The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-25
CHURCH CORNER STONE LAID.
Elaborate Services by st. Johns
Baptist Congregation.


The cornerstone of st. John Bap-
fist Church. colored. on Hartridge
street, near East Broad. was laid yes
terday with elaborate ceremonies,
which lasted two hours. The newly
constructed church was crowded to the
doors with the better class of colored
people, residing in that section of the
city.
Perched upon fences and outbuild-
ings, several hundred gazed upon Maj.
j. H. Deveaux, acting grand master
Of the Masonic lodges, as he placed
the first brick in place around the
cornerstone. Foreign and old coins
were placed within the stone, along
with other papers, and the emblematic
wine, oil and corn We're poured in by
Maj. Deveaux. Upon the stone, which
was laid at the northeast corner of
the church, was inscribed, "St. John
Baptist Church. Organized and erect
ed 1891, and rebuilt 1901, by Rev. w.
NJ. Gray"
At o'clock the singing service be-
gan on the first floor, which will be
used as a Sunday-scbool room. The
church was filled rapidly. and by 4
O'Clock standing room could not be
secured. By permission from the
Grand Lodge of the state, all of the
colored Masonic lodges took part in
the service. Eureka Lodge No. l, the
Oldest of the six colored lodges in the
city, led the procession that marched
into the church at the conclusion of
the song service.
Rev. Gray, pastor of the church. in
troduced Rev. j. j. Durham, pastor of
the Second African Baptist Church.
Rev. Durham spoke of the great work
that had been accomplished by Rev.
Gray, and briefly reviewed the history
of the church. When the present pas
tor took charge he held services in a
single room, in which he lived, and be-
gan his work for God with a congre-
cation of seven. From this handful he
had built a church that now has a
congregation of over / 100 persons.
Rev. Durham remarked that all of
this had been done by the pastor with
out a helpmate, which made it stin
more remarkable. He spoke of the good
work done by the members of the
church and declared that he was glad
to see it has persistently followed one
plank of the Republican platform
that of expansion. Rev. Durham told
OF the good done by the building of
OliuA 0iiCo, diio dCIldICu IIidL cdCH
church erected by the negro is so much
more to his credit. 1t is the greatest
monument on earth, and evinces the
fact that the colored man is keeping
pace with the progress of the day. Rev.
Durham urged those present to con-
tinue their good work and thus help
push their race forward.
Rev. Durham closed by again COM
plimenting the pastor and congrega-
ton, and called upon those present to
contribute freely to the church fund. A
collection was taken up. from which Sal
was realized. The contract for the
church. which is a two and a. half story
structure, is for $4,000. After the col
lection had been taken up the congre-
cation repaired to the outside to take
part in the laying of the stone. Maj.
Deveaux was the master of ceremony,
and conducted the services.
There was some difficulty In making
an opening in the crowd for the Ma
sonic bodies to pass through. Mason
George o. Price caused considerable
amusement and laughter by shouting
Justify to the congregation to go way
back and sit down." After the first
brick had been placed upon the stone.
by Col. Deveaux, Mason Price complet-
ed the work, and the benediction was
pronounced by the chaplain of Eureka
Lodge.