Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 97, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1906 — NEW CHURCH DEDICATED. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

NEW CHURCH DEDICATED.

Remarkable Success In Raising Money to Pay Remaining Debt. ■> , - ... ' ' • ' v; —— : ---

The new Christiau Church building, by general consent the finest in Rensselaer, and with the exeep tion of the Catholic church at Rem ingtou, the finest in Jasper county was dedicated Sunday, by Rev. J. | H. O. Smith of Valparaiso. The building complete cost right around

SII,OOO, and of this amount there was $4,000 still to be raised, when the service opened Sunday. It was no secret that Dr. Smith intended to go after this $4,000 with “might and main,” and he has a mighty might as a pulpit persuader of subscriptions in such a good cause as this. He first preached an able sermon and then proceeded with the important work of takiDg subscriptions.

The largest of these was by the Ladies Aid Society, which gave SSOO, and this in addition to $1,500 previously given. The Sunday School followed with S4OO and had previously given SIOO. And besides this very large general contribution, several separate classes gave $lO each. Other large additionol subscriptions, with amounts previously given, were, J. L. Brady, $275, previous amount $500; C. W. Coen $250, previous amount $500; W. 8. Day SIOO, previous $500; J. N. Leatherman SIOO, previous $250; L. H. Hamilton SSO, previous $150; A. L, "Branch SIOO, previous $100; Endeavor Society SIOO, previous $25; Mrs. P. W. Clarke 850, previous 850; R. B. Harris SSO, previous $25; Oreu Parker SSO, pre vions $25; R. B. Harris SSO, previous 850; Oren Parker SSO; previous 825; Mrs. J, L. Nichols $25 previous; $150; Mrs. Evelyn Randle $25 previous $75; G. H. Bell SSO previous $5. Other large subscriptions by persons not previously contributing, were, Mrs. Mary Lowe, $100; Mrs. N. E. Brown SSO, Mrs. Jessie Jrant SSO, G. H. Healey S3O, and the following each $25; Hon. E. H. Wolcott and wife, of Wolcott, J. E. Wildasin and wife, of Kentland, and the following of Rensselaer and vicinity; H. O. Harris, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, Rev. Geo. H. Clarke, W. L. Wood, John W. Clouse, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. E. Jacks, Mrs. Frank Parker, Mrs. G. W. Goff, G. W. Tudor, Rue Parcells, Guy Gerber, Chas. Thornton, Geo. E. Hershman, Mrs. Julia A Healey, Henry Nevil. Also 44 $lO subscrip tions. V In all, at both morning and evening meetings, there was pledged $3,693.90, to apply on the general debt of $4,000, and in the evening there was pledged .the further sum of $485 towards a pipe organ, and half of the cost of which it is expected will be given by Andrew Carnegie. The contract for this new church was let to Rush & Warren of Rens-

selaer, iu the spring of 190r>, and has been most carefully and conscien fi ously erected, but delay i u receiving material from away, especially the windows, has caused the completion of the building to extend far be rood toe date expected. The architects- ~wffre -J. Fr

Alexander & Sons, of Lafayette. The building is 66 by 89 feet, with a basement under the entire structure, in which are parlors, kitchen, furnace and storage rooms etc. The main room seats 400 and the Sunday school room 300, aud both can be thrown into one by lifting parti tions. It will be easy to seat several hundred more in chairs, whenever the occasion requires. The materials of the building are brick veneer, cament and stone, with a wonderful profusion of beautiful windows. The large picture given in this paper shows the westerly or Van Rensselaer street side, while the smaller picture shows more clearly the Susan street side with its three memorial windows, described below, The arrangement of the seat ing is such that the pulpit and choir are both in plain view of the

entire congregation, including those in the Sunday school room when it is connected. .Besides the rooms tjlready mentioned there are several smaller ones, such as Sunday school ciass room, preacher’s study, baptistry, two robing rooms. The choir is separated from the pnlpit with a door between. Both pulpit space and choir are so large that many extra people in case of necessity

The main with Ymudnome hardwoojUpews, curved to-fit the room. YTEi-Sun-day school will be seated with movable chairs, which have not yet arrived. The building is heated by hot air from double furnaces in the basement. The lots on which the building stands were given by "Dr. I. fiC Washburn "and W. H. H, Graham, both now deceased. The most Ornamental feature of the new building is the three large memorial the north or Susan street side of the building. The center window is 25 feet high, with corresponding width. The windows -are of colored cathedral glass and all portray bible 'scenes, and ure copies of paintings by noted artists. The large center window rrepEgrseats the Christ among the Doctors, and is a memorial of the late Dr. Israel B. Washburn, aud his widow, Mrs. Martha' Washburn. One of the smaller windows rep resents Christ iu the Garden of Gethsemane, and is in memory of George Headley Brown, deceased, and his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown. The other window represents'Easter Morning, or the Risen Christ Appearing to Mary. It is in honor..of Miss Jessie L. Bartoo, deceased. The three windows cost about SSOO and were donated by relatives of the persons whose names and Christian labors they commemorate.

Uiew of New Christian Church from North Sid e.

Uiew of New Christian church from the West Side.