The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-20
GREAT CATHEDRAL
IN NE W YORK
DEDICATED
Notable Gathering Yesterday
at MOrnlngside Heights
ST. JOHNS NOT YET COMPLETE
s3,5oo,o0o Has Already Been Spent
on Structure and 100000
VIII Be Total Cost

New York, April 20.-The eomplet-
ed portions Of the cathedral of st.
John the Divine, pile Of massive ina
sorry browning Morningside heights,
in upper Manhattan, we're consecrated
yesterday according to the rites of
the protestant Episcopal church, with
solemn ceremony and in the presence
OF notable gathering Of clergy and
laity. The impressive Offices were
presided over by Rt. Rev. David Hum
NELL Greer, bishop of the diocese of
New York. Among the guests invited
to witness the function were the rep
.Tesentatives of many other commun-
IONS, presidents of universities and
officers of city, state and nation.
Within the structure, where many
beauties Of the decorative scheme
have already been worked out, the
procession proceeded under the great
dome and with impressive exercises
the presentations of the chapel of
ST. Saviour and st. Columbia and of
the altar, organ and choir were for
mally made and the conservation cere
monies were performed. Music from
the great organ and choir played
notable part in the ceremonial. Bis
hop Greer preached the sermon of
the day, dwelling upon the value of
the present day cathedral as a force
for righteousness in modern life.
Bishop Greer read from the pulpit
letter written by the archbishop of
Canterbury in which, after praying
Gods blessing on the new ediflce, he
advocated international arbitration
as proposed by President Taft
While we must perforce leave to
statesmen and diplomatists the actu-
al formulating OF such arrangements
as may be found practicable" the En-
glish prelate said, dealing with the
question of peace, 1--WE want those
great officers to realize that they have
behind them not the acquiescence, but
the eager and enthusiastic support of
two great Christian people, and that
we esteem it to be one Of our fore
most privileges and duties as Chris
tian ministers TO set forward in the
name of the Prince Of Peace what we
believe to be so absolutely accordant
with the divine will and purpose.
God-speed the endeavors of those who
desire that the whole world should
realize what we feel upon this great
matter"
The cathedral of St John the Di-
vine is the largest ecclesiastical struc-
ture in the country, and the fourth
largest in Christendom. Although on
ly partly constructed, it has already
been 20 years in building, at a cost
OF $3,500,OOO and it may take as
much longer to complete it, at a total
estimated cost of S10OOO,0O0 Seat
ing accommodation are now provided
for about 100 persons, but, although
consecrated for present use, four
| ffths 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
yaulted roof of the crossing is only a
makeshift of terracotta to be torn
down later; the arches from which
the transepts will spread are blocked
with temporary concrete battles; the
| flooring itself is but a cement bed, on
which the mosaics will yet be super
Imposed; only a hint of the full glory
appears, and yet so noble is the
harmony of the ample dimensions and
so rich the promise of fulfilment that
the fragment opened to the public
yesterday is itself an invitation to
worship.