Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-10-20

A MONUMENT To BISHOP HOPKINS
Last week Mr.. and Mrs Charles i. Park
er, and Mrs. Edward Wheeler, as a COM
mittee from the congregation of st. Psufs
church, Vergennes, brought up to the
Rev. ]. FL. Hopkins, jr., the generous sum
| of $l20.75, as the contribution of that
parish the monument now in process OF
erection TO the memory Of the late Bishop
Hopkins. The monument, it is expected,
will be completed some time next season.
The monument is to consist of a cross
twelve feet high, four feet wide at the
arms, and resting on three granite steps,
each one foot in height, so that the whole
will stand fifteen feet above the ground.
The cross is of the ancient Celtic pattern,
the strongest and most beautiful for
crosses of stone, the arms being supported
by a circular crown, while four large
piercings give hghtness of effect with
strength of construction. On the eastern
face, there is the descending dove at the
intersection of the cross the monogram
of the word JESUS above, of the word
CHRIST below, and the Alpha and
Omega on either side. Outside of these,
on the four arms of the cross itself, are
carved, in high relief, the twelve Apostles,
full length, three on each arm, the
sevenfold rays from the dove being in the
background behind them, signifyiug that
their spiritual power was of the Holy
Spirit. On the shaft of the cross below
is seen the pastoral staff of the late bish-
op, grssped by his left hand, and with its
crook turned outwards. The sevenfold
rays from above are continued on the
background here also. showing that the
spiritual power of the bishops of the Holy
Catholic Church now is from the Holy
Spirit through the Apostles. Stars of va
rious sizes are scattered on either side of
the pastoral staff, in allusion TO the decla- 1
ration that "they who turn many TO right
eousness shall shine as the stars forever
and ever" and to that other saying, that
lone star differeth from another star in /
glory" On the western face the designs
are simpler, referring to the deceased as !
man. At the intersection Is the mono
gram of his initials, J. II. II. In the four
arms, in circular panels, are four symbols /
of his Office, the mitre above, the crossed |
keys below, the right hand of blessing
and the crook on either side. On the
shaft is a stem, with bud and leaves, indi-
eating precisely the number and relation
ship of all the bishops descendants at the
lime of his death, the eight steps on
which it rests indicating his departure
n the eighth decade of his life
On either side or edge of the
ross is carved vine running un-
broken from the bottom TO the top, with
caves, tendrills and bunches of grapes.
The brief inscription will BE- upon the
eastern face of the upper of the three
granite steps. The top of the cross is
,abled, with triple moulding at the
idge, and ribbed and pointed leaves over
apping each other down either slope.
The Trustees OF the Vermont Episcopal
institute have set apart a suitable piece of
round for a cemetery lot, nearly half way
'etween the house in which the Bishop ,
esided during the last twenty-seven ,
ears of his life, and the Institute which
70 founded, and which will be visible
through an opening in the trees which
urround the place with their sequester- {
ng shade. The wall enclosing the lot
bout 40 feet by 81 feet in extent-is al
eady built, together with the foundation
1r the monument, which will stand in {
he centre When all the preparations 7
re complete, the ground will be duly ,
by the Bishop of the Diocese,
nd the remains of the departed Bishop q
ill be transferred from their present tenn. 8
orary resting place to this, their perma- a
ent home. .....
The monument will be visible from the 8
Dad in driving out to the Institute, and :
ill add one more to the many offsets of 1
lterest in that direction.-Free Press. "