Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-04-15
FIRST GROUND BROKEN.
Appropriate Exercises Attended
Beginning of the M. E Church.

A. l.. Wade, Hon. George c. SturgIss
and DIR. /. G. White - Breaking
Ground Done by Ladies and 6entIe>
men Representing Church, City and
University.
Great popular interest was manifest
ed in the breaking OF ground for the
new M. <. Church Tuesday evening.
A large ,concourse of people attended
and staid to see the last part of the
ceremonies performed till rain began
to fall.
Tue large audience marched up town
TO the beat Of the drum of the Uni
yersity cadet band. The pastor DR..
Compton carried on his shoulder the
pick and shovel with which the digging
was to be done. These tools were pre-
sented by the Baker Hardware Co.
They will be gilded and hung up in
the church ediflce to be kept as long
as the structure shall stand.
The band played prelude upon ar
rival at the church site corner of High
and Wiley streets, and this was fol-
lowed by song by the M, E. Choir
and congregation. The pastor then
led in prayer. He was Joined by the
audience In the Lords Prayer at the
close. ''Jesus Lover of My SOUP was
then sung.
Dr.. Compton introduced Prof. a. L.
Wade as the first speaker. He had
written his speech, so as to eondense it
within five minutes time. He spoke
OF the permanence with which this
edif1ce is to be built.
He said in part: The Bible tells us
that David said: ''Le, l dwell in a
house of cedars, but the ark OF the
covenant OF the Lord remaineth un-
der curtains" Curtains were suff1ci-
ent for the ark OF the covenant OF the
Lnrd as long as the people dwelt in
tents. But David felt that it was
reproach for even the King to live in
house Of cedars while the ark OF the
covenant Of the Lord was under cur
tains. David desired to build a house
for the Lord but he was not permitted
to do so, because be was a man of
blood. lie was, however, permitted
TO collect money to buy material; and
/ am sorry to say, be had no Ladies'
Society to help him in his work
The conditions which surround us
as church and congregation are not
altogether similar toIthe circumstances
Of which | have spoken. We have a
church building which has stood for
more than half century, and it has
served well the wants OF couple OF
generations; but it can no longer &C.
commodate comfortably the growing
congregations which attend the Sab
bath services. We need more room
fer our large Sunday School as we'll as
for our great congregation.
l may be permitted to mention an
other matter. Our church building,
when it was erected, was, 10 architec-
tural style and beauty, far superior to
the finest residences in Morgantown.
But we now have a city of new resi-
dences, OF surprising beauty: and
many members OF our church and con-
gregation have been, for some time,
anxiously waiting for an opportunity
to help build new house of worship.
We have met here this afternoon, in
order to break ground upon the spot
where the new church is to stand.
Three important elements will be
kept in view in the erection OF the
new church. namely, strength, dura-
bility and beauty.
The durability Of the new building
is assured by the fact that for its
Ilc
upon the most enduring material,
stone, the material used in the build
ing of Solomans temple. There are
stone churches and cathedrals in Eu
rope which have stood for centuries,
and are good today. No one has sug-
Pested the rebuilding OF St. Paul's
cathedral in London, or Of St. Peters
at Rome, or the Vatican There are
stone bridges in Europe which felt the
tread of the Roman Legions, and are
good today. Thomas Carlyle, in
speaking of his father as an honest
stone mason, says; 1.-THE stone arch
which my father built" at a certain
place, 'twill endure when most Of the
books which have been written will
have perished".
The Bible everywhere emphasizes
beauty, and we cannot afford to be
unmindful OF this element in the con-
struction OF our new church.
Thought the munidcence of DIR.
and Mrs. l. G. White we have a most
desirable location for our church and
parsonage, almost In touch with that
magnificent cluster OF University
buildings. 1t seems to me that the
architect OF Solomons temple would
d designed nothing to be placed upon
this lot less beautiful than the church
which we are about to build. | have
in mind Morgantown man OF abun-
dant means who believe, will at the
proper time present to the church
beautiful chimes.
Beauty Of situation, beauty OF ar
chitecture, beauty Of color, and beau
ty Of sound are all emphasized in the
Bible.
We are giving to this church space,
strength, durability and beauty, suf-
hcienu TO meet the wants OF genera
tions yet unborn.
When the new church building is
complete we propose to dedicate it to
the service Of our divine Master,
whom we love, "because he first loved
u.s..
Hon Geo. c. Sturgiss, who knows
the history OF the Morgantown Meth
odist Church, perhaps better than any