Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-23
THE BETHEL CONVERSIONS.

ball. E'RIDA I
THE BETHEL CONVERSIONS.
Int reztinG Exercises Yesterday after.
noOn-Addressss Of Miss Fannie
Lettig and N. p. JarnaEfn-
lac New Building.
| Yesterday was an eventful day in the
history OF the Memphis Bethel, an as
ISOLATION which has for its object the re-
| ligious and intellectual instruction Of
| the destitute and helpless children OF
our city. Upon more than ore occasion
has 1t been our pleasant duty to speak
OF the Bethel, its lsudable purposes, its
Jealous officers, and the good work it
has accomplished in our community,
and the future efforts it would make in
behalf of the friendless aud ignorant
little children to be found in the streets
! of the city. 1t is now our happy priv
ilege to note the fact that the corner
stone of the Bethel building, to be
! erected at the intersection OF Adams
street and Charleston avenue, was laid
| yesterday afternoon, six o'clock being
| 3
| By that time large concOurse OF people,
| comprising the children, teachers and
| officers Of the Bethel, ministers of differ
| ent churches and prominent citizens as
sembled at the place to witness the eX-
| ercises incident to such an occasion.
| Much interest, indeed eager interest,
was manifested by the crowd, and count
| less questions asked concerning the
Bethel and
THE NEW EDIFICE
| which it is to erect. The foundation
work is now finished, and in a short
while the Bethel building, with its
| graceful front and ell-desigued cupalo,
will De an object Of no unworthy note,
AMI the subject of just pride among our
| people. The builHIDg is to be OF brick,
| and will be erected at cost of between
| nine and ten thousand dollars. The first
| or ground. floor Will be adapted to the uses
Of the Bethel, care having been taken in
| the architectural design to have all the
| apartments in it for the Sunday-schoOls,
| singing classes, and such other purposes
| as may hereafter be demanded. The
| second and third stories will be made
| into public hall and gallery, suitable
! for concerts, operate and dramatic en-
| tertainments, balls, lectures or other
| species Of popular amusement. The
general design Of the building is quite
handsome, ard the edifice will be an
ornament to that section Of the city.
The building will doubtless he COM
pleted by next January. The exercises
were very much enjOyed-the children,
teachers and officers of the Bethel being
the active participants. A few minutes
before the time for the commencement
~ he nTr ha
superintendent of the Bethel, opened
the box which was to be deposited in the
cornerstone for such donations as might
be placed therein. WehereWith append
list Of articles placed in
THE DEPOSITORY.
Memphis APPEAL; Memphis AUa.
ld1lche; silver five cent coin donated
by B. A. Wills; Memphis city railway
ticket by Charles KoTtrecht; fifty-five
dollars Of Confederate money by Henry
Craft piece of cedar wood by \. W.
Speers, ST., which was uDeartheJ IN "
cavating the foundation where il VA
placed as a bottom for vat used to tan
deerskins in 1888, by William Yates,
father of Meredith Yates; reports OF the
Shelby county bible society by D. II.
Porter, who has been its president for
thirty-three years; first and second an
nual catalogues of the Memphis Bethel
by Superintendent n. w. Speers, sr.; q
memorial OF the yelloW-fever victims of
Memphis, in 1873, by s. J. Ward; piece
Of the bell of the First Baptist church,
Second street, near Adams, by Joseph
Bonce; three cent coin and Boston Ban
ner of Light, by D. B. Graham; five
cent coin by Clara Randall, per N. w.
Speers, jr.; three silver coins each OF
five cent denomination by Mrs. Lizzie
Is. Speers, Miss Julia l.. Bingham and
J. W. Wills; two coins each OF three
cents denomination by NJ. Sanders; one
nickle by Grace Skipwith; one cent
Brunswick copper coin Of 1859; one
cent Canadian bank coin and New
Brunswick copper coin Of 1864 by Milton
Z. Jarnagin; one brass pOliceman's but
ton by Captain Sim Barinds one knife
by Rev. DR.. Stainback of the Court
street Cumberland Presbyterian church;
list OF subscribers to the lot and building
fund of the Bethel by officers Of the as |
ISOLATION. This completed the contents
of the box, which Mr.. Speers gave to
Milton P. Jarnagin, and requested the
children of the Bethel to gather around |
the cornerstone, as the exercises would !
then be opened with song. The children
Joined in the song, Mr.. Francis being the |
leader Of the choir. Following this |
was
PRAYER BY REV. DR.. SYLVESTER Lam |
DRUM,
the esteemed pastor OF the First Baptist !
church. He implored the blessings of |
the Lord, asking that he would help !
them to look up to Him and realize the |
responsibilities so as to do good to the |
needy, and that in the spirit of the |
Lord Jesus Christ to visit the fatherless |
and the widows ia their sfflictiOns and |
keep themselves unspOtted from the |
world. He invoke the wisdom OF the |
Lord, the guardianship of his provi- |
dence and the spirit Of his love to enable |
them to teach men the truth and elevate |
them in morality and religion. Thanks |
were returned for the gospel, its glad |
tidings of salvation and the good which !
came from it; for all the charitable III
situations which the gospel prompted |
them to establish, and invoked divine
blessings upon the Bethel. He also ex-
pressed thanks for the means supplied, |
and that the foundation was laid, and |
prayed that it might rise in strength
and beauty to giOrify the name of the
Lord and to bless its children. Blessings
were invoked upon The children, their
parents. and the officers Of the Bethel,
which would send forth blessings upon
the community, the world and the
church OF God. Ee asked that the
Lord strengthen those actively engaged
in the good work OF the Bethel, and d.
rect them to look up to him for guidance
and dependence. DR.. Lsndrum conclu-
ded his prayer by asking God to bless
the occasion and be glOrified through it
and them, and finally lead them all to
home in heaven. After the prayer Mr..
Jarnagin introduced Henry Graft, Esq,
who made the following address:
Address OF HENRY CRAFT, ESQ.
This is an occasion to which we have
long and anxiOusIy looked forward. The
Memphis Bethel has name, well and
favorably known in the community;
but hitherto it has had no "Iocal habita-
tion," except that in the Exchange
building, for which we have been de-