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Over
one hundred years ago, the American people were living in an atmosphere of
tension, suspicion, and fear produced by a struggle between two
conflicting ideologies. The election of Abraham Lincoln as president of
the United States precipitated the secession movement in the Southern
states which led to the Civil War.
At the
same time, another election, this one at the First English Lutheran Church
in Baltimore, led to dissension among the congregation and to the
formation of a new church. The pastorate of the First English Lutheran
Church, then located on Lexington Avenue between Howard Street and Park
Avenue, became vacant upon the resignation of the Rev. John C. Morris in
June, 1860, after 33 years of service.
Immediate steps were taken to elect a successor and the two principal
candidates were Dr. Theophilus Stork of Philadelphia and Dr. John McCron
of the Third Lutheran Church on Monument Street in Baltimore. More than
seventy ballots were cast without an election. The advocates of Dr.
McCron were in the majority, but they were unable to muster the two -
thirds vote required by the Church Constitution, Finally, after a long and
bitter struggle, Dr. McCron was engaged to supply the pulpit indefinitely.
Dr. McCron accepted and became in this irregular way the new pastor of the
church.
On the
evening of October 23, 1860, a portion of the members of the First Church
held a meeting in the lecture room of the Second Lutheran Church on
Lombard Street, and organized a new English Lutheran Church with the name
of St. Mark’s Evangelical English Lutheran Church. A formal written
agreement was presented and signed by 113 persons, 101 of whom were former
communing members of the First Church. “In the name of the Triune God, we
the subscribers hereby express our willingness to enter into the
organization of a new English Lutheran Church, with a view to the glory of
God, by the promotion of our spiritual welfare and the extension of His
Kingdom among our fellow-men; with an obedient reliance upon Christ, the
great Head of the Church, we invoke His blessing, feeling that if this
work be of man, it will come to naught, but if it be of God, man cannot
overthrow it.”
A
Provisional Church Council was appointed and it was instructed to invite
Dr. Stork to become Pastor of the new church at a salary of $1,000 per
year.
During
the last week in October the Third Presbyterian Church  building
on east side of Eutaw Street, between Saratoga and Mulberry, was rented at
$30 per month to be used jointly by the two congregations. Under this
arrangement, the first religious service of St. Mark’s was held on Sunday
evening, November 4, 1860. The Rev. Dr. J. G. Morris preached from
Genesis 24:56, “Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way”.
The collection of $7 was the first money paid into the treasury.
On
November 11, the first Sunday School Session was held with Dr. W. M. Kemp
as Superintendent. All of the Sunday School officers and teachers with one
exception had moved from First Church to St. Mark’s.
A constitution was adopted on November 26, and on December 1 the
Rev. Dr. Theophilus Stork became the first
pastor. The Ladies Contributing Society was organized on December 12 with
117 members.
Saint Mark's , at it's
current location, had its inception back in the Autumn of 1895 when three men (L. T. Appold, W. L. Armiger, Waldo Newcomer) were appointed by the Church
Council to explore the possibilities of moving the location of St. Mark’s
Church to a more suitable site. The report of this committee was favorable
and accordingly the matter was set before the congregation at a meeting
held November 20, 1895.
By April, 1896 the lot on the southwest corner of St. Paul and 20th
Streets was selected and an option taken on the same. It was not until
November 5, 1896, however, that final consummation of the purchase could
be made owing to legal difficulties incident to obtaining a clear title to
the property.
The building committee, in whose charge was placed the responsibility of
letting the contracts and passing on the general plans, was composed of
Charles G. Kriel, Sr., L.T. Appold, Waldo Newcomer, W.L. Armiger, and Wm.
Kammerer.
Ground was broken in the summer of 1897 and the foundation was ready for
the cornerstone laying on Sunday, August 1. A large congregation of
worshippers was present to witness the ceremony and hear addresses by Dr.
Charles S. Albert and
Dr. Dunbar. The following articles were placed in
the cornerstone: a Bible, Augsburg Confession, Luther’s Catechism, a Book
of Worship, a Constitution of the Church, a History of St. Mark’s, Record
of Congregational Meeting with action determining the erection of the new
Church, copies of St. Mark’s QUARTERLY, THE LUTHERAN OBSERVER, THE
LUTHERAN WORLD, THE LUTHERAN EVANGELIST, The Augsburg Teacher, Picture of
the old church, Minutes of Maryland Synod, Programme of Cornerstone Laying
Service, List of ministers present, members of choir, members of Church
Council, Building Committee, officers and teachers of Sunday School,
architect and builder, current coin, and copies of daily city papers.
Those on the committee to plan for this service were Fred W. Beck and Win.
L. Armiger.
The last services in the old church on Eutaw Street were held on October
30, 1898 with historical sermons by Pastor Dunbar.
The special services of dedication were festive occasions with the actual
dedicatory service being read by the Rev. D. Frank Garland, President of
the Maryland Synod on Sunday, November 6, 1898. A whole host of other
speakers were heard that day and during the week following. |
