Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-10
The New Christ Church.
MONTPELIER, VT,


Consecrated on Tuesday morning, by the
Bishop OF Connecticut, is certainly one OF
the finest buildings in Vermont. The ground
| Plan includes nave and aisle, chancel, organ
chamber, and sacristy, the tower being en-
gagged in the western end of the north aisle
| eve use the points of compass convention
ally, orientation being not exactly preserved
The exterior dimensions are 10S feet long by
SIS wide, the tower and spire being 100 feet in
height. Internally the church is divided by
two colonades into ave and aisle, the former
being % feet, and each of the latter IL feet
wide. The chancel is II feet wide by %
feet deep. The whole of the exterior except
roof and clere-story, is of light-colored gran
lite the dressing being wrought in that from
Barre, and the rubble work in that from Ber-
| lin. on the south side of the Winooski river
The cast end is left quite rough. The aisle
walls are without buttresses. The clere-story
il of timber, slated on the outside The
west front is the most imposing part of the
exterior the tower is of three stages, a sim
gle-leaf door being in the lowest, two long
and narrow glazed lights in the second, and
three equal belfry windows in the third. well
provided with lufferboards. The belfry-
stage is plain square, but below it there
are double buttresses ut the angles, running
into massive blocking of the wall at the
base, which gives an effect of singular strength
and sOlidIty. 4 similar character is given to
the buttresses on the opposite angle of the
west end. The tower is surmOunted by a
breach spire of good outline and not too am
bitiously elevated, crowned with a well
carven final, all stone 10 the top, the only stone
spire we believe in the State. The main door
is of two leave, in the middle Of the west
end, with Jamb shafts and moulded arch In
the gable is very successful round window
with three snharipal triaD,rlaS
three bold trefoils, the inter-spaces being
filled with quatre-foils and smaller openings
The COPIED gable is crowned with a very bold
large plain cross of stone, the only cross on
the exterior.
On entering the interior the effect of lofti-
ness is far in advance of ones expectations
seeing from the exterior alone The nave
and aIsles are of five bays, and the chancel of
two the apparent length of the nave being
increased by arch dixie the bold and well
marked chancel arch) at the west end, Oppo-
site the east wall of the tower The columns
are of four shafts in a cluster, with mould
ings between, and the arches resting on them
are correspondingly moulded But all these.
with the clere-story walls, are in reality tim
Der construction, being finished so as not to
initiate any particular kind of stone The
aisle windows single lights, one in each
bay. The chancel arch is well marked and
very satisfactory. Nearly the whole of the
three sides of the chancel wall are wains-
cotted below with deeply carved black wal
nut. The altar, which stands out from the
wall, Is of the same material, as are also the
chancel rail, the stalls, book-boards and two
lecterns the permanent seats within the
sanctuary being not yet provided. The organ
chamber on the south, opens by a narrow
arch into the chancel, and by broader one
into the nave; and the organ which it con
talns is fine and powerful instrument, made
by Stevens, of Boston, of two banks of KEYS
and full supply of pedals The seats and
doors, and parts of the other woodwork, in
Guiding the litany desk, are of happy COM
bination of black ash and black walnut, of
their natural tints, oiled The roof is ceiled
in three cants, the center one being the mar
rowest The framing Of the principals shows
within, with braces and spandriis of open
tracery; and similar braces run longitude
nally along the purlines, from principal to
principal. These timberngs are adorned
with color, the whole ceiling being otherwise
of light blue. The windows are filled with
stained glass, by Morgan Brothers, of New
York. The altar window is the largest,
having three lights under traceried head
In the central and widest light, is the full
length figure Of our Lord blessing the chal-
ice. The evangelistic symbols and other en-
HI IiiC ciut-ll7uis anu Tue Hedu OF IDt
window. The cere-story windows of chan
eel and nave are filled with pattern glass of
a rich color, those in the nave being, alter
nately, equilateral spherical triangles, and
quatre-tOIls, and those in the chancel being
but little larger though arched. The west
ern round window is filled with similar glass.
charged with appropriate emblems. The
aisle windows all have borders of cOlors and
each An emblem in the head. but are otherwise
filled with stencilled quarries. The aisle
roofs are lean tos their ceiling being painted
blue, of the same tint as that of the nave
roof. The altar is covered with a handsome
embroidered altar cloth, and bears a movable
giIdei cross. Embroidered ante-pendia adorn
the lecterns. The font, near the sacristv
door, is of Vermont marble, white, shaded
with gray. 1t has a cylindrical bowl, with
toothed moulding at the lower edge. The
side is charged with maltese cross in a cir
Gle The bowl rests on an octag0nal shaft,
and the font has proper step of its own.
The ladies of the parish, must not for
get to say, made up the carpets with their
own hands, and did all their own upholster-
ing.
The architect of this most successful build
ing is Mr. j. j. r. Randall, of Rutland
builder, Preston Trow, of Montpelier The
painting is done by E. d Washburn, Of
Montpelier The chancel furniture and
wainscotting were cut by \. W. Foy, Of
Boston The marble for the font was the
gift of Pitt w Hyde, and the cutting
paid for by Ledyard Bill, Esq, of New York,
who also presented the litany desk.
The total cost of this beautiful church has
been over $50 900, and the only subscrip-
tions received from outside the parish are as
follows In New York, George Bradshaw
$1,000, NJ. NJ. Kellogg $500, George K.
Thompson $50, E. j. Jaffray $50; Phia-
delphia, Jay & III. ID. Cooke & Co $500; in
Washington city, Charles Knapp 5000; in
Burlington, from V. p. Noyes 800. No
small part of the credit due for the perfect
ness with which the work has been completed,
belongs of right to Hon. r. Richardson,
senior warden, himself contributor of some
thousands to the cost, and who, besides, has
given his time, trouble and personal oversight
to the erection, as fully as if he were the
sole contractor for the whole work 1t is no
wonder that the result is such as has drawn
forth the liveliest expressions of surprise and
delight from all the bishops, clergy and laity,
who have attended the interesting services of
the past few days.
The Old Second Vermont.