Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-12-06
THE DEDICATION
To- Day ( the Central Baptist Church
Finished After Twenty Years A
Complete Description Of the
Structure, One Of the Most imposing
and Admirably Arranged Church
Edifces In the South.
The Sermon to Be Preached This Morn.
ing by DR.. I,ndrum-Addresses By
Other Prominent Divihes.

ing by DR.. I,ndrum-Addresses By
Other Prominent Divines.
The formal dedication to-day of the
Central Baptist church will be one of the
Membhis. It was beghn twenty years
engaged in .ntittine the finishing touches
upon it. Last night it was lit up for the
first time. and those who remembered 1t
in its half finished condition were as much
startled as delighted by the rich and bril-
liant light which stTearned through the
splendid windows OF stained glass. The
CENTRAL s.rT1sr CHURCH
was constituted on December 8, 1885, at
the FIRST Baptist church, on Second, near
Adams, the Rev. s. III. Ford presiding, and
for the ensuing six months services were
held there cn alternate Sundays.
About the Oath OF June, 1865, the Taber-
nacle, large frame building, on Court
street, near Second, built by the Central
Baptist church for its use, was finished
Here Tegulat weekly services we're held
until the middle of December, 1868, when
the Tabernacle was torn down and the ma
terials moved to the building in course of
erection, for the permanent use of the
church, on Second street, near Beale.
From this time the membership was with
out regular place of Worship until the
2lst of Feb uary, 1869 two months), when
the lecture-room of the church building
was ready for use.
DIR. LANDRUM,
who will preach the dedicatory sermon to-
day, held services in the basement for
some time, with tafpaulins spread over
the timbers prepared for the second q Dor
he was the pastor of the church for eight
years, and during that time carried the
walls up, had the roof pnt on and the
tower built.
DIR. L andrum, who resigned in 1879, was
succeeded by the Rev. Thomas j. Rowan
A debt of $500 hung over the church,
and he was rapidly clearing it off and in
creasing the membership Of the church
when he was overtaken by death. The
Rev. A. W. Lamar of Macon, Ga, became
pastor in October, 1852, three months
after the death of the Rev. Mr.. Rowan,
and under his careful guidance the debt
has been wiped out and the church COM
pleted.
ITS COST
to date has been about $4,000. The
congregation has not great many wealthy
members, but it includes a large number
of level-headed business men, and the
congregation as such, has always been
more than liberal. Declining to contract
a dollar OF debt which they did not feel
sure of paying, they yet contributed freely
of their means, and to-day have an edifice
purchased by the very sweat of their
brows, of which they have every reason to
be proud. 1t is distinct departure from
old fogy ideas, and approaches nearer the
SPIRIT OF THE AGE
than any other church in the city. Built
upon foundation that will stand for ages,
the church is furnished with every appli-
snce which moderE. art has invented for
the comfort ofmen. The location is ex-
cellent, as it can be easily reached from
every line OF street cars, and proves the
wisdom CT its founders, who were offered
handsome advance for the lot immedi-
atelr after its purchase by some of its mem.
bers, who believed it would be better to
build upon Monroe street. The price paid
was S25, 600.
----- THE TOWER,
not generally subject of complimentary
remark, however, on account of its pecu-
liar shape, is the first object which one
sees when approaching the city from any
distance, towering away above all other
demes and spires. Nearing the edifice,
one is struck at once by its appearance OF
great solidity. Its massive walls seem to
have been designed to stand through all
time, and it is certain that the twenty
years which have rolled by since its con-
~truction was begun have hardly left
fiuger mark upon it. The wide vestibule
ls entered by three
HEAVILY ARCHKD DooRwAYs,
broad stairs, covered with mats of rubber,
which smother the sound of every foot
fail, leading up into a STELLAR vestibule
above. This is lighted by four windows,
OF stained glass, through which the light,
softened, warm and glowing, is sifted.
Wide double-doors, swinging noislessly in
or out at the merest touch of the hand,
give access to the body OF the church, the
appearance of whose admirable interior at
once arrests the attention and commands
the admiration of whoever has given Il 9
slightest attention to church architecture.
The floor slopes gradually from the doors
to the pulpit, the incline being about three
feet. Five hundred and ninety-two hand
some
FOLDING CHAIRS
with foot rests, book and shawl racks are
arranged in semicirculsr shape, all direct
ly facing the preachers stand, and are di-
vided into three divisions. The aisles
are broad and stately, and the floor is
completely covered by carpet If sober
but tasteful pattern. The platform upon
which the preacher stands is reached by
means of three broad steps, and is COW
cred by carpet similar in design to that
upon the main floor. Around its edges
can be seen the marble brink of
the baptismalfont, which is en-
tirely concealed, though easily made
ready for service when occasion requires.
Upon either side are doors opening into
light and
CoMFoRTABLE RETIRING ROOMS,
that on the right designed for the use of
the gentlemen and that on the left for the
ladies. For the benefit of the latter a
special arrangement permits them to
toned to the water before they appear in
fu view of the congregation. The back
of the pull pit is semicircular in shape, the
ribbed and paneled walls rising to the
roof. Directly over the preachers stand,
and filing the entire width of the semi.
circular cavity, the choir loft, so arranged
as to be suggestive of balcony, has been
placed.
THE WOODWORK
| is Of dark walnut and very handsome.
l Above the loft pointed windows, reaching
| to the top, can be seen, forming half.
| dome of crystal. The advantage OF this
| arrangement will be at once understood
| and appreciated. The singers can reach
| their places either from the little rooms in
| the sides or from the church grounds di-
| rect. There is faint suggestion OF the
English style in the finish OF the ceiling
| which, while it is apparently but the uu
der side of the roof, flushed off to match
the remainder Of the interior, is in reality
a separate structure, the distance from the
peak of the ceiling to the comb of the roo
being fully fifteen feet. The noise made by
| THE FALLING OF RAIN
or the force of the wind upon the exposed
timbers and slate of the roof is therefort
| unheard by the worehipers, and unlike
in churches OF similar inner decoration in
the city. the services are not interrupted
| by the fury of the elements. The dis
tance from the floor, in front of the pull
pit, to the center of the t. used roof is fif
| ty-seven feet, and the interior is lighted
by two splendid refiectors. each eight fee
in diameter. Another reflector, four fee
acloss, hangs over the choir loft. Th,
whole number Of lights in the auditorium
is les, aud there are others in profusion in
the vestibule and about the wide Railways
Here sgsin art has been summoned. Th,
church has recognized and adopted on,
of the great results of
THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
If the day. Electricity is employed il
lighting the gas. The arrangement is ex
actly similar to that em loyed at Lsubrie'
Theater. An sp,araius costing 500 hs
been paced in the tower, aad is SO simpl
in construction that the currents can b
easily controlled by the ianiror. One but