Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-02-23
FINISHED.
81. sTEPHEN'sLUTAERAN,


ST. PHEN'SLUTAERAN.
A Very I'retty Church Completed.
st. St.Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran church
erected few years ago ut the junction of
Duke, German and Church streets, has
been fully completed, and on the 18th Of
March will be duly dedicated.
The congregation was organized We be-
lieve, i'll 1874 and the building erected in
1879, since which time the congregation
has worshiped in tho basement. At the
time Of the dedication Of the basement, We
gave description Of it, and Of the interior
Of the church building, which is substan-
tial and c,mmodious brick structure, with
4 fine steeple about $50 feet in height. We
now describe the interior.
The main auditorium, just finished, is 4
fine room with gallery running around
three sides Of it, and capable Of seating.
| upstairs and down, nearly one thousand
persons. The pews are Of solid ash, the
arms and backs being topped with wal
nut. and panel of walnut moulding, of
gothic pattern, ornaments the end Of each
pew. The wanscoting, which extends all
around the walls, is also of ash, with q
walnut corncc. The pulpit recess is
lofty gothic arch, reaching nearly to the
ceiling.
| The gallery, which is supported ON seven
iron columns, is reached by two STAIR
ways OF either side Of the steeple. 1t has
prettily orpamented front and is sup
piled with seats of ash and walnut, CORES
ponding with those below. The choir,
which occupies the north end of the gal
lery, is capacious and has fine acoustic
qualities. 1t is Immediately in front Of
three gothic arches separatin. the build
ing proper from the stccple, through
which is the main entrance to the church.
The walls and ceiling have been finely
frescoed i'll Rcingruber's best style. With.
in the pulpit recess arc three gbthic arches
the centre ono cOntainin. the words f" Elm
feste Burg ist unser GOtt." Above these
arches are three nely-painted msdalliOns,
the centre one containing Il half-length
figure OF Christ blessing the bread and
wine. and those on either side containing
figures OF angels in attitudes of alteration
On the wall to the right OF the pulpit is \
handsomely freScOed cross and crown, and
to the left an open Bible resting ON IN
anchor.
The highest part of the ceiling, which is
! fiat, and runs from one end Of the church
to the other, is frcscOed in u light sky blue
! color, and contains in the centre the figure
of an angel, bearing scroll on which arc
the words Ehre sic GOtt in der HOhe ~
At the south end of the ceiling. over tho
altar, is the representation Of Il dove, sur
rounded by bright halo OF light, and ut
the north end is Il representation Of the
harp. trumpet, cymbals, similarly illu-
minated and containing the words I" Lob
singet dem lIerrn." The slOping sides OF
the ceiling which follow the direction Of
the rafters, at an angle of about 4j degrees,
are laid out into panels Of convenient size,
the panels boing separated by highly Or
namcntal mou!:lings, in frescO, of rather
bright colors and seometrical design.
I All the windows Of the church are filled
with stained glass, of brilliant cOlOrs and
artistic pattern-ihe upper pane in each
as, the open Bible. the ten command
mcnts, the anchor, the cross, the lamb,
the sacramental cup. and the dove. The
central front window is especially fine.
The chancei, which is raised one step
above the floor Of the auditorium, is en-.
closed with heavy grained walnut rail-
ing and balustrl,ie. Within it stands the
altar, Il beautiful white table elabOr.,tely
ornamented with gold. The front Of tho
altar contains two panels, on one of which
! is u representation Of 4 slIeaf Of wheat, and
on the other bunch of grapes-emblcms
Of the bread and wine of tho Holy Com
munion. Back of the altar is the pulpit,
which is reached by flight Of eight steps
on either side, 1t is of handsome design,
the front being laid out in several panels
of differin. angles and supported by short
ornamental pillars. The pulpit is white,
elaboratcly ornamcnted with gold.
The church Is warmed with large heat
crs in the basement, having hOt-air regis
ters at convenient distances in the aislos
It is lighted by u number of tllree-burne
chandeliers hung from the front Of tho
galleries, and on either side of the pull
pit.
The carpets, not yet laid, are Of dark
red color with dark vine interviewer.
The church will not be formally dcdi-
Gated until the 18th Of March, but as it
will be thrown OpOn to the public this
evening AMI to morrow eveninS-On which
occasions interesting and instructive en-
tertainments will be givcn-we have
thought a brief description of the interior
OF the building would bc Of public inter-
est.
In this connection we may also give u
! word of credit to those who did the work
on the inside of the church The plaster
in" was done by Iiumphreville Bros. tho
fresco by tein.ruber the carpenter work,
including pulpit, by VIM. WOhlsen the
pcws and other mill-work by Urban Il
Burger the painting and granting by Geo.
Pontz the ornamental painting and gild-
ing of pulpit and altar by Rettig Il Kraus-
kop; the carpets by Mr.. .Lippe; ard the gas
fixtures by John n. Arnold.
AS q whole the worsl,ipers of st. Steplr.
ems may take an honest pride i'm their
beautiful temple, which, from 4 small be-
| ginning and under some embarrassing Cir
cumstanccs, has been steadily pushed for
ward to completion, until it stands to- day
one of the most beautiful and commOdiOus
church cdificcs in the city.