The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-04-09
AisCeltanenu5.
The First Presbyterian Church Of Bel Air
BY REV. KERRY ;. MILLER.

Nearly forty years ago, on July list,
1852, the Presbyterian Church of Bel
Air, Maryland, was organized, by the
Rev. Jos. Il. Smith and Rev. Mr.. Peck,
who were appointed by the Presbytery
of Baltimore for this purpose. The
original members NUN bered nine: Mr..
James A. Fulton, DIR. f. Hall Richard
son, Mrs. Catherine Richardson, Mrs.
Sophia McHenry, Miss Martha Robin
son, Miss Mary Robinson, Mrs. Marga-
ret Bull, DIR. William S. Jones and
Mrs. Catherine Jones.
The church organization was the
outgrowth of the labors of the Rev
VIM. Finney, of Churchville; Rev. A.
b. Cross, Rev. II. H. Davis and others,
all OF sainted memory. Much of the
immediate work connected with the
gathering of a congregation and build
ing of the first church building was
done by the Rev. Mr.. Bos worth, who
was pastor at Franklinyille, Baltimore
county. The building was completed
and dedicated in 1852, and is still stand
ing, having been used for thirty years
by the congregation as a house of
worship. Its style of architecture is
that which was in vogue in anti-bel-
lum days, and it stands as a monu-
ment, both of the zeak Ct the early
members of the chup6h and Of the
architecture of those days. Its white
columns still mark the street on which
it stands. 1t cost between five and six
thousand dollars.
The first minister to take charge of
the congregation was the Pastor
Emeritus, the Rev. Il. ID. Finney, son
of Rev. WIN. Firney, of Churchville.
He entered upon his duties August
23d, 1852, but at the end of three
months was called to Mississippi to
take charge of school and church.
In his place came the Rev. w. F. P.
Noble, who remained three months in
charge, from January to April, 1858.
He was followed by the Rev Samuel
Paul, who after three months was
called to be first pastor of the church.
He resigned in November, 1854, and in
October, 1855, the Rev. VIM. \. Rankin
was called to the pastorate and served
this church and also the Churchville
congregation for six months. Next
came the Rev. j. H. Sargent, who
served from June, 1857, to May, 1858.
and then retired. In September, 1858,
the Rev. w. F. p. Noble was invited
to return as pastor and continued in
his office until March, 1860, when he
resigned.
During the troublous times of the
war the church suffered much from the
continual change of ministers. The
Revs. Samuel NJ cMullin, J. n. Hustled,
H. L. Singleton, j. S. G. Smith all
served short terms during the war
Mr.. Smith continued from 1864 to 1869
Following him the Rev. w. B. Brown
was stated supply from 1869 to 1871,
when the present pastor emeritus was
asked to supply the pulpit. On Feb
ruary Goth, 1878, Mr.. Finney was regu-
larly installed as pastor, and SO con
tinued until December 22d, 1895, when
he resigned and was made pastor
emeritus.
If the early days of the church
saw many new faces in the pulpit,
such was not the case in the Session
There were two elders elected at the
organization, Mr.. James a. Fulton and
DIR. Z. Hall Richardson. DR. Richard
son served nearly forty years, until
his death in 1898. Mr.. Fulton still
lives on in a beautiful old age, is yet
a member of the Session, and will be
until his death, which we hope will
not come until the twentieth century
is we'll started. A beautiful example
of what God works thro' Presbyterian
ism. May we all be such as he is.
In 1875 VIM. Finney Hanna was
elected Elder and served until his
death in 1915. After many years with
the two, original elders, in 1891 John
B. Hanna, son of Vim. f. Hanna,
Phineas F. Ball and Geo. r. Cairnes
were added to the Session.
During the short ministries in the
q r. 1 4, Nj
ney's long pastorate of quarter cen
fury, the church gradually increased
in membership and influence, until it
became the strongest church in the
community. The only child of the
church is the Fallston Presbyterian
church, four miles away, in the village
of Fallston. Mr. Finney ministered
to both churches for eighteen years,
until 1891, when Fallston was united
with Franklinville. They have a good
house of worship, erected in 1878, and
services have been been held regularly
for twenty four years. This church is
a monument to Mr.. Finney's untiring
labors, and is of great value to that
community.
In 1882 the present beautiful house
of worship was erected at a cost of
eight thousand dollars. 1t is built of
stone, finely situated and is the one
educational piece of architecture in
Bel Air The congregation are de-
servedly proud of this beautiful
church, which with the lecture room
added in 1894 at a cost of two thousand
dollars, makes a very complete and
we'll appointed place in which to
worship Him whose delight is in the
Walls of Zion. Since then pipe or
gan has been added which makes the
appointments complete indeed.
The parsonage of the church was
sold in 1888 to Mr.. Finney and it is the
prayer of the church that for many
years, his figure may brighten the
doorway, as their hearts and footsteps
still turn to him, who was SO long their
aaehar and DaStOr