The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-05-17
The New Edifee.

4h1C new E<-lACG
The work of building new house o!
worship which should be adj
equate to the accommodation oil
the rapidly growing society was first
considered in the spring of 1881, but the
project was dropped for year, when it
was taken up with the determination to
push it to successful contamination.
A meeting of the congregation was
held, at which it was unanimously de-
cided TO build. and the work was given
INTO the hands of the following commit
tee: r. d. Thomas, D. w. Morris, D.
L. Thomas, D. NJ Davis, Luther Rees,
JOS. c. Jones, Richard Jeremy and W.
]. Jones.
The plan and specifications which were
suggested by the building committee,
were drafted by C. w. Squircs, and very
shortly after the completion OF his part
OF the work Gabriel Sc Jones began TO
put in the foundation. The contract for
the >saperstructure was awarded to
Prothero & Thomas, who have given the
entire work their personal supervision.
The edifice is cruciform in design, hay.
ing four gables, facing the different
points of the compass. The material
employed is brick, trimmed with a pro-
fusion of elaborate cut stone work,
which adds vastly to the agreeable eff
feet of the graceful exterior. In the ga
BILE facing the east is stone tablet bear
ing the inscription: Bethany
Congregational church; built in
1867; rebuilt in 1892"
The beauty of the front or east, eIeva-
ton IS greatly augmented by two SYM
metrical towers, one of which is &c and
the other As feet in height These form
the vestibules TO the church, which are
eight feet square, and between which is
located the lecture room, with q seating
capacity of 100. and which is slightly
raised above the auditorium and divid-
ed from it by sliding doors. The di.
mansions of the auditorium are 3Sx5S
feet, and the ceiling is "a feet in height.
Its proportions are such as to produce
the most favorable impression upon the
eye of the beho!der, and its claims to
admiration are strengthened as the gaze
rests upon its beautiful and harmonious
appointments. The groin ceiling is CON-
posed of natural wood in transverse sec.
tions and ornamental plaster work, the
latter, together with the walls, being
most artistIcally frescoed by TschudI.
the sceric artist, whose happy combina-
I ton of complimentary colors and agree
able shades proclaim him an artist OF
superior merit. The windows are OF
ground glass, and they impart tone to
the light which they admit that is very
grateful to the vision. BY night the
church is lighted by six gas chandeliers
of very neat and pretty pattern, fur.
nished by Griffith s. Ewing. A fur
mace put in by the same parties viii
prove adequate to warming the church
in the most severe weather, and render
ing it comfortable.
The seats, which are OF walnut and
ash, are thoroughly comfortable and ar,
arranged in semicular form SO tina
an excellent view of thu
pulpit and its occupant can be hat
from any part of the audience room
These, with the pulpit chairs, which ar
very elegant, the latter being of walnu
upholstered in crimson plush, were fur
nIshed by l. D. Fox & Co.
The floor is covered with very pref
| ty ingram carpet put down by D. Thorn
as 81 Co., and this completes the tasteful
and attractive appointments of one o
the most inviting church auditorium
in the state of Kansas.
The entire cost of the structure i
ST. 400. OF this amount between 800
and $4,000 haYe been provided for, leay
ing the balance to be raised at the dedi
catlon services Sunday. The enter
prise and Christian zeal displayed b
the members of the Welsh Congrega
tional society in promoting the mora
and material interests of this communi
ty BY adding such an admirable i'm
provement TO the town merits the mos
hearty encouragement at the hands O
our citizens, irrespective of denomina
tional leanings, and we trust and be
lIeve that the effort to liquidate the in
debtedness on their beautiful new churcl
will be abundantly successful.