The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-28

The cornerstone of the new First
Baptist church on South Main avenue,
West Scranton, was laid with appro-
pirate ceremonies Saturday afternoon
at $3.50 o'clock in the presence of
multitude of people. The exercises
were under the personal direction of
the pastor, Rev. S. +. Mathews, to
whose efforts is largely due the sue
cessful elimination Of the efforts to
erect this building.
The Introductory prayer was made
by Rev. j. Z. Moffat, d. D., pastor Of
the Washburn Street Presbyterian
church, and hymn No. $50 in the Bap-
tist hvmnal was read by Rev. S. G..
Reading, d. D., of the North Main
Avenue Baptist church. and sung by
the assemblage. Rev. Mathews made
the opening address, in which he spoke
In remembrance of the hospitality
shown by the pastors and members of
sister churches ever since the old
church on Scranton street was burned
on Sunday, January 20, 1899.
Rev. j. B. Sweet, pastor of the Simp-
son Methodist Episcopal church, fol-
lowedIwith a fervent prayer, and Rev.
w. j. Ford of the Green Ridge Bap-
tist church, read the Scripture lesson,
found in Psalms 1923 and l Corinthians,
xii:9-23. Rev. Reading led the singing
of hymn No. SCI, Happy Zion, What a
Favored Lot Is Thine" Then came
the principal address Of the occasion,
delivered by Rev. Owen James, d. D.,
of Titusville, Pa, former pastor Of
the church, being connected with the
congregation when the building on
Scranton street was erected.
MR.. JAMES REMARKS.
Rev. James spoke in a congratulatory
vein, conflning his remarks to three
principal points - congratulation for
tribula ton, covering the experiences Of
the church; congratulation for wisdom,
| in the selection of the present site for
| their new home, and congratuation for
! inspiration, dwelling on what present
| circumstances should inspire the mem
| bers in the future. His remarks were
! delivered in forcible manner, and
were attentively listened to by the
| large gathering.
The laying of the cornerstone was
then arranged for and the duty de-
volved upon William McClave, a for
mer member Of the church. assisted by
Contractor Fletcher of Wilkes Barre.
! The former made a few remarks, de-
fining the significance of the event, and
expressing the sincere wish that the
| congregation will be faithfully reward
ed for their persistent efforts in the
face of so many apparent obstacles.
Deposited in the box within the stone
hA fn1I II
Scranton Tribune, January 81, 1899;
May &c, 1900; Scranton Republican
January 80, 1899, May 26, 1900: Scran.
ton Truth and Times. May 26, 1900:
Examiner May q, 1900; Common
wealth. May II. 1900; Manual Of the
church, local chronology of Scranton
minutes of Arlington Baptist associa.
tion for session of 1892 Baptist Mis-
sionary Magazine for February, 1900
Baptist Young Peoples union. January
l, 1900; coin of the republic, and record
of the service.
After the laying of the stone wa.
completed, Rev r. F.. Y. Pierce, D. d.
Of the Penn Avenue Baptist church
offered prayer for the future help
fulness of the church, and the choi
rendered an anthem. The service wa.
closed with prayer by Rev. Davic
Spencer, d. D., of the Blakely Baptis
church.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
The First Baptist church Of Scran
ton completed it's fifty years Of ex
istence in August Of last year. Thei
building was destroyed by fire on Sun
day, Jan. 9,1S99. The new structure
which will be pushed to completion b.
the coming autumn. will be, thougl
not a very large church, one of tn
most complete of its size of any build
ing in the city, and in many respect
unique in its designs and appoint
ments.
The church building, as will be see
by the cut is Gothic in its genera
architecture, and will be built of bu
Scranton stone from the West noun
tain quarries, trimmed with gray In
diana limestone, the front being c
cut stone, with part of the sides c
the same, the rear of brick with ston
trimmings. The building will have
? frontage on Main avenue of so fee
2 and a depth of 100 feet, with a hand
some terrace on the front OF 20 fee
l In front there will be three er
r frances; one, the main entranc
through a Gothic porch enclosing
r large storm vestbule with side yes
tibules opening from It and leadin
1 by doors into the auditorium, pastor
0 study, choir vestry and baptister,
0 The second entrance will lead direct
i ly to the assembly room, dining room
4 kitchen, ROBBERY and toilet rooms
e the basement. The third entrance wi
be by the side of the building, leadin
= to the auditorium by a side vestibu
e and into the Sunday school room. Tt
S small embattled semi-tower in II
= front Of the structure will contain II
T pastors study, entrance to robin
a room and baptistery.
MAIN AUDITORIUM.
: Entering the main auditorium wi
Z be found a moderately sized room car
T able Of seating $50 persons comfor
g ably. The. ceiling Of the room WI
rise in groins and curves to the pa.
r of an octagonal dome some Is fe'
: in diameter. At this point a beautf
: effect will be obtained by an art-gla'
decoration. The dome, as seen by II
: cut, will admit ample light in itsel
q which, passing through the staine
q glass will be ditfused In softened COLI
, over the auditorium below. At nigl
v the main lighting OF the auditorium
will be from the octagonal base mel
toned, the light of which also ILL
inmates the dome aud the lanteI