Rev. Lucas & Ebenezer Church

As noted in the (Cumberland) Daily News, the Reverend G.W.M. Lucas, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, conducted the religious services held June 20, 1909 at the cornerstone laying ceremony for a new church being erected at 8 Cumberland Street. The Ebenezer Church on Cumberland Street replaced an earlier church that was erected in 1876 when the congregation was organized that same year by Reverend Lewis Hicks.

The Cumberland Street church served the congregation until December 18, 1999 when a formal motorcade procession led the way to the current Ebenezer Baptist Church location on Columbia Avenue.

The transcript of the text is as follows:

Cornerstone be laid Sunday

Colored Lodge of Masons Will Perform the Ceremony at 3 P. M.

Tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock the cornerstone of the new Ebenezer Baptist church (colored), now in course of erection, will be laid with Masonic ceremonies in charge of the Star of the West Lodge, No. 26 A. F. and A. M., Mr. A. G. Washington, worshipful master. Previous to the ceremony of laying the cornerstone the Masons, the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, the Laboring Sons and the Hod-Carriers' Union will form in parade on Market Square, and headed by the First Western Maryland Band, will march to the church lot, near the corner of Cumberland and Smallwood streets, where the cornerstone laying ceremony will take place.

The principal address will be delivered by Rev. W. M. Alexander, D. D., of Baltimore, and the religious services will be in charge of Rev. G. W. M. Lucas, D. D., pastor of the church. Special music will be furnished by the Ebenezer church choir.

The Ebenezer church building, which was torn down to make room for the new structure, was erected in 1876, by a congregation organized that year by Rev. Lewis Hicks. The new building will be a handsome edifice of white granite brick with brown stone trimmings, 32 by 45 feet, and will contain a basement or lower floor to be used as a lecture room and a second floor auditorium. The building is being erected under the supervision of Contractor S. W. Collins, and when completed it will be furnished in a manner in keeping with the structure itself.