The evening world., 1888-02-28

REV. he. MACDONALD. parish had been deter
mined upon. At first the congregation which
he had gathered met in q hall over Croton
Market, in East Forty-second street. where the
first services were held July IS. 1873. It was not
long afterwards that the present site in Forty
third street was acquired and the building of
the church commenced, and from that time
pushed rapidly forward
The basement was completed and rooted
over first and on Jan. IL, 1874. was dedicated
by the venerable Archbishop McCloskey.
For four years the services of the church
were held in this place, and the Sunday
school organized and placed upon a prosper
GUS basis while the completion of the build
ing was going forward. Several fairs were
held by which the building fund was largely
increased and the church was finally ready
for dedication on May 6, 1877.
The ceremony was performed by Cardinal
McCloskey, assisted by Vicar General Quinn,
Bishop Spalding, of Peoria; Bishop O'Hara.
of Scranton; Bishop Corrigan, of Newark,
Loughlin, of Brooklyn.
Architecturally speaking the building be-
longs to the Norman Gothic style, the plans
being supervised by tine pastor. who had
made a careful study of church architecture
during his travels in Europe. It is built
upon solid granite foundations,o of Ohio stone
and Philadelphia brick. with brown.stone
trimmings, the arches Of the front being
deliberately sculptured with foliage, which
"eSo sSeNJ W. sAS oSeusy VI thO ihl-
posing front.
The interior o. the church is in keeping
with the general style of the architecture.
The double rows of clustered columns which
support the arches of the vaulted main roof
are elaborately carved, and decorations are
p~rofuse, all the woodwork being carved and
futed and finished up without paint.
The altar is of white marble, surmounted
by q beautifully carved Gothic tabernacle. 1t
Is surrounded by a series of handsome stained
glass windows representing the patton saint
Of the church and various scenes connected
with her life and martyrdom. Other stained
Scriptural history, the effect being to give q
complete and symmetrical whole. The church
will seat !, 500 persons and there is standing
room for at least as many more:
Besides several societies for the promotion
of charitable and religious works in the par
ish there is the Association of St. Agnes,
which since its formation has been active in
assisting to reduce the debt upon the church
During the last few years, notwithstanding
that various improvements have been made
upon the property, the debt upon the church
has been greatly reduced through the Jealous
efforts of the pastor, who is one of the bust.
est and most energetic workers in the city.
The Rev. Henry @. Macdonald, who is still
the pastor of the church, was born in Wash.
ington in 1s41. He was educated at the sem.
mary of Mount st. Mary, at Emmittsburg
and afterwards pursued his theological
studies at the College of the Propaganda al
Rome. He was ordained priest June Is, 1867,
at Rome, by Cardinal Patrizi, Bishop OF Ostia
and Velletri.
His first appointment after his return to
this. country was as assistant priest at st.
Michaers Church, where he remained six
years, until he was appointed by Cardinal Nc:
Closkey, in 1873. to organize the parish, OF
which he is still pastor. 1t has thrived under
his guidance and increased in numbers until
at the present time it holds a position second
to none among the uptown churches. The
assistants of Father Macdonald are the Rev.
Joseph H. Bigley and the Rev. Michal ].
MURRAY,