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 92
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Zadok Katz was born at Port Deposit in 1865. He received his early education in the public schools of Port Deposit and Bal- timore. After leaving school he went to New York, where for two years he learned the trade of cutter. When he had com- pleted his course in that business he en-
gaged with his father, and although at pres- ent a member of the firm, still retains his position as cutter. In 1897 he married Miss Florence Shakman, daughter of Morris Shakman (and Mary Heller Shakman, of Woodstock, Va.,) wholesale druggist. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum and other orders.
The firm by its upright and honorable dealings has made for itself an enviable reputation among the business houses of this city.
REV. GEORGE W. MILLER, D. D., pastor of Grace M. E. Church of Baltimore, was born near Gettysburg, Pa., April 11, 1845. His early history reads almost like a ro- mance. From his very childhood he was the subject of divine impressions and per- suasions, especially in regard to the minis- try. His studies and readings were carried forward with sole reference to this work. Before he was seventeen years of age, the flood of patriotism, then sweeping like a tidal wave over the country, caught him and carried him into the army for the preservation of the Union. In May, 1864, he was frightfully wounded in the battle of the Wilderness; for twenty-four hours he remained on the battlefield; the surgeon who examined the wound pronounced it fa- tal, but he did not allow himself to despair of recovery. His faith found vent in these memorable words to Mr. Whitney, a dele- gate of the Christian Commission: "I feel . that God has a work for me to do: I be- lieve that man is immortal till his work is done." For fifteen months he lay in the hospital in Philadelphia. During this per- iod certain "elect ladies" of that city found him, and learning his tastes and purposes,
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took turne in reading theology to him, so that at the close of that period (and he went forth with an unhealed wound), he had traversed nearly the whole field of Biblical learning. He begun his ministry in the East Baltimore Conference in the spring of 1866. His ministry, thus began in obedi- ence to early impressions and persuasions, rather than to force of external influences, gave early promise of unusual success. Under the stimulus of reading and the op- portunity to preach, his brilliant mind ma- tured rapidly, and he was soon recognized throughout the conference as a young man of rare powers. His reputation as a deep thinker and finished speaker soon spread beyond the bounds of his own conference.
After having spent thirteen years in his home conference he yielded to earnest so- licitations and was transferred to the Wil- mington Conference, to serve at Grace M. E. Church in the city of Wilmington, Del. At the close of his time here he was trans- ferred to the Philadelphia Conference to take charge of Spring Garden M. E. Church in that city, after which he served Grace Church, Brooklyn and Independence aven- ues, Kansas City. These churches rank among the very strongest and most influ- ential in American Methodism. The fact that he served them all with remarkable acceptability and conspicuous efficiency, is the highest commendation that can be awarded. At the close of his term of pas- toral service in Kansas City, he was trans- ferred by special request to the New York Conference, to take charge of St. Andrew's where his pastoral labors began in October, 1892. Meanwhile, Dickinson College, Car- lisle, Pa., recognized his ability by con- ferring on him the degree of A. M. and
D. D. As a preacher, Doctor Miller is thoroughly evangelical in doctrine, analy- tical, illustrative and pictorial. His manner in the pulpit is full of energy and fervor. He has won wide fame for his sermons at Ocean Grove during ten or twelve succes- sive seasons, and on other campmeeting grounds. The Ocean Grove Record of August 25, 1894, says: "His name has now for a full decade been connected with the greatest pulpit celebrities on the American Continent. The first sermon he ever preached at Ocean Grove put him where he never could surpass it; but he has come back at our urgent call nearly every year since, and each sermon, accord- ing to our best standards of authority, has exceeded the former."
As a pastor he is systematic, faithful and abundant in labors. As a lecturer and plat- form speaker he is graphic, effective, and at times carries all before him. At Chau- tauqua and at the anniversary of the Sun- day-School Union at St. Paul, Minn., in 1884, on the Mountain Lake Park Assem- bly platform and many other rostrums, he has shown himself a brilliant, powerful and captivating orator. His lectures on "Mar- tin Luther," "Pluck," "Eyes; or, the Art of Seeing," "Our Country and Some of Its Problems," etc., have won the highest com- mendation for their thought, diction and delivery.
The Christian Advocate, speaking of notable addresses before the conference anniversaries, says: "Doctor Miller ad- dressed the New Jersey Conference on 'Church Extension,' the New York East on "Temperance,' and the Newark on 'Educa- tion,' and on all these three dissimilar topics was equally and remarkably successful.
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Thoroughness and warmth are his marked characteristics, and show themselves with- out any effort. He does not leave a single branch of his subject or work unattended, and his sermons and addresses and lectures make an impression of wide and accurate reading, high intelligence and thorough- going blood earnestness."
DR. JAMES BILLINGSLEA, Physician and Surgeon, Baltimore, Md. This gentleman was born in Harford county, Md., January 21, 1858. His parents were also natives of Harford county, and were descendants of the early settlers of Maryland and of Eng- lish origin. His father was an enterprising and successful business man and succeeded in accumulating a handsome fortune. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch received the rudiments of his education in the public schools of his native county. He subsequently attended the Baltimore City College, also St. John's College, Annapo- lis, Md. He chose medicine and surgery as his profession, and entered the University of Maryland, took the regular course and was graduated from that institution with the degree of M. D.in 1878, and immediately thereafter opened an office and commenced the practice of medicine in Baltimore. He has met with success in his profession. He is a Democrat in politics; served the city of Baltimore as coroner from 1892 to 1896. He is medical examiner for the Royal Ar- canum and the Loyal Additional Benefit Association, and is Regent of the Baltimore City Council of the Royal Arcanum, and Past Counsellor of Columbian Council of the Loyal Additional Society. Doctor Billingslea was united in marriage with the daughter of Edward J. and Mary Snow; her
parents were residents of Baltimore and of English origin. Doctor Billingslea and wife are members of the Broadway Metho- dist Church, Baltimore, in which church they were married November 16, 1880. They have one child, born March 29, 1884.
REV. ROYAL H. PULLMAN, A. M., D. D. This gentleman was born in Auburn, N. Y., June 30, 1826. He enjoyed good educa- tional advantages; was a most diligent and pains-taking student, graduating with the class of 1844 from the Portland High School, and later receiving the degree of Master of Arts from Lombard University, Galesburg, Ill. The same university con- ferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1894.
His parents, who were devout members of the Universalist Church, early conse- crated him in their hearts to the Christian ministry of that church. He pursued his theological studies under the private in- struction of Rev. George W. Montgomery, D. D., of Rochester, N. Y., there being at that time no theological school in the de- nomination to which he belonged. In 1853 he entered the home missionary field with great zeal, preparatory to receiving full ministerial orders. The service of ordina- tion was held in the Clarendon Universalist Church, June, 1854. Immediately thereafter he was given in charge of an extensive field for missionary work in the western part of his native State. He entered upon his du- ties with an enthusiasm of love which no hardship could chill, and with such courage and Christian faith as gave him the most flattering success. To him Universalism was more than a simple denial of theological errors-more than a mere protest against an endless hell; it was an affirmation of
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Christian ethics, and of the great doctrines of the fatherhood of God and the brother- hood of all mankind. He understood sal- vation to be not an escape from the right- eous retribution of sin, but Christian charac- ter built after the divine ideal of manhood in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The religious fervor of Mr. Pullman's preaching soon gathered a large congrega- tion at Olcott, N. Y., the central station of his missionary work-where he secured the erection of a substantial house of worship. From Olcott he was called to Fulton in the same State. Here, also, after a few years, he erected a new church edifice, the new building far exceeding in cost and beauty the old one which it displaced. In 1867 he accepted a call to Peoria, Ill., where, in the succeeding year, he dedicated the most commodious and beautiful church in that growing city. In 1872 he was elected to the office of general secretary of the Uni- versalist General Convention. This posi- tion gave him charge of all the general mis- sionary work of the convention. This is the highest official position in the Univer- salist denomination. He was re-elected each year for four years, prosecuted his work with tireless energy, and won the most gratifying success. Resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the General Conven- tion bear this testimony and express the profoundest regret that overwork compell- ed the resignation of an officer who was so efficient in the field of high responsibility. Though Mr. Pullman had taken a brief rest in a trip to Europe in the summer of 1875, he felt on his return that he had not the strength to continue the work in a way sat- isfactory to himself, and that he must seek further rest.
Doctor Pullman was called to the pastor- al charge of the Second Universalist Church in this city, and entered upon his work in May, 1877. From the first he impressed himself upon the public as an earnest and devoted Christian, independent in thought, bold in speech, and tireless in zeal for the up-building of the Redeemer's Kingdom. His eloquence attracted large audiences, es- pecially in his Sunday evening lectures on popular themes. His expository sermons were listened to with great interest, and his presentation of the distinguishing doctrines of his church was plain, simple and con- vincing. His controversial sermons were models of the debater's skill. His contro- versy with the Rev. Dr. Cox, of the South- ern M. E. Church, in 1882, and published in the Baltimore American, on the orthodox dogma of hell, created great interest. The lamented death of Doctor Cox cut short a discussion that had promise of the most gra- cious results. But, however great Doctor Pullman's skill as a controversialist, and however strong in his doctrinal preaching, his real power is evidenced in the later years of his ministry in his masterly handling of practical Christian themes. His power to stir the conscience and move the heart is marked. The helpfulness of his preaching in the work of character-building may. be said to be the chief characteristic of his min- istry in Baltimore.
The church edifice on East Baltimore street, occupied by Doctor Pullman during the early years of his pastorate, was sold in 1886, and under the inspiration of his ef- forts a very attractive and beautiful church edifice was erected on Guilford avenue and Lanvale street, and dedicated in 1888. In 1887 Doctor Pullman founded the Young
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People's Guild, a strong organization of the young men and women of his church. The Christian Endeavor department of the Guild established a monthly magazine for the furtherance of mission work. Of this magazine Doctor Pullman has editorial charge. It is popular in the city and its cir- culation is not inconsiderable outside of the city. In 1890 "All Souls Mission" was founded as an outgrowth of the church, and was so prosperous that a site was secured and a neat and convenient chapel was erect- ed in 1892 on Hopkins avenue. Doctor Pullman preached the dedicatory sermon. The occasion was one of great interest and was a celebration of victory-the victory of faith which began the work and sustained it, fulfilling all the promise of God. It was accepted as an evidence of the missionary spirit of the church.
In the winter of 1891, Doctor Pullman made a strong movement in the interests of Christian unity, by arranging for a series of sermons to be preached in his church by rep- resentative clergymen of the leading de- nominations in the city. Each clergyman was asked to give a brief résumé of the his- tory of his church, and to present its dis- tinguishing doctrines. The following clergymen responded to the courteous invi- tation :
Rev. Dr. Evans, of St. Paul's English Lu- theran.
Rev. Dr. Clever, of the Reformed Church.
Rev. Dr. Rowland, of the Franklin Square Baptist Church.
Rev. Dr. Van Meter, Dean of the Wo- man's College, Methodist.
Rev. Dr. Marshall, of the Christian Church.
Rev. Dr. J. Addison Smith, of the Pres- byterian Church.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence, of the Congregation- alist Church.
Rev. Thomas A. King, of the New Jeru- salem Church.
These sermons were all of a high order and were pervaded with the Christian spirit. Large congregations attended; the press of the city spoke in the highest terms of this practical effort to bring the church closer in the fellowship of the Spirit. Doctor Pull- man preached the concluding sermon of the series; this was published as a tract and widely circulated.
The demands upon the time and strength of the now venerable pastor were so heavy that he secured Rev. U. S. Milburn as as- sistant, who, the year following, was suc- ceeded by Rev. C. P. Hall. Doctor Pullman has not confined himself to the work of his church alone, but has always answered calls for help in other fields of usefulness. He has lectured in nearly every part of the city on temperance and other reforms. He always responds to patriotic calls on the Fourth of July, Decoration Day, and other occasions of great public interest. In 1890 he accepted the nomination for Congress from the Republican Convention of the Third Congressional District of Maryland. In his speech accepting the nomination he said: "The better the Christian, the better the patriot; even the Christian minister should take a working interest in politics. I put my religion in harness and shall enter the campaign to do all I can to lift politics out of its degradation, by urging honest methods and high patriotic motives." Dur- ing the campaign he was constantly in the
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field. He was defeated, as he expected, but gained everything he aimed to accomplish. Both Democratic and Republican papers commended his noble efforts to raise the standard of politics to a higher moral plane. "Citizens can be, should be, must be, as honest in politics as in anything else" was his constant plea. "American sovereigns should be kingly in every true sense of that word. 'Government of the people, for the people and by the people' are words of the martyred Lincoln that go to the heart of the matter." Doctor Pullman refers to his experiences in his campaign as among the most interesting of his life. He gained knowledge of human nature which added greatly to his pulpit efficiency. He could take better aim and hit the mark when deal- ing with much of human weakness. He may be considered as one of the most pub- lic-spirited of the Baltimore clergy. He is a member of the Reform League; of the Good Government Club; of the Union for Public Good. He is a member of the Mary- land State Temperance League, and of the Maryland Academy of Science. He is a Master Mason, a Royal Arch Mason and Knight Templar.
He married Miss Harriet J. Barm April 3, 1845. On April 3, 1895, the happy couple celebrated their golden wedding. The filial reverence and love in which the congrega- tion held their venerable pastor and his faithful wife, moved them to unite with the family in celebrating the golden event. Early in the day Mr. George M. Pullman, brother of the bridegroom, arrived with his private car filled with relatives from the East, West and North. These, with the son and daughter, made up the happy family party at the residence of the distinguished
couple on Guilford avenue. In the evening a reception was given to the committee rep- resenting the seven organizations of the parish. Resolutions were presented and fe- licitous speeches were made by the members of the several committees, all of which were responded to with sentiments of high appre- ciation by the pastor. Rev. Dr. James M. Pullman said, as he had said at the silver wedding, "The fidelities of the past on your wedded life are accepted on this golden wedding as the pledge of your future faith- fulness. God bless and keep you." This simple service concluded, the golden circlet was gallantly placed upon the finger of the bride by the bridegroom. Later the wed- ding party entered the church, which was crowded by a rejoicing assemblage in which were recognized many of the leading citizens of Baltimore. Rev. Dr. Charles Eaton, of New York, offered prayer. Rev. Dr. James M. Pullman made an eloquent address, which was responded to by the pas- tor in behalf of his bride and himself. The Deems Quartette sang tastefully selected numbers, after which an elegant collation was served by the ladies in the social rooms of the church. Fifty years of happy wedded life are eloquent witnesses in behalf of such manly and womanly virtues, without which the golden wedding is impossible.
At the conclusion of a pastorate of twenty years, April 30, 1897, Doctor Pullman, feel- ing that he could no longer bear the strain of continued service, tendered his resignation, which, after many delays and many confer- ences, was accepted with profound regret by the parish. He was made Pastor Emeri- tus by unanimous vote, accompanied with the resolutions expressing the highest ap- preciation of his faithful and successful ser-
Allora A. Brewster, M.2.
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vice. He retired from his work covered with honors, revered and loved, not only by his congregation, but by great numbers of people who have been blessed and helped through his faithful ministrations through- out the city.
He will continue to reside in Baltimore, believing, as he says, this city to be "the most healthful and delightful in the coun- try; intelligent, refined and progressive." He will devote himself to public interests as he has, strength, and do such things as he can for the public good.
MOSES ROTHSCHILD, President of the Im- mediate Benefit Life Insurance Company, was born July 17, 1863, near Frankfort-on- the-Main, Germany. He is a son of Z. and Violet (Nusbam) Rothschild, of German an- cestry. Moses is the youngest of ten chil- dren, nine of whom are still living. Six are in the United States and three are in Ger- many. Solomon Rothschild is in charge of the Raleigh branch of the I. B. A.
His early education was obtained in the public schools of Germany, graduating therein. He came to this country at the age of eighteen and engaged in mercantile pursuits in Richmond and other points South. In January, 1889, he came to Balti- more and engaged in industrial insurance with Mr. F. S. Strawbridge. Started as a solicitor and was finally promoted to be as- sistant superintendent, etc., remaining in his employ for about a year and a half, when he became one of the incorporators of the Im- mediate Benefit Insurance Company, being made its secretary and later president.
He was married on April 4, 1894, to Miss Miriam Moses, daughter of Bernard Moses,
a prominent clothing manufacturer of Bal- timore; they have one child, Hilda M., born March 9, 1895.
Immediate Benefit Life Insurance Com- pany was incorporated June 5, 1890, by Adelbert G. Botts, Wm. A. Casler, Moses Rothschild, Dr. Edward E. Macenzie and Thomas Macenzie. It is conducted on the principle of co-operative insurance, weekly premium plan, paying sick, accident and death benefits. This is the only institution paying full benefits within twenty-four hours. It has grown rapidly in public favor and in consequence enjoys a remarkable prosperity. Its first board of officers was composed of Adelbert G. Botts, president ; Wm. A. Casler, vice-president; M. Roths- child, secretary; Doctor Macenzie, medical director. Thomas Macenzie was general counsel until March 1, 1895. Adelbert G. Botts and Mr. Wm. A. Casler retired as president and vice-president respectively, their places being filled by Mr. Moses Roths- child as president, and Doctor Macenzie assuming the office of secretary in addition to that of medical director. Mr. Charles F. Diehl was appointed to the position of assistant secretary and general manager. Owing to its progressive career, due to care- ful management, the attention of many firms was attracted to it and on January 12, 1897, it was re-incorporated as a stock com- pany, with capital stock of $15,000 by Mr. Rothschild, Thomas and Edward Macenzie, Solomon Rothschild and Marx H. Iseman, the two last-named gentlemen being resi- dents of Virginia. The field of operations has extended to the District of Columbia and North Carolina, and will open up the Southern States as rapidly as possible.
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CHARLES F. DIEIIL, Assistant Secretary Immediate Benefit Life Insurance Com- pany, was born in Baltimore, Md., April 2, 1874. He is a son of Charles H. and Annie Diehl. He was educated in public schools of Baltimore, and afterwards completed a business course at Bryant & Stratton's Col- lege. At the age of fifteen he entered the employ of the Old Maryland Steamboat Company as clerk, and afterwards was as- sitant purser of the steamer Avalon, ply- ing between Baltimore and points in Vir- ginia. This position he resigned after two years to accept a position as clerk with the Immediate Benefit, and by industry and in- tegrity won the confidence of the officers of the company and has been rapidly ad- vanced to important positions.
DR. OLIVER F. GREGORY was born in Charleston, S. C., March 7, 1844. He was baptized in the First Baptist Church of that city May 9, 1858, and was ordained in the same church January 15, 1871. He was educated in the city of Charleston and was a member of the first company (Charleston Zouave Cadets) enlisted in the service of the Commonwealth of South Carolina, December 20, 1860; he was present at the firing on the Star of the West and the bombardment of Fort Sumter. He served in Company H, Hampton Legion, South Carolina Volunteers, Army of Northern Virginia, from May, 1861, to the close of the war. He was wounded and captured in the charge on Fort Saunders at Knox- ville, Tenn., December 5, 1863. He was a prisoner of war at Rock Island, Ill., until March 7, 1865.
Doctor Gregory removed to Charleston in the tall of 1869, and was associated with
the Working Christian, a prominent Baptist journal of South Carolina, as one of its edi- tors, while completing his theological course. He was licensed to preach Octo- ber 10, 1870, by the First Baptist Church of Charleston, S. C., and ordained at the call of the same church January 15, 1871.
His first pastorate was Mt. Pleasant Church, near Charleston, 1871 to 1876. During these years he did much evangelis- tic work in South Carolina and had charge part of his time of churches in Williams- burg county, S. C. He became pastor of the First Church, Eufaula, Ala., April 1, 1877; Tuscaloosa, Ala., February, 1879, and returned to South Carolina as pastor at Cheraw and Florence in 1880 to 1882. He was pastor at Charlotte, N. C., from 1882 to February 18, 1885. He was pastor at Valence Street Church, New Orleans, from February to September, 1885, when he accepted a call to High Street Church, Bal- timore (now Fourth Church), where he still remains. For the past eleven years he has been the secretary of State Missions in Maryland, and has occupied many leading positions in the denomination. He is senior pastor in continuous service with one church in Maryland. He has been in- strumental in building seven meeting houses. He was elected one of the secre- taries of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1877, again in 1880, and from 1882 to the present time has continued to be re- elected, in company with his colleague, Dr. Lansing Burrows, of Georgia.
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