New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-11
FIFTH-A CHURCH SHUT
R0chefeIIer'S Place of WorShip Dis
cOUered an Dancer

The discovery that the roof of the Fifth Ave-
nue. Baptist Church in danger Of falling in
caused postpOnement of services there indefinite
ly, and a report made to the Bureau of
Buildings yesterday that the church is unsafe
The church occupies several city lots on the
south side of 46th-st., Immediately west of 9TH
ave- This is the church which John D. Rookie
teller attends when he is in the city, and in
which John D. Rockefeller jr. conducts a Bible
class The class has been in charge of a SUPER
intendent recently, young Mr.. Rockefeller being
in Europe. The Rev. DR.. Rufus P Johnson is
the minister of the church. and the sexton is
John J. Ritter who lives in The Bronx
The usual Friday evening prayer meeting was
to have been held in the Sunday school room of
the church yesterday, but Frank Guenther the
assistant sexton, and a policeman in uniform
who had been sent from the East 51st-st sta
tiOn notice from the Buildings Bureau stood
guard at the door, and told every one who went
to the church that the meeting had been post
poned. Some members of the congregation said
it seemed to them provdential that the unsafe
condition of the church had been discovered in
time to avert accident, and that in all proba-
bility no more services would be held in the
church until extensive altera tions had been
made. There was some talk that Mr.. Rookie
feller might erect a church edifce on the
site but it said that he had made no an
nouncement of such an intention.
The Rockefeller Bible class holds occasional
meetings in the house No. II West 45th-st
directly in the rear of the church. This build
ing it was said last night was owned by Mr.
Rockefeller While the church Sunday school
rooms are closed the Bible class may have all
It's meetings III the 45th-st. house.
To the watchfulness of Frank Guenther, the
assistant sexton, the discovery of the unsafe
condition of the roof of the church is due. Mr.
Guenther had noticed that some of the pillars
which support the roof were out of plumb, and
after the collapse Of the old negro church in
BROOKLYN last month he began to make careful
examinations After the service Sunday he
told some of the trustees enough 10 satisfy them
that there was need for examination by
building experts. a committee of the trustees
engaged Mr. Robinson, an experienced builder.
to make the examination, and he called In an
architect to aid him. Il the builders report
that caused the committee to inform the Bureau
of Buildings yesterday that the roof of the
church was unsafe.
The church was erected more than fifty years
ago. with brownstone front and side and rear
walls of brick. While part of the weight of the
slanting roof rests the walls, the greater
part of the weight is sustained by two rows of
pillars running lengthwise of the church near
the side aisles. From the tops of the pillars
spring wooden arches arranged to take
the pressure of the greater part of the roof off
the walls Some of the pillars have sagged sew
eral inches out of plumb and seem ready to
give way.
An Official Of the Bureau Of Buildings said
Continued seventh pnge.