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THE WRECK OF FAST FREIGHT NO. 83
By CARLTON E. FINK, SR.
As the rays of the oil headlamp fell upon the rails of the Philadelphia and Erie (now P.R.R.) bridge crossing Lycoming Creek, the boundary between Williamsprot and Newberry, Pennsylvania, William Connolly shouted at his companion, "My God Mike, look at the bridge." Michael Kanary, like most railroad men do, had been watching the engine which under a full head of steam and with throttle wide open was pulling the train at a speed of thirty-five miles per hour. Glancing down at the bridge, Kanary saw that the flood had washed away one of the piers; the remaining rails and ties sagged in the middle. At that instant the engine ran onto the eastern span of the four span, two-hundred foot bridge. Its headlight quivered for a moment, then disappeared. The roar of the waters was drowned out by a terrible crash and the searching of the brakes as the air pipe was broken and the brakes applied in emergency, clamping the wheels in a death-like grip. It was 6:00 a.m., Sunday, December 15th, 1901. Kanary, a brakeman for the New York Central, and Connolly, a brakeman for the Philadelphia and Reading in the Newberry Junction yards, had quit work at 5:40 a.m. and started for their homes in Williamsport. At the Lycoming Tannery, just west of the creek, they met William Turley, an engineer doing day duty in the Reading yard. Turley told them that they would have to cross the creek on the railroad bridge to reach the city. Looking down the track they saw the headlight of a train approaching. Kanary wanted to hurry and cross over ahead of the train but Connolly objected saying it was a fast freight and they had better slow up a little and let the train pass over before they crossed. The engine lay partially buried in the mud on the bottom of the creek in twenty-one feet of water. The cars kept tumbling, rolling on, one right after and over the other, until seven of them were piled on top of the engine. As they left the track they dropped the trucks and wheels from under their ends. Two others torn loose from the rest of the train were visible on its eastern span. The swirling, rushing, icy water closed over the engine; seven cars and the bodies of Engineer John Martz, fireman Frederick Glass and the head brakeman George Hartley who was substituting for the regular man on this trip. All other sounds were drowned out as the torrents rushed against the remaining piers, abutments, and submerged wreck with a sullen roar. The man were all married with families and had resided in Sunbury, Pennslyvania. For a moment Kanary and Connolly, stiffened by horror, stood still, then, fearing the cars might come tumbling down upon them, they ran back a short distance. When the silence told them there was nothing to fear, they ran back to the bridge. Connolly hurried the short distance to Good's Grist Mill. Fortunately there was a man at the mill, and calling across the race Connolly asked him to notify the yard office at Walnut Street, Williamsport. He then ran west on the track to flag any eastbound train. Remembering that the wrecked freight would have the right of way to Jersey Shore, thirteen miles to the west, and that the east-bound trains would be held at that point, he returned to the bridge. Kanary, being a railroad man, knew there would be three men on the engine. In the hope that one or more had jumped or been thrown clear, he crawled to the end of the span of the bridge still standing. Leaning out as far as he safely dared over that terrible gap, he called out. Hearing no other sound then that made by the water and feeling the span sway, he crawled back, reaching the abutment as Connolly returned. The conductor, Charles Harman, the rear brakeman and flagman were just settling down for the run to Jersey Shore when there was a sudden shock. They were thrown violently about in the caboose. The grind of the air brakes told them there was something seriously wrong or they would have never stopped with such fearful force. Bruised and cut from contact with the contents and sides of the caboose, they got up off the floor, grabbed their lanterns, lit them, and started out to investigate. The flagman headed back to protect the rear of his train. The conductor and brakeman moved forward along their train looking it over and wondering what could have happened to cause the emergency stop. They had no idea as to the trouble until they reached the swollen, turbulent stream. On the other side of the stream Connolly and Kanary, seeing lanterns moving about, called at the top of their voices, but the three could not hear them. After looking in vain for the slightest trace of their fellow crew members, they gave up the search and went to the yard office in the city with their sad news. The pressure of the current dislodged all but one of the cars, and free of trucks and wheels the cars floated down the creek crashing against the Philadelphia and Reading bridge two hundred yards below. As they pounded against the bridge they weakened it and moved it several inches making it unsafe for traffic. One of the cars lodged against a pier while five others slipped under the bridge and moved to the West Branch of the Susquehana River, a few hundred yards farther down stream. Kanary and Connolly, going to this bridge, saw the dangerous condition and from a booth located there telephoned the yard office at Newberry Junction, one mile to the west. They then crossed the creek on this bridge and went to their homes. Both men reported off duty that evening, as neither had been able to sleep that day. When the news of the disaster reached the railroad office, an engine and crew with railroad office was dispatched to the scene. The eastern span on which two cars sat had given away, and span and cars had disappeared. The remaining twelve cars were pulled back the mile an a half to the Williamsport Yard. The train was dubbed the "oyster train" because this time of year it was largely used for the shipment of oysters and fruit. On this trip the two head cars were entirely filled with oysters. No. 83 traveled at almost express train speed. The train was one of the fastest of its kind in the country. Because of various difficulties it left the Williamsport yard two and one-half hours late. It had been held there a short time due to heavy landslide at Hyner, Pennsylvania, forty-six miles west. The slide had delayed the "Midnight Express" due in Williamsport at 1:30 a.m. and the "Buffalo Flyer" due at 2:30 a.m. When it became known that these two fast passenger trains would not reach the city as early as expected, it was decided to advance No. 83 to Jersey Shore, twelve miles to the west, and running order to meet these trains at Jersey Shore was issued. When No. 83 passed the signal tower at Grier Street, Williamsport, the fireman waved his hand at the operator and shoveled more coal on the seething mass in the firebox. The engineer opened the throttle wider; the engine responding with hoarse puffs, and the train, cutting the cold dark air, raced toward the bridge and its doom. Had the two passenger trains, which were now running very close together, been released earlier at the point of the slide, it is more than likely that one of them would have hurled itself to the bottom of the creek carrying its sleeping and unsuspecting passengers to watery grave. The horror of such a calamity can hardly be imagined. Many living close to the creek had been up all night. William Berger, a sixteen year old lad, taking a lantern went up the tracks to the bridge to see how the creek looked. He saw some obstruction lodged against the bridge. It made an unusual noise as it bobbed up and down. Moving down the track toward the city he saw the headlight of the approaching train. He swung the lantern violently across the track but was not seen and the train roared past him. A minute later he heard the crash. Running to a telephone, he notified the Walnut Street yard office. Oysters being of a perished nature, and the railroad, having the salvage of the train and the rebuilding of the bridge on its hands, left their gathering to any one who wanted them. People came with every manner of conveyance and every imaginable container and carried them home. Many securing more than could immediately be consumed put them in barrels of ice water and fed them cornmeal. Oysters raw and prepared in many ways were eaten for quite some time by the industrious. Barrels of them were found along the river for many miles below the wreck. One farmer asked what the company proposed doing with them, saying by way of explanation that his boy had found a few, and he didn't want the boy to get himself in trouble. It was later learned that the boy had secured eight barrels of them. They were nearly all caught between the wreck and Muncy Dam, a distance of seventeen miles. The water at the site continued high for next ten days due to the flood in the river backing into the creek. When it dropped so that the engine was visible, it was seen that its entire front had been knocked off as it came in contact with the pier. Great scars were visible on the stones of the piers. The solid masonry had been hurled over by the impact of the engine's fall. As the materials for a new bridge at Queens Run were stored there, they were quickly loaded and moved to Williamsport. As the building of the bridge progressed, the engine was dragged to the east side of the creek and picked up. Thinking that perhaps the bodies of the men would be found floating down the river patrols were placed on all downstream bridges. A diver was employed to search the waters. The bodies of engineer Martz and fireman Glass were not found. Gravel was piled up several feet deep by the current just below where the engine lay and it was presumed that they lie buried there. Another disaster had been recorded in the history of American railroads. The End.
EARLY PRESBYTERIANISM
Bringing the gospel according to the Presbyterian system of belief to north central Penna. In early portion of the 18th century required a ceaseless missionary effort. Before, during, and even after the Revolution communities were sparsely settled. Where clusters of houses located there were of necessity forts, like Augusta, Freeland, Hoyt's, Brady's and the one at Antes Fort. The one fathermost west in our immediate area was at Lock Haven. Meginness says no one of these boasted a cannon for many years, were simply fortified stockades where women stayed while men dared to tend the fields or hunt always in danger of attack. The migration here came from two areas. To the south of Williamsport and in this area people came from Canada, New York and New England. There was a well traveled trail northward from here to Fort Ticonderoga and Fort William Henry on Lakes Champlain and George respectively. People struggled over roads which were merely well worn Indian trails, came along river banks or by canoe on the river branches, or over the mountain ridges. Later the roads would be broadened for ox-carts and lumber wagons-and with the great lumbering boom railroads inched up the broader valleys to haul logs. Earliest existence was eked out from farming the valleys along the main river. During the first century of this historical report however, mining developed to the north, and lumbering became the great occupation as men began denuding the hills of their virgin stands of timber. The times called for stout-hearted men. Those who dare to struggle for homes in a wilderness, to claim new lands, while often adventurous self-sufficient in nature are frequently also God-fearing men. Out of these grew the history of our churches. Wherever men threw up houses in sizable clusters, they shortly set up places of worship. Since many were Scotch origin, or Irish Protestant, they were likely to be Presbyterian in conviction. We must in a sense start about the year 1745 to indicate a time-span for tonight. Long before any claim could be made that Presbyterian was firmly established here, Rev. David Brainerd, the great missionary to the Indians, thrice visited the Susquehanna Valley. We know he was in the Lycoming Creek area in 1746 for he says he preached July 25th to Indians where the Sheshequin Path crossed the trail to the river about 2 miles east of Williamsport. In 1745 he had apparently preached at "Shamokin" which is now Sunbury; he says he was "kindly received but had little satisfaction by reason of the heathenish dance and revelry they held within the house where I was obliged to lodge. Chief Shikkalamy encouraged him however, and he did speak to about 50 Indians who were sober." Brainerd traveled on horseback, later afoot when his mount broke a leg in the "midst of this hideous and howling wilderness." For some general dates indicating slow advances being made let me mention: 1763 when the United Synod of New York and Philadelphia voted to answer the request that "some missionaries be sent to preach to the distressed frontier inhabitants and to report their distress, and to let us know where congregations are forming and what is necessary to be done to spread the gospel among them, and that they inform us what opportunities there may be of preaching the gospel to the Indian nations in the neighborhood." By 1770 ministers named John "Fighting Pastor" Elder; Tate' and Steel were assigned to the fort Augusta (Sunbury) and Fort Freeland (Warrior Run) area. Equally skilled in gospel and musketry these men often preached with a muzzle loader beside the pulpit. They had power to organize congregations; following their visits we begin hearing the names of Old Buffalo, Chillisquaqua, Warrior Run and Northumberland, from about 1774. Buffalo lists organization as 1773, but had supply speakers for its first 15 years. July 16, 1775 Philip Vicars Fithian preached in the original Warrior Run log church on the river bank in what is now the park at Watsontown. This church was never finished, burned down the Great Runaway of June 1778, and the church moved to a new building right in front of the present Warrior Run church which presbytery deeded to the Penna. Historical Society. Fithian, licensed by the first Phila. Presbytery November 6, 1774, had received honorable dismissal to labor outside its bounds April 4, 1775, as no vacancies in churches existed. He came up the Susquehanna as far as Bald Eagle (now Mill Hall) then turned southwest and traveled to Pittsburgh. Many intervening towns recorded his preaching in passing. The year 1776 saw a large emigration of people from New Jersey to Williamsport area according to meginness. Apparently some formal worship began in this area, for the Presbyterian Society of Lycoming Creek area was mentioned in a transfer of authorities 1786 from Donegal to Carlisle Presbytery. Previous to this time all Penna. Outside Phila. Was Donegal territory. It is worth nothing that during the revolution not a single member of Donegal was able to attend Presbytery for 3 years. In 1786 the Presbytery of Carlisle was formed out of western sections of Donegal. May 20, 1794 - eight years later-G.A. ordered, and on April 14, 1795 came into being in 15 central Penna counties (not the present boundaries), Huntingdon Presbytery, named for the Countess of Huntingdon a friend of Whitefield. Let me give you one more early date then return to this 1790 era. Sixteen years later, May 16, 1811. Northumberland was ordered formed; there had been requests as early as 1807. The area was beginning to show some population and adolescent churches. October 1, 1811 884 souls became the presbytery of Northumberland. It began "at the mouth of the Mahatango Creek, ran northwest to the west branch of the Centre and Lycoming County lines, leaving eastward Revs. Asa Dunham (Danville Mahoning) John Bryson (Warrior Run and Chillisquaque) Isaac Grier (then at Sunbury) John B. Patterson, Thomas Hood and their charges and the vacant churches of Great Island, Pine Creek and Lycoming." Typically Presbyterian they spent the first order of business drawing up a "system of rules, mainly concerned with the mechanics of the judicatory. The next was more interesting, called "the application for supplies." It resulted in appointment of Rev. John Bryson and Rev. Thomas Hood to bring in a draught of supplies. Men were assigned to vacant charges one Sunday a month. It would be reasonable to assume these special appointments were for the ministration of the sacraments, although later appointments specifically spelled out. In other words there were some traveling evangelists- the next item appointed Rev. Issac Grier and Rev. John B. Patterson to inspect the credentials of traveling ministers within the bounds of presbytery and to make their appointments. These men were licentiates from the seminary who were in training. Also Asa Dunham was assigned to spend as much time as possible in missionary effort within the bounds of the presbytery.
WILLIAMSPORT AREA To get into the development of churches around us we must go back to the 1776-1786 period. The N.J. emigration brought a large number of people into the vicinity. They were Scotch-Irish, whose Scot ancestors had settled in Ireland by the edict of James 1 of England. Much persecuted and dissatisfied great numbers emigrated starting as early as 1680, and pushed steadily up the Susquehanna to the unsettled lands. Reaching their destination along the West Branch at the mouth of Lycoming Creek they discovered it was disputed territory, claimed by both whites and Indians: by the purchase of 1768 Penn bought the "land lying westward of Tiadaghton Creek." The treaty availed nothing for peace for the wily Indians claimed Lycoming Creek was the water mentioned rather than Pine Creek (as later admitted). Attempting to avoid bloodshed Penn's proprietors proclaimed the land disputed territory reserved against settlement. But settlers had paid cash for land. They had titles, and found it advantageous to become squatters on the finest farming land of the area. Among these squatters was first Joseph Haines, then the Kings, Carothers, CaldWells, Hughes, Mahaffeys, Suttons, Griers, Hagerman, Hays, Updegrafs, Toners and others, names handed down until today within the Lycoming congregation. The names of charter members however are unknown. We mentioned work in the Lycoming Creek area in1786; one might conjecture occasional services of sorts for several years. We are told be Meginniss that James Cummings, James McMeens, Andrew Culbertson, William Culbertson and Judge William Hepburn attended here. Record exists that licentiate Isaac Grier stayed with Hepburn June 22, 1792, passed word around of preaching services and preached June 24. On June 26 he went to Pine Creek and repeated the announcement, preaching June 28, 1792. A bit of biography about him is pertinent. "A very correct classical scholar," he was born 1763 in Franklin County, studied under John Ross at Chambersburg, and graduated from Dickinson College in 1788 at age 25. Theological studies continued under Dr. Nesbit with licensure by Carlisle Presbytery December 21, 1791. He then spent 2 years in traveling missions (not unlike today's Mormons!) first from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh, then along both branches of Susquehanna and as far north as Ticonderoga. Note the time lapse in his history- events moved slowly because transportation and communications were slow and arduous. His first appearance was June 1792. October 3, 1792 Lycoming was organized. With Great Island and Pine Creek it offered a call to Rev. John Boyd; he considered it while, declined. On June 19, 1793 the church called Rev. Isaac Grier. Someone must have had to find him on the travels, for he accepted only by October 2, 1793. His ordination by Carlisle was not until April 9, 1794 when he was installed. The first church building 1792 or earlier was described as a quaint log building, which stood on the bank of the run. It had galleries in each end which were reached by flights of rough stairs on the outside. The pulpit was English type or the wineglass order, with a sounding board in front of the pulpit. Fire gutted it September 16,1816. This church had no means for heating, but nothing discouraged people from coming to this only church within 25 miles save Pine Creek. They came as far as Penndale (Pennsdale between Trout Run and Bodines). Two services were held regularly with a half-hour intermission for lunch. A stone building 66x60 ft. went up in 1817. The pulpit was elevated, stairs on either side, pews high, straight backed and very uncomfortable. It was very cold (Charistically Presbyterian). People apparently their own contractors and builders. Young men of the congregation dismantled it in 1850 when it was decided to rebuild using brick. The stones were used for a wall around the cemetery which is now Memorial Park. It is reported that Lindsey Mahaffey, nearest building committee member in the 1850 rebuilding often anticipated payments of pledges, kept work active and most of the work was done in 1851. This was a more modest 40x36 ft. building. It was dedicated June 2, 1854 with Rev. John H. Grier, a former pastor and then very old, preaching. On the site of the present sanctuary it faced east, had two stoves for heating, and was of colonial architecture. It cost $6,500.
WILLIAMSPORT FIRST For 40 years after Lycoming was organized it was the only point of Presbyterian worship in the area; people of what is now Wiliamsport proper had to travel to Newberry to worship. As the city developed back of the lumber mills and a business section expanded activity began to establish a congregation near the hub of the country seat. Distance was already beginning to be a factor in proper churching of communities (Paranthetically it is unfortunate more determined planning was not done from this very early era as is being done today by strategy committees). A church was organized February 23, 1833. Some 38 members of Lycoming living east of the creek had worshipped in the court house with supplies; their organization into a church took place in the Reno Post Hall GAR (just demolished) with Alexander Sloan, Andrew D. Hepburn, John B. Hall as elders. They obtained use of the German Lutheran and Reformed building for several years, and were supplied by Rev. D. M. Barber, Phileas B. Marr, and S. S. Shedden. By 1841 they bought the lot at corner of Market Street and Tom Alley which is now Willow Street apparently built immediately only to see that burn 1859. It was promptly rebuilt that year, for in 1860 the Synod of Philadelphia met there. The new building was to last until 1883 when the present church at Third and Mulberry was erected. One organizing elder should be singled out at this point: John B. Hall. By 1840 the Old School - New School theological controversy was beginning to heat up. He with 14 other people, mostly emigrants into the city from Western New York who were of New School sympathies, pulled out of 1st to organize in the old stone church.
SECOND CHURCH Of the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran congregation on E. Third Street December 12, 1840,. They also used the court house one year, then in 1843 dedicated in October a church on the corner of Market and West Fourth Street. Flood ruined it in 1865; it was rebuilt in stone by 1867. Floods of 1889 and 1894 caused havoc, and fire on February 14, 1897 gutted it. At that point it decided withdrawal was the better part of valor. The lot was sold to the Masonic order and is now the temple. The church moved to West Fourth and Center and became dedicated October 2, 1898 as the church of the Covenant.
THIRD CHURCH Second had storms within as well as from without, during part of its history. A mission under its auspices was organized into Third Church on May 3, 1869, a generation after its own organization. Sixteen people were charter members, 12 of them colonizing from Second. Be it said Second contributed heavily to erection of the "two-horned church" building, dedicated July 4, 1869. Rev. Abram Hawn was its first pastor. A parsonage, one of the earliest mentioned, was built next door for $4600-a large sum in that era. By 1892 Rev. Eliot C. Armstrong, one of the great names of Williamsport and presbytery, was pastor. One horn, or spire of this church was blown down by heavy winds in 1898. A few years later the other was removed to prevent accidents in future storms. Presbytery shortly thereafter recognized the strategic value of obtaining a better location close to the Campbell Street underpass which many people use to avoid Penna. R.R. crossings as they came from the Hill area to worship. Third rebuilt at 807-11 West Fourth Street where we are now meeting and changed its name to The Central Presbyterian Church. This was done after an exhaustive survey of the expanding city. In January 1924 a committee of ten from Central and Covenant made a further study which can be found detailed in Presbytery's minutes for that year, with the resulting merger of these two congregations as THE COVENANT-CENTRAL CHURCH. Rev. E. Everest Granger, pastor of Covenant, was called by the newly created congregation. It has had an illustrious succession of pastors during the past generation, whose ministers have been singularly connected with the Presbyterian Board of Christian Education. Rev. Ganse Little became chairman of General Assembly's committee. Rev. Frederick E. Christian has served as a member of the same committee. Rev. William A. Morrison, predecessor to the present pastor, our host of the evening Rev. Robert A. Allen, is now secretary of the entire board.
BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Until 1885 there was no Presbyterian church north of the Penna. Railroad tracks in the city proper, which effectively separated many residents from easy access to worship. Two mission efforts were begun which resulted in two petitions to presbytery to organize churches. One came from the First Findley Sunday School on Anthony Street. The superintendent was H. R. Laird, and the membership some 300 people. Presbytery denied this petition which was sponsored by some 18 people. However another from 46, asking to be organized as the Bethany Presbyterian Church was looked upon favorably, and on July 6, 1891 some 30 people with 2 elders were organized. The organizing committee was composed of Rev. J. D. Cook of Renovo, Rev. P. S. Kohler, Rev. I. M. Paterson and elder H. B. Hume. The Rev. L. C. Rutter, then serving Linden, was appointed moderator of the fledgling congregation. In 1892 a yoke was established between Bethany and Lycoming Centre church of Hepburnville that called Rev. Rutter to serve the two churches. On June 28, 1915 Rev. William C. Watson was called to serve this church which had built on Green Street just south of Louisa. He was one of the great saintly spirits of our community, and served the congregation until his retirement in January 1958. Thereafter the church was unable to call a pastor; it was placed under a commission in 1959 and dissolved January 19, 1960. The building was subsequently sold by presbytery to the church of the Nazarenes who had been worshipping in a dwelling on Campbell Street not too far distant.
NORTHWAY UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
In early years new congregations often came into being through the primary activity of old established congregations; Lycoming of Newberry, has "mothered" almost all the churches of the city and Linden, Bethel of Botle Rrun and Lycoming Centre of Hepburnville, not to mention churches at Trout Run and north of that village, which are no longer in existence. Today this practice no longer pertains. The denominations which cooperate through the Councils of Churches plan far ahead, agreeing not to establish competitive churches which would result in weakness for each worshipping group. Such is the case in Loyalsock Township. The Methodists were granted permission about 1949 to enter this rapidly expanding development, organized the Faxon-Kenmar church, and have grown steadily to sizeable strength. By 1953 it was evident there would shortly be room for another Protestant denomination. Comity was secured by presbytery from the Williamsport Council of Churches. Studies were made in cooperation with the Presbyterian Board of National Missions, and in 1958 permission granted to secure an organizing minister. The Rev. Kenneth N. Wood was called from seminary in July 1959. He established residence on Sheridan Street, gathered worshippers first in the Frye Lyon Dancing School hall, later in the Four Mile Drive restaurant, and the congregation was organized with some 117 members on January 3, 1960. Services continued on Four Mile Drive until a five-acre lot was bought on Northway Road and a fine first unit constructed for approximately $73,000. The church presently lists some 210 communicant members. These are the Presbyterian churches of Williamsport city. Time does not permit discussion of others near-by unfortunately, except to mention a few highlights. Lycoming Centre, Hepburnville, was organized in 1845 in Thompson's school house. It was not until the 1887-1895 era that the present church building was erected through the labors primarily of one man, Mr. George Taylor, an English immigrant stone mason, who cut stones on Bobst Mountain winters, and built the walls with a single helper during the warmer weather. December 15, 1895, a Sunday, was set for dedication. A special train was secured to bring people from Williamsport at $.26 each. The minister in charge noted that it would be a shame to dedicate a building with $3000 still owing, and continued to take offerings and pledges at the service until the dedication could be completed debt free. Lycoming Centre had its first full time resident pastor in 1958, has since built an educational wing. Linden, seven miles west, was organized by Lycoming members living outside the city, August 12, 1859 as "an old school" congregation. Andrew Stewart and Thomas Johnson were the first elders. This congregation is scheduled too become a single church pastorate in January 1965 for the first time. It is presently being served along with Allenwood by the Rev. Sinclair W. Reid. Bethel, on Bottle Run Road, started when members of Lycoming began worshipping in the school house under Rev. Alexander Henry in 1880. It was not until January 26, 1899 that formal organization was accomplished for 42 persons, with elders Christian Sholder and Joseph P. Bennett comprising the session. Rev. Charles Tevis, well known and beloved by the community served here from December 5, 1909 until November 1, 1916. Under his pastorate the brick building to which now has been added an educational wing, was dedicated March1, 1914. Bethel was established as a single church pastorate in 1960, when the Rev. John E. Clement was called from seminary. Earlier it had been served jointly with Montoursville, which had been separation for the same purpose in 1957. Missionary effort and evangelization never ends, as this talk must because of time. It is a continuous, on-going, and hopefully and expanding work. May God prosper the efforts of all our churches as together we seek to bring the gospel to every person.