The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-09-24
CHURCH REOPENs
AFTER RENOVATION.
MI. Vernon Methodist Edifice
Has Been Rehabilitated and
Locks Like New.
TWO STORIES
ADDED
Main Auditorium Reconstructed.
Annex Cost S1j, 00o--Scats
Changed.

Especial 10 The Richmond VirginianD
DANV1LLE, VA, Sept. 24.--The
reopening OF the Mount Vernon Meth
odist church. which stands in the an
gle formed 6y the division OF Main
street into South Main and West Main
streets, will be held Sunday morn
ing. after more than year Of en-
largement and rehabilitation OF the
edifice. The reopening of the COM
pieted church VIII he commemorated
with special service sunday morning,
at which the sermon will be preach
ed by the venerable Bishop Alpheus
w. Wilson. OF Baltimore, perhaps
without doubt the most profound
man of the denomination. In the
evening the sermon will be by the
Rev. Wilbur +. Tiliett, d, D.. dean
of the theological department of Van
derbilt University, an eloquent and
thoughtful speaker.
The improvements to the church
consist of the addition of two-story
annex in rear of and adjoining the
church proper and extending through
from West Main 70 South Main street
and then the complete rehabilitation
amounting practically TO reconstFuc-
ton OF the main auditorium. The
Sunday school annex is capacious and
one of the most complete in all APP
pointments to be found in Virginia.
having many classed rooms opening
upon the main audience room and
capabie of being made part of it.
"A dining room. kitchen and all desIf-
able accessories of the modern church
are provided This annex alone cost
about $4,000 The improvements to
the church editiee proper aggregate
In cost about $4,000. making a total
expenditure of $4,000.
Old Walls Stand.
Hardly more than the outer walls
Of the old edihce were left in the
interior reconstruction. The interior
Is finished in walnut wainscoting
above which the walls are harmo-
nfously frescoed. the general color
tone being brown. effectively shaded
on. The choir gallery has been built
In rear of the pulpit, an alcove over
hung b. richly decorated efliptical
arch
The rear wall of the ediflce is d.
vided into four panels. all handsomely
fresceed with the embems, Alpha and
Omega, the open Bible, the SWORD
and the cross and crown. The cell
ing is decorated with an elaborate
plaster cornice of class Greek design
The center of the ceiling Is surmount-
ed by slight dome 20 feet in diam
eter. surrounded by a plaster cornice
with circular art glass window di-
sided into four sections.
The seating arrangement has been
changed. the old opera chairs in circn-
lar rows having been displaced by
high backed pews. arranged in
straight lines. but conforming To the
angles OF the interior floor design.
A feature OF the interior is the eight
handsome art glass MEMORIAL win
dows. There IL a large window on
the south side. put in as a memo
rial TO Mrs. Peter c. Penn, while an
other of the same dimensions and
design on the west side fs a memo,
rial TO late Colonel f. -. Withers,
presented by his children.
Among the other memorial windows
In one presented by James B. Pace, OF
Richmond, in memory of his father
the late Greenyille I. Pace. one of
the founders OF the old Linn Street
church. long ago abandoned for up
town sites. MIR. Pace died in 1878