THE "GLORY BARN"

On July 9,1918, The Gospel Tabernacle of St. Paul, also known as the Alliance Gospel Tabernacle and "Glory Barn" opened its doors. It was a huge shell of a building with a high platform, a dirt floor covered with wood shavings, and primitive wooden benches that seated 2,300. Double doors opened to Fry Street. There was no plumbing, but the bathrooms and baptistry were available at the Training School next to the church. The cost of the tabernacle construction was $9,000.00.

Dedicatory evangelistic services began on July 9, 1918, and continued the entire month with such great evangelists of that day as Paul Rader, then Pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, Gregory Mantle, and Jospeh Hogue.

J.D. Williams said of this month of meetings: "The new Gospel Tabernacle has been open only one month but during this time hundreds of souls have knelt at the altar for salvation and sanctification and at times the building has been crowded to its utmost capacity which means an audience of over 2,000 people... As the ancient tent in the wilderness was known as "the Tabernacle of Witness" so we also are praying that God will make this building a "Tabernacle of Witness" and a monument of answered prayer. That hundreds here may be truly born again and anointed with the Holy Spirit and sent out as witnesses into the needy parts of the homeland and also to the uttermost parts of the world."