The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-07-04
AN OLD BALTIMORE COUNTY PARISH
history of st. Johns Protestant Episco-
pal Church, Western Run.

AN OLD BALTIMORE COUNTY PARISH
History of st. Johns Protestant Episco
pal Church, Western Run.
The Maryland C1urcADsan.
g. sc, Johns Church, Western Run, is beauti
tul tnItie Gothic stone church situated in Worth
G fH9k,oh valley, about three miles northeast Of
| SSayuoon, and eight miles nearly due west OF
oeSeakeysville, Baltimore county.
services were first held here in the year 1sOC
s Dy ney: John Coleman in school house which
otv ~ opposite the present church on the land
~ In,, MI. Charles Walker, of WOODBURY.. That
n1so,9 ny was still standing in DR.. Aliens day. in
Inc church here had its origin in the desire OF
q , lew people, who found it rather irksome on
THGhnuays to climb the hills to and from ST
Inomas' Church. Garrison Forest, and SO the
people of Worthington Valley, with the consent
" I'm .ne rector, determined to build chapel of
1 whse Easy for them. but hard on the rector,
Mno nad TO climb the same hills and surmount
t the same obstacles of bad roads in winter and
inc M, trying heat of summer.
std Inc actual date of the laying of the corner
stole OF the old church was 1916. The corner
s sSo Is rather quaint and now forms part of
, VIZ new building. The land 1.-TWO acresl on
T Wnich the church was built was the gift of
Sharles Walker, of WOODBURY., who seems to
nave been prominent man in those days. His
r na.de STOOD first on the cornerstone, which
st. Johns Church
A. ID. 1876
Chs Walker
Ion T. Worthington
Chs WorthingtOn
Key Johns
Managers
Ben Cromwell. Car
Sn Frieze & Ce Ring
Masons
Inc subscribers to the building were as fol-
lows: John 7. Worthington, $500; Charles
Morthington, $500; Key Johns, $3.50; Walter
,WHorthington, $3.50; Mrs. Eliza Philpot, $500 |;
hickman Johnson, 5000; Fayette Johnson, $500 !;
Elisha s. Johnson, $500; Jno. T. H. Worthing-
ton 500; Richard Johns, 500; Edward Gill ,Sr.,
through G E Ss o aaq cost So 0a Sc
ana the church was consecrated by Bishop
Kemp, November 10, 1918.
Inc first meeting (of which there is any re-
eofol OF an official character was held at ST.
johns Church, May %, 1920. This meeting was
t. ID. Worthington being made secretary. Eight
yestrymen were then elected, viz: Hickman
Johnson, j. folly Worthington, Edward Gill,
ington and Kensey Johns; George w. Johnson
and Benjamin Johns, wardens.
for the reguo9 of HE Yesy wst these Were
signed by. the following in addition to those
above: ElishaS. Johnson, Richard Johns MINI
rod Cromwell and Fayette johnson.
We are generally disposed to think that in
those days people were very careless in regard
to the Holy Communion, and yet we read that
regulation of their body that mo one can be
veStryman unless he be member of said church
by enrolling and communing with the congre-
The church seems to have had very uncer-
tain life. so far as rectors tend to keep church
alive. The Rev. Mr.. Jackson, of st. Thomas is
mentioned by the Rev. DIR. Allen as officiating
on alternate Sundays for time after the build
ing of the church in 1916, just as Mr.. Coleman
and possibly other rectors had done. The first
actual mention of rector in the records of the
church was in December 1920, when the Vestry
unanimously agreed to appoint the Rev. Charles
G. Austin, rector for the following year, and
they agreed to pay him 1920, payable quarterly.
He is supposed to have held the rectorship for
fourteen years, alternating Sunday by Sunday
with st. Thomas, where he resided.
In 1921 John Johns was appointed to superin-
tend the fencing in of the church, which duty
he performed at cost of SIT.
In 1922 the vestrymen were John Johns. Rich
ard Johns, j. T. II. Worthington, Charles Worth
ington, Brian Philpot, Kensey Johns, Benja-
min Johns and Garrett Worthington.
Although the laymen seemed to be much in
earnest in those days, in the matter of clergy
the same uncertain condition seemed to prevail
as formerly. The only rector l can find named
in the early records, in addition to those already
mentioned, are 1896, Rev. John P. Robinson, who
officiated here on alternate Sundays for per-
haps one year; then after lapse of five years,
in 1912, Rev. George F. Worthington. 1874 Rev.
VIM. N. Pendleton, who alternated with Sher
wood Church, Cockeysville. for year or two
teaching at the same time in Baltimore. He re-
ported five COMMITMENTS at st. Johns.
1S47 Rev. Henry w. Woods was the first rector
who gave all his time to the parish. He report
ed to the bishop six communicates. With the
exception of the Rev. Mr.. Austin, none of these
remained long in charge, and perhaps for one
half the time the church was closed entirely.
In 1S4S the church began to show work. The
Rev. Ethan Allen took charge, and for nearly
eight years the church seemed to prosper under
his faithful administration. His parish register
still exists. showing the ueatness Of his script
and the carefulness of his arrangement.
In the beginning of the third year of his pas
torate noble thing was done in the building of
the large stone rectory, still in use and most
presented it in the following terms: 1.-THE dwell
ing house, which, with the permission of the
vestry have caused to be built on the grounds
1&1la H.,
Baltimore county, designed as a parsonage for
the use of the minister of the church for the
time being, and hereby make over and convey
free from all membranes to the vestry of
BALTIMORE COUNTY, March 20. 1850.
His course is kindly commended as one worthy
to be followed by others who may be blessed
VI imunicants ana fsr as ne was aOIe learn,
there never had been, all told, more than 10 in
its whole history. During his eight years rec
he left q list of IL communicates for his success
sor, Rev. A. j. Rich, who, in his five years rec
torshp, added 10 and on his departure left 12for
his successor, Rev. A. j. Berger.
The various steps in the organization of the
church were as follows: 1900. mission services
a kind of Chapel of Ease; 1920, organized into
church known as st. Johns in the Valley; 1854,
erected into parish under the title Western
Run Parish 1869, burned church replaced by
the present beautiful one, which cost, when
completed. nearly $4,000.
The church of 1916 must have been we'll built.
IL required new Swinging III 1901 ,IOrIy-Ol0 years
afterwards, under the rectorshp of Rev: Dr.. Rich.
This gentleman was rector of st. Johns at
three different times-1855-61. 1894, 1902. No
rector of parish ever worked more faithfully
and earnestly under all kinds of discourage
ments than did DR.. Rich in this parish
Two other rectors deserve passing mention.
The Rev. DIR. Tenant lived in the rectory for
twelve continuous years, and with his faithful
wife did so many good and loving works as to be
still kindly remembered all up and down the
hills and valleys of the neighborhood
The Rev. George Thomas served the church
for five and half years and left monument
long to be remembered in that the church was
put into number one condition at an expendi-
ture of some thousands of dollars, and the rec
tory, which had gone much into decay, was fully
and comfortably renovated and the outhouses
put into good order. or completely renewed, so
that now the house is thoroughly comfortable.
The rest is quickly told. There are still about
u communicates, but the males are so few that
not enough can be found to constitute vestry.
and SO we are content to work on with kind OF
mission, under missionary, who is responsible
to the bishop, under whose direction he works,
and to whom he sends regular reports. A Sun
day school is in operation every Sunday. Ser
vices are held on alternate Sundays, a great deal
of house to house visiting is done by the mis-
sonary and his wife, sometimes together, some
times separately; the sick are visited, children
are baptized, and in other ways we trust much
is done in making Christ known among the poor
and careless ones.
Someone will no doubt be ready to ask, us it
worth while to try to keep open a church which
is not able to sustain itself any better than st.
Johns does? Does it pay?'
In answer look at the result OF the work done
by the missionary whose headquarters is at st.
Johns rectory. His work runs from the Penn
sylvania line all along the western side of Balti
more county and passing by churches here and
there runs into Carroll and Howard counties.
He has been enabled to reach 81 church families,
or parts of families, and 80 nOn-church families,
otherwise would be unable to have church privi-
leges. He has baptized in three years not less
than So children and married nine couples. He
has presented three persons for confirmation
and has admitted to the Holy Communion two
others who many years before had been con-
firmed and were practically lost to the church.
Il. H. M.
Formation of Protective Association for
Green Spring Valley.-At large and repre-
sentative meeting of the property holders and
residents of Green Spring Valley, held at the
Green Spring Valley Hunt Club on Friday
night of last week, it was decided to form an
association the object of which is to adopt
measures for the promotion of the health and