Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 June 1896 — The New, Church Dedicated- [ARTICLE]

The New, Church Dedicated-

Another Important Day FOr the Presbyterians ofßensselaer.The handsome and commodious new Presbyterian church, at Rensselaer was formally dedicated last Sunday. The building, which is two stories high, is of brick and , stone. In the first, or basement story, are furnace and storage rooms, a large parlor, kitchen &c. The second or main floor contains the principal auditorium of the church, a large Sunday School room, connected with the main auditorium by rolling partitions, by which both rooms can be thrown together, into one room. On this floor also is a large and very pleasant infants’ room, several class rooms, a library room and the pastor’s study. These interior- arrangementsofthechurchareespeciany excellent.

The entire cost of the building, exclusive of the seats, was $9,000. The dedicatory sermon, Sunday morning, was preached by Rev. Willis Craig, D. D., of McCormick Theological Seminary. He is a very powerful preacher, with a special gift for preaching dedicatory sermons for churches that are no 5 quite out of the woods, from a financial point of view. His effort last Sunday was a masterpiece in this direction; and the result was that when he had concluded his sermon and announced that a considerable sum was still due on the building, that the responses to his call for additional contributions were numerous and generous. For instance when SIOO subscriptions were called for, the call was responded to by John Eger, Geo. K. Hollingsworth, Rev. M. R. Paradis, the pastor, and E. L. Hollingsworth. Those who took place in the SSO class were, The Ladies’ Industrial Society, W. B. Austin and M. L. Spitler. Jnthe l s2s list were Dr. Mary E. Jackson, of Hammond, Mrs. G. E. Murray, James Matheson, Mrs. Vai Seib, Mrs. B. Forsythe, Mrs. A. F. Long, Mrs. E. L. Hollingsworth, Mrs. F. Monnett, Mrs. J. C. Porter, Mrs. W. B. Austin, Miss Virgie Austin, Christian Endeavor Society, Holly Council Daughters of Liberty. The ten dollar and five dollar contributors were too numerous to be here recorded, but though the sums they gave were smaller, yet jn many cases greater and more commendable sacrifices were involved in the giving of the small sums, than in the larger. Nearly all these contributions of Sunday it should be added, were in

scribed, by the same person or in the same family. By the time the subscriptions and contributions had reached SISOO it was announced that the formal dedicatory service would be until evening. The sum just mentioned will cover the debt on the building proper, but not provide for the furnishings. There were eight ministers present at the service, besides Dr. Craig; namely, Revs. Paradis, the present pastor, Gilbert Small, of Idaville, Tressler, of Cincinnati and E. Baech, of Indianapolis former pastors, and Revs. R. D. Utter, C. E. Voliva and L. H. Findley, of our other city churches. At the evening service the church was formally dedicated by Dr. Craig, Light Spring Wagon, for sale cheap, or will trade for wood.

J. Q. ALTER.

, According to the recent report of state geologist, W. S. Blatchley, Indiana is rich in coal, oil, gas And stone, all of which except gas which is said to be on the decline, are present in inexhaustible quantities. The past two years has demonstrated this state to be most prolific in these deposits of any in the country. New investigations reveal that 7,000 square miles, or nearly one-fifth of the state's area, is underlaid with coal. This lying in the western and southwestern portion of the state. While the facts are very gratifying, the state geologist farther says, that Indiana is pre-eminently an agricultural state. In area 34th among 45 states, she is second in the production of wheat, seventh in corn and eighth in live stock. This showing is due to excellent average fertility of soils and intelligence in cultivation thereof.