Over two hundred twenty-five years ago, a small group of people who lived in the Northeastern part of Shamong Township were organized into a Society of Methodists by a young missionary named John Brainard. John’s brother, David, was the first English missionary to the American Indians, and Brother John followed in his footsteps.
In 1778, the settlers here, with the help and encouragement of John Brainard, erected a one-room log Church on the present site of the Tabernacle Cemetery at the intersection of what are now Chatsworth and Carranza Roads. It was named The Tabernacle In The Wilderness. Both Indians and settlers gathered there to worship God. When John Brainard organized the building of the Church in 1778, his territory included all of New Jersey, half the state of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.
With the arrival of more settlers in the area, a small community began to take shape around the Church. Since it was the social, as well as the spiritual center of the community, it seemed quite natural that the community began to be known as Tabernacle.
In 1803, William Wilkins, who had acquired land around the Church, deeded what is now the Old Cemetery, to Hosea B. Moore and others for the use of the Church. For awhile, the Church building was also used as a school. In 1815, the Church was part of the New Mills Circuit (New Mills being the early name for Pemberton). In 1855, a one-room school was built across the road from the Church, where the present Town Hall parking lot is located.
As the community grew with the influx of new families moving into the area, the wilderness began to give way to rich productive farmland through the tireless efforts of the hard-working families. By 1880, 121 years ago, the Church was inadequate for the membership, and under the leadership of Rev. George Reeves, the present sanctuary was raised on land deeded to the Church by Joseph Mathis. On February 16, 1881, the building was dedicated by the Presiding Elder, Rev. Samuel E. Post, as the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church.
Documents prepared by Church Historian Donald Gerber
http://tabernacleumc.com/
In 1778, the settlers here, with the help and encouragement of John Brainard, erected a one-room log Church on the present site of the Tabernacle Cemetery at the intersection of what are now Chatsworth and Carranza Roads. It was named The Tabernacle In The Wilderness. Both Indians and settlers gathered there to worship God. When John Brainard organized the building of the Church in 1778, his territory included all of New Jersey, half the state of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.
With the arrival of more settlers in the area, a small community began to take shape around the Church. Since it was the social, as well as the spiritual center of the community, it seemed quite natural that the community began to be known as Tabernacle.
In 1803, William Wilkins, who had acquired land around the Church, deeded what is now the Old Cemetery, to Hosea B. Moore and others for the use of the Church. For awhile, the Church building was also used as a school. In 1815, the Church was part of the New Mills Circuit (New Mills being the early name for Pemberton). In 1855, a one-room school was built across the road from the Church, where the present Town Hall parking lot is located.
As the community grew with the influx of new families moving into the area, the wilderness began to give way to rich productive farmland through the tireless efforts of the hard-working families. By 1880, 121 years ago, the Church was inadequate for the membership, and under the leadership of Rev. George Reeves, the present sanctuary was raised on land deeded to the Church by Joseph Mathis. On February 16, 1881, the building was dedicated by the Presiding Elder, Rev. Samuel E. Post, as the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church.
Documents prepared by Church Historian Donald Gerber
http://tabernacleumc.com/
