Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-02-04
UNION SERVICES.
\ Very Large Attendance at the Formal Opening of the First Presbyterian
 Church.

Sunday will long be remembered
 by the congregation of the First
 Presbyterian church of this city, il
 as much as on that day their beauti
 ful new house of worship was formal
 ly opened under the most favorable
 circumstances. The church is one o
 the handsomest and most beautiful in the State, and it ref ects great credit and honor upon the congrega-
 tion through whose instrumentality
 it was erected.
 On the 18th day of August, 1892
 the old building, on the corner oi
 Fourth avenue and Chestnut street,
 was burned to the ground. The building was insured for 5000. After the fire the congregation, with q vim and energy that was remark able, set about deyising plans to build another place of worship. One of the first things done was to eX- change the old building site on the corner of Fourth avenue and Chest nut street for a more desirable one on the corner of Fifth avenue and Walnut street Committees were then appointed to get plans of a and devise ways and means to pay for the same after it was erected. This was no sooner done  than the members of the eongrega- tion, and other citizens, responded with their means so liberally that long before the contractors had com pleted their labors enough money had been raised to pay off indebted ness. The noble ladies of the e0ngre- gation took it upon themselves to furnish the earpeting and fixtures, which are now all in place and paid f6r. The next move of the congregA- ton was to purchase q magnificent and costly pipe organ. This was done, and the money was paid for it on delivery. The congregation of the First PresbY church now have magnificent place of worship, which cost them the sum of $l7, TOO All this money was raised by them ill a year which was the most depress- ing. financially. that our people have eyer undergone. No wonder, then, that they feel proud of their church.
 Last week the Key. !. L. Caldwell,  pastor of the new church. sent invita- tiens to the other pastors and con of the city, inviting them to the formal opening of his church, The invitations met with warm, Christian like response, for at II o'clock yesterday morning thechurch was crowded with people of various denominations
 The union services were opened by the splendid choir singing the doXol- ogy, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" Following this was the invocation by the Rev. A. H. Todd, of the Second Presby yterian church. The Rev. John r. Carr, of the Lakeside Methodist church, read the opening hymn, after the singing of which by the choir, Rabbi Becker, of the Jewish Temple, read the 53d of Isaiah, ill most impress siye manner. Following this was q beautiful and touching prayer by the Rev A. o. Evans, of the First Meth odist church. The sermon, a very eloquent and masterly effort, was delivered by the pastor, Rev. J. L.. Caldwell. At the conclusion of the sermon Mir Kincaide sang Nearer my God to Thee" Next was a prayer by the Rev. John r. Carr, of the Lakeside Methodist church. Following this was the benediction by Rev. Caldwell.
 The organ was in charge of that accomplished musician, Mrs. Addie T. Owen, and no sweeter music was ever heard in Pine Bluff than that rendered hp her on this occasion.
 The members of the choir acquitted themselves splenditHy, and each and every member seemed to have been in better voice than ever before.