1879-85 Northminster Presbyterian Church aka Boundary Avenue Presbyterian Church. Demolished SE corner, St. Paul and North Avenue, Baltimore, MD.
"At the corner of St. Paul street and Boundary avenue Mr. Cassell has in course of construction what will be the largest Presbyterian church in Baltimore. It is built of marble, trummed with amherst stone, handsomely carved. The interior is finished with Baltimore pressed brick, ornamented with mouldings, Potomac red sandstone, polished red granite and terra-cotta capitals. The tower will be 213 feet high at the top. Seating capacity, exclusive of galleries, 950. It is being built by Ferguson & Bro. for $49,000, exclusive of the tower, and will be finished January 1, 1885." (Baltimore Sun, 10/2/1884, p1).
"Boundary Avenue Church. Dedication Services-Sermons by the Rev. Messrs. Purves and Hodges. [Reported for the Baltimore Sun.] Boundary Avenue Presbyterian Church was formed five years ago by eighteen persons, who then worshipped in an upper room at the corner of Maryland avenue and the boundary. Later the pretty chapel on St. Paul street was built, and yesterday the handsome church edifice ad the southeast corner of St. Paul street and Boundary avenue, adjoining the chapel, was dedicated to the use of the congreagation. Though the day was inclement, yet every seat in the church was filled. ¶ The Rev. G. T. Purves, the pastor, conducted the services, and used as his text the twelfth and thirteenth verses of the first chapter of Revelations: "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks, one like unto the Son of Man." &c. The seven candlesticks were the seven churches, and the seven stars which He held in His hand were the angels of the sven churchesl and the Son of Man was the head of the church, clothed in His vestments, royal in His pristly robes., King of kings, Lord of lords, entered into His inherentance, and prepared to fulfill all the promises he[?] He had made in the flesh. On Him was coferred all judicial power, all power over the hearts of man. He was the source of Christian strength. They were about to dedicated this building to the great and glorious Christ; to place there a new candlestick, in the hope that the light might shine out to the world, with the prayer that He would deign to enter in with them. It was the desire of the minister that the church would be a connecting medium between Christ and His glory and magesty and man in his sin and want and hope. How useless such a structure but for this holy motive! The result would be seen by the manifestation of the spirit within the congreation, not by any outward show that acts only on the senses. ¶ The Rev. Dr. A. A. Hodge, of Princeton, N.J., and Rev A. B. Cross, were present and took part in the services. The singing of the choir, under the leadership of Mr. W. S. Cross, was excellent. At the evening service the Rev. Dr. Hodge preached. The offerings of the day were devoted to paying the small debt yet remaining on the church. The fine Bybe and Hymnal used by the pastor were presented by the Sunday-school. The pulpit was decorated with choice and beautiful flowers. ¶ The church cost $58,000, all of which has been paid but $7,600, and this amount was materially lessened yesterday. The edifice is of undressed Baltimore county marble, with stone trimmings, and is on the florid Gothic order, with high gabled roof. It has three entrances on Boundary avenue leading into a spacious vestibule, over which is a large gallery. The interior of the church is about 80 feet square and about 60 feet high to the apex of the roof. The roof is of the open timbered pattern, supported by heavy carved woodwork. Near the sides of the room rise heavy bricj columns, with terra-cotta capitals and polished granite trimmings. These columns support the great arches wwhich terminate at the base of the roof. FIve large and a number of smaller stained-glass windows supply plenty of light. The choir is place to the right and alongside the altar, and the organ is concealed behind a curtain back of the choir. The acoustics of the building are excellent. Its seating capacity is 840. The chapel adjoining, build on pretty much the same order as the church, thought smaller, cost $32,000, maaking the cost of the two structures $90,000. Mr. Cassell was the architect of the church." (Baltimore Sun, 3/23/1885.)
(Advertisement, City of Baltimore, Half Century's Progress 1886, p119).
(Baltimore Sun, 4/2/1959, photo).
Between York rd, old york rd, 41st/42nd st.
Richardsonian grey stone.
Credited to Dixon & Carson by Wilbur Hunter.
Maryland Historical Society MS.1093 Wier Collection (Sunday School @ Northminster Presbyterian)