St. Paul's Lutheran Cumberland

The new church: This was the first brick church in Cumberland. Under the direction of Rev. Winecoff and a committee consisting of Samuel Eckels, Henry Wineow, John Rabolt, William Peterman , Jesse Magee, Gideon Butler, William Beall, Daniel Saylor, Philip Feagy and Daniel McClary. The corner stone was laid in 1842. Building operations continued until July 1843 when they ceased due to lack of funds. Another committee was established and charged with completing the church piece by piece as funds became available. The Lecture room in the basement was first and blessed on Sunday morning May 5, 1844. Little by little the church was completed…Sunday school room, pulpit (built by the Pastor and M. Rizer and used in September 1844) It was consecrated under the title, ‘St. Paul’s’ and was the first reference of St. Pauls. A fable of old (or maybe not) was of one of the church vestrymen wanted the church ten feet longer than the others planned it, so without a word to anyone this shrewd vestryman got up one night and put the stakes ten feet forward. The mistake was not discovered until the builders were ready for the roof. The church completed was ten feet longer.

The congregation instructed the Vestry to secure funds to build a belfry or steeple. After many delays and many heated debates, the steeple was built. The old log church was updated and made the Pastor’s parsonage.

Just as with many of the other churches you have read about on these pages, the language became an issue. In fact, it was sometimes a divisive issue, making it almost impossible to obtain bi-lingual pastors. If the German congregation was pleased, the English were not and vice versa. This came to a boiling point when Rev. Finckel resigned in 1846. The English found a viable replacement, as did the Germans, but neither were acceptable to the other. It was at this time the Vestry added to the constitution a resolution that the Vestry of the English Lutheran Church would have regular preaching in the English language and that a pastor be called exclusive and separate from all other. So each congregation had their own pastor. This didn’t end the struggle because now both felt they had property rights on the new church (since both congregations contributed). Things escalated and items such as service times, which Sunday the Germans could enjoy communion, two languages, two ministers, etc., broadened the chasm between the two until a separation was necessary. The English Vestry met on June 18, 1847 and resolved, “Whereas, the German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Cumberland, has no part, claim, interest, right or share in the property of ‘Christ’s Church’ of the same place and,

“Whereas the said German Congregation has, for several years, been allowed the use of said property, which allowance is now found to be inconvenient to the congregation of said Christ’s Church

Therefore be it

“Resolved that the Elders and Deacons of said ‘Christ’s Church’ in Vestry assembled, that said German Congregation be, and hereby is requested and notified to discontinue all appointments in said ‘Christ’s Church’ after the first day of October, eighteen hundred and forty eight.

There was more give and take but the separation did occur and did leave a great financial burden on the English congregation. The separation also led to the dissolution of the two country congregations. Most of the bills for the next several years were done by subscription…there were no wealthy parishioners. Another method used was ‘pewletting’ where pews were rented to members of the congregation and proceeds used to pay the expenses of the church. This was introduced in 1845. From 1844 to 1880, parts and parcel of the land owned by the church, as well as right of ways to the alley, etc., were sold to pay for the bills. It was a very difficult time. One merchant, the son of Rev. John Butler, Jonathan, loved the church so much that every year he contributed as he paid ‘due bills’ with merchandise from his store on Mechanic Street. The church also entered the real estate market with plans to use the land of the old log church to build a three story building, first floor retail/trade; 2^nd floor religious and intellectual/cultural activity and the third floor use of a hall for the areas benevolent groups. This was in 1854. The Vestry was charged to borrow $2,000 for the building, instead borrowing $2,500….adding to the church mortgage. When they were given construction numbers of $3,500 (over budget) they decided to eliminate one of the floors. The building was completed in May 1855. The congregation was not happy with the decision of the Vestry and in some cases, their support of the church was withheld. When the pastor, Rev. Campbell, requested his pay and back pay, the church could not pay, nor could they borrow because of the recent loan for the new building, the pastor gave his three month notice. The congregation supported their pastor and they won in the long run. Rev. Campbell did resign a few short months later. The building was unprofitable and unsellable and was part of an exchange with a member of the church Kennedy H. Butler. He traded his property and brick house on South Liberty Street for the brick building and lot owned by the congregation on Centre Street. He assumed the mortgage of $2,500. Less than two years later, the church re-purchased the brick building for $150 which covered the repairs done by Mr. Butler. There is no record of the mortgage being renegotiated or sold. Records of these transactions are in the church books only…there are no recorded deeds in the Allegany County Land Records. The Centre Street property was sold again in 1870 when a member Mr. George Dietz offered to give his property on Decatur Street and $600 for the church property. Again there are no land records. This chapter of the church’s activities in real estate finally came to a close in 1874 when the brick building on the log church lot was sold to Kennedy Butler in addition to another piece of ground for $6600. The two positives about this building were that for a while it did serve as a Sunday School building, which was a real upgrade from the Lecture room in the basement. It was also used as a hospital during the Civil War. The hospitals maintained by the US Government at Clarysville were transferred to Cumberland in October 1862.

The economic picture at the church picked up under the direction of Rev. Weddell. Two notes were paid, his salary increased and when he left in 1868, the congregation was free from debt for the first time in its history. He was one of the most prosperous pastors and he did this during a bad economy and the civil war. Rev. Bowersox’s book provides a very effective overview of Cumberland and the happenings during the Civil War.

The next big event was the building of the new church, but this decision took several years..whether to sell the existing and purchase a new location or rebuild at the current location or the renovate at the current location. Even after the congregation approved rebuilding at the current location in 1893, the Vestry voted to ‘not build at this time’, which did not bode well since the Vestry received its authority from the congregation, which had already spoken. After about another year, the congregation was informed that the new church building would begin and during that time, they would worship in the Jewish Synagogue at Union and South Centre Sts. Pastor Finkbiner resigned shortly before completion of the new church, which was dedicated September 22, 1895.

The church went through some very difficult times during and after the tenure of Pastor T.J. Yost. During Yost’s ministry, many of the congregation was not in agreement with his teaching and many voiced this disapproval through the collection plate. Bills became overdue etc., and eventually the Vestry asked for the resignation of Pastor Yost. Pastor Yost agreed to resign when his salary was paid in full. Following a meeting, however, it became apparent that this split was going to have long-term repercussions. Sunday school teachers and vestrymen quit, the Young People’s Society sought to divorce itself from the church. This eventually led to Pastor Yost and 86 persons seceding from St. Paul’s and against the will of the Synod and their direct notice to ‘cease’, organized the ‘The First English Lutheran Church of Cumberland’. On April 1902 this was changed to ‘St Stephen’s Lutheran Church’. They were disowned by the Maryland Synod, but were accepted by the Allegany Synod in Pennsylvania. It remained with that Synod until it merged with St. Paul’s in 1927.

It was re-united during the pastorate of Rev. Bowersox in 1927. It was also during Rev. Bowersox’s tenure that Cumberland experienced the worst flood in its history on March 18, 1936. An earlier flood in 1924 affected only the furnace room, but had no other impact on the church. This flood, however, flooded the church. There was at least four feet of water in the Sunday school room. After assessing the damage, it was discovered that three pianos, they hymnals and literature were destroyed. There was other damage to the chairs, tables and furnishings. All of the damage amounted to $1800.

1938 saw many radical but nice improvements including updating to the Chancel, the Altar and the Pulpit, new carpeting and lighter wall treatments. The total cost was $4650.

This takes us to 1944 and a very important year for the church. On May 14, 1944, the congregation celebrated the One Hundred Fiftieth Anniversary. The morning sermon was delivered by former pastor Dr. Martin Luther Enders and the evening sermon by another past pastor, the Rev. J. William McCarley. The celebration continued for several days with many surrounding churches and those associated with the history of the church offering greetings and good will. The congregation was presented with the ‘History of St. Paul’s English Lutheran Church’, which I have used as reference. It was written by the then pastor, Dr. Bowersox. During these years, the country was at war and many renovations and plans were put on the back burner. There were memorial services for those giving the ultimate sacrifice.

The parish house was sold in 1947 (the old St. Stephen’s)

Again, the issue of moving from the corner and rebuilding was surfacing. When it was apparent they had outgrown their Sunday school. This time, however, the congregation rallied around the change and a special congregational meeting held on October 3, 1949 led to the approval of the Vestry purchasing a piece of land described as the Roman property on Washington Street. The property was purchased for $62,250.00 and the deed executed on December 28, 1949. The funds came from the sale of the Parish House or St. Stephen’s. Building was delayed by yet another war when in 1952 building supplies were being rationed. Special events and fund drives were established to shore up the building fund. With the skills of Rev. Bowersox, campaigns and fundraisers were successful. The paper carried articles praising him for his oratory skills and united the church in their cause. The Bowersox era was truly remarkable. He suffered and was ill for many months prior to his retirement. He was unable to be part of the dedication of the new church as he was killed in an automobile accident on January 16, 1960. His was the first funeral service held in the new church and the old bell tolled seventy times.

In reading the history, Dr. Bowersox and his wife had such an impact and lasting relationship with the congregation. He stayed at St. Paul’s longer than any other clergy. They celebrated his silver anniversary with the church and his fortieth anniversary of his ordination on November 10, 1950.

A new pastor arrived on February 1, 1957. Pastor John F. Sammel accepted the call and was installed on March 3, 1957.

In June 1957, St. Paul’s held their first Vacation Bible School.

The congregation accepted plans for the new church and the low bid of $667,800 was accepted on March 24, 1958. Hazelwood Construction Company won the bid. The groundbreaking was on March 30, 1958. The new cornerstone was laid on Reformation Sunday, October 26, 1958. The last service was held on the corner church on March 8. 1959. They called this ‘Golden Membership’ Day and honored those that had celebrated there for fifty years. Many treasures were taken from the old church to the new including the old bell and Kirchen Buch from 1794. Many of the windows were disassembled and reassembled at the new church. The third oldest item, the Chancel seat from 1842, the altar of the 1894 church, and the stones from previous churches on the corner were among some of the treasures. Dedication Sunday was held on November 22, 1959.