St. Paul’s Evang. Church Is Closed

After serving this community for the past sixty-two years, services were discontinued In St. Paul's Evangelical church, Second and Washington streets. The current depression and the fact that most of the members are located in other communities, has been the cause for this action. The burden became too great and as a result, there will be no more services in this church.

The church property; which includes a frame structure and parsonage belongs to the East Pennsylvania Conference of the Evangelical church which has assumed all obligations. The property may eventually be sold.

An interesting history attaches to the denominations in the slate borough. The first services of the congregation were held in a hall on Lower Main Street. Up to 1865, the local church was a part of the Lehigh and Northampton district. The first preachers were: Rev. F. Hoffman, Rev. George T. Haines, Rev. William Yost and Rev. Moses Dillinger.

These early records, vividly recalled by W. W. Bowman, Lower Main St., one of the many faithful members of the congregation, reveals that the first edifice was erected in 1870 and Slatedale and Slatington were then made one charge. The building was remodeled twice. During the existence of the congregation, the following preachers served this community: Rev. Moses Dillinger, Rev. J. C. Bliem, Rev. George W. Gross, Rev. A. S. Kline. Rev. George Specht, Rev. Robert Newhard, Rev. John Craver, Rev. A. Yotter, Rev. A. E. Williams, Rev. C. C. Moyer, Rev. N. L. Bechtel, Rev. I. F. Bergstresser, Rev. B. L. Romberger, Rev. Paul Taylor, Rev. W. F. Savidge, Rev. F. Doerstler, Rev. L. A. Werner, Rev. B. Schlenker, Rev. A. E. Williams and Rev. James Howsare.

In 1874 the services were in German only, and the transition to the English language. which was then preached, exclusively, also presented difficulties among the older members of this congregation. In 1903 the enrollment in the Sunday school was 160. During the administration of Rev. Kline, the parsonage was built.

When the conference met recently, Judge Rev. W. K. Kauhler, Catasauqua, was assigned to the church in conjunction with his Catasauqua charge. Eventually it was decided to abandon the local church. The present membership numbered about forty.

Source: The Slatington News, 19 May 1932

[The Slatington Woman's Club from 1940 to 1989, bought the building on the northeastern corner of East Washington and North Second Streets in May 1940 from the Evangelical Church for $1,800.]

postcard view of the Evangelical Church.