Mower County transcript., 1871-12-28
A COSTLY ALTAR.
Full DcscripIlon of a Magnificent;
Piece of Work IN u ship.
From the N. Y. Times, Dec. 18th.

Piece of Workma ship.
From the N. Y. Tmes Dec. 18th.
The memorial high altar, which has
for some time past been in course of
erection IN the Protestant Episcopal
Church of St. Mary the Virgin, was, on
Monday, solemnly consecrated by
Right Rev. Bishop Potter, assisted by
Rev. Thomas Mckee Brown (rector Of
the church,, and Rev. Messrs. Swope,
Trinity of Chapel, Olmstead, Of Trinity
Church. Noyes, of St. Adams church,
Bradley, Of St. Sacramento Mission,
Harrison, Van Kleeck, and others.
The church was crowded by refined
and intelligent congregation, who were
present hy special invitation: the Ger
emonies being of private character.
The services of dedication were prepar
pared expressly for the occasion by
Bishop Potter They were Of very
impressive character.
Looking at the altar dressed with
flowers and bearing hundreds of wax
lights, the surpliced clergy and the uni
formed Sisterhood Of st. Mary the
Virgin slowly filing out at the close
of the ceremony, one was forclbly re-
minded of the surroundings OF the
Roman Catholic Church. Indeed the
the services in this church are said to
make nearer approach to those Of the
Romish than even those of st. Adams
or DIR. Ewer's. Tie altar, which is not
yet completed, is oil the French Gothic
style of the eleventh century, and is
being built at the expense of Mr.. John
b. Murray. Il prominent member of the
congregation, as o memorial OF his dis.
eased wife. When completed it will be
the most beautiful work of this kind in
in this country, with, perhaps, the ex-
ception of the high altar at St. Stevens
Roman Catholic Church, in Twenty
eight Street, and will even exceed that
altar IN height. It is approached from
the body of church by nine steps, the
| highest of which, nearly SIX feet from
the floor of the nave, forms the plat
form from which the main structure
rises. In length the altar is seventeen
feet, concluding the wings, and the
height to the top of the tabernacle is
about twenty-six feet.
A marble revodos of screen extends
the whole length at the back of the
table, and rises to the height Of twenty
feet above it, having each end canopied
inches (for statuary), supported by
slender columns, with richly carved
caps. From the center of this screen
projects the tabernacle, beautifully
scul ulpturcd piece, on the top of which,
under an elaborate canopy, is to be
placed marble crucifix nearly five feet
in hight, imported from Italy for the
purpose. A number of brass candle
sticks, designed expressly for the altar,
will be placed upon it when completed.
Two hundred wax lights are to be used.
Two candlest1cks of elaborate design,
and fourteen feet in height, will stand
on the ground floor on each corner OF
the altar to hold the Scanctus lights.
to be lit when the Scanctus is sung in
the mass. The material used in build
ing the altar and steps is Italian mar.
ble The following lnscri ption is cary
ed on the faces of the retables-the two
last sentences in Latin and here trans
| lated.
"Erected to the glory of Almighty
God, and III loving memory OF Sarah
Elizabeth Murray-wife-who entered
into rest on Sunday, Dec. II, 1870.
Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
"Etel ual rest give unto her, O Lord,
and may perpetual light shine upon he1
and give her peace"
| The work, performed In very sub
stantial manner, is from the designs
and is being built nnder the s,,pervi'
sion of Mr.. Edward Neville Stent, ar.
chltect Of the city. 1t is expected that
the altar will he entirely finished by
Christmas. The Church of St. Mary
the Virgin was brought to it's present
state Of completion, about a year aiit
q half ago, the ground for the elifict
being the gift of William B. Astor, un
der the condition that the seats in the
church should be tree. When finished
it is intended that the church shall hav'
Il tower and adjoining scbool-houses ;
handsome pulpit of different colore,
marble is TO be raised in the church
and the chancel floor shall be laid will
the same material.
JOIN G.. WHITTIER, writing from
Amesbury II Mo. g." says: i" I re
pret that [ am not able to avail mysel
of your invitation to the dinner to H
|. H. the Grand Duke Alexis eli
Imperial Higln< ss" would have been
great stretch for the mouth OF Georg
Fox, who used to write 80 King
that being form of address nowher
spoken against in the Scriptures. How
> ever, Mr. Whittier is in all essential
an excellent good Quaker, and he ma
,, write "July" or "Thursday,' if h
plcuses, or do any other nnti-Quake
thing, except saying "Good-bye" to lis
, Miss BERTHA GERoIr, daughter {
Baron Gerolt, who for twenty-five year
represented Prussia as Envoy Extraol
dinnry and Minister Plenipotentiary q
r Washington, on Wednesday of las
p week left the residence of Colonel an
+ Mrs. James e. Berret, whose guest sll
: had been for the past five months, an
q entered the Convent of the Visitation
q ON G street, Washington D. G.