Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-05-09
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Laying the Cornerstone
In 1867 Father r. \. Prefontaine came |
10 Seattle for the purpose of here sstab-
fishing a Roman Catholic Church. lie
found less than dozen members OF
that denomination, and they were |
divided and disorganized. The father
rented a house on Third street, near the
Episcopal Church, now owned by A. d
Young, aud fitted up two rooms OF u
suitable for chapel. This was sufncf-
entity large for his followers at that time.
In this place for a year and half,
Father Prefontaine held regular services
In 1863 he held four faIrs-one at Seat
tie, one at Port Gamble, one az Ct5ai-
adv and Que at Port Ludlow. with the
proceeds from these fairs be was enabled
To purchase four lots on Third street.
then a dense forest. cleared them of
and built the present church ediflce
thereon. Much of the work of clearing
slashing. grabbing and burning on the
lots was done by the priest himself. In
| Nav, 1863. the church was up and mn
| ished on the outside, with deot OF
| $1,000 hanging over IT.
This Indebtedness was soon PAID on,
and the church commenced To grow
| This growth has beem steady ever since.
till now there are 800 regular attendants
| at the Catholic Church IN Seattle, and
membership of about 600.
| OF course the old building has been
too small for long time to accoinmo-
date the attendants, and to obviate this,
Father Prefontaine has held double ser
vices ON Sunday mornings.
Sometime since it was decided TO I'M
prove and enlarge the old church, but
Afterwards it was determined to build
almost an entirely new structure, one
that would comfortably seat 7co people,
or in case of an emergency would
hold 1000. The new structure will be IN
the shape of an immense cross, loi
feet long and 10 feet wide, with three
|, galleries. The basement will confirm
Sunday School or meeting room, 25x4u
feet, besides number of private rooms
TO be used by Father Prefontaine and
visiting priests and bishops.
Five or six hundred people assembled
around the foundation of the contem-
plated new church OIL Sunday evening
! at 8 oclock to witness the laying OF
IL THE CORNER STONE
7 Over the southeast corner OF the
/ foundation where the stone was to be
: laid fIoated the American flag, and bJ
its side the flag of the Catholic Church.
The Bishop being unable to be present
[ he gave tho faculty of performing the
services of the occasion to Father Pre-
/ fontaine, who was assisted by Father
) Boulet aud Father kusters.
II inst before the handsome stone was
lowered to its place glass jar WAS I'M
! bedded in the bricks and l.ls...,r under
/ | it containing coins of 1869, the date OF
the foundation of the first church IN
Seattle, and coins of 1882, the date of
the LAYING of the foundation of the new
J church: together with copies of the
lPosr-INrELLIGESCER, Canada papers,
Holland papers, Catholic Sentinel and
the following document in the latin
7 language.
: DO. NJ.
In the year 1882, on the seventh day
of May, under the glorious reign of our
Holy Father, Pope Leo xiii, Right
Rev, AeCidiius Junger being Bishop of
, this Diocese of Nesqually, Chester A.
; Arthur being President of the United
States of North America. w. A. Newell
being Governor of the Territory of
Washington, L. p. Smith being Mayor
. of this city of Seattle-Wc, Francis
Xavior Prefontaine, Priest of the Holy
Roman Catholic Church in Seattle,
, called sour Lady of Good Help" hav-
: ing asked and obtained the necessary
faculties from his Lordship the Bishop
} have solemnIy laid the cornerstone to
! partly extend and partly renew the above
named church in this city of Seattle,
Washington Territory. The following
gentlemen being present as witnesses:
Rev. Francis Xavior Prefontaine, Pas
tor; Rev. John Baptist BOulet, Priest;
! Rev. Louis Mary busters, Priest: Mr..
Donald Mackay, the architect of the
church and the Committee of Church
Wardens, Messrs. John Collins, Presi-
dent; b. Murphy, Secretary and Treas
urer: j. Cunningham and p. McCon-
: very, members.
, The stone which was inscribed on one
face 1863 and ON the other 1882 was then
| placed in position. and Father Prefon-
tain delivered the following address.
"Unless the Lord build the house,
J they labor in vain that built it; unless
the Lord keep tho city he watcheth in
! vain that keepeth it." Psalms cxxvi:12.
Mr. DEARLY BELOVED BRErHRhN:-ln
tho presence of such large audience,
who can say that the faith of the people
|, in Gods Church and tho zeal for his
glory have become weak on this soil Of
freedom and liberty? Who will dare
say 90, when the Church whose corner
stone We are laying today is finished
and becomes a standing monument of
your generosity? Who will dare say 40
: in presence of the fact that it is merely
tho thought that some ono for the want
Of room in the Church where We have
worshipped for thirteen years might be
deprived of the consolation that is
found in our holy religion that prompt
cd you to undertake TO raise larger and
moro beautiful temple TO Almighty God?
No, thanks be to God; there is still love,
faith and zeal amongst Us. o would
that l could picture to you the feelings
Of my heart the day that l determined
upon commencing this great work.
Without any means Whatsoever, but
full Of confidence in God, relying upon
the faith and zeal Of my parishioners.
Nv emit begging for the great purpose Of
piled to for aa1istanco are well known
to you. They followed the impulse Of
; their generous hearts, and they sub
suribed ono Thousand dollars; in less
than half day that amount was
doubled, with subscriptions ranging
from twenty-five to ono hundred dol
lars; today il has reached t2,5cE, and
feel confident that whom | shall be
through appealing to the rich and to the
poor It win havo swelled up to $4,000.
Oh, no! the faith and zeal Of tho people
il not diminishing. this unprecedented
success demonstrates it beyond any
doubt. Now, my dearly beloved brsth-
rsn. what is the msaping Of all this? .
II infer from It glorious meaning.
infer from this that no change
Of skies, no transition from one
place TO another can possibly de-
stroy or diminish in the heart Of the
Catholic tho feeling Of love which he
has for his God. and tho feeling Of zeal
he has for his religion. Most Of You
have como 10 this Tar Northwest. leav-
ing behind you congregation bound
together IN the strongest Ties of unity
and Of concord. Congregations replete
with benevolent institutions and char
table associations, all strong enough to
resist the assaults Of bigotry and fanat-
| i0ism. There v0u felt th0t Won hraathed