Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-17
ANOTHER COLORED CHURCH.
Ceremonial Of Laying the Corner.
stone Yesterday.

VI AhS thC SOEaCA
stone Yesterday.
The ceremonies connected with the
laying of the cornerstone of St.
Paul's Church, Corner of Franklin
and Cheny streets, yesterday after
noon, were witnessed by about fifteen
hundred colored people. Two excursion
trains arrived early in the day from Muf-
freesboro and Shelbtville, conveying a
large number of colored excursionists.
Shortly before three o'clock about one
hundred colored Masons, headed by Nc
Gowan's Harmonicon Cornet Band,
marched from the Freedinei's blink, On
Cedar street, to Summer, through Summer
to Demonbreun, and thence to the place
where the exercises were to be held. II
was some time after the crowd had assem-
bled before the exercises were commenced.
A number of persons went through the
crowd with tin basins collecting money,
and they succeeded in raising quite large
sum. This money will be used in defray-
ing the expenses of the erection of the
building.
The following officers of the Grand
Lodge of colored MaSons were present, and
participated in the exercises.
Nelson McGavock, Grand Master, ID. j.
Hodges, of Memphis, Deputy Grand Mas
ter Alfred Bray, of Chattanooga, Grand
Senior Warden, John L. Howell, of Knox
vile, Grand Junior Warden, Greed Taylor,
of Columbia, Grand Senior Deacon, Tyler
A. Murrell, of Nashville, Grand Junior
Deacon. and Alfred Cawhorn, Grand Tyler.
Bishop John NJ. Brown, ID. D., of Wash
ington City and Moses r. johnson, of Baton
Rouge, La, occupied prominent places on
the platform.
The services were opened by singing the
familiar hymn 'sGOd moves in mysterious
way" after which an appropriate prayer
was delivered by Elder Merry.
Bishop Brown then read from the Church
book of Discipline long article in reference
to the laying of corner stones, and con-
Guided by Offering the usual prayer.
The following articles were then depOSi-
| ted;in the excavation made for that purpose
in the corner stone:
Copy of the Holy Scriptures, hymn book,
| copy of the laws governing the Church,
minutes ofthe Tennessee Annual Confer
ence, a catalogue of Wilberforce!ins
the names of Bishop Brown and all the
ministers present, of President Grant and
| Vice President Wilson, Gov. John c.
| Brown, Mayor Thomas A. Kercheval,
| Trustees and Building Committee of the
Church, and the names of 375 subscribers
20 the building fund of the Church; copies
Of the UNION AND AMERICAN, Republican
Banner, Christian Recorder, Nashville
Christidn AdcOcdte, lSdbbGth-SchOOL Gem,
names of members of the Nashville Excel
siOr Silver Cornet Band, and different kind
| of coin. s..
Prayer was then offered by the Rev.
Nelson g. Merry, after which another hymn
was sung. The Masonic Fraternity then
| took charge of the cornerstone and laid il
in accordance with the Masonic formula.
Moses r. johnson, the colOred orator OF
the day, was then introduced and delivered
a lengthy Grafton giving in detail the
progress of the Masonic Order since its or
| eanizatiOn. His address was replete witt
valuable information concerning the Ma
sonic Fraternity, and was listened to with
great attention by the large c.owd in at
| tendance.
At the conclusion of his address the doX-
ology was sung, and benedictiOn was pro-
nounced by Rev. n. G. Merry, after which
the crowd dispersed.