River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-12-24
Dedication of the Baptist Sanctuary.


the Baptist people of this city. 1t
was the dedication-day of their com
modious, convenient and fine-appear-
ing sanctuary. The weather was
excellent, and as the Congregational.
lists and Methodists. with Christian
regard suspended their preaching SER
vices for the day, the audiences were
overlooking, taxing every available
part of the seating space and many
stood during the long services.
The Congregational choir greatly
added to the enjoyableness and profita-
bleness of the exercises by their
music, which was rendered with
artistic accuracy and heartfelt ex-
preston. The offertoire, almighty
God" from Mozart, by Mrs. Florence
Thatcher, was sung with taste and
effectiveness almost perfect. The an
thems were very finely sung, showing
much painstaking preparation The
following named persons constituted
the choir: Mrs. Florence Thatcher,
soprano; Mrs. o. S. Powell, alto; Mrs.
j. A. Tozer, organist; Mr.. Newell
Powell, tenor; Mr.. w. 5. Armstrong,
bass.
| The dedication sermon was by ID. f..
Halteman, ID. d., General Secretary of
the Wisconsin Baptist Convention. 1t
was an excellent discourse, practical
in its teachings and interestingly de-
| livered. Rev. j. LII. Avery assisted in
the services.
After the sermon it was stated that
the entire cost of the edifice and com.
plete furnishings was $5,976.47; that
S4,080.26 had been paid or pledged;
that the amount to be raised to clear
all Indebtedness was $l,S962l. The
raising of this deficit seemed to not a
few an utter impossibility. But the
generosity of the audience at once
appeared and in surprisingly short
time 81 ,404 were given in cash or gilt
edged pledges! $400 of this sum was
! from the American Baptist Home
Mission Society. At the evening SER
vice the financial effort reduced the
deficit to $290l
The Pastor, Rev. Geo. A. Cressey
made the dedicatOry prayer and thus
completed the services.
The afternoon service for the chill
dren was well attended. Rev. DR..
Halteman and The pastor made adj
dresses; the singing was by the church
choir and the Sunday school. This
service happily dedicated the edidce
to the welfare of children, youth and
to bible study.
The church is really gem of church
architecture and OF convenience for
its sacred uses. 1t stands upon the
corner of Second and Elm streets,
fronting east. The fine tower on the
corner, eighty feet high, adds much
to the appearance. Upon entering
the visitor finds himself in a spacious
/ ftoNAOh4O hnlCAl CAAS 10 W
the main audience room, the lecture.
room and to the upper room of the
tower and the room over the lecture
room. This upper room is 2Ox20 feet.
| lighted by line colored windows, and
will make fine pastors study or
room for church sOciables. This room
| is SO constructed that with small ex-
pense 1t may be made into gallery
| for the main audience room. The
lecture room is finely adapted for Sun.
day school and prayer. meeting uses.
| The windows, four in number, are
large and of attractive designs. Upon
them are the sentences: zone Lord
One Faith. One Baptism. One Spirit. T"
Large doors connect this room with
the auditorium, giving its occupants
excellent seating for services in time
of crowd. The main room is 37x37
feet; the ceiling is "a feet high with
groined arches; two large halt. circle
windows, one in the north side and
one in the south, each having four
large windows below it, all of artistic
stained glass, give ample light, very
| cheerful and agreeable The floor is
sloping towards the pulpit, giving all
the audience good view of the
speaker. Back of the platform, hidden
usually by rich curtain is the
baptistery; this is of superior work
manship and convenience; the robing-
sooms are at either side of the baptis.
terry, and 50 arranged that the ordi-
nance of baptism may be administered
very conveniently and agreeably.
Over the baptistery and robing rooms
is the singers room; this has floor
rising from the front where an oak
balustrade extends across. The en-
trance to the choir loft is from the
hall leading from the main room to
the rear door. The edtice is finished
in mahogany imitation and vanished.
A roomy basement contains the furna-
ces, fuel space and excellent oppor-
tunity for refectory. The pulpit and
pulpit chairs are of antique oak and
are quite handsome.
Taken altogether this is quite a
model house of worship apd the Bap-
fist friends are to be heartily con.
graduated and their devotion and
generosity to this enterprise highly
praised.
The ladies of the church and con.
gregation deserve especial praise for
their great activity and large accom-
plishments in this matter. During
the past year they have raised $3.50.
This, considering the smallness of
their number is a remarkable showing.
The elegant pulpit bible was
Christmas gift of the Y. p. S. C. E. of
Calvary Baptist Church, Washington,
d. c., and is especially priced by the
recipients.
A son of Mr.. NJ. ID. Pusser, a merchant
of Gibraltar, n. c., was so badly afflicted
with rheumatism for a ypar ar mara %