The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-07
Opening Of st. stephens ohursh.

Opening Of st. Stephens Chureh.
Quite within the memory Of not yet old two thres
inssnncsnt buildings held TN Catholic worshippers Of
new York. but now in every quarter Of Inc oty w.. 30
iemn cross shmmers in the sunlight from gable and
and IN spacious asles and beneath fretted paint
90 vaults Thousands upon Thousands Of the faithful
kneel at the awful sacrifice Every few weeks We are
called upon to chronicle the conservation bensdcion
OF new and spacious church; and have to speak
day Of the opening Of the St. Stephens in Twenty
eighth street, Lexington avenue.
This new and beautiful building opened for divine
service Sunday last crowded to the full extent
OF its accommodation although mot uncomfortably So
the Issuing of grstuitous tickets having prevented
great an assemblage. The Mass celebrated BY
the Very Rev Esther sarr the of the Do
cess assisted BY Rev Mr.. Marechal deacon and Rev.
Mr.. Martini as sub-deaoon.
The sermon was preached by the Rev. DR.. Forbes of
St. Anne's Church. The text Of the sermon was from
Revelations, chapter w., verses 8 to III.
He spoke of the Church in Heaven as described bv the
Holy Apostle john and insisted that the worship there
was the same Is that Of the Church on earth always
the sacrifice Of the Lamb Of Godn old times under the
Jews ypicaly in Christian times either Is he himself
offered on the Cross, He offered it at the nstu-
ton OF the Mass or Lords Supper He showed that
worship worthy Of Hm-fhe only worship that man can
properly pay to Him. He showed for the milionth time
that which worldly Catholics shudder at while thew fs
to confess It that the sacrifice Of the body OF His only
sSn daily and a. long time
as the only proper Worship which God, benencsnt
Father, accepts accept BE adduced no testimony
was the Holy Scripture whose entire signincaton no
proved TO be testimony to the correctness Of his asser
ton Having shown that the Worship Of Heaven as de-
scrbed by st. john that Of the Catholic Church in
our day. he rested his argument and then appealed to
nent the Catholic q sns s% to
satisfy all desires relieve all sorrows and counsel all
doubts His discourse was peculiarly reasonable and
ms ructive.
II sung inedited for four voices by
Mercadane the music of course expected to be fne
from the known proficiency of the pastor that
artbut it surpassed all hopes The exquisite
ton Of the soprano solo, by young lady belonging to
the parish, exhibited both unusual power and richness
Of voice, and careful and emneny successful outiva
ton.
grand solo, Er Su,yat Deus was sung by Sgnor CO.
lt whose valuable services have been secured for this
church The soprano Of Md'ne Sconca the alto Of Sig
salembrere Colett and Miss Dockwoth the tenor
OF Messrs Schmeterer and and the
of Mr. Zollers all remarkable in large choir Of
unusual excellence The organist Mr.. Anthony Ganz,
performed his aborous duties admirable We learn that
the church extensive collection Of eccesas
tca music, procured from italy by professional gentle
man who went out from this country purpose to Sc
cure It, Among these several unpublished masses
anthems, mottets, &c. of Mercadante, Genera, Rossi
and other great masters All these rare compositions
will be brought out In the services of the church during
the present year
The church $50 feet long and IS feet broad and its
architecture is in the later Lombard STYLE as It prevailed
in Italy during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries
of Orvieto, the most celebrated monuments The
front 20 feet broad and IS feet high and Is divided
sn
tails afford an easy ingress to the worshippers statue
Of the first martyr In whose honor the church ded
Gated stands above the gable the centre porch
Over this racered windows and the whole is crown
ed by semicircular gable, surmounted by almassve
stone The interior Of the church. lao feet long
and 90 feet broad is divided by columns Of sienna mar
bic into three aises the centre aisle is IS and
10 feet in height with side aisles of corresponding pro-
portion The ceilings richly and heavily groined
painted in fresco in the style Of the early masters with
rich scrolls and various embems of devotional character
cross showing that the earth belongs unto the cruced
the cross Of faith, the anchor Of hope the burning
sept are the embems Of the seven sacraments; and
lower down, amid the rich scroll work of the roof are
symbols Of the arts which have concurred to build the
church-the Hebrew Jah and the tables of the Law for
the elder dispensation the Host and chace and other
types of the new and holicr law of Christianity
The end Of the centre aisle is terminated by apsis
or senicrcular projection containing the high altar
slImoanted BY magnificent screen of rich MARBLE
ana ornamented with appropriate devices and rising
Five richly stained glass windows finish the apsis above
the In the centre one Religion holds the blessed
and lower down various embems, the pelican the
j. II. g. &c. AL the other windows of the church
ed with enameled glass; with symbols of stained glass
in the tracery heads These symbols recall the Passion
Of orr Lord In the western windows and the Eucharist
In the eastern.
The walls Of the church painted in resco by Fried
rch Schulz with inches containing the figures of the
heads Of early martyrs and saints On the east side Of
the sanctuary octagonal chapel projects beyond the
walls Of the church. and contains altar dedicated to
the blessed Virgin Mary 1t will also in Holy Week
as the repository Of the blessed Sacrament Along the
walls of this chapel shields armsthose OF the
United States of his Holiness the Pope Of the Archbishop
Of New York OF the College Of the Propaganda and Of the
Over the altar there will be large painting of the
Maryrdom Of St Stephen each side of which inches
will contain statues in Caen of Lady and st.
Joseph The altar itself is towering and graceful atruc
and b just enough blue pannelling to prevent the eye
from being fatigued. The sanctuary Is large and ca
pabe OF accommodating all who may be necessary for
The architect ID Mr. James Renwick to whose repu-
taton this church will materially add. The builder Is
Mr. William Joyce and he deserves great praise for the
carefulness with which his work has been executed.
Inc church Will seat comfortably between 1000 and
$500 people, and win be in possession OF an i'm
mense organ which will be ready for the solemn dedica
ton at the return of his Grace the Archbishop.
The schools held in the basement will be pro-
yided in short time with large and comodious school
houses. ses h
The Restcll Abortion Case-Mr. Busteod's
Statement.
THE GRANT AND REsTELL MATTER-TO THE PUBLIC.
am as unwilling any be to be pressed into
the necessity of making statements concerning myself in
the public prints, denying statements made about
by others through this medium and ordinarily prefer to
suffer the Inconvenience wrong Of being msrcpre-
sened and sandere than upon every occasion to