At the laying of the corner stone of the present building the following ministers, besides the pastor, were present and took part in the ceremony: Revs. Dr. I. E. Bill, J. P. Parsons, W. P. Everitt, and A. J. Wilcox. The ceremony, which was very impressive, commenced by the choir singing the hymn:
“How pleasant, how divinely fair,
O Lord of Hosts Thy dwellings are!”
Dr. Carey concluded the reading of the corner stone document with these words:—“And now perplexed, but not in despair; cast down, but not destroyed; with faith and trust in the God of Bethel, our fathers’ God and our God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ, on this Tuesday afternoon, second of October, 1877, in the forty-first year of her Majesty’s reign, and the eleventh year of the Dominion of Canada, Earl Dufferin, Governor General, and the Hon. S. L. Tilley, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, the ninety-second year of the incorporation of St. John, and the sixty-eighth of the Germain Street Baptist Church, we lay this corner stone with the fervent prayer and aspiration that the spiritual glory of the Temple now being raised may far surpass the glory of the former temples which have risen on this site.”
The following were placed in a tin box and deposited in the corner stone:—Documents taken from the ruins of the former building; List of Officers, August 24th, 1864; Statement of Pastorates of Revs. I. E. Bill and Henry Vaughan; Names of the Founders, Organizers and Pastors of the Church; List of Officers and present number of Members; Statement of the Sunday School before the Fire; Baptist Hand Book of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; Copies of The Christian Visitor; Silver coins—5, 10, 25 and 50 cents Dominion Currency; together with the documents read at the laying of the present corner stone.
On Sunday, February 24th, 1878, we met for worship for the first time in the vestry of the new Church. The pastor being detained at Annapolis, on account of a storm, Rev. George Armstrong preached in the morning and Rev. Dr. Watters, of St. David’s Church, in the evening.
Dedication of the Church.
The main audience room of the Church was opened on the 11th of August, and dedicated to the worship of the Triune God, with appropriate services. Rev. Dr. I. E. Bill, a former pastor, preached in the morning from Acts 20: 35—“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” He spoke earnestly and impressively on the duty of giving liberally so as to place the Church as soon as possible in the same position financially as previous to the Fire, when there was not one cent of incumbrance on the property. The pastor preached in the evening from Haggai 2: 18, 19—“From the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, from this day will I bless you.” Dr. Carey concluded as follows: “From this day may the blessing of God rest upon the place and the people, the worshippers and their work, and may the glory of the latter house be greater than that of the former. May spiritual and temporal prosperity abide and abound on it, and may it be an earthly palace for the Prince of Peace.” The house is tasteful and commodious, with a seating capacity of about 850. It was the first church edifice completed after the fire. In April of this year, the hour of evening service was changed from 6 to 7 o’clock.
From Associational Letter, 1879.
“The total cost of Church and Parsonage, including organ and furnishings was $46,000, of which $30,000 has been paid, including $4,000 contributed this spring by for liberal members of the church and congregation. This leaves a debt of $16,000. Additions during the year: by baptism 14, by letter 4, reinstated 1. Loss: by death 3, dismissed 3. Present Membership 474. Attendance at Young People’s Meeting during the winter, fully 100. At Portland Bridge Mission the average attendance at the Sunday School was 90, and on Sunday evenings from 300 to 400. Our Licentiate, Brother John F. Newton, spent his vacation laboring in this field, and his work was highly appreciated. Brother W. F. Parker, (now Rev. W. F. Parker) spent his vacation working among the colored people at Spar Cove, and was blessed in his work. Our Sunday School has been in a prosperous condition during the year, though still not as large as previous to the fire. Number of Scholars, 170, Teachers, 18. Volumes in Library, 250.”
Rev. John F. Burditt.