Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-04-19
LARGEST CHURCH EDlFIcE IN
COUNTRY OPENED FOR SER
VICES IN NEW YORK.
TWENTY YEARS IN BUILDING,
NOT VET COMPLETED
Total Final Cost Of Episcopal cathed-
raj Of St. John the Divine Will Reach
$4,000, ,o00-Fourth Largest in the
World Erected by Devotion and
Sacrifice.

New York, April 19.-With solemn
movement in the presence of a notable
gathering Of clergy and laiety the COM
pleted portion OF the cathedral OF st.
John the Divine, on 'Morningslde
Heights, was consecrated according to
the rites Of the Protestant Episcopal
church. The impressive offices were
presided over by the Right Rev. David
H. Greer, bishop Of the diocese of New
York
Among the guests invited to witness
the function were the representatives
Of conmunions, presidents of universi-
ties, and officers OF the city, state and
nation.
The ceremonies began with the pro-
cession Of ecclesiastics preceded by
the choir of boys across the walk from
the synod house to the huge mass OF
gray stone still outwardly crude but
representing an important step in the
work OF making the cathedral of st.
John the Divine, the fourth largest
cathedral in the world.
Bishop Greer preached the sermon OF
the day, dwelling on the value Of the
:>'>asent day cathedral as force for
righteousness in modern life.
New York. April lo.-T,e Episcopal
Cathedral Of s., Ion the TNt'-.fa t'-e
largest crc'e:i. :i.s;i1a, structure in the
country and the fourth largest in
christendom. was solemnly consecrated
here today. Altho only partially con-
structed. 1t has already been twenty
years in building, at cost Of $500. 900
and 1t may take as much longer to
complete It., at total estimated cost
Of s1o.0oo.o0o
Seating accommodations are now
provided for about 100 persons. but
altho consecrated for present use, four
fffthS Of the work remains to be done.
and the full capacity will approach
1000. At present the interior walls
stand in great part as they were laid.
in jutting tiers Of rough granite; the
vaufed roof OF the crossing Is only a
makeshtft Of terra Gotta to be torn
down later; the arches from which the
Transcripts will spread are blocked with
temporary concrete battles: the floor
ing itself is but cement bed on which
the mosaics will yet be superimposed;
only a hint OF the fun glory appears:
and yet so noble Is the harmony OF
the ample dimensions and so rich the
promise of fulfillment. that the fras-
ment opened to the public today Is
itself an invitation to worship.
Represents Sacrifice.
"How has this mighty undertaking
been hnanced?' asks Canon Robert
Ellis Jones' by the same devotion and
sacrifice" he answers. (which actu.
ated the best Of the medieval cathed-
raj builders. The cathedral has no Of
fetal source Of revenue. No organ
the interest Of Episcopalians. and
yet gifts Of all sizes have flowed
I'm, from all quarters. Five dollars come
every year from a seatnstress up the
Hudson. The inmate librarian OF r.
city refuge gave one-tenth of his sal
ary, and dozen old men in q church
home earned by making nets and ham,
mocks $3.50, which they begged might
be built into the cathedral.
A revenue thus derived can not be
estimated in advance. but bequests are
now known which, as they mature, will
be sufficient to insure continued pro
gress. The choir Is now rooted and
partly cased with the limestone which
will later finish the entire interior. The
eight giant columns, each sixty-five
feet high, exclusive Of the capitals.
which cluster about the altar, between
the ambula tory and the cancel. are In
place, with the names carved upon
them OF those whom their donors wish
to commemorate. Two OF the seven
chapels In the apse OF the chancel have
been completed, and with them their
stained glass windows. These are tho
S6s.fftts S6s.fftts c: August Belmont and Mrs. Ed
ward King Seven tapestries depicting
sacred subjects and woven originally
for Pope Adrian VII. in 1880 at Rome.
already hang in the spaces between the
windows of the apse and the full COM
plement will add three more. The or
gan and carved choir stalls. the gift of
Levi p. Morton, arc in place. The
great crossing at the intersection Of the
nave and the transepts, designed TOR
the main assembling place OF the con-
gregation. Is rooted over, and with the
unfinished transepts and the navo shut
in from the weather by concrete
screens. the remaining wings and work
on the lantern and towers above can
go on without annoyance to worship-
pers each finished unit to be thrown
open upon the main body of the edifice
as It becomes ready for use.
Rom anesque Architecture.
In style the cathedral Is hate Rom
ensque, w.ith strong traces Of Byzantine
Influences, or as the architect In chief,
c. Grant LAFarge. q son Of tho ,late
John LaFarge. describes Il. $50 Tar as
tho cathedral In the larger sense Is
Gothic. It h the Gothic OF q very early
period: tho time Of transition from
the simple Rornanesque 70 the more
complex organism" Nowhere Il. the
scheme based on the
pointed arch. The mystery Of hong