The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-04
THE LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The Magnificent Church In
Course of Erection.

When st. Marks Lutheran Church
is completed it will DO one
of the handsomest cdiHces in
the city, and its lofty tower
will stand high up over all other struct-
ures of the kind in the city.
This structure is composed of the
main building and the chapel-really
two buildings. The main auditorium
will be 50x65 feet in the clear, with re-
cess chancel twenty feet in width and
ten feet in depth. The choir and organ
loft, which is located on the right hand
side, is 7X24 feet. The vestibule is
seven feet wide and extends clear across
the front OF the auditorium, having
three sets of double doors opening in
front o. each aisle. The space above
the vestibule is twelve feet IN width,
and will be utilized for choir. 1t is ap-
preached by stairway leading to it
from the vestibule. In the rear of the
auditorium is tho pastors study, 10x20
feet.
The chapel is 35xG4 feet in the clear,
and is divided into SundaY-school
and infant class room. The Sunday
school room is 35X44 feet, and the in
Bible class room in the second story of
the chapel is approached by stairway
leading from the reception room.
Tho seating capacity Of the chapel
will be 300, exclusive of tho infant class
and Bible class rooms The Sunday
school and infant class rooms are con-
nected by means of large glass doors,
which can be slid back, virtually turn
ing the whole floor space of tho chapel
into one room.
The main auditorium of the church
will seat $50 with comfort. 1t is pro-
posed to heat the edifce with steam
from boilers to be located in the base
ment of the chapel.
Tho tower of the chapel is thirteen
feet square and is built of stone to q
height of forty feet. The whole height
including the spire will be eighty. five
feet. The main tower is fifteen feet
square. The stone work is seventy two
feet high and tho total height is l26, in,
Guiding the .spire. One of the entrances
to the church is through this tower.
The ceiling of tho chapel is twenty
five feet in height in tho center and is
finished with exposed rafters and orna-
mental scroll work. The height of the
ceiling of the main auditorium will be
thirty. eight feet in the center, finished
in tho same way.
The interior of the chapel is being
finished in oak, while the main audi
forum will be finished in quartered
oak. All of the finishing material will
be the best that can be procured. Tho
bulk of stone in this edifice is enor-
nous and figures up to 100000 cubic
yards of solid masonry. The face stone
is gray congromerato sandstone and is
from Pulaski county. 1t is harder than
granite and more difficult to cut.
The superintendent Of the construc-
tion is Mr.. j. c. Nesbit, formerly oil
Union county, Pa, who is really the
original designer, having planned and
built church of the same pattern at
Shippensburg, Pa, seven years ago
from which the present structure is
copied. The architect of the plans is
Colonel Menhener, of Richmond.
The main building will soon be under
roof, when the wcrk will be pushed
much moro rapidly. The chapel will
be complete in a few weeks, when the
congregation will Worship there until
the main building is complete.