The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-26
A NOBLE GIFT
Completion of the Late John
Stevens Memorial Bap.
tistry in Hoboken.
OLD FRINITY'S REMUNERATION
Progressive Work in the Parish
Effected by Rector Houghton
Sketch of the Baptistry.


year 1858, when the corner stone of the pres
ent edifice was laid by the Rt. Rev. George
Washington Doane, D. D., Bishop of New
Jersey Trinity has had enrolled in its mem
bership, old names in Hoboken. like: Van
Boskerck. VIM. P. Wright, who owned the
now famous Schuetzen Park and its Castle
and resided there, and this then private park
was the show place, next after Castle Point,
of the county. NJ V. Banta, Jas P. Mellifs,
Daniel Wardsworth, Peter Ritter, Richard
Stevens, John Fl. Suckley, John L. Parker,
Thomas H. Thomas, Alexander McWhorter
and his son, John E. New Whorter, Frederick
B. Ogden John Stevens, Joseph Hall, w.
W. Shippen, Wm Plumer, J. G. K. Duer,
Dr. Henry Morton, C. A. NJ. Preshy, DIR.
Lorenzo Elder, c. j. Appleby, C. Albert
Stevens, Thomas Slater, w. H. Dilworth
and Col. E. P. C. Lewis.
It's first rector was the Rev. n. W. Camp.
D. D., and he was followed by Rev. ]. W.
Clark, Rev n. Sayre Harris, Rev. Frederick
Fitzgerald, Rev. r. w. Howes, Rev. Telfar
Hodgson and the present rector, DI. Hough-
ton whose work has been progressive one,
and he has built up the parish and added all
the improvements which have been made on
the church during the past seventeen years.
In 1882 the old edifice was partly torn
down and an extension made on the east end
of over thirty feet in length, comprising the
new channel and the transepts. In 1885 the
parish building was enlarged to nearly double
its former size, and now in 1895. the most
beautiful work of all is being completed in
the erection of magnificent memorial bap-
tistry, beautiful memorial of one who
loved the church and was himself lovely in
his character and h.s l1ily life.
ITS DIMEA--)NS.
The baptistry is octagona4 shape, and
abuts on the southeast corner of L. -:urch,
giving an apsidal appearance to the s....h
side Of the church. The baptistry adjoins
the old chapel as well as the church proper,
and may be entered from both these build
ings The baptistry is thirteen feet broad
and sixteen feet long. The font will stand
in the centre OF the memorial chapel, on a
platform of marela, and with cover sur
mounted by brass c4css) will reach eleven
feet in height. The cove (which is of quar-
tered oak, octagonal in s-.->-,e, gothic in
structure and decorated with t-n''i7g and
small crockets) is being built in Cio. ~->s,',
Ohio. The font is of pure white marb.e,
also octagonal in shape, with a base forty
inches in diameter and the bowl thirty six
inches in diameter, standing four feet to the
top of the bowl, with two bands of lilies and
twelve white polished marble columns with
carved capitalsl is being made in Florence,
Italy, by famous sculptors, The tiles for the
floor (of pure white) and for tle wainseoh
decorated with gold heur dens) are oeing
made by English firm. The four Lam
Memorial Chapel have for their sub
ects the following :-'Our Lords Bap-
tism by St. John in the River Jordan"
1.-The Madonna and Child" tStella Marisl,
'sSt Agnes with the Lamb and Fagots,'
''St John the Divine"
The ceiling of the baptistry will be a dome
in stained glass and will be constructed oval
in shape in eight panels, and the subjects of
the panels are the eight different orders of
the heavenly host:-
Angels, archangles, seraphim, cherubin,
thrones. dominions, etc, with designated
appropriate coloring, insignia and title.
BEAUTIFUL DECORATIONS.
These dome lights and the four lancet VIM
| dows, and all stained glass are being made
| by Mayer & Co., in Munich. The lancet
windows will probably arrive this week.
| The furniture Tor the memorial baptlstry
| will be made by Schoeneberg. Mr.. +. j. N.
! Stent, the architect, has made the designs
! and is experimenting the work of the color
decorations for the oaptistry, and IS at tha
same time experimenting the decoration
work in the chancel, nave and aisles OF tha
| church. The decorations in the church ara
very different from anything heretofore
seen in this neighborhood; the worries, the
buffs, the sienna browns and gold prevailing,
all light tints. The old pews have been
taken out of the church, pews reverenced for
their charming antiquity and discomfort.
and are being superseded by very elegant
solid quartered oak square end pews, with
high backs, and were made from special
designs.
Thus Trinity church will, in November,
be q rejuvenated building new walls, new
ceiling. new carpets, new pews, new bap-
tistry, and, more than all. free from debt,
and with an endowment fund started, and
all this great work in memory of one who
served the parish most faithfully for sixtaen
years as vestryman, treasurer and warden,
as delegate to the diocesan convention, and
representing the parish on most Important
committees of the diocesan council, one
whom the parish can never cease to mourn,
one whose life and character made their last
ing impress upon Trinity church, one who in
dying Dequeathed a most substantial legacy
that alone should keep his memory in all the
years to come; and, moreover, the baptistry,
unique in design, chaste and beautiful in all
its appointments, and the refurnished church
building will be fitting and permanent
memorial of Mr.. John stevens, who was
Junior warden of the parish at his death.
REOPENING SERVICES.
The church whose services have been COM
Quoted during the past two months in the
parish building) will be reopened on the first
Sunday in November November 3 with spe-
cial ceremonies. Stairers service will be
done by the choir in the morning, and in the
evening the 'Stabat Mater" Special SER
mons will also be preached during the month
OF November. Owing to the Importance of
the carving work on the font and cover, and
the necessity for correctness in artistic de-
tail in the dome glass; the baptistry will not
be ready for dedication until December, at
which time several bishops have signitied
their intention of being present. and the
baptistry will be dedicated by Bishop STAR
KEY of the diocese of Newark. The sermon
will be preached by the bishop of Fondulac
in the morning and by the bishop of Dela-
ware in the evening,