By Faith: A Century of Progress

About the Book

Even though they were slaves, many blacks attended church with their masters. While they may have inherited the masters’ religion, they relied upon their own faith to continue worshipping after the Civil War ended.

In 1883, St. Mark’s was founded to meet the needs of the newly freed black population. Ensuring the church survived and served its members, however, was quite a task.

In By Faith: A Century of Progress, learn about:

• How slaves became incorporated into church life;
• The contributions of early church leaders;
• How the larger church incorporated black churches into its network;
• The church’s role in the Civil Rights Movement;
• And much more!

At last, the stories of this historic church’s parishioners can be told to Episcopalians throughout the world. Barbara Beadle Barber, a lifelong Episcopalian, draws upon her numerous interviews, personal papers, church documents, and photos to produce a treasure trove of information in By Faith: A Century of Progress.

About the Author

Barbara Beadle Barber is a cradle member of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church, and the church historian. She retired as a public school teacher in Jackson, Mississippi, and then began collecting memorabilia tied to the church’s history. She’s a lay minister and choir member at St. Mark's Parish.