The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1946-10-03

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mark a series of special services
which will be conducted by the Rev.
Raymond Miller, pastor, in honor of
the 175th anniversary of a place of
worship whose history is deeply in
tertwined with the history of Eur
ope,t the M airy la n d of the great
Lords Baltimore, and of Washing
ton County.
Historical records show that as
early as 1875 Europeans, seeking a
permanent home in the new world,
settled in the community now
known as Funkstown, in the rich
area opened up for colonization by
Charles Calvert, Fifth Lord of Balti-
more. The countryside about was
already dotted with the stately
manors of the English aristocracy
who had brought with them into
the area the Established Church of
England
The settlers who came into this
section were of three main national
Origins Scotch-Irish, who came in
moderate numbers, a few British
prisoners, and great number of
hardy and industrious Germans,
fleeing from the Palatinate of the
Rhine, which had been torn by half
century of continuous warfare.
Ordered by Louis w of France to
J quit the Palatinate within three
days these refugees knew the mean
ing of hunger, cold and insecurity.
They had been defrauded by trad
ers and had endured nightmare
voyages across the wild Atlantic.
They had learned the uses of forti-
tude and quiet courage.
The sole reminder they had of
their homeland in the new world
was their church, which they bro
ught with them, and it is to the en-
durance of their faith that the
Lutheran Church in these parts
owes its strength.
The earliest reference to any
church organization in this vicin-
/ ity occurs in the year 1747 at Con-
colleague. When, in 1862, Jonathan
Hager laid out the town that now
bears his name, Lutheran congre-
cation had already been established
there for some time.
In It'll a congregation of sixteen
families was established at Jerusa-
lem, now known as Funkstown -
and incidently the name Jerusalem
is still required on legal documents
- and log building was erected
to serve both the Lutheran and Re
formed congregations. Thus un-
ion church was established, served
by Pastor Charles Frederick Wild
balm, of McCallistertown, who min
istered to a number of churches
over a wide area
The articles Of the Constitution
of 1771 indicate that services had
been held prior to this time, mas
much as formal organization was
necessary to defeat certain destruc-
tive influences within the church.
Names still common to this area,
such as Rohrer, Scheller, Grischner
(now Kershner), Stock Stag r,
Startzman and Wolvord, appear on
the original record.
Rev Raymond Miller, in a pains
takingly prepared record of the
origin and growth of the Funkstown
church, has this to say: 'Larmar-
| tine said, History is neither more
nor less than biography on a large
scale What a slender thread of
human behaviour stood between
the growth of Hagerstown as con-
trasted with Funkstown!
Jonathan Hager and Jacob Funk
were rivals in an attempt to have
their communities made the county
seat. Hager used the method of
hard work and personal persuasion
of the Fathers of the State to gain
his objective. Funk rested securely
on a petition and the promise of
Lord Baltimore that the county seat
would be granted him. Hager car
ried off the laurels. AS for Funk,
little is known but that he transfer
red his fortunes farther west.
'"The very fact that rivalry exist
ed between these two men over the
possession of the county seat indi-
Gates that in those early days the COM
munities of Funkstown and Hagers-
town were fairly evenly matched.
1t is reasonable to assume that there
was little difference in importance
between the Lutheran Church in
Hagerstown and the church in
Funkstown.
Perhaps at one time Old Jersa-
lem offered greater promise for
church life than Hagerstomn - in
any event the Presbyterian Church