The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-26
OGDEN News
Office, 24s4 Washington Ave.
NEW ALTAR UNVEILED
St. Joseph's Catholic Church of 0g.
den Now Boasts of Specimen
Of Artistic Beauty.

The new S5,000 altar Of St Josephs
Catholic church of ogden was unveiled
at high mass at o'clock yesterday morn
ing before q gathering that filled the
spacious edificc to the doors. Fully 900
persons received the sacrament during
tho mass
When the canvas which concealed the
work was dropped the altar was revealed
IN wonderful mass of white to the
awaiting assemblage. The audience knelt
In silent player. Ia the church balcony
Inc organ and the voices of the ChOlr
proclaimed the rejoicing. A dedicatory
address was delivered by Rev. Father
J.. NJ. Cushnahan. after the ceremonies
attendant upon the mass were over He
referred 10 the successive eVOiutiOns of
the church in Ogden. He stated that
when he first came to Ogden he said
mass before a very few worsnippers.
when q mere throwing together of boards
formed the altar which was without
beauty. As the membership grew more
pretenuOus quarters became the desire
anu after years Of patience and perst-
NcFdnce the present structure was erected.
He said that ne now reiOiced that God
had allowed him 60 see the fulfilment of
MS long cherished dream in the dCdlcd-
ton OF the altar.
The new altar is one OF the finest pieces
OF workmanship of its kind in the count
Try, Europe was secured in an effort to
tlhd some pattern, some treasure that
would give conception of the altar that
IL remained however. Tor local architects
- create into tangibihty three cOncep-
uons. the third of which was accepted
and the plans were given To the caTpen-
tiers and wood carVers on May j of this
year.
The place of execution selected was the
shop or A. A. Richter on TWeuty-third
street. There for eignt months under the
guidance of = (. Woods. the architect,
the plans Grew into shade, beauty and
art The fur sections or the altar were
completes early during the present month
when tn were TRANSPORTED to the church
= since ahch time they have been SET in
pts-e and the finishing touches We're adj
painters.
Measuring from right to left from cx-
trtme TO extreme. the base s sixteen feet.
This Is general length Tor wo-thiTGs
the height or the altar At that point
numerous spires reach Hp crowned with
crosses the highest rising tWenty-fOur
feet six inches above the base. Three
steps lead 10 the door of the tabernacle.
This door is plated gold with a full-size
chalcei typical OF The fun measure OF
bitterness that the RcdecmtT tasted be-
fore his death. Below the door of gold a
slab of onyx, highly polished rests on
four pillars Of colored ONYX, ionic IN style.
The table, probably the best work i'm wood
carving IN the whole altar. stands out
iu classic mold. Three figures, the cen
tral one, the figure of a lamb, surrounded
b. carved arches and resting on an altar
OF sacrifice, and 10 the right and left Of
this figure, removed some distance, TWO
hearts pierced with daggers, the figures
tucked in with carving similar in design
10 the central figure. These three form
the base work of the altar.
Above the Tabernacle, and on its top.
rests an arched cup0la supported by onyx
columns. Above inc CupOla but not rest
ms upon IL the maiV spITe rises. The top
- crowned with O y oss, sildcd with gold
leaf. This spire likc the others is Orna-
mented with figures in various shapes
carved Ina poplar wood. On either side of
the main spire rise two spires uu the ex-.
tremiues. Close to the main hail. and on
either side OF the recess, TWO smaller al
tors similar in shape 10 the main altar
complete the whole.