The times., 1901-05-17
GIFT FROM THE OLD WORLD
The Glastonbury Cathedra I'M
pressiveIy Dedicated.
Bisnop satterIee Leads the Solemn
Procession Through the Cathedral
Grounds The Significance of the
New Bishops Throne Explained.

| Solemn words, ueulCdlluB LIlt dilCltLlo
stones of the Glastonbury cathedra to
| their new use as a Bishops seat in an
American cathedral were pronounced yes
torday afternoon at the Cathedral Close
! by the Right Rev Henry Y Satterlee,
! Bishop of Washington.
! The scene was picturesque and charm
| ing. 1t was impressive because the cere-
monies were held in the open air, with
| the blue heavens for a roof, tall tree
| trunks for columns green, rustling leaves
| for decorations. Cast against the mas
I sive background Of green were the pure
white dresses of the girls choir and the
! white surplices of the cIerics and the
/ boy choir With the chirping and piping
/ song of early spring birds mingled the
| fresh voices of the lusty boys and the
! sweet trebles of the young ladies'.
There was something almost Druidical
in the professions extending from one
grove of trees to another. which the
whole body of priests, Choristers, and on
lockers made as the ceremonies proceed
ed. The train of white-robed girls and
priests, moving from place to place and
singing as they went, took the spectator
back to the early days of Christianity.
1t recalled the days Of primitive worship,
such as those when Glastonbury Abbey
:
haps. the stones which now have been in
corporated in the American cathedra
were first carved and dedicated to &C.
ClesiasUcal use.
In the pilgrimage yesterday from the
St. Adams Chapel to the cross which
marks the site OF the altar in the pro-
posed new cathedral, about $50 persons
took part, including, besides the direct
participants in the service, = large num-
Der of visiting ministers.
The dedication began a few minutes
after o'clock. To witness it there We're
gathered on the hiHy close a large mum
Der Of people from Washington and from
the neighboring suburban towns In the
hundreds of beautiful groupings which
occurred during the ceremonies, the cor
don Of beautifully dressed women which
surrounded the white-robed choir and the
officiating minister as they stood under
the trees was an essential part of the
picture.
The religious pageant began at St. Al
bans Seminary. where the young ladies
OF the choir gathered. Under the branches
OF the large-truulled trees which cover
The hillside it wound close to the academy
building, the boy choir leading. followed
by a few men choristers, and then by
next IN line.
Last of all came the Bishop, moving
with stately tread, a gold cross on his
breast, flowing robes. purple cap. and
purple and white lined hood. As the pro-
ccssion advanced all the participants
joined in the singing. A great brass cross,
borne by a robed crucifer, headed each
division
Standing in front of the bare wooden
cross that marks the site OF thu future
altar, Bishop Satterlee delivered the first
part of the dedication services to the peo--
pie grouped on the slopes beneath him.
The regular service for the day was given,
prayers were said with the rustling Of the
leaves as the only other sound to break
the stiffness peryading the bowed-head
multitude. Hymns and psalms were sung,
a clear-noted cornet carrying the melody
far down the hill into the shaded depths
of the woods.
Vixen the regular service had been fin
ished, the procession formed again, and
moved up the hill to the enclosure where
stood the cathedra en- powered in freshly
cut branches and leafy vines The Bishop
then mounted a rostrum, hedged about
with the dark tufts and pine tree brush
which thatched its sides, and spoke to
the people gathered in the shade OF the
trees. The rays Of the setting sun cut
aslant through the foliage and touched
his silver head with gold. The Bishop
said
Far back into the time when history
fades TO tradition Glastonbury was con-
secrated in the sight Of God to his use
That was when the first missionaries from
Gaul came into England and placed there
church to the honor and worship of
their supreme ruler. That was really only
z50 years after the ascension Of our Lord,
period that could be embraced in the
existence Of some Of the parishes of this
new country.
1T was long after this time of the
church founding that Gregory sent Au-
gustine to preach Christianity 10 the
Gauls. Then Augustine went from Can
terbury toward th, west TO carry the
Word, and he found the Bishop Of Arlea
at Glastonbury with all his priests to
meet him.
The stones of the old Glastonbury Ca
thedral were used eight times in rebuild
ing 1t, and perhaps the stones we see are
shaped before the time when Richard the
Lion Hearted made his cTusades into the
Holy Land. or the time when John, un-
willing was forced by the angry barons to
put his signature and seal to the rights
of man in the Magma Charta.
What story the stones could tell They
could outline the whole Of the RELIGIOUS
life Of England and could speak Of the ref
ormation of Wyciiffe, of Latimcr, and of
Ridley, and of the time when the Cathe-
dral itself fell into ruin. and of the luin
which comes to churches tainted with
apostasy.
THE last scene that they witnessed was
the great assemblage of churchmen from
all over the globe which gathered IN the
ruins Of the old church to proclaim with
the prophets Of old that God must win
when he is WorshiDped in the spirit Of
truth. Who would have thought at that
time that they woul1 next witress sucn
gathering in their honor as this in our
beloved America.
I'VE see no ruins of an old church be-
fore US. but with the .ye Of hope and I
faith we can gaze into the future and see /
here AROUND Us the walls OF a great struc- /
ture mounting To the sky. We can see the /
groined arches Of the roof and the cathe- /
dral pulpit from which the great doctrines /
OF the primitive Church are preached. |
held IS realized. This is Chrlsts own coro- |
nation day. Let us remember that the /
Washington cathedral is sure to come if /
the walls are founded in prayer and sacri- /
fee"
The Rev. DIR. Harding, Of st. Paurs !
Church, was master of ceremonies, and I
in the conducting Of the services the !
Bishop was assisted by the Rev. F. II. /
Barton, the Rev. j. A. Aspinwall, and the I
Rev. J. II. Elliott. OF the trustees of the /
cathedral three were present and took /
part In the ceremonies. Henry Pellew, /
John A. Kasson, and George Truesdell /
Among the many other persons present |
were the Rev. DR.. Alexander MacEav- !
Smith, the Rev. DR.. Randolph H. McKfm. |
Rev. David Barr. the Rev DR. DeVries, |
the Rev. George Dudley. the Rev. DR. |
Snyder OF the Church of the Incarnation |
the Rev. w. Morgan Jones of Brooklyn |
the Rev ]. Z. Thomas. the Rev. G. c. f. |
Bradmar the Rev. Thomas J. Packard, |
the Rev. c. r. Stetson. the Rev E. NJ |
Thompson, the Rev. w. NJ. Pettis the |
Rev. e. NJ. Mott. the Rev. J. L. c. |
st. Johns, Philadelphia. All the clerical
guests took part In the procession. At |
the close of his address the Bishop CON |
cluded the ceremonies with the benedic-