The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-20
THE STATESMAN,
AUSTIN. TEXAS.
Church Notices.


The First PRESBYTERIAN church, Of
which Rev. L. b. Wright has hac
charge for the last twelve years, i:
noticeable for its unfinished state
only the first story having been com
pleted, giving it the appearance OF
having been cut square across parallel
with the basement. 1t is indeed q
strange picture, as in massive outlines
of massive stonework it seems to stare
in stole indifference at the beholdeI
who may chance to reflect on It's con-
templated grandeur and wonder at It's
weird incompleteness as temple OF
worship. Already it has cost about
$4,000. and about as much more
would be required to carry out the
original intention. The ground plan,
whether so intended or not, is that OF
a cross, and the assembly room, which
is perhaps the largest auditor um IN
the city, will accommodate an au-
aience of about 600 persons. When
the building is finished the basement
will be used mainly for a Sunday
school, for which it is more especially
designed, and the church services will
be held in the story above.
The church was organized in 1850.
When DR.. Wright took charge it had
about seventy members. Now it has
go, many of whom are among the
Oldest residents of Austin, including
some who were raised in the state.
The elders are VIM. Smyth, Charles
Dodge, VIM. A. Blackburn, VIM.
Stiles, 5. w. Baker and NJ. A. Taylor.
The deacons are r. ii. Peck, j. w.
Graham, James Chandler, Jos. Spence,
j. NJ. Peacock and j. NJ. Thornton.
Trustees: DR.. Taylor, Judge Bell aud
Messrs. Blackburn, Spence and Gardi-
ner. Mr.. Blackburn is superintendent
of the Sabbath-school, which has
about 200 members on the roll, the
average attendance being about 120.
The church is supported by voluntary
contributions, there being no pew
rents, and seats are consequently free
to everybody. The church IS out of
debt. The expenses average about
$4,000, but last year were only about
$500. Miss Sarah Preston is organ
ist, and Messrs. Alex. Gardiner, j. b.
Smith, Sam Preston, Robt. Lambie,
Mr.. Church and Misses Meta Smith,
Flora Preston and Luella Orr compose
the choir. There is also children's
choir for the Sunday school, and a
ladies aid society of which Mr.. Oseph
Spence is president aud Mrs. Alex
Gardiner treasurer. The choir led by
Mr.. Gardiner is evidently carefully
practiced to judge by the quartette
singing, and Miss Preston certainly
handled the organ skillfully, playing
her accomplishments and graceful in
terludes with nice expression. The
church, by the way, has two organs,
~ hioh 10, hn IL
but with the assistance of another
organist both are sometimes played at
at once to produce all the finer music
for the church services. DR.. Wright
generally prepares his sermons in
manuscript for the morning hour, but
as generally breaches without notes
for the afternoon services. lie has a
distinct voice either for reading or off
hand delivery of his sermons, which
in either event are impressive as well
for the good temper and reasoning, as
for the earnestnesS with which he
brings his subject home to the con-
sciences of his hearers by practical
illustrations. He is less impressive
of course, when confined to notes on
manuscript, but his ideas are clearly
and pleasingly expressed, and his Ian
guage at times not only forcible but
eloquent. He has good library, is
doubtless quite student and is popu-
lar as a pastor among the people as
well as minister in the pulpit. The
subject of his last Sundays discourse
was as he announced it, Towards
Sodom," and was taken from the
familiar story of Lot, and the destruc-
ton of the ubiquitous city of Sodom.
The danger and consequences of peo-
pie getting in the current Of evil in
fluences by pitching their tents too
near the Sodom of temptation, even
in this remote day, were graphically
presented, and the sermon was par
tIcularly interesting in the close ap-
plication which the speaker made of
his subject.