The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-08-19
RISING RApIDIY
BAPTIST CHURCH
MAKING FAST PROGRESS.
AN $4,000 EDIFlcE BIT TIE OLD.
A ren Picture of the Sew sfrne,asc-
To be Finished by 5nnuary-zGrowfsl
Of Rev. Mr.. EIippos RensapisaDic
Congregation.

Roanoke will soon be a city OF ele-
CANT churches. The BaptiAs hare
commenced the erection, ON Roan1.-
street, on lot adjoining the bzrss.s- -
ing used at present. of handsome
church that will cost $4,000. The
work is being done by the Roanoke
Building Company. under the direc-
ton of General Manager John z.
Barbour, and is to be pushed for
ward as rapidly as possible. The
walls are about ready for the main
floor. and the building is to be com.
pleted by the first of January.
When approached by q TINES rs
porter yesterday, Mr.. John Crawford
kindly showed and explained the
plans OF the new church. The Roa.
noke Baptist Church, as it is to be
called, will be an ornament to the
city. 1t will front sixty-fiye feet on.
Roanoke street and extend back
ninety feet. On the north corner it
will have an open tower seyenty-two (;
feet in height, and the building Will
be forty-eight feet high in the center
Of the roof. The structure is OF brick.
with pressed brick front, and slate
roof There will be two entrances,
both from Roanoke street. The door
and window sills are of cut stone and
the tower will be trimmed Mith the
same, M erial
ThcSintsrior will be very attractive
There are FIVE aisles, one extending
from each entrance along each side
wall until within sixteen feet or the
front, there turning toward the altar
and cutting Off section of pews in
each corner; one extending across
from one entrance to the other, leav-
ing small section of pews between
the vestlbuses; and two extending
from this aisle to the altar.
The auditorium, which will seat $50,
will be arranged after the modern
plan, with elevated pews in arcs.
The gallery, .hirty-eight feet in
length, extends in graceful curve
across the rear, and will be a beauti
full piece of work. 1t is entered by
winding stairway in the tower.
The open ceiling roof will be sup
ported by five arches.
Behind the pulpit is the choir gal
lery, with space for the organ and
twenty-five people. 1t will have the
Same elevation as the gallery proper.
The baptistry is to be in the rear OF Y
the pulpit, with dressing rooms in thu
basement.
In one corner of the building beE
the pastors study, and in the other
class room. AS soon as the new chura
is completed, the present church istf ~
be used for u sunday school r(
and has seating capacity for -v-ssr77
purpose of about 300. >~~ss17 -
The Baptist ChuFchi Eoodnoke wasS1,
constituted May IL, 1875. Reverend
James L. Munday, E. G. Dargan,
W. Wildman and L. J. Huff hayt
been pastors at different times. DrS
d. w. Gw.nn supplied the pulpit a
portion of 1sS5-'S6. The present
pastor, Rev. o. F. Hippo, has been
pastor since October 1, 1856. The
growth Of the church and Sunday
school OF late years has been very
marked. When the present pastor
-bership numbered 100. The report
from the church read Us the late
meeting OF the Valley Association in
Sdlem, IepOfLSu- Il uieliIoSioltP VI =
nearly 400. The accessions during
the past year were 100, Of which 3S
were by conversion and baptism and 3
rs by letter from other Baptist
churches.
The Sunday school, under the
superintendent of Mayor Evans, is
in a fourishiDg condition, and mum
bers neatly 400 pupils, The church
has several times increased the pas
tors salary during the past three
years, and the reporter was apprised
that the finance committee conteiD
plated another raise at no distant
day. The present building occupied
by the church is generally packed,
and many others would worship with
the Baptists if they could be accom-
modated.