, 1873-04-27
THE CHURCH..
Description Of the New St.
James Episcopal
T1$G--
- A1A4ACCs
Fhe Fourth Unitarian Society Niu To-Day
:: j.. Dedicate Their House Of :.
Worship.
UniVersalist and Unitarian Conven-
tions This Week.

OHFC16d4l6b uQu uult1I4du OUAFOu'
tions This Week.
Programme Of To-Day's Ser
vices in the Churches.
Episcopal and Catholic Calendar
for the Week.
Among t1s many churches that added to The
: beauty Of our city before the fire none was bet.
tar or more widely known for the beauty Of it,
edfce, the extent Of its charities, the socal po-
&iton Of it's congregation, or its general influence
In this and neighboring communities, than st.
James Episcopal Church. Founded very few
years after the first settlement Of our city, it
was known and recognized amongst Episcopa-
1ians as the Ct Mother Church OF the Northwest II
and its ministers have been amongst the ablest
And most eloquent in that denomination.
Only few months before The fire the new
building, aituated On the corner OF Cass and HUI
xon streets, had been fully completed, and the
knaesivenesa Of the structure, veil as the rich
.nees and elegance Of its finish, was source OF
pride to the city generally, as we'll us its Own
people. But the FIRE came, and Us it spared moth
ing in its track, the great churches OF the North
Eide were all swept away, aud amongst them st.
James. In it's destruction it's congregation par
Gcpated more fully than those Of most churches
for, With scarcely an exception, they lost their
homes at the same time as their church, as st.
James stood in the midst Of it's parish, and 30
ts congregation was left homeless "a we'll as
churcl1ess.
It was within few weeks left without pas
tor also, as its then rector, DR.. Thompson Was
called to NewYork, and accepted the call With
characteristic Chicago energy, however, the con-
gregation came together, subscribed q fund for
Immediate expenses, and called the Rev. Arthur
Brooks from Wlliamsport, Pa, who accepted
The call, though offered three times as great Pc
.cuniary Inducements BY wealthy Philadelphia
congregation.
Fortunately, tie walls OF the vestibu1e we're
left standing for SONS twenty feet in height
md, as early in April as thew could be &C
sonup1ished this was rooted In and finished, SO as
to make neat temporary chapel, seating nearly
BOO persons. -.
Steps were then taken to rebuild the church,
md, plans being decided on, furnished by the
Ren-knoxn church architects, Messrs. Faulkner
Clarke, large number Of pews were sold
n ADVANCE; and the work commenced.
Fortunately the grand old tower, 140 feet high
md about IS feet square at ths base, proved too
tolid to be destroyed, and, though the bell WAS
melted ns ithung in the air by the intense heat,
the tower itself remains, SCARED, and, in some
places shattered on its exterior, but destined to
stand through many future years as the "fro
monument Of the North Side- The beautiful
war monument. erected ct Caan stone and white
marble TO: the memory Of the young men Of the
- ---1r~ Hn1t
protected By tho iron beams and masonry Of the !
Testibule that it also escaped almost unhatmed,
and stands in its old place, occupying the entire
north end Of the yestlbule at the base Of the
tower. =.
With most Of the ''Bhow part" OF the church
thuB 1eft it remained to construct the church
proper, and this ts being dono on scale that
viii make it one Of tho grandest church edifces
In the country. Its extreme length will be over
i80 fest, while the entire width across
thet TRANSCRIPTS will be about 1903 feet. The
church. also will be much larger than
Instead OF being placed as before, in rear ofthe
congregation, will be placed in the south tram
sept and, consequently, near the pulpit and I
chancela - |
The basement will be- twelve feet in height, !
3. Rnd give main andiancs-room capable OF seat |
Ing nearly 700 persons, while the church proper
will accommodate almost double that number. |
All the walls are no" up shove the main door OF /
Ihs church, and the means on hand warrant the !
Building Committee in guaranteeing that the !
church Will be enclosed, and the basement DO /
ready for occupancy, by the first day Of next Sep
tenbar-a moot necessary result, as the present
chnpel is already crowded to oVerhowing, and 7
the early paturn Of most OF the congregation to ]
their old homes-s,e,0 homes now-and the grea.
additions Already making to the North Side Of
people from other sections Of the city, Who find
that naighburhnod more convenient to the husi- +
ness qnsrter, will nt an early day make the new
congregation far larger than the former one.
Ihe unaan ndlence-1oom OF the church Will be- |
closed, IS already stated, by Sept. l, and the
Building Committee state that it will be ready
for occupancy on ns1t Christmas day ii q few I
more OF the, ,congreg1tion-Asy q dozen or if
teen-Wiu put their hands in their pockets to the
n1tent Of buying pews previous to the compile
Bregation have been thus liberal, aud there is no
doubt that il the church building can be COM
p1eted by next Christmas, the whole cost will not
only DO paid hy that time, but . sufficient num-
her Of additional pews can be sold by this time
ne1t year to clear the church OF every dollar OF
indebtedness whateyer-.
Tbs building Committee, consisting OF ". z. !
Nixon {Chairm2n), E.-H. Sheldon, 2. q. Winston, l.
that tbs building elall be completed as rapidly
As the means at their command will allow;
but that not one dollar; Of indebtedness !
shall be- incurred in the rebuilding, and /
their reputation as prompt and reliable business
men Is sufficiently known in the community to
both respects. !
y the !ast OF this year, therefore, there is {
but little doubt Of old St. janes being restored
IN aew building far larger and more beautiful
than the former one, and we trust that rery q
soon thereafter its congregation may also be re- I
stored 70 their old places in its aeighborhood-n
not in thoir- old homes, in new ones equal in :
beauty and all other good gifts to those that !
passed aHa5 On October 8, 1871. I
NEW CHURCH EDRIOEs. 4,
Chicago is rapidly becoming city Of churches. I
EVeE Il the story were true that is now going the
rounds ct. the papers, that our theatres have a
seating capacity larger than our churches it e
,ould not remain true very long. some OF tho
finest churches in the country already located
n this city, and others Of more imposing char I
zcter are being projected. The Congregational :
sts are rebuilding ..The Firat,' have almost :
completed The New England y and are deyis- 7
ng plnns for the " New Plymouth, all OF which =
sil be completed during the Season. :
The, :. PrasbJterians ere at work. on :
Tie Fourth," which will be dedicated ~
n Juns. and "The Grace" which
8 now receiving its finishing strokes, and will L
Va rAaf!r nccunArrr in Tfav AFTha Tfrsto haa |