Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-01-28
NEWPORT NEWS. VA UNDAY. JANUARY 20. 1906

pastor was extended from every side.
People not only expressed their sor-
row on account of the disaster which
had befallen the church but gener-
ously offered substantial assistance.
Rev. y. r. Wexford. pastor of
the First Presbyterian church, was
the first to tender the church a tenn
porary home. He offered DR.. Porter
his church for the Sunday evening
services Of the homeless congregar
lion until permanent arrangements
can be made. MIR. G. b. A. Boxer,
manager of the Academy of Music,
rendered his theater: the b. p. O.
Elks rendered the lodge room at
their new home: Secretary Kent ten.
dered the lecture hall at thr'a3 Dung
Mems Christian Association. Super
intendent Manvillc, of the Old Do
minion Land Company. tendered the
Casino thcater; Rev. III. b, san.
ford, pastor of the Tabernacle Ban.
list church. rendered 'his.Sftha.h and
the deacons of the Thirtieth Street
Christian church offered their house
Of worship
OeaaOn Meet.
Last night the deacons of the New
port News Baxfist church met with
Dr Porter and discussed the situa.
ton, |, was decided to accept Rev
Mr.. WellfOrd's offer and hold services
tonight ut the First PresbyteriAn
church. Sunday school will be helm
at the Casino this morning at $50
o'clock The usual Sunday morning
a nj.
with.
Further than .>Aesc arrangements
ana discussion Of The disaster, no.
'hing was done AT this meeting. The
regular business meeting of the con.
bregation will be held next Thursday
night. at which time temporary ar
rangements for place of Worship
VIII be made and plans for The fn-
tnre considered
Will Rebuild Church.
IF the congregation and deacons
agree with me-" said DR.. Porter
last night" we will rebuild the church
and make il finer than ever"
II is probable that the church will
be literally rebuilt The financial
condition of the organization Is good
and. in spite of the clear loss of 500.
Do0 IL is believed that The work of re.
building VIII be started at once
various people. many OF them not
members of the church. notified DR..
Forier last night that they wished.
to- contribute substantially to he re.
fund
s-insspeaking of the 'fire,,aT 1re7 Porter,
said last night that he was convinced
that defective wiring was the cause.
lie went on to say that he was in his
study until 1890 o'clock and at that
time there was no sign of a fire
anywhere in the building. except in
the CRATE in his Office. Judging from
the location of the first blaze discov.
req. he believed the wires alone could
nave been responsible.
The Newport News Baptist church
has always been one of the city's
strongest religious organizations and
during the present pastorate the con.
gregations attending the Sunday ser.
vices probably have been as large as
any church in the State could boast of.
Frequently as many as thousand
people heard DR.. Porter preach.
II is rather remarkable fact that
nearly all of the city officials are I'm.
in the membership of this
church. On the roll are Mayor Buxton.
President of the Board Of Aldermen
Maryns Jones, President of the Com.
mon Council ID. S. Jones. City Ser.
geant Milstead, Commissioner of the
Revenue Cr,Inp, Police Justice Brown
Dr.. w. j.. Cooper. president OF the
school hoard and Hon w. T.. Barrett.
member of the House of Delegates.
Dedicated in 1908.
The church was completed in the
fall of 1903 and dedicated on December
20. 1t was built Of brown granite and
lifted mp with everything belonging %
modern house of worship. With the
between the main auditorium
and Sunday school raised the seating
capacity was nearly fifteen hundred.