My Genealogy Hound

HISTORY OF THE EDEN MENNONITE CHURCH, SCHWENKSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

After William Penn had opened this country for settlers, the Mennonites regarded this a safe retreat against the persecutions which they had to endure in Europe. Many wended their way to the new world to find a home where religious liberty would be tolerated. From Crefeld, Muehlheim, Kriesheim and Holland, they came to this land of the setting sun, on the ship “Concord,” and settled at Germantown, Philadelphia. From here they spread out to Montgomery county, and a congregation was founded at the Skippack in 1725, and this congregation is the mother of the Schwenksville congregation.

More than a century ago those of our denomination living west from Schwenksville assembled themselves in what is known as Herstein’s school house, which was a customary place of church and school, with burial ground attached. It was named in honor of John Herstein, one of the foremost members. The congregation here numbered about forty members, but they never had a regular preacher. For a number of years they were served by the ministers from Germantown and Skippack. William Z. Gottshall, grandfather of the present pastor, was here ordained as deacon.

In the Schwenksville cemetery, opposite where Keeley’s church used to stand, there stood a school house, like the one at Herstein’s, used for church and school. Services were held there by the three different denominations, Lutherans, Reformed and Mennonites, the Mennonites holding services every four weeks. For some reason the Mennonites were not desirable partners to the other congregations in the use of the building. Accordingly, one cold Sunday morning, when Heinrich Hunsicker came to preach, no fire could be made, and upon investigation it was found that the stove pipe was stuffed full with wet tow. The Mennonites made no disturbance, but decided to build a house of worship for themselves. Deacon William Gottshall and Andrew Ziegler each offered a piece of ground for this purpose, and a vote decided in favor of the latter. A stone structure was erected thereon in 1818. The building committee consisted of Henry Ziegler, William Z. Gottshall, Samuel Pannepacker, John Haldeman, John Bingeman, John Keelor, and John Herstein. The members from Herstein’s united in this work, and subsequently had only occasional services in their school house. This place now became a branch of the Skippack congregation, with no minister of its own. Deacon William Gottshall used to go to the Franconia Conference to make arrangements for services with the different ministers, a different one preaching every four weeks.

The congregation was not organized until October 28, 1847, when an organization was effected with thirty members. Steps were now taken to secure a minister, and on December 3d of the same year Moses Gottshall was ordained the first minister, in what was then known as Mine Hill congregation. In 1851 the old stone structure was razed to the ground, and a brick building erected inside the cemetery yard. About this time a Sunday school was started, but it met with considerable opposition. Under the pastorate of Rev. Moses Gottshall the congregation grew rapidly, and in 1850 it became an independent congregation, and he was ordained as bishop. In 1868 Samuel H. Longaker was chosen as assistant, but was released from active service two years later. In 1872 Nathanial B. Grubb was chosen as assistant, and continued until 1882, when he became pastor of the First Mennonite Church of Philadelphia. On October 15, 1884, William S. Gottshall, son of the Rev. Moses Gottshall, was ordained as his father’s assistant, and November 24, 1886, as bishop.

The building of a new church being agitated, it was, after several years of hard struggling, wisely decided to build it in town. The ground was donated by Mrs. Mary Geiger, of Philadelphia, and the building was dedicated on November 18, 1894. The building committee consisted of Samuel H. Longaker, John H. Longaker, Isaac K. Freed, David H. Wasser, and John Z. Hunsberger. The building is a two-story structure, with convenient Sunday school arrangements in the basement, and an auditorium above. The congregation belongs to the Eastern District Conference, and also to the General Conference of Mennonites of North America. The present pastor, Rev. William S. Gottshall, is assisted by Rev. Harvey S. Gottshall, his nephew, whom he ordained to the ministry, March 16, 1902.
W. S. G.