Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-06-27

The cut printed in yesterdays Reg
lister was a splendid likeness of the
Vance Memorial Chapel, the beautiful
church edifice which adorns the lovely
vale of Pleasant Valley, at Altenheim.
This church will be dedicated this
afternoon, and after to-day will be
open for worship TO the members OF
the Presbyterian congregation, which
was organized in the church a week
ago last Thursday.
The beautiful valley east Of the city
is the situation of many beautiful and
attractive houses. 1t is this section
that is undoubtedly destined TO become
the most popular and inviting place
for the location of residences and the
extension of the gradually increasing
metropolis of Wheeling. Recognizing
this fact, the Vance Memorial Chapel
will be an important and intiu-
entail factor in the spread OF the re-
ligious cultivation and moral tone Oh
that community.
In years TO come the bountiful re-
suits of the benevolence and Christian
impulse of the builder of this sacred
edihce will be ample reward and a hun
dred fold more for all that it has cost
and will cost to sustain it. The con-
gregation that will gather here regu-
larly on Sabbaths and on week days
already numbers upwards of hundred
souls, the best people of the locality
in which the church is established.
Of course. the formation of this adj
ditional religious body will decrease to
a small extent the size of the congre-
cations of the First and Second Pres
byterian churches of this city. From
the First church about twenty-five
families have left, and will or have
presented their letters for admission
at Pleasant Valley. About fifteen will
be the maximum number from the
Second church. To these will be added
many others who live nearby and
those who will afterwards settle in that
section. The following members have
been elected officials Of the church, or
ganized by a committee appointed by
Washington Presby1ery: Elders, Jas.
Y. Rradex. Dr. T.. w Alexander; trus-
tees. Geo. w. Woods, George Wise, Nor
gan L. OFT, William p. Heiskell, Robert
II. Dalzell. J. n. Vance; deacons, Jos.
F. PAUL. w. NJ. Hutchinson. The pas
tor has not been selected. Until one is
elected by the congregation, the pulpit
will be filled every Sabbath by min
lister invited by the Board OF Trustees.
This edifce, which would be an aren't
tectural ornament to any city, is one
of the finest in this part of the coun-
try. 1t was built at cost OF nearly
s5O,OCO.
The plan Of the building both inside
and out is Romanesque. II is built OF
Cleveland blue stone with rock fac
ing. The roof is of Spanish tile. Sub
stantiabilitv was aimed at and attained
in the construction as we'll as elegance.
Thus wood work was avoided as much
as possible. the interior being of stucco
except the doors, pews and pulpit The
doors. pews and pulpit are OF oak, ana
while exquisitely carved, no attempts
AT display were made. The upholstery
is of green and acCords well with the
general finish. The auditorium is oct
agon shaped with arches on each OF the
eight sides The pulpit is situated IN
the centre of the south side of the audi
forum and the organ and choir lott IN
an alcove in the southeast corner.
The additional apartments connect
through the arches with the auditorium
where the preaching services Will be
held. The Sabbath school room Is
north of the auditorium and can be
easily connected with it by opening
sliding door. By this arrangement the
seating capacity of the building can be
doubled at any special service to ac-
commodate 700 people. The infant de-
partment room and library adjoin
the Sabbath school room on the east
side. Entrance can be gained to both
the Sabbath school room and auditor
ium from the Bethany pike and Ma
tional pike on the west and south sides.
In the basement are the dining rooms,
kitchen and pantry.
Resides the entrance to the Sabbath
school rooms other door ways have
been cut through the arches TO the
yestibuIes and another to the north
leads-s6 phe-memorial window erected
to the father and mother Of Mr.. Vance
Over the auditorium is dome twelve
feet in diameter and forty-fve feet up
from the floor. Around it is series
of electric lights, twelve inches apart,
which illuminate the church at night
brilliantly. The coioring of the walls
has been worked with excellent taste.
The general color is green. commence
ing at the base of the walls in rich
dark hue and gradually growing lighter
as it rises until it blends with the
pinken hue of the ceiling. This shad-
ing gives a softened, mellow light that
adds a spiritual impression to the wor-
shipper in the sanctuary. In the tow
er, reaching up in the air to height OF
a hundred feet. are the peal chimes.
consisting of five bells on scale or A
major. The tones are Sub-d0mlnant
E and A, B. G sharp and ID. The bells
are from the McShane Bell Foundry
Company. of Baltimore. The bell is
the regular church bell and will be
rung at the conclusion Of the chimes.
1t weighs 1900 pounds. The pipe or
gan was built by Hook & Hastings, of
Boston, one of the leading organ manu-
facturers in the country. Ii is COM
plete and furnished with all modern
apparatus.
The main entrance to the church is
from the National pike. 1t is a large
porch amid series of colonades and
arches. with tile floor and ceiling en-
cased by heavy beams.
The dedicatory services will take