The Washington herald., 1907-09-30

With solemn and impressive cere-
monies the foundation stone Of the Ca
thedral Of SIS. Peter and Paul was laid
on Mount ST. Alban at high noon yes
terday. Reverenty into the earth the
stone was lowered in the presence Of the
President Of the United States. who
stood surrounded by distinguished prel-
ates of the Anglican Church from many
parts of tile earth. On one side of the
President stood the Lord Bishop of Lon
don, on the other. Bishop Satterlee, OF
Washington. while hard by. in the bril-
liant line of silken-arrayed dignitaries.
were the Archbishop Of the West Indies,
the Bishop of Tasmania, the Bishop of
ST. Adams. and a great number Of the
most prominent American bishops. in
Guiding the Oldest and the presiding
bishop OF the church in this country.
Bishop Tutte, of Missouri
1t was a ceremony and pageant the
Ike Of which is seldom seen in this dem
ocratic country. 1t was riot Of color.
from the brightest scarlet Of the gown
Of Lord Bishop A F. Wiunington-In-
gram to the deep purple which lined
many OF the doctors robes. Upon the
breasts Of these prelates of the church
there gllt5ered jeweled pec;oral crosses
that caught the sunlight flashing through
the trees and reflected it back in many
brilliant hues Above the heads of tie
multitude golden crosiers stood. and held
uloft was the bishops mace of ebony
and silver, while an around the banners
of the church-forked banners Of white.
bearing q, purple cross-waved over the
peoples hlads.
scene of Rare Beauty.
The focal point Of all the ceremony
WIS the pit dug in the earth above which
the foundation stone hung. supported by
heavy ropes. Around this was built an
amphitheater with seating accommodation
for over 1900 people. The part Of the plat
form Immediately behind the foundation
stone was reserved for the bishops and
the clergy, and in the center was a seat
Of honor for the President of the United
States. The front of the platform was
decorated with flowers and banked nigh
with palms and ferns, while all around
were Wreaths of laurel containing in their
center "a maltese cross in red. The place
where the foundation stone was laid yes
terday is the spot on which viii rise the
sacred altar Of the Cathedral Of SIS. Peter
and Paul Nature has endowed the spot
lovingly with wondrOus beauty Crown
ing Mount st. Alban, it stands 400 feet
above the river. which can be seen djmIv
threading its siIveTy length so far away.
Here where the nave of the cathedral
viii be are ancient oaks, and the sIopes
Of the mount are thick with maguifcent
forest trees Between these the procession
of choristers, the musicians. the clergy.
lay readers and bishops wound their
way from st. Adams Church. Purple
ropes affixed TO purple stakes marked
out the line Of the procession and also
indicated the ground plan of the
cathedral
On both sides Of the amphitheater were
groups Of back-garbed nuns. whose
somber costumes and pale faces framed
IN white added much To the picturesque
ness Of the scene
Gathered about on the edge Of the amphi- /
theater were dozens of cameras Of all |
shapes and sizes. They We're d good dis /
tance away from the scene of the inn /
portant ceremonies, but some Of the
photographers had climbed the trees
and fixed their instruments there. one
IN particular looking as formidable aS if a /
13-iuCh gun was leveled ~ the Presi- /
dent.
Sunshine Follows Light Shower.
The center Of interest was. Of course. /
the foundation stone. which. suspended
in front Of the platform. could be easily
seen. 1t was a huge stone of granite.
but imbedded in il is a stone brought
over 70 this country for this purpose
from the field in Bethlehem adjoining
the Church of the Holy Nativity. It is
the first stone Of the substructure which
VIII support the CathedraTs altar. and
when the cathedral is built il will form
the rear wall of the Bethlehem Chapel of
the Holy Nativity in the crypt. This
chapel Will be the first 10 be erected. and
IN Il, each day at noon. during the build
ing OF the temple. there viii be services
and prayers for the safety Of the men
engaged in the work
It looked for time about noon ves-
ceremonies The sky was dark. the
clouds threatening Rain had fallen
earlier, and the drops still shook from
the trees with every gust Of wind. and il
had collected in some quantity on the
roof of the amphithe3ter and al times
during the service it blew down in a
shower so that those AT the edge OF the
stand had sometimes hurriedly to move
back out Of the way Mrs Roosevelt
who, with Ethel and Quentin Roosevelt
had seats right In front. once narrowly F.
escaped a wetting. Some of the rain /
blew on the President and Lord Bishop 4
Ingram, and Bishop Pdret, of Maryland, /
got quite a ducking
But it was clear for the impressive pro /
Cession, and for the opening Of the serv- I
Continued on Page ,, Column 3.