The "The Story of Rev. William Augustus Muhlenberg: Preacher, Teacher, Community Leader & Romanticist - Part I" Story

Plaque that hangs on the south wall of St. James Episcopal
Church in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

It was an ordinary day.  Standing in St. James Episcopal Church in historical Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania taking a photograph of the marble plaque placed in the church to honor one of it's most famous and interesting ministers, Reverend William Augustus Muhlenberg.  He's the kind of minister that was probably courteous, interesting and welcoming to all who walked into St. James.  He filled the line in history as the 7th pastor of St. James.  His story is filled with accomplishments that boggles the mind of even the most learned person.  

Rev. William Augustus Muhlenberg

W.A. Muhlenberg was born September 16, 1796, the great-grandson of Henry Melchoir Muhlenberg who was known as the father of Lutheranism in America and the grandson of Frederick Muhlenberg, a member of the First and Second Continental Congresses and Speaker of the House of Representatives.   He and his sister were left fatherless at an early age so they lived with their grandmother in Philadelphia.  He attended the Philadelphia Academy and studied under Episcopal clergymen.  He and his sister then attended Christ Church in Philadelphia.  He graduated 3rd in his class from the University of Pennsylvania at the age of 18 and three years later was ordained by Bishop White who also admitted him to the priesthood on October 22, 1820 when he became the co-rector of St. James.  At the time church services were held only one Sunday a month and on Rev. Muhlenberg's first Christmas as a rector, only 150 people worshiped at St. James.  

1844 painting of the original St. James Episcopal Church.

At the time he wrote, "The apathy on the subject of education which prevails here is fearful.  I hope a better day is dawning. Happy shall I be if I am instru- mental in its progress."  And, instrumental he became.  He opened St. James Sunday School on May 27, 1821 with an initial enrollment of 50 pupils.  Soon it grew to 150.  The Sunday School was held in a two-story, 20'X28' wood frame building to the north of the church.  It was later rebuilt and enlarged and holds today's Sunday School where I, as well as my children, attended Sunday School.  Children were required to memorize scriptural passages, hymns and the church catechism.  

This photograph shows the current Rectory to the right
and the Parish House where Sunday School classes are
held.  I imagine the original wooden Sunday School
building would be where the Parish House is today.

Rev. Muhlenberg was the President of the Sunday School which by 1827 had 200 female class members with 20 teaches and 60 male class members with 14 teachers.  Rev. Muhlenberg was also interested in the education of the youth of of the city of Lancaster.  He had established the public school system in Philadelphia and now was doing the same in Lancaster.  A public school building for 600 was built for $10,000 on the southeast corner of West Chestnut and Prince.  It opened in September of 1823 and remained in the same location until the building became the city's Post Office.  The German community opposed the school since English was the language used in the school.  Rev. Muhlenberg visited the school often and instructed the teachers on teaching techiniques.  Muhlenberg selected a number of the older students and made then monitors who received special instruction from him and therefore held a higher rank in the school.  He also took two of the boy monitors to live in his home and who eventually became the first tutors at the Institute at Flushing, N.Y.  On July of 1825, General Lafayette visited the school and one of the tutors, J.B. Kerfoot addressed the French patriot.  That same boy later became the President of Trinity College at Hartford, Connecticut as well as the founder and first Bishop of the diocese of Pittsburgh.  Rev. Muhlenberg introduced a more efficient way of handling church money.  A salary was established for the organist at $125 a year and a salary for a choir soloist at $40 a year.  In 1822 Rev. Muhlenberg developed the Episcopal Missionary Society of Lancaster.  He then started regular services at Harrisburg which today is St. Stephen's Cathedral.  He began a Dispensary at St. James to help supply medical relief to the indigent.  As busy as this young man was, he still found time for a very interesting romance within the church's walls.  But, that's a story for tomorrow.  It was an extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.