The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28

tonbury Throne" are the titles descriptive
of the chair of Bishop Satterlee now in
course of erection on the grounds of the
| Episcopal Cathedral close on Mount st.
Alban, Wisconsin Avenue, and which will
be completed and dedicated next Assem-
sion Day.
The chair viii be rich in symbolic mean
ing and a unique ornament to the beau
| tiful location selected as the site for the
! Episcopal Cathedral. 1t will be composed
partly of twenty stones from the ancient
| Abbey of Glastonbury, in Wales. These
stones have the characteristic carving of
the Norman architecture of Glastonbury
| Abbey, and have been taken from that
part of the ruins erected during the Nor
| man period The portions of the chair
formed of the ancient stones are the low
er part, the seat, or cathedra proper, and
the two pillars that rise from the arms on
either side.
| The inscription on the panel forming
the back of the chair sets forth the terms
of the Chicagc-Lambeth Quadrilateral-
Holy Scripture and Apostolic Greed,
Holy Sacrament and Apostolic Order"
| The panel Immediately above the seal
| will bear the names of Eborius, Bishop
of York; Restitutus, Bishop of Lon
| don, and Adelfius. Bishop of Caer-
| leon-on-Usk, three British Bishops who
attended the Council of Aries in Gaul A.
| ID. 3l4 Beside these will be inscribed
the names of SITS. Dubricius, Patrick. Da-
Md, COLUMBIA, Aidan, Chad, and Angus
tine.
The cathedra has been designed by Mr..
| r. w. Gibson, who, it is said has dis
charged his difficult task with rare skill,
| displaying great taste and discretion, as
| well an intimate knowledge of Norman
| and early English architecture. 1t was
necessary to employ some new material
in erecting the cathedra, but these ad-
ditions are principally in the upper por-
ton. The correspondence between these
and the older parts has been carefully
preserved, and will be seen in the Norman
pediment of the cross which forms the
final of the chair, in the round billet
molding and in the zigzag ornament
around the central panel. Above the old
Glastonbury pillars on each side of the
chair arises a Bishops pastoral staff. and
the mitre is conspicuous as occupying the
angle below the final of the chair and
above the central panel. On the right side
of the chair is the following inscription:
These stones from the Ancient British Abbey
OF SIS. Peter and Paul,
are given
TO the Churchmel Of America
for the Cathedral
of SIS Peter and Paul
Washington, D. G.
On the left side panel is carved this in
scription:
This Glastonbury Cathedra
is raised as witness to the continuity Of
The Anglican Church
and presented
Ascension Day. 1901.
The designations Of the chair as THE
British Cathedra" or THE Glastonbury
Throne" were suggested by the Episcopal
Bishop of Bristol, England, one of the
greatest living authorities on British ar
chaeology, who preached at the Glaston-
bury service of the Lambeth Conference
1t was on the occasion of this conference
that the ancient stones for the chair came
to be presented to Bishop Satterlee for
the Cathedral at Washington. In the
summer of 1897 there was held in London
what is known as the Lambeth Confer
ence of all the Bishops of the Anglican
Communion throughout the world, which
of course included all the Bishops of the
Episcopal Church in America. One of the
most memorable meetings of this assem-
bly, was that which was held in the ruins
OF Glastonbury Abbey. Within the roof
less pile, which once sheltered the tomb
of kings and saints, were assembled the
official representatives, of the Episcopal
Church from all parts Of the world. The
Diocese Of Washington was represented
by Bishop Satterlee In speaking of the
occasion, the Bishop says:
Nobody who was present will ever for
get the scene. All met first in the par
ish church OF Glastonbury. There a pro-
cession was formed, headed by n long
line of surplced choirs, followed by more
than 500 clergy, the rear being brought tip
by over 100 Bishops from I'll parts of the
world. Both Bishops and clergy were in
their robes. Moving sic g7ly through the
streets Of Glastonbury they reached the
ancient abbey. The service which fol-
lowed was absolutely unique. Within the
picturesque ruins on the green sward
and beneath the bright sun of a sum-
mer's day this vast assemblage was
gathered. The Bishops sat In that part
of the abbey ruins which had once been
the choir. The clergy occupied the front
part OF the nave, while the surpliced
choirs filled the transepts. The remain
ing space within the bare walls was occu-
pied by the great assembly which had
met there. while others took advantage of
every coign of vantage to witness the
proceedings-some gazing through the
ruined windows or standing on mounds
of fallen moss-covered stone
THE Bishop of Bristol CDR. Browne)
was the preacher on this historic occas-
ion. He dwelt chiefly on the ancient his
tory of Glastonbury. The owner of GIas-
tonbury Abbey, Mr. Stanley Austin. was
most courteous TO the American Bishops.
and since then he has taken particular
interest in the welfare of the Diocese of
Washington"
When Mount St Alban. the beautiful
wooded height overlooking this city, was
purchased for the site of the Cathedral
of Washington, Bishop Satterlee wrote to
Mr.. Austin to acquaint him with the fact
About year later Mr.. Austin. after CON
sultation with the Bishop of Bath ana
Wells din whose diocese Glastonbury is
situated), and the diocesan architect
most generously made the present Of
twenty stones from the old abbey to the
Cathedral at Washington for the express
purpose Of erecting a Bishops chair. The
cost of the completion and erection of
this chair has been borne by a person I'm
the Episcopal Diocese of Washington who
has desired TO remain, for the present
unknown.