The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1912-08-15
new CHURCH BUILDlNCl
Work Has Been Started on Christ
ian Science Structure.

Contract has been awarded for the
erection of the new home of the
First Church of Christ, Scientist, of
Oskaloosa and the location stakes
have been set. Active work will be
commenced as soon as material can
be handled and contractor and church
members hope to have the building
ready for use In November. The
structure Is to be of frame with ex-
terror covering or facing of white ce-
ment plaster. 1t is of classical de-
sign, excellent proportions and pleas
ing lines and will be a most credita-
BILE structure. The church edifice
will cost between eight and nine
thousand dollars. The cost of the lot
was $500.
The new church will have an ideal
location. 1t will stand on lots on the
south side of High avenue, east oil
Third street and the DR.. D. L. Cole
residence. 1t win be seated we'll
back upon the lot with a roomy lawn
of thirty feet at the front. There is
a great classical portico across the
greater part of the front, that con
forms to the heighth of the building
which has an elevation we'll above the
street grade, giving it a slightly and
imposing appearance. Broad step;
lead from the sidewalk grade to the
level of the lawn terrace at the front
of the building. Thirty feet bach
from the first landing in another ap
proach OF stone steps, five in number
making a second elevation of thirty
inches, to the floor plane of the build
ing. Entrance to the building is by
means of the large portico which
while extending from the front of the
building is also recessed. Entrance
therefrom Is offered to the foyer o.
the assembly room and also from tbs
sides to the daily reading room or
the east side of the cloak room or
the west side. The foyer occupies 6
space across the entire north end o.
the main portion of the building ant
ten feet in width. This department
is a feature of science churches. II
Is a meeting and greeting place, Civ
ing convenience and opportunity t.
the social spirit of church gatherings
While ordinarily separated from tht
main assembly room, should occasion
require, the intervening wall may b.
made to disappear and the foyer may
become a part of the main audience
room. Seating capacity of the pewi
will be about two hundred and twenty
five. Upon occasions of lectures Of
crowded service seventy five to one
hundred additional capacity may b.
secured in the foyer The dimension:
of the audience chamber of the build
ing are 34x47 feet. With an eight
foot reading platform at the soutl
end, having width of eighteen feet
Back Of the readers platform, will
Its desks and accommodations arr
retiring rooms for the readers, cloth
es closets and stairways to basemen
and TO the outside. The length of thu
entire building, north to south, Il
seventy.two feet by fifty feet. cas-
to west.
s. s. Beman, of Chicago, Is archi
tect of the building. Mr.. Beman plan
ned the great Mother church in Bos
ton and the residence of Mrs. Eddy
in Brookline and is the architect O.
almost all of the Scientist churches
in the land. His wide experience II
meeting the requirements Of so man!
churches in all states of the lant
gives Mr.. Beman q peculiar fitness II
his work. The Oskaloosa church, fol
its size and capacity, will be one o.
the most convenient, most comfort
able and most pleasing in appearance
of any of the houses of worship in the
city.
P. w. Sparks, of Oskaloosa, was
awarded contracts for construction
and work upon the concrete footings
and foundation will be started imme
diately. Preliminary location of the
building was accomplished this week
by Mr.. Sparks and his men in com
ipany with a committee from the mem
bers Of the church.