The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-17
LAYING THE CORNERSTONE
The Beginning of a Notable Structure
lor the Central Christian Church.
Large Number Of People Witness the Exer-
ercises-History of the Congregation as
Told by DR.. Lucas

lbo COTucI-ebOu6 Oh Inc new Ou1lu1Og on
the corner of Delaware and Walnut streets
and Fort Wayne avenue, which is to be
the Central Christian Church when CON-
pleted, was laid yesterday afternoon, the
exercises beginning at o'clock. A platform
was erected in the northeast corner of the
part that is to be the main auditorium, and
upon this were seated number of minis
tiers of this city, several different denom-
nations being represented. The exercises
were conducted by the pastor. Rev. ID. r.
Lucas. The audience, seated upon seats
made of the tim bers that are to 60 into the
building, was a large and interested one.
Mr.. Lucas explained that Mrs. Zerelda
Wallace, the only surviving charter mem.
Der OF the church, and who was to have
made an address, was i'll at her home at
Cataract, and could not be present. He
said that she sent her regrets and best
wishes and prayers for the success of the
church of which she had been q devoted
member for more than fifty-nine years.
This church." said Mr.. Lucas, was or
ganized Jan. IL. 1888. by John O'Kane and
Michael Combs The first place of meet
ing was IN q room on East Market street,
from whence the congregation met on Ken
WAS erected. The permanent home of the
church was erected in 1851 on the corner of
Ohio and Delaware streets and there the
congregation has mot until this day. Last
fall arrangements began for the erection
of this now church and the formal be-
ginning comes to-day with the laying of
Cornerstone"
Mr.. Lucas then read from the eithteenth
10 the twenty-second verse; inclusive, of
the second chapter of PauPs eplstle to the
Ephesans and the sixth verse of the second
chapter OF First Peter. commenting briefly
thereon.
This church." he continued, "has had in
some respects . wonderful history. 1t
stands together to-day, and will, l believe,
so stand century hence if God permits
humanity to 60 on that long This church
city and suburbs. 1t was the first church
organized by the Disciples in this city.
After John Okane came Chauncey Butler.
who was the first regular pastor of the
Ter. who left his name as the patron of But
Ter University. Mr.. Butler was succeeded
by Love II. Jameson, in 1912, who was pas
tor tor nine ears and has been ever since
since "'" shis building 0n began. o0' he
has passed over the river and
gone to join the innumerable company that
Is on the other side. l am not sure as L go
have q membership of seven hundred or
more in the Central Church, but there is O
larger part of our membership on the other
| side of the river. Part of the host has
Love II. Jameson was succeeded by James
NJ. Mathes, who. also, since this building
began. has passed over the river. Mr..
| jameson succeeded again for three years.
Eli Elijah was Goodwin IN turn h %as followed
| by Perry Hall. young man
| who served for two years as pastor and
then laid down his life that the old flag of
succeeded by o. A. Burgess. who has also
| passed away. but whose widow is still q
| member of this congregation. These were
all grand, noble, true men who did great
work in their day and time and left their
membership of this church. All these first
| Six pastors have passed away, while the
| last six are still living. These are w. +.
! Black, J. b. Cleaver. u. IL. Brewer, David
| Walk, f. J. CAN'T and your present pas
tor"
| Mr.. Lucas said he could find no hymns
connected with the laying of corner-stone
aud so had sat down and written one. This
| original hymn the congregation then sang
| to the tune of Ortonville. This was fol-
lowed by prayer by Rev. Z. L. Frazier.
| Short speeches were then made by DR..
| A. X. Benton, of Butler University; Rev.
| Joseph S. Jenckes, ID. D., of the Episcopal
ministry; Rev. Mr.. Cowan, of the United
| Presby terrain Church. and Rev. Mr.. Pritch-
| ard. the oldest minister in active service in
| the Christian Church in Indiana.
| DR.. Jenckes and MIR. Cowan were, it
| seems, both former friends and neighbors
OF Mi. Lucas, having charges at Des Moines,
| Ia. dozen years ago, when Mr.. Lucas was
!, also preaching in that city. DR.. Jenckes
referred to the fact that the various de-
| nominations were now acting together in q
| spirit of Christian unity, and Mr.. Cowan
| called attention to the fact that he was
| close of kin to the Disciples Church, tor
| Alexander Campbell had come ont of the
81 ,ok, h. fhao
| resented, in a movement that bad made
| great progress, and now had membership
largely outnumbering that of the church
| from which he came.
Herman Bamberger. member of the
| Hebrew Congregation that meets in the
Market-street Temple. was seated upon the
| platform, and. much to his surprise, was
called on by Mr.. Lucas to say Q word.
Ladies and gentlemen" said Mr.. Bam-
berger. Il came here to listen and not to
| speak. But wherever a good thing is to be
done | am willing TO be and to share. /
think we are cousins. for belong to that
whom you worship. He was Jew.
dwell in unity with my Christian Iriends.
| Our aim is the same: to meet in tho same
roads arc different This will be build
| ing where God will be worshiped ac-
cordIng to the tenets of the Christian. and
here and every whore hope it may be also
ish PRAYER which is prayed every day ask
/ ing for the times to come when God will be
the same in all the world. / hope this day
will come. believe it will. We may not
see IT. but our children or our children's
children may"
The laying of the stone then followed.
| The box containing the usual records and
| papers incident TO such occasions vas then
brought forward by DR.. p. II. Jameson. j.
| l.. Avery and James Davidson and depos-
| tied In the stone, which was set under di-
| rectIon of Charlton Eden. The ceremony
concluded with the dOxology to the tune
| of Old Hundred.