Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1906-04-14

modious church edifices in the stat
is the First Christian Church of thi
city. which has just been completed
and will be used for tomorrow's ser
vice. Ten months have elapsed since
1t was decided to build In this inter
val the money has been raised, plans
selected, contracts let, and the worl
completed. The result would dc
honor to a much larger city. y
The building fronts south on Craw
ford street, centering on the end OF
Houston street.
]. s. Moad, formerly of this city
now of Dallas, is the architect. ]. H
Caught, well and favorably known in
building circles, is the contractor
The building committee have ex-
pressed themselves as delighted with
Mr.. Caught as contractor, all work
having been done satisfactory and
wholly without unpleasantness, either
during construction or in settlement.
The building is of red pressed brick
construction, trimmed with cement
blocks and cut stone. Mr.. Brooking
had charge of the brick work, and it
is one of the best specimens of this
art to be found in the city. Messrs.
Will Shelton, JEFF Fagin and w. A.
Sherrel did most of the carpenter
work, and all are skilled workmen.
Mr. Clark White had charge of the
painting and papering, and his work
has called out innumerable compli-
ments.
The building is of Moorish design,
with massive columns and dome.
The columns overlook a long gallery
leading to the vestbule at either end.
From these the visitor enters the au-
ditorium. This is a large room, near
ly square in form, and has seating
capacity of about five hundred. The
pulpit is in the rear right hand cor
ner. To the right of the speakers
stand is the choir and organ recess,
while behind is the baptistery, which
is especially modern in arrangement.
The steps leading into it are behind
the partition which separates the
back hall from the auditorium, thus
enabling the candidate to descend
and return out of sight Of the con-
when fhe ordinance is administered.
Entering the hallway the visitor
passes toilet and robing rooms, and
enters the pastors study. Beyond
this and connected with it by large
sliding doors is the room which will
be occupied by the beginners depart
ment of the Sunday School. That the
church is planning for great work in
this department is evident from the
size of the room. Already accomoda-
lions are provided for one hundred,
and this capacity may be doubled.
Passing from this room one enters
the main department of the Sunday
School. Circling the entire north end
of the building is a series of class
rooms, opening with double folding
doors into the main room. When all
of this department is thrown together
it has a seating capacity of about FIVE
hundred. and constitutes one of the
most modern Sunday School equip
ments to be found in the south.
This room and the auditorium are
separated by a hoisting partition
which disappears entirely from view,
thus giving one great audience room
with an extreme length of more than [
a hundred feet and a breadth at the |
widest point of sixty feet Thus a
seating capacity of one thousand may
be secured, and this may be still |
further increased by using chairs in
the aisles.
The furniture throughout is of the
best quality quarter sawed oak, and
is elegantly finished. being the pro
duct of one of the famous Grand
Rapids factories. The pews are cir
cular and when both rooms are
thrown together form a semi-circle
with the pulpit as a central point.
thus bringing the entire audience
within easy range of the speakers
voice
The ceilings are or pressed steel OF
handsome design. and are beautifully
and tastefully painted Mr.. B. r.
Walker had the contract for this part
of the work and the result is ample
demonstration of his ability as
decorator.
The building is heated with hot air
throughout. Hence the rooms can be
made comfortable in even the coolest
winter weather This will be appre.
ciated by those who have attended
services in the old building where
stoves were used.
Another feature worthy Of special
mention is the glass. All windows in
the main rooms are of high grade
of art glass, and considerable num-