The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-05-03
TEMPLE OF WORSHIP
ERECTED IN A DAY
RAISED AS IF BY MAGIC is SPAR.
TANBURG CHURCH.
First Service Held Wednesday Night
Largest Church in World Erected
in One Day.

Spartanburg, May IA church, not
a stone or timber of which was stand
ing at sunrise this morning, was Wor-
shipped in tonight by great congre-
cation that filled the building and
overflowed into the street. Members
of the Bethel Methodist church an
nounced recently that they would erect
building in one day. More than 100
workmen gathered at the scene this
morning and began construction. Mo-
ton picture machines played upon the
crowds of onlookers and upon the
building at every stage Of its erection.
Tonight the building stands completed,
painted, papered, carpeted and fur
nished throughout.
Promptly with the rising of the sun
this morning work on the one-day-
church in this city and started. By
nightfall the church had been complet-
ed and the dedication services were
held in the edifce. 1t is complete in
every respect, painted all over, inside
and out, the pews arranged, electric
wiring installed and lights burning to-
night. All scaffolding has been torn
away and nothing remains to be done
| on the building. Thousands and thou
sands of persons journeyed to the new
church building during the day. A
brass band was there in full force, Ia
dies of the church conducted lunch
counters and served meals to the
workmen and every man went about
his business in perfectly systematic
manner. When the sun rose this
morning a great mass of lumber and
other material was scattered around
the foundations, which had already
been prepared. These foundations
where erected several days ago in or
der that it would be safe to build the
church on them. Aside from this.
however, not one lick of work was
done until this morning.
First Nail Driver.
Major Kirby is the Oldest Methodist
in Spartanburg county, and one of the
Oldest in the State. In driving the nail
he used a hammer that has been in
his possession for over so years. The
real work began at 6.O7; it had all been
clearly and carefully outlined. Every
man knew what he had to do. There
was no stepping on each others toes.
There was no getting in each others
way. While squad of men were plac-
ing the studding, another was laying
floor. 1t looked as if it was contest
royal as to which squad would COM
plete it's task first. The squad placing
the studs was victorious. They COM
pleted their work at 7.5O and those lay
ing the floor, which was much larger
job, completed at S.42.
All hands then fell into weather
boarding and it seemed as if this part
of the work was raised by magic, at
this stage of the game, though work
had been done to allow the electricians
to begin work. All hands were then
turned into the direction of placing
the skeleton for the tin shingles, and
this was accomplished in short order,
and the roof was turned over the Bur-
ris people at noon.
The Task at Noon.
Thus with the day half gone the roof
was ready for the tin shingles, part
of the wiring had been done, the steps
built, the vestibules completed, and
most of the weatherboarding in place.
Then came the lunch hour. Shortly
after l o'clock the work OF putting on
the tin shingles began. BY 5 o'clock
this was completed in every respect.
At 6 O'Clock all the outside work had
been completed and a force of hands
were busy clearing away the debris,
around the entrance. Then the work
of completing the inside was entered
into by the entire force. The electric
lights were burning so that the work
men could see more clearly. The
church was not plastered, but COM
position of paper used in place. This
is very attractive and gives the inter
ior a mission appearance. The audi
torium of the new church is 35 by so
feet and the Sunday-school room is 10
by 20 feet. There are two entrances,