The following five churches and congregations constitute what is called “Somerset Circuit of the Evangelical Association of North America,” Rev. D. K. Lavan, pastor in charge, Rev. L. M. Boyer, presiding elder.
<a href=”articles.php?article_id=347″><u>Emanuel</u></a><br>
<strong>Pleasant Hill</strong> Church is situated three miles east of the town of Somerset. In 1870 a house of worship was built at a cost of one thousand dollars. Its present members number twenty-seven, while seventy children are sabbath-school attendants. It has been served by the same pastors mentioned in connection with Emanuel church. There seems to be no record showing when the church was organized, or who were among its original members.
<strong>Mount Zion</strong> Church, standing two and one-half miles northwest of the town of Somerset, was built in 1863. In 1881 it was repaired by an expenditure of fifteen hundred dollars. For many years before the building of the church, devotional exercises were held in private houses. The present members of the congregation number twenty-seven, and the sabbath-school scholars forty-five. Most of the pastors whose names are mentioned in connection with Emanuel church preached here, but we have failed to learn when the congregation was formed, or who were its first members.
<strong>St. James</strong> church, located three miles southwest of the borough of Somerset, has a membership of thirteen, while thirty-five scholars attend its sabbath schools. The house of worship was completed in 1873, at a cost of $650. The congregation has been served by a number of the preachers named in the sketch of Emanuel church, but there are no records to show when the organization was effected, or the names of original members.
<strong>Somerset</strong> church is located in the town of Somerset. The congregation was organized in 1877, by Rev. I. A. Smith. Among its original active members were Jacob Lenhart, William and Henry Shaffer. The present members are twelve in number, and twenty-seven children attend its sabbath school. The house of worship is a very old one. It was purchased from the Methodist Episcopal society, and remodeled in 1879, at a cost of twelve hundred dollars. Since its organization, this church has been served by pastors already mentioned. Revs. Boyer and Lavan are present residents of the town of Somerset.
(Source: History of Bedford, Somerset & Fulton Counties, PA; 1884)
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