A great spirit of evangelism characterizes the Upper Columbia Conference at this time. After considering the cities in the conference, small and great, the conference committee decided to erect tabernacle buildings of a temporary nature which could be taken down and moved without tearing all the lumber to pieces when removing the nails. This, of course, saves considerable expense.
We drew our plans for a tabernacle building, and presented them to the conference committee. They studied the plans and finally voted to erect the beautiful auditorium here illustrated, in Pendleton, Oregon. They gave us efficient help, and in less than four weeks the work was under way.
The building is all of wood. It is well constructed of light three-ply board, with the exception of the roof. Thus the weight is minimized. The decorations on the sham front are all painted in with different-color paints, making the building very attractive and neat in appearance. The names above the front door are sawed out of thick lumber, painted with gold paint, and fastened to the building with screws.
The sections of the building have been put together with bolts, so that we can easily take it down and move it. Thus the whole building is portable with the exception of the roof, which is too large to be portable. The roof is put on with but one nail in each board at each rafter. Our roofing is one-ply rubberoid. We plan to use this same roof in our next effort. To reduce the size of the auditorium, a section may be easily removed. Or to make it larger, a section, or sections, may be added.
The entrance is a tunnel-effect hallway, about eight feet in length. At the end of this hallway there is an arched double door which admits people to the main auditorium. This tunnel is painted with a gold finish, which is very neat when lighted at night. On entering the auditorium, one steps on a soft carpet made of burlap, which covers about five inches of sawdust. The carpet is stretched very tight, and is cleaned every day.
The interior of the auditorium, including the seats, is burned with a torch, giving a rustic appearance. The extetior is treated with a preparation which preserves the wood, and is waterproof. The windows are all draped with burlap on rods that swing. The lighting system is arranged so that we can use small colored lights placed above the windows. These amber lights burn while people are coming in, and this saves on our electricity bill. The rostrum is lighted with two spotlights, which are focused to strike the speaker's desk.
Back of the elevated, well-lighted choir loft hang dark-green drapes of burlap. This material is inexpensive, and yet it makes a beautiful effect. Back of the choir is the baptistry. It is arranged in sections, so that it can be taken down without injury to the beautiful painting which has been prepared as a background. This painting which is seen during the baptism is of mountains, trees, a lake, and a waterfall.
The rostrum is made in sections for moving. It is placed on wooden horses made of 2" x 4" and I" x 4" legs. These horses are placed about four feet apart, thus making a substantial platform.
There are two living rooms on one side of the rostrum, which accommodate the man who takes care of the building. On the other side there is a large prayer room, which is used as a dressing room during baptisms. It is equipped with accordion doors. The choir meets in this room for prayer every evening before coming into the choir loft.
In the back of the auditorium we have a study and book room, a furnace room, and a mothers' room for the women with babies. We have one twenty-seven-inch furnace, with a noiseless fan connection, which keeps the auditorium warm and comfortable each evening.
People have driven for miles to see this beautiful building, and many have pronounced it the finest tabernacle building in appearance ever erected by our people. We have found it to be a place where the better class of people here in Pendleton are not ashamed to spend the evening. Some have already taken their stand for the message. The conference builder directed in the construction of this beautiful building.
