Bryn Mawr Gospel Hall, PA
From BrethrenPedia
Bryn Mawr Gospel Hall is an open brethren assembly located across three townships (Radnor & Haverford in Delaware County, and Lower Merion in Montgomery County) of Pennsylvania. Open assemblies in Philadelphia started technically in 1881 as a result of a young lady who had gotten saved in Northern Ireland, relocated there (Phil.) and wished others to hear the Gospel. In May of 1884, evangelists James Campbell & William Matthews traveled there from N.I., and had nightly Gospel meetings under a tent, and an assembly was started partly by N.I. immigrants who had previously been in fellowship there, as well as those who made professions as a result of the tent work.
The believers initially rented a room over a blacksmith's shop at 1113 S. Broad St., and held their first conference on Christmas day of 1887. That assembly moved from there to four different locations, finally settling at 20th & Dickinson streets in 1904, where they met until 1945.
Some were commuting from western suburbs known as the Main Line, and as that number grew, a separate work started in Ardmore with the rental of the Merion Title Building in 1906, then rented an area at the center of Bryn Mawr in 1912, then they met 1913-1923 at a reading room at the public library, then their present location of 8 N. Summit Grove Avenue was acquired in 1923.
USCoRB indicated that in 1926 there were 116 in fellowship (50 men, 66 women) including 6 S.S. teachers presiding over 55 children (for a total of 171). The Hall was valued at $14,000 with $3,200 owed (and with $2,403 in annual expenses), and $708 was additionally spent towards the Lord's work that year.
Locations
- Merion Title Bldg., Ardmore 1906-1912
- rented area at center of Bryn Mawr 1912+
- Public Library Reading Room 1913-1923
- 8 N. Summit Grove Ave. 1923-present
Early Correspondents
- Hector Campbell @ Ardmore +1922+
- William George Ilott (1875-1945) +1926-1933+
- Samuel Martin 1940+
Also See
1906-present
Sources
- OB AB's
- Ancestry.com
- BMGH's website
