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During the "seventies" of the nineteenth century a little group of earnest, faithful Christians met on the second floor of a saddler's shop in the village of New Texas. This class of Methodists met under the leadership of the Reverend Adam Black and class leader Hiram McVey. As they grew in faith and in numbers, a rough, rude building was erected in which to hold their worship services. This building was called "Happy Hollow Chapel" and was located on the road from New Texas to Pleasant Grove, about midway between the two. It is not known how the place came to be called "Happy Hollow," unless it was because those that worshipped there gave abundant evidence of being joyful Christians. This class was attached to the Fulton Methodist Circuit which at this time was comprised of Mount Hope, Wesley, Mount Zion, and Bethel. About 1884, after a class formed at Quarryville was united with Mount Hope and Wesley and formed the Quarryville Circuit. The Fulton Circuit was then composed of Mount Zion, Bethel and the little church which had become Pleasant Grove. The Reverend A. F. Taylor was pastor of Fulton Circuit then. He was succeeded by the Reverend C. B. Johnson who served three years. Pastor Johnson was sent to Quarryville for three years and later was returned to Fulton for four years. Pleasant Grove was erected in 1887 during Pastor Johnson's first tour of duty on the charge, on land that was donated to them by the Honorable James Black, a lawyer of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is in-teresting to note that Lawyer Black, who was the first candidate for the Presidency of the United States on the Prohibition Ticket, often worshiped with this earnest group of Christians. Another famous person to worship with those people was Doctor Stokes, the first president of Ocean Grove Camp Meeting.
Pleasant Grove and Mount Zion comprise the Fulton Methodist Circuit since Bethel was removed from it about 1910 and united with Mount Hope and Wesley. The congregation at Pleasant Grove has had many "ups and downs" in the eighty-one years of its existence. Its membership has never been very large and recently has averaged about 100 souls.
In 1919, additional land was purchased to add to the cemetery. A bell was purchased and hung about 1926 during the pastorate of the Reverend O. H. Wenger, and electric lights were installed about 1934 while the Reverend William Steck served as pastor. A well was drilled in 1936, and the latest improvement was installation of hardwood floors and lowering the ceiling, using accoustic tile to finish that project.
Thanks to "Hurricane Hazel" in 1954, several windows were blown out and at that time a large stained glass window depicting "The Good Shepherd" was placed in the east side of the church.
Pleasant Grove is one of the churches in Southern Lancaster County that conduct the Rawlinsville Camp Meeting each summer in the Camp Grove not far from Quarryville.
At the present time the Reverend William Harner is serving in this field of Christian endeavor. Early History of Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal Church 1880-1 HH8 In the late part of the year 1880, The Reverend Adam Black a local preacher on the Fulton Circuit, held a series of meetings in the sadler shop of William Thomas Swift, situated in the village of New Texas. Father Black did most of the preaching and the Pastor of the Circuit, the Reverend J. A. Cooper, came down from Quarryville to preach occasionally, when a class was formed of new converts and Method. ism was established.
It was agreed to look for other quarters, as the present room Wss too small to hold the people who came to hear the Gospel. TIll' members of the class now were fifteen or more. The,y finally de'c_led to build the building called the Tabernacle, on a piece of rocky ground between two small creeks about 300 yards west of the public road leading from Pleasant Grove to New Texas, about one half mile south of New Texas. This land was owned by the Honorable James Black of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The building was built of rough boards placed upright and weather stripped, with a shingle roof, set without foundation. It was set on a rough cornerstones, end toward the public road, with only a door and three windows on each side to furnish light. Heavily made benches had a back rest. The Altar was a flat board bench placed in front of the Pulpit. The lights were coal oil lamps and lanterns. The stove was a big cannon type, placed about six feet back from the mourners' bench in the aisle. No carpet, no cushions, and no organ were there. Here we worshiped God, in a church very hot in summer and very cold in the winter. The congregation walked mostly from one to five miles, often twice on Sunday, through mud and snow and often rain, during extra revival service. Now our singing would shock any of our modern Methodist of today. None of us knew a single bar or scale of music, but we all had voices and we made up in volume what we lacked in musical education. We sang with the Spirit and with all our might. We had no hymnals. We used the Garner, Ouiver and The Ark of Praise and many homemade songs and choruses. This perhaps caused us to be known as the Happy Hollow crowd. But the Holy Spirit was usually present with power to convert sinners and sanctify believers, because we had brought all our tithes into the storehouse. See Malachi 3: 10.
The officers at this time from 1883 to 1884 were the Reverend F. M. Brady, Pastor of Fulton Circuit; Adam Black, local preacher; Hiram McVey, class leader and exhorter; and Silas Jamison, class leader and exhorter. Trustees were: McVey, Reed, Jamison, Ross and Finnefrock.
In the spring of 1885, we started to build a real church without money, for we were all poor. But we had a willing mind and some faith. After careful study of locations, we accepted a lot of one acre of land from the Honorable James Black, and erected the present building, known as Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal Church. It was dedicated October 16, 1887 (I think) with C. B. Johnson, Pastor, and Reverend William Swindells P. E. presiding. We borrowed an organ for the occasion, and Mr. Reese McDowell led the singing, which was ably done. Many of those who were present that day have since crossed the tide, and only a few of us remain. Those now living are the Reverend Hiram McVey, Greenwood, Delaware; Silas Jami-son Strasburg, Pennsylvania; Mrs. Sarah Stier Hanna, Mary Spence, Lindsay Sprout, his wife Annie, all living in the neighborhood; and R. C. Linton, Manassas, Virginia.
Former Pastors prior to 1886 were the Reverend John A. Cooper, Frederick Brady and the Reverend Alfred Taylor.
Respectfully submitted-R. C. Linton-Manassas, Virginia a member-1884-1888.
Converts at New Texas 1881 to 1882
Hiram and Lizzie McVey David H. Reed Silas Jamison William and Amanda Swift Samuel Finnefrock Resin Ross and wife, Jane Ellen Ross Mary Ross Ella Ross Mary Jane Brown Elmer Stier Sarah Stier
And some I do not remember. These formed the membership who built the Tabernacle at Happy Hollow. To these were added the following in 1884:
The Samuel McVey family of 5 Charles McVey The Harrison Spence family of 3 John Redman The Michael Hevey family of 4 Amanda Culderson The Abram Ross family of 4 Isobel Reed The Garnor Ross family of 4 Sallie Reed The McGarvey Ross family Campbell Clark and Nettie and Will Jamison 2 daughters and son George Will Booth Lindsay Sprout Harvey Flaharty John Trimble and wife Ed Pierce and wife Annie Fulton John Barts and wife Lizzie Fulton R. C. Linton Addie Brown and sister
There are others whom I have forgotten. Only the full members were named on the application for the Charter for the new church. The first convert in the present church was Rankin Hambleton. Then came the Fugrahan, Kidd, Overly, Carroll and others. (See church record).
This statement only covers the years from 1881 to 1888 in which I was a member, as I transferred my membership to Quarryville Church, April, 1888. If I have made any errors in this, kindly charge them to lapse of memory.-R. C. Linton
The following are some reminiscenses of Fulton Circuit as given by the Reverend C. B. Johnson at the monthly meeting of the Lancaster County Ministers (Methodist) Association, June 15, in Pleasant Grove Methodist Episcopal Church.
Fulton Circuit as we first remember it back in the seventies of the last century, had four churches: Mount Hope, Wesley, Mount Zion and Bethel. Some of its pastors were: the Reverends Snowden Thomas, C. C. McLean, S. H. Reisner, L. D. McClintook, J. A. Cooper and F. M. Brady. The circuit was divided during Mr. Brady's pastorate. A class formed at Quarryville was attached to Mount Hope and Wesley. This was named Quarryville Circuit. A Class organized near New Texas was attached to Mount Zion and Bethel. This retained the name Fulton Circuit. The new formation took place in 1884. In the spring of 1885 we succeeded the Reverend A. F. Taylor as pastor of Fulton. We found our people in the lower part of the Circuit wor-shipping in a little chapel, rudely constructed, and situated about half way between Pleasant Grove and New Texas. You had to leave the main road and go about 500 yards through a small grove and up a little stream of water to reach "Happy Hollow Chapel" as it was called. We remember on one occasion conveying our presiding elder, Doctor William Swindells, along that road, and calling his attention to the little chapel, which was not beautiful for situation. He looked at it for the first time and then said, "If I were to preach there, I should take this for a text, 'How dreadful is this place.'"
We do not know who first dubbed it "Happy Hollow."_ The probability is that the name was given because the people who worshiped there gave abundant evidence of being joyful Christians. They could sing and pray, and some of them could even preach. All were glad when it was said to them, "Let us go into the house of the Lord."' We do not recall that Dr. Swindells ever preached there. However, later he presided at the cornerstone laying of the new church at Pleasant Grove. But we do remember that Dr. Stokes, the first President of Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association, preached one Sabbath morning in that little chapel. An occasional worshiper with us there was the first Prohibition candidate for the presidency of this nation. That was the Honorable James Black, a lawyer of Lancaster. He owned a farm or two in Fulton Township and gave ground for Pleasant Grove Church and cemetery. On the corner adjoining the field west of the church stood the Black Barren Springs House, some-what of an attraction for summer boarders. This in a measure explains Dr. Stokes' presence with us in the little chapel services. Let us look for a few moments at the man who organized the little class which grew into a comparatively strong and active society, so much, indeed, that it was found necessary to move up to higher ground and build the house of worship now occupied. His name was Adam Black. He was born in 1804 near Fairfield. So as far as we know, he was not related to James Black, to whom reference has already been made, any more than both were sons of the first Adam and followers of the second. In this sense one may say they were brothers. As to the outward man, Adam Black stood midway between six and seven feet in height and was of powerful frame. And at four score years and five he was capable of great physical endurance. Concerning spiritual things, he was a man of great faith. In Hebrews 11 : 27 it is said of Moses that "he endured, as seeing him who is invisible" or as Luther puts it in his German translation, "He held on to him whom he saw not as though he saw him." Thus it may be said of this man of God. He was an earnest, consistent Christian and had a rich experience. He turned from the world in early life and united with the Presbyterian Church. A few years later he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church and in year 1860 was licensed to preach. He did a good work in this section of the country. Wherever he went the poor had the Gospel preached unto them, and more than the common people heard him gladly. To many that were sick he went with the healing Word, and with that Word he comforted the bereaved when burying the dead. A part of this section was what might be called "valley of dry bones."' Father Black went down into this valley with a message for the people. He held prayer meetings in the homes and even requested and was granted the privilege of offering public prayers in the neighborhood hotel bar room. Then there was begun the building of the outward framework: the people were brought together to hear the message-the meeting had the form of church organization-there was the neglecter of religion, a churchgoer or perhaps an intelligent critic of sermons. But what about the life? For there is many II nominal Christian, and many a churchgoer like a corpse' bone's, sinews and flesh, but no life. The Holy Spirit made His presence felt in those meetings, and upon those hearts of men and women, regenerating them, so that they stood upon their feet, a part ( a small part, it is true) of the exceeding great army God has on earth and in heaven.
Many of the new converts stood well-they grew in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Saviour, and could give a reason for the hope within them. At this time, we may be allowed to make mention of these: D. H. Reed, a brother beloved, sunny, sympathiz-ing and greatly helpful. How we miss him! R. C. Hambleton, Daniel-like in prayer-"three times a day." Hiram McVey is the one who is well remembered. Many know him as a local preacher who served many charges in our Annual Conference as supply. He was and is a student of the Word. Wakefield's "Christian Theology" was in his local preacher's course of study, and he seemed to have mastered it.
He is now living among the people called Methodists in the state of Delaware. We shall never forget a remark he made in his address of the funeral services of Father Black, which were held in Mount Zion Church. A number of ministers had come to the church from Rawlinsville Camp Meeting, among them were F. G. Coxson and the venerable W. W. McMichael. Several addresses were made. Brother McVey had this to say about his spiritual father: "Adam Black was the best man that ever lived in this community." We have never heard of anyone disputing that claim.
Father Black was quite successful as a money-getter for his reli-gious enterprises. We will remember his having said once that when the messenger summoned him hence, the people would say, "the beggar is dead."
It is related that on one occasion during his farming days, returning one Sabbath morning from services held in Mount Zion Church, he walked home, a distance of about two miles, leaving the horse he had ridden to church that morning tied to a post. He seemed to have lost sight of terrestial things, especially of that horse.
Pleasant Grove Church was erected in 1887-the third year of our pastorate; as the three year limit was on, we had to be off. We preached our farewell sermon and went to Quarryville Circuit where we remained three years and then returned to Fulton-this time re-maining four years-the time limit having been extended.
It was slower traveling for the preacher in those days than it is in these. No one seemed to be dreaming even of the automobile; and Darius Green's lamentable experience with his flying machine for-bade the thought of anything on the line of air traveling, other than the balloon. Going it on horseback or even in a buggy, often through deep slush or mud, or even over rough or frozen roads, we did the best we could. We encountered many dark and rainy nights with feeble light of lantern befriended. On such a time we went to a certain home in the community to officiate at a wedding. A goodly company had arrived and there was considerable stir in the kitchen and dining room. They were making ready for the marriage feast. As the time drew near to face the couple directly interested, we inquired for the marriage license. We were told that the prospective husband had procured a Maryland license. We had to tell our informant that a Maryland license would not do for Pennsylvania. Following the broadcasting of this news, there arose a still greater stir about the house-almost consternation. They thought it could not be that any-thing could interfere with the use of an Elkton license north of the
Mason and Dixon Line. But there was a way out and it opened up. We first partook of the feast and then rode about three miles to Rock Springs Hotel in Maryland, where the license could be and was used with safety and the young people were made happy.
The present pastor of Fulton Circuit, the Reverend O. H. Wenger, is having a good time and deservedly so. He has been getting into the homes of the people and awakening'_?c wholesome interest among them which is plainly manifest.
This is our delight to see. Barnabas, upon returning to Antioch where he had once labored, was glad when he had seen what a work of grace had been wrought there. So we may say, though many years have intervened since the last time of our pastorate here, we still feel a keen interest in what is being done on the old Circuit for human-ity's uplift. We have cherished the memory of those former days. There were some personal experiences too tender to touch upon at this time. We only wish to say in closing that we feel deeply grateful to our Heavenly Father for the favors He bestowed upon us, and for any good He may have accomplished through us, trusting at the same time for pardon wherein we have stumbled and fallen short.!
1 The Reverend C. B. Johnston, Early History of Fulton Circuit, from the Quarryville Sun, Friday July 30, 1926.