CPC History: What God Hath Wrought!

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1855 - Saratoga & Liberty

1879 - Eutaw & Dolphin

1953 - York Rd.

Rev. John Murray Smoot, ~1968

Assoc. Pastor C. Pat Hartsock, 1981

Rev. Bob Eggebeen, 1986

Pastor Ed Houck, ~1988

Dr. Ronald W. Scates, ~1996

Assoc. Rev. Jerome D. Cooper, ~1996

Rev. John Murray Smoot, ~2000

Rev. George Antonakos, ~2000

Rev. John Edward Schmidt, 2003

By John Murray Smoot

"The history of Central Church is in many respects a remarkable history. It has passed through all the vicissitudes and experienced all the changes possible to churches. It has reached the heights of prosperity and sunk into the depths of adversity. Today trembling for its existence, and tomorrow rejoicing in its abundant enlargement." So wrote Dr. Joseph T. Smith, Pastor Emeritus of Central, shortly before his death in 1906. Wow! What would he witness today??

On Palm Sunday, April 13, 2003, we'll be 150 years serving our Father God through our Lord Jesus Christ. It will be our Sesquicentennial!

For nine unremarkable years Rev. Stuart Robinson, Dr. Thomas E. Peck, and Rev. Silas G. Dunlap struggled through successive very short pastorates. Then came the illustrious Dr. Joseph T. Smith who was installed on March 16, 1862. The Women's Missionary Union fostered the daughter Ridgley Stuart Church in 1865. It disappeared into third base of Camden Yards! Crisp Memorial was next planted by Central in 1888.

In 1893 Dr. Smith, at age 75, retired after pastoring Central for 31 years. He also earned the honor of serving a year as moderator of the entire Presbyterian denomination (1887). Rev. Hugh K. Walker succeeded him very briefly, and was in turn succeeded by Rev. DeWitt M. Benham, a world traveler and eloquent pulpiteer.

In May 1873 the General Assembly met in our church, and in the July following in the great fire on Chase Street the first great 1,000-seat church was reduced to ashes. Once more noble women rose to the occasion and with such inspiration. Central Church erected and dedicated the green stone structure on March 8, 1879, still standing on Eutaw Place near Dolphin. Dwight L. Moody preached that afternoon.

After a long, distinguished pastorate Dr. Benham gradually lost health, and the whole church life accordingly disintegrated around him. The Church was closed down for a full year after Dr. Benham's death, and the Presbytery of Baltimore was in the process of "giving Central a decent burial" when a trustee, Douglas Rose, left a legacy of $14,400 "to keep Central alive."

Here's where John Murray Smoot is introduced into the scene. Stranded in their hometown after serving Young Life as N.W. Director, and after having doors slammed in their faces for the Naval Chaplaincy and service with China Intervarsity Fellowship in Wuchang Provence, Murray and Dottie were associated with Dr. T. Roland Philips at Arlington Presbyterian.

The Presbytery used up the entire Rose legacy to purchase 7308 York Road, seven acres with a three-story farm house. Arlington was petitioned to provide an interim pastor. After "beachhead beating on doors", the Rev. John Murray Smoot opened the doors of "the old brown manse" on January 2, 1949. About 30 appeared, mostly family and well-wishers from Arlington, and about 8 curious visitors.

To bring us (very condensed) up to date: Central never looked back or ever lost ground in membership or finances. #

Major constructions were the first sanctuary in 1952, the present sanctuary in 1957, the chapel wing and concourse and "Power and Light" building in 1969, and the present major phase of "Beyond these Walls" with the current renovation of the "gym."

1954 - The first sanctuary (later became the gym, now The Loft)

The Steigerwalds were intimately involved in some of our "heights of prosperity and depths of adversity." There was "five-nineteen" that wowed audiences at Central, high school assemblies and O.C. Convention Hall, and the plane crash that claimed 8 precious, irreplaceable lives.

Before and after BTW - York Rd. (Click here for current building photos)

Under Pastor Smoot's leadership, over 60 of our finest pursued full-time "religious" vocations. Pastor Pat Hartsock gave us 9 years of an excellent associate pastorate. After Pastor Smoot's retirement (now Ph.D.) at 66 in June 1983, Rev. Bob Eggebeen came for a 3-year pastorate, followed by the warm ministrations of Interim Pastor Ed Houck. Considerable growth in every feature of our life distinguished Dr. Ronald W. Scates' 11-year pastorate with Associate pastor Rev. Jerome D. Cooper. And we still glow from the last two years + ministrations of Interim Pastor Rev. George Antonakos and his wife Ellen. (He had been one of our Youth Directors years ago).

2001 - Worship Service (larger)

Now look here: here we are with a whole new paradigm of ministry, 3 well-attended Sunday morning services, 3 years without an installed Senior Pastor, and "rejoicing in our abundant enlargement."

2001 - Enjoying the company in the Concourse (larger)

Addendum: Some notes and expansions on the history discussed here:

Notes: The dates listed are approximate dates when the photos were taken.
If you are interested in the history and stories of CPC in Baltimore, MD see The Jubilee Centinel.

Correction: To be accurate, Central did have at least one period after 1942 where it lost ground in both membership and finances - particularly in the late 1980's when there was a major budget crisis and membership went from a high of around 900 to the 600s. Under Dr. Scates worship attendence rose again from ~200 to ~600.

Note: The first 2 CPC pastors were not nondescript pastors, but famous theologians of the Southern Presbyterian Church (PCUS) and went from CPC to great seminary teaching careers. They, plus Rev. Smith and Rev. Walker, were all elected Moderators of the General Assembly (2 of the northern assembly and 2 of the southern assembly) Rev. Smith being the Moderator of the Centennial Assembly of the PCUSA in 1888. Not many churches have produced 4 GA Moderators!