Parishioners at the Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace, Gettysburg’s Episcopal congregation, commemorated the 125th anniversary of the opening of the church on High and Baltimore streets at the Sunday Holy Eucharist service on July 27. The first services in the church were held on July 25, 1900.
For the anniversary service, prayers were offered from the 1892 Episcopal Book of Common Prayer, the version current in 1900, and highlights of the parish history were included in the homily by Father Jim Strader-Strasser, Prince of Peace’s Priest-in-Charge.
For the occasion, parishioner Janet Mansir presented an extensive display of historical documents and photos arranged chronologically from the parish archives, a project she assembled from materials that had previously never been systematically organized. The collection was placed on display in the Stahle Parlor, the parish’s fellowship hall. A number of additional archival materials were also framed and displayed on a wall of the hall, with help from parishioners Jean Siderio and Cornelia Saltzman.
The Prince of Peace congregation predated the opening of the church in 1900. In the mid-19th century, the small congregation worshiped at several sites, including the Adams County Courthouse and an abandoned Methodist Chapel on East Middle Street. From 1876, the congregation worshiped in a small, wood-frame chapel it had erected opposite the college campus, on the Southeast corner of Carlisle and Stevens streets.
The Gettysburg Compiler of July 26, 1900, reported: “The opening service in the Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace, corner Baltimore and High streets, held on Wednesday morning was largely attended, the entire seating capacity of the church being occupied.
“The services were opened with Morning Prayer led by Rev. Ernest F. Smith, M.A., of St. Stephens Church, Harrisburg…The celebration of the Holy Eucharist was then commenced, the Right Rev. Ethelbert Talbot, D.D., [Bishop of the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania] being the celebrant…the rector, Rev. W. S. B. Ashmead assisting the bishop in the celebration.
“ Bishop Talbot, after a few congratulatory and introductory remarks, then spoke on the subject: ‘For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they may also be sanctified through the truth.’… The Bishop is a strong, forceful, impressive, and pleasing speaker and held the attention of the audience….
“The chancel was beautifully decorated with asparagus vines, palms, ferns, and potted plants…While the offering was being taken, Misa Maude Talmadge, of Washington, sang very sweetly ‘The Lord is Mindful of His Own’ from Mendelssohn’s Oratoria of St. Paul…The collection, amounting to $26.37, was applied to the pew fund.”
The opening of the church was also covered by Gettysburg’s other newspaper, The Star & Sentinel, in its edition of August 1, 1900, with the headline reading: “Handsome New House of Worship Used for the First Time Last Wednesday.”
“The first services ever held in the Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace, corner High and Baltimore Streets, which was erected to commemorate the close of the Civil War and the reunion of the North and South, were held last Wednesday.”
The Star and Sentinel’s coverage then itemized the memorial stones and plaques that had been donated in memory of soldiers and units that had fought in the Civil War, a process that had begun in 1880, and was not yet complete at the time the church opened its doors.
The memorialization effort was initiated in 1880 by The Rev. A. Emile Tortat, a missionary priest then assigned to the congregation. Father Tortat envisioned that the church would become a true national shrine, housing thousands of memorials, and—for a brief time—referred to the future church in promotional materials as “The National Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace.” He also commissioned an architectural rendering of a proposed church, showing a cathedral-like structure with an enormous tower. But over time, only about 160 memorials were donated, and the plans for the church had to be significantly downsized. The cornerstone was laid on July 2, 1888, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary reunion of Battle of Gettysburg veterans, but twelve years passed between that ceremony and the opening of the finished church for worship.
Today, Prince of Peace’s active congregation is involved in many ministries aiding people in need in Adams County, and remains the only church in Gettysburg that was specifically dedicated as a memorial to those who served in the Civil War.
Photo Caption: An early photo of The Memorial Church of the Prince of Peace, taken soon after its opening in July 1900.