The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-11-27

became large and self-supporting. The
present pastoral residence was erected
during FIR. Ryan's incumbency. From
this time until the present, the life and
growth of this church is well known to
most of our local readers. In 1872, the
Rev. j. c. O'Dwyer succeeded FIR. Ryan
and he was the means of perfecting the
parochial schools. erecting the school
house and convent, and of bringing to
the parish the sisters of st. Joseph, who
so efficiently teach and rule the schools
aforesaid.
FIR. Dwyer died in 1888 and was buried
in the cOnsecrated ground to the north
of the old church and in front and east
of the dwelling that had so long been his
home. He is the only priest thus far to
pass away while pastor of the church.
His remains were laid at rest amid the
sorrows of an immense congregation
many of whom did not belong to that
Communion-and by people to whom
his passionate had been an enduring
blessing.
The Rev. VIM. j. O'Sullivan had
charge from the death of FIR. O'Dwyer in
in 1888 until 1885. He is now at Mont
pelier and is engaged in building new
church there.
He was the one selected to deliver the
sermon las will be recalled) at the laying
of the cornerstone of the new church
we are about to describe, and it must
have been as gratifying to him as it was
to his former Pensioners to be enabled
to perform his part of that function in
the able manner reported in our columns
at the time.
In October, 1885, the present able and
beloved pastor, the Rev. John S. Mich
aud, came to Bennington. He was fully
equipped for his work, which is destined
to be second to none in the history of
this parish. The opportunity to purchase
very fine site for a new church on
West Main street just west of the historic
Dewey residence was not allowed to pass
unimproved. The times seemed oppor-
tune for the building of an edifice that
until now had only been the talk or
dream of few. The church building
fund soon grew to be $4,000 and numer-
Gus sums thereafter swelled the aggregate
to point where it was safe to build.
The plans of the architect and the build
ing itself have already been fully described
by us as the work has progressed.
For the benefit of those who have not
access to these reports, we give the di-
mansions, outside measurement, as fol
lows: Extreme length of church 1876 feet;
extreme length of church and chapel 1875
feet; extreme width of church front 80
feet; extreme width of church IA
feet; extreme height to apex of ceiling
70 feet; extreme height of steeple, about
200 feet; seating capacity 1000; residence
62x40 feet front; extreme length of
church, residence and chapel, PA feet.
The value of this property is not less
than 100000.
The main building. spire, and chapel
are completed upon the outside and the
stone are on the ground to build the resi-
dence. The belfry is arranged for u
chime of bells, and the prospect is good
that grand chime will, in due time, be
placed therein. The statue of the Sistine
| Madonna, holding in her arms the figure
of the infant Saviour, graces the cap-stone
of the side gable facing Main street. This
l nn nj nF fpia hAt
of statuary and windows are to be placed
in position in inches and about the chan
Gel in due time. The building is of stone
from the House" quarry, south of this
village and has SO much the appearance
of granite that the editor who accom-
panied the MiddlebOro Odd Fellows, re-
Gently. wrote to his paper that the walls
were of Vermont granite, and that the
structure was one of the most imposing
in the country. The measurements,
above, will give the reader an inkling
of the lofty and graceful proportions of
the interior ceiling. handsomely decor
ated, with panels, bearing quatrifoil, tri-
foil, gothic and Grecian designs; the trus-
SEES of which, supporting the roof, are fin
ished to the ridge and ornamented with
borders and pOllychrome decora-
tions. Seen from the floor the effect in
prospective is that of fine oil painting.
The effects will be much finer when the
cOlored windows shall have been placed
in position. When this is done the pres
ent windows will form an outside shield,
and the effect thus secured will produce
a very subdued light and shadow. The
frescoeing is designed and executed with
this in view. We make the remark so
that those who see the decorations now
may reserve criticism until the building
is completed and the full artistic effect
secured.
The interior is divided into four gener-
al parts: the choir gallery above the
tower and front (east entrance, 30x6O;
the nave GOxlO0; the Sanctuary
(Apsidal ChanceD, which includes
transept division marked by
a slight drawing in of the side walls
and chapel 3Ox4S, situated to the left
and rear of the sanctuary.
When the pastoral residence shall
have been built it will stand to the west
of this chapel, facing Main street. The
main chapel entrance is from that street
also. The sacristy is between the sane
tuary and the altar end of the chapel, and