Evening star., 1933-11-12

Built 1642 on Smiths Greek, Saint Marys
County; removed to lot near present rectory,
Saint Marys City
I'm 1895 the capital was removed from Saint
Marys City to Annapolis, and the State House
came to be a place of Church Of England
worship.
"1n 1720 the General Assembly vested the
State House and its grounds in the rector and
vestry of william and Mary Parish and it be-
came the chapel of the parish until 1929.
when it was razed and bricks used to build the
present church, nearby, which in 1851 became
the parish church, the newly created Saint
Marys Parishs
Lord Thou hast been our refuge
from one generation to another"
1t was Sabbath day when the writer vis-
tied this historic spot, and after copying the
tablet, and as services were being conducted
within, he entered and listened to good SER
mon, and might have seen, had he looked for
it, the side of pew made from q
part of the old mulberry tree beneath which
stood Leonard Calvert and King Yacomico
when the surrounding territory was bought.
Here part Of the communion rail, part OF
the bishops chair a portion of the lectern and
the aims dishes are also of the wood of this
historic tree
After the service was over and the Rev. E. ~
MaCononny the rector was free to answer
questions he was asked the location Of Saint
Andrews Church, and, of course, we had gone
about 10 miles out Of our way, for we had
passed it not far out of Leonardtown, where
the Three AS had placed sign. But even with
this guide the place was not easy to find, for
it is a road scarcely travelled, and much of it Is
one-man road at that; and, worse still, this
road soon divides itself into two one-man roads.
neither of which is marked friend on the
trip said: when In doubt take the road to
the right" and so we did, and found ourselves
on the wrong road. But when arrived at
st. Andrews Church (also known as the Leon
ardtown church,, which we did eventually,
we felt repaid for all of trouble, for here,
In what is today secluded place in the coun-
try, back IN the woods, with few people living
anywhere around Is Colonial church of much
beauty.
Is In as good condition today as 1t was when
1t erected more than century and q half
ago. The Joints IN the outer wall are an
intact and even the brick keystones in the brick
arches IN perfect condition There seemed
to be no janitor or caretaker to look after the
building, but entrance to the church was easy.
and once within we found it to be typical
Colonial house Of worship for everything seems
to be the same as when it was first erected
and no improvements are noticeable.
The pews, OF which there are about SO, are
Of the old box or stall type, such as we're placed
in Pohick Church when that building was re-
stored few years ago. They built OF
wainscoting, the body painted white; the rail-
ing walnut. The floor is of stone slabs, the
ceiling curved and covered with wainscoating,
while at one end is what was once beautiful
chancel, and at the other end gallery. The
church seems to be so far out of the way thai
few people ever visit the spot. though at the
time 1t was erected 1t was in the center of one
of the most productive parts Of Maryland.
There Is q fairly well kept cemetery sur
rounding the church, and, judging from the
more or less recent interments noted ON the
tombstones, burials are still being made there.
One gravestone informed us that it was the
last resting place Of Miss Jane E. Briscoe of
Washington CITY, who died September 30. 1s4s.
Another was the tomb Of a high ch.rchrnaI,.