History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
evident that a reunion could be accomplished, when he and Rev. Mr. Love, the pastor of the other church, resigned in order to further it. The pastors of the seceding portion of the congregation were Rev. Mr. Davies and Rev. William Love. Under the corporate name of the First Presbyterian Church of Hagerstown they perfected and maintained an organization, worshiping in the court-house, the Session consisting of Elders William Stewart, Nathan McDowell, and William M. Marshall. This congregation was admitted to connection with the Synod of the Associate Reformed Church Jan. 26, 1838, notwithstanding the Presbytery of Cai lisle did not release it nor recognize its withdrawal. The reunion of the congregations was effected April 10, 1846, and September 14th, Rev. Septimus Tustin, D.D., was called, and came in response to the call, but was not installed until the following year. John Kennedy, the founder of the church, died April 27, 1847. Dr. Tustin having resigned, Rev. R. W. Dunlap was next called, and began his ministry in the latter part of 1851 or early in 1852. He died Feb. 17, 1856, and was succeeded by Rev. Robert A. Brown, who was called early in the year 1858. During the summer of 1861, Victor Thomson, who had long been an attendant of the church, died and devised to it the sum of five thousand dollars, which was applied, in accordance with his will, first in placing a substantial iron fence in front of the church; the balance being invested with its annual increment, made it possible to indulge the idea of remodeling the church building, but the war occurring, dissipated the project, the ultimate result being the erection of the new structure.
In the spring of 1862, Rev. Mr. Brown resigned, and the pulpit was afterwards filled and until Sept, 24, 1866, by Rev. W. C. Stitt, first as stated supply and then as pastor. Feb. 18, 1867, Rev. Tryon Edwards, D.D., was called and entered upon the ministry. He resigned Oct. 29, 1872. In April following the congregation, at the annual meeting, directed the building of the new church. July 24, 1873, Rev. J. C. Thompson was called, and he was installed November 18th of that year.
Mr. Thompson resigned in 1879, and was succeeded by Rev. J. A. Roundthaler, the present pastor. The old church on South Potomac Street was sold to the Christian Church in 1878, but the last service held in it by the Presbyterians was on Sunday, Dec. 18, 1875. The sacrament having been a part of the opening services of the church fully eight years before, it was deemed proper that the final services should be also completed with the sacrament. There was not, however, a single person who was present on both occasions. The new church was dedicated on Sunday, Dec. 25, 1875, the sermon being preached by Rev. J. T. Smith, of Baltimore. Rev. George P. Hayes, D.D., president of Washington College, preached in the evening, and raised four thousand dollars with which to help pay off the debt of ten thousand dollars. The edifice, which was designed by E. G. Lind, of Baltimore, is of graystone, and is simple but imposing in style. The main auditorium is forty-throe by seventy-five feet, and is entered from a vestibule nine by forty-five feet, which opens on Washington Street. A tower occupies the northwest corner, and faces both Washington and Prospect Streets. When completed this tower will be one hundred and twenty-five feet high. The finish of the audience-room is of black walnut oiled, the scats being cushioned in crimson terry, the floor carpeted in crimson and drab. The triple window in the front is a memorial in stained glass to Victor Thomson, whose bequest formed a valuable part of the building fund. The windows upon the sides are also of stained glass in simple style. The ceiling is broken by heavy white moldings running across, and is of a lavender tint. It is lighted artificially by four large reflectors, circular in pattern, and neat and ornamental in design.
Methodist Church. — The section of country surrounding Hagerstown was visited by Strawbridge, Owen, King, Asbury, and other pioneer preachers. In 1776, Asbury wrote, " It seemed as if Satan were the chief ruler there; the people were very busy in drinking, swearing, etc." In 1812 he revisited the place, and says that he " preached in the neat, new Methodist chapel to about one thousand hearers." It was for a number of years included in the Chambersburg Circuit, but in 1822 appears as a separate circuit, with John Emory, subsequently bishop, as pastor. As early as 1793 the Methodists had a congregation in Hagerstown, for they are mentioned in connection with Dr. Schmucker's first appearance, which was in that year. They held camp-meetings at Enoch Jones', five miles from Hagerstown, about 1807, of which Rev. Hambleton Jefferson had charge. They had built a church in the town early in the present century, and Rev. William Rylan preached there as early as 1810. A new church was dedicated in 1867, and on Sunday, Dec. 14, 1879, the present Asbury Methodist Episcopal church was dedicated. It is situated on North Jonathan Street, and was completed during the pastorate of Rev. J. W. Waters. The structure is of brick, and is built upon the site of the old building, in which the Rev. James Brown led in worship for so many years. Its gable front abuts upon the street. The main auditorium is on the second floor, and is quite plain in its appearance, a single motto in an arch upon the wall back of the pulpit being its only ornamentation.
The church lecture-room is upon the ground-floor. Thurston & Beck, contractors, commenced work on the edifice in July, 1879, and it was dedicated on Sunday, December 14th. Rev. N. M. Carroll, of Baltimore, preached the dedicatory sermon, and the services were conducted by Presiding Elder H. A. Carroll. Sermons were also delivered during the day by Rev. James Thomas, of Baltimore, and Rev. Robert Steel, of Baltimore. On the Sunday of the dedication Presiding Elder J. H A. Johnson, of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Rev. Mr. Wayman, bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, participated in the ceremonies. The following members of the congregation conducted the collection, which amounted to a considerable sum: John Harden, H. W. Dorsey, Benjamin Myers, H. Dorts, C. Dorsey, P. Moxley, G. Miller, and J. T. Wagner.
The colored people of Hagerstown had maintained a Methodist Church organization for many years previous to the building of their church, in July, 1879. Their church edifice was completed in the fall following, and is a commodious and convenient place of worship.
Catholic Church. — The Catholics, although they bad a congregation in Hagerstown previous to that time, built their first church in the spring of 1794. Proposals for this church, or " stone chapel," were received at the house of John Worland on the 29th of January. The walls of this chapel were fifty feet long, thirty-five feet wide, and nineteen feet high. The advertisement soliciting proposals for the building of this church was signed by William Clark, who stated that he would show the plan for the chapel upon application, and proceeded to say that the person undertaking to build the walls must find stone, lime, clay, sand, and all other materials, laborers, etc., " so that the whole work may be done within himself, and the walls delivered by him ready built. His proposals must mention what he will do it for by the perch of the wall, — that is, sixteen feet and one-half of a foot in length and one foot in height of the whole thickness of the wall. Stone can be had on the lot where the house is to be built, and the quarry is already opened, which will save a great deal of expense in hauling."
In 1804, Rev. Charles Duhamel was pastor, and Patrick Edwards was parish teacher of the congregation. In 1828 a new church was built, and dedicated! on October 5th of that year. On June 9, 1837, Rev. T. Ryan, who had been for many years pastor of the: church, died. After this, for twelve years, Rev. Henry Myers was pastor of the Hagerstown Church, it being embraced in his parish, comprising all of Washington County. Father Myers was one of the most highly-esteemed pastors of the church. He was born in Conewago, Adams Co , Pa., in 1806, and studied at St. Mary's Seminary, Baltimore. He was ordained in 1830, and prior to his pastorate at Hagerstown was stationed at St. Patrick's, Washington, D. C, and afterwards at Cumberland, Md., where he built a church. He went to Pikesville, Baltimore Co., after twelve years of labor at Hagerstown, and in 1860 succeeded Rev. Leonard Obermyer as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul's, on Front Street, Baltimore City, where he remained until the time of his death, in July, 1873.
The old Catholic church in Hagerstown was repaired in the fall of 1870, and was re-dedicated on January 29th of that year. The improvement to the church, which was already large, consisted in the erection of a tower thirteen feet square and the building of a beautiful spire, the height of which from the ground to the summit of the cross is one hundred and twenty feet. The length of the church is one hundred and nine feet, and it is forty-eight feet wide. These improvements were made from designs furnished by George A. Fredericks, of Baltimore, under the direction of Mr. Hurley, Mr. Wright, and Mr. Cushwa. The total cost was seven thousand dollars, of which all but fifteen hundred had been paid on the day of dedication. The dedication services were conducted by Rev. Henry Myers, who