Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1903-10-20
CORNER STONE LAID.
Impressive Ceremonies at M.
E. Church Monday

Thirty Hours-Speeches by Pr0mi-
nent Members of Church COHtents
of Box-BIg Crowd Participates in
Exercises.
In the presence of crowd of fiji
teen hundred people, With ceremo
MES, devout and impressive, under
skies that smiled benedietion, the
corner, stone OF the new Methodist
Episcopal church was laid Monday
afternoon. 1t was just twenty min
utes past five o'clock when the stone
was lowered into place, and Hon.
John j. Brown, using the impressive
words of the Masonic formula, de
clared it square, plumb and level.
All the exercises, with the excep-
tion of the actual laying of the stone,
were conducted inside OF the en-
closure made by the rising walls.
A temporary platform had been
erected at the pulpit end OF the
CHURCH, from which the speakers
made their addresses. The unlin
ished walls were black 9Th specta-
tors, and the temporary floor was
crowded with people standing.
High and Wiley streets were TEN
porarily blocked by the crowd when
the stone was laid.
At the opening OF the exercises,
DIR. f. NJ. Compton, pastor, who
presided, announced that he was
just 5000 short of having raised
$4,000 by subscription in thirty
hours. He called for contributions
to make it $4,000. The response
came quickly. John w. Krepps
gave 800; j. w. Wiles, $25; DR..
Purinton, $25; Mrs. Gee. Pariitt,
$25; I. N. Weaver, $25; "a friend
from Chicago" $40 and Alfrey
Carrico, IS. An opportunity was
then given tor all who desired, TO
pay 81 and have their names put in
the corner stone.
Following these important pre-
liniuaries, the great crowd, led by
DR.. Eugene Warren, to the accom-
painment of some selected pieces
from the University band, joined in
singing Stand up for Jesus. For
the first time the walls Of the church
whose history will extend into the
future perhaps for hundreds of
Year,, echoed the sound of voices
mingled in praise to God, and that
this thought came to many, was evil
dent from the fervor with which
they sang. Those who had labored
faithfully and long, giving their
time, energies and means that the
church might be built, thought of
the thousands upon thousands who
would sing these same inspiring
words, and were amply rewarded
for all effort and self denial it had
cost them.
Rev. S. j. Robinson, presiding ell
der, Rev. W. B. King, of Mounds
vile, and Rev. John Beddow partic-
ipated in the services, giving respec-
lively the declaration from the ritu
al prayer, responsive reading and
the lesson from First Corinthians
third chapter, verses nine to twenty
three. The words of the hymns and
the responsive readings had been
printed on handsome programs,
which were distributed among the
crowd so that all might participate.
Prof. w. P. Wiley superintendent
of the M. E. Sunday School deliver
ed a brief, but interesting and for
chile address. II am a Methodist "
he said "Most of you are Methodist.
But is is by no means a Methodist
occasion. This church belongs to
Morgantown, to the community, and
stands for ali tuat is best and no
blest among our people, 1t is an
emblem to the stranger of our civil
ization, our morality and religion.
1t is a symbol of what the people OF
Morgantown are, Of how and Tor
what purposes they live"
Hon. Geo. c. Sturgiss followed
Professor Wiley. with a remarkably
fine address reviewing the history OF
the work oil building the church and
giving some very interesting figures.
He showed how the complete cost Of
the church, ready for the first ser
vice, inside and out, would be $780,
000 He then stated the assets,
$4,000 by subscription $4,000 in
real estate and other smaller funds,
leaving a shortage of about $4,000
This he hoped to see raised before
the dedication of the church, 1904.
In addition to these things, Mr..
Sturgiss spoke most teelingly of the
brave hearts that rebuilt it after it
WAS burned in 1852. To many mem
bers IT the congregation. it was hal
lowed by q thousand sweetly solemn
memories, and they would leave it
with sigh ofreeret. Again he re-
ferred to the money vet to be raised.
He would not call the $4,000 a
shortage he said, for in enumera-
ting the assets, lie had neglected to
mention the most portant-nam
ely the hundreds of willing hands
and devoted hearts that would work
to raise it.
DR.. Compton stated the contents
of the large tin box, which was to
be placed in the corner stone. Among
other things there were 1862 cards,
oanfospin0 tho =, or,ac IF fl,Oaa NH n