The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-12-12

Magnificent Church Property-Dedi
cation of the Chapel.-The chapel of the new
NJ. e. Church, located on Third street, Baltimore
county, in the Belt was dedicated on Sunday
last, as previously announced in these columns
| The congregations of the First Church, formerly
worshiping in the old church at the corner o.
Charles and Fayette streets, and Of Huntingdon
Avenue Church, will hereafter worship as one con-
gregation in the new church, and it will be called
| Baltimore City Station, although located in the
county. The dedicatory services were conducted
| by Bishop Andrews and were of an unusually in.
teresting character. The Rev. John f. Goucher
| the indefatigable pastor of the church, gave q
brief history of the building, &c. He said that in
june 1883, he spoke to James E. Hooper, ID. d.
| Carroll, D. III. Hiss, Isaac Shrk, w. w. Spence
Mr.. Bennett and others about erecting the church
and they offered substantial encouragement. In
July of the same year the building committee was
appointed, in November ground was broken, in
March, 1884, work was begun, in May the old
church at Charles and Fayette streets was sold,
and in October the cornerstone of the new one
was laid. On Sunday week last the closing SER
vices were held at Charles and Fayette streets and
on the following Wednesday at Huntingdon Ave-
nue. Church.
"The new church will cost $40, 000," continued
Mr.. Goucher, call of which amount is accounted
for except 900. We need this amount to
complete the basement and the tower, and we
hope to raise it before you leave this chapel
This announcement caused a smile to spread
through the congregation, as everybody seemed
to think it impossible to gather in so much in SO
short time. But Mr.. Goucher meant business.
He said that he purposed to divide the amount
into 200 shares of 500 each, payable in ten equal
monthly installments. Any number of shares
could be taken by any one person, or any part OF
share. He appointed subscription solicitors in
regular business manner to 60 round in the con-
gregation and then asked the Bishop to talk
while he helped the solicitors. In few minutes
his voice was heard in corner of the chapel,
saying, "Ill be responsible for the last forty
shares, but cannot give the names of the subscri-
bers." This started the movement and each So
licitor began calling out the number of shares he
was disposing of. In half an hour over Sl7,OOO
was raised. At the evening service the fnl amount
of shares were taken.
The new church (says the Sum is one of the
handsomest ediices of the kind in the United
States 1t is grand in its proportions The church
proper, the chapel and the parsonage are all one
building, which is of stone. The church fronts
on st. Paul street, and has splendid arched en-
trance. To the north of the church is the parson-
age, beautiful three story structure. The chapel
is on the Third street side, and is approached by
a broad stone stairway, which leads to an arched
corridor, at the west end of which is the chapel
doorway.
The chapel itself is marvel of beauty. 1t has
accordance with tle pure Romanesque style of
architecture of the entire edifce. The chancel
faces the west, and the seats are arranged about
it on the ground floor in a half circle, back of
which are loges with chairs for chapel use, and
with doors that may be closed to make separate
apartments for Sunday school purposes. Above
these is gallery which is divided by seven arches
into alcoves the outlines of which are so graceful
that they please the eye from any part of the
building. The sides and ceiling of the gallery
are covered with heavy gold paper in small blocks.
The dome and the walls frescOed in rich, deli
cate tints, which give to the whole interior sub
dued appearance of elegance. Over the gallery
arches are stained glass windows, which aid in
producing this effect. All the woodwork is of
polished oak, including the chancel, the wains-
coting and the gallery and organ fronts The
chairs are also Of oak and are made in the Vienna
Brentwood STYLE, The carpet was woven expressly
for the chapel, so that the colors would blend with
those of the stained glass windows and with the
tints of the walls and dome. The gas fixtures,
which are of bronze, were manufactured to order
that they might have curves symmetrical with
the curves of the arches.
The church will not be finished for some timo.
The interior of it will be similar to that of the
chapel, but on a larger and grander scale. The
basement will be handsomely furnished as read
ing rooms and reception parors. There will also
be kitchen in the basement, so that coffee and
lunches may be prepared when occasion requires.
In addition to the basement reading-rooms will
be an apartment set aside adjoining the chapel
for reference books, that they will be convent
ent to the Sunday school teachers. When the
womens college is built on the two acres If ground
owned by the trustees on St. Paul street, adjoin-
ing the church, the students can enter the chapel
by passageway near the reference-book apart
ment. The parsonage is separate from the rest
of the structure, though, stated, it is part of
it. When completed the whole will cost about
100000.