National Republican., 1873-11-29
A TEMPLE OF WORSHIP.
NEW CHURCH OF TBR ASCENSION.
Leeation and Design Of the Proposed EdI'
ace--ruii Description Of the Plans NJ
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Location and Desisn Of the Proposed Edi. |
nce--ruii Description Of the Plans rs
Accepted By the BuiIdinE Committee.
For months past the congregation worshipine
m the Church Of the Ascension, composed OF
many Of our most prominent and wealthy citi-
tens, have been very much dissatisfied with the
appearance Of their edlnce, both outwardly and
nwarily. The walls are badly cracked and so
extensive that while they not only mar the
beauty Of the exterior they render the building
unsafe. Within they look dingy and gloomy,
and are also broken in several places. Alters
time TO time, but the patching.up process was
only temporary In ita service, and to-day the
church stands in the back ground when com
parison is drawn between y and the many other
houses OF worship In the city. -.--.
In looking over the extensive improvements
that have taken place throughout the city, and
noticing the numerous handsome buildings tha.
tue church can Justly clam an extensive share
Of these improvements, this ancient spot presents
the appearances Of neglect, and stands 10 need o.
such . change requisite, and Efforts have pre-
ylously been made to erect new church that
would become an adornment 10 the city, and re-
nect the pride OF its members. For some unex-
planned reason oil these attempts failed, and last
spring the congregation were no nearer the con-
summation OF their wish than before. However,
at this time there was change In the ministry,
Riyen TO the movement, fresh start taken, bet
ter success attained, and now II Ia definitely set,
tied that the new church shall be thing OF
reality instead OF subject for conversation and
While hight Rev. Bishop Pinckney, formerly
rector, dcslred to continue his pastoral RELATIONS
with the congregation, stu MS ministerial du,
this CONGREGATION to the detriment OF the many
others in his extensive diocese. Accordinsly u
was decided 10 secure an asslstant and rev. DR..
Elliott, an able and eloquent divine, was called
70 the charge. shortly after accepting the sub
ject OF rebuilding was again preached. and being
seconded by men Of means, ike W. w. Corcoran,
esq, W, N. shuster, N. ", Burchell, Thomas l.
Hume, Henry s. Davis,. and others, permanent
/ foothold was Rained. Meetings were held during
i the summer months In order to get $4,000 cub
scribed by the church members a 2 guarsn'es
Of their sincerity In the project and, further, q.
| stable source from which to realize portion o.
i the money TO pay for the work.
It was not long peiore me segu,us amo ,nosad
about them for suitable ground, a. that on which
the present church stands Is penned In on both
sides and not desirable for the proposed magnin'
But searching was OF brief duration, for W. w
Corcoran, who had already given generously In
his subscription, came forward aud presented
ner OF Twelfth street and Massachusetts avenue
northwest, and valued Of 10000. IL was decided
| that the cost Of the edince should not exceed
tl2sooo at the same time the memoe,s y wsniet ante,
| accordingly several churches were visited ant
| examined In order TO select style Of architec
tare that, for beauty and nnish, would comment
itself to all and command general admiration.
\ Finally the Mount Vernon NJ. L. church. o
Baltimore, In Its design seemed TO meet the ap
probation of the committee, and the architect
i of that edince, Messrs. Dixon and Carson, o
No. is Charles street, were selected TO cxecut,
plans for the church here. THIS work has beei
completed, and they are now In the hands Of TIT
contractor, who is making his estimate Of tn
building Ia decorated Gothic. II is TO be built o
white marble from the quarries near Cockeys
Vile, In Baltimore county, Maryland, with dress
which will be brought from the Massilon an
Berea auarries. The plinths, steps, &c., to be q
. granite: the wall faces to he trough pointed,
soTy IL s.T fesa vide and . FEET long Or - fee
from chancel arch to front wall behind the orga
gallery, and Ia divided into aisles by i've iro
columns on each side. The side walls will be
noor 70 the apex Of ceiling, will be 70 feet. Tn
pews are arranged in two double and two slngl
blocks. The centre vestibus Is eight feet wid'
and the tower porch or centre yestibule Is foul
teen feet square, and in which are stairs leadin
, to the choir gallery. which Ia directly over tn
| front vestibule. There Is also west porch, yer
similar IN design 10 ,ss e the nS rSn Il.
and vestry room adjoining are each II by
feet, In tee basement is the lecture or Sunda
school room; this Is % by O. feet and "a fes
room and library. besides these are the apar
ments for heating apparatus, fuel, &c. Wild
areas will be opened on each side for light an
The tower "A and spire al the southeast corne
Is ls5 feet high, and the tower loI feet higl
J which will be used as o ventilating shaft. tn
front gable Is about SO feet high to the top Of IN
There are two entrance doorways to the Ger
tire vestibule, one in the tower and the porcl
There Is one entrance to the basement floor
| Twelfth street-and also one from the yard o
the west side; there Is also stairs In the towt
10 descend from the vestlbule TO the basement
There are six large windows on each aide {
the auditory, with variety & OF design design In th
lights In the timber framing and large wlndo'
In the front. The chancel window Ia nve light
wide, and will be rlled with q stone tracer,
windows are all In harmony with the generi
design. The basement will be light, airy an
cheerful, and the windows throughout are to b
are to be covered with slate, in belts Of ,ilreren
oolors and shapes, and to have ornaments
cresting.
wood, and the timber framing Of the roof m
"clear story Is Of yellow pine, resting on an
sprnging from the ten Iron columns and te
carved stone corbels set In the side walls. Som
Of the spandrils Of the timber framing are fillet
with ornamental Iron work. The iron column
are slender, and clustered with rich foliate
caps, with eight gas lets springing from sac
with colors to harmonise with the preyailin
tone Of the interior.
The chancei arch Is formed Of stone. wit
attached three-quarter columns, with follate
corhes and caps and arch mouldlngs.
| The ventilation shaft before referred To II d
draw on the vitlated air from the interiol
: through air duets constructed under the fiooI
. NJ ans are also praylded for taking out IN
heated and vitiated air In warm weather by vet
tilation from the upper parts OF the apartments
The windows are made to raise and lower b
means OF weights and cords, and also the clesi
story lights are made to open for the purpose Q
free natural ventilation.
Water-closets and wasf-hand baslns are pre-
clergy, congregation and Sunday school. IN
desgn Is complete In every particular, and re
meets credit on the architects who prepared III
plan.