Cornerstone Baptist Church - Brooklyn, NY (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
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Cornerstone Baptist Church

562-74 Madison Street at Lewis Avenue
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11221
http://www.cornerstonebaptistchurch.net


Organ Specifications:
562-74 Madison Street at Lewis Avenue (since 1944)
• Allen Organ Company electronic
• II/ Midmer-Losh Organ Company (1926)
Gates Avenue at Irving Place (1932-1944)
► II/14 Reuben Midmer & Sons (<1917)


Unity Church - Brooklyn, N.Y.  
First building (1932-1944)  
The Cornerstone Baptist Church was founded by the Rev. William H. Rodman and organized on September 10, 1917, but it was not until June 9, 1920 that the church was officially accepted by the Baptist Recognition Council. In 1932, under the leadership of the Rev. Thomas Willis Fentress, the congregation moved to its first church edifice, the former Unity Church (Third Unitarian) located at Gates Avenue and Irving Place.

On April 1, 1944, the church called as its pastor the Rev. Dr. Sandy Frederick Ray of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio. By that time, the Cornerstone congregation had outgrown its building on Gates Avenue, and on December 28, 1944, a contract was signed to purchase the former Lewis Avenue Congregational Church on Madison Street and Lewis Avenue. The purchase price was $29,000 and another $28,000 was spent to renovate the facility. During the thirty-five year ministry of Dr. Ray new buildings were purchased and erected to house the church office and pastor's study. The church parsonage at 1281 President Street was purchased in 1956. The Cornerstone Educational Center, at 289 Lewis Avenue (now Dr. Sandy F. Ray Boulevard), was dedicated and opened on May 29, 1966.
             
  Cornerstone Baptist Church - Brooklyn, NY (photo: Steven E. Lawson)
Organ built for Lewis Avenue Congregational Church:

Midmer-Losh Organ Company
Merrick, N.Y. (1926)
Electro-pneumatic action




In 1926, the Midmer-Losh firm of Merrick, N.Y., built an organ of unknown size for the Lewis Avenue Congregational Church. Specifications of this organ have not yet been located.

At some point, this pipe organ was replaced by an Allen electronic instrument.
               
Organ built for the Unity Church on Gates Avenue and Irving Place:

Reuben Midmer & Sons
Brooklyn, N.Y. (c.1886)
Mechanical action – manuals
Tubular-pneumatic action – pedals
2 manuals, 14 stops, 14 ranks


The following specifications for "Boyles A.M.E." were recorded by Louis F. Mohr & Co., an organ service firm in the area. Mohr's typed entry, dated September 1928, indicated that the organ had tracker action but the pedal was on tubular-pneumatic action. Mohr updated the page on September 1933, showing the names "Unity," "Mt. Zion Tabernacle Christian Mission," and "now Cornerstone Bapt." Pipecounts for the divided stops were not indicated but are suggested below.
               
Great Organ (Manual I) – 58 notes
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Principal
58
8
   Dulciana [TC]
46
4
   Flute Harmonic
58
8
   St. Diap. Bass
12
2
   Fifteenth
58
8
   Melodia [TC]
46
        

     

     
Swell Organ (Manual II) – 58 notes, enclosed
16
   Bourdon Bass
12
8
   St. Diapason Bass
12
16
   Bourdon Treble
46
8
   St. Diapason Treble [TC]
46
8
   Open Diapason
58
4
   Violina
58
8
   Salicional
58
8
   Oboe
58
8
   Dolce
58
        

     

     
Pedal Organ – 27 notes
16
   Bourdon
27
        
               
Couplers
    Great to Pedal (draw stop)   Swell to Great (piston below keys)
    Swell to Pedal (draw stop)   Swell to Pedal 4' (pedal)
               
Pedal Movements
    2 combinations on Great      
    Great to Pedal reversible      
    Balanced Swell Pedal      
               
Sources:
     Cornerstone Baptist Church web site: http://www.cornerstonebaptistchurch.net
     Mohr, Louis F. & Co. Specifications (Sept. 1928) of Reuben Midmer & Sons Organ at Lewis Ave. Congregational Church; courtesy Larry Trupiano.

Illustrations:
     Cornerstone Baptist Church 94th Anniversary publication. Exterior of first building (Unity Church); Interior of present building showing organ facade.
     Lawson, Steven E. Exterior of present church.