Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-09-30
Bethany Church.

DCtuduy SuulCus
| The new Congregational Church in this
village is now nearly completed, awaiting |
only the finishing touches which will be
given in few days. The project of building
this church was set on foot early in the spring
of 1866, and a subscription soon after made
amounting to about $40 200, which was af |
forwards increased to nearly 500 900 This
subscription made mostly by the mem
bers of Mr.. Lords church and congregation.
The largest sum given was subscribed by
Mr.. George Bradshaw of New York city,
being $4,000, to which subsequently Mr..
Bradshaw added $500. Mr.. James r.
Lengdon's subscription was the next largest,
amounting in all to nearly $4,000. Other
subscriptions ranged from SO 900 to less than
800. In addition to the sum thus raised
the old church and grounds, worth at least
SIS, 900, were given to the new enterprise.
A building committee-consisting of Joseph
Poland Dennison Taft, Geo c. Shepard, j
I. Thurston and J. c. Emery, were at once
appointed, the old bakery on the corner of
State and School street purchased, the plan
and location of the church determined upon,
and work on the new structure commenced
in May, 1866. Mr.. Dennison Taft, one of
the building committee, took the contract
for building the walls and finishing the ex-
terror of the building for $25 900, and the
materials of the old church and bakery
and to this sum s. 800 was added by rea-
son Of change of the plan in building the
clere story of stone instead of wood and
slate. This contract was nearly completed
in the fail of 1867, when it was found that
the original subscription of SD 900 was,
far available, used up, and it was estimated
that SO 600 would be needed to finish the
church. This additional sum was raised
mainly by those who gave TO the original
/ fund, and in sums almost in proportion to
their original subscription. Mr.. Taft took
the contract for finishing and furnishing the
church, for this sum, and he is just compile
ting this work.
The church is in the early English style of
/ Gothic architecture. 1t is built Of dark red
stone from the quarries of Burlington, with
a dark grey stone for window caps, &c., the
stone being like that used in the Catholic
/ Cathedral at Burlington. The chapel is
/ built of an almost white stone from the Bur
lington quarries. with trimmings Of a darker
shade This stonc-both the dark red, and
the creamy whitc-makos the finest building
material ia the State, and is particularly
beautiful in such a structure as this.
The church is divided into nave and aisles. I
with chancel in which is a space for the
choir and organ IL fronts on School street. I
and the entrances on that street are by three /
porches, uniting in vestbulc. The side .
walls are p feet high. The clere story is .
nearly 10 feet high, and is supported by
arches and iron columns 1t Is pierced for
ten stained glass windows. The church Is .
l24 feet in length and - feet wide. and 90 .
feet to the finish at the ridge. 1t contains .
100 pcws. which are made Of black walnut +
with chestnut panels The desk and choir /
are made of black walnut with oak panels
and the ease of the organ Is To be finished in
style To correspond with the architecture /
and finish of the church The desk, which /
! is light and graceful, Is upon a platform
raised three steps from the Hoor.-and in .
1 front of it is platform raised one step.
The decorative painting of the church is
ia the modern style of high colors, and Is (
very similar to that of Mr. ToId's new .
church in Boston, one of tine most costly .
church edihccs IN that city. The panels of
the ceiling are dark blue, borderei with
bright colors. red, green and yellow, and
red and yellow The arches that support
the clerc story are drab,-the same as
the walls The arches which support the
roof are also drab, bordcred with rich brown.
studded with gold stars. The walls of the .
clcre story are dark red There are white .
shields ornamental with red at the base of
the arches to the roof The ceiling of the
chancel is dark blue. with a gold border, fg-
ured. There are three me lallous in the panels
Of the ceiling ono VIII 5he monogram LII s,
one with picture of a lamb, ANA one with a
Latin inscription Indicating that the Father
Son and Spirit are three persons in ono God F
head. The supports to the chancel ceiling
are a rich brown studded with gold stars. and T
the walls are brown and drab, with purple
panels The door and window columns are
painted a dark red, and the arches which
they support are, IN the windows, green,
with delicate purple and the outer border
a flesh color and the arches over the doors,and
supporting the clere story, hesh color, vi tn
purple, and the oa-ec border It green.
|. The following texts Of scripture are paint
ed, in Old English text. On the walls and
arches
Over the central front entrance
am the Door; by me Il any man enter he shall I
he saved and shall 20 in and out and ind pas
over the arches supporting the cleresto-
ry-
Thou art Christ, the son or the Living God. /
And l say also unto thee that thou art Peter. and
upon this rock Will build my Church, and the +
gates Of he'll shall not prevail against it,
/ Over the arch to the chancel-
/ Worship the Lord in the Beauty Of Holiness"
The predominant color of the carpet and /
cushions Is 10 be green.
The chapel is on the north-westerly side |
of the church. with its end on Main Street. |
1t is 50 feet in length and 35 feet wide, with
walls - feet high and So feet to the ridge.
1t is finished with chestnut. and will he fur
nished with settees The ceiling is blue, and
the walls drab. The platform is at the east
end Of the chapel, and is raised two steps.
1t will have black walnut table and no desk.
The tower stands at the intersection of
the church and chapel 1t is p feet square
I