The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-20
Members Of the First Baptist
Church to Consider a New Lo-
cation and an EdifiCe Monday
Night
MATTERS BROUGHT TO
FOCUS THIS WEEK
The Probable Loss of Or. Meeser
Has Decided the Members to
Look For a New Home-Prop-
erty at Salem Square May be
Sold to Another Church.

A meeting of the First Baptist Church
at Salem Square will be held Monday
night. at which the long discussed
edifice will be considered.
The following notice has been sent to
the pastor of the church,
Worcester, Mass, Dec. 10, 1901
Rev. S. B. Meeser D. D., Pastor First
Baptist Church, Worcester, Mass
Dear Pastor-Feeling the necessity of
a new location and church edifce, we
desire that you call a meeting of the
church to consider the question on
Monday evening. Dec. %, 1901, at s
o'clock, in the church vestry.
(Signed),
IS. N. Story, r. F. Upham, George C.
Whitney, William H. Cook, F. A.
Richardson, deacons; L. F. Gordon,
clerk of the church; E. c. Gilman,
clerk Of the parish; George c. Whit
ney William Knowles, William H.
Cook, W. A. Bailey, L. F. Gordon, as
SCISSORS; D. w. Abercrombie, F. A.
Gaskill, R. w. Greene, W. w. John
son, Daniel F. Gay, and others
The question of a new church build
ing has been agitated for a long time,
Jul NllC piODdDit lCol5HdtlOl vi ~
Meeser, to accept a call to the Wood
ward Avenue Baptist Church in De-
troit, has brought matters to a focus.
The First Church is strong financially,
and it has a large and active member
ship. But for the last 10 years 1t has
been seriously handicapped by it's To-
cation at Salem Square.
The property of the church at Salem
Square is worth a good sum of money,
probably upward of $4,000, and the
church has in former years received
offers for it. But the proposition to
erect new church in a new location
which will be taken up Monday night
is to be independent of and not contin-
gent upon the sale of the present prop
erty.
The Swedish Baptist Church was last
summer reported to have its eyes on
the Salem Square Church, where it
would be next door to the Swedish
Congregational Church. If that or any
other church should desire the proper
ty. the Baptist Church would probably
sell it on easy terms, in order that re-
ligious services might be continued in
the building.
The First Baptist Church is financial
ly strong enough to be able to raise
money for a new church without diff
Guilty. 1t has among it's membership
a large number of business men who
will be able not only to contribute
| themselves, but also to enlist the aid
of others.
The church's previous financial
record is good. During the last 80
years it has raised for parish expenses
and benevolences over $500, 600, an aV-
erage of $4,000 a year. At the meeting
Monday night there is no definite plan
to be proposed. The first thing to be
decided upon is whether the church will
vote to build a new edifice. The ques-
lions of location and money raising
will come afterward
Whatever the decision may be, 1t can
hardly influence DR.. Meeser in his ac-
ceptance of the call which has been
extended to him by the Detroit church.
That church is one of the foremost
churches of the denomination in the
country, occupying a position in the
Northwest as influential as that of
fremont Temple in New England. 1t
Is free from debt and in every way a
most prosperous society.