, 1875-02-21
THE BAPTIST TEMPLE.

During thn Dast week in important movement
has been fairly commenced, The ultimate object
OF Which is tho establishment OF large, central
Baptist Church or Temple. The great July ire
1eft the city without . baptist church north, Of
TWenty-third street, and slnco the FIRST Church
voted, last fau, 10 reoutd Soma three miles
south Of its old sire good deal of dissatis-
faction 1as Been felt with the status Of tho de-
nomination in The city. Those members OF tho
Fist Church vino hre thoroughly devoted to
missionary work IN the heart Of the city, Wher5
they saw tht harvest whlto, and tbs laborers
Few, were disposed to apauion the church il it
should discard it, missionary WORK in tho city. 1t
did not seem quite right that properly Of
2100, 900, which the church still holds, should be
entirely absorbed in the BUILDING of home
church in remote section Of the city.
On the other hand, times are hard, and the
church membership is not hopeful a. it once
MAS. and many Of the members felt that the
6rst th1ng to do Eas to rebuild the walls g, Of
4 proposition has been before this church for
borae time is Ias already beon stated In THE
TRIBUNE, to dona:e portion OF its property fof
the foundation OF . Central Baptist Church. to
be located ii tho business portion of the city-a
stion took definite shape and Sas adopted 1t tie
regular business meeting of the church last
week. Tue Cd Wabash ayenue lot, which com
priBEs 112 feet frontage oh that thorouGhfare,
just south Of Hubbard court, is believed, even
IN the present depressed condition OF real
estate, to be Worth $4,000. 4 mortgage of
$4,000 exists as q Len upon It. The church also
possesses in its curpOrate capacity, some 80 acres
VI land in Highland Park, or ;Rayinia, as it is
now called. This can he sold for $4,000 in q
body, as the church las had that of1er for it.
lie F4rst Church, last Wednesday evening,
agreed tn convey thu Wabash avenue and tho
liar1nia prot erty to new Baptist church organi:
zation represented By Mr. D. F. Jacobs aud
sD1e o.her prominent members Of the denom-
inatiou. provided the latter should frs. pay to
the First Church tie sum Of $4,000, The plan
has bden accepted on both aides, and it only Re.
land is to be put upon the market early in the
sp:ipg, and it IL. believed that there are
many good Daptieta who, will take one Or
more ItdS as5Ss at cgnsldefasls a sa1s ady11se 93s
laid vii yield the s25,ooo which is to
be paid to the First Church. and probably
q surplus. a. Boon as this ls done, the new or
gauizat;on Wiil commence <operptlons III the way
Ut building. They will either bniid . chapel on
the rear Of the old lot, or exchange 1hat 1ot
As tue new organization is to be ono repre-
eentlng In aou1h eense the entire denomination
in the city. there is little doubt that funds WILL
be forthcoming to build a fine house Of worship,
or oven busluess block in. combination NTH q
church edstice, something like the First Meth:
odist Church Block Tine new work is in the
hands Of energetic, hopeful men, full of ze al,
and aspiring to do gdI1. They Will push for
ward the work with credit TO themselves, the de.
nominnti6a; and the city.
the above, that 4 mutual agreement Vas entered
into By both parties to the contract that the pro-
ceeds Of hve'Rcrcs Of the RaYifa lind should be
gwen to the Twcn:T-dfth otreos Baptist Church.