A Brief History of the Frederick Presbyterian Church

Even though the Frederick Presbyterian Church does not reach upward like the churches with the Clustered Spires, it does branch out to the community with its many programs. This caring focus has been true ever since the founding of the church in 1780 and continues even more true today. The Frederick Presbyterian Church has always been highly respected in the community and has been vitally connected with, and has heartily supported every movement organized for the social, moral, and spiritual uplift of the people. Its influence has been especially marked on the educational and benevolent institutions of the city and county.

 

Looking back over two centuries, the chronological history of the Frederick Presbyterian Church will be traced through the histories of four writers: the earliest surviving narratives of the Rev. Joseph Hamner in 1831; the "Historical Sketch of 1780?1905" by the Rev. Thomas Freeman Dixon; "Monocacy Valley Maryland Presbyterianism", the Rev. J.F. Minor Simpson in 1955; and "The Frederick United Presbyterian Church - 1780?1980", the bicentennial history by Dr. Mary Frear Keeler, an historian and former dean at Hood College. Many of these sections of this encapsulated history/narrative will be quoted verbatim in order that the readers will be able to capture some of the flavor, feelings, and language of the respective periods of history.

 

The Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch, D.D. began visiting Frederick in October, 1780. He had just become established at Georgetown, at the junction of Rock Creek and the Potomac, in what is now the District of Columbia but which was then a hamlet of Frederick County, Maryland. Founding the Georgetown Presbyterian Church in March 1780, Rev. Balch began a ministry which was to terminate with his death, September 7, 1883.

 

During the trying days of the Revolutionary War, three years before the close of the struggle, and a year before the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, Rev. Balch heard of a little group of Presbyterians at Frederick. He began making the forty-mile trip to Frederick by horseback monthly and sometimes fortnightly to conduct services, marry couples, baptize children and perform other pastoral duties. The whole country was at unrest during this period of fear, suspicion and hate. There were clashes with Indians and Tories, of which a number of the latter were cruelly executed in Frederick. Several hundred Hessian prisoners of war were quartered in barracks in the town. Yet at such a time, Rev. Dr. Balch succeeded in organizing both the Frederick and Georgetown congregations which have existed to this day. He continued to minister to both congregations until 1790 when he relinquished his Frederick charge to concentrate upon the one in Georgetown.

 

During his ministry the Frederick Presbyterian congregation was organized and connected with the Presbytery of Donegal. It was transferred to the Presbytery of Baltimore when the latter was organized in 1786, and it is one of the four churches which has been a member of this Presbytery from its inception to the present day.

 

It is significant to remember that just four years after the Declaration of Independence the "English Presbyterian Church" had its beginning in Frederick. The earliest historian of this Church, writing in 1831 in the first volume of Session minutes, remarked: "For the sake of distinguishing themselves from the 'German Reformed Presbyterians' who are numerous in this place, this association of individuals adopted the distinctive appellation of the English Presbyterians." In doctrine, form of worship, and in church government these two bodies were practically identical. The hindrance to union was the German language, in which all the services of the German Reformed Presbyterians," (now the Evangelical Reformed Church), were conducted.

 

Plans for building a new church were discussed as early as 1817 and the lot on West Second Street was purchased in 1819, although the church was not completed until 1825. It lay across the street from the Frederick Academy, the school of which the Presbyterian pastor of that time, the Rev. Patrick Davidson, was principal (One earlier principal was Dr. Samuel Knox, who was one of the first part-time pastors of the Presbyterian Church, 1797-1802.) An early photograph of the church, taken some decades after this time, shows stepping stones leading across Second Street to the Academy side. To raise funds for erecting the new building, the Trustees, according to an account compiled about 1925 by Mr. S.E. Brown, decided to use a lottery, but apparently without complete success. Eventually other plans for securing the needed funds were employed.

 

The surviving records of the Church tell little about the first building that the Frederick Presbyterians erected at the southwest corner of Bentz Street and the "Almshouse Road" (Fourth Street), outside of the historic "Fredericktowne". In his historical sketch of 1905, Dr. Dixon, a church pastor, described it as a modest brick structure, inside which were "high backed pews, a lofty pulpit, and a brick floor." That building, supplanted in 1825 by the present one on Second Street, was the scene of the reception to Lafayette during his visit of 1824-1825. After the congregation vacated the site, it was for a time used as a factory.

 

On the original grounds the Presbyterians also maintained their graveyard, which they continued to use even after the new church building had been erected. In 1885, the Trustees considered plans for giving up the old cemetery, but it was not until 1887 that arrangements were finally completed for the removal of bodies and markers to the newer Mt. Olivet Cemetery, and a sale of a large part of the old property along Bentz Street to the Salvation Army for $400. Other portions of the property, lying along Fourth Street, were sold off as building lots before the close of 1893. (Trustees' Records 1, and Treasurer's Ledger, 1883-1885).

 

Any description of the new church is based on photographs taken at later times and from the records of alterations that were made in intervals. As completed in 1825 and dedicated in 1827, the entrance to the church was farther back from the street than it is today, since the vestibule, or narthex, was not added until 1858; the wall of the present sanctuary farthest from the street was the back wall of the church building itself. This is the wall which, when viewed from the interior, was the pulpit area, as it is now, but the present choir loft was not there. ,The windows of the church appear to, have been of clear, possibly frosted, glass, The organ, with its pipes, probably was located originally in the balcony, but moved at a later time to the front of the auditorium, where it occupied the northwest comer. It was, of course, manually operated and required a boy or man to serve as organ blower to make it function.

 

Also, located on the balcony and centered so that the minister's eye could not fail to see it, was a clock. As late as 1887, the treasurer recorded the cost of having the clock repaired. Oil lamps were used for lighting at one period, and later gas fixtures were installed. Outside, at the front of the church, was a brick pavement, characteristic of Frederick streets of the time. When the front of the church was altered just before the Civil War, a handsome iron fence was placed just inside the pavement and extending across the property.

 

In 1845, the congregation purchased the lot adjacent to the Church where they built the manse, or home, for the pastor and his family. In 1847, a house and lot on the east side of the church were purchased, and the house was referred to as the sexton's house. It was later remodeled between 1881 and 1884, becoming the site of the Sunday School, as well as the lecture room, later to be called the chapel. By 1896, with repairs needed for both gas fixtures and the organ, the Trustees installed the first electric lights. They also decided to purchase a new organ, as well as arranging for a new organ loft and choir pews to be constructed at the rear of the pulpit. The Trustees employed the Moller Company of Hagerstown to do the work of building a "new" organ and moving the pipes and console from their former location in the northwest comer of the sanctuary.

 

Even though the organ was much improved as a result of these changes, it was still operated with the help of a human "organ blower." Stain glass windows were probably installed at ' this time.

 

Until about 1830, the Frederick Presbyterians had no regularly installed pastors, , but had preaching services conducted by supplies who stayed for a few months or for several years, usually working with other small churches in the Monocacy Valley. One of the first pastors, the Rev. Patrick Davidson (1810-1824), was also principal of the Frederick Academy. For nearly fifty years the pastors of the Church also served as principals of the Frederick Academy, an honored boys preparatory school now out of existence. The Rev. Dr. Knox, a part-time pastor of the church, was the founder of the Frederick Academy. With the arrival of Rev. James Hamner in 1830, the congregation began to keep more systematic records and to establish their distinctive role in the community.

 

The year of 1830 also marked the establishment of the Sabbath School as distinctly Presbyterian. Up to this time the children of the church had been instructed in a school conducted by the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians in common.

 

Rev. John B. Ross, M.D., was installed as pastor of the church on November 1, 1857. Shortly thereafter, the Civil War began to affect Maryland, a border state. According to the historian/pastor, the Rev. Thomas Freeman Dixon, "Troublesome times came, especially for those who dwelt along the border line, house was divided against house, brother against brother, and father against son." The Church was no exception, for both the Union and the Confederates sides had their friends and supporters. During these troubled years, Rev. Ross was visited by his personal Presbyterian friend, General Stonewall Jackson, and in 1862 the tree to which Jackson tethered his horse was known as the "Stonewall Jackson Tree" for years to come. In 1862, the work of pastoring became

so difficult and discouraging for Dr. Ross that he gave it up.

 

For nearly two years the church was without a pastor and part of the time the church was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers, especially after the battle of Antietam. Another time Dr. Dixon wrote, This is not the only association which this building has had with the war, for during nearby cannonading a ball fell through the roof and hung in the ceiling just above the pulpit, from this position of peril to the pastor the ball was removed and sold at a fabulous price to a gentleman who took it to California, and for a long time the mark remained as a silent witness of the ruthlessness of the war." Jacob Engelbrecht, a local resident who kept an extensive diary, noted on July 6, 1864, of the artillery shell that is said to have pierced the church roof. The repairs to the roof and ceiling were made in 1868.

Throughout its history, the Church and its members, men and women, have contributed greatly to the community, especially in the fields of education and social concerns. Some of the early trustees of the church were Frederick leaders such as Hiram Winchester, the founder and first principal of Frederick Female Seminary, located on the present East Church Street, whose buildings were later used by Hood College. He was a public-spirited citizen and because of his activity in promoting the first reservoir he is sometimes called the father of Frederick's water works. L.P.W. Balch, son of Rev. Stephen Balch, founder of the Frederick congregation, studied under Roger Brooke Taney, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1836-1864. Balch was later judge of the U.S. District Court for West Virginia. Samuel Tyler, another trustee, was a surgeon of some note and was said to have been the first in Frederick County to have administered anesthetics. Moses Worman, a prominent mill owner, also possessed large tracts of rich farm land and was one of the leading citizens of Frederick County in his time. On his tracts of land today can be seen the development of Worman's Mill.

In addition to being involved with the Frederick Academy, the pastors of the Church were also active in the local public schools. The first free day and free classical, schools were founded by Rev. John Miller and maintained by officers and members of the congregation. The Rev. Dr. Beale took a special interest in the Frederick Boys High school during the early and critical years of its history. Miss Robinson, founder and first principal of Frederick Girls High School, was a member of this congregation.

Another education institution which was profoundly influenced by the church was the Maryland State School for the Deaf. During 48 of the first 50 years of the school;s existence, its principals were members of the church. Charles Ely, a devout elder of the Church, was named the School's second principal when it was only two years old. He had a remarkable administration, holding the post until his death in 1912. The main administration building was erected, and the first serious efforts were made to preserve the Revolutionary barracks, located on the campus.

 

Under Dr. Robert H. Williams who became pastor in 1864, two mission Sunday schools were organized, one on North Market street, and the other in the southern part of the town. Toward the close of his ministry, the congregation observed its hundredth anniversary and enjoyed a period of growth and development, rallying from the setbacks of the Civil War. A temperance society was organized at the church in 1866, and for a long time was the only temperance society in the city.

 

Another notable pastor who continued the tradition of the church's active civic and philanthropic involvement in the community was the Rev. Thomas Freeman Dixon whose pastorate extended from 1897 until 1918. He was chaplain of the Columbia Lodge, the A.F: and A. Masons and the United Fire Company. For eight years he conducted monthly Sunday afternoon services at Yellow Springs, a mountain village five miles west of Frederick. Rev. Dixon was also the chaplain at Montevue Hospital. He founded the chair of sociology at Hood College and filled it for several years, again continuing the tradition of the importance of education to Presbyterians.

 

When the Frederick-area charities were united into one organization in 1911, Rev. Dixon became the first general secretary and held the post until 1919. The second annual report of the Federated Charities in 1913 showed that he was also president of the Free Kindergarten. He was instrumental in appointing the first public health nurse for Frederick County and the entire state. He led the establishment of the first juvenile court for the state, taking over much of the work of the Children's Aid Society, of which he was president.

 

Rev. Charles Emmanuel Wehler, D.D. supplied the pulpit of the church for some time during 1918 while continuing his position as, Vice President of Hood College. In 1927, he became the full-time pastor, serving during the 150th anniversary of the church in 1930. Under Rev. Wehler, the congregation attained the highest communicant membership in its history, 271, almost twice the size of the church at the beginning of his ministry. A Cub pack was organized in 1938, the .first such organization to be chartered in Frederick County, with the pastor as chairman of the pack committee,

 

Rev. Dr. Wehler became pastor emeritus of the church in 1939 when the Rev. W. Merval Weaver came to Frederick as its next minister in 1939. His pastorate spanned the greatest number of years of any minister in the church's history, lasting until 1965. During his time early in World War II, Camp Detrick, later Fort Detrick, became an important part of the community, and many of the service people readily became active participants and members of this church. As the Frederick community grew, so grew the Frederick church, for its minister and members exerted their influence in many ways. Considerable study was given as to the possibility of moving the church's building to the suburbs, for the Sunday school was fast expanding beyond its walls. Eventually, however it was decided that the church would stay as an in town church, and this decision was to direct the course and mission of the church in the coming years.

 

During the years of Dr. Wehler and Rev. Weaver, the Cub movement in Frederick County originated at the Presbyterian Church, the pioneer pack being organized there in 1936. J. F. Minor Simpson, a member of the church and the author of a church history, Monocacy Valley Maryland Presbyterianism, was the main leader of this large troop which drew young Cubs from all over the city. An active Boy Scout troop was also formed, led by Richard Hammond and Dr. William Roessler, supported by backing of Church groups, as well as the Men's Club. Girl Scout troops and Brownie organizations also met in the social rooms of the church.

 

By 1959, the membership stood at 569, and the Sunday School enrollment was growing, likewise. An addition was constructed at the rear of the property in 1965 for the Church's Christian Education program, and the interior of the other parts of the church building were extensively remodeled and redecorated. Earlier additions and improvements to the church had been made in 1858, 1898-99, 1930 and 1955. Early in 1965, Rev. Weaver retired from the active ministry, becoming Pastor Emeritus.

 

The Rev. Donald Bracken was called to the Frederick Church in 1965, succeeding Rev. Weaver as pastor. During his years the church showed its continuing interest in the "wider parish" of the community. The initiative of providing room in its building for the first community daycare center, along with the Social Welfare offices of the city, was taken. Room was provided for the Literacy Council meetings in which several members were active, especially Mrs. Betty Seligmann, one of its originators. The chaplain programs at the jail, the hospital, the Frederick Rescue Mission, and the newly organized Senior Citizens Fellowship Center were given support by this church. The first meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous in Frederick were held at the Church.

 

When Rev. Bracken resigned to accept a call to another Presbyterian Church in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, the Rev. Virginia G. Memmott was called to the church as an interim minister. Her six months of service in this role soon endeared her to the congregation to such an extent that she was called to serve the church as the regular minister in 1985. Under her dedicated leadership, many new members joined this church.

 

Part of the outreach ministry of the Frederick Presbyterian Church resulted in opening the church facilities/buildings to many persons with varying needs. In conjunction with the other Frederick churches, the Church opened its doors to the homeless during the freezing winter months, and the alcohol and drug recovery groups continued meeting daily in church rooms. Direct support was given to groups providing shelter for the homeless, as well as having members serve on boards such as the Western Maryland Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, and the Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, Maryland, Inc.

 

Church members shared food gifts monthly with the Frederick Community Center Food Bank. Many women have been active members of Church Women United. In 1987, an Open Door mission program began for children from Parkway School, providing fun, learning and special nurture by many church mentors from October to May of each school year. The Primetimers, a new organization, has met a special need for spiritual fellowship for the older members of the church and community. The Rev. Memmott encouraged all members to become "ministers" and participate in varied community services.

 

Under the musical leadership of Mr. Philip Day, beginning in 1988, the church presented the finest of traditional sacred music. The church's musical program expanded with the organization of additional choirs such as the Bell Choir, the Alleluia Ringers, and the Choristers. Mr. Day also led the Youth Program, integrating the youth into the total life of the congregation.

A three-year renewal program for the interior and exterior of the church was completed in 1993. Renewal will continue in the future with the addition of a handicapped Annex and the remodeling and refurbishing of the educational areas.

 

In 2004 the Rev. Memmott resigned as the pastor. Subsequently, the Church called The Rev. Dr. Robert W. Jewett, as the Interim Pastor.

 

For over two centuries, the doors of the Frederick Presbyterian Congregation have been open for weekly worship and to provide daily services to those in the community who need shelter, nurturing, and caring.

 

In 1928, Dr. Charles Wehler drew the thoughts of the congregation to its responsibility for nurturing and continuing the rich historical tradition of the life of faith bequeathed to them and the physical buildings which house their faith. In his words, their work without us will not be complete. Every work of the past is incomplete unless the present sustains it.

 

As we look to the future and the celebration of our 225th anniversary in 2005, the Frederick Presbyterian Church cherishes the certain knowledge that its members share with the faithful who worshipped and drew strength from this place, the promise of a living Christ who restores all souls, renews lives, and draws each and everyone into the future of His Kingdom. From Psalm 145:4, the words of the Psalmist will lead this church into the future, "One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts."

 

Barbara Weaver Batdorf, Church Historian