History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc, Part 46

Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1344

USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > Baltimore City > History of Baltimore, Maryland, from its founding as a town to the current year, 1729-1898, including its early settlement and development; a description of its historic and interesting localities; political, military, civil, and religious statistcs; biographies of representative citizens, etc., etc > Part 46

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HARLEM PARK M. E. CHURCH.

The early history of this congregation was passed under the name of the Gilmor Street M. E. Church. It was organized in 1875 and erected a frame building on the north- east corner of Gilmor and Mulberry streets. This was dedicated by Bishop Ames on Dec. 19. In 1880 this building was sold to a colored congregation and demolished in 1881. The congregation moved to its pres- ent site in 1880, under the pastorate of the Rev. J. F. Goucher, and erected a stone chapel on the rear of the lot purchased there. This lot is at the corner of Harlem Park and Gilmor street. The congregation has steadily grown until it is now strong and vigorous. The present pastor is the Rev. J. C. Nicholson. The membership is 373.

CENTENNIAL M. E. CHURCH.

This congregation first worshiped in the old Dallas Street Church, on Dallas street,

Abraham Shoop

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

between Canton avenue and Aliceanna street. This church was originally known as "Strawberry Alley Meeting House." It was the second oldest Methodist church in Baltimore, having been built by Mr. Asbury and others in 1773, at Fell's Point. It was given to a colored congregation in 1816 when the Wilkes Street Church was built and occupied by them for many years. In 1874 the Centennial of the church was celebrated in the old edifice, whose walls were still sound. It was then abandoned. A new church was built on the northwest cor- ner of Bank and Caroline streets in 1877 un- der the name of the Centennial Church. It was dedicated by Bishop Ames on Dec. 2, 1877.

TWENTY-FOURTH STREET M. E. CHURCH.

This church was organized by the Balti- more City Station in 1878 under the name of the Royer's Hill Chapel. Later its name was changed to the present title. Until 1898 it was conducted as a mission of the Baltimore City Station, but in this year it became independent. It is situated at the corner of Twenty-fourth street and Hamp- den avenue. Its outlook is most promising.

WAVERLY M. E. CHURCH.

This important church is situated on the York Road, near the toll gate, and has had a vigorous history for quarter of a century. Its first edifice was rebuilt and adorned un- der the pastorate of the Rev. George C. Bacon. Its membership has gradually in- creased until it now is 300. The property is a two-story brick edifice, and is valued at $12,000. The congregation is full of mis- sionary zeal and recently established a mis- sion on the New Boundary, which is mak- ing good progress. This was done under

the pastorate of the Rev. W. G. Herbert. The membership is 287. The present pas- tor is the Rev. F. G. Porter.

HIGHLAND AVENUE M. E. CHURCH.

About the year 1870 a new congregation was organized in the eastern part of the city under this name. It erected a two- story brick building, devoting the lower story to Sunday-school and class room pur- poses, and the upper to worship. Its growth has been slow and to-day numbers not more than 100 members. Its property is valued at $10,900.

GUILFORD AVENUE M. E. CHURCH.

This aggressive church is situated on the corner of Guilford avenue and Lanvale street. It has a good property and is doing a good work, under the present pastor, the Rev. Joseph Dawson. It was organized in 1885 as a mission of the Baltimore City Station and grew rapidly until it was made independent in 1898. It is full of vigor.

GREENMOUNT AVENUE M. E. CHURCH.

This church has known two sites. It was originally situated on Greenmount avenue, but in 1889 this site and the edifice there- upon were sold. The present edifice on Homewood avenue, at the corner of Chase, was then erected. It is a Gothic stone building and cost $15,000. The situation of this church is both pleasing and advan- tageous, being opposite McKim Park. The membership is 250.

HOMESTEAD M. E. CHURCH.

This church is the outgrowth of a mission established at Homestead by the Waverly M. E. Church. The church edifice was erected in 1879. It is a frame structure. An attempt is now being made to replace it with

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

a more imposing and suitable edifice. The membership is 65. The Sunday-school has 180 pupils. Plans for a stone edifice cost- ing $10,000 have been prepared and a new site is about to be selected. A new edifice, on a new site, will doubtless be erected in 1898.

OXFORD M. E. CHURCH.

The Baltimore City Station organized this mission in 1886 at the corner of Belt and Montebello avenues, and it still has it un- der its fostering care. It is making good progress. Its membership is reported un- der that of the Baltimore City Station.

FIRST WOODBURY M. E. CHURCH.

This very vigorous congregation was formed more than twenty years ago, and has known a progressive growth until it now numbers 400 members and possesses a fine property, consisting of church edifice and parsonage. It is the strongest Method- ist Church in the suburbs of the city and is doing an aggressive work, under the faith- ful pastorate of the Rev. B. F. Clarkson.

GRACE M. E. CHURCH, (Woodbury.)

A second Methodist Church was started in this suburb about fifteen years ago. It secured the possession of the old Y. M. C. A. building and adapted it for its use. Its membership has gradually increased until it has reached 279. A vigorous administra- tion is all that is needed to advance the growth of this congregation through the years to come.

BENNETT MEMORIAL M. E. CHURCH.

About 1882 Mr. B. F. Bennett erected this beautiful stone church as a memorial to the late Allen Bennett, his son. It is situated on Fremont and Warner streets, and took

the place of the old Cross Street M. E. Church, which was at the corner of Cross and Warner streets. The congregation is very active and a large industrial work is connected with its numerous enterprises. The membership is 175 and the property is valued at $16,000. The present pastor is the Rev. A. H. Thompson. The member- ship is 145.

MT. VERNON M. E. CHURCH.

This church is situated near the Mt. Ver- non Mills, and was built largely through the liberality of the owners, the Messrs. Car- roll. The parsonage opposite the church was the gift of Mrs. Carroll. The whole property is valued at $16,000. The mem- bership is 68.

SUMMERFIELD M. E. CHURCH.

This church is situated in Calverton, and was established fifty years ago, and has re- ceived much aid from Gen. J. S. Berry, whose country residence is not far distant. The property is valued at $6,000. The church has known a slow growth and now numbers 100.

ROLAND AVENUE M. E. CHURCH

In the year 1887 a frame edifice was erected on this avenue, largely through the liberality of Alcaeus Hooper, Esq. The first pastor was the Rev. J. W. Cornelius. The membership is now 131, and the property is valued at $5,000.

DAVID ROGERS MISSION. .

On Columbia avenue, near Carey street, a mission bearing this name was begun in 1889. A church edifice was erected and the growth was very rapid, so that in 1898 an addition had to be made to the building to accommodate the growing Sunday-school

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

and kindergarten. The church was also re- fitted and redecorated, and on Sunday, January 30, 1898, was dedicated with ap- propriate services. Mr. David Rogers, who was the founder of the mission, was present. The Sunday-school numbers 300. Church membership is 4I.

BOHEMIAN MISSION.

In the year 1892 a mission was begun by the General Missionary Society of the M. E. Church in behalf of Bohemians. It occupies a hall on Broadway, in East Baltimore, and has gradually gained a membership of 70 persons. A free kindergarten and several kinds of industrial agencies are also sup- ported in connection with this mission. The membership is 56.

GARRETT PARK M. E. CHURCH.

This congregation grew out of the zeal- ous labors of a local preacher, the Rev. Mr. Alford, about the year 1890. It grew gradually and was furthered and aided by the Baltimore City Mission and Extension Society. A lot was secured at the corner of Lexington and Monroe streets, and upon the rear of it was erected a frame building facing Monroe street. The membership has grown to 165.

FULTON AVENUE M. E. CHURCH.

In December, 1890, a difference arose in the Epworth Independent Methodist Church and a part of that congregation, under the leadership of the pastor, the Rev. Miller J. Law, separated from that church. Services were first held in Billett's Hall, in the neighborhood, for about a year, when a lot was purchased at the corner of Fulton avenue and Winchester street. Upon this

was erected in 1891 a frame building at a cost of $3,000. It is still in use by the con- gregation, which is gradually growing in numbers and strength. Its membership is II7.

MEMORIAL M. E. CHURCH.

This church is situated on the Frederick Road, near Mt. Olivet Cemetery. It was erected about the year 1890 to commemo- rate the bishops and other ministers, whose bodies had been interred in the neighboring cemetery. It was erected largely through the efforts of the Rev. W. W. Davis. The edifice is of stone and cost $8,000. The membership has increased gradually until it now numbers 180.

CURTIS BAY M. E. CHURCH.

A brick edifice was erected in this suburb several years ago, for the benefit of the Methodists there residing. It cost $5,000. The membership has grown very slowly and consists of 53 persons.

WALBROOK M. E. CHURCH.

The Baltimore City Mission and Church Extension Society built a frame chapel in the new suburb of Walbrook about the year 1892. It still holds the property. The membership is 52. The present pastor is the Rev. R. T. Taylor, D. D.

ROLAND PARK M. E. CHURCH.

In the year 1897 a congregation of Methodists was organized in the new su- burb of Roland Park by the Rev. L. E. Bennett. A fine lot was secured on Roland avenue and a stone edifice erected. It was dedicated in the fall of that year. The out- look for this new congregation is most promising. The membership is 31.

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HISTORY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AMES M. E. CHURCH (Colored.)

Under the name of the "Western Chapel" a new edifice was dedicated in 1858. It was situated on Division street, near Baker. Twenty years later another church was built on the same site, and the name changed to Ames Church. It was dedicated March 2, 1878. It has known a prosperous growth, until its membership numbers 466. It is connected with the Washington Confer- ence. The pastor is the Rev. M. T. Naylor. METROPOLITAN M. E. CHURCH (Colored.)

This is one of the largest and strongest colored congregations in the city. It is attached to the Washington Conference. Its church property is valued at $80,000, and has the very large membership of 1,762. A neat parsonage is also owned by the congregation. The Sunday-school numbers 860 pupils. The present pastor is the Rev. J. A. Holmes. It was established before the war, and became self-sustaining in 1864. Its first pastor was the Rev. Mr. Bell. The edifice was rebuilt in 1882 under the pastorate of the Rev. H. A. Carroll. The present pastor was appointed to the church in 1897. He was born in Lexington, Va., in 1848. He graduated at Storner College in 1872. He has held important charges and attained to high eminence in his church.

EASTERN CHAPEL (Colored).

There are 112 communicants attached to this chapel, which is attached to the Wash- ington Conference. The Sunday-school has 98 pupils. The pastor is the Rev. Joshua Barnes.

CANTON M. E. CHURCH (Colored).

This church is not strong, having a mem- bership of only 70. The Sunday-school has

100 attendants. The property is valued at $3,000. It belongs to the Washington Conference.

ASBURY M. E. CHURCH (Colored.)

The honored name of Bishop Asbury has been perpetuated by this congregation, which erected its first chapel in 1875-76. It is attached to the Washington Conference and has had a most vigorous growth. Its present membership is 685, and 415 pupils attended its Sunday-school. The property is valued at $30,000. The present pastor is the Rev. Alfred Young.

CENTENNIAL M. E. CHURCH (Colored).

This congregation is attached to the Washington Conference. It possesses a property worth $25,000 and has a member- ship of 304, with 263 pupils in the Sunday- school. The pastor is the Rev. W. M. Moorman.

ST. PAUL'S M. E. CHURCH (Colored).

This church began as a mission of the Sharp Street M. E. Church in 1867 and was known as the Dover Street Mission, its first edifice having been on that street. In 188I it was removed to Saratoga street and be- came an independent charge, under the ad- ministration of the Rev. Benj. Brown. The congregation has grown slowly and now has a membership of 208, with 227 pupils in the Sunday-school. The present efficient pas- tor is the Rev. N. M. Carroll, who has had a very notable history. He was born in Calvert county, Md., on Sept. 26, 1837, and was converted when 15 years of age. He came to Baltimore in 1858 and was licensed to exhort in 1860. He began a traveling missionary and spent two years on the Pa- tapsco circuit. He was ordained elder by

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Bishop Ames on March 1, 1868. He has been the pastor of quite a number of the most important churches of the Washington Conference. From 1891 to 1896 he was the pastor of the Sharp Street Church and added 600 persons to the church. In 1896 he became pastor of St. Paul's and proposes to rebuild and embellish the edifice at a cost of $6,000.

WAUGH CHAPEL (Colored).

This congregation is associated with that at Hullsville and is under the same pastor. The membership of both is 100, and the property is valued at $2,000. They are at- tached to the Washington Conference.

MT. ZION M. E. CHURCH (Colored).

This congregation was organized in 1896. It was the successor of the Payne Memorial A. M. E. Church, whose trustees conveyed their property to the M. E. Church and thus formed the Mt. Zion Church. It is situ- ated on the corner of Patterson avenue and Calhoun street and has a membership of 72. The property is valued at $3,500.

Methodist Institutions.

The Methodist Church has several not- able institutions of a charitable and educa- tional character. Mention has already been made of the Woman's College, whose hon- orable history is creditable alike to the church and the city. Beside this there are others, as follows:

THE HOME FOR THE AGED.

This charitable institution has a noble building on the corner of Franklin street and Fulton avenue. It can accommo- date 300 persons and admits both sexes. It is supported by voluntary offerings and is under the direction of a board of women as

directors. It cares chiefly for the aged of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

THE KELSO HOME.

In 1889 a handsome property was bought on St. Paul street, extended for $35,000. On it has since been conducted "The Kelso Home," an institution founded by Thomas Kelso, Esq., as a home for orphans of the M. E. Church. Only girls, not under four or over twelve years, are admitted. They are retained until they reach the age of eighteen years. The property has increased in value until it is now worth $100,000. In addition to the property the trustees hold assets to the amount of $86,000.

THE LUCY WEBB HAYES SCHOOL.

This institution is the national training school of the Woman's Home Missionary Society of the M. E. Church. Its object is to train deaconesses, missionaries and other evangelical workers. It is situated at 708 West Lombard street and has 28 pupils, representing 17 States and 3 foreign coun- tries. Its graduates are filling responsible positions throughout the land. The school is now full to the limit of its capacity.

MORGAN COLLEGE.

This institution formerly bore the name of The Centenary Biblical Institute, but it was recently renamed "Morgan College," in honor of the late Rev. Lyttleton F. Mor- gan, D. D. Its object is to afford young men and women of the colored race the advantages of higher education. It has done a notable work, and its gradu- ates are to be found all over the country. It has hundreds of scholars. Two branches of this noble College have been established elsewhere, one at Lynchburg, Va., and the

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other in Princess Anne's county, Md. Both of these are flourishing.

THE BAPTIST CHURCHES.

Although the Baptists were the last of the great religious bodies to effect an or- ganization in Baltimore they have here, as elsewhere, risen to almost the first position in point of numerical strength. The Methodists alone outnumber them in ad- herents. Their growth has been marvelous, especially when one recalls the persecution and bitter opposition they received in the early days of New England, and in some of the other colonies. The same is true of their advance in England where they stand next to the Congregationalists in forming the most numerous body of Protestant dis- senters. There the Baptists are divided by their views of the design of Christ's redemp- tion into "General" and "Particular Bap- tists," the former taking Armenian and the latter Calvinistic ground. It will be seen that this division early obtained in Mary- land, but it has now largely disappeared.

It is from England that the first Mary- land Baptist came in 1709, in the person of Henry Sater. Others had preceded him in other colonies, and exerted an influence for good wherever they settled, notwithstand- ing the opposition with which they were first received. To their credit be it said that though persecuted by others they never retaliated. They sought religious liberty for themselves; but they also granted it to others. Roger Williams and John Clark had established themselves in Rhode Island in 1638, and there founded a strong Baptist community; but nowhere else among the colonies were any number of Baptists to be seen for almost a century. In 1762 there

were only fifty-six Baptist churches in America, but after the American Revolution their growth was phenomenal. In 1792 they had 1,000 churches, and in 1812, 2,432.

As elsewhere, the growth in Maryland was at first very slow. Henry Sater took up his residence in 1709 at Chestnut Ridge, which is about nine miles northwest from the present site of the city. Notwithstand- ing the fact that he was only a layman, he exerted a marked influence in his own com- munity, and made his house the center of a new religious life and interest. Here was the Baptist denomination begun in Mary- land. Whensoever he could secure an itin- erant Baptist minister he did so; but inas- much as the Baptists were then too few, both in ministers and members, to admit of settled pastorates, the ministers moved from colony to colony administering and preaching wherever they could. Among those early itinerant Baptist ministers were George Eglesfield, of Pennsylvania; Paul Palmer and Henry Lovall, of England. The last baptized 48 persons and may be regarded as the first pastor. The first or- ganization of the Baptists was not effected for a third of a century after Henry Sater first began to win adherents. This was in 1742 at Chestnut Ridge. It began with fifty-seven members. Their covenant bears the date of July 10, 1742, and states in part:

"We, the humble professors of the Gos- pel of Christ, baptized upon declaration of faith and repentence, believing the doc- trines of general redemption (or the free grace of God extended to all) do hereby seriously, heartily and solemnly, in the pres- ence of the searcher of hearts, and before the world, covenant, agree, bind and settle ourselves into a church to hold, abide by

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and contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, owned by the best reformed churches in England and Scotland, except in infant baptism, modes of church govern- ment, the doctrine of absolute probation and some ceremonies. We do also bind our- selves hereby to defend and live up to the Protestant religion, and to oppose and ab- hor the Pope of Rome and popery with all her anti-Christian ways."

In 1742 Henry Sater erected a "Meeting House" on his own ground at his own ex- pense, and on November 17th, he deeded the house with "One acre of land for a meeting house, burying-place and all other conveniences, for the church and congre- gation for ever, to the end of the world." The Rev. Henry Loveall remained pastor four years.

So rapidly did this congregation at Chest- nut Ridge grow that in four years it in- creased from 57 to 181 members. Some of these removed to Berkeley county, W. Va., near where Martinsburg now stands, and formed a congregation there in 1746 under the Rev. Henry Loveall. The Chestnut Ridge congregation belonged to the "Gen- eral Baptists," but it appears that in 1747, when it was without a pastor, some of its members invited "Particular Baptists" to preach among them. As a result fourteen of these members were won over to the views of the "Particular" party and or- ganized a separate congregation at Winter Run, afterwards called Harford. This con- gregation, upon its application, was re- ceived into union with the Philadelphia As- sociation on the 7th of October, 1755. So rapidly did it grow in numbers that it ab- sorbed the Chestnut Ridge Church and was long regarded as one of the strongest Bap-

tist congregations in the country. In the year 1771 it had four places of worship: at Western Run, at Chestnut Ridge, at Pa- tapsco, and near Westminster. In 1756 the Rev. John Davis was called to the pastorate of this Harford Baptist Church. He re- mained pastor fifty-three years. Notwith- standing the fact that the town of Baltimore had been founded in 1730, there does not appear to have been any attempt to form a Baptist congregation in it until 1772. Prior to this date the few Baptists residing here were members of the Harford Church and received monthly visits from its pastor, the Rev. John Davis, who served there, at Bal- timore and elsewhere from 1756 to 1809, when he died at the advanced age of eighty- eight years. He was the founder of the First Baptist Church of Baltimore, of Taney Town, of Gunpowder, of Westminster and probably of Frederick. The last three are now extinct. He was a man of unblem- ished life, untiring energy and marvelous success. He traveled widely, preaching in houses, barns, schools, indeed, wherever he was allowed an opportunity to be heard.

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.

It is not definitely known when the first Baptist meeting was held in Baltimore Town; but certainly prior to 1773, for in that year Messrs. Griffith, Shields, Lemmon, Prestman, McKim, Cox and others pur- chased a lot of half an acre on the corner of Front and Fayette streets, in Old Town, where the Shot Tower now stands. It cost one hundred and fifty pounds, current money, and was specially designated as a lot "for a house of public worship, and also for a burying-place for the service of the congregation or society that is now or may

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hereafter be established or constituted in Baltimore Town, known by the name or ap- pellation of Baptists." On this lot the first church was erected and subsequently the parsonage and school house. The remain- der was used as a cemetery. To this place of meeting the Rev. John Davis, of Har- ford, came once a month to hold services. Possibly lay services were held on the other Sundays of the month, but the congrega- tion remained so weak, or else the Baptist ministers were so few, that the Rev. Mr. Davis gave Baltimore but one monthly ser- vice for over ten years. In 1784, when the Rev. Lewis Richards, a Welshman by birth, came to Baltimore, it was decided to erect the mission into a separate congregation. Hence it was that on the first of January, 1785, application for letters of dismission was granted, and on the 15th of the same month the First Regular Baptist Church began its independent existence. In this move no one was as influential as the old pastor, the Rev. John Davis, who had so long served the little flock. On the occa- sion of this creation of the independence of the First Church, the first immersion took place under the new conditions, Mr. John Scott receiving baptism.

The growth of this congregation was slow at first, for when it was admitted into union with the Philadelphia Association in 1787, it only had twenty-eight members. In 1794 the "Baltimore Baptist Associa- tion" was formed, consisting of the Bap- tist congregations on the Western shore of Maryland. In 1795 the First Baptist Church of Baltimore joined the Association, "being orthodox in its principles and prac- tices." In this same year a Baptist Church was organized in "Old Town" and at Fell's

Point by the Rev. John Healy, but inas- inuch as it was considered to be lax in doc- trine its application for admission into the Baltimore Association was declined. This caused a great strife of words, and numerous pamphlets appeared from members of the new congregation. Twelve years later the application was renewed and was granted. The new congregation took the name of the "Second Baptist Church." At this time, 1807, there were fifteen Baptist churches on the Western shore of Mary- land, having a total membership of 748. In 1808 the Association presented an address to President Thomas Jefferson, to which he made reply. In 1809 the Association met in the First Church of Baltimore.

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Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1344

Author: Shepherd, Henry Elliott, 1844-1929, ed. 4n
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Uniontown? Pa.] S.B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1344