The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-12-19

1Y OPENED FOR DIVINE SERVICE
During the past week several hundred in
vitations, printed in the best style Of the
INTELLIaENCER job office, were sent not
only to large number Of our own Citi-
ZcnS, but to the friends Of the cause all
over the country; consequently at 1O4
o'clock A. NJ, yesterday, large audience
assembled at the new Lutheran Chapel on
John street, just as very interesting con-
gregational prayer meeting was closing, to
which no invitation was given, save to
members ofthe congregation as 1t was
preliminary service to fit and prepare
them for the duties Of the day. Before
giving an account Of the service, how
ever, it will be necessary to give q short
sketch Of the rise and progress ofthis con-
gregation and their work. The first Eng
lish Evan. Luth eran church OF Wheeling
was organized by Rev. Thomas W.
Bosch, in tho fall of 1850. For two years
Rev. bosch labored with varied success.
At the breaking out Of the war he was
called away to other fields and Cor two
years the mission had nOpastor. On the
18th Of June 1862 Rev. Samuel B Barnitz
entered upon his labors as pastor of the
congregation then numbering fifteen,
and the Sunday school, eighty. For eight
long weary years the pastor and
people have been tossed about, worshiping
in the old Baptist church in East Wheel
Ing, Odd Fellows Hall, the Court House
and several other places. In August 1867
the lot, now the site Of the Chapel, was
purchased for S39OO,-Georgc Keeleinc
and George Fricker kindly loaning 81 800
of the money without interest, the balance
being raised from friends in the east On
the 14th of November, 1868, the corner
stone of the present chapel was laid and
now the building is finished. The front is
of pressed brick and sand stone; the sides
and rear oil common brick and sand stone,
with slate roof In height it is So feet, base
ment 7 feet, sunday school room l5i feet,
main audience room 14i on sides and Is
in centre. The style Of architecture is
Romanesqnc The lower room is lighted
BY two 20 inch and the upper room by
two 3G inch retleCtors. The cost Of build.
ing was $l1,5OO; furniture $500; lot
$3,9OO-totNl, $4,000.
The architect was Luther N. Simons,
of Harrisburg; stone work by A.
j. Long; brick work, Andrew II.
Britt; carpenter work, Edmund Clator;
tin work, 9. L. Stifel; joiner work, John
A. Ritz; roofing, ]. S, Newmeyer, Pitts
burgh; frescoing, John Stulen, Jr., Pitts
burgh; plastcring, William Coyle; paint
ing, W. II, HalIer; granting, Mathew w.
Miller; pews in lower room, A. II.
Andrews, & Co., Chicago; pcws in upper
room, J. A. Holiday & Son; gas fitting,
VIM Hare; glass, Carter Bros, Pitts
burgh; carpet, J. c, Orr & Co. and Jos.
Klaphcck; iron work, Gillespie & Bro. and
J. N. Charnock; drawings Tor inside work
and experimenting, $. NJ. Howard. Mr..
c. &. Kcmble, also furnished drawings and
watched over the work rs it progressed.
The church is now complete in all its ap-
pointments, save the pulpit in the upper
room, which will soon be in position The
services yesterday were very interesting
throughout. Aflcr the church was given
to God in the morning Rev.
DR.. Conrad, oil Philadelphia, editor
Of the Lutheran ObSerUer, preached the
dedication sermon in the upper room to a
large audience, taking rs his text Isaiah
&c, 3v. The discourse was listened to
with marked attention. and as at times the
Dr, waxed eloquent, every ear was bent
in anxious expectancy and every heart
filled with the solemnity Of the occasion.
At the close Of his sermon an appeal was
made and over 5000 subscribed. The
Sunday School exercises were more than
ordinarily interesting. Services were nd
vertised to be held in both rooms at the
same time, but as the morning service
was so protractcd and many were late
coming, it was decided to hold it only in
the lower room. The experiment was q
failure, as after the room was packed with
people enough went away to fill another
room. Addresses were delivered by
Rev Baum, of York, Pa, Rev. T.
W. Bosch, former pastor, Winchester,
Va, and Rev. Conrad. Letters were
were read from George II. Staurt
Philadelphia, and others, cOngratulating
the school, and sending handsome thank
offerings to aid the work. The singing,
and especially the rendering OF the first
piece, "Sing for Jesus" was Of a high or
der, and the addresses were earnest and
eloquent. The school was not dismissed
until long after the appointed hour, ma
king the second service somewhat late.
Rev. Bosch ofIlciatcd in the afternoon ser.
vice, and preached a powerful sermon
from Psalms 1871, 3 and 6. Many of the
Doctors old friends were present, and we
know they were as delighted to see him
rs he was to see his flock, many ofwhom
have grown almost out OF his memory,
But he is the same kind, genuine gentle
man, the same warm-heared christian
brother, and it is hoped his next visit
will be at no distant day, and continue
much LONGER