The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-01-14
The Completion and Conservation
Of the New Congregational
Church at Emporia.
The Dedicatory Sermon of Rev. James G.
Merrill. of Davenport. Iowa.
Historical and Financial Statement by

that which energized the career of Rev.
g. C. Morse. The embryonic city, the
possibilities of which existed then only
in the sanguine dreams of its courageous
founders, had just been laid out, and
there was sparse material for the crystal
iZation of either social or religious In
terests. There was no church society to
give the new pastor 'call," but he be-
gan at once to 'call" the people together,
and an organization of the Congrega
tionalists of the new town was formed
IN THE SUMMER OF 1853,
and in 1859 the building of what was
then regarded as a very creditable wood
en- structure was commenced, Mr.. Morse
being building committee, architect,
contractor, and very largely sail hands"
He raised the money, supervised the
building, and did good portion of the
work. He went to the woods for tim
Der, to the quarry for stone, and to the
kiln for lime. The building was not
large, but in new village, where the
people had not yet secured homes for
their children, it was no small under
taking, and probably cost more personal
sacrifice than many churches of ten
times the cost. The church was dedi-
Gated the second Sabbath in July, 1850,
Rev. j. d. Liggett Of Leayenworth,
preaching the sermon. 1t grew steadily
in strength and influence and Mr.. Morse
remained its pastor until 1868, when he
accepted call to what is now Valley
Falls.
Rev. NJ. S. Croswell now became pas
tor of the church and remained part
of two years. The church building was
then enlarged and the grounds fenced
and improved. After this the congrega-
ton was served by number of minis
tiers for short terms. In 1870 the par
sonage was built. In 1915 the church
had become very much weakened and
depressed, and services were suspended
for nearly a year and a half. The Rev.
o. G. Shannon then became pastor, in
the fall of 1875, and continued until his
death in 1878.
After the taking-off Of that faithful
servant of the Master, whose name is
sweet upon the lips of all who knew
him, and whose memory fingers as q
pleasant fragrance In the hearts of his
parishioners, call was extended to the
present pastor,
REV. DIR. coRDLEY,
| who, though at that time was living in
Michigan, had been Unidentified with
Kansas interests from the time of her
earliest settlement. He had settled IN
Lawrence in the early days of the Ibis
toric CITY," and had built up one of the
most influential and prosperous churches
in the west.
Very fortunately for the congregation
and Emporia the call was responded to
by DR.. Cordley, who brought to his new
field of labor a measure of Christian zeal
only equalled by his personal popularity
and his signal ability as a pulpit orator
The Congregational society under the
auspices of such able leadership now be-
gan to grow afreSh, and so numerous
were the accesions to the church thai
nearly three.fourths of the present mem
bership have come into the fold during
the ministration of the pastor who la.
been spared to see the work Of his hand!
so abundantly established. In view of this
rapid growth of the church the need of {
new edifice speedily became imperative
and one of the early cares of DR.. Cordlel
was the project for the consumation o
which iniatory steps were taken nearly
two years ago, and whose ultimate
achievement was so happily and appro
priately signialized in the dedicatory
services of Sunday.
THE NEW CHURCH,
located upon the original site of the ole
one, at the corner of Eighth and Me
chanics, is very tasteful gothic stIuc
ture, built of Dunlap stone, in the popu
lar broken ASHER style of work, 70,
which that material is especially fitted
Its extreme length is SO feet, and tn,
width, including the octagonal wings, Il
- feet. Rising above the building is
symmetrical tower, 102 feet in height
which greatly enhances the picturesque
effect of the attractive edifice The dimen
sions ofthe audience room are 45 by 6;
feet, not including the projection for th'
orchestra, which is 12x25 feet. The pull
pit is at the east side of the room, ant
the seats, semicircular in form, are g.
so arranged as to bring the audience al
together at the pulpit. The choir, al
elevated enclosure, is located directly il
the rear of the pulpit, and sort of vest
up in cOzy style as study for the pas
tor. In the rear of the auditorium, an
raised above it some two feet, is the LEI
, ture room, which by means of
huge sliding door can be converted into
separate apartment, and will be used -fc
Sunday school purposes and for holdin
prayer meeting. The church has tw
r entrances on the west side from Me-
chanics street, and possessing means {
ingress and egress in the rear, is pc
fectly fortified against all possibilities {
, personal peril from fire.
The walls are of the grateful til
known as French gray, the rather mel
trail character of which is pleasantly r
lieved by a very handsome freize of arti
= tic design in maroon and blue. Til
, ceiling is done in wood, the body bein
! OF selected pine in transverse section
4 and the beams of walnut, lending to
the effect of the antique style of Englls
4 finishing. The windows are of staine
o glass of quiet but pretty design, an
i are in thorough harmony with the chas
coloring which psrvades the place an
' renders it so entirely pleasin
y to the most fastidious tast
Il The pews which are sem
: circular in shape, are made of blaC
and white walnut, and added to the e
! cellent lasts displayed in their constru
l. ton far exceed in comfort the ordinal
y church sittIngs. The carpet, which VI
4 selected by the ladies of the church,
of a neat and modest pattern, of whiC
nothing better can be SAID than that
l. suffers nothing from comparison wi
: the remaining appointments of the e
Quisite audience room.
:. The church Is heated by two Rutt,
y furnaces, whose capabilities were full
: tested Sunday, and behaved
admirably that there can be b
: little doubt that they vi
!, prove fully equal to all demands whi'
will ever be made upon them. IT
light is furnished by chandeliers So
E. pended from the ceiling, which wi
: doubtless be replaced by gas burners
= the course of .Emporia's glittering f
:. ture.
II was within the walls OF this
p