The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-11-14
The Church and It's Pastor.

tvsning. The musical program will be
feature Of The Sunday services
The Church and Its Pastor.
The church was organized in 1870 and
DIR. Bixby has been it's only pastor. DIR.
Bixby was born In Warren. n. H., Aux.
20, 1927. He was the fifth OF eight sons.
five of whom were ministers Of the gospel.
At the age OF IL he
uuited with the Methodist Episcopal
churcn Of lis native town, the only church
known'to him at that time. Feeling
called upon to enter the ministry he COM
meuced 70 prepare himself for his life's
work. His promise Of usefulness in this
work was recognized d by his church, and
at,the age of sixteen he was made Sun
day school superintendent and licensed
10 preach. Later he became acquainted
with Baptist views and finding hims eff
in accord with them became identified
with the Baptist church.
Mr.. Bixby was graduated from Dart
mouth college aud he received the honor
ary degree OF ID. ID. from the Central
university Of Iowa When twenty-one
he was ordained. He served as pastor of
two churches in Vermont, at Williston
and Johnson.
Il.
sionary to Burmah. but after four years,
owing TO the i'll health OF his wife and
child, he returned TO America. In 1867 he
became pastor of the Friendship Street
Baptist church in this city, where he
served until 1860, when he returned to
Burmah. His ,cond period Of service
abroad lasted eight years and was at
tended with great success. as were his
.foa In
His health having been broken down
DIR. Bixby returned 10 Providence in 1862
Seeing the possibilities of his present field
he assumed large precunisry obligations
in order 10 purchase church lot. A
chapel with seating capacity of about
five hundred was erected, and on the first
Sunday OF January. 1870. it was opened. A
Sunday school was organized with
thirty-fye scholars. la -9 -9ctuber
OF shat year church was organized with
fifty members. The growth OF the church
aud Sunday school was rapid and con-
tinual. The church now has mem ber-
ship of $50 aud the Sunday school OF 1000
After repeated enlargements OF the church
IL was decided To build n new edilice The
movemsnt for new church was started
with subscriptions TO the amount OF
$1,000 taken In u single day.
The new church has Just been com
pleted. Ii is handsome building aud
takes front rank among the modern
houses OF worship Ia the city. IL is bui
of bluestone, heavily ornameuted around
doors, windows, turrets and coping wit a
brown sandstone. The general style OF
architecture is RomanesQue. The entrance
20 tbe clurch is made through three
large double doors. On large stone over
the middle door is the inscription, "Oae
Lord. One Faith, Ole Bapt sm."
The audience room is cruciform, the
nrms Of the cross being formed by semi
circular side extensions. The woodwork K
ts oak. The walls are tinted in two
shades OF buff aud the organ pipes in buff
and Roman gold. TIE distance from the
organ TO the large window over the vesti-
bule is ninety-tso feet, aud it is an equal
distance acro,s the church through the
axes of the semi-,ircul r transepts.
The windows are OF Cathedral glass I'm
rich but su bdu d colors At the TOP of a
large pictorial window over the vestib ule
appears an angel in blaze Of light D p1int.
ing 10 the words "What.oeger A man
soweth that shall he also reap" Below
are the sower and the reaper. The sower
Is in field where the bright
lors Of verdure and sky suggest spring
The reaper is In a field where the faded
yercure indicates the ripening OF yegsta.
fion and he is seen binding the sheavei OF
Rr in. Al the left of the sower is panel OF
lilies, spring flowers, and at TIE ight II
tbe reaper is panel Of autumn flowers
The organ was gift TO the church by
pareuts IN memcry OF a son. Toe names
Of the donors have been withheld l. G.
Harrison & Co. OF New York built the
organ. lt has two manuals. comp ,ss & c
10 eight, 81 notes. pedals Of two and on
quir.er ccfaves; compass e & G TO ID, q
noteA The great organ has a total Of 75i