The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-27
gh 0aaiehta Daily da1ednesaau zorie ans IT.
ART WORK IN BUILDING.
CONVENTIONAL IDEAS DlSREGARpEp
BY THE ARCHITECTS.


4 Newark Church That vsuId Attract
Attention Anywhere Because of It's Ex-
ternaI and Internal Novelties-A Short
Sketch of the Donor.
The Peddie Memorial Baptist church
IN Newark is the most recent and most
notableexaI1ple OF ecclesiastical S-chi-
lecture in the metropolis Of New Jersey.
It is situated on Bread street, in the
very heart of the ciEy, and the pleasing
and impressive mass wpRld attract at
tention anywhere, Trough it IS doubtful
whether an uninforne6 nzsss<-by would
guess that it was buiiding erected for
religious worship. The archisect, 1lr
William Halsey Wood, has not been re-
strained by the conventional rules of
ecclesiastical architecture, and the only
suggestion IN the exterior OF the build
ing Of the purpose Of the structure is in
the pointed towers, one taller than the
other, and with clustered spires
The predominating idea of the whole
is RomaneSque, though the dome IS By
zautine. and the short, thick columns Of
the loggfs and the lcggia itself sFe-early
Italian. The arches are 2omanesqUe, as
is also the belt of sculpture which en-
riches the upper story Of the two prln-
cipal fronts. On the apex OF the dome
is figure representing an angel with
trumpet. This figure has excited deal
of local criticism. The loggis, through
which are the main entrances TO the
church, opens upon avesCibule sheltered
by swing doors Of oak; the inner doors
Of the vestibule and the partition sepa-
rating it from the auditorium are of
heavy plate glass, through which those
arriving have complete view Of the
interior before entering.
THE INTERIOR
The general effectof the interior of the
building is as novel in church as the
exterior, and it Is equally agreeable Low
galleries sweep around the greater part
OF circle. and there is no chEncsl. The
predominating tone Of color is that of old
gold. with deeper shades Of reddish
brown and amber. The woodwork, with
sycamore, is Of North Carolina pine,
somewhat darkened by oil The wood
of the inner dome is unplaned, With the
intention of assisting the acoustic quail
ties of the auditorium.
The few wall spaces are of marble and
stone in warm colors. The pulpit. which
Is rather low on the floor, is almost di-
rectiy beneath the great skylght in the
eye Of the dome. Behind the pulpit
is the baptlstery, a somewhat narrow
structure. the floor of which is higher
than the platform of the pulpit. In the
rear of this is a decorated screen Of
cherry wood and hard pine, which rises
perpendicularly and cuts OFF the rear
portion Of the dome. Behind this screen
are the Sunday school rooms, three
stories in height and with an entrance
from the street.
There are six stained glass windows IN
the front of the church, four of them be-
ing memorials of deceased members Of
the congregation. -Four windows on the
north front are occupied with one con-
tinuous composition representing the
baptism of Christ. A landscape and
river scene stretches through the four
windows, and the figures Of the compost
ton occupy the two central windows.
NOVELTIES II DECORATIONS.
In the semi-ciTcular recess in the north
west angle of the church on the second
floor are three memorial windows and
two tablets fixed into the walls. These
are commemorative Of the life and serv-
ices Of the late Henry Clay Fish, for
many years pastor Of the church. This
recess opens into the auditorium through
a noble arch, and affords retiring room
or place for social greeting for the con-
gregation. An impressive and beautiful
effect of the interior is a vast arch that
spans the perpendicular screen in the
rear Of the pulpit platform. gpsinging
from either ode OF the building and
reaching into the dome above. This arch
Is enriched with traceTy of Moresque
quality, and bears ON its face IN inuutn-
ated Letters the words, These stones
shnfi be his memorial"
Opposite this and spanning the recessed
bay of the second or gallery floor, Ia
which are the windows on the front. Is
another fine arch: this IL supported on
either SIDE BY large. Selicately carved
stones, the work On which u Of remark
able beauty. To The left Of this arch, as
one faces the pulpit. IL small balcony
in the wall, the entrance 10 which Is
from the pastors study in the north
tower. From here is obtained the best
view of the interior OF tho eai6ce, the
details Of the elaborate architecture De-
ing fused int harmony, while the mel
low lusser from the great yellow gty- |
light above falls down IN food Of |
sofbened color On either 61de Of the |
church, at the bases Of the memorial !
arch rise ths clustered pipes Of the tive |
organs.
This church was the gift Of the late |
Ar. Peddie 10 the First Baptist eongre-
yseson. Of which be was tong tine d /
member Mr. psaA4e csms from 6oot-
Land 70 Newark when young man. He |
Logan kss career m Eeva<s a. a Jour /
1eyman trznkRaksr Begizuin2 Chs |
Of trunks s1d bags In q
znsn way. his business gTg~ wIsa the /
Years, sDd be bscaE1e Te@y r1rsh naan-
This church n the rnanD0gixl be c1Oss i
tor hirself-RaxpeTs Weekly.