The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-07-09
GROUND BR0K EN-
FOR THE NEW WEST-END BAPTIST
CHURCH.
the occasion Marked ny fufcrcsitug
Exercises Liberal subscriptions To
wards the Inscrprtsc--Ihc con
tractor Begins uts work.

Yesterday morning an unusual and
at the same time. most impressive
service took place.
1t was the putting Of the pick into
the ground where the new Baptist
Church in the Wcst-End will beerectcd.
The hour was early. Before the bell
at No. 9 Engnc-hOuse struck the hour
OF :, number Of worshippers at West
Nam street Baptist Church were on the
spot and stood looking glecfully at the
ground on which their new church
Will be erected.
Sometime ago Or. 5. a. Goodwin
then pastor Of Leigh-slrcct Baptist
Church, decided 10 resign. He did so
against the wishes of his congregation.
but ne insisting ON his resignation, the
congregation at mectirg held imme-
diatcly after the bcncdictiOn on Sunday
morning. several weeks ago. when Dr..
Goodwin read his resignation, 10 take
effect that day. decided. Tegretfullv. TO
accept IL. a few days afterwards DR..
Goodwin accepted call from the CON
grcgaton Of West Main-street Baptist
Church, to nm the vacancy created by
the resignation Of Dr.. Shipnan. who
=
pastor, Just prior thereto
The West Main-street Baptist Church
is wooden building fronting on Beach
street. The lot fronts on Main about
sixty-iivc feet and runs back about 100
feet. This lot the congregation intends
to .ell. 10 will be divided INTO lots front
ing on Main street and LOIS fronting ON
Beach. This property will bring not
less than $4,000. and probably consid
orably more.
The amount realized from the sale Of
this lot will pay for the new one pur-
Chasod on the south side Of Grove
avenue. between Linden and Beach
streets. where the first earth was dug
yesterday.
The congregation Of West Main
street Church decided some time ago
10 remove the location of their church.
and the Grove avenue site was the one
selected.
Sunday morning the congregation.
with unanimitv. made cash payments
and subscriptions toward the erection
of the new church building ON Grove
avenue. They amounted. all told. TO
$1,000. Subscriptions for large
amounts are expected from the other
Baptist churches Of the city.
Il was decided % break ground for
the new church yesterday morning
with religious ceremonies.
The few people who had assembled
at : O'Clock. were swcllcd i'm number
TO one hundred by 3.
Or. Goodwin, the pastor. conducted
the religious exercises. Tie read APP
Iropr,ate selections from Holy Scrip
turc. and then led in prayer. 1t was
an impressive sight 10 sec the hundred
people standing with bowed heads or
knoshng on the grass while the bless
ing of the Most High was invoked on
the undertaking His people had just
started.
The first ground was then broke.
Four little boys Charlie Dickinson,
Hampden Gates. Louis Spencer and
Gwyn Goodwu-haudled the picks
aud dug up the earth.
Three little girIs-Misses Mary Hall.
FssIc Phillips and Jessie Gibbs with
big -hovcls IN their hands took up the
dirt and placed it in the dirt cart.
This concluded the exercises. Work
men. under the managementol Colonel
Alonzo Phillips. the contractor for OK
clvating hc earth, proceeded to work
aud will keep on, rainy days excepted
until the lob is completed.
The church ediiice will seat one thou
sand people. The structure viii be 81
handsome one. On one corner Will Q
a tower one hundred feet high Ii viii
be built of brick and will have a Sun
day-school room beneath the main au-
ditorium of similar size.
The building committee are Dr. Good
win (the PASTOR and Mcs~rs. A. l.. Phil
lips. Caleb Jacob, 5. III. Herudon j. II.
DckcrsC II, w. VI. Hall, ElmunI Harri-
son.
The architect is Marion j. Dimmock
Esq.