Today in Wheeling History: August 22—The cornerstone of Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Centre Wheeling is laid (1867).
On August 22, 1867, a large crowd gathered in Wheeling, West Virginia, to witness the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new St. John's Episcopal Church in Centre Wheeling. The event was conducted by the Masonic Grand Lodge, who marched to the church site led by choristers and clergy. They performed rituals to test and approve the positioning of the cornerstone before the Rector and Grand Master sealed inside it numerous documents, photographs, and other artifacts representing the time period. These included coins, paper money, newspapers, stamps, and materials related to the church and local community.
The Deputy, Senior, and Junior Grand Wardens conducted symbolic rituals pouring corn, wine, and oil on the stone to consecrate it with the qualities of plenty, joy, peace, and protection. The Rector then addressed the crowd and the stone was ceremonially struck to complete the ritual. Afterwards, the procession marched away singing hymns, concluding the important ceremony to commence work on the new St. John's Episcopal Church in Wheeling.
St. John's Episcopal Church in Centre Wheeling was established in 1850 after splitting off from St. Matthew's. Over the next 25 years, it struggled with declining membership, damage from flooding, and turnover of rectors. By 1875, burdened by debt from constructing a new stone church building, St. John's property was sold at auction. Despite efforts to continue the parish by renting space, St. John's effectively ceased to exist after the sale of its building. The parish had a brief but troubled history, never managing to establish itself firmly even as the city of Wheeling grew around it. (https://tinyurl.com/4b6ba9st) (https://tinyurl.com/3xevpty3)
On August 22, 1867, a large crowd gathered in Wheeling, West Virginia, to witness the cornerstone laying ceremony for the new St. John's Episcopal Church in Centre Wheeling. The event was conducted by the Masonic Grand Lodge, who marched to the church site led by choristers and clergy. They performed rituals to test and approve the positioning of the cornerstone before the Rector and Grand Master sealed inside it numerous documents, photographs, and other artifacts representing the time period. These included coins, paper money, newspapers, stamps, and materials related to the church and local community.
The Deputy, Senior, and Junior Grand Wardens conducted symbolic rituals pouring corn, wine, and oil on the stone to consecrate it with the qualities of plenty, joy, peace, and protection. The Rector then addressed the crowd and the stone was ceremonially struck to complete the ritual. Afterwards, the procession marched away singing hymns, concluding the important ceremony to commence work on the new St. John's Episcopal Church in Wheeling.
St. John's Episcopal Church in Centre Wheeling was established in 1850 after splitting off from St. Matthew's. Over the next 25 years, it struggled with declining membership, damage from flooding, and turnover of rectors. By 1875, burdened by debt from constructing a new stone church building, St. John's property was sold at auction. Despite efforts to continue the parish by renting space, St. John's effectively ceased to exist after the sale of its building. The parish had a brief but troubled history, never managing to establish itself firmly even as the city of Wheeling grew around it. (https://tinyurl.com/4b6ba9st) (https://tinyurl.com/3xevpty3)
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