19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, September 20, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I thought you might enjoy this recipe that I found in a hundred-year-old central Pennsylvania cookbook for unfermented communion wine.
Grandma attended a Baptist church—and 1914 was the era right before prohibition when the temperance movement was at its peak—so my guess is that her church used grape juice (or “unfermented communion wine”) for communion.
Unfermented Communion Wine
Stem fifteen pounds grapes, boil in three quarts water until they come to pieces, then press out the juice, add four and one-half pounds of sugar, boil, skin and can or bottle the same as fruit.
Lycoming Valley Cook Book compiled by the Ladies of Trout Run M.E. Church Trout Run PA (1907) reprinted by Williamsport Printing and Binding Co. (1992)
A Hundred Years Ago 
They definitely would have used grape juice. Although some churches do use an alcoholic wine, most would follow the example of the Last Supper which would have used unfermented grape juice since leaven was forbidden during passover.
Thanks for the information.
Wouldn’t mind some of that. 🙂
🙂
Growing up in a Southern Baptist church, we ALWAYS used grape juice!
I think that Baptist churches in Pennsylvania would have been the same.
Recipe from ‘Ladies of Trout Run…’ How neat!
I agree!
I grew up in Central PA (not far from Trout Run) and we always used real wine. Our minister even made it sometimes. Maybe that was why we did not have communion until we were 18. In the South we have grape juice and every age takes communion.
It’s interesting that youth didn’t get communion until they were 18. I can remember church members at the Lutheran church that I attended when I was a child having a vigorous discussion about whether to use grape juice or wine for communion.
I was raised Lutheran and we were not confirmed until we were in 12th grade. Maybe decisions were made from church to church.
I think that you’re probably right about how decisions were made.
I grew up Catholic – we used the wafers, and the first time I attended the Presbyterian church with my husband I thought they were using real wine!! Lets just say I am thankful that today we go out and buy our grape juice, it sure sounded like a lot of work to do for communion. We sure are the lazy generation! 🙂 Nice to see another local gal on your website!
People sure worked hard back then–and it’s amazing that they even made their own communion grape juice/wine.
This comment thread has made for interesting reading, with all of the different traditions and practices.
I agree–I also found the many different traditions and practices interesting.