The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-03-21
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
OBSERVES ANNIVERSARY
Celebrates Founding of Church
Here BY John w. Garrett

The fftieth anniversary of the Gar
rett Memorial Presbyterian church in
Oakland was celebrated Sunday after
noon at 2:30 o'clock with special
services in the church.
Musical selections were rendered by
Mr.. and Mrs. F. E. Holden, quartet
composed of Rev. w. B. Brock, Misses
Marion Brock and Mary Evelyn Moon
and DR.. J..G. Robinson Mrs. Neil Fra
ley was the organ accompanist.
Greetings were brought by letter
from Governor Harry w. Nice and
from Robert Garrett, a grandson of
the late John w. Garrett, the church's
founder, and from Rev. David c. Trim
BILE, rector of st. Matthew's Episcopal
church, Oakland, who was unable to
be present.
Greetings in person were brought
by Rev. w. S. Patterson, pastor of
st. Paul's NJ. E. church, and by Benz.
H. Sincell, representing st. Marks
Lutheran church, in the absence of
Pastor Shilke.
Rev. Walter B. Brock, pastor of the
church, submitted brief history of
the local church, which had been pre-
pared by his daughter, Miss Edith G.
Brock.
A brief rededicatory service was
held which concluded the afternoons
program.
A portion of the history of the
church follows, not in the exact words
of the author, however:
Among those spending the summer
in Oakland in 1867 was Henry S. Gar
rett, of Baltimore. This gentleman was
an ardent Presbyterian who attended
services in Baltimore but could not at
Oakland because there was no church.
This being the case he determined to
build church here, but before his
plans materialized he died. The work
was then taken up by his younger
brother, John w. Garrett, then presi-
dent of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road. The church was erected in 1868,
in memory of Henry Garrett, 1t is
constructed of stone brought from the
Cheat River region and considered the
finest in the community.
The congregation was organized in
1869, and the first minister was DR..
John A. Scott, of Dufield, West Va.
He preached both in Terra Alta and
Oakland and was also pastor at Duff
field. For this reason the Garrett Me
mortal church originally belonged to
the Winchester Presbytery instead of
to the Baltimore Presbytery.
Three years after the organization
of the church a Sunday school was
started. Soon it's membership exceeded
that of the church.
Other ministers besides DR.. Scott
were John M. Lefever, Frank A. Ooul,
Henry M. Smith, John M. Foulk, S. NJ
Engle, H. C. Alexander, William H.
Miller, John A. McClelland, L. B.
Henslay, Thomas Brown, ]. c. Ely,
Henry A. Grubbs. Revs. Engle, Nc
Clelland and Hensley are the only ones
who are still living.
On March IT, 1885, the heirs of John
W. Garrett placed the church under
the administration of three trustees:
Mrs. Martha Delawder, Gilmor S.
Hamill and Samuel Spencer. In 1893 a
resolution was passed by the Session
condemning all worldly amusements
and the Session authorized the local
pastor to call this resolution to the at
tention of certain members of the con-
gregation.
In 1902 the legal organization of the
church was perfected. A deed to the
trustees of the Presbyterian church
was given on May 6, 1907, at which
time the building became the property
of the Presbyterian church of Oak
land.
Rev. Walter B. Brock has been pas
tor of the church for upward of ten
years.