The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-09-26
CHURCH CEREMONIES.
Dedication of the New First
NJ. +. Church.
The Services at the Church on Sunday
Last General Survey of the
New Structure.


with most impressive ceremonies. Az
10 o'clock in the morning the doors of
the church were thrown open, and the
huge thrOng of people that were gath
cred on the sidewalk. eager to witness
the ceremonies, began pouring in, and
soon the vast edihce was filled to over
flowing, large number having to stand
as best they could in and about the diff.
ferent entrances.
Bishop FOss Ofticiated, assisted by Rev.
DR.. Lanahan of Baltimore, Rev. S. Burt
of Ravenna, DIR. Cox of Wellsville, Rev.
NJ. j. Slutz of Harlem Springs, Rev. j.
W. Robbins of GreentOwn, Rev. w. l..
Dixon of the Second NJ. K. church, Rev.
d. +. Platter of the Presbyterian church,
and Rev. ID. c. Osborne, pastor of the
new church. MIR. Frederic Archer, the
renowned Organist, presided at the or
gan, and the choir, largely augmented
for the occasion, was led by Mr.. @. G.
Case of Chicago.
The services were opened by Mr.. Ar
cher with an organ voluntary, after
which was sung an anthem by the choir,
followed by the reading of the dedica
tiOn service, according to the discipline
of the church, by Bishop FOss. Another
hymn was then sung, upon the cOnclu
sion of which prayer was offered by DR..
Lanahan. The Rev. OsbOI II, pastor, next
followed with the first Scripture lesson
of the day. from Chronicles 9th and 7th
chapters; Dr. Cox next reading the sec
Ond lesson, from Paul's Epi4tle to the
Hebrews, 10th chap, 18th to 9th verses.
Next in order was the sermon, preach
ed by Bishop FOss, upon The KnOwl-
edge of God" which was a very power
full, keen and logical effort, and was
listened to with much interest by the
large audience present.
AT the close Of the sermon statement
was read by the building committee,
showing $4,000 received; $1,000 prom
ised by collection, and the probable cost
of the new building when entirely COM
pleted, i'll the neighbOrhOOd of Sl3O,OOO.
The services were then concluded by the
delivery of the church to the board of
trustees.
The vast edifice was again filled in
the evening by an immense thrOng of
people, drawn together chiefly from GU
riOsity, and mingled with the hymns
sung by the large choir, assisted by the
audience,
'grhe deep-loud pealing organ rolled
Halleluiahs from It's lips Of gold"
DR.. Lanahan preached an able sermon
on the subject of 'Self-knOwledge,"
which was in harmony with the theme
of the mornings discourse, knowledge
of God.
DESCRIPTION OF THE CHURCH.
The new edifce is beautiful church
structure, masterpiece of architectural
design; and its interior decorations, ap-
pOintments and furnishings are mar
vel, both in style and finish. Speaking
without eXag aggeTatiOn, it is safe to assert
that IL is the very finest church structure
between Philadelphia and Chicago, and
a brief description of il at the present
time, before entering upon history of
the church in Canton, may prove of in
tereSt to many readers of the DEMOCRAT
who have not the time or the opportunity
to inspect its manifold beauties, or even
to gaze upon its beautifully symmetrical
proportions.
The church has a frontage of 80 feet
on West TuscaTawas street, and a depth
of $50 feet facing Poplar street. 1t is
built of Independence stone, with carved
BerPa stone trimmings, and the pTinci-
pie tower, on the nOrth-ea corner, runs
up to height of about 100 feet. There
are three entrances; one, the main en-
trance. being on the north side, and the
other two on the east and west Sides
respectively. The main entrance leads
into the lobby of the church, which has
a beautifully tiled floor audlwainscOting,
with ceiling of carved oak in its natural
state. Six stone steps lead one from
either end of this lobby into long vesti-
bules on the east and west sides, which
a lsO have tiled floors auh EainscOting;
and from each of these N--tiUules runs
stairway leading ny to the choir loft,
which is next TO the great organ. An-
other stairway runs from the west room
next to the choir loft to the belfry in the
large square tower. The spacious audi
tOTium, 6lXSO feet in dimensions, is built
in the style of an amphithPatTe, and is
furnished with natural oak pews. At
the north end of the auditorium, and the
front part of the church. is located the
noble organ, built by Johnson 81 Son,
Westfield, Mass, whose power and cap
abilities were so ably tested by the great
English Organist, Mr.. Frederic Archer
| in the concert given by that gentleman
on Saturday evening last. The chOil
loft is i'll front of the organ, and the
pulpit directly in front of the choir
| The Sunday school is located in the
| south end of the building, and ranged
around the back part of the room are
| series of class rooms, infant, intermedi
ate aud adult, together with the library
| containing about thousand bOunC
volumes. The Sunday school is separat
| ed from the auditorium by three larg
drop doors, by the dropping of whicl
both rooms can be thrown into one
thus almost doubling the size of tn
auditorium.
Directly above the Sunday school is a
large gallery, furnished with Orchestri
chairs, which is r, ached by stairway
leading from both the east and west Ell
frances 10 the church; and around thi
gallery are ranged another series o
class rooms, with the pastors study a
I he east end. The ceiling of the Sunda
school is dOme-shaped, and decorate
with panels, scrolls and scenes frOI
scriptural history.
The auditorium has a seating capacit
of 600, and the Sunday school aud CALLER
both together, about 500, thus making
when both rooms are thrown into one.
full seating capacity of LOO; although
in case of necessity, this can be increase
to 1,500. The rose window in the mort
gable of the editice was contributed
The young men of the church, and tn
decorations on it consist of a centTf
medallion head piece of Christ. SUI
rounded by seven other medalliOns II
presenting the emblems of Christianit.