The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-03
MEMORIAL FORMALLY OPENED.
PURPOSES OF THE BUILDING EX-
planned By COL. LAWTON.

Extracts From Legal Papers Cover
ing the Erection of the Memorial.
Its Transfer 10 the Memorial Trust,
the Charter OF the Trust and the
Contract With the Second Presby-
terrain Church Were Read by Col.
A. II. LawtOn-Said the Memorial
Is to he Used as n Church Though
1t Is Not one-Its Uses Are to BE
EIeemosynary and Educational in
Addition 10 Religious.
The Lawton Memorial was formally
opened last night. The ceremony was
modest, consisting of an explanation OF
the origin and purposes Of the building by
Col. A r. Lawton, executor Of the will
of the late Mrs. Sarah Alexander Lawton,
and president of the board of trustees of
the Alexander Robert Lawton Memorial
Trust, as the property is Incorporated, and
an organ recital by Mr.. j. Lewis Browne
of Columbus
The seating capacity of the Memorial
was taxed. Interest in the building seem
ed keen. and the audience was so large
that many had to stand. Col Lawton's
NABLaAiu lADi4 WIS bSAtIt4 10 VIII 0pitl ENid-
ton of the philanthropy of the noble wo-
man who desired to leave a monument to
her beloved husband that would be ben
eft 10 the people of the city of his adop-
ton, and the recital by Mr.. Browne won
the applause it richly merited.
Col. Lawton had copies of the papers
covering the legal details of The construc-
lion of the Memorial, Its transfer by him
self. as executor of the property of his
mother, to the trustees of the Alexander
Robert Iawton Memorial Trust, the char
ter of this trust and the contract made
and entered into between the trustees and
the congregation of the Second Presbyte-
ran Church. After telling of his moth
er'S desire to erect the handsome buiiHing
as a memorial to her husband and for the
use of the people of Savannah Col. Law
Ton made use of the papers, believing that
a clear conception of just what the build
ing is to represent and the uses to which
il is to be put could best be gained through
the reading of extracts.
Although the congregation of the Sec
ond Presbyterian will use the Memorial
II is essentially not a church. 1t will not
be consecrated, and can. therefore, be used
Tor purposes that a church could not. Col.
Law ton, in behalf of the trustees, asked
the audience, as representing the public
of Savannah, to come to himself as pres
ident of the board of trustees, or to Rev.
w. A. Nisbet, pastor of the congregation
of the Second Presbyterian Church. at any
time for the use of the building for any
educational or eleemosynary purpose. He
said 1t was expected that such applicants
would be made and they are desired. The
congregation has the use of the building
every Sunday, and on such other days as
may be arranged. In return for the priv-
lege of Its use the congregation contracts
to keep the building in good order and pay
insurance, as il is not endowed, and there
is no fund set apart for its maintenance.
Concluding the reading of the extracts
and his remarks upon the Memorial. Col.
Lawton said that it was a source of pleas.
ure to the board of trustees TO have Sc
cured the services of the distinguished ar
tist MIR. j. Lewis Browne, and that the
purpose to devote the building to educa-
tional Improvement was so well conserved
in the first recital to be given.
Mr.. Brownies organ playing was all that
could have been desired. The programme
embraced six numbers as follows:
Overture from "Rienzi," Wagner; Han
del Whitney largo from ''Xerxes;" "Pil-
gTims' Chorus" from Wagner, Suite"
by Browne, Miniature" In Already"
THE Crypt" "A Strange Story" and "In
Joyful Mood" the Death of Ase," Greig,
and Fugue from lie Prophetic" List
After the last number Col. Lawton an
nounced that Mr. Browne would be at
Christ Church this afternoon at o'caock
fos an organ recitah