The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-07
UP-TO-DATE CHURCH
COLUMBUS, o., has A VERY RE
MAREXABLE RELIGIOUS
EDIFICE
IS BUILT LIKE s THEATER

With Lobby, Boxes and Opera Seats
-COiored Maids Check Your Hats,
CIOaISs and Notwithstanding
pers Ride to Service Avvheel, and
Bicycles Are Cared For-sur-
rounded by q lawn.
COLUMBUS, o., Aug. 3.-There has
just been dedicated in this city one of
the most unique church edifices in the
United States. Should the present indi-
cations of the Congregation sound pros
pclity change and adverse fortune COM
pei the trustees to dispose of the build
ing, it could certainly, with very little
alteration, be used as play house, for
1t is built almost exactly like one. The
new building is the temple Of the First
Baptist church, of Columbus. So wide
spread have been the reports of the
beauty and uniqueness of this building,
that il has been the Mecca to which pill
grims have been attracted from far and
near.
Three Years ago the headquarters of the
congregation was an unpretentious build
Ing of the regulation type in the down.
AONAA ul9Oi ~ Dul OllS odIlOaN TIER IlitIA
new pastor, Rev. H H Barbour, who,
since he changed from the profession Of
law to the ministry, has been instrument
tai in the erection of several church
buildings. preaching a sermon from The
text, Speak unto the children Of Israel
that they go forward" urged a change
of location and a new ediice Every
body about Columbus today. agreed that
lie congregation applied the text to it
self, for there has been a forward move
ment that, arehitecturalIy at least, has
placed the church ahead of any other in
the country.
The temple. stands on Broad street, a
fine thoroughfare we'll deserving the
name, three-quarters of a mile from the
capitol, from which everything is reck-
"ned in Columbus. Fl IS placed sixty
feet back from the street line. and has
a twelve-foot driveway on the west and
thirty feet Of lawn to the east. The lot
was filled ii and terraced, so that it is
;~o feet above the street, and a row of
handsome lamp pillars adorn and by
night illuminate the front line.
SURROUNDED BY LAWN
The open space about the building has
been transformed into q miniature park.
IN which the eye is delighted by flower
beds mammoth urns filled with choicest
plants. large fountain of unique de-
signs and grass of deepest. green. From
the outset the pastor, who was chairman
of the building, committee and under
whose supervision the entire work was
done, announced that there should be che
church building that should not crowd
out upon the street or upon its neigh
hors as if fighting for the last inch that
belonged 10 it. But the chief novelty in
the new church is that In its new build
ing it has gone beyond anything hereto
fore attempted and has given to the
world style Of church architecture in
which novelty, utility, attractiveness and
beauty are united to a surprising degree.
The temple is built of a whitish-gray
limestone from the Bedford, Ind. quar-
ries and might be taken for public
library, clubhouse or theater as naturally
as for church.
Entering the low but massive arch
doorway, which reminds one of the an
cient monasteries CT the old world. the
visitor finds himself in a long, wide.
mosaic-fOored, marble wainscoted and
richly decorated corridor or lobby, from
which the social rooms Of the church
open on the right and left, at the far
end of which is the entrance to the main
auditorium and from which also hard