The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-26
ADAMS SQUARE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

feature of its conception is that il was
organized in the house Of worship of a
church of another denomination and
the meetings of the church until the
present edifice was ready for occupancy
were held under the hospitable roof Of
it's friendly neighbor
The first meeting of the Adams
Square church for organization was
held in the Adams Square Baptist
church in January, 1898. A standing
committee was appointed on ways and
means. and over $1,000 was subscribed
Ground was broken on the lot selected
for the site for the church, in July and
the present church edifice was erected
At a cost OF something il. the neighbor-
hood of $4,000. The church was organ
lied with nearly a hundred members
and a Sunday school of over 200 mem
bers.
The dedication Of the church took
place Dec. l of last year. The services
We're of II most interesting and i'm
pressive nature and were participated
in by nearly all the Congregational
pastors Of the city. The dedication SER
mon was preached by Rev. DR.. Willard
Scott of Piedmont Church. The pastor
OF the church. Rev. John T.. Dodge,
had charge Of the services.
The church edifice itself is a very
pretty structure, with all molern inn
provements and conveniences. 1t is
situated on the left side of Burncoat
street. short distance above Adams
square. The site of the building is
Very desirable one, the church being
located on a rise of ground, which
gives it a. very impressive appearance,
considering the comparatively small
dimensions Of the structure. The
edifice stands 20 feet above the street
ina "a 10 .sagstaC 7T,fsf
flight OF steps which lead up to the
main entrance.
The auditorium is one OF the hand
soonest of any of the small church au-
dience rooms in the city, and is tianked
on either side by commodious class
rooms, which are also provided in front
of the main room of the church. The
rear end of the structure contains two
rooms which are devoted to the use Of
the pastor for study purposes. The
furnishings of the church are of the
most attractive sort and are of hand
some oak, with comfortable upholster-
ings The church is very prettily car
peted and otherwise made beautiful,
and in keeping With its sacred usage.
The auditorium has d seating capa-
city of 800. there being two transepts,
which largely increase the seating area
OF the church. The basement of the
church contains a large room which is
used for the meetings of the Sunday
school and for social purposes. The
church is ornamented with several
notably beautiful stained-glass win
dows, among them being one over the
pulpit which is a Very excellent repro
duction of Hoffman's painting, Head
of Christ
The societies of the church are as
numerous and as strong, proportionate-
ly to the size Of the church, as those
Of ,f IL fY,a
the city. The Ladies' Aid Society is a
Very flourishing organization, to which
belong nearly all the members of the
parish. The church gives very many
entertainments and social events that
are of great benefit TO the church and
its members, and for the success of all
these affairs the Ladies' Aid Society
answers
The work that the Ladies' Aid So
ciety has been most notably success
full in, however, was during the rails
ing of funds for The church, when il
pledged the last $500 needed to raise
the burden of debt On the church pre-
Yious to the dedication and has sue
ceeded in raising the amount by its
own activity and aXertiCns.
The Sunday school of the church Is
as has been said II very thriving por-
ton of the church body. and has a
large number of regular attendants
Few churches appeal so strongly to the
young people of the section in which
they are located as does the Adams
Square Congregational and the Sunday
school and Young Peonle's societies are
never at loss for J - bcrs nor lack
ing in vital and heai%y enthusiasm in
their meetings.
The Mems Union Of the church is one
Of the strongest organizations to which
any body in the vicinity of Adams
square belongs. The union includes in
its membership number Of the prom
iuent business men Of Worcester. who
make their homes IN that section of
the city and attend the church. The
meetings of the union are held very
frequently and are always literary
treats. They are always replete with
enjoyable features, and the meetings
are becoming TO be recognized as a sort
Of open congress where the best
thoughts of many of the bright men
~ the locality are brought forth and
subjected to useful and helpful dis
CuSsiOn.
Tomorrow evening, the union viii