Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-04
SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH
The New Edifee That is Being Erected by
Oolored Congregation.
1t II Expected That the Dedication
Exercises Will Take Plaoo
Early In the Spring.

Recently a new church was opened for
worship, though 1t has not been. formally
dedicated, owing to the fact that the main
auditorium Is not fully completed, but 1t is
expected that the work will be pushed to
completion. The church in question is the
Second Baptist Church, colored, and when
ready for use it will be one of the finest
colored churches in the city. In the early
spring, when the edihce will be ready, it
Is expected. for dedication. the occasion
will be a notable one among the Baptists
Of the city.
The structure is located on Sd street
northwest between H and streets. on the
site of the old edifice which was Of brick.
and considerably smaller than the present
edifice. The rear and sides are of red
brick, but the front Is Of Indiana lime
stone, and is. decorated in carvings of va
rious designs This tracery Is especially
noticeable around the two entrances, which
have large single columns on each side.
Over both of these entrances are gabled
porches, and above the porches are triple
windows. The plans show a square. tower
at each Of the two corners, and two GEN.
trail towers, but smaller than the others.
The southeast tower Is the largest one of
a an. being carried up to height Of ~
surmounted by short spire Much of
this work has not been completed, and will
not be until the more important parts in
Tic uldlu duultOr1uIn are lnlSneQ.
The center Of the front mentioned is in
the form Of a bay. with large cathedral
window occupying nearly all of it. and run
ming from the first floor nearly to the top
OF the second. Over the cathedral window
is large rose window. and over this is
gable. Entrance Is through doorway in
each of the corner towers.
The interior will be finished in light
woods. In each of the vestibules two
stairways begin, the one leading up to the
main auditorium and the other to the lee
ture room. The latter Is slightly below the
level OF the street, but 1t Is on grade with
the surrounding ground, and, like the audi
torium above Is noticeable for the amount
Of daylight which is available at all times.
The ground plan of the first floor Is about
ninety feet deep and fifty-seven feet wide,
corresponding to the dimensions Of the en-
tire building. This floor Is intended for
the Sunday school room, and also as
place In which to hold lectures and enter
tainments. 1t Is divided in large room
for the main department Of the school, and
smaller ono for the infant class. IT,
however, 1t is desired to have a larger
space, the two rooms can be thrown into
one by means Of movable partitions There
are also rooms for the Sunday school IL
brary and for parlor and a kitchen. In
many of the Baptist churches it Is deemed
advisable to have the baptistry in the
church proper, but in the Second Church it
is located on the lower floor.
The main auditorium will accommodate
fully a thousand people, 1t Is expected
Across the west end is large gallery and
facing this, In the west end is the pulpit
On one side of the pulpit a space has been
reserved for the organ and for choir of
thirty voices. A large pipe organ is to be
ordered for the church. The roof Is to be
Of paneled wood. Those windows which
are exposed to view from the street are to
be filed with cathedral glass and the others
for the present. with ribbed glass.
The design of the church is the work of
Appleton P. Clark. jr.. and the contractor,
Nicholas Eckhardt. The cost of the struc-
ture when fully ready for worship will be in
the nefghborhOod of $4,000. The most of
this money has been raised under the direc-
ton of finance committee, composed of in
f1uential members Of the congregation, and
under the immediate supervision of the
pastor. During the summer and a portion
the armory Of the Capital City Guards, on
0 street. For the past month fair has
been held during the evenings of the week
in the lecture room, and enough money has
been raised to go on with the work.
Nearly fifty years ago company of be-
levers were dismissed by the Nineteenth
Street Baptist Church for the purpose of
organizing the present congregation. The
new organization began Its existence on K
street and 9TH with licentiate as it's pastor
He remained only year, however, and in
1919 the church received its first regularly
ordained pastor. in the person of Rev. Jere-
miah Asher. The church was moved to
Capitol Hill to suit the membership, then to
another place and finally to its present site
on Sd street, The pastors at various times
have been Revs. G. Brown, H H. Butler,
Alexander. Caleb Woodgard. Leonard. Jno.
Gaines, Madison Gaskns and, in 1884 the
present pastor, Rev. William Bjshop John
son: Rev. Mr. Johnson entered the ministry
IN 1873. and served as pastor of a Baptjst
church at Frederick, Nd, and as one of the
general secretaries Of the Baptist Home
Mission Society. He has built I'D his present
charge from hundred to more than ten
times that number, and. besides, has found
time to engage in literary work, chiefly of q
religious character