Editing Paxtang, Pennsylvania (section)

===Old Paxton Church===
Paxtang is home to the Old Paxton Church, one of the earliest in the area. Built in 1740, the church is the oldest [[Presbyterian Church]] building in continuous use in Pennsylvania, and the second oldest in the United States. In 1726, the Rev. James Anderson of [[East Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania|Donegal, Pennsylvania]], became the first regular preacher. The history of the church is interwoven with the history of central colonial Pennsylvania.

In 1732, the congregation was officially organized as a Presbyterian Church by the Presbytery of Donegal, with the Rev. William Bertram as the first installed pastor. The Rev. [[John Elder (pastor)|John Elder]], the "Fighting Parson," became pastor in 1738. He was pastor during the [[French and Indian War]] and [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]], and served as a commissioned officer. Many of the church's pastors have served long pastorates; the terms of four of its ministers total 140 years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Glise |first1=Morton Graham |title=History of Paxton Presbyterian Church, 1732-1976 |date=1976 |publisher=Paxton Presbyterian Church |location=Harrisburg, Pennsylvania}}</ref>

The present stone sanctuary was erected in 1740, replacing a log meeting house which had previously served as the place of worship. A stone marker south of the sanctuary indicates the site of the log building. A replica of the log meeting house was erected north of the present sanctuary.

Adjacent to the church is a historic cemetery. Here lie the bodies of soldiers of the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], and both World Wars. People who molded the early religious and political character of America are buried here, including John Harris Jr., [[William Maclay (Pennsylvania senator)|William Maclay]] (the first United States senator from Pennsylvania), and four of the six commissioners who planned the town of Harrisburg with him in 1785. Ministers, legislators, farmers, teachers, men of affairs, and enslaved African Americans are buried here.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1978 |title=Paxton Presbyterian Church, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/23328081 |journal=Journal of Presbyterian History |volume=56 |issue=3 |page=201 |issn=0022-3883}}</ref>