The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 5, May, 1881 — John Shaqi
The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 5, May, 1881Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 35, No. 5, May, 1881
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
Something like a year ago, a gentleman who signed himself
“_Howard_,” and whose real name was only known at the Boston
office, gave $3,000 to build the house. Rev. D. D. Dodge, our
Superintendent at Wilmington, was charged with the duty of securing
a site, of procuring plans and estimates, and of building the house
within the sum appropriated. This work Mr. Dodge duly undertook,
intending to build of wood, but, after the foundations were laid
and the frame was up, “Howard” signified his wish to have the frame
“jacketed” with brick, and for that purpose added $600 more to his
donation, thus making the entire coat $3,600.
The house will seat 450 people, is 72 feet in length by 36 in
width, and measures 22 feet in the clear. It has a corner tower
rising 100 feet from the street below, and is the highest object in
the city, and the first seen on approaching the city from the Sound.
The brick is of a deep red, and, though not pressed, looks as if
it were. The proportions of the building could not well be more
perfect or more pleasing to the eye. Both the local press and
the people speak of it as an ornament to the city, and express
surprise that it could have been built for a sum less than eight
or ten thousand dollars. It should be said, however, that all the
parties on the ground of whom the material was bought, sold at
the lowest rates; those furnishing the lumber, sashes, doors and
iron, throwing off the entire local profit; and Mr. Barstow, of
Providence, R.I., 65 per cent. from the two furnaces to heat the
house. Mr. Dodge, also, gave his time to the work; and Mr. Weston,
of Nashua, N.H., who laid the brick, a part of his. This will
account in part for so fine a building at so moderate an outlay
of money. A large, dry and light cellar extends under the whole
building, which will furnish needed room for storing coal, wood,
&c., for the mission.
The services of dedication occurred in the following order: 1.
Anthem, by the Choir. 2. Prayer, by Rev. Mr. Dodge. 3. Reading of
the Scriptures, by Rev. Dr. Taylor, of the First Baptist (white)
Church of the city. 4. Singing. 5. Sermon, by Rev. C. L. Woodworth,
from Luke xiv. 23. 6. Dedicatory Prayer, by Rev. Dr. Wilson, of the
First Presbyterian Church (white).
After the dedication proper, “_Howard_”—who turns out to be the
Hon. James J. H. Gregory, of Marblehead, Mass.—was introduced as
the giver of the house. In an address full of feeling and of good
sense he offered the salutations and the fellowship of the Northern
Congregational Churches. Drs. Wilson and Taylor followed with words
of kindly greeting, and assurances of sympathy and co-operation
from their respective churches: the former slyly saying that
the only thing he wished different was that the church was
Presbyterian, and the latter responding that the thing he wished
different was that the church was Baptist. Two others, laymen,
spoke from the floor in a similar strain. The addresses were, in
every sense, genial and hearty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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