The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-27
BAPTISTS IN MASS MEETING.
REOPENING OF THE DUFFY STREET
CHURCH CELEBRATED.

The Two baptist Congregations of
the City Unite in Celebrating the
New Edifce-TaIISs by Pastors JOr-
dan and Chapman and the APP
preaching Convention Discussed.
The New Church Thoroughly
Modern building and Convenient
Iy Arranged for Church and Sum
day school WOrk-A Reading
Room and Library to BE One of the
Features of the Church Work.
The Baptlsts of the city celebrated the
reopening of the Duffy Street Church by
a mass meeting at the new church last
night, the congregation OF the First
Church joining with that of Duffy street.
There was a large outpouring of the
Baptists, the handsome auditorium of the
church being filled to the limit of it's Ca
pacity. Fraternal expressions of good
will were exchanged by Pastors Chap
man and Jordan in behalf of their respec-
tive congregations. Mr. Jordan remarked
that the relations between the two
churches were those of mother and daugh-
ter, the mother church 80 years old, but
strong and vigorous, and the daughter just
sweet 16 and with new spring dress.
Mr.. Chapman remarked upon the fact
that the first century of the Baptist
Church in Savannah would be rounded out
co-equally with the nineteenth century.
What another century might have in
store for the church In Savannah and the
church of Christ throughout the world
none could say. but he believed that the
new century would mark a great epoch in
the affairs of the church. Mr.. Chapman
SAD that he trusted that the end of an
other century would see many churches
the daughters OF the old mother church.
considerable attention was devoted to the
approaching convention, which was dis
cussed by both Revs. Jordan and Chap
man. Others ministers who participated
III the service were Rev. Moses Cain Rev
q. b. Thrasher and Rev. D. S. Edenfield.
A meeting of the Baptist Young Peoples
Union was held in the afternoon and an
address was delivered by Rev. G. b.
Ihrasher of the state mission board.
Inc members of the Duffy street congre-
CATION can ilatter themselves that they
nave the. only modern house of Worship in
the city. The church is not constructed
on conventional lines, but with a view.to
the needs OF the congregation and the peo-
pie OF the section in which the church is
situated. In The first place, the building
does not look like a church from the out
side. and the appearance of the interior
is more that of a public hall than of
church. The auditorium is nearly square,
and the floor slopes from three sides down
towards the center of the western side,
where the pulpit is situated This ar
rangement has several advantages. The
pulpit is the same distance from each cor
ner of the church, and anyone sitting in
any part of the church has a plain view
of the pulpit and the minister. The audi
tory effects are similar every word ut
tered from the pulpit being easily heard
from any part of the auditorium.
The features of chief interest, however,
are the arrangements for church and Sun
day school work. On the right and left
of the pulpit are galleries not intended for
seating purposes, but leading to ranges
of rooms on each side above the audito-
rum. There are five rooms on one side
and four on the other. These are intended
for the use of the Sunday school classes.
There are also two rooms on the lower
floor which can be used for this purpose.
The idea is to assign each teacher and
class to a separate room, in order that the
work of teaching may be conducted with
out interruption. Electric bells will prob
aDtY DE run from the AUDITORIUM 10 the
class rooms, in order that the pastor or
superintendent may give notice of the
time for assembling.
on the Duffy street side of the building
Is a large room, which it is intended to
use as a church library and reading room.
This room will be supplied with relig-
ious and secular literature, including the
daily papers and the leading magazines,
as well as religious periodicals, and will
ausV, Tor md
nights for the benefit of The members
and friends of the congregation. a cir
culating library will be one of the fea-
lures of this department. For this about
500 volumes of standard works are al
ready on hand, and some very desirable
additions to the library have been as
sured
After the storm of 1896. in which the old
church building was so seriously damag-
ed. il was decided to erect brick church
upon the site of the present building.
Unexpected financial difficulties arose,
however, which necessitated a change in
plans, and the old building was accord
ingly remodeed and made to conform
to the present plan. The ideas for the
present building were suggested by the
pastor. Rev, J. d. Chapman, and the
plans were drawn by Architect Fl. c..
Witcover. The interior of the building is
plainly. but tastefully, finished in white,
with gold tracings upon the pillars sup
porting the galleries. The pews are ar
ranged in circular form with aisles lead
ing from the two main entrances at the
northeast aud southeast corners of the
building. In the rear of the pulpit are
robine and waiting rooms for candidates
for baptism.
The work of the Duffy Street congre-
CATION in providing a new tabernacle of
worship has progressed under many diff
ficulties. and the members of the congre
cation are entitled to the full enjoyment
of their new and complete house of wor
ship.