At the Annual Meeting of the church January 21, 1948, a “War Memorial” project was presented by Messrs W.H. Wager and F.E Kendall on behalf of the War Memorial Fund Committee. […] The proposed project was to include a pipe organ, new pulpit furniture and a new communion table and chairs – approximate cost $6500. These purchases would become “a fiting permanent and useful Memorial which would perpetuate the memory of the men from this Church who made the supreme sacrifice in World Wars 1 and 2”.
[…] It was decided that since the current organ was in such poor condition, its replacement would have priority. The organ from the Tivoli Theatre (located on the north east corner of Westminster and Maryland) was for sale at this time […]. The decision to purchase it for $2500 plus $2000 installation was made […].
…. the new organ was installed in the sanctuary in time for the dedication of the ‘War Memorial’, Sunday November 13th, 1949. The ‘new’ organ, a two manual Casavant (Opus 1231 built in 1927) came with all the ‘bells and whistles’ associated with a theatre organ. Needless to say, items such as the xylophone and drums were not installed when it became a church organ. The decision to purchase this instrument has stood the test of time for this organ is in regular use during services held in the church sanctuary to this day. […]
Excerpts from Ye Shall Be Witnesses: a synoptic history celebrating the centennial of the founding of Broadway Baptist Church. © 2005 by Susan and Wayne Stevenson
Broadway-First Baptist Church 