Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-04
HOPE TO OPEN
NEW CHURCH ON
EASTER OF 1917
Messiah Congregation Plans
Ultra-Modern Extension
of Edifice

raster, 1917. will be a gala day ex-
traordinary at Messiah Lutheran
church.
That's the day, according to Luther
Minter, chairman of the building COM
mttee upon which the uptown con-
gregation hopes to formally open the
proposed new church.
Within the next two weeks bids will
he opened and the contract awarded
for the construction of the big eX-
tension to Messiah church as planned
by y. y. Ritcher, one of Readings
noted architects Work will be start
ed, it is hoped, soon after April 1, and
within year the building committee
and the congregation expect TO have
the brand new structure ready for
worship.
Some OF the Features
At least a column could be easily
written about the proposed structure
but some of the facts and figures of
dimensions, interior decorations, new
ideas in ventilating, lighting, etc. which
were explained by Mr.. Minter yester-
day may give briefly some idea of
what the structure will be.
Acting with Mr.. Minter on the
building committee are the Rev. Hen
ry w. A. Hanson, the pastor, Prof. ].
j. Brehm, \. G. Murray, II. L. q.
Haertter and w. j. Collier. For some
months the congregation had been
figuring on the building problem and
now to quote Mr.. Minter-"Messia
church has finally decided to go ahead
and we hope to give Harrisburg one of
the most modern structures of wor-
ship in this section"
The Great Bell
The extension will cover the entire
space which now constitutes the lawn
of the church at Forster and Sixth
streets-a building 10 feet by 60
feet. Concrete foundations with stone
trimmings, either of granite or mar
bic, will finish the structure. At the
southwest corner a handsome loggia
and bell tower will top off the build
ing. Here incidentally will be hung
the great bell of Messiah--the bell
that has called the uptown Lutherans
to worship for more than fifty years.
The proposed extension will be oc-
cupied largely by the main auditor
ium of the church. The pulpit will be
at the extreme north end and the main
entrance will be on Forster street with
a side entrance on Sixth street
through the loggia.
The Lighting and Heating
To the right of the pulpit will he
rangement unique in it's character so
far as the relation of choir and pull
pit is concerned. in local churches.
y handsome new $4,000 pipe organ
will be a feature of the furnishings.
The lighting system will be novel for
local chuches, an indirect system of
electric illumination having been
planned. Incidentally the blower in
direct heating and ventilating system
will be installed. BY this system the
air is brought through the rear of the
church and passed over steam heat
pipes to be heated before being pump
ed into the main church for refreshing
the air. In the summer time the
same air may be cleansed and cooled
10y pumping it through a fine spray
of water in the cellar. Another fea-
ture of the auditorium furnishings
will be the installation of an accous-
ticon system N the last few rows of
pews. BY this means the worshiper
who is trifle hard of hearing may
step into the pew. attach one of the
Tiny receivers TO ear and hear the min
ster with perfect ease.
The Open Court
The space between the present
structure and the extension will be
converted into an eiEht-foot court. BY
this plan the light can be directed
right into both the new main auditor
ium and the old church room by broad
windows. The present church by the
way will be converted into big Sun
day school room with a dozen or more
lass rooms branching off from it.
The pipe organ now in service there
Will We removed and a piano will be
installed for the Sunday school ser
vices.
The social room will be located in
the basement of the new extension. a
feature of which will be a modernly
EifPhnn
Some day in the years to come per-
haps. Messiah will convert the pres
cnt parsonage building on the north
end of the lot into modern social cen
ter quarters. At present. however,
the social activities of the church will
he confined TO the pretty basement
room.