The third change, also made in Mr. Mitchell's
time in 1867, was more one of seating arrangement
than of anything else. The congregation had
grown steadily smaller and as the young people
took to sitting in the gallery, the audience room
was pitifully empty. To correct tTiis, a square,
box-like gallery was built for the choir on the
ground floor against the eastern partition. A new
melodeon was bought at this time. Two aisles
were made instead of the central one and four coal
stoves were put in, one in each corner, several of
the "amen" pews being removed to accommodate
them. "Good and warm were those of us who sat
in the end of the choir box between those two
stoves," reminisced Miss Lizzie, "while those in
the middle nearly froze." The rest of the pews
were arranged in a solid, central tier of double
pews from in front of the "choir box" to the
pulpit. Against the walls were tiers of short
23
pews running in the same direction, those on the
left side divided by the aisle at the south door.
The fourth change was made in 1887 and 1888,
when the church interior assumed its present
form. Again everything was torn out, the win-
dow openings, formerly plastered, were faced
with oak and an oak wainscoting added, while
new pews and pulpit of oak were bought. The
walls were frescoed for the first time, tinted a
soft gray with red border. The central aisle was
resumed. The gallery and stairs leading to it
were abandoned, the "choir box" removed and
the choir brought up to its present curtained
nook in the southwest corner. A new organ, the
first ever owned and still in use, was presented
to the church by Mrs. Artemas Wilhelm. A
small library was boarded off in the southern
corner of the vestibule and a cloak room built at
the other side. The only change to the exterior
is the building of the porte cochere in 1900, pre-
sented by Mrs. James Boyd.
Very proud were we of these changes back
in the "eighties"; but we were mid- Victorian
in our taste those days. There are many who
sigh for the old historic interior and can
sympathize with a lady of whom Miss Lizzie
tells: She had lived abroad for years, always
with a longing for old Paxton, and made a spe-
cial trip to Harrisburg to see it. When the pas-
tor, proud of his renovated church, opened the
south door, she took one look and turned away
instantly, saying, regretfully, "Oh, you^ve mod-
ernized it ! I don't want to see it."
24
Curiously enough, the church never had any
lights, as evening services were never held. They
were not put in at the time of renovations ; but
several years later, Mr. Williamson wishing to
hold evening church, two chandeliers for coal oil
lamps were installed over the center aisle, with
brackets for single lamps on the side walls. This
was done by subscription and the choir paid for
those in their enclosure. The old building was
first lighted June 11, 1892.
Page 7
Presented as published in 1913. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The third change, also made in Mr. Mitchell's time in 1867, was more one of seating arrangement than of anything else. The congregation had grown steadily smaller and as the young people took to sitting in the gallery, the audience room was pitifully empty. To correct tTiis, a square, box-like gallery was built for the choir on the ground floor against the eastern partition. A new melodeon was bought at this time. Two aisles were made instead of the central one and four coal stoves were put in, one in each corner, several of the "amen" pews being removed to accommodate them. "Good and warm were those of us who sat in the end of the choir box between those two stoves," reminisced Miss Lizzie, "while those in the middle nearly froze." The rest of the pews were arranged in a solid, central tier of double pews from in front of the "choir box" to the pulpit. Against the walls were tiers of short
pews running in the same direction, those on the left side divided by the aisle at the south door.
The fourth change was made in 1887 and 1888, when the church interior assumed its present form. Again everything was torn out, the window openings, formerly plastered, were faced with oak and an oak wainscoting added, while new pews and pulpit of oak were bought. The walls were frescoed for the first time, tinted a soft gray with red border. The central aisle was resumed. The gallery and stairs leading to it were abandoned, the "choir box" removed and the choir brought up to its present curtained nook in the southwest corner. A new organ, the first ever owned and still in use, was presented to the church by Mrs. Artemas Wilhelm. A small library was boarded off in the southern corner of the vestibule and a cloak room built at the other side. The only change to the exterior is the building of the porte cochere in 1900, presented by Mrs. James Boyd.
Very proud were we of these changes back in the "eighties"; but we were mid- Victorian in our taste those days. There are many who sigh for the old historic interior and can sympathize with a lady of whom Miss Lizzie tells: She had lived abroad for years, always with a longing for old Paxton, and made a special trip to Harrisburg to see it. When the pastor, proud of his renovated church, opened the south door, she took one look and turned away instantly, saying, regretfully, "Oh, you've modernized it ! I don't want to see it."
Curiously enough, the church never had any lights, as evening services were never held. They were not put in at the time of renovations ; but several years later, Mr. Williamson wishing to hold evening church, two chandeliers for coal oil lamps were installed over the center aisle, with brackets for single lamps on the side walls. This was done by subscription and the choir paid for those in their enclosure. The old building was first lighted June 11, 1892.