Smyrna times., 1868-01-29

Wnlcn nrst started the movement and deemed
the short square from Market to Shipley street
too small for the erection of such church as
they proposed with chapel attached for Sun
day school purposes Hence the gentlemen
who had purchased the Market street proper
ty sold it and search was made for a new loca-
ton. BY this time, of course, the building of
an entirely new and distinct church had become
liked in the minds of many, and on November
18th, 1864, meeting of twelve persons was
held, when after prayer and discussion, it was,
ReSOtced, That we pledge to each other our
most Jealous efforts and constant labors in the
works OF constructing new and handsome
Methodist Church in this city and that, with
the blessing and help of God, our labors shall
not be relaxed until this great and good work
shall have been accomplished"
"A committee was then appointed to procure
plans. On January 5th, 1865, on a terribly
dark and stormy night, which prevented lar
ger assemblage, about twenty of the friends of
the movement assembled in the Lecture Room
of st. Paurs Church, and were addressed by
Bishop Simpson. Ga the 9th of the same
month legal organization was effected and a
Board of Trustees elected, TO be known as the
Board of Trustees of Grace Church.
Thus far the site had not been chosen or the
style of the church decided upon. 1t had been
determined to erect a cOmmodiOus and comfOr-
Portable building, but now the idea of combin-
ing beauty with comfort was suggested and
also the idea of making the building costly
thank offering to the Centenary year Of Amer
lean Methodism.
In accordance with these ideas, on March
28th, '65, the plans for the present building
were adopted, and Messrs. Geo. w. Sparks,
j. Taylor Cause, and Job III. Jackson appoin-
| ted the building committee. On the 9th Of
| the following April the present site was pur-
chased of Sam'l Harlan, Jr., and on October
| 7th the corner stone of the chapel was laid by
Bishop Simpson, and work upon the building
rapidly pushed forward On the 25th of
March, 1866, opening services were held in
the chapel which was not yet finished and an
| appropriate sermon was preached by Rev. w.
j. Stevenson, who had up to this time been
pastor of St. Paurs, but was now assigned to
Grace Church Chapel
| On June 10th, 1866, the chapel was formal
ly dedicated, and on the 18th the Sunday
school room was dedicated. Work was now
rapidly pushed forward upon the main build
ing, and onsNovember 24th the steeple and
spire were placed upon the tower. Work has
steadily and rapidly progressed on the main
building up to the present time, the congrega
ton, in the interval, worshiping in the chapel,
until to-day they for the first time enter the
beautiful building where they will hereafter
meet The Sunday school idea which was the
origin of the movement which resulted in the
erection of this building, has never been lost
sight Of, and the first money ever received by
the new church-$51O from the sale of pews in
the chapel-was Appropriated to the Sunday
school, The whole cost of the church will be
over 100000, and with one exception all the
money raised has been by contribution, and
with this one exception but one appeal has ever
been made to any audience for aid in building
the church. This exception was when an ap-
peal for $4,000 was made to a meeting in the
chapel, and in response SIG, 600 received. The
entire proceeds Of the various fairs held have
gone to the Ladies' Aid Society for the pur
pose of furnishing the church.
Those prominent in the movement have
worked most assiduOuS Y and have spared Meth
er time nor expense to make the building aS
beautiful and complete as possible III every de
tail
They have received in their great undertak
ing the support and hearty encouragement no
only Of their own members but Of many per
sons not members OF their denomination, anC
have encountered on the other hand consider
able opposition and jealousy from many On,
pleasant manifestation of sympathy from thei
fellow MethOdists was that when the corner
stone was laid the National Convention of th
Local Preachers of the NJ. t. was in session il
this city, and the Convention i'll body parti
cipated In the services.
THE BUILDING. .4.
The new ediflce stands at the N. w. cornc
Ninth and West sts. on terrace about Gv
feet high, and measures, over all, on tn
ground, l66 by 1921 feet The auditorium, O
room in which the congregation assemblies fo
worship, is Ga by 81 feet in the clear, with
: lofty, pointed ceiling. The Chapel is sc by
feet in the clear, with two floors. The mai
tower with belfry and spire is on the SOut
: side, in the angle formed by the church an
chapel and is lS6 feet high to the top of tn
spire. There is turret and spire at the Mort
east corner of the Church. about l20 feet high
81 and wide vestibule to the East.
ID The chanel, or pulp recess, the organ chan
~ Der and the minister's room are at the Wes
"a end Of the auditorium, adjoining the chapel.
- There is a gallery in the East end of th
church reached by a staircase in the turret
t, The Sabbath School room occupies the whol
Ie of the second story of the chapel, and is 46 b
he 80 feet, in the clear and has lofty, pointe
OF ceiling. 1t is furnished with very convenier
N arrangement of segment seats, to accommodate
I'd about 400 scholars with full compliment
IN teachers and officers. Access to it is gained b
t. massively finished stairway In the main tov
ne er, and also by convenient stairway from tn
n minister room, reached by pappage benin
81 the organ and ehancel.
ne The walls of the church are of stone. Th
ID base, to the height Of about five feet, is
ly Connecticut brown stone. The body OF tt
n walls above the base, is OF a serpentlne roc
r. from the Banks of the Brandywine, nei
e. Chadd's ford, and of light pea green, dal
C. pied with black and brown. The dressings a
I'd of New Brunswick drab stone. The drs
a. dressings are "droFe work, striped on IL
Id face in the style peculiar to the Scotch mason
lis A prominent feature of the East, or We
ne ST., front is a tablet, with projecting can
on py, bearing the inscription, A Centena
of Offering, 1866" The date Of erection is !
,st the final, on the south end of the Chapel III
lis tracery Of the large east window is of dra
of stone. j.
it The roofs, and the covering of the spires q
fi of slate Ivariegated in color and shape. lTl
IN interior walls and ceilings are all plastered, q
ceilings have moulded ribs. In the main bu
es ding these ribs are of two sizes, the large on
of snrinQing from drab stone corbels with foliat
,c- cans. 10 Che walls, and the smaller ones tern