Benton's descendants still attend and are involved in ministry at Damascus Church. The First Church: was built in 1822 and was named “Mount Lebanon Methodist Episcopal Church”. The name chosen for the church was most appropriate, considering it was built on the land tract “Pleasant Plains of Damascus”. Services were held for 67 years in this church. In 1822 James Monroe, our fifth President, was i
n office, there were only twenty-four states, the War of 1812 was over, but the Civil War was yet to come many years in the future. It served as a shelter during the Civil War for both the Union and Confederate soldiers. It stood on what is now called “Mullinix Mill Road” almost two miles from our present church. It was probably of log construction. However, it was later weather boarded. Women sat on the right side of the aisle and the men sat on the left. There was no organ. Organs were not considered proper for religious purposes in the early years of Methodism. However, singing was very much a part of the service and was unaccompanied. It was part of the Montgomery Circuit, which had been formed in 1788 from the Frederick Circuit. The Second Church: was built 1869 in the town of Damascus and was renamed the “Damascus Methodist Episcopal Church”. Services were held for 30 years in this church. It was destroyed by a hailstorm on June 9, 1899. A violent wind and hailstorm severely damaged our church building. Those who remember the storm say there has never been another like it since. This church which stood to the rear of the present Harwood House and was a simply constructed red frame building with a center front door, a center aisle and a gallery. For several years before the storm struck, the building was in need of repair. Members could not agree on whether a new church should be built, or whether repairs should be made to the old building. The matter was unexpectedly decided for them when the hail storm occurred and the building was so twisted by the wind and damaged by the hail that it was beyond repair. The Third Church: was built 1899 on the same property just north of the old structure and was named “Methodist Episcopal Church at Damascus”. The cornerstone was laid July 22, 1899. It was dedicated on January 21, 1900. The new church was a frame structure with two entrance doors and two aisles. The custom was still followed of having the men and women sit apart. Women entered the church through the right door and sat on the right side and the men entered through the left door and sat on the left side. In 1932 an addition was added. The church sanctuary had become inadequate to serve the growing enrollment of the Sunday School. Also an all-purpose room and a kitchen were very much needed. A major project of remodeling the sanctuary and adding a Sunday School wing (no basement as yet) was completed in November 1932. So extensive was the remodeling that it was referred to as the “New Damascus Methodist Episcopal Church”. In 1937, the Church’s kitchen was remodeled, getting running water. On April 25, 1939 at the United Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, the three great divisions of American Methodism; the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Methodist Protestant Church, joined together to become The Methodist Church. As a result of this merger, our church’s name became “The Damascus Methodist Church”. In 1947 and early 1948, another major building project was undertaken. The south Sunday School wing was constructed with a basement underneath. We even got indoor toilets for the first time. In 1951, we became a “church station” church and for the first time in our history, we had a full-time minister. The Fourth Church: was built in 1960-61 between Woodfield Road and Mt. The groundbreaking ceremony was held May 5, 1960, the cornerstone laying ceremony was held November 27, 1960, and the church was consecrated June 4, 1961. The sanctuary was designed to seat 334 in the nave, 50 in the choir, and 40 in the balcony. Space was provided for eight Sunday School rooms, choir room, pastor’s study and church office. The age-old tradition that the men and women should sit apart had long since ended, finally every one could sit where he pleased. Construction was started on a new parsonage on February 17, 1967 and was completed on May 5, 1967. This parsonage (now the church office, known as the “Annex”) is located on Church Street next to the new brick sanctuary. On August 9, 1967 lightning struck our Educational Building. This was our old historic sanctuary (third church). When this disaster occurred, one could not help but recall that on this same property sixty-eight years before in 1899 an earlier church was damaged by natural causes – then by a wind and hailstorm. About eight months after the fire, the restored building once again began to serve the church and the community. At this time the name was changed from the Educational Building to the Damascus United Methodist Educational Center. Today this building houses our current Harwood House. Beginning April 21, 1967 in Dallas, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church were united at the joint session of the two General Conferences. As a result of this merger, our church’s name became “Damascus United Methodist Church”, its present name.
