Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-12-20

Ihe NemOdeied Church.
a visitor TO the church, who has not kept
watch of the progress of the improvements.
will find it difficult to convince himself
that, saving the comparatively small add
tons that have been made the ediiice is the
same which stood upon TINS site last spring.
for tine transformation has been complete
Viewed from the outside, the most notable
change Is the addition upon the front of two
entrance towers, III feet square. one at
either corner, and the construction upon the
north side of cloistered way, 10 feet wide
which leads from the entrance tower upon
that side to the chapel ia the rear Accom-
mediation has been secured for the chapel
by the erection of rear extension y feet
long, and the width of the building proper
From the interior where formerly there
was vestibue or entrance lobby. and YES
try, with audience room above, the vesti
bue and vestry have disappeared. and we
find simply large auditorium 80 bv - feet
m size and 46 feet high the arrangement
being IN ampntheatre or theatre form with
main floor, gallery or balcony, aud upper
balcony, all with inclined floors The old
stalrWaN- have gone, the ceiling of the yes
thule nov the first gallery has been raised
two feet, and the entrance towers provide
convenient room for the stairways which
lead tn the galleries ON either side The
main floor starts from the level of the old
vestibue floor aud descrnds bv "a suitable
incline toward the pulpit. In place OF the
uld Nestbule, dud IN the rear OF the pres
ent seats, Is level space II feet wide and
the iull width oi the church, where the
congregation may meet before and after
services for friendly greeting and social IA.
tercourse Upon occasion. when a crowd
c"mpels. tins space may also be utilized for
additional seat- This same convenient ar
ranEemeut Us repeated upon each of the
hoors above Another feature of the ar
rangement which may here bee noted Is the
placing of iron gates al the foot ut each
stairway So that when only "a small audi
euce i~ present the entrance to the galerte,
may be cut OIL, ami the entire audience
gathered ronpactly un the man floor The
lew> ON tins h"or are of oak, OF an attrHc
tive modern pattern ana arranged Iu semi
circular form For tine galleries the old
pews have been utilized.
From the pulpit platform. much reduced
IN SIZE from the old one sweep of the
auditorium l. commanded such a. Is possl
hle only M the form of arrangement here
adopted The organ nov hnds place at the
/ left of the pulpit, and above It, ON the floor
=
Butler and Stenberg Of Boston, have per
formed their work m remarkably sati,
/ factory way The colors used are soft
/ brown and olives, the result giving all that
could be desired IN the way Of harmony OF
coiorlug ami of resttulness 10 the eye The
windows are Of cathedral glass The
/ pews upon the three floors will seat ahout
/ 1000 people
AT the back OF the pulpit T. IA large panel
I OF stained glass, aud TIN, introduces Us u
/ what Is IN Tact the novel feature of the
/ church arrangement here eNempllhed. Ihl-
stained glass panel Is III reality d large
weighted window which. ou being thrown
~, reveals, hey oud, the chapel. with sun
day school class rooms arranged on three
sides and on t"o floors or tiers. With the
( chapel thus thrown INTO connection with
the MAN audience room, and the class room,
/ open. accommodation Is provided for near
/ ly 1000 more persons, and 1t Is probably
safe 10 say that on any occasion of specia
/ need 2oOb people could now be seated M
tins church within hearing OF the speaker
voice. The seating capacity Of the tloor of
the chapel Is about 800
Entering this rfom from the cluistered
way, built to give convenient access to it
the sunday school library room Is passed at
where the children may leave their book,
rs they pass into the chapel Behind tn,
/ superintendent desk and platform Is al
other platform for the Sunday school or
chestra. This platform Is III reality part
OF the pulpit platform, the floor of whlct
may 'e drawn back into the chapel, un
covering the bapustry. At the left of the
pulpit are the robing rooms, The class
rooms are J. IN number and they have
seats Tor about ~ pupils each The front
OF each Is large window which, When
closed, gives privacy for the class lessons
| and when opened makes the rooms each d
part OF the chapel, from which the severa
classes may JON m the general exercises
These rooms are attractlvely fitted up tn,
teachers having IN several cases put III thu
furnishings at their own expense. For tn,
accommodation of his large class Of young
men Col kstey has put m folding opera
chairs of oak The primary class room Is
OF double size, with seats for 100 children
Ii has It, own small organ with all the ap
pliances for an independent service for the
little ones. On the upper floor, at the left
Is teachers room, with long table
around which each Monday evening the
teachers gather, with Mir. l. W. Hawley
the superintendent, for study and cunsulta
tlon. In due time valuable library will
be gathered here with all modern helps for
sunday school work.
There nov remains b. ice described the
quarters for one of the most interesting
adJuRcts OF the church work, as 1t l. Ger
family one of the most Important-to thu
ladies perhaps the most 50. These are the
ladies social rooms occupying the floor
above the chapel, and consisting OF kitchen
and pantry of generous size with all need
iul appliances, ii sewing room, banquet
room about - feet square, and parlor y
10y 30 feet in size. The location and ar
rangement Of these rooms are admirable
The banquet room Is furnished with square
tables which seat eight persons each, and
the chairs are OF oak of the graceful Aus
trian bent wood The parlor is "a hand
some room luXurlously furnished, and a.
attractive aud home like any prlyat,
parlor could bc conspicuous feature o
the furnishing Is an kstey upright piano il
hurl walnut case of unusual beauty The
instrument was presented 10y the surviving
representatives, of young peo ,,le's society
which formerly existed N the church Ia
these commodious rooms the members o.
the church and society may meet as on,
large family and the true spirit of unit,
and brotherhood Ice cultivated To the fulles
extent
Speaking IN general terms, the desgr
in view in projecting and carrying GU
these improvements, was to provide under
one roof a place where the religious hf,
{ and teaching of the church and its Dracti