Laying The Corner Stone

The corner stoue of the uew Bethlehem Evangelical church was laid Sunday aftemoon 011 South Fourth avenue, with appropriate services. The organization of this church has peculiar historical interest as having built the first Germán protestaut church in Michigan. For inany years, like the more recently built Zion chuveh, it has been an independent clmreh organization, not haring afïiliated with any synod or general denomination. In both cases, hovvever, the pastors are members of national church bodies. The afternoon was rather warm, but a gentle breeze teinpered the heat and a very large number of people were in uttendance, covering the sidewalks and adjacent ground. The first floor of the church had been laid, and on a raisec platform erected back of the stone, sai Rev. John Neumann, the pastor, the assisting ministers and the members o: the various committees. It was twenty minutes of three o'clocl when the ceremonies were opened by the siugiug of the well kuown hymi "Lobedem Herrn, den maechtigen Koe nig der Ehren. ' ' Rev. Mr. Schweinfurth read the latter part of the 118th Psalm He followed this with a pra-yer. After this the choir sang and Rev. Paul Irion of Freedom, spoke, using as his text Ep. II: 19 -22. He comnienced his ad dress by saying that whatever they did in words or acts, they should do in the name of the Trinity and give thanks The Bethlehem church was too oíd to forget to give thanks for all the bless ings it had received since it was flrs organized. T erefore on that day they should give special thanks. As a Chris tian church they could say they hac found Jesus. He divided his subjec into three parts. ,The buildng of a Chrstian church, the work in counection therewith and the results. He described the foundaton of a building. A Chris tian must also have a solid foundation which was Jesus Christ. There was much work to be done in the prepara ti on for building. The same was true in the church. The Lord wanted them to work in obedience and faith and al would grow iuto a great whole. It was with men as with building stones, many corners had to be chipped off before they were ready for the master. Rev. L. G. Nollau, of Detroit, fol lowed on the text, Psalm XC, 17. Many people said the times were getting worse, but he thought they were get ting better. He referred to the difficulty and perils the forefatheïS had in wor shiping God. Rev. William Tedrow, of the Trinity Lutheran church, spoke a few words in English. He said they had chosen an interesting and significant day for the laying of the corner stone. The day was commemorative of the beginning oi the Christian church. As they ciime together that day although thpy were Germans and he was English they earue in the same spirit. He believed there was no denomination in the world that more fully represented the pentecostal spirit, than the church for which they were laying the corner stone that day. It mattered not how they difl'er in form they were one in spirit and aim. His prayer was that the corner stone be laid in the same unity of faith of the early Christian church. He congraulawd the church on the sacecaó of its uiidertaking. The choir sang tle anthem "Loba dem Herrn," after which the pastor of the congregation made some remarks and read a list of the articles placed in the box in the corner stone. The church was organized in 1833 by the late Rev. Frederick Schmid, the church being built on land donated by Daniel F. Allmendinger on Jackson avenue west of the city limits where the present cemetery is located. The first building oost $250.32. In later years the brick church on West Washington strect had been built at a cost of $1820. During ! the ba years ot the existence ol the church it has had only three pastors, Bev. Frederick Schniid, Rev. Herman Reuter aud the present pastor. The followiug is a list of the artioles placed in the box : constitutiou of the eongregation, children's catechism, ini troduced by Rev. Frederick Schrnid 62 years ago aud still used in the cougregation, papers cousisting of the Friedensbote, Heidenbote, Evangelical Kirchenblatt, Kinderzeitung, Unsere Kleinen, Kollekteblatt der Basler Mission, photograühs of the flrat ehurch, present church, pastors, Revs. Frederick Schmid, Herman Reuter, and John Nenmaun, Evangelical almanac, coustitution of the Christian Endeavor society, reports of the presidents and treasurers of the C. E. society, Ladies society, Young Ladies society and Junior C. E. society, copies of the Germán papers of Ann Arbor, and lastly a general report of the congregation and the new church building. This report showed that there were 250 famlies, 750 coninmnicants, about 100 stated hearers and 450 children connected with the church and congregation. The building cornmittee eonsisted of Titns F. Hutzel, John Meyer, John Koch, John Schenk, Charles Tessmer, Albert T. Breugel and Rev. John Neumann ; finance committee, John Gtóetz, Albert Schumaoher. George Visel, William Henne and William Rhinehart. The new cbureh will cost over $25,000 wben conipleted. After reading the list of articles placed in the box it was closèd, the stone raised and the box placed in the hollow cut for that purpose. The olock on the court honse strack 4 o'clock when the corner stone was placed in position. The pastor, Rev. Johu Neumann, then dedicated the scone in the name of the Trinity. The choir sang "Nun danket alle Gott" and the ceremonies were over.