USA > Maryland > Baltimore County > The Garrison Church; sketches of the history of St. Thomas' Parish, Garrison Forest, Baltimore County, Maryland, 1742-1852 > Part 6
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Che Garrison Church.
account of his reimbursement at the time of his death. The Vestry also owed others on this account, $287.30, so that the total debt of the Vestry, with the $444 011 previous repairs, amounted to over $900. Some of the subscriptions which are above referred to were never paid, as far as can be ascertained .- Editor.] The Parish was oppressed with this debt and with the interest on it and with costs of suits to recover until all the previous indications of good vanished."" Mr. Austin was com- pelled to resort to a school for his own support. For fifteen years the records of the Vestry present nothing of interest.(2)
On the twenty-third of April, 1832, the Vestry appointed a committee to attend to the completion of the churchyard wall, and in 1838 another committee was appointed for the same purpose, and in 1841, May 14th, it is recorded that " The Treasurer received from Mr. [Cardiff] Tagart five dollars, being the amount left in his hands out of money collected by him for building the stone wall around the churchyard." The wall was finished twenty-four years from the time it was first proposed. The Vestry Record for many years has only the entry of vestries elected and committees appointed to examine and report on debts and accounts.
Parish of the Holy Trinity .- In the Convention of the Diocese in 1843 the old chapel of ease in the forks
(1) In 1533 the church was attached for $145.49, a balance still due, which was settled December 11, 1833. Thisamount was raised by the ladies of the congregation.
(2) There is inserted in Dr. Allen's manuscript a printed sermon of Mr. Austin preached September 12, 1923, before a detachment of the sith Brigade, Maryland Militia. in St Thomas' Church.
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Diminution of Territory.
of the Patapsco Falls, in Carroll County, was con- stituted a parish church and its parish lines defined. At the time when the attempt was made to resuscitate the chapel it was in a state of ruin. The doors and windows and roof were gone, and the floor had been torn up to facilitate the taking of the rabbits which con- cealed themselves under it. There had been no service for twenty years. Before that for years the Methodists had sometimes occupied it and sometimes the Baptists, but now it was only a shelter for horses and cattle. But the work of repairing it was undertaken and effected at an expense of about $200, leaving no debt. The first Vestry were Jesse Hollingsworth, William H. Warfield, W. W. Warfield, George T. Warfield, James Sykes, Nicholas Dorsey and George W. Munroe. The Rev. David Hillhouse Buell was appointed Rector to officiate one-half his time, the other half being given to missionary work in Westminster and its vicinity in Carroll County.
In 1844 St. Thomas' Parish suffered a further diminution of its territory by the erection of the Parish of the Ascension. Mr. Buell became the Rector of this parish in connection with the Parish of the Holy Trinity. During the previous year the Rev. Mr. Taylor, subsequently missionary to Mesopotamia in Asia, had officiated in Westminster. Before him 110 church services had been held there since those of the lamented Arthur Cradock in 1768. His services at that early date lend an interest to the place of which the
The Garrison Church.
church may well claim the credit. At the Diocesan Convention of 1846 a parish church had just been com- pleted. It is a beautiful structure of stone, in the early English style and was consecrated by Bishop Whitting- ham on Ascension Day.
In 1847 died Mr. Charles Worthington, at the age of seventy-seven. He was the fourth son of Samuel Worthington, a part of whose landed estate which is in the Western Run Valley he inherited. He was frequently a vestryman in St. Thomas'. He was in possession of much wealth which he divided between his four unmarried sons, besides whom he left two mar- ried daughters. He was one of the twenty-four children of Samuel Worthington. His father was a grandson of Capt. John Worthington who died about 1700, and, as shown in his will, gave to John his home plantation on the Severn, to Thomas "Greenbury's Forest," to William " Howard's Inheritance," a tract near Beards Mill and another at "the Fresh Pond on the Bodkin Creek of Patapsco River."
February 9, 1849, the Rev. Mr. Austin, for nearly twenty-nine years the Rector of this parish, died, at the age of fifty-four. The next day his daughter, Jane Bnekler, died, in the twentieth year of her age, and both were buried on the eleventh in St. Thomas' church- yard in one grave. There was present a very large and sympathizing congregation.
In 1821 Mr. Austin married Miss Ann Buckler, daughter of Mr. Thomas Buckler of Baltimore City.
The ffirst Sabbath School. 87
Their children were Miss Anne Buekler, born October 24, 1822; Henry Sanford, February 28, 1826; Jane Buckler, April 16, 1829; May Holley, November 24, 1832; and William Buckler, March 11, 1838. As already noted Mr. Austin had found it necessary to conduct a school. During this period he also had charge of two daughters of his brother, who made the first purchase in Mexico of a large amount of territory, which is now part of Texas, and carried thither a colony which established the city of Austin in that state. The number of communicants in the parish never exceeded the number which he first reported. A Sabbath School, the first in the parish, existed during many years of his rectorship, and was well sustained. He lived to see two parishes estab- lished within the bounds of his early ministry, and two independent congregations, each taking off large portions of the territory of St. Thomas'; and also the Hannah More Academy, devoted to the education and training of young ladies in the Church. Mr. Austin was an active and energetic man, ready to go at every call, and under all the depression of his parish, and the discouragement he met with, he sus- tained a high character for frankness, integrity and independence. For the last fifteen years his salary aver- aged but a little over one hundred dollars per annin.
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CHAPTER XIII.
JOHN B. MORSS. JOHN JOSEPH NICHOLSON.
T A meeting of the Vestry, March 3, 1849, Messrs. Edward T. Lyon, T. H. Gibson and Dr. Morfit were appointed a commit- tee to procure subscriptions for the support of a elergyman, and at a meeting on the roth reported $270 as having been subscribed. At the same time the Rev. Messrs. Sprigg, Nicholson, Tracey, Moore, Morss and Davis were each nominated to the vacant rectorship. But the election was postponed. In order to give time for further consideration the Registrar was requested to invite the neighboring elergy to officiate each a Sunday that the church might not be closed. The invitations given were these: The Rev. Mr. Morss, of Baltimore, to officiate on the eighteenth; the Rev. Mr. Davis, of West- minster, on the twenty-fifth ; the Rev. Mr. MeKennly, of Sherwood, on the first of April; the Rev. Mr. Allen, of St. Jolins, on the eighth. On the ninth of April an election not having been effected the Regis- trar was further requested to invite the Rev. Mr. Bansman, of Baltimore, and the Rev. Mr. Lockwood, of Virginia, to officiate. But more than three months
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Jacob 16. Morss.
elapsed before Mr. Austin's place could be filled.
THE REV. JACOB B. MORSS-12th Rector. On the the fourteenth of May the Rev. Jacob B. Morss was invited to the rectorship of St. Thomas' Parish with the offer " of two or three hundred dollars per annum, with a comfortable and spacious glebe, in a healthy location and in a quiet neighborhood."
[Dr. Allen has only partially quoted the letter of invitation. It reads: "To the Rev. Jacob B. Morss, Baltimore : The undersigned vestrymen of St. Thomas' Parish, Baltimore County, anxious to procure speedily the services of a priest to fill the vacancy caused by the death of the late Rev. C. C. Austin, with one heart and mind in unity of the spirit and bond of peace (we trust), turn to the Rev. Mr. Morss in this exigency as emi- nently suited to repair the desolate state of the church, to extend its borders, to unite the congregation and interest many in its sublime ritual and Holy Com- munion (if he can make so great a sacrifice of worldly interests, sustained by faith, looking for his reward here- after); to accept the appointment of Rector for the inadequate compensation the Vestry can at this time tender of two or three hundred dollars per annum, with the chief attractions of a spacious, comfortable glebe, in a healthy location and in a quiet, social neighborhood." R. H. Owen, Benjamin Arthur, T. H. Gibson, John H. Carroll, Henry Stevenson, E. D. Lyon, H. Morfit, William P. Manlsby. St. Thomas' Parish, Baltimore County, May 14, 1849. The letter of acceptance of the
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Rev. Mr. Morss is given in full in the records. It is dated May 22, 1849.]
It was understood that Mr. Morss was in such inde- pendent circumstances as not to make the amount of the salary material. There was some dissatisfaction and Mr. Lyon resigned his place in the Vestry. [June 18th Mr. Thomas Cradock was elected to fill the va- cancy].
Mr. Morss was the son of the late Rev. Dr. Morss, of Newburyport, Mass. He was ordained in 1841 by Bishop Ives, of North Carolina, and took charge of Christ Church, Elizabeth City, in that Diocese. In 1843 he was in charge of Trinity Church, Pottsville, Pa .; in 1847 of Grace Church, Waterford, N. Y. In 1848 he removed to Virginia where he married Miss Southgate, formerly of Baltimore, to which city he afterward removed.(1)
At a meeting of the Vestry on the twentieth of May, 1850, it appeared from a report made by the treasurer that the Rector had received during the year $290, also that an organ had been purchased at the cost of $300, but that the subscriptions therefor had fallen short of paying for it. On the fifteenth of July they therefore ap- propriated the Sunday offering to be applied to meet the balance which remained due.
MR. MORSS RESIGNS .- On the thirteenth of Novem- ber Mr. Morss resigned his rectorship. In his letter of resignation he said : "Finding the difficulties which have
[1) See Biographical Sketches.
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Bobn Joseph Micbolson.
attended my residence in the country to be so great as to make my family discontented, and there being no probability of improvement, but rather an increase of them in prospect, I am reluctantly compelled from the necessities of the case to tender my resignation of the rectorship of St. Thomas' Parish and dissolve the connection which has existed so pleasantly between us for nearly two years." This resignation the Vestry accepted but, as the record says, "with great reluct- ance" "and the Vestry tender to him thanks for his gentlemanly and Christian deportment towards them, and their sincere wishes for the future happiness of himself and family."
Mr. Morss reported at the Convention of 1850 twenty communicants, being an addition of ten. Upon his removal he became the Rector of St. John's Church, Carlisle, Pa.
THE REV. JOHN JOSEPH NICHOLSON-13th Rector. On the twenty-fifth of November, 1850, the Vestry in- vited the Rev. John J. Nicholson to become the Rector. Mr. Nicholson was a native of Anne Arundel county. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Wittingham Jume 7, IS46, and took charge of Somerset Parish, Somerset County. There he continued till his acceptance of the invitation to St. Thomas'. Previons to entering the ministry he had been a member of the bar. On the ninth of June, 1851, the Vestry authorized the Rector to collect money for painting and otherwise repairing the church, the placing of a new plain pulpit,
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reading desk and communion table in the chancel.
At the convention Mr. Nicholson reported twenty- eight communicants, the largest number connected with this parish church for eighty years.
July 14, 1851, Mr. Nicholson was married by Bishop Whittingham, in St. Thomas' Church, to Ellen B., daughter of Samuel Lyon, Esq., whose wife was at the head of Hannah More Academy. This was his second wife. On the twenty-eighth of April, 1852, Mr. Nicholson sent in his resignation of St. Thomas' Parish, having accepted a call to Grace Church, Water- ford, N. Y.
In 1853 Mr. Nicholson removed to Texas and took charge of Christ Church, Houston. He published a number of sermons. One was preached at St. Thomas', Septuagesima, 1852, from St. Matt. xx., 6,7, entitled "The Idlers of the Vineyard." During a part of the time of his rectorship in St. Thomas' Mr. Nicholson found it necessary to resort to the assistance of a school for his support. [Mr. Nicholson was a member of the standing committee of the Diocese of Texas in 1854-55, and trustee of St. Paul's College, and secre- tary of the board of trustees for that year. He resigned his parish on account of ill-health July 5, 1855, and took letters dimissory to Alabama. He after- wards was called to St. Mark's Church, San Antonio, Texas, and died there in 1866. His widow removed to Mobile, where she died in IS98.]
RI.V. C. C. AUSTIN.
REN. J. B. MORSS.
2مـ
REV. W.M. F. LOCKWOOD.
RIV. W. STROTHER JONES.
CHAPTER XIV.
WILLIAM F. LOCKWOOD.
N JUNE 15, 1852, the Rev. Mr. Chesley, of Virginia, was elected Rector, but declined. August 22, 1852, the Vestry elected the Rev. Win. F. Lockwood, but it was not till the twenty-seventh of October that his acceptance was received and the first of December specified as the com- mencement of his services. Mr. Lockwood was a native of Vermont, but a graduate of the thelogical seminary of the Diocese of Virginia in 1842, and was ordained in that same year. He immediately took charge of a parish in Fairfax County, Va., and continued there till he came to St. Thomas'.
On calling Mr. Lockwood to St. Thomas' it was found that repairs were necessary to the par- sonage. The Vestry entered on the work. The old log kitchen was removed and the west room of the house appropriated for that purpose. An addition was made to the east end, having a parlor below and a chamber above with a portico the whole width in front. It was then provided with furni- ture, a part [$530] of the expense, which amounted
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to $1,374, was raised at a fair held by the ladies.(1)
In consequence of the appointment of a chaplain at the Hannah More Academy and the commencement of separate services and a separate church organization the number of communicants in St. Thomas' was reduced to twelve.
The records of this parish show the Rectors and vacancies up to this time to have been as follows :
Ist. Rev. Thomas Cradock, from Feb. 4, 1745, to May 7, 1770; twenty-five years, three months.
2nd. Rev. William Edmiston, from May 9, 1770, to Sept. 10, 1775; five years, four months. First va- caney, three months.
3rd. Rev. Thomas Hopkinson, from Dec. 10, 1775, to Dec. 10, 1776; one year. Second vacancy, three years, four months.
4th. Rev. William West, D. D., from April 3, 17So, to April 3, 1782; two years, one-third of the time.
5th. Rev. John Andrews, D. D., from April 10, 1782, to April 10, 1785 ; three years, one-half the time. Third vacancy, eight years, two months. Mr. Coleman officiating occasionally.
6th. Rev. Thomas F. Oliver, from June 3, 1793, to Jan. 27, 1797 ; three years, seven months. Fourth vacancy, two years, two months.
7th. Rev. John Coleman, from April 8, 1799, to
1. It also appears in the record that the ladies raised $525 by subscription so that alto. Rether they raised $1, 050 out of a total of #: 324.
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List of RRectors
Dec. 8, 1804 ; five years, eight months. Fifth vacancy, ten months.
Sth. Rev. John Armstrong, from Oct. 1, 1805, to March, 1810; four years, five months. Sixth vacancy, three years, nine months. Mr. Ralph officiating occa- sionally.
9th. Rev. John Chandler, from Dec. 28, 1813, to Dec. 28, 1814 ; one year. Seventh vacancy, three years, ten months.
10th. Rev. Joseph Jackson, from Nov. 2, 1818, to Nov. 2, 1819; one year. Eighth vacancy, one year, one month.
11th. Rev. Charles C. Austin, from Dec. 1, 1820, to Feb. 9, 1849; twenty-eight years, two months. Ninth vacancy, three months.
12th. Rev. Jacob B. Morss, from May 14, 1849, to Nov. 25, 1850; one year, six months.
13th. Rev. John J. Nicholson, from Nov. 25, 1850, to April 28, 1852; one year, five months. Tenth vacancy, eight months.
14th. Rev. William F. Lockwood, from Dec. 5, 1852, to April 1, 1883 ; thirty years, four months.
Thus from the commencement of the parish to this year [IS52, the year that Dr. Allen is writing this his- tory] it has been 109 years. Of this time it has had the service of a Rector, wholly or in part, eighty-five years, leaving the vacancies to have covered twenty-four years. But these years of vacancy are to be deducted from the years since the Revolution, so that only about
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two-thirds of the time was there ministerial service; or taking the years from the Revolution until Mr. Austin's time ( 1820) the parish was vacant more than one-half the time; and here it may be appropriate to inquire what have been the causes which have hindered the advancement of the church in the parish since 1770.
The first cause, in the order of time, it may be affirmed, was the Revolution. Its influence has al- ready been spoken of in part. The Church was pros- trated in taking away its revenues, and repealing the laws by which as a civil institution it was governed. But the character and course of the clergy of that day was also disastrous. One Rector zealously and openly espoused the cause of a minority political party. The friends of the Revolution thus to a great extent identified the Church,-though, as subsequent facts show, without any good reason-with the English gov- -ernment, and the friends of American Independence seemed to feel that in order to set aside that govern- ment the Church itself must be uprooted. Besides the character of the two clergymen of the parish at that time-whether in truth it was so we have not the means of judging-was held to be utterly worldly and actually opposed to serious and consistent piety; and that the church will be judged, in popular esteem, by the character of its clergy is a well known truth ; aye, not only judged of, but adhered to or abandoned as that character may be developed.
A second cause may be held to be dissent, and the
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The Intinence of Dissent.
withdrawal of the Methodists. Dissent arrayed those connected with it in hostility and rivalry. It could not grow but upon the ruins of the Church, which must therefore be misjudged and misunderstood. But it must be remembered that up to Christmas, 1784, the Metho- dists were held to be simply a portion of and a party in the Church, and popularly supposed to have all the religion in it. They were unquestionably earnest and zealous. Their withdrawal therefore was productive of evil to the Church. But it may fairly be questioned whether the alleged causes for withdrawing were really sufficient for their so doing, and also whether the actual privileges and advantages they desired were not to be found in the Church. There was nothing in its government or laws to prevent lay preaching within due regulations-as their having so long practised it fully shows-and ministerial orders might in due time doubtless have been obtained. And it is seriously doubted whether they have gained as much or done as much good by their with- drawing as they would by having continued where they were.
A third cause to be mentioned is the many years of vacancy in the rectorship in the forty-four years suc- ceeding the Revolution-being more than one-half of them. Much is lost in a single year's vacancy which can never be regained. In some it produces dis- couragement : some it leaves to wander away; and in all it tends to an undervaluing and a habit of disregarding
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the ordinances of religion, especially the Sabbath and public worship of God.
A fourth cause is found in the Rector's being from necessity engaged in secular teaching. Of the eleven Rectors subsequent to the Revolution four were thus engaged, perhaps more, and these held the parish thirty-seven out of seventy-six years of that time-nay, thirty-seven out of the fifty-four years that the parish had Rectors. Now it is well known that all the time and labor given to this employment is just so much time and labor taken away from the parish. To the parish therefore it is a clear loss.
A fifth cause to be noted is the frequent changes of the other Rectors. Three out of seven had the par- ish only one year each, and two others only about one and a-half years each. Frequent changes are disas- trous to any parish.
A sixth cause is found in the want of a proper in- terest in the Church by the laity and in the efficiency of carnest piety. God has shown ns by His Word that He giveth increase to His Church just in proportion to the efficient labor of each and every part of it. When, therefore, its members through want of interest or piety are inactive, failing thus to do their part, it is a ban to God's blessing. One man can never do the work of ten or fifty, and if they do not their proportion it must go undone, and yet, ordinarily, the harvest will be in proportion to the labor bestowed.
A seventh cause perhaps had its influence also-
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The True Estimate of the Clergy.
that is the want of popularity in a number of the Rec- tors. This comes generally from judging of ministers by a false standard. The true standard is their indus- try, piety and faithfulness. If these are not wanting- and that they were wanting in the Rectors of St. Thomas' has never been asserted-then unpopularity arising from other causes is unjust in most cases, and is just so much concession to the world, a turning away from a right dependence on the Great Head of the Church Himself.
One other cause (eighth) to be mentioned is a want of a proper estimate of the clerical office and the insnf- ficient support given to it. There is often no doubt a want of the proper appreciation of the individual min- ister. His learning is not appreciated by those who have it not themselves, nor are his talents, his piety, his general character, standing or reputation, and he is, of course, by all such personally undervalued. But what is here affirmed is of his office and the support given it. It is overlooked that it is an office given the Church by the Son of God Himself, and that he that despiseth it despiseth Him who gave it. It is over- looked that the want of a proper estimate or support reflects back directly upon our blessed Lord.
It may be interesting to look at the Church now [{$52] in what was St. Thomas' Parish in 1770 when the Rev. Mr. Cradock left it. Then there was St. Thomas' Church with communicants more than 100, 110W-
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St. Thomas' Parish, Rev. Wm. F. Lockwood, Rector.
I. St. Thomas' Church, communicants . 12 Holy Trinity Parish, Rev. Thomas J. Wyatt, Rec- tor, having :
2. Holy Trinity Church and
3. St. Barnabas' Chapel, at - communicants . 25 Sykesville,
Ascension Parish, Rev. Oliver S. Prescott, Rector, having :
4. Church of the Ascension, Westminster, communicants IO
Western Run Parish, Rev. Ethan Allen, Rector, having :
5. St. John's Church in the Valley and communicants . 10
6. Montrose Chapel (F. An- derson, Esq.)
7 Sherwood Chapel, Rev. Cyrus Waters, Rector 24
8. St. Michael's Church, at the Hannah More Academy, Rev. Arthur J. Rich, M. D., Rector I7
9. Church of the Holy Communion (S. Nor- ris, Esq.)
Total 98
There are thus nine places of worship, with six clergymen and ninety-eight communicants, where eighty-two years ago there was only one clergyman of the Church and one place of public worship, though
"forty Dears to Come!" 10]
with more than 100 communicants; and that notwith- standing all the discouragements and obstacles which have been looked at in passing along.
But go back only forty years, to 1814, then there was one church, one chapel in ruins, and it is not known that there were any communicants; five years afterward there were only ten.
Now with so many ministers, so many churches and so many communicants what may not be antici- pated in forty years to come !
END OF DR. ETHAN ALLEN'S MANUSCRIPT
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THE GARRISON CHURCH, 1869.
Part II
1852-1898
8081-9781
The "forty years to come," which Dr. Ethan Allen prophesied would bring brighter days for the parish, have passed ; the Historian, the Rector, the Vestry of 1852 have all gone from Garrison Forest. The last to leave of that goodly company was Thomas Cradock, then the youngest vestryman, who for forty-four years afterward served with unwearied faithfulness and love the Church of his forefathers.
They have all gone and the concluding pages of this book must be written by another hand to record their part in fulfilling the prophecy of that day.
CHAPTER XV.
REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
HE VESTRY records of 1853 are ocenpied with the successive reports of the commit- tee on improving the rectory and rais- ing necessary funds. Among the names which appear as generous helpers are Julia Howard, Mrs. James Howard, Mrs. Stevenson and Mrs. Boyle. The Vestry "mentions with commendation the noble and disinterested exertions of Win. Norris, Esq., who. though not a member of the parish, collected and paid over the handsome sum of $152." It was in this year that Rev. A. J. Rich gave notice of his purpose to apply to the Convention for permission to build a chapel at Hannah More Academy (St. Michaels) which pur- pose the Vestry instructed its delegates to resist.
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