St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-02-16
Dedication of the Free Baptist
Church. The Building and
Exercises.

Tuesday was a day full of promise
and hope for the Free Baptist church
of this place. The dedication of their
beautiful house of worship within one
year from the date of the destruction
of the other building was an occasion
for great joy. The courage and enter
prise exhibited by this church and So
ciety, together with the generosity
manifested and helping hands extend
ed by members of other religious de-
nominations, merit high commenda-
ton.
THE BUILDING.
The present is of the same size and
general appearance of the former build
ing. As before, there are two entran-
ces, from Main street, Mt the north and
south corners. The stained window,
frame and glass, over the south door
is the identical one that was in the
former church, and is the only thing
saved from the ruins and used in the
construction of the new building.
The changes that have been made
are improvements. Around the sides
is a sheathing of ash. The most
marked changes are in the vicinity OF
the pulpit. In the old church the min
lister entered by side door and as
cended by steps, to one side of the
pulpit. The singers were stationed in
the rear of the minister, and as the
platform was small one, the space
for minister and singers was necessari-
ly limited. The minister now enters
by side door on the left communicate
ing with stairs leading to his study in
the vestry, and ascends by steps at the
extreme side of the platform, the steps
being partially concealed by a pillar
The platform is semi-circular in form
in front, and the pulpit and furniture
are of black walnut and tasteful in de-
sign. In the rear of the pulpit are
double doors which open into a space
in the rear, through which the singers
pass to the choir gallery. Underneath
the platform and extending back two
feet into the space in the rear is the
| baptistry, the steps leading into the
water being located back of the doors.
When a baptism takes place, the
platform is removed, the candidate en-
tiers by the rear, and the doors are
thrown open, atfording a full view of
the ceremony. There was no baptistry
in the old church, and baptisms took
place at the river. Over the double
doors is the inscription, "Christ is Our
Hope" At the right of the pulpit is a
commodious alcove, with an ornament
al frontage and railing, for the organ
and choir.
The pews are arranged in semi cir
cular form, as before, and are of ash,
the uphOlstering being all wool instead
of cotton, as then. Before, only the
aisles and open spaces were carpeted !;
now the whole of the floor is carpeted
Formerly, two steps were encountered
on entering the church, at the door,
and the slope of the floor was so steep
that the space inside the pews was
raised so that a level surface was
afforded for the feet. The corners of
these elevations proved stumbling
blocks to the incautiOus on entering
the pews. There was also a step be-
fore the open space in front of the pull
pit, in coming down the aisles. The
slope of the present floor is sixteen
inches less than before. The slope is
gradual, and there is not descent of
step anywhere in the room. The
seating capacity of the house is 300,
and the pews are very easy and COM
Portable
The room will be lighted by nine
burner chandelier suspended from the
centre, with additional burners on each
side of the pulpit and the choir gal
lery and in the rear and on the sides.
The room is well lighted during the
day by large and handsome stained
glass windows on the sides and in the
rear of the house.
The cost of the church above the
basement and the furnishing with the
exception of the organ, which has not
yet been purchased-is a little over
$4,000. An insurance of $4,000 has
been placed on the building. The cost
of the edifice will he better understood
when it is remembered that less than
5000 was needed to repair the damage
done to the basement by the fire. The
church is comfortably heated by two
portable Peerless furnaces in the base
ment, where, in addition to a cosy con-
ference room, is the pastors study, a
kitchen for use on festival occasions,
and other cOnveniences.
Above and below the arrangements
are excellent. The audience room is
very attractive, and the Free Baptists
are to be congratulated upon having
such a pleasant house of worship.
THE EXERCISES
at two o'clock in the after
noon. The house was filled to the ut
most, and every available place in the
lisles and elsewhere was filled. The
front of the pulpit and platform was
covered with ported flowers kindly
loaned from the conservatory of Ex-
governor Fairbanks, and were taste
fully arranged by Henry Gentry, the
assistant gardener.
The opening exercise was an anthem