The Founding of a Methodist Church in Lancaster Henry Boehm was the youngest son of Martin Boehm, the Mennonite preacher who became a Methodist and donated the land for Boehm’s Chapel. By the beginning of the 19th century, Henry Boehm had become an itinerate Methodist preacher – a circuit rider. The Methodist Episcopal Church in America wasn’t yet 20 years old when Henry began his itinerancy. Methodism was only getting started in Lancaster County with the first church being established at Soudersburg in 1802. Early attempts at bringing Methodism into the city of Lancaster were not well received. Henry made his first attempt around 1803 while standing on a butcher’s block in the old market house near Penn Square. A rowdy threatened to throw a brick. When Boehm stood his ground the assailant retreated and Boehm sang a hymn of praise.

In 1807 Boehm was appointed to serve the region between the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers. Boehm was assigned this region because he spoke German. Boehm later wrote of Lancaster, “It was very hard soil for Methodism. Twice we made a beginning, but failed, and for several years the place was abandoned. We had no preaching there, only an occasional sermon."

At the request of Asbury and the Philadelphia Conference, Boehm translated the Methodist Discipline into German.
The story of the introduction of Methodism in Lancaster can best be given in the words of Henry Boehm, from his Reminiscences:

”I went to Lancaster to read the proof-sheets of this translation at the printer's. … I put up at a public house where I had often stopped. The Lutherans were there in great numbers to draw a lottery, the proceeds of which were to finish a church steeple. A crowd had come together to see who was fortunate enough to obtain a prize. Feeling no interest in the result of the drawing, and annoyed by the noise and confusion of the people, I left the public house and took a walk through Lancaster to while away the time. While going along the street I met with a woman who had been a member of the Methodist Church in Germantown. She told me there was a man by the name of Philip Benedict in Lancaster, who had been awakened at a camp-meeting, and he and his wife were seeking the Lord, and she advised me to call and see them, telling me where they lived. I went to the house, pointed them to Jesus, and prayed with them. As I was about leaving they said: "O that we could have Methodist preaching in Lancaster!”I told them they could have it. So I left an appointment to preach at his house. It became a permanent preaching place. In a little while I formed a class of six members - Philip Benedict and his wife, and four others. This was the nucleus of the society which remained permanent. I am thankful that I had the honor of planting the tree of Methodism in that city.”

 

According to his journal it was on Monday, September 7th, 1807, that Boehm went to Lancaster, to view the proof-sheets of the Discipline. This was the day he first met Philip Benedict. October 14th he was again in Lancaster and stopped awhile with the printers. We can’t say exactly when he formed the class, but these dates justify the conclusion that the class was formed in the autumn of 1807. The house in which Philip Benedict lived was owned by him and was situated on the east side North Duke street, between Chestnut and Orange streets, probably on the site of today’s public library. The outside of the two-story dwelling was plastered yellow. (Philip was a plasterer.) Preaching services were held in a second floor room. To prepare for these services the family had to take down all of the beds. For nearly two years, Methodism’s home in Lancaster was in “the upper room” of the Benedict home.