The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-08
A G0RG OyS sHRIy2.
The New Altar I'm st. Stephens Roman
Catholic Church--A Masterpiece of EccIe-

siasticai Architecture.
81. Stephens church, on Twenty-eighth street,
near THIRD avenue. las long enjoyed the reputation
OF being to great extent the chief home or art In
church matters IN this city. This has been more
particularly so as far az church music was con-
cerned and here under the kind OF the lamented
Dr. Cummings, the songs OF love and praise and
thanks to the Most High were given In q style OF
artistic excellence and religious fervor which at.
tracted the attention and commanded the adnira-
tion OF thousands. Each recurring Sabbath and
holiday saw the crowds which frequented st.
Stephens augmented uHtil ir was absolutely neces-
sary to enlarge the already commodious ediice ana
make 1t the most spacious and most elegant church
In the metropolis. The work of enlargement was
commenced and was fast approaching completion
when he under whose fostering the parish had
grown up was called from Che scene OF his
labor and his usefulness. The profound and uni
versa sorrow occasoned by the death of DR.. Cum
mings Is yet fresh in the memory OF the residents of
this city, The hundreds OF thousands who nocked
to gaze upon his kind and comely features when
sted in the repose of deah the numbers or leading
citizens, OF all creeds and natlonaltes who acted
voluntary watches by day and night beside his cof-
fin; the immense crowd which assembled at the
church on the day OF the funeral and stood TANNED
together from early morn till afternoon OF that day
the coolest day recorded in nearly two years;
the tones OF unfegned sorrow from the multitude
mingng with the solemn requiem and the songs of
praise 10 God and prayers of hope which came N
mastery spendor from hundreds of the most accom-
plished songsters--al formed picture which time
has not yet cfaced frou the minds OF those who
took even the smallest part in doing honor TO his
memory.
1t was the Intention OF DR.. Cummings to make the
church home OF ecclesiastical art and TO so adorn
the edice as TO have 1t In keeping with his exalted
ideas OF what the House 0. God' should be. IS
he did not live TO carry out his Ideas his young
assistant and successor, DR.. E. McGlynn applied
himself to the work, and, by his energy and perse.
verance, has succeeded in forwarding the work and
carrying out the designs and desires OF his ilusri
GUS predecessor almost to the letter.
The extension has been entirely COMPLETED, the
ceiling OF utramarine blue, studded with golden
stars, and the windows OF almost matches stained
glass nave all been finished, and the artcers in
marble are busiiy engaged In Fastening the compile
ton OF
which VIM undoubtedly DE the handsomest and
most expensive in this country, Il not IN the world,
Fisher 4 Bird to build the altar from designs fur
nshed by the architect Mr. Z. Kelly ana SINCE that
tractors has been engaged on the work, and under
their hands the shapeless marble has assumed beau
is some fortyhve feet high and some thirty feet in
width. 1t is constructed entirely OF Vermont statu-
airy marble, as pure as any that ever Italia could
boast Of The general appearance OF the entire
structure above the altar table may properly
be compared to cathedral front, with q
| high tower in the centre and somewhat
lower one at either end. The ascent TO the altar is
by three steps Of highly flushed marble The altar
table is composed single slab OF the purest mar
Bile some eighteen feet long and four feet wide, and
| is supported by six groups OF clustered engaged
of the table is beautiful alto reiero picture OF the
carrying OF the Savour's body to the tomb, while at
columns i set in inches, are two ngures Of angels,
| each one bearing small medallion, on which IS
| carved some OF the implements or the passion.
| At the left or gospel side, on level with
| the figures on the 'front.' OF the altar table Is
TO embalm the body OF Christ while in a correspond
Ing tablet on the other, or epstle side, Is repre-
| the tomb. The towers or spires above alluded TO
| are formed of series OF butresses and ending in
finals, or clusters of flowers. Tue centre tower
rises above the tabernacle, and Is some forty feet
| In height Immediately over the tabernacle is an
| acove, in which Will stand q handsome crnchx OF
ton the astenSott1, containing the sacred Species
will be placed in the acove instead Of the crucitx.
| Above this alcoye IS pinnaced tower ana above
| this again the spre proper, hanked with pnnaced
Duttresses, and the edges relieved with croekets, or
clusters something ike those on the spire OF trinity
| church. AT either side OF the tabernacle tower,
| and stretching TO the towers az tie ends OF the
| structure are handsomely scuptured tablets or
screens the one at the gospel side having repre-
sentaton in alto retero OF the Resurrection, and
the other at the epise side alto re'tguo or the
| Ascension. Surrounding each OF these tablets or
| screens are two figures of angels, each holding a
| triple candeabrum In the towers at each end are
acoves, ana IN each Of these alcoves stands hand
| some statue or an angel. AT the base OF the end
.Sqao,is' under the alto reltepo OF the Resurrec-
| ascension are the words "Cbriste E,e5s5D.n and
across the entire front immediately over the altar
table the words OF the sign OF the cross, IN nonlfe
| qulsltcly chIselle1 in Church text 90 massive is
this grand altar that 1t found neces5rg 70 build
heavy foundation as deep the foundation OF the
THE SIDE AFFAIRS
also specimens OF artistic beauty The tables OF
the affairs are OF single Slabs, highly polished. The
fronts OF the tables arc each divided iato three pan
| els, in the centre OF which IS the monogram of
fc,u.de-lts tor heraldic lily In alfo rero. on the
altar at the Leaf hanl side OF The grand altar VIII be
full sized statue OF ST. Joseph, and on the altar at
! the other eide viii be fu sized statue of the
Blessed Virgin The statuary AFRO felieroS and, in
and when completed win cost some 500 600 Tho
closest attention has been paid TO the details of
candelabra, sanctuary door and crucix WIN be OF
heavy bronze and appropriately hnisael. To
excellence and exquisite finish OF this massive and
mastery structure one must visit the church ana
study the work infinitely III every part.
But While the affairs are studies IN themselves
THE ALTAR PIECE
presents 70 lover OF arr and an adniirer Of sacred
pictures food for careful study and reelection. The
subject is the scene Of the crucxon at the momenJ
Jast before the death Of Christ The picture IS forty
four feet IN height by twenty eight in width, and
was painted by Brumidi-the artist by whom the
frescoes IN the Capitol at Washington were painted.
painting is in BrumIdl's best STYLE to give assurance
OF It's artistic excellence Brumidi, born and reared
earliest infancy the teachings and traditions Of art
and religion, was enabled to give TO such work
as the altar piece a. 81. Stephens character and
begin to supply. The figures in the picture
are OF the heroic size and the perspective
Is beautifully Preserved, In the foreground are tho
calous Roman soldiers, In their greed ana lhought-
lessness casting dice for our Saviour's garments.
while all tue others gazing upon the fast expiring
Man-God are each marked With distinctive charac-
ter. The management OF the light is really wonder
full 1t seems to be sort OF holy light, so 10 speak,
rejected from around the cross, while above the
clouds appears IN aegorlcal representation OF
"God the Fataer,' attended by the cherubim and
seraphim.
The light thrown upon the picture comes through
O skyight OF ground glass, which cannot he seen
except within short distance OF the altar. By this
means the illusion OF the picture Is height
ened ard the eilect, OF course, intensl.
led. over the side altar at the left--St,
The nnintinr renreannLirr IIln