The Portland daily press., 1886-09-30
THE FIRST PARISH CHURCH.
Description of the Handsome New
Decorations.

The First Parish Church, which has been
for many weeks closed for the purpose OF
restoration and repairs, will soon be opened
again for service; and much interest will be
felt to note the changes which have been
made in the venerable building.
The first impression received, upon en-
trance, is exceedingly agreeable, and the i'm
preston strengthens as the eye turns from
one to another part of the house. Thanks
to the sound taste and judgment of the COM
mittee Messrs Fritz III. Jordan, Franklin K.
Barrett and Henry Deering, the work has
been rather of restoration than Of change,
and all the best points of the architecture OF
the church have been conscientiously empha-
sized The building has been treated with
an artistic sense which includes also the
sentiment-one might almost call 1t hllal-of
respect for the original design of the church,
familiar and dear to several generations of
worshipers. The plain Fstructure Of the
old church would not readily have adapted
itself to the lavish ornament and striking
effects of color at present in vogue; and 1t
required simple scheme of tinting and dec
Grafton.
The First Parish Church was erected in
the year 1926 in place of the meeting house
built in 174O, of which Parson Smith was the
pastor. The older parishioners like to recall
the present edifce as it appeared when Dr.
Nichols preached within its walls. On
either side of the pulpit were handsome
Corinthian columns supporting an arcn.
Within the arch were festooned rlcn curtains
of crimson satin damask, and above IL was
device in carved wood, acanthers leaves with
a conventional ngure upon which rested
gilt cross The pulpit cushion was Of costly
figured silk velvet also crimson in color and
the chair for the minister was similarly up
h0lStered.
When, in 1852, the building was repaired,
the pillars, curtains and cross were removed;
an action which caused much comment. The
walls were frescoed at that time; and later,
in 1868. historical tablets were painted upon on
them; to the right and left of the arch which
contains the pulpit.
The present restorations will in many
points crafty those who look back with
pleasure upon the early aspect of the First
Parish church. The pillars have been re-
placed, and the cross is located inside the
arched space. The main color of the walls
is warm tone, leading from the light brown
of the woodwork of the pews to the cream
color of the arch and frieZe. The latter is
very delicate and graceful, consisting of a
band of cream tint with festoons of the
darker shade. The remarkably beautiful
decoration of the ceiling after design TAX
en- from that of church in the city of Flor
ence, is well adapted to increase the appar-
ent height of the building, and defines favor
ably the somewhat unusual arch of the cell
ing itself. The sale Mt points of the wood
wood and the fresco are brought out with
sparing, and therefore effective, use of gold
The arched space behind the pulpit is coli
ored in metallic golden bronze of tone
harmonious with the general scheme of col
or, and the carving and gliding of the ad-
mirable arch and its columns merits more
than passing glance.
Perhaps the most beautiful feature of the
building is the organ, of which the noble
outlines and fine carved work are newly re-
vealed by the gold and bronze decoration
which sets them in relief upon the cream
tint which prevails there. The first thought
which spontaneously finds expression, is:
"How pleased Mr.. Kotzschmar must be
with the appearance of his organl" And in
deed it is due to the faithfulneSs as well as
the genius of Mr.. Kotzschmar that the bodi-
ly beauty OF the organ should correspond to
the soul with which he inspires it. Wherey-
er the history of Portland, during the last
thirty years and more, has to do with music,
the name of Mr.. Kotzschmar is sure to be
found in honorable association; and no
where more intimately than with the history
of the First Parish church. Pastors came
and WENT the power of the pulpit was more
or less, but Herman KotZschmar was always
at his post, ready to respond in music to the
words OF sermon or prayer, or OF himself to
lead the minds of the hearers into heights
which the First Parish owes to Mr.. Kotzsch-
mar can neither be calculated or cancelled
To return to the decoration of the building,
it will be observed that the historic cannon
ball. which Mowatts gun sent through the
walls of the old church, in the year 1775, has
been painted its original color of black, and
from it, in the midst of the ceiling, is suS-
pended the crystal chandelier. The 0ppor-
tunity was taken to measure the ball and
compute its weight, which proved to be nine
pounds, the largest size of cannon ball in use
at the time of the Revolution.
The gas fixtures have been freshly gllded, a
new carpet has been purchased with funds
raised by the exertions of the young ladies of
the parish, who have given fairs and other
entertainments for the purpose. The letter
ing of the historical tablet upon the exterior
of the church has been re-giloed, SO that the
date of the organization Of the society,". 1725,
and that of the building of the present edi-
fee, 1926 are clearly to be read, to the honor
of the old First Parish.
The repairs have been executed wholly by
Portland workmen Messrs. James Naylor,
painter; Burrowes, carpenter; Theodore
johnson, wood carver. The fine arch and
pillars near the pulpit were designed by Mr..
Fassett. The present scheme of de ,oratiOn
admits of mural tablets, in marble o. bronze,
commemorative of former pastors; nd 1t is
hoped that the committee will be en- bled to
complete their design. The carpet is of the
canonical color, red; the upholstery of the
pewS will not be renewed except by individ-
ual action of the occupants, as the committee
have not funds in hand sufficient to meet the
expense of REIMBURSEMENT. 1t was wisely de-
cided at parish meeting held last April
for the purpose of organizing the plan of
present action, that no expenses should be
incurred in excess of the sum which might
be subscribed by the parishioners, together
with the fund collected by the ladies' COM
mittee, and this honest and practical rule has
been strictly followed.
The re-assembling of the parish in the ac-
customed place of worship will be, no doubt,
| the occasion of many merited expressions of
| pleasure in the improvements effected in the
| editice, and of congratulation and thanks to
| the uentlemen Whn have had charne of the