Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-11
Novel Enterprise of Pitts
burg Church Goers.
TO REBUILD THE TEMPLES.
Johnstown People Will Not be Allowed to
Contribute a Cent-The Restored Sanc-
tuaries to be Handed Over TO Them as
GIfts of Christian FeIIowship-Varl.
GUS Denominations Already Moving.

charity for the benefit of the flood sufferers. 1t
is proposed that by united effort the church
goers here shall rebuild all the ruined churches
of Johnstown, and not allow the bankrupt con-
gregations of Johnstown to contribute sim
gle cent toward the work. A very wealthy
gentleman connected with one of the down
town Presbyterian churches, was the first to
make the suggestion. He believes that it will
be utterly impossible for the Johnstown sur
vivors to build up their churches again for a
year to come. They have not only lost their
families and homes, but in most instances all
their money. 1t vii. be enough for them to do
to gather enough funds together to erect mod
est little homes
The gentleman's suggestion was that each re-
lgious denomination in Pittsburg and Allie
gheny appoint committee to ascertain exactly
how much money will be required to rebuild
or repair the church or churches of their own
Denomination swept away or damaged by the
flood in Johnstown, together with parsonages.
chapels, etc. Then let each denomination ap-
portion this amount among its churches in
Pittsburg and Allegheny. or in the whole county,
TO be raised by popular subscription, the COM
mlttee to be continued to attend to the con-
struction of the churches, to pay all bills, and
finally to turn them over completed and free to
the Johnstown survivors
Presbyterinns and Episcopalians Ready.
This gentleman said the Presbyterians of
Pittsburg would be among the first to start the
movement, although from modesty he desires
his name and identity withheld until the
clergymen of his own denomination formally
organize for the purpose The reporter could
not learn yesterday that this has yet been done
by Presbyterian ministers.
Bishop Whitehead was asked by a DISPATCH
reporter yesterday afternoon how the Episco-
pal denomination would regard such propo-
sitlon. Our church proposes to rebuild the
Episcopal edifce at Johnstown for the sur
vivors without waiting for general move
lnent" he said. However, the proposition is
possible support. The Episcopal church at
Johnstown cost s250O0 1t was all swept
away by the food: Rev. A. P. .DiIler,
drowned % % As joSnstowp H o Is ay in my S5s dioeese
knew Mr.. Diller we'll. To rebuild this church
the churches of Pittsburg and Allegheny,
possibly of the whole diocese, will be asked to
form fund by subscription OF course we
will not build church as large as the old one,
because the Congregation is not as large. 1t
was SO fearfully reduced by the flood, large
Therefore it will not cost SO much as the former
building.
Baptists and q. P.'s ut Work.
Rev. h. B. Grose, of the Fourth Avenue
Baptist Church, said: I'VE are already on the
way of doing everything we can in that direc-
tion. went personally to Johnstown to see
what assistance was needed by our churches.
There are two of them the Johnstown Baptist
Church and the Welsh Baptist Church, and.
from what could learn, there are about $4,000
wanted by both churches. l found another
gentleman at the scene of the disaster who had
come for the same purpose as myself. A con-
sultation led us to do this: I wrote PROPOSE
tion to two of the largest Baptist papers in the
country, in which stated that all the pastors
were requested to take up collections to help the
churches which have suffered in the disaster
TO be rebuilt We propose to do that, and also to
pay the salaries of the pastors for one year.
From the present outlook have no doubt we
shall have the required sum in very short
time"
Mr.. Findley, of the United Presbyterian
book depository, stated that their church were
considering several suggestions in regard to
the matter. Among other things it has been
suggested that they open a subscription fund
In MIR. Findleys Office for the benefit of the
churches. However. nothing definite has been
decided yet.
The Methodists' Ideas.
The Methodist Episcopal denomination will
probably not be found far behind in this move
ment When asked yesterday what he thought
of the general proposition to rebuild Johnstown
churches with PittsDurg money alone, Mr.. S.
Hamilton, the piano dealer, and one of the
most prominent laymen in that denomination.
scheme. However, as far as our denomination |
is concerned, 1t might be more appropriate to |
extend the privilege of rebuilding contribu- |
tions to the churches throughout the Pittsbure |
part of Southwestern Pennsylvania. OF |
course, there are probably seven |
men in the Methodist churches of Pittsburg |
who alone could readily contribute the whole |
sum, but the other plan would interest all the |
people and meet with more hearty and gen.
erous response. One of the Methodist churches |
in Johnstown was entirely swept away, but the |
large stone Nj. E. Church was only damaged. |
Its damages however, are serious / under
will take from $4,000 to $4,000 to give Johns
town two M. E Churches again"
German PPotestauts and Catholics.
Rev. F. Ruoff, of the German Protestant
Church on Smithfeld street, said; "While we
have not church of our denomination in
Johnstown, we will nevertheless assist the
damaged German churches of other denomi-
nations. All the beneficial societies connected
With our churches in this district, and there
ire about IA of them, have SO far subscribed
80 each toward the suffering church in the
devastated district, and whenever the oppur-
unity arises to apply these funds for the de-
tired purposes expect that even more money
will be ready. Collections will then be made
n all the churches. suppose. At present of
course. the general suffering has to be alle-
Yiated.n
Itappears that most of the Roman Catholic
churches in the flooded district have suffered
Jut very little. st. Johns Church in Johns
own. was burned down, but it was covered by
! sufficient amount of insurance from which it
night be rebuilt The two churches in Cam
'ria City are only slightly damaged
1T is fair to presume" said Father Molly
leaux. of St Paul's Cathedral to a DISPATCH |
nan yesterday, that something will be done
yhen the time comes 1t is probable that the
Bishop will issue an appeal to the churches
skiing for aid TO help the churches but as far
Is know nothing has been done yet"