Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-10-19
Deser.. ptlon Of the New First
Presbyterian Edifice.
TO SEAT'FOuRTEEN HUNDRED
"feDaeatlons Ia the co,n.rstone Laying
Tomorrow Co,nploi.d Those who
VIII, be Pr~.ent TIE Fp,.copal
Church Notes OF Intere,s.

Ihirty-second Street This ceremony
VIII occur at O'Clock tomorrow after
noon and will be exceedingly intere st.
ing. 1t will be conduettl by Bremond
1odse, "A. F. & A. NJ. Of this city,
ana Wis expected that Grand Master
-. w. Duke. of Richmond will be
present. Among those who will ID
sasefc is Judge B. r. Wexford, himself
East Grand Master. and father Of the
pastor Rev. F. T. Wexford. The hour
IS set at O'clock to accommodate the
Norfolk ministers. all OF whom are ex-
H".sted to attend as we'll as those from
Was neighbortood
Preparations for the cvere arc com
pleted. The cornerstone. a beaut full
plece OF white North carolina gran
Aee' mas been followed for the reception
~ the copper box which will contain q
record OF the ceremonies a list Of the
members OF the churrh, ami some her
uath usual to such occasions.
me principal address will be deliv-
efsd by Rev. r. p. Kerr. D. D.. pastor
Oh the First church, Richmond, and
one or the most eloquent and learned
ulElnes IN the Presbytery DR. Kerr.
bestHsS being preacher Of great BOW
&c, IS an extensive traveller, a Historian
and poet He has been abroad fire.
quertly and has made /; study of CON
u'lons across the seas. especially in
tne HOLY Land. He is the author OF!
the History of the PRESBYTERIAN
Church in All Ages The va:ce Of
Ged in history" Land OF the Holv
Light" and "Prcsbytcrianis for INC
people HE also compiled a notable vol
Hymns Of All Ages" largely in
use among the churches, and adopted
KY the Newport News churches some
tta1c ago. Many Of the most beautiful
hymns IN this volume are written w
LIT herr himself. The others are Sc
iecte4i from the best that have been
written since the beginning Of the
church
That DR.. I>crr's address will Sc in
st"ucti3e and well worth listening to
Is at matter OF fact.
The music for the occasion will be
furnished BY the choir of the church
ana by the Soldiers Home band In
me evening at the Casino the ladies
Wlll give cornerstone social
DESCRIPTION CF THE HURC>H.
The church when conpletet will be
beautiful structure of Gci;hic design,
Quilt of Maryland granite from the FIT.
deposit quarles. trimmed with India MA
limestone, except in the rear, where the
stone The cost Of the edifice, exclu-
sive Of the lots upon which it is being
erected. will be about $4,000. 1t Will
be completed ny March. ana the lecture
room will be really for occupancy BY
December
The outside dimensions of the whole
building are, length, 122 feet: brea 9TH.
" feet. The church proper will be 50
n,
by 50 feet.
There are two entrances to the
church. The main entrance is ait the
southwest corner, above wh:ch 4 rand
Some steerle towers to a lleighth CT
ninety feet The building itself is IS
ieet high. The second entrance also
serves for the lecture room
The church auditorium Will seat
seven hundred persons. The room is
arranged in the form of an amphithea-
ter, the seats being divided into four
fan-like sections, which have a drop OF
two feet TO the pulpit. which is sit
uated IN the northeast corner. diagon-
ally opposite the main entrance. The
cholr is just TO the right of the pulpit
IN a nlche constructed for the purpose.
The auditorium is sepa rated from the
lecture room by rolling doors. These
are so arranged THAT the lecture room
and rts class rooms may all be thrown
into the main church. giving a total
seating capacity of Fourteen hundred,
which can be considerable increased
by the addition of chairs
The lecture room has a main audito-
rum, four class rooms, a primary de-
partment. with toilet room alta ched
ladies' parlor library pastors study,
four senior class rooms above these
last three mentioned rooms, and a
Kitchen in the rear. All these class
rooms ana the study and parlor, can
be thrown into the main lecture room
Back of the choir is the ladies' toilet
room. "A similar apartment for gentle
men is situated in the basement under
the entrance to the lecture room.
The interior of both lecture room and
church auditorium will be finished in
natural pine. The church auditorium
is open to the roof. which is supported
by immense trusses. the longest OF
Which. have a span of IS feet. There is
not a column obtruldins in either
church or lecture room In the ire-
rfor one sees five handsome Gothic
arches, two between tine lecture room
and church. one behind the pulpit, one
over the choir and one over the win
dow Behind the Choir.
There may be said to be 'threc prin-
cipal windows. These are alike in re
sign, but the more important, o. course
is on the Thirty-seeond street front
One gentleman has already offered tc
place a $500 memorial in it, and his
offer will doubtless be accepted. The
selection of this memorial is left with
the building committee of the church
An Of the windows VIII be Of stained
glass.
No contract has yet been let for the
furnishing Of the church. This vii
come later. 1t is probable that new
organ will be purchased and the pres.