The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-06-01
Centenary of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in Maryland.

The one hundredth anniversary of the or
ganzaton of the Protestant Episcopal do
cese of Maryland was celebrated in Baltimore,
on Tuesday. In the morning Bishop Lay, of
the diocese Of Easton, delivered an interest
ing discourse, in st. Pauls church, covering
the history of the church in Maryland during
the colonial period In the evening, at eight
o'clock, there was an informal social gather
ing, and collation. at Lehman's Hail.
Bishop Pinkney presided and addresses were
made by Bishop Lyman, of N. G., Bishop
Lee, of Delaware, Rev. DR.. Chas. III. Hall, of
New York, Rev. Mr.. Leakin, John II. b. La
trobe and Judge Bradley, of Washington. A
large number of distinguished clergymen
and laymen were present
The one hundredth session of the annual
convention of the diocese met in ST. Peters
church, Baltimore, on Wednesday morning,
Bishop Pinkney presiding. The convention
sermon was preached by Rev. Orlando Hut
ton, of Montgomery county.
The representatives present from Hartford
county were Rev. Messrs VIM. f. Brand, e.
A. Colburn, Jas. B. Craighill, Il. w. Wroth,
Charles E. Buck and II. Baldwin Dean, of
the clergy, and Hon. John III. Price, james
K. Keech, r. T. Martin B. II. Keen, DR.. David
Harlan, DR.. w. w. Hopkins and F. w.
Baker, of the laity.
The history of the Episcopal church is
history of the State, so closely are the two
interviewer. 1t appears from early and reli-
able records that IA 1929, three years before
Lord Baltimore obtained his charter, VIM.
Claiborne, under license from Virginia to
discover the sources of the Chesapeake Bay,
established settlement on Kent Island, and
that Rev. Richard James, a Protestant cler.
gyman, went with him. About the year
1851 the first parishes were established in the
State, and they continue rs Protestant Epis
c0pal parishes to this day. There were ten
counties in the State, at that time, namely,
ST. Mary's, Calvert, Charles, Anne Arundel,
Baltimore, Cecil, Kent, Talbot, Dorchester
and Somerset. Baltimore county included
the region now known as Hartford county
and was divided into four parishes, known
as St Paul's, st. Andrews, st. Georges and
st. Johns. st. Georges parish is entirely in
Hartford county, the parish church being
Spesutia, at Perrymansville. st. Johns par
ish lies partly in Baltimore and partly in
Hartford county, with st. Johns church,
Kingsville, as the parish church The lines
separating the two parishes have been for
gotten, but since no one church now claims,
as in that day, precedence O7er the others,
the obliteration of parish lines is of little con-
sequence.
The first formal meeting of the Maryland
clergy was held at Annapolis May 90, 100,
but it was not until 1884 that lay representa-
tives were admitted to take part in the
church councils. In 1885 the convention
adopted the Book of Common Prayer now
used.
Maryland's first Bishop was the Rev. John
Claggett, d. D., of Prince Georges county,
who was consecrated by Bishops Seabury,
White, Provost and Madison. Bishop
Claggetts first confirmation was held in All
Saints parish, Frederick county, March "a,
1893. Ten females were confirmed. In 1867
the diocese was divided the Eastern Shore
counties being formed into separate do
cese, called the diocese of Easton, Rev ii. c.
Lay, D. d., being elected Bishop.
The present Bishop of Maryland, Rev.
VIM. Pnkney, d. d., was elected assistant
to Bishop Nottingham, in 1870. Bishop
Nottingham died at Orange, N. j., October
II, 1879, and was succeeded by Bishop Pink
ney.