Manchester Democrat., 1911-04-26
Open |GCATHEDRAL
CHOIR OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
IN NEW YORK is coNsEcRAr-
ED-cosT $4,000, 900.
CEREMONY MOST IMPRESSIVE
Many Distinguished clersymen and
Laymen Are Present-Two Reautl.
full chapels That Are Completed
Also Dedcated-Mrs. TAFT Present.

New York. y The Cathedral Of
st. John the Divine, the largest
church edifice in the western hemi-
sphere, was formally opened here in
the presence of distinguished clergy
men from both the United States and
Europe together with prominent per-
sonages from the various walks Of
life.
Though the great structure on Morn
ingside Heights may not be fully com
pleted for rs years to come, the COM
pletion of the crossing" has given
between the colossal granite arches Of
the tower space where 5000 people
may ,congregate. 1t is this part, the
choir and the two finished chapels,
that was consecrated.
The largest and most distinguish
ed procession ever assembled in an
Episcopal church in this country was
seen at the opening service. Among
those who participated in the cere.
monies were 26 bishops. 400 other
clergymen and the delegates to the
diocese convention. Among promi.
nent laymen who attended the exer
cises were Mrs. William H. Taft, and
Governor and Mrs. Dix. President
Taft could not arrange to be present
Among the bishops who took part
in the ceremonies were: Warrell Of
Nova Scotia. Olmsted of central New
York, Millspaugh of Kansas, Vincent
of southern Ohio, Lyons of Newark
Burgess of Long Island, Harding ol
Washington, Mackay-Smith of Phila
delphia, Grafton and Coadjutor BishoI
Weller of Fpnd du Lac, Wis; Talbo
of Bethlehem, Pa; Whitehead o
Pittsburg, Brewster of Connecticut
Kinsman of Delaware, Lawrence o.
Massachusetts, Knight of Cuba
Sweeney of Toronto and Morris w
Libert, head of the Moravian church
in this country.
The formal opening service was al
10:30 o'clock, for which special cards
of admission had been distributed. The
bishops and other clergy, lay trustees
convention delegates, visiting clergy
of other bodies and representatives O.
educational and similar institution.
made up the procession, which march
ed from Synod hall into the sout1
door of the Cathedral, at the eastern
end of the choir. The processibna
hymn was Christ Is Made the Sur,
Foundation" and other hymns wert
Rise, Crowned With Light" and ION
ward, Christian Soldiers" the las
named being the recessional. Th,
anthem was unfold, Ye Portals" ant
was sung by the augmented choir o
half a hundred men and boys. amonl
them some of the best known of New
Yorks soloists. The sermon wa,
preached by Bishop Greer.
Much Of the structure thrown opel
for use is temporary. Parts con
secrated are the permanent ones only
These are the choir, although that Il
not yet wholly complete, for much o
the interior marble lining is not in
and two Of the chapels, both perma
nent, the one erected by August Bel
mont, which is the middle one, and i
known as st. Saviour's chapel, and tn
one given by Mrs. Edward King, i'm
mediately adjoining and known as tn
Chapel Of st. COLUMBIA. The othe
FIVE chapels are not yet finished.
The cost of the cathedral to dat
! has been between 100000 and 81
100000. Some money has been Sc
aside for endowment. and there is N
debt. It is expected that the com
pleted structure will cost total o
| SIS. .0OO, 900,