Saint Mary's beacon., 1895-01-03

HE iked ot tchurchrnanship having been
first so,sn in Maryland on the Isle of Kent
st. PaHrs csmes In for the firsi piace
among these historic churches. Miss
Ridgely judiciously introduces as much
history and geography as are necessary fos
the reader 10 properly understand the Sc
quence Of ecclesiastical change TIE Isle
'sf Kent. rs the bone of contention between
Lord Baltimore and William Claiborne
suffered much; and. when Claiborne and
bis foll0-ers were obliged to fee, their
lands were confscated. and the Rev. Rich
ard james. the spiritual director Of the
Protestant settlement. which had been co.
tablisted there ia 1880 returned 10 England.
But the seeds Of Episcop4cy again bore
fruit. and in 1850. Kent Islaad had q
church devoted 10 the Episcopal faith:
upon the same spot, according 70 the
pre- cri text another church was built Of
Engli.h brick on q gfauile foundation aud
wac Standing as late as 1880, '.in grove Of
venerable oaks, near Broad Creek, an inlet
Of the Chesapeake Christ Church, at
Stevensville, about mile and q half dis
tant, is Darsly constructed from the brick
If this ruin. and rears lis head in proud
consciousness f iineal descent from the
tirst authenticated church edIfice ia the
provinces" As the first blush. this state
inent appears sweeping; but it is easily ex-
planned when il j. recollected that the
Catholic LORI Proprietary. though having
power To license the erection OF churches,
WAS obliged 10 see that ",he same should
be dedicated and consecrated according TO
TIE ecclesiastical laws q England" and, as
at that time the laws or England were un-
Eavorshse 20 the Roman Catholic Church,
the proprietary built only chapels
Michael Miller received 1000 pounds Of
tibnccn for the land upon which 81 Paurs
Church was built. but this sum be repaid
again as a gin 10 the church" This gen.
teman, though church warden, is ON rec
ord as having been fined 100 pounds of
tnbacco for being ahseut from two meetings
of the vestFy. The first rector Of this old
church was the Rev. Mr.. Vanderbush,
whose salary was 5000 pounds Of tobacco
yearly. Various items Of interest have
been CLEANED from the church rec.rds-we
learn that the collections taken up at Christ
mss, Eisier and Whiisunday went 10 de.
tray the c1st al the wine used for the Holy
Communion; and that veslrymen were re-
quirtd TO take the "Tes. oath"
"Ss Luke's, Wye, Is one of the auaintest
Of Eastern SnoIe churches Seen in the
slanting rays ofthe evening sun. though a
framework of branching oak, its weather.
beaten brick and shining ivy present
pretfier picture than an engraving can re-
produce. The church at one tine
& II into disuse on account Of IFS dilapidit-
ei condition and a new ST Luke's was
built At Queenstown, few miles distant.
Bish"p p WhiItinghani, however, finding the
venerable structure given up ID the beasts
oi the field, literally drove these living
pr offs of the domination of des0lation'
from the spnt, and in 1854 the whole
bnihiing. 'fitIv framed, oomp4cted and
hesutited,' was reconsecrited by tie same
Bishop"
Trinity Church, Dorchester, was built of
brick brought from England, and among
iis treasured relics are a Bible and other
bnoks If worship presented by Queen Anne,
and also cushion said TO have been used
at her coronation.
Among the other historic churches.is ST.
Mays. in the North Elk Parish, Cecil
county. the parish having been laid of in
l1O5 and the church built in 17l3. There
are alsp the old Trinity Church in ST.
Nary's; the Chapel If ST. Francis, erected
nv Father Ashley in II z, little 10 the
west of Leonardtown; the Chapel of 81.
James, built on corner of what is still
called MY Lady's Manor" and still known
"a The Manor Church" The first place
OF Roman Catholic worship in Maryland
was an Indian building made Of bark,
which they found at the village of Z4r-
conoco upon first landing. and which they
adapted To purposes of religious service.
Their first chapel of prominence was built
il 1861, when William Breton, ESQ.,.
with the good liking of his dearly beloved
wife, Temperance Brettoa." granted TO the
Roman Catholic inhabitants of Newtown
ard 81. Clements Bay and their posterity
an acre ami half of ground for chapel
md cemetery.
In Puri'an Anne Arundel, US il was
called by the grateful settlers, the first
house vas built for the yearly meeting of
the Friends" aud here is still 10 be seen
an interesting graveyard IL this meeting
house George Fox preached in 1872, con-
verting by his fiery oratory many feryent
Puritans to peaceful Quakers.
In the early days Maryland was divided
Into ten COUNTIES, and these ten counties
were subdivided into thirty one parishes,
each parish representing large trac: of
territory. Consequently many families, in
order 10 reach the parish church, which
they were forced by law to attend, had to
lrave home nn Saturday to attend the
Sabbath services. For the accommodation
of such persphs ehapels oi ease were built
in the outiying districts of large parishes
Ia ihis way many Of the early churches
originated.