The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-09-03
CHURCH
MAKES PROGRESS.
New Structure Expected
to Be Completed by
First of Year
ORGAN Is PURCHASED
Completed Building Will Be
Testimonial to Growth of
Faith in Tulsa

with the work being done now
upon the dome and the square part
Of the building including the colon.
nades, completion OF the First
Church OF Christ, Scientist. by the
first OF the year, or at least early
In the year, seems virtually assured.
The church is located at the corner
OF Boulder and Tenth streets.
OF Greek style OF architecture
Ionic order. the new church building
is one OF the largest aud most beau
tiful OF the denomination in the
southwest. The dome upon which
workmcn are now busy is OF terra
Gotta, made to match the color Of
the Bedford stone OF which the
building Is made. II has a tiled
roof, and tho light that comes In
from the large slylight in the dome
Is sOfteued by the art glassed in
terror dome. The auditorium,
which seats $50 people. will be
lighted by an Indirect lighting sys-
tenn. the most of the light filtering
through the glass-roofed dnterior
circular cornico.
Modern Lobby Included.
Tho building Is S0xS4 feet. The
main auditorium IL of the amphi.
theater type and the rostrum is on
the west. the circular seats. facing
east. The sunday school room, in
which the congregation has been
meeting since the completion of the
ground floor. seats approximately
five hundred people. The spacious
lobby is completely equipped, hav-
ing checking rooms. readers rooms
and toilet rooms.
The Austin organ purchased this
summer will be installed In Decem-
Der, 1t Is expected. The organs
pipes will be hidden behind a grill
and the organ console has three
manuals, with chimes.
The church will be steam heated,
by both direct and indirect meth
cd. Fans Will be used for ushering
warm air into n room as we'll as for
vontilating and cooling purposes.
Courtland Butler Is the architect
who has designed the building, and
Charles f. Noble is chairman OF the
building committee. The construc-
ton OF the church was begun five
years ago, and the ground floor fin
ished year later. Since that time
Scientists have been meeting in the
sunday school room on the ground
floor, although work on the build
ing proper was resumed year ago.
II Is the policy of Science churches
everywhere TO pay as they build and
incur no Indebtedness on church
property, so for this reason the
progress OF the construction OF the
church has been delayed over. the
period OF several years.
How the Church Started.
The small group of Scientists that
in 1904 formed the nucelus for what
later grew into the First Chuch Of
Christ. Scientist, OF Tulsa, okla.
met in each others homes until the
number grew too large for that and
II became necessary "a rent "A room
down town. For THREE years the
members OF the Christian Science
society OF Tulsa, okla. met in a
small room in the business district
Church, Scientist, or Tulsa, was
incorporated under the laws OF
the state OF Oklahoma, its charter
granted the -27th day OF that month.
At that time the church mem-
bers were meeting In tEe Rosen-
field building, at the corner OF
First and Main streets. This was
at that time one OF the main bust
ness streets OF the city. In March
of that year the church, in order
10 accommodate the increasing
numbers OF the members OF its con-
gregation, moved TO the ground
floor OF a building az 119 South
Cincinnati and remained there un-
I'll late summer. when still larger
quarters were obtained in Boswell
hall. 1873 South Main. For moro
than three years ScientistI met here
and at the end of that tine moved
into hail that had been built for
them upstairs in the BrockmaH
building, Ninth and South Main. II
was in December OF 1911 that the
church went into the new Brock
man building, remaining there for
Six and half years.
Up to this time the free Chris
tlan Science reading room. whore all
authorized Christian Science litera-
ture could be read, purchased or
borrowed, had been maintained In
the same roop in which the services
we're held. At the time the church
moved Into the Brockhan building
n room was rented in the Central
National bank building to be used
as n reading room and in the spring
OF 1916 the reading room moved to
larger quarters on the third floor OF
the Mayo building, where 1t is now
maintained.
Two years after fund was start
ed for the purchase OF a site for a
church home, the triangular shaped
lot at Eleventh and Boulder was
purchased by the church. This was
in 1914. Three years later the
church bought an additional so feet
adjoining this lot on the north. This
gave the church a building site with
a total frontage on Boulder OF l59
feet and a depth on Eleventh OF lao
| feet. Ground was broken for the
church in July Of 1917 and just n
| year later the first unit OF the build
| ing had been completed, The
building completed. and including
ground and furnishings, will repre-
sent total investment OF approXi'
mateiy S1b5 900