The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-01
TO OPEN LAYTON MEMORIAL
BUILDING WILL BE DEDICATED TO
THE PUBLIC SERVICE.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE.
Opcning VIII BE Tomorrow Night.
An Address in Explanation of the
building and Its origin and Pur-
poses by Col. 4. II. Lawton, Presi-
dent of the Board of Trustees.
Nearly All of the Furniture of the
Memorial in PIace-Inscription on
the Memorial Tablet Yet TO BE Put
in PIace-SecOnd Presbyterian
CONGREGATION VIII Hold Its First
Service Next sunday.
The formal opening of the Lawton Me-
mortal will be tomorrow night, when the
handsome building Will be dedicated 10
pubnc service. There viii be no long pro-
gramme Of exercises for the opening. An
address win be delivered by Col A. r.
Lawton, president of the board of trus-
tees Of the Memorial explaining thA origin
OF the building and the purposes TO which
il will be devoted.
Col Lawton was DESTROYS of having
some additional feature for the opening,
and for this reason made an arrangement
with Prof. j. Lewis Browne, who was
heard at the First Baptist Church last
Friday night and Sunday. to return and
give the organ that has been placed In
the Memorial a graceful introduction TO
the people of Savannah.
There have been no special invitations
sent out for the opening. The trustees
throw the doors of the Memorial open to
the Savannah public and for public Occa-
sions Of religious, phlanthropic or edu-
cational character, and the public nature
of the building is early put in evidence by
the general invitation that is extended for
the exercises of the opening night.
While the seating capacity of the Me-
mortal is large, it is yet believed that the
building will be crowded at the opening
The trustees knew they could secure an
audience of fair proportions by sending
special invitations, but It was desired that
any caring to attend might be given the
opportunity. The furniture Of the Me-
mortal is practically all in place There
yet remain several pieces to be put in,
tut their absence does not detract from
the general appearance of the handsome
building. A reading desk and table spe-
cially designed are yet TO arrive, but il
is thought they will be here within
short time. A wrought-iron lantern to be
placed at the front of the building is also
10 come
One of the striking objects in the inte-
rior will be the memorial tablet. II VIII
be placed back of the platform and under
The organ. This will be the inscription:
In Memoriam.
Alexander Robert Lawton
(Nov. A. 1SlS--July 2, 1860
Corinne Elliott Lawton
(Sept. %, lSi6-Jan. "a, 1879
This memorial has been dedicated to the
use of the citizens of Savannah by
Sarah Alexander Lawton
Jan. &c, 1S26--Nov l. 1877
In loving memory of her husband and her
daughter
The memorial win be used as a place OF
worship by the congregation OF the Second
Presbyterian Church, though the building
IS essentially not church. While 1t is de-
signed Tor religious purposes, among 9TH
ers' II is TO be under the mana cement OF
the trustees, and they will allow any use
TO be made of the building that may tend
TO the public good or improvement.
Inc Second Presbyterian congregation
VIII worship in the church next Sunday
Tor the first time. Under the contract with
the trustees, by which the congregation Is
permitted the use of the Memorial that
day was made the one upon which the
nrst service was to be held
The building was begun some sixteen
months ago. When 1t was started II was
thought the Second Presbyterian congre-
cation would hold the first service in the
Memorial last Easter. In the expectation
that the building would be competed by
that time, those interested in 1t were dis
appointed. II was not until the summer
that 1t was finished and then unavoidable
obstacles made. it impossible for the con-
efegatlon to occupy it.
Col. Lawton did not return from service
IN the army until the fall and his atten-
ton was needed in order that the terms
under which the congregation was to use
the building might be arranged. Other
business made such demands upon ia
time that he found it impossible for ouite
while TO give The Memorial and its oc-
eupaney by the congregation the consid-
Grafton L deserved, and a charter of in
corporation had to be secured.