NOTE: I accidently skipped from Part 8 to Part 10 on the last mailing--sorry about that--Bob Francis (p. 150) The Third Church Building AFTER agitating the question for many years, the congregation, at a meeting held in the old church, April 30, 1899, formally decided to erect a new building, and, preparatory thereto, appointed J. S. Withers, S. J. Ashbrook, M. C. Swinford, B. D. Berry, W. T. Lafferty, W. S. Cason, and Wm. Addams as a committee to incorporate the Church, report upon the probable cost of a new building, and to recommend a plan for raising the money therefor. The committee met May 2, 1899, at the office of B. D. Berry, and after electing J. S. Withers Chairman, and W. S. Cason Secretary, adopted the following articles of incorporation: "Know all men by these presents, That the undersigned, J. S. Withers, Wm. Addams, S. J. Ashbrook, W. T. Lafferty, M. C. Swinford, W. S. Cason, and B. D. Berry, members of the Christian Church of Cynthiana, Ky., having been appointed by the congregation of said Church, on the thirtieth day of April, 1899, for that purpose, do, together with the officers and all other members of said Christian Church of Cynthiana, hereby associate themselves together as a body corporate or body politic, by the name and style of 'The Christian Church of Cynthiana,' for the purpose of receiving and holding in trust for the benefit of said congregation any property (p. 153) , real or personal, now owned, or which may hereafter be obtained by it, and for the further purpose of erecting, furnishing, and maintaining a house of worship of Almighty God at said place. "1. Said corporation shall, by said name, have perpetual succession, and may purchase, take by devise, bequest, gift, or deed, any real or personal estate or property, and the same hold for the use and benefit of said Church, according to the discipline and economy of the same; and sell, mortgage, lease, convey, or otherwise dispose of the same; and to sell, mortgage, lease, convey, or otherwise dispose of the property now owned by said Church or any part thereof, and to have and exercise all powers necessary for, and incident to, religious corporations not inconsistent with the Constitution and Laws of the United States or the State of Kentucky: and in that name to contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, so far as it may be necessary to protect the property, rights, title, privileges, and immunities of said Church, and to use and employ said property for the use and purpose of carrying out the religious interest of said Church; and may employ counsel, servants, agents, and workmen, as occasion may require. "2. That J. S. Withers, S. J. Ashbrook, and Wm. Addams are hereby appointed trustees of said Church, to continue in office until their successors (p. 154) are duly appointed by the Church; that the affairs of said Church shall be managed by a board of three trustees. "3. That said trustees and their successors may borrow money for the use of the Church, and secure the payment of same by mortgage on any property now owned or that may be hereafter owned by the said Church, and may pay off, or by mortgage secure the payment of, any existing debt now due from said Church; and may erect new buildings or repair the present buildings; but they are not to borrow money, execute mortgages or conveyances of Church property, or erect any buildings until they have been authorized so to do by the vote of the majority of the congregation present at a regular meeting of the congregation, and after public notice has been given of the time and place when and where such vote is to be taken; and the result of such vote shall be entered upon the records of the Church, and said trustees shall perform such other duties as the congregation may direct. "All conveyances, mortgages, leases, bills of sale or written contracts must be made and signed by the trustees for the time being, or by a majority of said trustees; and all instruments so authorized and signed for the use and benefit of said Church shall be binding on said Corporation. "4. That said Corporation may have a common seal, and alter same at pleasure. (p. 155) "5. That said Corporation may adopt rules and regulations for its government, not inconsistent with law. "6. That the private property of the incorporators shall be exempt from corporate debts." On May 7, 1899, the committee reported these articles to the congregation, and recommended that it build a house costing not less than $15,000, nor more than $20,000. These reports were unanimously approved, and. the committee was continued as the Building Committee. The old lot being too small for its purpose, the committee purchased of T. W. Anderson his lot, adjoining the church lot oil the east, and fronting fifty-five feet on Mill Street, and, on June 29, 1899, unanimously adopted the plans of Des Jardins & Hayward, architects, of Cincinnati, Ohio, for the new building. Believing that they would be able to contract for the new building within the limits fixed by their report, the committee, on the 11th day of July, began removing the old building, and excavating for the new. After this had been done it was ascertained that, because of certain unexpected advances in the prices of material, and of some erroneous estimates, the cost of the building would much exceed the estimate. But the bridges having been burned behind it, one course alone was open that was to shoulder the responsibility bravely and manfully. After making some alterations in the plans, and after procuring the most reliable information (p. 156) possible as to the probable cost, the committee, on the 26th day of November, 1899, submitted to the congregation the following report and recommendation: CYNTHIANA, Ky., NOV. 26, 1899. To the Cynthiana Christian Church: "Your committee, appointed to erect and furnish a church building, would respectfully report that they accepted plans and specifications as prepared by Des Jardins & Hayward, architects, which have heretofore been reported to the congregation; that the architects were instructed to prepare plans that could be built at a cost of $18,000. That relying upon the statements and recommendations of the architects as to the cost of building, in order to expedite the work, the committee had the old building removed, the excavating done, and the foundation partially built. In this the committee perhaps acted too hastily, and are somewhat to blame. That the committee, having advertised for and received bids, found that, owing to an underestimate on the part of the architects, the building, complete and furnished, would cost considerably in excess of $30,000. That they thereupon had the architects make some changes in the plans and specifications, which will not materially alter the building in appearance or usefulness, and have again received bids. That by building the walls of native limestone, laid in (p. 159) broken ashlar, the building can be erected and furnished at a cost of between $28,000 and $30,000. The committee are of the opinion that the needs of the congregation require a building as large as the one contemplated; and, besides, they cannot further change the plans, without a very great loss on the work already done. The committee would, therefore, recommend that they be authorized to build and furnish the church at a cost of not exceeding $30,000. They would also further recommend that the congregation raise the sum of $20,000 therefor, and that they bond the church for the remainder; that the said $20,000 be raised, as far as possible, by voluntary subscriptions, and that if it should not be able to raise the whole of said sum in that manner, a committee of three competent men be appointed by the congregation, who shall examine said subscription list and make an assessment on the membership to equalize the said subscription list, and sufficient to bring said list up to the sum of $20,000. Respectfully submitted. Wm. ADDAMS, W. T. LAFFERTY, W. S. CASON, BAILY D. BERRY, M. C. SWINFORD, S. J. ASHBROOK, J. S. WITHERS, (p. 160) The report was adopted, with one dissenting vote. -- Bob Francis 1920A Butner St. Ft. Eustis, VA 23604 My Homepage is: http://www.shawhan.com Ruddell's Fort Page: http://www.shawhan.com/ruddlesfort.html Early Bourbon County Families Page: http://www.shawhan.com/bourbonfamilies.html