Frankford Presbyterian Church

 

FRANKFORD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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ORGANIZED 1770.
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Frankford.jpg (70980 bytes)

FRANKFORD CHURCH,
CORNER MAIN AND CHURCH STREETS.

        THE FRANKFORD CHURCH is one of the nine original churches that was founded before the days of the General Assembly, and was originally a branch or mission of the old Market Square Church of Germantown.

         It was in the days before the flood-tide of the revolution swept over the country that a company of Germans and Swiss founded the Frankford Church. The Germans were the same as they who settled Germantown, and who built the Old Market Square Church. In fact the same Minister had charge of the two churches during their infancy. The Swiss who helped make up this early body were thorough Calvinists, imbued with the life saving and life giving principles of a pure gospel. This colony of Swiss from the city of Basle settled at Frankford, and joined with their neighbors--the Germans--in founding a church. The Germans had been worshipping about from house to house, but increased numbers and increased enthusiasm made a church at once possible and desirable. So they immediately set about buying suitable land for church and graveyard, and in 1770 the building was finished.

         This church and the Market Square Church went hand in hand for the next thirty-two years. The same Pastor supplied both pulpits until the year 1802. All services and church records were in the German language, and the name of the church was the "German Calvinistic Church."

         From the year 1802 until 1807 the very marked enthusiasm and interest that had at first animated the church seemed to die gradually away, and there was little zeal left. It was at this disappointing time that the church applied to the Presbytery of Philadelphia to be admitted to its ranks. This was not as radical a step as it may seem, for there was little difference between the forms of church government and belief. The main difference lay in the matter of language, and owing to the losing force of old associations this difference was being rapidly swept aside. The younger generation were brought into closer contact with the English language and customs, and gradually the old was giving way. So it was that the vote to join the Presbyterian ranks was unanimous, and on the 8th of December, 1807, Presbytery met at Frankford and received the new applicant into the fold. The roll of the Presbytery contained many famous names: Rev. William M. Tennent, Rev. Ashbel Green, D.D., Rev. Archibald Alexander, D.D., Rev. Dr. Janeway, Rev. Dr. Potts, and Rev. Mr. Latta.

         From the year 1807 the growth of the church has been steady and continous, and the epochs marked especially only by the children she has sent from time to time out into the world. The Frankford Church has been the parent of five different Presbyterian churches, namely Bridesburg, Holmesburg, Ann Carmichael, Tacony, and Wissinoming.

         Very soon after the church joined by Presbyterian ranks in 1815, it started a sabbath-school (one of the oldest in the land), amid some opposition, for it was considered an innovation. "It was begun beside the stove of the church with seven little girls." In the year 1810, the church bought an old academy for the sum of $2000 and set up a day-school. This was before the days of public schools, and it had a lasting beneficial effect on the community, as it was for a long time Frankford's only school.

         Following is a list of the Pastors of this church: Christian Friederich Foering, 1770; Albertus Helffenstein, 1772; Samuel Dubendorff, 1775; Albertus Helffenstein, 1779 to 1787; Philip R. Pauli, 1787; Librecht Friederich Hermann, 1789 to 1801; William Runkel, 1802 to 1805; John Whitefield Doak (the first English-speaking Pastor, installed June 18th, 1809), 1809 to 1816; Thomas Biggs, d.D., installed November 10th, 1818, twelve years; J. T. Marshall Davie, installed August 28th, 1832; Austin Morss, installed April 30th 1835; William D. Howard, D.D., installed March 13th, 1838, eleven years; Thomas Murphy, D.D., the present Pastor, was installed October 11th, 1849; for forty-five years he has continued without intermission to minister to this important and influential church. For many years Rev. Dr. Murphy was chairman of Presbytery's Committee of Home Missions, and he is the author of a valuable work, The Presbytery of the Log College.

         During intervals the pulpit was supplied by such well-known divines as Drs. Archibald Alexander, William M. Tennent, D. X. Junkin, James Watson, Rogers, Janeway, Neill, and by Revs. Potts, Latta, Snowden, Janvier, Dunlap, and others.

         Some of the most prominent of former Elders were George Castor, Roderick Adams, William Gibson, John D. Harper, John Deal, and Thomas D. Mitchell, M.D.

         The original house of worship was built in 1770. It was a typical example of the old German Reformed churches in this country, resembling very much those in Switzerland. At first it was only about forty feet wide and thirty feet long, and cost, according to the records of that time, about $2400. The separate cost of each of the various articles of its construction is preserved. In 1810 the church building was enlarged by an addition of forty feet.

         The original members of this church devoted the building of 1770 as well as themselves by a formal dedication, which, translated out of the German, concludes as follows: "Now, God Almighty, Creator of the universe, we commend to Thee this house, which we have built in Thy name and for Thy glory. Keep in Thy hand and protection those who shall meet in it. Destroy all false doctrines and all that is calculated to destroy Thy word. Give now and forever Thy grace, peace, and unity, and Thine shall be the thanks and praise, honor and glory, now and forever, Amen."

         Many of the old churches of Pennsylvania have a secular as well as religious interest connected with them, and this old structure was not an exception. It seems that after Washington's midnight attach on the Hessians at Trenton he sent some of his prisoners down the river and across the country to Frankford, and the well-built old church was for a time turned into a prison, as its sturdy walls presented a strong place of confinement.

         In the year 1860 the old building was entirely torn down, as the congregation had greatly outgrown it, and the present large church erected. A very comfortable manse for the use of the Pastor was built in the year 1844.

         The membership of the church numbers at present 390. The Ruling Elders are Joseph McConnell, David Nimlet, M. D. Yonker, William B. Dixon, William Scott, Joseph L. Kinkerter, William Fetter, George Hale, M. D., S. R. Caldwell, William Charlton, and Andrew Mitchell. The Sabbath-school has on its roll 365 members.

 

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