History of St. Paul's Memorial Reformed Church, Pennsylvania

This history appeared in Morton Montgomery's 1908 edition of The History of Berks County, p. 1393.

Surnames; BAUSMAN, CREITZ

St. Paul's Memorial Reformed Church, Reading, Pa. St. Paul's Memorial Reformed Church came into being in response to the need of another English congregation in Reading. A constantly increasing number of members of the first Reformed Church desired an exclusively English service, and this fact led to the founding of St. Paul's Reformed Church in 1872, under the inspiring leadership of Rev. B. Bausman, D. D., who had become the pastor of the First Church in 1863. The First Reformed Church donated ground worth about $24,000 to their new daughter. This ground included the cemetery of the old First Church.

With a colony of 198 members Dr. Bausman left the First Church and became the pastor of the new enterprise. His election took place on January 6, 1873. The erection of the building was begun in the spring of 1871. The corner stone was laid on August 27th of the same year, and in August, 1872, the chapel was dedicated. The dedication of the completed church took place on Sunday, Feb. 15, 1874, almost three years after ground had been broken for its erection. In 1892 and 1893 the chapel was remodeled and enlarged at a cost of $15,000. The reopening took place May 7, 1893. The congregation has a plant valued at $125,000.

In 1900 Rev. C. E. Creitz became the assistant to Dr. Bausman, which position he held until Dr. Bausman's death, on May 8, 1909, shortly after which he was elected pastor of the congregation.

The congregation is fully organized for efficient work, having a Sunday-school, a Missionary Society, a Ladies' Society, a Young Ladies' Guild, a Christian Endeavor Society, and two benevolent organizations- a Brotherhood and a Sisterhood. The congregation has raised about $400,000 for various purposes. Nearly one-half of this amount has gone to benevolence. The church has helped nearly all the Reformed churches that have been built in the city during its history. The present membership is 900.

[Supplied by Rev. C. E. CREITZ]