The age-herald., 1900-09-30

When the lighted candles at St. Mary s flicker across the chancel today the rays will mingle with the brilliant colorings reflected from the stained glass that has recently been placed in the chancel win dows while on the right of the nave, the lights along the aisles will be vivid by rea- son of the gorgeous colorings in the great central window that has recently been put in on the Twelfth avenue side of the church. This window was presented by the Ladies Aid Society of St. Mary s. It Is antique glass and represents the Resurrection" The memorial window on the right of the chancel was presented by General Louis V. Clark, in memory of his wife, Mrs. Mildred Jones Clark. On the left of the chancel is a memorial window presented by MT. Henry l.. Underwood in memory of his wife, Mrs. Mary Stockwel Underwood The windows were designed by Mayer and Company of London and Munich, with branch offices at 47 Barclay street, New York. The central window on the right of the nave is probably the most superb example of stained glass in the South. The central figure represents the risen Christ, robed in brilliant scarlet, while at His feet are the Roman soldiers who watched at the tomb. On the right the angel Is kneeling while the attitude of
 
 drapery on the figures is marvellous in coloring and wonderful in design, showing greens, purple, browns which the bril- liant sunlight illuminated with a vivid glory. The background is of wondrous blue shading into the radiant dawn of the resurrection morn. Above this transparent blue that seems a halo comes the beauti- ful decoration in the upper part of the window, the entire design reproducing perfectly the medieval period.
 The pose of the figures the draperies, the marvellous tints could not possibly be reproduced in other than antique glass, since 1t possesses the peculiar susceptibli- ties for receiving and retaining colors. While the American makers of stained glass use what Is generally called cathe- dral glass, 1t does not possess the quail ties found only in the antique and which lend themselves to the colorings with greater perfection As with the quality of glass, so 1t is with the designer. America has not yet produced a painter who ap- breaches a master of the old world, which IS essentially the home of stained glass. This wondrous art began with the monks m the twelfth century and was born from their desire to portray the wonderful beauty of the life of Christ. To Incorporate in glass the story of the gospel became a perfect art centuries ago, and the younger masters have worked only to reproduce the colorings designed by the pious monks
 The windows al St. Marys were manu- factured in Birmingham, England The central window was put in at a cost of SloVO The same designers have been given the contract Tor the remaining windows that are to be placed at the rear of the nave and to the left. These windows will represent the ascension and the crucifxion and will be put in at cost of several dollars
 The Clark memorial window represents the text, Suffer little children to come unto Me" About the figure of the Lord are grouped the little ones who come unto Him to be blessed.
 The window is in point of coloring and design one of the handsomest to be found In any church. There are eleven figures grouped about the central one, and the window shows the wondrous contrasts so loved by the old masters. The Underwood memorial window represents the sublime lesson taught by the Saviour when He said: e'This poor widow hath cast, more In than all they which have cast into the treasury: for all they cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living" The window re- produces in marvellous detail the story to be conveyed, and is not only beautiful in but wonderful in the blending of colors. The beauty of St. Mary's since the addition of these windows cannot be told in words To be able to fully appreci- ate the Churchly effects since these mar velous examples of old world art have re- placed the windows that were put in tenn porarily one must sit in the nave and study the conceptions of the old masters.
 The central window is framed temporari- " by the colored glass. against which the wy has clung and which makes a wonder full framing for the marvellous beauty of the Resurrection Morn. To sit near the chancel and study the colorings made even more brilliant by sunlight is to go far into the nave at a twilight hour when the church is growing shadowy. is really in the nature of an education in an art inspired by -devout monks and reproduced by latter day painters. The placing of these win dows at beautiful St Marys marks an epoch in church annals of the South. It is a matter of particular interest not alone to Birmingham, but to the diocese of Ala bama.
 Dr. Owen P. Fitzsimmons, the rector of St Mary's. is specially gratified at the work. He has long made a study of the best examples of stained glass and for which his residence abroad gave him the finest opportunities. When the subject of the temporary windows by stained glass was being discussed Dr. Fitzsimmons emphasized the advantages of delaying the order until the church was financially in a condition to replace the old windows by the most superb windows that could be made. Both the rector and the members of his congregation are to be congratulated on the fruition of these plans.
 Benefit Concert.