The age-herald., 1900-09-15
SUPERB CHURCH
 MOST SUPERBLY Decorated and Most ArtisticaIIy Finished Throughout. CHURCH OF THE ADVENT Tomorrow the Worshippers Will Look Upon Most Tasteful and Rest ful Color Scheme, Pleasing
 to the Severest Critic
CHURCH OF THE ADVENT

enue, has been greatly improved by interior decora tion, including a number of stained glass windows. The scaffolding, which the congregation has encountered during the past two months, has been removed, and H. c. Wilkins, the fresco artist. who came from Washington, D. C., to embellish this handsome stone building, left on yesterday. And tomorrow morning those who attend services at the Advent will look upon most tasteful and restful color scheme; a specimen of mural painting, indeed, that will satisfy as a whole, the severest art critic.
 Real fresco means painting In wet plaster, and is intended only for buildings of vast proportions. In the United States the only fresco work Is seen in the Capitol at Wash ington and in St. Patricks Cathedral, New York.
 In structures of ordinary size, mural painting is either in water colors or in caustic and oil, on dry surface. The latter art was better suited to the Church of the Advent, as 1t Is to most churches, and the pleasing effect of MT. Wilkins work proves the correctness of his judgment.
 The chancel Is done in olive with the passion flower as the decoration for the back and the lily as the emblem for the sides.
 In general the chancel scheme Is floral, but other fine ecclesiastical effects are ob- served. For example, on one side of the chancel is the first part of the summary of the Law painted ribbons or bands of red, holding together a bunch of lilies; and on the opposite side the second part of the summary of the Law in similar design.
 Opposite the dhancel organ the con- ventional letters in monogram l. H. S., ex- quisitely painted in tints of gold against a bunch of lilies
 The nave of the church Is in terra cotta, with light single borders round the win dows and rich double borders in pearl and gold in semi relief mosaic effects, resting on the wainscoting, the figures most con spicuous in the wainscot border being the cross and stars
 Painted over the arch spanning the organ is the text: Praise ye the Lord with strnged instruments and organs;" over the choir room arch: "I will sing praise unto my God while 1 haVs being,' and over the central arch in front of the chancel: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace goodwill toward men," The letter. ing is in gilt on ground of old ivory. On the underside of the central arch is seen an exquisite specimen of art-designs similar to those in the borders of the nave, surrounded by delicate fligree work in a soft shade of red.
 The pllasrers are in ivory, but the bases Of the pilasters are in slate blue, to cor respond as nearly as possible to the color of the corbels. In the panel over the door leading from the choir room is large Maltese cross, painted in gold, embracing in a circle the letters, l. Il. $. This em- blem suggests St. Agnes Guild The Nal tese cross is the badge of this guild, and 1t is this guild that furnished the money to pay for the decoration of the church. The entire mural decoration follows out the lines of Gothic architecture and Is especially adapted in every detail to this particular building. It is really triumph of fine art and reflects credit alike upon Mr. Murray, the rector, whose taste had to be consulted, and Mr. Wilkins, who did the work. The artist was assisted by a num- ber of skilled and painstaking artisans, but he himself gave conscientious supervision to all important details and executed with h.s own hands all the more difficult artis- tic figures. MT. Murray speaks in high terms of MT. Wilkins and says his work has been satisfactory to the fullest degree. From the time the work was commenced two moni.ls ago until it was finished there was ample leisure; never at any period was there hurry, which might result in sloven- ly execu..on.
 west beautiful stained glass windows have taken the place of the plain art glass. On Thursday the last of the group of five windows above the portals was put in place. These windows are in English an- tioue and were made in Munich. They are singularly rich in blue, violet, gold, white and red. The middle window reveals the smybol of the Holy Trinity-the Athansian creed epitomized in symbolic form In the center of the symbol is the word Deus; on an outer circle the words, Pater, Filius and Spiritus and the phrase non est, the reading round the circle being: "The Fath- CT is not the Son, the Son Is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father Leading from each name of the Trinity to the name of Deus in the center fig the word est, so that reading to the center the idea af the mystery is expressed thus: ''The Father is God, the Son Is God, the Holy Ghost Is God;" also reading from the cen- ter to the circle: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost" Tn early Christian art the symbol of the Trinity Is usually referred to and drawn as the mystic triangle; but sometimes, as in the Church of the Advent, as the mystic cir cle within circle.
 The windows either side of the Trim ity window represent symbolically the four Evangelists-the man for St. Matthew, the lion for St. Mark. the OK for St. Luke, and the eagle for St. John, suggested by the prophecy of Ezekiel and the description found in the fourth chapter of the Revela- ton of St. John. Matthew Is represented by a man to indicate the record of the historic Christ or the man, Christ; Mark by lion to indicate the record of Christ, the King; Luke by the OK to indicate the record of the sacrifcial Christ; and John by the eagle to indicate the record Of the heavenly or divine Christ. These conven- tional symbols are as old as Christion art are frequently hinted at by the Fathers aud of the church.
 Underneath the windows described above are two large windows-epe representing St. Peter and the other St. Paul. The ''dim religious light" that will come mel lowed through the glass ct eventide from the setting sun. will heighten the aesthetic and spiritual feeling of worshippers ct the