The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-04-18
BAPTIST CHURCH
Is DEDICATED
OVER 500 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE
DR.. BrOugher breaches Sermon
Sl,052 Raised Building Free
From Debt-Mayor Speaks

The completion an1 dedication of
the new Baptist cnurch Gu last Sun
day marks new era In the religious
life and activities Vt Hood River. The
Baptist chuIcn effected its organiza-
tion October 81, 1904, with twelve
charter mem beIs, namely; Geo. +
Coe and wife, +. A. Coe, MIS-. }. X.
Carson, L. +. Johonson and wife, q.
Z. Bowermau and wife, James Hub
bar d, j. NJ Melton and " fe, and MIS-. j.
NJ. Wright. The present membership
consist. of 40 active members. The
church oragnized Sunday school on
January |, 1905, with A members ana
now sustains an enrolment of approx
imatsly 40. The organization has IA
very active Ladies' Aid society with
Mrs. I. +. johnson as president, Mrs.
j. b. Spight as secretary and Mrs. j.
Nj. Wood as treasurer.
At the beginning the society was
handicapped in not having a suitable
place in which to conduct its services
The organization moved from hall to
hall and place to place. Upon one oc
casion the building in which they
held temporary quarters was burned
to the ground. For time they fol
lowed the example OF the lsraelites
and tabernacled in tent, and for q
peIio they gathered their forces to-
gether under the open canopy OF
heaven to worship and adore their
God. Truly this was loyal and faith
full people.
The present magnificent church
structure was embrionic in the mind
and heart of the lRev. j. b. Spight,
one of Gods noblemen, who served
for the term of two years as the pas
| tor of this society, and who was still
their shepherd, when the great head OF
the church said to him, "Well done
thou good and faithful servant, and
the spirit said to the flesh, at is
enough and then his noble soul
winged its way to the abode of the re
deemed
Faithful and loyal laymen took up
the work where their leader had laid
it down and with the help and CO. OPP
Grafton of the Rev. G. Ii. Mckee, who
was sent to be their pastor, they car.
rled the work to its consumation and
success. Rev Mckee, the present pas
tor, is a man of splendid heart and
life, man of excellent ability and at
tsinments, and much credit is due
him for the sagacious efforts in com.
pleting the temple of God.
The building has been well built.
The workmen have not sighted their
| work. The structure was built for
utility, but in their plans they have
made 1t temple of beauty as we'll.
LIT is a church home that is most CON
Eyenient and commodious. The struc-
ture is 56x64 fee. over all. The audi
torium is 31x44 feet with an apart
ment of l6x2S feet on either side sep
arate by folding doors. In the ex-
treme southeast and southwest are
two other rooms each l6 feet square,
and between them are two dressing
rooms for candidates for baptism,
each 6x8 feet square. Immediately at
the rear of the pulpit is the baptis.
try. The seats are made OF prepared
spruce and extend through the center
OF the main auditorium. The beltry
is located on the northwest corner
and is built from the ground. The
|
made of cathedral glass, the center
bearing the figure of the Holy Bible
with the inscription "Mcther's Bi
ble." The object of the profoundes'
interest connected with the structure
is the beautiful cathedral glass mem.
orial window, placed in the north enc
of the building and measuring SKI:
feet, 6 inches. The window represents
"The Sower' going forth to SOW
The figure is nearly life size. At tn,
top is the inscription, "a sower wen
forth to SOW" Beneath the feet o
the figure the words "In memory o
Rev. j. B. Spight, organizer and frs
pastor of this hurch." This beauti
full and appropriate memorial is th'
gift of Mrs. Spight and the two Eroth
ers of Mr.. Spight. On either eide o
this window is another of cathedra
glass and like pattern, one the gift o
ii. NJ. Wood, the other the gift of j
M. Wright. Rev. Mckee gave the cen
ter Il ansom window over the pulpi
and the church the vestibule window
in honor OF Rev. Mckee the presen
pastor. The church was dedicated ol
Sunday morning April1 4, 1907. Ih
recess at the lear OF the pulpit wa
beautifully decorated with Oregon
! grape, Gala lilies and geraniums wit
a spray OF wild flowers beneath. A
. the right of the pulpit were palms ant
Gala lilies. Rev. Dr.. Woody ha'
charge of the services. After singin
the doxology Rev. Mckee offered th
morning Invocation, which was fol
lowed with the hymn, "Come Tho
Almighty King" led by the choir tror
the Calvery Baptist church of Ih
Dalles, which was composed Of tn
; following members: Soprano, Lui
, Hill. Marion Glover and Mrs I. i
johnson; Alto, Grace Hill and Ethe
Ruerak; tenor, G. l.. Wood; Bass
Roy Hill and Mr.. Greenly. Alter tn
singing OF the hymn DR.. j. Whitcom
Brougher was introduced and read
scripture lesson from the l6 charte
of Luke, embodying the parable {
the unjust steward. Chas. Ii, Hart
. manager of the Pacific Baptist, the
favored the audience with spiendi
vocal solo entitled, "lmnanuel.
This was followed with prayer b
DR.. Woody. The choir then sang th
beautiful hymn, LEAD Me Cent?
Home" whic was followed by sing
ing the Coronation. "
DR.. Brougher preached the dedict
tory sermon taking as basis the pal
able OF the unjust steward, as foun
In the l6 chapter OF Luke. The speal
er prefaced his sern on with words {
greeting and congratulation on az
count OF the splendid achievements {
the citizens and church membershi
in fitting and offering such a beaut
ful and commodiou, temple for ded
cation.
In the presentation of his subje'
IL great emphasis was placed on ii
thought that the mission of Il