Alfred M. Landon as nominee for president of the
United States.
Alfred Mossman Landon was born on September 9,
1887, in the Methodist parsonage on Main Street in West Middlesex,
Pennsylvania. The pastor. Rev. W. H. Mossman, was his grandfather.
Mr.
Landon was elected governor of Kansas in 1933. His reputation for
careful finance spread from coast to coast and in 1936 the Republican
presidential convention nominated him to run against President Franklin
D. Roosevelt. In August a large group of people representing the
Republican Party came to West Middlesex to launch the Republican
campaign. Mr. Landon made the opening address before a large audience
on the Tam-O-Shanter golf course nearby. The Sunday following he
attended the service at the West Middlesex Methodist Church. Rev. Henry
Shilling, the pastor, preached the sermon. Many friends of the church
and folks who lived in different parts of the Nation, attended the
all-day services and helped in the celebration. The church was filled
to capacity long before the time for the service and many people were
barred admission. The entrance was roped off and State Police were in
charge.An unforeseen event that still lingers wonderingly in the memory
of those attending the church service came to pass when a large
limousine hearing a New York license plate drove up to the church and
the chauffeur helped a lady, dressed in black and wearing a black
picture hat, out of the car. She walked into the auditorium and was
ushered to a front seat on the left side, directly facing the choir;
services being over she left as mysteriously without anyone greeting
her or knowing who she was.
Through the years the women’s
organizations of this church—the Ladies’ Aid Society and the
“Gleaners”—have labored untiringly to aid in the church’s finances.
These thrifty organizations of church women have quilted, held bazaars,
bake sales, and church suppers to bring money into their coffers to be
turned into some pressing need for their church or parsonage. In 1941
the women’s societies reorganized to form the Woman’s Society of
Christian Service (W.S.C.S.) with Mrs. Sarah Mae Erb as its first
president.
In 1948 a beautiful baptismal font was presented to the church by Mr.
and Mrs. Ray Marquis in loving memory of their son.
In
the passing years the youth of the church have not been neglected or
forgotten. As early as 1889 the Junior League took care of the younger
students, meeting in the Sabbath School rooms every Sunday afternoon
with competent leaders in charge. (The Junior League has recently
become the World Friendship Group.) Social activities and missionary
work given the young people during the week helped them with their
regular religious instructions on Sunday. The Epworth League for older
students met every Sunday evening before the regular church services.
The young people’s organizations have been merged into the Methodist
Youth Fellowship (MYF) which meets on Sunday evenings and holds social
events during the week.
The first steps taken in a remodeling
and improvement program that started in 1947 included a rearrangement
of the basement floor, providing modern kitchen equipment, relocating
the two rest rooms and changing the location of the Primary room.
In
1953 the exterior brick work of the church building was sand-blasted,
broken bricks replaced and worn and broken edges and joints repointed,
giving the whole building a pleasing appearance.
In 1956-57 a
two story brick building was erected adjacent to the church on the west
side to house ten much needed class rooms and an educational center.
This project included a complete remodeling of the Sanctuary, with new
doors, communion rail, pews, chancel furniture in limed oak, and
changing the seating arrangement with the pulpit in the north end of
the Sanctuary.
The work of reconstruction was completed in 1957
and consecration services were held on October 4 to 6. The program
included Dedication of the Chimes and Organ by Rev. James Gaiser;
Dedication of the Candlesticks by Dr. Arthur Colley; Consecration of
the Educational Unit by Rev. Donald Struchen. The consecration of the
Sanctuary was conducted by Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke.
Middlesex
became an independent charge in 1856 with Rev. Joseph Uncles the
pastor. In 1883 the charge became West Middlesex with Rev. A. R. Rich
the pastor. From 1936 to 1954 West Middlesex and New Virginia were
linked together as a single charge under one minister. In 1955 these
two churches became separate charges with Rev. Russell Babcock being
appointed to New Virginia and Rev. G. M. Crites coming to
West
Middlesex.
Source:
150 Years of Methodism, The Story of the First Methodist Church,
Sharon, PA, compiled by Roscoe C. Wilson, 1959
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