Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1901-03-14
FIourishins Christian Organization and One
Whose influence for Good is Felt in
an Ever Widening Circle.
ho Review Of the Facts Connected With the ORGANIZATION
and Progress Of the Church and Its
AuxiIares.

heCeUU puuiiodViohS vi ohS AsneAo
TER and other local papers might
lead the uniformed to believe that
Brookings wa, blessed with only one
church organization Of any promi-
nence The real truth Of the matter
Is that BrOokings enjoys advantages
far In advance of cities of its size and
Importance. Four strong organiza-
tiOus for religious thought and culture,
besides numerous smaller ones, afford
q means OF moral and spiritual edu-
cation, the influence OF which 10 felt
throughout the state.
Education and religious develop
ment 20 hand 10 hand and the unsur-
passed advantages that Brookings
offers to cultured people or to those
who desire to bring up families in an
atmosphere Of refinement and educa-
ton, surrounded by moral influences,
has led to large increase in her pop
ulatiOn in recent years. This class OF
people are always desirable; they are
progressive, wideawake and intelli-
gent. A community made up Of such
elements attracts capital, gives con-
6dence 10 investors and stability to
all enterprises Of public and private
nature.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
ln this connection the REGISTER
desires TO give due credit to an organ
ization that has figured strongly in
our development since the early SOS
and which, for many years, was the
leading religious denomination in
! point Of numbers and the activity OF
Its members. The society has long
enjoyed the distinction OF having the
finest and most commOdious house of
worship, a good picture Of which is
published on this page. The photo
graph from which il was taken is the
hrst good one the REGISTER has been
able to secure and was but recently
printed by Cooke.
The building stands at the corner
OF Williams and Brookings streets,
surrounded by large shade trees and
fronts on court house park. School
nouse park is just across the street to
'ne west. 1t Is therefore one Of the
most convenient and slightly locations
10 the city. 1t cost the society some
'hlng over SO, ,500-this includes fur
a'ture' The auditorium is warmed
W a furnace and all rooms are fur
a"hed with electric lights. The aud
'"rium has seating capacity of $50
ano This can be augmented to 45O by
safowlng open the lecture room back
6 oi The pulpit rostrum.
d large lecture room, used for Sun
uay school purposes, a parlor, kitchen
aua cloak room complete the compile
Ieut OF rooms connected with this
.uurcn. All are nicely decorated and
mooeStly furnished, making one of
WIG nnest places Of worship owned by
naptist denomination within the
''a'e' The society Ia free from debt,
y'us US own parsonage, which adjoins
sAe cnurch property to the east, and
suo" contemplating some extensive
lp,o'ements to meet the wants and
,ru' m OF growing congregation.
ihe society has also acquired a nice
popeity at the corner Of Pierce aud
I'Ooxinss streets, valued at SO, 500.
mCou'ists OF the building now occu-
eu ,h oy the Brookings Hospital and
tbo o .sSluence property adjoining it on
~, "orCh. This forms nucleus from
n "n,en permanent income is ex-
,s sveu 10 grow, and it ssta ablishes the
a.U tnat the material as we'll as the
. pr,'aal affairs of the church are In
engineered.
"a, rev' A. J. Finch is the present pas.
| yo,n 70 uoing good work. He is
HI luii OF enthusiasm and ability.
,rs,a. sermons are drawing large con-
hsa'lons h.I and many additions are
sb,n made to the church member.
one >, "nich now numbers 1876. Sixty
l,., VI these are additions made in the
sbir year and a half. The member
atelv nas a oeen larger, but unfortun.
or mous many OF its members have died
'eo away. In fact, 1t is recorded