Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1895-10-09
CHURCH DEDICATION.
The Baptist Church at Jerome Is Dsdi-
 cated for Worship.

cated for Worship.
 UpPGR VERDE, Sept 30- Yesterday
 was the day set for the dedication
 of the Baptist church at Jerome so
 We hitched up, some ten or twelve
 Of us valley folks, and went We
 drove all the way in drizziing rain
 and reached the town in a very damp
 condition. but we did not miud taaf,
 (EeiuE :aptists wc take hmdiv to
 watcr) and 1t isn't evory day in the
 year that church Is dedicated so
 near to the native wilds of tho Verde
 valley. We were glad We went
 for the crush was not very great, and we had the satisfaction of know
 iGg that we iii.ed a sadly felt hole in the congregation. l must say however, that although the crowd was not great, Ii was made up Of fine class of people, and as looked around berame aware of the fact that there are lots of people of con sequence outside of the Verde val ley. always believe in wagging, bragging- mean on my own crowd.
 The Baptist Church of Jerome is built in the air, between the upper part of town and the lower. There Is eighteen feet of atmosphere be- tween the floor at the rear end and the ground beneath. When ] say the rear end, l mean the rear end from the outside; for, strange as it may seem. the rear end of church is the front end of the inside. There is plenty of room underneath for baptistry if they will board it up and put a bottom in 1t. There IS a decided advantage m the way the church is built, as there IS room for a parsonage under the building ample space for four good rooms, and space for a room or two beneath those. Then, if they made a cellar under all and dig well in the eel lar, the parsou can preach to the heathen on the other side without leaving home. Think of it! All those advantages on one town lot! Going into the church, which is done through the tower, we find vestibule SxS feet, and from this, through folding doors, we enter the audience room. The room Is 30x40 feet, has three windows on each side, one on each side of the pulpit, aud a double window with transom, or rather lattice above, in the front on the left of the tower, going out. The seats, walnscoating, ceiling, window casings, etc. are of redwood, stained and oiled. This dark finish ing and dark leaden paper make beautiful contrast, and the room has the most desired of etfects-that of The tower Is not com pleted. It will be fifty feet nigh, and gives the building quite "churchy" look. The building Is admirably lighted aud ventilated. It is we'll for the minister that the win dows are above the heads of the people when seated, else he might find his oratOry rivaied by the scenery outside. From the windows on the right. one looks out over the lower town, the gulch, the hllis, and away beyond those to the gIeen trees and fields where the siyery Verde sings its ever joyous song along the shifting sands. From the windows on each side of the pulpit, we get a view of the wonderful red rock country, where natures mighty temples rise. whose silent halls echo no note of praise and whose winding aisles are trod only by .he soundlrss step of an extinct humanity. Ii | could see out of those wlndo .s, dur ing service, I'm sure, dead sure, I'd never hear a word of the sermon.
 The dedication service was very Rev. Smale outpreached himself by several inches, and his discnurse. although not exactly a dedication sermon, was a fine one, nevertheless. A very appropriate reading of scripture was SolOmon's prayer at the dedication of the tenn pie. Rev. Windes preached at night from the words: Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it."
 Your correspondent did not stay to the evening service, because the was very unsettled, and our crowd was afraid of getting its looks wet Of course the usual appeal was made for help, as the church is in debt. Rev. Windes presented this matter in such a way that we saw we must either give or go away feeling too sneaking mean for anything. They passed us a card and pencil to write down our subscription, and a con tribution basket to catch all the loose change that might be lying in wait. 1 put fifty cents into the basket and kept the card and pencil (Tm awful absent minded). Any way, 1 got my lunch and supper free and the card and pencil to boot. There is a way to give with out missing it, and 1 think I've found the way.
 Jerome Baptist Church has nice organ, male quartette and a fine organist. Mrs Frank Jordan is and Messrs. Jordan, Miller, Watson and Schofleld form the