Click on photo to enlarge

The Tabernacle meeting house, was located on the east side of Grove street near West Cayuga. Originally proposed to be built in the rear of the residence of Mrs. H.C. Lockwood on Aurora street (where Millstream Court is located today), the building went up on a vacant lot owned by H.H. Alley, just north of the residence of William H. Lowe.  The building required about 15,000 feet of lumber and was covered with roofing paper.  It was expressly built in December 1911 to host a series of revival meetings and seated over 1,000 people.  The meetings were lead by Evangelist Ernest G. Crabill and his wife, with Professor and Mrs. H.C. Mosher in charge of the musical program.

Similar tabernacles were built for Rev. Crabill's meetings throughout central New York including Sterling, Phoenix, Pulaski, Watertown and Wolcott.  The meetings typically were held in each town over a period of 3 to 7 weeks and were sponsored by local churches.  Each series generated from 300 to 400 or more "converts".  One convert in Phoenix reportedly sold his moving picture business to study for the ministry.

In Moravia, meetings were held every night except Mondays from December 19, 1911 through February 8, 1912.  Throughout the series, the sponsoring churches - Baptist, Congregational and Methodist - suspended regular Sunday services.  Despite frigid weather, each meeting was well attended by people from Moravia and neighboring towns as far away as Auburn, Cortland and Ithaca.  One news account mentioned nearly 100 people from Groton traveling by sleigh.

Rev. Crabill, known as the "pitcher preacher", was a native of Ohio.  He had been a successful minor league baseball player from the 1890s to 1903 when he retired in order to preach full-time.  During his playing career he was both a top pitcher and hitter for teams in Auburn and Binghamton.  He lead "tent meetings" throughout the northeast, including a series lasting three weeks in Cortland in 1904.  Although his largest revival tour may have taken place in 1911 and 1912, he continued to preach to full houses at special appearances for many years afterwards.  Despite erroneous reports of his death in 1917, he continued his work as a preacher until finally passing away at his home in Binghamton in 1935.

The Moravia Tabernacle appears to only have been used for that purpose during Rev. Crabill's 1911-1912 visit.  It reportedly was later used as an auction house although this hasn't been verified.  Please send feedback if you have any additional information.