The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-12-14
NEW BAPTIST CHURCH.
Description and History OF the
Building.

Description and History OF the
Building.
The new Baptist church is ut last COM
pleted, and ready for formal occupancy.
The interesting dedicatory services will
begin tonight, and will last for nine
days. To-nlght's meeting will be the
usual prayer service. The principal in
terest centers on next Sunday. The
building which is TO be dedicated as
house of God is one every way worthy
of the enterprising society by which 1t
has been erected, and is credit to the
city and an ornament to the neighbor-
hood. 1t is large brick structure,
trimmed with stone and INTELLECTUALLY
reflects great credit upon the designer,
Mr.. III. G. Gerlach. Its massive, yet
graceful, proportions are very pleasing
to the eve. The promise of the outside
is fully maintained within, for no hand
somer interior can be found in any
church in the State. Everything is fin
ished except the walls, which are yet to
be papered. The interior is finished off
IN ash. There are 424 fine opera chairs.
though, if necessary, 600 people can be
admitted to the church. From the two
main entrances the floor slopes back
ward to the pulpit, which is in the south
east corner. The pulpit and pulpit fur
niture are new and of rich and costly de-
sign. These are placed on low plat
form, which also holds the choir. Back
of this and screened from the congrega-
ton by rich curtains is large baptistery,
still back of which are two small dress
ing rooms. The floor of the church is
handsomely carpeted. A large and tlne
reflector, suspended from the dome, will
| illuminate the building even without the
aid of the numerous side lights. The
building is lighted by gas and heated by
two hot air furnaces, of the system of the
| Union Heating Co., of New York, placed
| in the basement. The ventilation Is
| perfect. For fire protection there are
placed four barrels of water with pals in
the basement. The Sunday school will
have two little library rooms over
the main entrances, in the towers. The
church windows are very fine. One of
them is memorial window presented
by Mrs. Mary A. Durkee in memory of
her late husband, w. G. Durkee, and of
her daughter, Jennie, who preceded
her father to the grave. The Sunday
school also presented large double
window. The entire cost of the build
ing has been Sl3, 600, including the furni-
ture Such building could probably
not have been erected in either of the
twin cities for less than $20, 900. OF this
all but 5000 has been raised. The
money needed was nearly all raised by
subscription among our citizens, other
denominations than the Baptist giving
! literally. Including gifts and cash con-
tributions, 81 400 has been raised outside
of the city. Among others, Messrs. j..
w. Converse, +. X. Glover and G. W..
Kingsley, of Boston, each gave 500.
The old church building was sold to the
Scandinavian Baptists for 500, and this
went into the fund. The old building
will remain where 1t Is for some time.
1t is hoped during the dedicatory seryi-
ces to raise the remaining $1,000.
The following are the gifts which have
been kindly given in aid of the church:
Carpet, Geo. A. Pillsbury, of Mime
apolis.
Pulpit furniture, +. III. Pratt, NJ. D.,
2. Powers, of Washington.
Set of chairs, w. j. Herrick and G. r.
Calkins, of Chicago. These last five gen.
tlemen were classmates of Mr.. Whit
ney, at the University of Chicago.
Bible, b. f. Jacobs, OF Chicago.
Sign (shield), Z. S. Beck, of st. Paul.
Gas fixtures reflector and side lights)
Gen. j. w. Bishop, VIM. M. Bushnell,
Bishop and Drake, of st. Paul.
Music stand, Joseph Derby, of Rapi-
dan.
Clock, P. X. Wiser, of this city.
Though the building is thus metropol-
itan in Its arrangements the church will
not follow the usual custom of cities in
regard to rented seats. All seats will be
|. free, and the general public Will at all
times be welcome. Ii is the wish of pas
tor and people that the rich and poor
may meet together here, remembering
that the Lord is Maker of them all.
The first contribution for the new
church was in the form of an Easter egg,
and was made while Rev. Archer, now
of Grundy Center, Iowa, was pastor.
The foundation was laid in 1856. Moth
ing was done the following year. Rev.
w. Whitney, resumed the passionate in
Oct. 1887, and at a meeting of the trus-
tees in January, 1883, steps were taken
looking to the completion of the build
ing. This week witnesses its compile
ton. o. K. Mather had the contract for
the foundation, w. b. Craig for the
stone and brick work, and Jesse WEIGH
for the carpenter work, and each per-
formed his part faithfully.
The present trustees are III. F. Shaw,
president, VIM. F. Jewson, secretary,
Geo. w. Mead, treasurer, G. M. Palmer,
and Noah Webster. The church dea-
cons are Messrs. Shaw and Palmer.
1t may not be inappropriate right here
to give few words in relation to the
untIringly devoted himself toward Sc
curing the early erection of the building.
He was born at Readfeld, Me-, in 1915,
and is nephew of the Hon. VIM. HI. Al
len, l. Id, who was for thirty years
president of Girard college, Philadel-
phia. He graduated from the Universe
ty of Chicago in 1871, and was ordained
a minister of the gospel at Rockton, ILL.,,
the same year. 1t was this year that he
married the lady who at present pre-
sides over his household. Mr.. Whitney
preached at Rockton year. Ill health
then caused him to desist from preach
ing for a year. After occupying the pull
pit at Usage, Iowa, for four years he
came to Mankato in October, 1877,
and remained six years, the
first three as pastor and the
latter as superintendent of missions for
the State. He was then pastor at Car
bondale, ILL.,, for year and half, and
at Goshen, Ind, for two and hall
years. In October, 1887, he was called
back to Mankato, where he has since re-
manned. 1t is largely due to his efforts
that the congregation, numbering
1875 members, can now point to their
new building.