The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-12-31
From the Baltimore Sunday Herald.

Much of the substantial clement of the
pioneer days came from Episcopalian
homes, and their descendants have played
a mighty part in the formation of the So
cial and financial worth of Baltimore.
Their churches started with the city, and
have grown with it. From the first to the
present time they have figured prominent
ly in the affairs of the Commonwealth.
THE Garrison Church, . so named from
its location in what has always been known
as Garrison Forest" Baltimore county,
is next to the oldest church building
possibly the oldest standing-in the State.
1t is made the subject of an interesting
sketch, published in book form, by Rev.
Hobart Smith, rector of St. Thomas par
ish, who has edited many papers left by
the Rev. Ethan Allen, d. D.
The church was erected l54 years age
by the members of what was then st.
Paul Parish. No doubt this is the old
est of all the colonial parishes laid out
under the jurisdiction of the Church of
England while Maryland was yet a prov
ince under King George. The original
dimensions of St. Paurs parish extended
from the Patapsco River, on the south, to
the Pennsylvania line, on the north, and
from the Patapsco Falls and the county
line on the west to the Chesapeake Bay on
the east, and to the Middle River, the big
Gunpowder Falls, the Western Run and
Piney Run on the northeast, by which
streams it was divided from St John 5
parish. This was very large parish, and
was very inconvenient, especially for the
.'foresters' OF forest inhabitants, as
they were then called. Garrison Forest
was so named because of fort and garri
son of soldiers stationed there for the de
Tense of the frontier inhabitants against the
Indians. The garrison was not far north
of where the United States arsenal is now
located.
Rev. Benedict Bourdillon was appoint
ed to the parish of st. Paul by Governor
Ogle, then Governor of the Province OF
Maryland. All records show that he was
in energetic and efficient clergyman, and
it was he who proposed the building Of d
new chapel for the benefit of the forest
inhabitants > The proposition was adopt.
ed by the vestry Of his church, and witt
his assistance petition was drawn up anC
presented to the Governor. The General
Assembly of 1742 passed an act in accor
dance with the wishes of the petition, anC
William Hamilton, Christopher Sist, Sam
uel Owings, Christopher Randall anc
Nicholas Halle were empowered to receive
voluntary subscriptions for the purchase
of two acres of land and material for the
building of the chapel.
The substance of the subscriptions are
interesting notes at this date They con
sisted of +, 400 pounds of tobacco and f64
and 10 S. currency. OF this amount, Mr.
Bourdillon subscribed nearly double thai
of anyone else. In 1743 the site Of the
chapel was selected, and during the yea1
some progress was made in the erection OF
the edifice The walls were carried W
and the roof covered. The bricks Of which
it was built were brought from England,
but falling short Of the requisite number,
the gable ends were left unfinished, and
for several years caused peculiar appear
ance of both ends of the roof. The edi-
flee was sc feet long, 36 feet broad, and
for its day, was considered spacious
building.
In the same act which provided for the
building of the chapel, it was enacted that,
at the death of Rev. Mr. Bourdillon, Sol
dier's Delight and Back River Upper
Hundreds, being all of ST. Paul's parish
north of Old Court road, leading from the
Patapsco Falls and Joppa, was to be for
ever separated from st. Paups 3, and new
parish to be created called ST. Thomas,
and the Garrison Chapel was to be the
parish church. Rev. Mr.. Bourdillon died
in January, 1745, and st. Thomas be-
came a separate and Independent parish.
At that time there were few inhabitants
north of the parish limit, and Indians,
bears, wolves and deer were plentiful in
the surrounding region, and so continued
for several years.
The following month meeting Of the
yestrymen was called, and Rev. Thomas
Cradock showed his letters mandate from
the Governor of the province, to exercise
the office of minister in ST. Thomas par
ish. At that period the appointment OF
all ministers was at the disposal of Lore
Baltimore, and continued so until 1774
Rev. Mr.. Cradock' salary was small, the
support being derived from tax on every
white male and every servant over II
years of age. The number of taxables
were 675-yielding him an income o.
1926 annually.
In 1745 and 1746 several improvements
were made about the chapel, including ;
new brick floor. In 1855 a large Bible
and two large prayerbooks were ordered
from England for the use of the chapel
They cost about S23. In 1856, gallerl
was put up across the west end OF tn,
church After the defeat of Braddocl
the previous year at what is now Pitts
burgh, the Indians came to within &C
miles of St. Thomas to plumber and muir
der, and the members of the parish wer,
greatly alarmed. They carried their gun
with them to church and kept them il
the corner of their pews during service.
In July, 1859, the church was plast
cred, and in 1861 new roof was added
Rev. Mr.. Cradock died May Z, 1870
He had been the incumbent of st. Thomas
parish more than % years, and was re
garded as faithful and learned minister
His monument still stands in St. Thomas
Churchyard
His successor was Rev. William Ed
mission, appointed by Robert Eden, Gov
ernor of the Province of Maryland. Fiv,
years later Rev. Mr.. Edmiston was forced
to leave the church and the parish because
of his Tory principles.
Rev. Thomas Hopkinson was chosen BY
the vestry to succeed him, and was ap
pointed as curate. He remained one yea
and resigned, because of the meager tenn
poral support of the church.
Tn17S0 Rev. William West was selected