COLUM BIA A N D M ONTOUR COUNTIES took charge some time in the sam e year. D u r ing his pastorate it w as resolved by the cong r ^ i i o n to purchase a lot and build thereon a suitable house for the use of the pastor. A lot was bought o f C . F . H ard er, and a contract was made with him to build a parsonage on the same, which he finished in October, i8So, and on the i ith o f N ovem ber, i8ik>, the pastor, Kev. M r. D iener, with his fam ily moved into h. In 18 8 1 the imrsonage w as enlarged, and in many respects improved and beautified. Unpleasant relations sprang up between K ev. Mr. D icncr and the congregation, so much so that he w as urged to resign, which he did, leaving some time in 1882. F irst the council on Dec. 17, 1882. then the congregation, unanim ously concurred in call ing R ev. I). M. Henkel, D. D.. to take cliarge of the congregation as supply (preaching but once a S u n d a y ) until a pastor could be secured, to which proposition Rev. M r. Henkel con sented an d at once took charge, continuing un til Rev. U . M ye rs accepted and took charge of the congregation M ay 15, 1883. The .storm o f Sept. 30, 1896, which wrought $0 much ruin in many parts o f our land, struck Catawissa with unusual fu ry. T he long wagon bridge a cro ss the Susquelianna w as swept from its foundations into the river, trees w ere tom up from the roots, and many buildings blown down or badly damaged. Am ong the latter was S t. M atthew ’s Lutheran church. O ne of the tow ers w.as blown down, some of the bricks landing in an adjoining h o u se; the roof w as tom o ff. a large memorial window blown in and dcstroyctl, while the |>ouring rain added greatly lo the dam age. A few hours a fte r the storm had subsided the council w as in session, and resolved lo rc-huild at once the waste places of their Zion. T he parts blown aw ay were replaced with new material. A metal ceiling w as substituted fo r the dam aged plaster, and the entire auditorium repainted and re fitted, including a new velvet carpet, all at an expense o f S t . 100. Sunday. Dec. 20. t8«/>. was the day set apart fo r rcdcdicatioii. Rev. J . H. W eber, D. 1).. o f Su n b u ry, preached in the m orning and assisted the pastor In con ducting the finances. M ost of the pastors o f Catawissa closed their churches and attended this se tv k e . .At 2 :3 0 p. m. a Sunday school service was hehl. anil ad<lrcssc.s made by a number of the m inisters present. A t 6 o ’clock the Lvithcran .Alliance held a special service, and an hour later Rev. R . (». Baiiiien, o f W il liamsport. preached the dcilicatory sermon, and Rev. Dr. J . H. W eber, as president of the S u s quehanna Synoil. conducted the dedicatory
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services. T h e amount asked fo r at the morn ing service w as eleven hundred dollars. S o liberally did the people rcsiMnd that at the close of the evening service about $ 1,6 0 0 had been paid in cash or subscribed, leaving a su r plus o f $50 0 fo r use of the council in m aking other improvements and repairs on the par sonage, which also w as dam aged hy the storm. In 1900 a magnificent Gothic altar, 14 feet high and 7 feet wide, w as placed in the church through (he efforts of the ladies. It has a statue o f O irlst, hy Thorw aldsen, in front. R ev. D r. M yers has continued a s pastor of the church up to the present time. On M arch 2 3, 19 14, a meeting commemorating his thirtyfive years o f service w as held in the church, the services being in charge of the Bloom sburg Ministcrium. On the twentieth ann iversary o f his pas torate a fine pipe organ w as installed, and in 19 14 the entire church w as remodeled at a cost o f $5,000. the entire amount being raised in fo u r weeks. A t the first communion service held in C ata w issa by D r. M yers there were thiriy-scvcn attcnilants. T h e present membership is 300. in spite of the rem oval of the Reading rail road headquarters, which at one time took aw ay one hundreil memliers and at another fifty more. T h e follow ing charter mcmliers signed the constitution on J u ly 13. 1845. T h e names are placed in the o rilcr in which thcv arc found on the church record and the spelling is closely followed. O ne name only w as added, having been omitted at the time o f sign in g: Christian Brobst. Stephen B ald y, M khacl Breckbill, Michael Brobst, Joseph Brobst. H iram B . E ly , Peter Bodine. A nna M argaret Bodine. C h ris tian G . Brobst. W illinicna Zchcndcr, Caroline Zchendcr. Sarah E ly . H annah K ru ck, Caroline Brobst. Ja n e K reig h . Sophia H artm an. Su •sanna Y o d e r, Catharine Baldy. Susan Italdy. Elizalicth Bodine. M ary R in ard. N ancy Brobst. M ary Brobst. S. D . R in ard. Jan e Brobst. Jo sh u a E v an s, Sarah Brobst. Ephraim Brobst. G . I leister Brobst. B arb ara Brobst. Jac o b K ru ck, Susanna K ru ck, W illiam m ina M oyer, M aria C. M oyer. Daniel K nittle. M ary Knittle, Jaco b K reig h . John H artm an. Catharine H art man. Elizabeth M over, Su e C . E v er. Peter Strieker. Elizabeth Breckbill, Rebecca B reck bill. Sarah Breckbill. G eorge Strieker. .Amanda Brobst. Susanna Strieker, Daniel G eiger. .Sarah G eiger. Isaiah Brobst. F ran cis Dean. Deborah Dean. M.arv II. Brobst. W m . Y o d e r. I^aniel CIcwetl. G eorge M anhart. Hannah B . Mench.
