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First Methodist Episcopal Church Denison, Texas Denison Daily Herald
Tuesday, January 8, 1878 The work of frescoing the new Methodist church commenced yesterday. The job is being done by E.C. Clifford who has procured the services of Rev. S.S. Steele as chief workman. Mr. Steele has considerable reputation as an artist in this line.  Denison Daily News Sunday, February 24, 1878 DEDICATION SERVICES The Methodist Episcopal Church will be dedicated today. Services as follows: Preaching at 10:30 o'clock a.m. by Rev. W. Brush, D.D. Sunday School reunion at 3 p.m. Preaching at 7:30 p.m. by Rev. L.H. Carhart. The public is cordially invited.  Denison Daily News
Wednesday, February 27, 1878 The New M.E. Church A Full Description of this Model House of Worship The new Methodist church, which was dedicated last Sunday, is without doubt one of the handsomest edifices of the kind in the State, as we believe our readers would like to see a more full description of it, we give the following particulars: The church is of brick, in Gothic style, with cut stone trimmings and a corner tower, to be surmounted with a spire. Its extreme dimensions are 50 by 74 feet. The interior for convenience and comfort can hardly be improved. The main audience room is 35 by 50 feet, with a recess for pulpit and choir in the center of the rear side of the room 13 by 26 feet, making a spacious platform who semicircular front projects but a short distance into the audience room proper. The seats are arranged around this in amphitheaters style, each one being higher than the one in front, as the floor rises as it recedes from the pulpit. This arrangement is very advantageous, as every person sits facing the pulpit and sees over the heads of those in front. Opposite the pulpit, and in the front part of the building, is a chapel 20 by 30 feet, which by large doors hung on weights may be made part of the audience room proper or be shut off into a room by itself, for prayer and social meetings. Opening from the pulpit platform are 2 good-sized rooms, one for the pastor's study and the other for a classroom. The windows are of beautiful stained glass, the frescoing is in good taste and finish of native pecan with walnut moldings, all of which, with bright carpets, chandeliers and lamps, give the whole interior an air of beauty and cheerfulness seldom equaled. The seats are entirely comfortable, which can seldom be said of church pews, and with the chairs will accommodate an audience of about 400. The house is perfectly ventilated and heated by a furnace in the basement. The day of dedication was a beautiful Texas day, and the house was crowded to its utmost capacity both morning and evening. Rev. Dr. Brush preached a masterly sermon in the morning, the choir sang superbly, and at the close of the service Rev. M.A. Daugherty made a financial statement showing the cost of the church to be, including lots and furnishings, about $6,200, the building alone costing something over $5,200. Of this amount about $1,000 was to be provided for immediately, and the audience was asked to remain quiet and see it done. Everybody was skeptical and thought the proposal was a wild one, but with the utmost good cheery and within a very little time pledges amounting to $1,224 were received, thus amply providing for all the indebtedness except $800 due the Church Extension Society, which can run 4 years at 8% interest. The church is an ornament to our city, and no attraction we possess will draw more or better people to our place, and we congratulate Mr. Dougherty and his heroic band of helpers on the consummation of their work. The choir, and no better can be found, deserve much credit for the music, which added so much to the occasion. The joiner work, under the direction of Mr. David Pattie, and the frescoing and decoration by E.C. Clifford, reflect great credit upon these gentlemen for skill and taste. The Sunday school of the church purchased and has nearly paid for the stained glass windows. The Ladies Aid Society of the church provided the furnishing, and amid many discouragements have wrought indefatigably. Few churches of its size posses a more noble or gifted band of women, and their entertainments are always a pledge of something good and chaste. The entire society has labored and given generously, and a grateful public recognized their good work and public spirit by helping them through. We were gratified to observe that the Presbyterian church had no service in the morning, and that Rev. Mr. Carson, the pastor, was present and took part in the service, and that many of his people were in the audience.  First Methodist Episcopal Church History Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |