Birmingham state herald., 1895-12-28
0fthe New Cumberland Presby-
 terian Church. DR. LANDRETH'S ADDRESS
The Old Frame Structure to Be Replaced With
 Handsome New Building-lnter- estng Services.


 new Cumberland Presbyterian church edifice at Fifth avenue and Eighteenth street yesterday afternoon was celebrated with very interesting exercises. There were present to witness the services some 200 people. members and friends of the congregation, who joined in the exer- cises
 A choir of several voices rendered splendid music and short speeches were made by the pastor, Rev. R. D.. Wear Dr. B. D. Gray, pastor of the First Bap- tist church. Dr. G. c. Kelly, pastor of l the First Methodist church and Mayor vanHoose. pr. Ira Landreth of Nash vile delivered the principal address. At the conclusion of Dr. Landreth's | speech the Masonic fraternity held a short service, observing the ceremonies customary on such occasions. The corner stone was then lowered to its proper place and the benedictien was pronounced.
 Under the corner stone the following items were deposited:
 The following coins: One silver dol lar, one silver half dollar, one silver quarter, two silver dimes, one 1 nickel, two copper cents, church letter of Mrs. M. A. Haggett, Bible Confession of Faith, Outlines of Bible Study" by Dr. F. J. Tyler, Birmingham State Her dlu, NEWS, OHuTCH 1heCOT4 Cumberland Presbyterian.
 Church History.
 The old frame Cumberland Presbyte- rian church stood at Fifth avenue and Eighteenth street for twenty-three years, but it is now gone and will soon be replaced by one of the handsomeSt and most attractive church structures in the city. The church has had long, hard struggle, but under adverse circum- ! stances has overcome many obstacles and difficulties. ~
 The first pastor was Dr. Armstrong. He was good, noble man and had been a foreign missionary prior to accepting the paStorate of the church. He was succeeded by Rev. MT. Blair, and then | game Dr. Denson, now of Burton, Tex. |. Dr. F. J. Tyler succeeded Dr. Denson and remained in charge of the church un- til two years ago. when he resigned, and EDr. George T, Stainback was called to the charge. The latter remained only one year, and on accepting his resigna- 0fion the congregation called Rev. R. D. + Wear to the pastorate,41yT
 Shortly after coming here MT Wear be- k gan urging the congregation to build the | new church edifice they had for years contemplated and finally steps looking r to that end were entered upon with the 'result that within few weeks enough money had been guaranteed to justify the congregation to order the work to r begin. ot1gt- ->
 {" The general assembly of the Cumber- e land Presbyterian church meets in this lcity next May and it is the intention and the hope of the congregation to have their new house of worship ready for dedication by that time.
 Dr. Landreth's Address.
 Dr. Landreth began by saying that his mission here would be fulfilled when he had obeyed the scripture injunction to rejoice with those who do >rejoice.,' Upon this, the proudest day in the history of this congregation, it was his greatest pleasure, as an humble member of the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination at large, to assure the members of the Birmingham church that. from New Jer- sey to the Golden Gate Cumberland Pres byterans rejoiced with the heroic little band who in these financially troublous times dared to undertake so large building enterprise. While business in stitutions of whatever kind were not only not tearing down their old barns to build, but were even anxious to tear down the new that the old and less expensive might stand again, the members of this congregation have razed to the ground their old chapel and have begun the erec- tion of this handsome edifce. And they will succeed; succeed, first because the house is needed, and secondly, because the people have a mind to work.
 Upon this first anniversary of Pastor Wears residence the speaker recalled visit to this site some months ago. when together he and the pastor listened to the voice of God as expressed in local needs and denominational opportunity. and that voice uttered to the Birmingham congregation the command, Arise and build.'' The command has been obeyed. Young and old have responded and by their gifts have made the early compile ton of this house of worship an assured success. 't~ .-. V't
 But" said the speaker 'your mayor has said well and wisely. that the erec- ton of such structures as this is neces- sary to the permanent peace and pros perity of your city Material Birming- hams fame has gone far abroad. A railroad friend, whose home Is in my own ambitious city, said to me few days ago. Birmingham is the best city on the whole Louisville and Nashville railway system. and though Nashville itself oc- cupies a ccertain very intimate position in respect to the railway aforesaid. dared not say him nay,T.. -nse%
 But. people of Birmingham. members of all churches and of no churches. if the material prosperity of Birmingham out grows your religious advancement, that very fact will be the city,s curse II your churches are not as numerous and as well cared for as your furnaces and factories, sad indeed will be the fate of your city, now so rapidly growing to greatness If soul-seeking shall not be as zealous as fortune seeking. the whistle of your locomotive and engines Will be
 
 neglected lost and the belching flames of your furnaces but an intimation of the fiery doom of the thousands of men and women whose salvation you might have sought and whose eternal interests you disregarded. In the name. therefore. of Birmingham's future good and blessing, I plead with you all to aid these earnest people to complete debt free this worthy structure, the church home of Gods people and Gods poor"
 Addressing himself, to the members of the church. MT. Landreth said that when completed this should in the most sacred sense. be the house of God. As such it should not be free forum for bitter sec tarian word wars. but that however its pulpit might, as it should. thunder the glad doctrines Of Presbyterianism which proclaims that "whosoever will' may be saved and only he who will not will be lost. however zealously may here be taught the peculiar and vital doctrines of this denomination, it will never slander the faith or attack the sincerity or vio- late the feelings of other earnest Chris