Which he taught, and a most Exemplary- life was the best comment on the Christian Religion." 41 The Manse. THE MANSE How many of those who each week pass the picturesque old Colonial house on the southeast corner of our church property know anything of its history save that it is the hospitable home of our young pastor and his gracious wife, and of the two sturdy babies who romp through the lovely garden most of their waking hours. Yet this manse of old Paxton is another link with past generations, one that we must not fail to pick up. Many a romance of by-gone days has been lived within its thick walls; many a tangle has been brought here for the honored pastor to straighten. Here, too, have been carried dona- tions to the parson and his good wife from the thrifty farmers — great roasts, sausages and lard from the killings; baskets of ruddy apples, lus- cious peaches and pears from orchards that were ever the pride of the valley; doughnuts, pies, cakes, hot rolls and great loaves of rye bread, fresh from the Saturday baking; with jars of apple butter and other "spreads" to sweeten them. For more than a hundred years after Paxton congregation was a power in the community there was no manse as part of the church prop- erty. There was no need of it : Mr. Bertram and Mr. Sharon lived on their farms near Derry. 43 Parson Elder was a practical farmer and large land-owner, who built the old stone house just beyond Twenty-fourth street, now owned by Mr. John Elder — it has never been out of the Elder name since it was built. Mr. Snowden soon preferred the comforts of Harrisburg, and Mr. Williams boarded, as did young Mr. Boggs, who was a bachelor. When Rev. Andrew Mitchell came to Paxton in 1850, he was unmarried and boarded at the home of Mr. Benjamin Jordan, near Middletown. Later, he married Miss Mary Wiestling, of Mid- dletown, and lived for several years with his father-in-law, driving back and forth to services at Paxton. This became onerous and the church saw that the time had come for a manse. The father of Miss Lizzie Rutherford, John P. Rutherford, was made treasurer and collector in chief, and our handsome stone manse was built without debt. There were many families in the congregation in those days and nearly every head of a family contributed a hundred dollars. It was a season of hard times and slack work; labor was cheap, and the substantial house which has weathered the storms of nearly sixty years cost but $2,000 to build. Well does Miss Lizzie remember the excite- ment of that manse building — and well she might! Her father was treasurer, also contrac- tor, and in those days the workmen — carpen- ters, stone masons, plasterers and painters in turn — all had to be boarded at the Rutherford home, in the house long occupied by Silas Ruth- erford, close by the Reading Railroad tracks on Paxtang Avenue. And to Miss Lizzie fell the duty of cooking and washing dishes for those hungry workmen during that year of 1855-1856, until the house was finished. There was no housewarming, and Mr. Mitchell did his own furnishing, but generous donations of food were brought by the prosperous farmers, who in that day made the bulk of the congrega- tion.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Which he taught, and a most Exemplarylife was the best comment on the Christian Religion." The Manse. THE MANSE How many of those who each week pass the picturesque old Colonial house on the southeast corner of our church property know anything of its history save that it is the hospitable home of our young pastor and his gracious wife, and of the two sturdy babies who romp through the lovely garden most of their waking hours. Yet this manse of old Paxton is another link with past generations, one that we must not fail to pick up. Many a romance of by-gone days has been lived within its thick walls; many a tangle has been brought here for the honored pastor to straighten. Here, too, have been carried donations to the parson and his good wife from the thrifty farmers — great roasts, sausages and lard from the killings; baskets of ruddy apples, luscious peaches and pears from orchards that were ever the pride of the valley; doughnuts, pies, cakes, hot rolls and great loaves of rye bread, fresh from the Saturday baking; with jars of apple butter and other "spreads" to sweeten them. For more than a hundred years after Paxton congregation was a power in the community there was no manse as part of the church property. There was no need of it : Mr. Bertram and Mr. Sharon lived on their farms near Derry. Parson Elder was a practical farmer and large land-owner, who built the old stone house just beyond Twenty-fourth street, now owned by Mr. John Elder — it has never been out of the Elder name since it was built. Mr. Snowden soon preferred the comforts of Harrisburg, and Mr. Williams boarded, as did young Mr. Boggs, who was a bachelor. When Rev. Andrew Mitchell came to Paxton in 1850, he was unmarried and boarded at the home of Mr. Benjamin Jordan, near Middletown. Later, he married Miss Mary Wiestling, of Middletown, and lived for several years with his father-in-law, driving back and forth to services at Paxton. This became onerous and the church saw that the time had come for a manse. The father of Miss Lizzie Rutherford, John P. Rutherford, was made treasurer and collector in chief, and our handsome stone manse was built without debt. There were many families in the congregation in those days and nearly every head of a family contributed a hundred dollars. It was a season of hard times and slack work; labor was cheap, and the substantial house which has weathered the storms of nearly sixty years cost but $2,000 to build. Well does Miss Lizzie remember the excitement of that manse building — and well she might! Her father was treasurer, also contractor, and in those days the workmen — carpenters, stone masons, plasterers and painters in turn — all had to be boarded at the Rutherford home, in the house long occupied by Silas Ruth- erford, close by the Reading Railroad tracks on Paxtang Avenue. And to Miss Lizzie fell the duty of cooking and washing dishes for those hungry workmen during that year of 1855-1856, until the house was finished. There was no housewarming, and Mr. Mitchell did his own furnishing, but generous donations of food were brought by the prosperous farmers, who in that day made the bulk of the congregation.

Historic Paxton, her days and her ways, 1722-1913