As the church entered its third year in 1924, the statement was made: “We (are) confronted by an immediate and imperative need, which calls for the undertaking of our supreme task. We must build our church.” Being Baptist, finance and building committees were formed. Pledges of more than $100,000 were made, and Goode Construction Company was chosen as the contractor.
The architect was J. M. McMichael (1870-1944), a native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania who practiced in Philadelphia before moving to Charlotte in early 1901. At his death, he had established several records including designing the greatest number of churches and institutional buildings in the United States, in the South, in a single state and in one city. Other churches in Charlotte designed by McMichael include First Baptist Church, Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church, Tabernacle A.R.P Church, First Baptist of Concord and Lincolnton, and Myers Park Presbyterian Church, in addition to the Carnegie Library in Charlotte. He always did the designs for his buildings personally and felt that a building should always reflect the best “values of society. A building that has design character instills high morals and ideals. A poorly designed building is a sham, an embarrassment and out of character with the part it plays in the community . . .A church building should not hide its light under a bushel but rather should be built as a lamp set upon a hill whose light cannot be hid.”
A description of the new building from the architect’s prospectus:
“The building of Roman Ionic design was to be built of grey brick with limestone columns and trim and was to have a red tile roof. The new building would be 75 feet wide and 146 feet long with a total of 33 rooms and 4 toilets. The three floors would be connected by four inside stairways.
The first-floor plan contained the auditorium with a seating capacity of 500, a roomy platform and space in the choir for eighteen singers, with two entrances to the choir. The auditorium was to have five front doors from the spacious front lobby, and two doors to the rear corridor through anterooms. The total Sunday School space was designed for 800-1,000 members…The second floor contained the balcony of the auditorium, seating 200. The upper part of the auditorium ceiling was to have a ceiling dome 30 feet in diameter with a concealed lighting system. Upon completion, the interior of the dome was painted light blue with white clouds.”
The acoustics in the sanctuary initially had an “echo effect” such that a person standing at the fourth or fifth pew on one side at the front of the sanctuary could whisper and be heard on the other side. Many years later in order to save energy, this effect was lost when the dome in the middle of the ceiling of the room was enclosed.
Early in our archival work, Dr. Foust asked if we had any information as to the design of the windows. There are no records from those early years other than deacon and conference meeting minutes and the histories written for the 20th, 25th, and 50th Anniversaries. The history of Hawthorne Lane Methodist states that their windows were manufactured by the Empire Glass and Decoration Company of Atlanta and notes that this is same company that made the windows for St. John’s.
Several years ago, we received a phone call from the wife of Dr. Gaines’ grandson. They actually live in Charlotte and were moving. She had found a box in the attic containing some of Dr. Gaines’ papers which she gave to us. In the box was a very old, folded picture of the church. On the back of the picture there is writing that appears to have been written by Mrs. Gaines to her son. A portion of that writing says:
“Probably you know that all those smaller stained-glass windows at the top of the long windows were made from drawings your father drew.”
Thus, the question as to who designed the windows was answered.
Information about the actual designs-
The vine and grapes around each window represent Unity in Christ and faithfulness.
The windows at the rear of the sanctuary represent the important teachings of the Old Testament – the Ark of the Covenant, the Ten Commandments, and the Temple Menorah. On the sides toward the rear is a lamb with a cross known as the Paschal Lamb, which is symbolic of the Passover, Noah’s Ark and opposite the Ark is a dove with an olive branch indicating God’s promises after the flood. There are two other symbols originating from the Old Testament which are a Sheaf of Grain for Abundance and a Harp for Praise. The remaining symbols are representative of the life of Jesus: the Star of Bethlehem- birth, a Cross with drapery – Palm Sunday, a Crown of Thorns – the Crucifixion, the Bread and Cup-the Last Supper, the Lily- Resurrection, the Ascending Dove- the Holy Spirit, and the Crown- the Lordship of Jesus.
Two other stained-glass windows were placed each in the stairwells leading from the back hallway behind the chancel above the outside doors. The one on the Fifth Street side is of the Holy Bible. There is no information about the one on the opposite end of the hallway (where the hallway to the Children’s classrooms begins). This window would have been removed when the Educational (Lasater Hall) building was added.
There is one other stained-glass window over the steps from 5th Street leading up to the Chapel door. This window was installed at the time the Lasater Hall or Educational Building was built.
From a letter dated April 23, 1952, from Dr. Claude Broach, Senior Minister to the Russell Church Supply Co.:
“I would like to inquire whether or not the artists at the stained-glass company could design for us an emblem consisting of two hands joined together. My idea is that it would be a close-up of the hands of two persons who were shaking hands. This new building is to be a building in which we will have a great deal of fellowship in the fellowship hall downstairs, in services in the chapel, etc. It occurs to me that this emblem which would be a symbol of fellowship would be most appropriate to be on the front of the building.”
There would have been a corresponding window at the entrance to the Educational Building from the parking lot. This window was described by Dr. Broach to be the Church on the Rock. There is no other information about this window.
