The first house of public worship in Reading was probably that erected by the Friends. It was a log house, built in 1750, (about one year after the first settlement of the town,) and stood on their burial ground. It was torn down in 1766, and rebuilt where it now stands. It is a one story log house, and situated in Washington street, between Fourth and Fifth. The school house, also of logs, was built in 1787, near the meeting house.
The German Reformed Church, was organized soon after the settlement of Reading. The exact date of its organization, however, as well as of the erection of their first church edifice, has not been ascertained. The present building was erected in 1832. It is a two story brick building, 75 feet in length and 55 in breadth. The steeple is 151 feet high.
Building Committee.—Nicholas Lott, Baltzer Smith, Daniel Fesig, John Y. Cunnius, Abraham Kerper, John Miller, Esq.
Masons.—Henry and George Graul, John and George Maltzberger.
Carpenters.—Nicholas Lott, James Quinter, George Call.
This church has two bells, one of which is from the former church, which had been built in 1762. The bell was cast in 1763, by Thomas Bailey of Bridgewater. The school house belonging to the congregation is built of brick and is a very ancient building. The Rev. William Pauli is pastor of this church.
The German Lutheran Church was organized shortly after the German Reformed; the congregation long occupied a small log building, situated at the corner of Washington and Sixth streets, where their church now stands. The present church was erected in 1791. It is a brick building, 61 by 81 feet square, and is the largest church in Reading. It has very large galleries, and will accommodate 1500 persons.
Building Committee.—Peter Filbert, John Witman, John Rightmyer, Michael Kraus, Michael Rapp, Matthias Babb.
Carpenter.-John Cunnius.
Mason.-John Strohecker.
The steeple was erected from the square in 1833, by Conrad, William and Joseph Henry. The timber for its construction, was presented by Jacob W. Seitzinger, of Cumru. The height of the steeple is 201 feet and 6 inches. It has three bells, one of which was taken from the former church, and was cast in 1755, by Henry Keppele of Philadelphia. The school house of the congregation, near the church, is an ancient looking one story stone building, erected in 1765. The church is under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Jacob Miller. In this church and in the German Reformed, divine service is performed in the German language.
The Catholic Chapel is situated in Seventh, between Franklin and Chesnut streets. It was erected in 1791—is a one story brick building, 20 feet high to the square—50 feet long, by 30 in breadth, and will accommodate about 300 people.
Building Committee.—Sebastain Allgaier and Anthony Fricker.
Carpenter.-John Cunnius.
Mason.-John Strohecker.
Pastor.-Rev. Francis X. Marshall.
The Presbyterian Church,was erected in 1824. It is a brick building, 75 feet in length and 40 in breadth, including the vestibule or portico, and will accommodate 600 people. It is situated in Penn, between Second and Third streets.
Building Committee.—Lewis Reese, William James, Samuel Bell, sen.
Rev. William Sterling, is pastor.
The Episcopal Church was erected in 1826. The building is of brick, and 25 feet high, besides a basement story of 8 feet. Its size is about 50 by 35 feet square, and will accommodate 300 persons. The tower is 75 feet high, and has a small but very good bell suspended in it. The Church is pleasantly situated in North Fifth, between Penn and Washington streets.
Building Committee.—George D.B. Keim, Nathaniel P. Hobart, Benneville Keim.
Master Mason.—George Maltzberger.
Carpenter.—George Call.
Paster.—Rev. R.U. Morgan.
The Methodist Church, is a plain brick building, 65 feet in length and 50 feet in breadth. This church was erected in 1839, is built in modern style, and in good taste; and will probably accommodate more people in proportion to its size, than any other church in Reading. It has a high and commodious basement story, entirely above the surface of the ground. It is pleasantly situated in South Fourth, between Penn and Franklin streets.
Building Committee.—The Rev. Mr. Roach, Daniel Rhine, Jacob Gossler, Henry Goodhart, Wm. Bode.
Carpenter.—Joseph A. Snyder.
Masons.—George Graul, Charles Seider.
Plasterer.—Thomas McCombs.
Present Pastor, Rev. Samuel Higgins.
The Baptist Church.—This society formerly occupied a meeting house near the river Schuylkill; but the location was found a bad one, and in 1837, a new brick church was erected in Chestnut, near Fourth street, by the Rev. Enoch M. Barker, the pastor at that time, which he afterwards conveyed to the society. It is a plain building, 40 by 50 feet square, and will contain about 300 people.
Carpenters.—Nathaniel Kirby, Jacob Bingler.
Mason.—George Maltzberger.
The Rev. Enos M. Phillips, is the present pastor.
The Universalist Church, is a handsome brick building, situated in Franklin, between Fourth and Fifth streets. It was erected in 1830—is 60 feet in length and 40 feet in breadth, and will accommodate about 500 persons. It has a steeple with a bell suspended in it.
Building Committee.—Gen. George D.B. Keim, John Ritter, John Green, Daniel H. Boas, John Brown, Jacob Marshall.
Masons.—John Maltzberger, George Graul.
Carpenter.—Arnold Maynard.
This Church is at present without a regular pastor, but the Rev, John Perry, the former pastor, occasionally officiates.
Besides the above, there are three small churches belonging to the colored population, viz: The Union African Church, which is a small frame building, situated at the corner of South Ninth and Franklin streets.—The Presbyterian African Church, also a frame building, situated in Washington, between Tenth and eleventh streets.—The Methodist African Church, in Tenth, between Washington and Walnut streets. It is built of brick, and has a basement story. The Rev. Samuel Murrey is pastor. In all the above churches, there are regular meetings on the sabbath, accompanied with the usual religious exercises, and a pretty strict course of religious discipline; with what results, may be partly gathered from the general good character, and industrious, steady habits of our colored population.
Submitted by: Nancy.
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