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Lovely Lane United Methodist Church

Maryland Historical Society

The "mother church of American Methodism" began in 1772, establishing numerous churches throughout Baltimore. It hosted the Christmas 1784 Conference for the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church, consecration of Bishops Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke, and the dispatch of preachers "to reform the nation and spread scriptural holiness." Rev. John F. Goucher relocated the church from downtown Baltimore to 2200 St. Paul Street in 1885. Architect Stanford White designed the Etruscan-style monumental structure erected by B. F. Bennett from1884-87; its notable edifice is listed on the National Register and American Institute of Architects.

Origins
Missionary Joseph Pilmore organized a Methodist Society on June 22, 1772, at "Dutch" church (now Old Otterbein), with Francis Asbury becoming pastor in 1773. Erected in 1774, the Lovely Lane Meetinghouse was superseded by churches on Light Street in 1785 and 1796. Outpost churches were added on the following streets, with parishes divided by race: on Green in 1792 (for white parishioners), Sharp (black) in 1795, Eutaw (white) in 1808, and on Asbury (black) in 1812. Other outposts were established by Wesley Chapel on Monument, William, Fayette, and Charles Streets, among others; all called the Baltimore City Station, until becoming independent.

Edifices
After the overcrowded Lovely Lane Meetinghouse suffered floor collapses, the Light St. church was erected in 1785 but burned in 1796. The second Light St. church was then used for a German St. extension and the Sunday School housed them from 1869-1872. It was relocated to Charles and Fayette Streets as the First Methodist Episcopal Church until the 22nd and St. Paul Streets edifice was ready in 1885. An education and gym space was added 1931; the Lovely Lane name resumed in 1954. The Conference Historical Society opened the Lovely Lane Museum and Archives in 1955.  A leaky roof in 1980 prompted an ongoing and partially completed restoration. Today, many outside groups use the gym and meeting facilities. Membership at Lovely Lane was 945 in l900, 1,925 in 1950, and in 208 in 2000.

Events of National Importance
Baltimore City Station churches hosted eight quadrennial Methodist Episcopal General Conferences over the period of 1792-1824 for church law revision and bishops’ elections. Dissident African-American members began Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1815. The ouster of Wesleyan Reformers in 1827 led to the formation of the Methodist Protestant Church in 1830.

Education
The church initiated the Baltimore Academy, superseding the burned Cokesbury (a boy’s college) in 1796. Baltimore City Station instituted the Male Free School in 1801 and the Asbury and McKendree Societies (founders of many Sunday Schools after 1816); the church owned Asbury College (1816-21). The Centenary Biblical Institute (now Morgan State University) was established in 1867, as was the Woman's College of Baltimore (now Goucher College) in1889.

Missions
Significant missions in the mid-nineteenth century included William Taylor to California (1849, later Bishop of Africa) and the R. S. McClays to China (1848). Other missions went to India and frontier churches in United States.

Notable Personalities
Methodists Francis Asbury, John Emory, and six other former pastors became bishops, while John F. Goucher, an education and mission leader, became president (1890-1908) of Woman's College. Laity members who made contributions include Isaac Cook, leading local preacher; George C. M. Roberts, founder of Wesley Home and Methodist Historical Society; Thomas Bond, MD, editor of the New York Christian Advocate; B. F. Bennett, builder; and Mary Hewitt, founder of  the Female Benevolent Society founder (1818).

—Edwin Schell

United Methodist Historical Society