Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-05-20
laying Of CORNER stone
Impressive Ceremonies at College
Avenue Baptist Church
Noted Ministers
Present.


Present.
The sun never shone brighter, the
air was never more halmy and there
was not a cluod to obscure the beauti-
full blue horizon during the impress
sive ceremony attendant upon the lay
ing of the corner stone of College
Avenue Baptist Church at 3 10 O'Clock
this afternoon. For once the Baptist
brethren may go down into history
as having had great event without
the interference of rain.
A large gathering of distinguished
people assembled at the corner of
College avenue and st. Johns street
this afternoon to participate in the
imposing ceremonies. In this gather
ing were not only the faithful little
band of Baptist workers numbering
sixty or more, but members of con-
gregations of all other churches in
the city. and many from distant cities
A number of naval people were pres
ent and quite number of midshipmen
were also numbered with those who
witnessed the ceremonies.
A platform improvised for the oc-
casion, was erected, upon which
chairs were arranged for the speakers.
visiting clergymen and participants
in the exercises and the guests.
The program opened with a Scripture
reading by the Rev. DIR. s. p. Mer.
rill, formerly of Rochester Theoiogi
cal Seminary. The passages of Scrip
ture read were st. Matthew, twenty
first chapter, forty second to forty
fourth verses and First Corinthians,
third chapter, from the tenth to the
sixteenth verses inclusive. Following
the Scripture reading was prayer by
the Rev. DR.. f. h. Hatcher, secretary
of missions of the Maryland Baptist
Association.
A financial statement of the Build
ing Fund was then read by Mr.. George
Miller, of Baltimore, after which the
special ceremony of the occasion, the
LAYING of the corner stone, took place.
The pier on which the stone is. meas
ures three feet square. The stone is
in two sections, and is of granite
from Beaver Dam quarries, Baltimore
county. 1t was laid in two sections.
The first section was laid by the pas
tor, Rev. Thomas p. Holloway, as
sisted by Mr.. Isaac Purcell. of Phila-
delphia, the architect. The second
section was laid by the contractor of
the building, Mr.. John w. Emory, of
Philadelphia, assisted by Mr.. George
X. Merrill.
The IMPLEMENTS square and
trowel, used in the ceremony of lay
ing the corner stone, were presented
by Mr.. X. N. Mccullough, of Balti-
more, of the firm of r. N. McCul-
Tough q Co., the contractors for the
stone work In the box set in the
corner stone were placed the follow
ing articles: History of the Church,
Picture of the Church, Picture of the
Pastor, the local papers, among which
were three numbers of the Evening
Capital, the latest issue, the issue of
May 18th and All issue of February %,
1904, containing full history of the
church. Also three denominational
papers of the last issues, list of the
church membership, list of contri
butors to the building fond and name
of architect and contractors. The cor
ner stone is set at the corner of Col
lege avenue and st. Johns street. 1t
is inscribed with letters deeply cut in
the stone. On the College avenue
side the inscription reads:
COLLEGE AVENUE BAPTIST
CHURCH.
Organized 1908.
and on the st. Johns street side is
the following inscription:
THIS
MEETING HOUSE
Erected
1905.
The ceremony of setting the stone
consumed quite little time and was
very impressive. Following this was
PRAYER by the Rev. George S. Bell,
pastor of the Presbyterian Church of
this city. An address was then de-
livered by the Rev. DIR. Curtiss Lee
Laws. minister of the First Baptist
Church, of Baltimore. DIR. Laws is
brilliant speaker and an orator of
note. He made stirring address,
taking for his theme What Bap-
fist Church Stands For Through
out the address Dr. Laws was listened
to with marked attention and his
speech was forceful and eloquent.
After the address of DR.. Laws a
hymn composed by DIR. s. p. Merrill,
and especially written for the College
Avenue Baptist Church was sung.
The hymn is entitled "Christ Our
Chief Corner Stone, and was sung
TO the tune AmeElcd. 1ne WOFus
are
Thy gracious name adore.
Whose blessings eyermore
Bring JOY and peace.
While angels gladly sing.
Our songs Of praises ring,
To our Eternal King,
Never to cease.
Accept our gift We pray.
Whose corner stone We lay
House for Thy praise
Build thensthis Zion now