The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-10-07
THE WESTMINSTER CORNERSTONE
LAID WITH IMPRESSIVE
CEREMONIES.
THE FIRE OF SEPTEMBER, 1895
THIS is TO BE THE THIRD sTRUC-
TURE THE SOCIETY HAS
BUILT.
THE BowDALL ELECTION SUIT.
brate-Twin City People
Married.

Amid the sound OF hammer chisel
and stone, musical sound to the ears
of the people CT Westminster Presby-
terrain church, the cornerstone of their
new house of worship was laid yester-
day afternoon with impressive cere-
mony. October loaned one of the
brightest days in it's golden diadem to
grace the occasion. The air was chill
in shadow, but sunshine flooded the
open space above the foundation, and
natures smile was suspicious. After
long delay and patient waiting, the
fulfillment of the hopes of a devout
congregation appears near at hand. A
year ago, Sept. 5, 1895, like a thief in
the night" the fire fiend destroyed the
beautiful church edifce which had
been erected fifteen years before, when
DR.. Robert F. Sample was pastor of
Westminster church. During the year
intervening the congregation held
many earnest sessions before it knew
what would be best to do to replace
the structure so sadly demolished. The
story OF the prolonged struggle as to
whether to rebuild or not is an Oft
told tale, and it almost looked as if
Westminster would not have a new
church, or any at all. Last spring the
handsome property on the southwest
corner of Nicollet avenue and Twelfth
street was secured for building pur-
poses, and in due course ground was
broken and the foundations laid.
me work OF erecting the new struc-
ture has progressed through the sum
mer, and yesterday the laying of the
cornerstone marked the definite be-
ginning OF the new temple, which the
people OF Westminster church hope to
enter FOR worship as early as January
The exercises. conducted in the open
ar. were simple in character, as
befitted the occasion. A Temporary
platform was occupied by half dozen
elders and deacons of the church and
Rev. Pleasant Hunter, pastor of the
church, with the assisting clergymen,
Dr. Il. n; Adams, Rev. A. r. Nichols,
ReV. +. w. Sneed, Rev. John c. FAIRIES.
Inc hour for the services was o'clock
ana when the choir sang the opening
doxology, several hundred persons
We're congregated on the foundation
noorlng. The invocation was offered
by Rev. A. b. Nichols, pastor of Stew
art Memorial Presbyterian church
The choir then sang an anthem, 81
viii Magnify Thee, o God, my king
Kew. John G. FAIRIES read a passage of
scripture and Rev. r. N. Adams. the
synodlcal missionary, followed in
PRAYER. At this point in the exercises
=. II thompson, clerk of Westminster
session, read greetings by letter from
Dr. X. f. Sample and DIR. D. 7. Rnr
reli, the two former pastors of the
church, who are both now in New
ork. Both expressed their interest
IN the occasion and their good wishes
Tor the future. The contents of the
tin box which was to be placed IN
the cornerstone, were then enumerated
by the clerk. He made mention Of
the fact that of those who assisted r.,
the services of the first cornerstone lay
ing July ID, 1880, only two remained
IN town, DR.. j. B. Donaldson and DR.,
Stewart, both of whom were unable
to be present on this occasion.
The casket was transferred to the
corner of the building at the junction
OF N1coilet avenue and Twelfth street.
Inc stone was mortared, and the up-
per block of stone was held in position
from an iron pulley, while DR.. Hunter
made brief address. At the conclu-
sion of his remarks, the great block
slowly descended to it's place the box
disappeared in the cavity as the stone
lowered upon it. and the cornerstone
was In place. The block is a massive
piece or Ohio sandstone four feet
square and two feet high Rev. F. w
Sneed, pastor of First Presbyterian
church, made the concluding PRAYER
and, with the singing of a hymn by
the choir and congregation, the bene
dlctlon dispersed the people