The Portland daily press., 1896-07-02
ST. LAWRENCE STREET CHURCH.
Interesting Ceremonies at Breaking
Ground for the, New Church Edifice,

6reu yesterday noon d6 bue CUfner VI Oul-
gress and Munjoy streets, to witness the
ceremony of breaking the ground for the
new st. Lawrence street church. The
pastor of the church, the building COM
mittee and Rev. Mr.. Lindsay of Con-
gress street church, were among those
present.
Benjamin Thompson. Esq, the chair
man of the building com mittee, called
the asselnblage to order and spoke as
follows;
Fellow citizens and friends Of the St.
Lawrence street Congregational par
ish:
The committee having in charge the
ereetion of a new church edifice upon
this lot, has met for the purpose of form
ally commencing that great work. Not
"A s'prent work. IN the sense that the edi-
foe will be large in its proportions, nor
grand in its appearance, but great" in
the sense that it marks an Important
public improvement upon this hill, and
still greater in the importance OF the
purpose to which this building will De
set apart. 1t may also be said that it is
great in tho seuse that it is an I'M
dertaking which will require self sacri-
flee upon the part Of the members of this
parish, to carry out the obligations
placed upon tn6in III carrying lOrWaio
the enterprise.
The subscriptions for this work have
now reached 81, 600, and ii Is necessary
to Immediately secure $1,000 mo To- to
make some of the subscriptions ALREADY
made available and to complete the eel
hce Efforts TO secure the balance ought
not to cease until the full amount is
pledged.
1t need not be said that the members
Of this parish could not have successfully
undertaken this work alone, ana tne re-
suit shows how far short they Wouiu
have come If they had attempted IL, puG
its SUCCESS is due to the deep INTEREST
which sumo of our well known and pub
lie spirited citizens have manifested TO-
ward it, and who have come TO the assis-
tance of the parish and generously re-
sponded to its appeals 80
The names of those friends will not be
mentioned now. but upon another occa-
sion and at no distant day, public men,
tion will undoubtedly be made OF the
obligations which this parish and COM
munity are under to them.
The harmony which has existed be-
tween the two churches on this hill for
more than a quarter of century, need
not be alluded to. 1t is, however, to
be hoped that when this new edifce is
completed, as we'll as the Improvements
now going on in our sister church. the
two churches will be still more closely
united in tneir..work, and more complete.
ly oonsecrated to the promotion of the
welfare of the community.
In completing the committees work
there will of necessity be some delay in
order to better adapt the plans to the
circumstances and needs of the parish,
but as soon as those details are arranged,
the work will be pushed with all the
vigor possible.
1t seems particularly fitting thai we
should at this time ask for Gods APPROX
al of our undertaking. and later we Will
ask his acceptance of the work.
Prayer was then offered by Rev. A.
II. Wright, pastor Of the st. Lawrence
street church. Then Mr.. Wright pro-
ceeded to lift the first shovelful of earth
and throw it into the cart. He was
followed in like manner by Mr.. Thomp-
son, Capt. r. S. Davis, Henry L. Mer-
rill, G. L. Jack, George L. Gerrish, Will
liam L. Blake and John Cousens, mem
bers of the building committee.
Mr.. Thompson introduced Rev. Geo.
D. Lindsay of the Congress street Metho-
dist church, who spoke as follows:
My Christian friends 1t affords me
genuine pleasure to rejoice with you
today. I am glad to participate in this
lis an occasion for devout thanksgiving
10 Almighty God for His evident appro-
baton of this enterprise up to the present
Rnd for invoking His ceaseless benedic-
tion upon every future movement.
If you, were breaking ground today for
manufactory giving promise of employ
ment TO our many willing and oOnlpe-
tent toilers, Munjoy hill would be vocal
with mutual congratulations. for, with
revival of business, that would mean
temunerati7e employment for many and
encouragement for all; and this end Of
The city needs something of that kind
If this were an educational movement
the eyes of all who are interested i'll the
intellectual culture Of our youth would
be turned upon you; and we need en-
larged sohoCl accommodations on this
hill and l trust l shall soon have them.
Ii this were an armory where state
troops could acquire physical develop
ment and a preparation for active mill
tary service, the attention of the whole
state would point this way, but another
portion of our city has been selected for
building along the line.
This is only a church affair and why
should men and women pause to think
OF you Or be interesed in your work? To
this question I want to give q hrief
answer.
Because the church stands for intelli-
gence.
Because history iustifies the statement
that in the past the best types of man.
hood and womanhood have been trained
and developed through her influence
and care and we believe she is dong
as good work today as she ever did.
Because the church is the laborip1
mans friend and challenges admira-
ton as tho friend of the poor and needy.
the distressed of every kind, the sick
and the dying. F
Because, with the exception of rare
social club calling itself church, while
showing spirit of exclusiveness, the
church of Christ in general stands for
the brotherhood Of man and the Father
hood of God.
Because the churohg announces to a
man hope which reaches into eternity
laying hold OH the everlasting things Of
God and heaven.
Because the church represents and be-
1ieYes and teaches the things to which
the human soul instinctiyely clings.
Perfnanency of existence. escape from
all evil attachments Of highest happiness.
The new church has claim upon the
nf thig hill baCauso OF It's moral