The " Free Seat" was reference to those pews available in the church that were not privately owned or rented. The big new building on the Charlottetown skyline was constructed very quickly, and a small note in the Charlottetown Patriot on November 22, 1879, said that, " Miller Brothers Music store have been ordered to import a large organ for the new Baptist Church". The Patriot, a week before the opening, carried a two column story on the new Charlottetown Baptist Church. The opening paragraph said: ...The Baptists of this City, who have been for so many years content to worship in the insignificant little wooden building on Great , will soon be able to conduct their services in an edifice more worthy of such a large and influential body of Christians. It occupies one of the most commanding positions in Charlottetown , and can be seen from almost every part of the peninsula. The building is one of Baptist Church on Charlottetown skyline Drawing by Dennis Friesen the finest church structures in eastern Canada . The Patriot article also provided a great insight into the finished church: The building is octagonal brick and stone in design, 68 feet across with each side of the octagon 28 ft. wide. Thetoweratthefrontofthechurchis 16feet square and 112 feet in height. The interior ceiling is made up of 20 groined arches, handsomely ribbed and supported by pillars with beautiful capitals. The pews are arranged in semi-circular form, each row rising a few inches above the one in front of it. Seats will be upholstered and cushioned. The baptistery is above the pulpit, accessed by a trap door and egressed by a narrow stair leading to men's and ladies change rooms. In the basement of the building is a large and well lighted room which is intended to be used for mid-week services, Sunday School services, church meetings, etc. Opening off of this room are three large class rooms separated by glass partitions. It is estimated the new Charlottetown Baptist Church will hold approximately 600 people. The new Church opened on Sunday, December 14,1879, followed by a full week of special services and events that ended on Sunday, December 21. Three services were held each Sunday and all in all, fourteen different Island and visiting preachers participated. On December 11, the Charlottetown Examiner had a note by Pastor McDonald outlining the week's schedule, concluding with a personal message, "...We earnestly desire the prayers and the presence of our friends on these occasions and we fondly hope that tangible proof of sympathy - sympathy that can be counted in dollars - will cheerfully and bountifully be given. Friends 42