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M.P. Moller Tracker
Organ
click to enlarge view.
One of the most distinctive and possibly
the most historical feature of
the Church is the antique pipe organ that dominates the front of
the sanctuary.
When the Church was first built musical
instruments were not used in
the worship service.
In February 1905 a committee was formed to "take action
on the project
of installing a pipe organ"
At that time millionaire Andrew Carnegie
had made an offer to pay
one-half of the cost to any church who wished to install an organ and
who were able to show
their ability to pay the second half of the cost.
The organ committee took advantage of
his offer and purchased a
1904 M.P. Moller Tracker organ with opus no. 588.
It was installed with the promise of completion for
July 1, 1905.
It has 2 manuals and 11 ranks of pipe.
The blower
system was run by waterpower.
The total cost was $1385.00 which
included the choir area.
Records show that Carnegie paid $600 toward the
organ.
The water powered blower system was
converted to electric in 1925.
In 1974 the organ narrowly escaped
replacement by a new
Allen digital computer organ but on April 27, 1975 Session accepted
a bid for extensive renovations to retain the
tracker organ.
Twenty-two pastors and 12 organists
later the organ remains an intricate
part of our weekly worship service
Columbia Organ works of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania regularly maintains
the organ and says that the 2006 replacement price is in excess of
$220,000.00
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