Talk given on August 15, 1993, at the annual service of the Old Stone Church.

A B RI E F H I STO RY O F TH E O L D STO NE CH U RCH : A H I STO RI C
CH U RCH O F TH E U NI TE D M E TH O D I ST CE NTRAL
PE NNSYL V ANI A CO NF E RE NCE
by
Geor ge A. Tu r n er

Today, we ar e h er e t o par t icipat e in t h e an n u al ch u r ch ser vice of t h e Old
St on e Ch u r ch . We do t h is in par t t o r em em ber t h at t h is ch u r ch , or igin ally
k n own as t h e Bowm an Ch u r ch , is a h ist or ic lan dm ar k for Met h odism . It was
t h e fir st ch u r ch of t h e Met h odist Episcopal den om in at ion bu ilt in t h e n or t h
br an ch of t h e Su squ eh an n a River . It is cr edit ed wit h bein g t h e bir t h -place of
ou r den om in at ion in t h is sect ion of Pen n sylvan ia, par t icu lar ly, in Colu m bia
Cou n t y. It st an ds as a m on u m en t t o t h e spir it of t h e ear ly pion eer s of t h e
ch u r ch an d a lin k t o ou r past .

Th e h ist or y of t h is ch u r ch is closely lin k ed t o

t h e ear ly h ist or y of t h e Bowm an fam ily t h at m oved t o t h e Br iar Cr eek ar ea in
t h e ear ly 1790s.
Th e begin n in g of Met h odism in t h is ar ea is at t r ibu t ed in lar ge par t t o t h e
wor k of t wo br ot h er s, Th om as an d Ch r ist ian Bowm an , Met h odist lay pr each er s.
Bot h ar e bu r ied in t h e ch u r ch 's gr aveyar d.

Th om as wit h h is wife an d five

ch ildr en cam e fr om Mou n t Bet h el, fou r m iles fr om t h e Dela-war e Wat er Gap in
Nor t h am pt on Cou n t y, t o Br iar Cr eek in Apr il, 1792. Soon aft er war d, h is
par en t s an d br ot h er , Ch r ist ian , also m oved t o t h e ar ea.
As var iou s it in er an t m in ist er s m ade t h eir cir cu it r ou n ds, t h ey oft en h eld
m eet in gs an d st ayed in t h e h om es of Th om as or Ch r ist ian . Th e jou r n al of
William Colber t , t h e fir st Met h odist cir cu it r ider t o pr each in t h is ar ea of t h e
Su squ eh an n a River Valley, st ar t in g in 1792, fr equ en t ly m en t ion s visit in g t h e
Bowm an s.

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Wh en Th om as Bowm an bu ilt a st on e h ou se, h e r eser ved t h e t h ir d st or y
exclu sively for wor sh ip ser vices. Th e fir st Met h odist class or societ y was
for m ed in 1794 or 1795, an d Br iar Cr eek becam e a r egu lar pr each in g
appoin t m en t in t h e Wyom in g Cir cu it u n t il 1806 wh en it was t r an sfer r ed t o t h e
Nor t h u m er lan d Cir cu it . In t h is year t h e t ot al n u m ber of Met h odist s in t h e
cou n t r y was on ly 10, 625. On e m u st r em em ber t h e Met h odist Ch u r ch was in
it s in fan cy at t h is t im e.
Bish op Fr an cis Asbu r y, k n own as t h e "Fat h er of Am er ican Met h odism ,"
an d t h e gr eat "Cir cu it Rider " was h oldin g a m eet in g at For t y-For t n ear Wilk esBar r e in t h e su m m er of 1807. Her e h e r eceived a pet it ion t est ifyin g t o t h e
ch ar act er an d t alen t s of Th om as an d Ch r ist ian Bowm an an d r equ est ed t h at
t h e t wo m en be or dain ed as deacon s. Asbu r y agr eed an d or dain ed Th om as an d
Ch r ist ian Bowm on Ju ly 19, 1807. Sever al year s lat er , Asbu r y cam e t o Br iar
Cr eek in J u ly 1813. He st ayed in t h e h om e of Th om as Bowm an an d pr each ed
at a local cam p m eet in g.
In t er est in gly, on e of Th om as' gr an dson s, h avin g t h e sam e n am esak e,
becam e a bish op of t h e Met h odist Episcopal Ch u r ch in 1872. He also ser ved
as ch aplain of t h e U.S. Sen at e an d was t h e Ch an cellor of DePaw Un iver sit y in
In dian a. He lived t o be n in et y-seven year s old.
In t h e h om e of Th om as Bowm an in 1805 t h er e occu r r ed a r evival descr ibed as h avin g ". . . power an d widespr ead in flu en ce r esu lt in g in t h e
con ver sion of a lar ge n u m ber of people. . . ." Wit h t h is sign ifican t spir it u al
awak en in g, Br iar Cr eek gain ed a r epu t at ion as a Met h odist st r on gh old an d
st im u lat ed t h e gr owt h of t h e den om in at ion in t h e ar ea. Con sequ en t ly, t h er e
was a n eed for a ch u r ch t o accom m odat e a gr owin g con gr egat ion . Un der t h e
leader sh ip of Th om as Bowm an , lan d was secu r ed t o bu ild a ch u r ch an d
est ablish a cem et er y. In t er est in gly, n o deed t o t h is ch u r ch lan d exist s in

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cou r t h ou se r ecor ds. However , in a let t er by Rev. Alfr ed S. Bowm an , a
descen dan t of Bowm an fam ily, t o Fr an k A. Wit m an , Au gu st 11, 1931, h e wr ot e:
"Th e deed of t h e Kelch n er far m (you pass it as you go n or t h fr om t h e ch u r ch t o
Br iar Cr eek Par k ) is specific in m ak in g or r at h er design at in g t h e bou n dar y lin es
ar ou n d t h e gr aveyar d gr ou n ds t h u s elim in at in g t h e ch u r ch an d ch u r ch lot
fr om t h e Kelch n er far m lan d."
To r aise t h e n ecessar y fu n ds Th om as Bowm an cir cu lat ed a su bscr ipt ion
list wit h pledges of su ppor t com in g fr om h is n eigh bor s an d fr om ot h er s as far
as Balt im or e an d Ph iladelph ia t o u n der wr it e t h e cost of t h e pr oject . Bu t , in
t im e, it pr oved t o be in adequ at e sin ce m an y of t h e pledges wer e sm all, an d, du e
t o t h e dist an ce an d in con ven ien ce t o collect t h em , t h er e was n ot en ou gh m on ey
t o m eet t h e bu ildin g expen ses. Wh er eu pon , t h e Bowm an fam ily u n der t ook t h e
r espon sibilit y t o pr ovide t h e m ajor sh ar e of labor an d m at er ials t o com plet e t h e
con st r u ct ion of t h e ch u r ch . Wit h it s com plet ion in 1808, it becam e t h e fir st
Met h odist Episcopal ch u r ch of it s k in d an ywh er e bet ween t h e Wyom in g Valley
an d t h e Su t t on Ch u r ch , t wo m iles fr om William spor t .
Th e con gr egat ion h eld ser vices in t h e ch u r ch u n t il 1856 wh en t h ey bu ilt a
n ew an d lar ger ch u r ch at Fowler sville, t wo m iles west , a m or e cen t r al an d
advan t ageou s locat ion . Besides bein g a h ou se of wor sh ip it also ser ved as a
sch ool. Aft er war ds, for som e t wen t y year s, t h e bu ildin g becam e a m eet in g h all
for t h e Gr an ge. By t h e lat e 1800's t h e pr oper t y, n o lon ger u sed, det er ior at ed
in t o a dilapidat ed con dit ion ; t h e r oof was off, an d par t of a wall t or n down .
For t u n at ely, Rev. Alfr ed S. Bowm an , a Met h odist m in ist er an d gr an dson of
Ch r ist ian Bowm an , u n der t ook t h e leader sh ip t o r aise fu n ds t o save an d r est or e
t h e ch u r ch in 1915 an d 1916. Most of t h e r epair s wer e t o t h e ext er ior ; t h e
gr ou n ds, in clu din g t h e cem et er y, wer e en closed. Th e r est or at ion cost , a lit t le
m or e t h an $700, cam e fr om con t r ibu t ion s of t h e descen dan t s of t h e people

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bu r ied in t h e ch u r ch gr aveyar d. It was at t h is t im e t h at t h e cu st om of an
an n u al ser vice began .
Rev. Bowm an declar ed t h at savin g t h e Old St on e Ch u r ch , t h is h ist or ic
lan dm ar k of Met h odism in Cen t r al Pen n sylvan ia Con fer en ce, fr om decay ". . .
was t o m ak e t h is ch u r ch a m on u m en t t o t h e wor k of t h e ear ly set t ler s wh o
h ave sepu lt u r e in t h is bu r ial gr ou n d . . . bu t t h e h igh est , t h e su pr em e m ot ive
in seek in g t o give per m an en ce t o t h is old sh r in e was t h at for wh ich it st an ds."
The Christian Advocate com m en t in g on t h e r est or at ion of t h e Old St on e Ch u r ch
st at ed: "Su ch m on u m en t s h ave n o ar ch it ect u r al claim t o pr eser vat ion , except
t h at wh ich com es fr om a st er n sim plicit y an d a close adapt at ion t o u t ilit y. Bu t
as a t ablet of r em em br an ce t o t h e self-sacr ificin g plan t er s of a fr u it fu l vin eyar d,
t h er e cou ld be n o m or e fit t in g m em or ial t h an t h is h ou se wh er e t h ey wr ou gh t ."
In deed, t h e Met h odist den om in at ion in Colu m bia Cou n t y was qu it e lar ge.
Dr . J . J . Br own of Bloom sbu r g in an ar t icle wr it t en for t h e Baltimore Methodist
in 1914 asser t ed t h at Colu m bia Cou n t y was t h e "gar den spot of Met h odism ."
Accor din g t o h is in vest igat ion t h er e wer e 6754 Met h odist s, on e ou t of n in e
in h abit an t s in t h e cou n t y, an d, in addit ion , 7793 sch olar s en r olled in Su n day
Sch ools. Th ese st at ist ics in pr opor t ion t o t h e cou n t y's popu lat ion place it in t h e
lead of n at ion wide Met h odism .
Addit ion al im pr ovem en t s t o t h e bu ildin g wer e m ade du r in g t h e n ext
decade. Th e placin g of a m ar ble t ablet in t h e west gable, n ot in g t h e ch u r ch 's
h ist or ical sign ifican ce, occu r r ed in 1924. Th e pr esen t pews wer e m ade of t h e
or igin al floor boar ds, an d t h e lect er n was bu ilt fr om wood of t h e or igin al lect er n .
Rev. Alfr ed S. Bowm an r et ain ed t h e r espon sibilit y as car et ak er for t h e Old St on e
Ch u r ch u n t il 1929.
Wh er eu pon , t h e Fir st Met h odist Ch u r ch of Ber wick accept ed t h e cu st odial
au t h or it y for t h e pr oper t y. Dor ot h y Br own , a descen den t of t h e Bowm an

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fam ily, in clu ded in h er will, dat ed Ju n e 25, 1909, an an n u it y t o t h e Old St on e
Ch u r ch . Th e pr ovision st at ed t h e followin g:
I dir ect m y t r u st ee t o pay t o t h e Fir st Met h odist
Episcopal Ch u r ch of Ber wick , Pa. t wo h u n dr ed dollar s
an n u ally. Th e on e h alf of t h is sh all be u sed for t h e old
st on e ch u r ch pr oper t y at Br iar Cr eek bu ilt in 1808. To
k eep t h e gr ass cu t , an d r epair s on t h e ch u r ch
bu ildin g. Th e r em ain in g dollar s t h e ch u r ch sh all h ave
for it s ser vices. Sh ou ld t h ey r efu se, t h en an y ot h er
ch u r ch t h at m y t r u st ee sh all n am e sh all h ave t h is
legacy. My t r u st ee sh all m ain t ain , an d r eplace t h e
h eadst on es on t h ese gr aves if n eeded. Sh ou ld a n ew
fen ce be n eeded m y t r u st ee sh all bu ild as good as n ow.
Sh ou ld a n ew r oof be n eeded on t h e old ch u r ch m y
t r u st ee sh all bu ild t h e sam e.
My pu r pose is t o
pr eser ve t h is sh r in e.
Ber wick Fir st Un it ed Met h odist Ch u r ch exer cised t h is st ewar dsh ip for
som e fift y year s, an d on e of it s m em ber s, En est Hill, played an im por t an t r ole
in t h is wor k . In 1984 t h e t r u st ees of t h e Ber wick Ch u r ch decided t o r elin qu ish
t h eir cu st odial r espon sibilit y.
Th er efor e, Rev. War r en L. Bau gh m an , Jr ., Dist r ict Su per in t en den t of t h e
Lewisbu r g Dist r ict , in Ju n e, 1985, appoin t ed a com m it t ee t o assu m e a t em por ar y su per in t en den cy over t h e Old St on e Ch u r ch u n t il an appr opr iat e
cu st odial ar r an gem en t cou ld be in st it u t ed. Befor e t h e com m it t ee cou ld focu s
on t h is issu e, an im m ediat e con cer n was t h e ser iou s det er ior at ion of t h e
ch u r ch floor an d beam s. Wit h gen er ou s an d su st ain ed fin an cial assist an ce
fr om t h e Cen t r al Pen n sylvan ia Con fer en ce Com m ission on Ar ch ives an d
Hist or y t h e com m it t ee was able t o r eplace t h e r ot t in g floor an d beam s wit h n ew
m at er ials.

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Mor e r ecen t ly, t h r ou gh t h e leader sh ip of Rev. Ch ar les Hess an d Rev.
Ron ald Bower sox, t h e Dist r ict Su per in t en den t of t h e Lewisbu r g Dist r ict , a
cu st odial agr eem en t was r each ed wit h t h e Fowler sville Un it ed Met h odist
Ch u r ch in 1991. Th e Tr u st ees of t h e Fowler sville Un it ed Met h odist Ch u r ch
agr eed t o accept t h e cu st odial r espon sibilit ies of t h e Old St on e Ch u r ch . It is
fit t in g an d pr oper t h at we r ecogn ize an d ext en d ou r appr eciat ion t o t h e
Fowler sville Ch u r ch for t h eir willin gn ess t o accept cu st odial r espon siblit y.
In closin g let u s r em em ber an d t h in k abou t t h e dedicat ion of t h ose ear ly
Met h odist s wh o lived t h eir fait h an d gave t est im on y t o God's pr esen ce in t h is
wor ld. May we in ou r devot ion t o t h e Ch r ist ian fait h be exam ples of a sim ilar
r eligiou s h er it age t o ou r descen dan t s.