The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-10
CHURCHES FIGURE
ON RECONSIDERATION
Grace Street Baptist and Calvary
Baptist Discuss One Great
or Ed;i;ce
er EdifiCc.

Negotiations are pending for consol
idation OF the Grace Street Baptist
Church with Calvary Baptist Church.
and the erection by the joint conEre-
cations OF Il large modern church build :
ing on Monument Avenue. In the event
that the consolidation is no, effected.
II is probable that Calvary Church,
now located at Pine and Grace Streets.
will erect a new church in the West
End In fact, the pending negotiations
were precipitated by the desire on the
part OF members of calvary Church
for better accommodation for the
large residence section in The western
part of the city, now to a larger eN-
tent without church accommodations.
J. L. Lewis is chairman of com ali teee
of five from Calvary Church. and Her
bert L. Cox is chairman OF similar
committee from Grace Street Church.
to consider the possibilities of such a
consolidation and building enterprise.
Mr.. Cox and Mr. Lewis were III CON
sultation yesterday, and decided not
TO hold meeting this week on ac-
count of the distractions of the fair
but a joint meeting OF the committee.
will he held early next week, when
the matter Will he fully discussed ano
made to the two con
Ercgations. The committees are ap-
pointed only to inquire into the scheme
and TO make recommenuationY and
have no power to bind either congrc-
cation 10 any plan.
Trend liz Westward.
Grace Street Church - one of tho
larger ami older churches OF the city,
and has a handsome modern building
at Foushee and Grace streets. erected
some years ago on the site of former
nIi ttr., Il h.. ,Ira no at
bulk of the congregation. it is said.
live as much as mile west of the
site. and the church building is within
two blocks of the new Second Baptist
Church. at Adams and Franklin Streets,
which has ample accommodations to
care for all the Baptists living in the
central section of the city
Calvary Cl'nr,h was a colony set
off from Grace Street some years ago.
and It's present building was erected
on the rear of the lot, with view of
later enlargement. SO that the pres
ent church might be used as Sun
day school room. With the constant
trend westward, there Is a strong cur
rent against any further building at
this site. and even II the consolidation
is not effected, it is now practically
assured that Calvary Church will build
In the West End.
Both Free OF Debt.
Both churches own handsome prop
crty, and both are FREQ OF debt With
the sale OF the two valuable Grace
Street corners. Il large part OF the cost
of handsome and modern church
building, equipped with all accoinmo-
dations fg' Sunday school and extern
sion work. would be betrayed, Rev.
lSyland knight. b. d. is the pastor of
Calvary Church Since the resigna-
tion of Rev. d. NJ. Ramsay. D. D., last
spring, Grace Street Church has been
without a regular pastor.
similar consolidation of churches
was considered some months ago and
rejected ny committees from the First
Presbyterian Church and the Grace
Street Presbyterian Church. Tho First
Church is located at Madison and
Grace, and tho Grace street at Fourth
and Grace. the latter having at that
time handsome offer for its property
from a Broad Street firm owning the
abuiung property through the block.
The plan was similar--to sell both
church properties, and, by combining
and increasing the fund, to build
modern and complete Presbyterian
Church in the West End.
A leading Baptist said yesterday THAT
there was every reason to believe that
the present plan would go through.
as there is no Baptist church in the
West End beyond Tabernacle, on Grove
Avenue.