A Red Letter Day

Sunday will be a red letter day in the higtory of the Bethlehem chnrch, for upon that day the new Evangélica! Lutberan chnrch on Funrtb avenue, betvveen William and Packard streets, will be unlocked by Pastor Neumann and bis large flock will hereafter wor ship in one of the finest edifices in a city kuown abroad for the architeotural beauty of its cburches. Tbe cervices will begin at 10 a. ra., in the old church, where Rev. Scbreiber, of Saline, will preach a short sermón. The line of rnaroh will then be taken up outside the old spiritual home aa follows: Pastors - J. Nenmann, pastor of the new church ; O. Haass, Detroit ; Paul Irion, Freedom ; G. Eisen, Ohelsea ; J. B. Meister, Freedom ; J. Mayer, Jackson ; G. Schoettle, Manchester; C. Hoag, Port Harón, R. Schreiber, Saliue, W. Wilde, Francisco, C. Stanger, IDteroit; J. Scbweiufurth, Anu Arbor; building committee, ohoir and congregation. During the march, the uew chimes will ring for the lirst time. On arrival at tbe church tbe pastor will open the church with appropriate eerernony. There will be three services at the church, the one in tbe morniiig being participated in by Revs. Neumann, Hoag and Irion, that of the afteruoon by Revs. Schoettle, Eisen, Meister and Mayer. In the even ing Revs. Stanger and Hoag and President Augell will speak, Dr. Angelí givmg the only English portion of the day 's services. Mr. Fischer and Miss Emma Fischer will preside at the organ during the services. A soprano solo will be rendered by Miss Koch and an alto solo by Miss C. Wahr. The coustruction of the new church has been watched closely since the exeavation made for it in the spring. The church is constructed of boulders foand around Ann Arbor, with trirnmings of sandstonc. The main roof is of slate, while the roof of the towers is of tile. There are two towers, tbe top of the main tower being 80 feet from the ground. There are two entrances to the church. one at each of the front corners, and the aisles lead down at a slope to the pulpit, there being au 18 inch decline from enfrances to pulpit. The two main aisles are five feet wide. the side aisles three feet in width. The main aisle, iöto wbich the others converge, is four feet wide. The organ and choir are ai the back of the pulpit, and on eaoh side are two rooms, 13L by 15 feet inside. One of these will be the pastor's stndy. Ihe Sunday school room is looated in the basement and is 50 by 57 J f eet in size, made into two large class rooms. There are also in the basement a library room, 12x14 feet in size, a boiler room 20 x 36 feet, a store room and two toilet rooms. It was expected to dedícate the chnrch in October last but the undertaking proved to be greater than it was flrst thought to be and the ohurch is only now ready for dedication. The church cost almost $25,000 and the money was all pledged by the congregation before a stoue was laid. The congregation, which consists of upwards of 250 families, was flrst organized in 1832. Smce then nntil the present time it has had but three pastors. The first pastor was Rev. Prederick Schmid, who was sent here by tbe Mission Honse at Basle, SwitzerlaDd. He served the chnrch nntil 1871. Rev. John Neumann has served his oongregation since 1877, and the new church is a monument to his perseverance and to the high esteem he is held in by his congregation. The old church building was built in 1844 and enlarged in 1873. Tbe building oommittee of the uew church consisted of Rev. John Neumann, chairman; Tiius Hutzel, John Mayer, John Koch, Theodure Bruegel, Chas. Tpssmer and John Schenk. Tho flnanco oommittee oonsisfced of John Goetz, jr. , Albert Sfhumacher, Wm. Reiiibart, Wm. Henne and Qeorge Visel. The out of this cburch appeared in these columns February }, last.