Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-07-10

Eau CLAIRE, Special Telegram. July 5.
The Mabel fainter memorial building.
which was formally opened at Menomi-
nee to-day, realizes the idea of "a church
without d steeple, which was a dream of
Henry Ward Beecher, and which has been
notably carried out by the Rev. Judson
Ellsworth, at Milwaukee, Capt. fainter.
of the KNAPP, Stout & Co. COMPANY. who,
Jointly with his wife, has erected the
building at Menominee as a memorial to
their daughter. has carried out noble
design for the benefit of the people of his
city. The millionaire lumberman has laid
the foundation for an enduring fame il
this section, at least and it may be tha
he will be marked as one of the
pioneers of progressive, social and theo-
logical ethics in this country at
large. Capt. fainter Is free thinker
in the highest sense of that word, and
has found in the Unitarian church. as
represented by Henry Doty Maxson, pastor
Of the Unitarian societies of Eau Claire
and Menomonie, an embodiment of his
views and convictions. The building mas
cost about 100000.
The corporation to which the control of
the building is transferred by Mr.. and
Mrs fainter, is called The Mabel fainter
Literary, Library and Educational Society,
and is in no sense UNCONVENTIONAL. In
order to carry out his ideal. Can't.
fainter designed to select as incor-
porators men who believed with him
that human life is one. and that
our various activities should be blended
into one harmonious whole. While col
lectlvely the corporation is not Unitarian.
individually the incorporators are mem
bers OF or In sympathy with the Unitarian
society. The building is of substantial
and handsome architecture, of modern de-
sign within and without The auditorium
is provided with pipe organ for religious
services and complete stage outfit for
theatrical purposes, so arranged that with
some slight adjustment it can
be used equally we'll in either
way. Its main use will be
for the various activities of the Unitarian
society. In addition, lectures, operas and
dramas of an educating and elevating sort
will be presented as the patronage may
warrant. 1t is not public opera house
In the sense that it lisa business venture or
a place offered to miscellaneous troupes on
the payment of stipulated price. The
theatrical feature is not separate from the
religious feature, but, from the Unitarian
standpoint as to what religion is, it is
part of it. The auditorium, with the ac-
companying room. including an ''amuse-
ment room, y" (which can be used for the
Sunday school and also for dancing or for
dining room, etc., a kitchen,
ladies work room, a billiard room.
a young mems club room. parlors.
StOr Ctl6U pfo x,-lo1o 40
signed to meet the intellectual. social
moral, and religious needs of the COM
munity. A play will be presented, with
just the same thought as lecture or a
sermon, viz, that thus the life of the
community may be made happier and
better. The use of the auditorium and of
the associated rooms. is controlled bv the
corporation created for the purpose. This
corporation, in accord with Capt Taint-
er's wishes, has offered it to
the Unitarian society for the
prosecution of its various educa-
tional, ethical social and religious activi-
ties. The building, or that portion of it
is substantially like Mr.. Ellsworth s
church Congregational in Milwaukee,
except that it goes to greater lengths in
the line of including under one roof pro-
vision for what is regarded as legitimate
amusement and social satisfaction. 1t is
believed, for instance, that the
theater, the dance, billiards and
card-playing may all be made proper and
profitable i'll connection with religious
culture. Besides the rooms which, under
the supervision of the corporation, have
been devoted to the use of the Unitarian
society, there is library and reading
room which will be under the control of
the corporation but with which the Uni
tarians, as a society, have nothing to do