Grace Gospel Chapel, Plumsteadville, PA

The Growth of a work of God in Bucks County, PA 1923-1953

Evangelistic Meetings 1923

In November, 1922, Bro. Chester Myers, then living in Plumsteadville, Pa., was burdened about the spiritual condition of folk living in the villages in that area. He had endeavored to spread the Gospel in every way that was open to him. Then he invited Mr. Harold Milton Harper, an Evangelist who was at that time preaching in the Germantown Gospel Hall, to come to Plumsteadville School House for a series of Gospel meetings.

Notices of the meetings were posted in various towns nearby. The meetings were to last for ten nights, prior to Thanksgiving Day. People attended in great numbers. The school house was packed to capacity. The Friday night services were set apart for Gospel Object Lessons, and to learn Gospel Choruses. It was deemed wise in view of the outstanding interest to continue these meetings.

Friends in Pipersville Chapel then desired to have the Gospel preached in their community. Here the “Two Roads” chart was used for two weeks. Then a week of meetings in the Gardenville Chapel followed, which brought the time to Christmas of that year. Mr. Harper had to leave for three weeks because of prior commitments but returned for a week of meetings in the Hilltown Township High School at Blooming Glen, then back to Plumsteadville School House for two weeks, Fountainville Chapel for a week, Danboro Chapel for two weeks, Point Pleasant Baptist Church for two weeks, and a week in the Perkasie New Mennonite Church.

Then the Ottsville Church building, which had not been used regularly for services for a long time, was made ready and two weeks of Gospel meetings were held therein. Services followed in the Mechanicsville Chapel, and Harleysville Chapel until the close of May, 1923. The Gospel of God’s grace was faithfully preached in these meetings and between seventy-five and one hundred precious souls learned their deep need for Christ and trusted Him as their Lord and Saviour. The meetings were made attractive by the singing led by Mr. Samuel Godshalk Detweiler and the Deep Run Male Quartette, from the Mennonite community, who never joined Grace but several of his children did.

Mennonite impact

From a Mennonite history book, "Maintaining the Right Fellowship: A Narrative Account of the Oldest Mennonite Community in America" by John L. Ruth:

"In the Doylestown-Deep Run region the challenge was focused in the advent of a young evangelist, one Harold Harper, a pleasant young graduate of Moody Bible Institute. Former Methodist Mahlon Gross, now a Mennonite preacher at Doylestown, had Mr. Harper as a houseguest. The young man preached earnestly in local chapels and schoolhouses, drawing quite a few Mennonites who were impressed by his evangelical messages, the enjoyable choruses he taught, his object lessons, and his encouraging teaching on "assurance of salvation".

The traditional Mennonite stress on humility, which had led people to say they "hoped" they were accepted by God through the work of Christ, was seen in the newer "evangelical" perspective to show a lack of faith. Now schoolchildren in the community discussed whether they were "saved". Several Mennonite preachers offered Mr. Harper their pulpits on a Sunday morning. Some members who had not been happy about the recent stronger Franconia Conference (forementioned in the book) requirements regarding the "bonnet" began to prefer Mr. Harper's fervent preaching to that of their own ministers. Even Mahlon Gross at Doylestown was drawn, for a while, by the attraction of Mr. Harper's "eternal security" emphasis.

These early 1920s were not a period of strong leadership among the Deep Run Old Mennonites. When Mr. Harper, who had earlier told his audiences to "leave your money at home," began collections to build a chapel of his own, his talk of being nondenominational was seen in a negative light by the more traditional people at Deep Run. Yet a number of Mennonites were making substantial contributions, and eventually about fifty joined the new "Grace Gospel Chapel" near Fountainville, including all but two of song leader Samuel Godshalk Detweiler and his wife Rachel Myers Detweiler (unfortunately Sam and Rachel were under pressure by the Mennonites to not join their children in joining the Assembly but here are the children who did join: Samuel Myers Jr. Detweiler (1912-1958) married Bertha Getshikofski Labs (1874-1961) Frank Myers Detweiler (1899-1988) married Mildred Frances Copenhaver (1907-1987) Wilmer Myers Detweiler (1905-1996) married Margaret Louise Crouch (1906-1980) Mabel Derstine Detweiler (1908-1998) married cousin Walton Detweiler or cousin Walter Detweiler Monroe Myers Detweiler (1902-2000) married Carrie Miller Leatherman (1903-1995) Carrie Myers Detweiler Tyson (1894-1960) married William Hockman Tyson (1893-1964)

The new group turned out to be identical in doctrine with the "Plymouth Brethren". Apparently before their new chapel was completed one of the new members, an elderly woman of the Deep Run Tyson family, died, and the funeral was held in the Deep Run Mennonite meetinghouse. Mr. Harper expressed his happiness that Mrs. Tyson had been saved. Minister Jacob Rush, speaking from the same pulpit a bit later, commented that she had been saved long before Mr. Harper had come to the community."  They were often referred to as "Harperites".  

Harold Harper bio excerpt

Interest Magazine: July-August 1993: There was a series of short bios of several pioneer workers, including Harold Milton Harper (1889-1963); Out of this is a Curley Hill testimony:

"From the beginning Harold knew the Lord wanted him in pioneer work. A series of meetings in Erie, PA, led to an assembly being planted there. In 1922 (sic), he went to Plumsteadville, PA, for two weeks of meetings which stretched into two years. He preached in every available public building in the area. Twenty-two believers remembered the Lord for the first time in a home and started the Curley Hill assembly."

Baptisms and Assembly Formation 1923

These newborn souls needed teaching, and it fell to the happy lot of our Bro. Chester Myers to unfold the Word of God to them. Bible classes were held in the homes of Harvey Huber and Mrs. Benjamin Snape, also in Danboro Chapel. These classes continued for some time. The Annual Thanksgiving Day Conference held in the Collingdale Gospel Hall was ever a time of deep spiritual refreshment. Ten autos filled with interested believers from this community attended this Conference. Many had learned the truth of Christian baptism from the Scriptures, and desired to be baptized. Nineteen believers were “buried with Christ in baptism” that evening. “And there was great joy in that city.” Fourteen of this number were:

• Harvey Hugh Huber (1896-1986) and his first wife Mabel Minerva Hackman Huber Yocum (1898-1987) • Arlington Funk Myers (1896-1977) and his wife Stella Hunsberger Gross Myers (1896-1955) • Margaret Faulkner Snape (1871-1960) • Howard Hockman Tyson (1902-1982) married Hilda Snape, daughter of Margaret. • Lloyd Hockman Tyson (1909-1978) • Monroe Myers Detweiler (1902-2000) and his (1926) wife Carrie Leatherman Detweiler (1903-1995) • Howard Welcome Detweiler (1908-1992) & his (1932) wife Helen Mae Lear Detweiler (1908-2000) • Wilmer Myers Detweiler (1905-1996) • Miss Mabel Derstine Detweiler (1908-1998), who married Walton Detweiler

Mabel, Wilmer, Monroe were among the five children of Samuel G. Detweiler that left the Mennonite Church to join Grace, also Sam Detweiler Jr. and Frank Detweiler. Sam's daughter Carrie Detweiler married William Tyson and raised five children in the assembly; Welcome and Walton Detweiler were brothers, the latter which was an elder in the assembly, another brother that died at 6, possibly Howard. Their parents were senior people in the Mennonite church that came to Grace, and influenced many others to transition: John B. Detweiler (1875- and Ella Myers Detweiler. John's parents were Ephraim Detweiler (1840-1922) and Elizabeth Bryan Deweiler (1838-1918). Ella's parents were Cornelius Myers (1839-1906) and Anna Wismer Myers (1841-1926).

A number expressed their desire to know the truth of gathering alone in our Lord’s Name. A meeting was arranged in the Fountainville Chapel in which the Scriptures were considered relative to this important truth. Then on December 16th, 1923, twenty-two believers sat down to remember the Lord Jesus in accordance with the Word of God, seeking to carry out the divine order of the church as contained therein, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Much persecution because of this followed. Some of these believers had to leave their homes because of the intensity of the persecution. But “they continued steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in the breaking of bread and prayers.” (Acts 2:42) The Lord sent many of His servants to help forward the work in this new center of Testimony. For a time Bro. Chester Myers continued studies in the Scriptures using the Scofield Bible Course as a basis of study. Then Mr. Alfred Perks Gibbs (1890-1967) came along using his slides on Pilgrim’s Progress.

The first Bible Conference was held in Fountainville Chapel using Bro. Harold Harper’s tent for the dining room. Such gifted teachers of the Word as Alfred Mace (1854-1944), George L.  Aldrich (b. 1861), Alexander Neil O’Brien (1864-1942), Talbot Burton Nottage (1885-1972), Berlin Martin Nottage (1888-1966), Alfred Edward Ainslie (1905?-), Robert Spencer  Burleigh¹ (1876-1933), and Frederic Charles Jennings (1847-1948), came from time to time to help forward this work in those early days.

During the summer months open air meetings were conducted in Doylestown, Stockton, New Hope, Lansdale, Quakertown, Sauderton, Telford, Milford, Perkasie and Point Pleasant whereby the Gospel message was faithfully preached.

Also a class for the young people was conducted on the first and third Saturday evenings of each month during the winter, when open air meetings could not be held. These proved a source of growth in spiritual value and a means of developing gift among the young. Fellowship from these meetings were sent all over the world to missionaries and Christian workers.

In Fountainville Chapel and nearby places our brethren, Frank Moyer Detweiler (1899-1988), Harold Lee Jones (1903-), David Astley Blackburn (1888-1932), August Martin Hasse (1903-1943) and others made known the Gospel in simplicity and in power and precious souls were saved and added to the Lord and to the Assembly. August Hasse also did Gospel meetings in 1940 at Cedar Crest Community Church, in Mount Union, PA.

Chapel Building 1928

In May, 1928, it was decided to build a new Chapel on the Easton Highway. Grace Gospel Chapel was erected and the Assembly designated as a “Testimony to our Lord Jesus Christ”. The Chapel formally opened in January, 1929. Special meetings have been held therein from time to time, and the Annual Conference established on Memorial Day, which has continued until the present time.

Memorial Day Conferences 1928-1953

See Grace Gospel Chapel Curley Hill Memorial Day Conference to read Conference reports from 1928-? as available.

Other Visiting Ministry

1932: Light & Liberty: Philadelphia, PA

"Harold St. John spent a considerable time in and around this city at Mascher Street, Collingdale, and Curley Hill. Meetings were very much enjoyed. He is now in Washington, D.C. Charles Innes had a week for believers in Mascher Street. Helpful to all. He is now in Bryn Mawr, PA. Our brother Young was in the West Side Gospel Hall. Bro. Hunter is in Olney, and James Waugh is expected in Mascher Street on Oct. 16th.

1932: Light & Liberty: David Blackburn obit

See David Astley Blackburn (1889-1932)

1932: Light & Liberty: David Blackburn & Frank Detweiler

December: "Finished their tent meetings in Johnson City, TN the early part of October. Seven professed salvation. They had two weeks in Lansdale, PA with little to encourage. Went to Grace Chapel, Curley Hill, PA and Bro. Detweiler has sought to carry on alone since Bro. Blackburn's sudden home call. One has professed to be saved.

1937: Light & Liberty: George M. Landis & Harold M. Harper

"George M. Landis has been ministering the Word in the assemblies at Allentown, Bethlehem, Curley Hill, and Erie, PA., and in Somerville, Boston (Cliff St.) and New Bedford, MA."

"Harold M. Harper is now at Reading, PA., following the Greenwood Hills Conference. He plans to have two weeks in teh Gospel at Curley Hill, PA., following the reading meetings. He will value help in pryaer.

1938: Light & Liberty: Harold G. Mackay & Frank Detweiler

"H.G. Mackay & Frank Detweiler began gospel meetings in Curley Hill, PA., on Lord's Day, January 9th. In spite of wintry weather there has been an encouraging start made, and they are crying to God to grant a real time of blessing, with precious souls won to Christ. The prayers of the Lord's people are earnestly requested for this effort.

1943: Assembly Annals: North Carolina

April 1943: "The Lord gave a happy time in Winston-Salem recently, during a five week series when some fifteen professed and others were helped. The assembly as a whole received a real lift. Attendance on Sunday night reached 335 and the interest was excellent throughout.

Bro. Mackay had a profitable visit to Raleigh. He also visited Newport News and Curley Hill, PA. The work in Greensboro was helped and souls saved at meetings held by brethren Halliday and Brown. The work at Burlington goes on nicely under the care of Ernie Gross. Bro. Lester Wilson who sends the report expects to start in Raleigh on March 14th.

1945: Light & Liberty: Henry Armerding

June 1945: Henry Armerding, Princeton Ave., Westfield, NJ: D.V., Bro. Armerding plans to spend the month of June around Eastern PA and NJ. Meetings planned in PA will be Boyerton, Curley Hill, Pottstown and Altoona.

July 1945: Henry Armerding, Princeton Ave., Westfield, NJ: I have just returned from a series of meetings at Shamokin, PA, where the Lord not only gave real liberty but good interest. My visit there was both timely and blessed of the Lord. About three weeks ago I returned from my visit to NC where I spent one month with our brethren Lester Wilson and Harold G. Mackay. The interest there was excellent. My time here is well taken up with meetings scheduled at Plainfield, Middlesex, Elizabeth, Jersey City, and Dumont, N.J., and at Boyertown and Curley Hill, PA. After these visits I hope to again head westward to AZ among the Indians.

1945: Welcome Detweiler commendation in Light & Liberty

Curley Hill, PA, February 6, 1945

To the Christians gathered to the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ: We commend to your loving care and fellowship our Brother, H. Welcome Detweiler, of Perkasie, PA, who has manifested real devotion to Christ and an earnest desire to win the lost to Him. He has been a faithful teacher in the Sunday school and in all the gospel activities he has always been a great help, both here and in the surrounding districts and assemblies.

His wife is well qualified to assist him in his labors. The Lord has definitely laid upon their hearts the desire to devote their full time to His work and has directed them to Durham, N.C.

May your prayers and fellowship be their continual portion so that many might be saved through their labors and that real testimonies to our Lord Jesus Christ may be the result as they seek to serve Him.

• Clarence J. Loux
• Samuel Y. Godshalk
• Oliver M. Landes
• William H. Tyson
• Howard Tyson
• Monroe M. Detweiler
• Arlington F. Myers

1946: Letters of Interest: Alfred P. Gibbs

April 1946: Alfred P. Gibbs, 5829 W. Ohio St., Chicago 44, IL; "I have been in Appleton, having two weeks of well attended meetings in "The Pilgrim's Progress". The hall was filled each night in spite of the snow, and there seemed to be a good interest in the Word. I am hoping to be East for several months with meetings (D.V.) at Curley Hill, and Philadelphia, PA., Providence, R.I., Yonkers, N.Y., and Plainfield, N.J., mostly for young people. It certainly is encouraging to see the girls and boys, and old folks too, coming out, and best of all to see a few being saved and going on for Him."

1947: Light & Liberty: Frank Detweiler

July 1947: Frank Detweiler, R. 1, Chilhowie, VA: "Purpose pitching my tent in Marion in July when Bro. Bramhall expects to give me help. Hope also to pitch tent near Marion in June in a thickly settled community upon returning from the annual conference at Curley Hill, PA. May 21st.

1948: Light & Liberty: James F. Spink

Feb 1948: Curly Hill, PA: James F. Spink commences two weeks Gospel meetings on Jan. 18.

1948: Letters of Interest: Alfred P. Gibbs

June 1948: "Alfred P. Gibbs had good meetings at Curley Hill, PA. He is now at Baltimore, MD.

1949: Letters of Interest: King's College

The vice-president of King's College in New York (The King's College), William Jelley III, gave two reports in Letters of Interest on an assembly they planted on campus in 1948, one of which referenced Curley Hill. Click on the preceding link for additional history:

"At 10 a.m. each Lord's Day, members of the faculty and student body of this school who are from various assemblies meet to remember the Lord in one of the classrooms, one hour before the preaching service in the college chapel. Attendance varies from 10 to 33, depending on the number of students remaining on the campus.

In fellowship are young people from assemblies in: St. Louis, MO; Philadelphia, Curley Hills, PA; Elizabeth, NJ; Staten Island, NY; Greensboro, NC and Florida. Some believers from the neighborhood also come. The meetings started at the beginning of the school year last September. A hearty welcome is extended to any of the Lord's people who are in the vicinity on the Lord's Day."

1950: Letters of Interest: Clarence J. Loux

December 1950 of Letters of Interest, the Curley Hill Grace Gospel Chapel correspondent Clarence J. Loux gave the following report:

Bro. L.T. Chambers has just completed two weeks of meetings, using the model of the tabernacle. Interest and attendance were very good. Many Christians from the community and from assemblies shared with us the rich ministry.

Bro. R.J. Reid is to be here November 12-17 and Bro. John Bramhall, November 19-22. The Sunday school is very encouraging. The hall was filled for a series of special children's meetings. The assembly has purchased a large tract of land on the highway and hopes to build when conditions permit."

1950: Light & Liberty: Harold M. Harper

Harold M. Harper, Wheaton, IL "I had a happy time in the Maplewood Assembly, NJ during May. The Lord gave blessing to His people and a number of unsaved ones trusted Christ, for which we give thanks to our God. I then went to Hinton, W.V., for their summer Bible Camp, where about 10 young folks professed faith in Christ. I then gave help at Curley Hill, PA, Sturgis, MI, and Brookville, PA. At the latter place is a group of believers seeking to gather in our Lord's precious name.

1952: Letters of Interest: R.J. Reid

January 1952: Letters of Interest: the following ministry report was given: R.J. Reid, 205 Harding Ave., CLifton, NJ: "Bro. Reid recently held meetings in Baltimore. He found there two assemblies especially where a decided endeavor is being made among children. Also he contacted a group which is apt and faithful in the distribution of tracts. In Curley Hill, PA., Bro. Reid also ministered the Word, chiefly emphasizing the gracious character of God.

1954: Light & Liberty: Grace Gospel Chapel (Curley Hill)

April 1954: 5 miles north of Doylestown, PA: The 31st annual conference scheduled for Decoration Day, May 30 has been postponed, and will be held on completion of the new chapel. The date will be announced as soon as possible.

1956: Light & Liberty: Edgar Ainslie

May 1956: Edgar Ainslie, 817 N. Chauncey Ave., West Lafayette, IN, has been at Curley Hill Gospel Chapel and Chambersburg, PA, for meetings, also Hagerstown, MD. Prayer will be valued for physical strength and eyesight to carry on for God.

1973: Interest: Melvin G. Wistner

February 1973: Interest: Melvin G. Wistner writes, "This has been another busy fall, especially in children's campaigns. In Silverton, N.J., we had the joy of seeing decisions for the Lord every night. In Andover, the attendance grew from 110 to 216 with 13 professions to receive the Lord. The greatest response was in Curley Hill, PA., where the attendance went from 233 to 300, with decisions for the Lord every night. Sandwiched between these and other childrens' meetings in other places, where ministry meetings to various assemblies in the greater NY metropolitan area." written on December 20th.

1975: Interest: Robert Harper

May 1975 of Interest: Robert Harper, 229 Cherrywood Dr., Maitland, FL 32751: "I am looking forward to the privilege of ministering for a week in the assembly where I was born and raised for eleven years. I leave on Friday to go to Curley Hill, PA to speak at Grace Gospel Chapel the week of March 16." Written on March 7th.

Missions 1928-1953

Faithful missionaries sought to stir up interest in fields afar such as Edwin S. Gibbs, J.A. Clarke, Crawford Tilsley, Jno. McGeehee, Louis Montalvo, and Leonard Bewick.

A Women’s Missionary Class was active through the years. Garments and quilts were made and sent to missionaries in many fields. Fellowship from this class has been a means of sharing with these workers what the Lord had generously supplied.

Special Services

Being without a baptismal tank, open air baptismal services were held each summer in Pine Run Creek, also in the creek on the John B. Detweiler farm, and in the creek under the bridge near the William Tyson farm. Happy times were had on these occasions, when many believers were buried with Christ in the symbolic waters of baptism.

A number of weddings have been held in the Chapel from time to time, when on such happy occasions, believers were united together in holy wedlock.

Many of our number have passed on to be with the Lord. Their funeral services were held in the Chapel, where the Gospel was preached and words of comfort were given to those who attended. Perhaps the largest funeral was that of our Bro. Charles Eichlin, at which time it was estimated that six hundred people were present. Their bodies lie in Doylestown, Fountainville, Plumsteadville, and Nockamixon cemeteries.

Other Commended Workers 1928-1953

During these years of testimony, the Lord has saved many precious souls, who in obedience to the Word were baptized and added to the Testimony, until around one hundred are now in happy Christian fellowship. It has been their privilege to commend to the work of the Lord in other parts our Bro. Frank M. Detweiler, now laboring in Virginia and our Bro. and Sis. Welcome and Helen Detweiler, now laboring in Durham, North Carolina. Also included are our Bro. and Sis. John and Eleanor Schultz, now laboring in China. We thank God for the privilege of commending them to the work of the Lord.

Statistics 1953

As we look back over twenty-five years of Testimony unto Christ in these parts we cannot help but exclaim, “What Hath God Wrought?” as we see the well conducted Sunday School with a weekly average of 150 persons in attendance, the worship meeting with an average of 100 persons in attendance, and the Gospel meeting with an average of 125 in attendance. A weekly meeting for prayer and Bible study is carried on, with a yearly Conference with an average attendance of four hundred. Brethren, pray for us.

Other Alumni

• Ruth Stiefler's great grandfather was Benjamin Landis that married Eliza Detweiler, he died in 1905.  Ruth was born in 1935 in fellowship at Grace Gospel Chapel, leaving at 1953 to go to nurse's training at Wheaton College, and returned in 1962 until 1975, including while working at CMML on the missionary prayer handbook (1966-1975).   She remembers a time where there were at least 200 in fellowship.  

• Oliver Moyer Landes (1880-1970) and his wife Annie M. Trauger Landes (1884-1964) left the Mennonites initially for the Pipersville Chapel, and soon for Grace Gospel Chapel.  They raised thirteen children in the Assembly, of which at least three stayed throughout much of adulthood.   See Oliver's bio for more info.

Sources

• History of the Assembly of Christians at Grace Gospel Chapel (1953)
  • Curly Hill, Bucks County, PA (presently Plumsteadville)
  • Courtesy of Jay Heacock, October 2018
• Condensed version found in History of Some Assemblies of Christians in the United States and Canada by Robert L. Peterson evidently sourced from the earlier history.
• 1: Robert Spencer Burleigh's obit found in Light & Liberty: June 1933;
  • A medical attendant at the end of Henry Craik's life was also named Mr. Burleigh
• Other sources are notated within the body of the text
• Ancestry.com consulted heavily
• Many back issues of Light & Liberty, Letters of Interest and other Brethren magazines were used.