Ursinus College - Ruby Yearbook (Collegeville, PA)

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Iii July. 1840. lie accepted a call from the Waynesboro charge in l-'ranklin County, I’a., consisting of four congregations. namely: Waynesboro ami Salem, in Pennsylvania, anil Covetown and l.citersburg, in Maryland. He served this charge until April, 1845. when he accepted a call to the English pastorate of the Easton congregation as successor to the Rev. 15. C. WollT, l . I). At Easton be was associated with the Rev. Thomas Romp. vl»o was the German pastor. In August. 185. , the First Reformed Church. Race Street below Fourth, in Philadelphia, called Dr. P.ombcrger. but the consistory at Easton unanimously refused to let him go and the call was declined. Two years later the call was renewed and finally, under pressure, accepted. His work in Philadelphia was blessed with abundant success, not only in building up the Race Street Church, but in the establishment of other churches in different parts of the city under the supjiort and supervision of the mother church. In i860, Christ Church. C.rccn Street near Sixteenth, was founded, and about three years later a mission was started in the vicinity of Fourth Street and Girard Avenue, which afterward became what is now Trinity Reformed Church, at Seventh and Oxford Streets. Subsequently, still another enterprise was started, now the Church of the Strangers, in West Philadelphia. In 1869, Dr. Bomlierger was elected the first president of the newly-founded Crsinus College, at the same time being called to the charge at Trappc. Pa. He accepted both offers and until 188,? performed his ministerial duties as well as those in connection with the College. He died August 19. 1890. and was buried in Trinity Churchyard. Collegcville. Dr, I Join -berger was a ripe scholar, an eloquent preacher ami a justly esteemed educator. It was well said of him: The community has few such valued inlluences for good, and for that reason not only Crsinus College, but the entire section roundabout feels a distinct sense of | ersonal loss at his passing away. Ala-! that we do not have many more of the stamp of Dr. Bomberger.” 6

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firu. 3. S. A. Siimbrrgrr, D.D., OC.D. t »I IN 1IKXRY U'HISTIS P.OMRKRt ILK was liorn in Lancaster. I'a.. January 13. 1817. His mother was the daughter of Rev. John H. I lofTmcicr. who f r almost thirty years was the pastor of the Reformed Church in Lancaster City, and his ancestors on both sides were Hermans and of the Reformed faith. After receiving the elementary instruction of those days, at the age of about ten years, he entered Lancaster Academy, a classical school jn-t then organized to meet the needs of the times, in which he remained three years. In 1832. he was sent to the York High School, connected with the Reformed Theological Seminary in that town, where lie came under the instruction of Rev. Frederick A Rauch. I . I)., the principal of the school, and who later liecame the lir-i President of Marshall College, of which Dr. Bombergcr subsequently became the first graduate. In the autumn of 1835. the High School at York was moved to Mercersburg and its curriculum expanded, until in 1836 it became Marshall College. In this new institution the young Bomherger completed his course in the liberal arts, in the meantime sus| ending the theological 'Indies that he had begun in the seminary at York under the Rev. Dr. Mycr. He took his degree in 1837. being the fust graduate, as stated before, of thi the parent college of the church and it' only product of that year. After his graduation lie spent an additional year at Mercer burg in completing his theological studies under the guidance and direction of Dr. Rauch, the Theological Seminary not yet having been removed from York. During his last two years of study he was employed as tutor in the preparatory department of the college. The Synod of Lancaster licensed the young theological student to preach the g »| el. in October, 1838. and in the latter part of the following November, in compliance with a call, he became pastor of his first held of labor in the church at I.cwistown, Pa. The charge consisted of the congregation in the town and two other preaching points at a considerable distance from his home. Here he was ordained on the twenty seventh of December. 1838. His work at I.cwistown was hard and rather discouraging, and his salary small and only partly paid. He was to receive from four to five hundred dollars per year, but this was far in excess of what the people were accustomed to paying, and by the time they had raised two hundred and twenty-five dollars, they were taxed to the utmost. To aid in his support lie obtained possession of the Academy, a classical school in the town, and by hi' untiring efforts and special qualifications as a teacher, he added two hundred dollars to his income and five and one-half day' a week f teaching to his other work. 5

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en Dr. iSjnrutin JOillia Drraarr. $Ni.D. Professor of Philosophy at Ursinus College Eh tSuLiif is respectfully dedicated by (T li r I a a a u f 1 U 1 1 as a token of esteem