The Washington herald., 1912-04-28
BY REV W. H. DE vRIss, Pm. D.


ganiEation of the project and the hf-
teenth from the purchase OF the present
noble site by Bishop satterlee. at last,
on May /, begins the full round Of cathe-
drsl worship within the walls OF the ma
tionsl cathedral; not yet, however, in the
great choir and sanctuary that is TO be.
but beneath them in the crypt in a
beautiful chapel OF pure decorated
Gothic, dedicated as the Bethlehem
Chapel Of the Holy Nativity, and the
memorial OF devoted diocese and many
loving friends TO the splendid memory
OF that saint OF God, Henry Yates SAT-
terlee, bishop and doctor
Mr.. Henry Vaughan. the architect has
happily conceived and nneIy executed
his design for this notable church. The
architectural treatment In the nave is
very severe. In the chancel, however.
where will be the permanent resting
place OF the body of the bishop and his
memorial tomb in an, arched, vaulted,
and carved niche behind the altar and
under the high altar of the cathedral
above-here the architect has INDUCED in
most exquisite carving. The many pill
lars. characteristic OF crypt chapels, es-
pecially in the Norman mode, are so
light and graceful that while enhancing
the beauty they do not materially OBJ
struet the view Of the people in the nave.
Is Gothic Structure.
Built Of Indiana Iimestone from the
Bedford quarries a stone finally chosen
as one best adapted to all the needs Of
a Gothic structure in this country, the
chapel measures in extreme dimensions
l59 feet in length from west end to out
side of apse buttresses. and 12s feet in
width from outside to outside Of wall
buttresses- It is divided into chancel
nave, north and south vestibules, north
and south vestries, the organ chamber
and the apse ambulatory. 1t will seat
upward Of four hundred persons, and
there is room in the choir, including the
apse behind the altar, for more than a
hundred clergy and a choir Of twenty
four The chapel will thus serve for the
full round of cathedral worship until
the larger structure above can be COM
pleted, and afterward will be seryiceable
for the minor services; for funerals. for
small weddings, for days OF devotion,
retreats, and other like purposes. II
is well provided with spacious vestries
and sacTisties; and special attention has
been paid to the heating. ventilating, and
lighting under the advice Of Prof. S.
Homer Woodbridge, OF the Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology. The
lighting is indirect: electric bulbs placed
in a series OF bowls In the form Of
sanctuary lamps hung from the bosses
at the apices Of the alternate vaults
on bronze chains. The effect Is unusually
soft and beautiful. The bowls or lamps
are Of alabaster and TRANSLUCENT 80 that
the eye at no point catches directly the
glare OF the electric bulb.
The floors are laid in bands of red and
white marble in the nave and in dark
red and white alternate squares in the
choir an sanctuary. The doors and the
fittings Of the sacrisities and vestries as
well as Of the choir are massive and
effective, in Quartered oak OF the natural
finish; these. like everything else in the
chapel. were designed by the cathedral
architect himself
Many Beautiful Statues.
The statuary is interesting, being given
over to the four evangelists and to per-
sons specially connected with the Ma
tivity Of our Lord and with Bethlehem:
such as Ruth. David, st. Anna the
Prophecies. and St. John the Baptist.
In view of the dedication Of the chapel
especial attention has been paid to the
setting forth of the incarnation. in
redos, in the statues and in a happily
chosen and instructive series OF texts
exquisitely carved in high relief at vari-
Gus appropriate points.
The central panel of the reredos, rep
resenting the Nativity of our Lord. has
above it a rich vaulted canopy showing
on each face a miniature Gothic win
dow, with mulIions and tracery, in front
of which rise the crocketed pinnacles
terminating the arches of each face
OF the canopy Above the windows the
architrave is embelIshed with rosettes
and surmounted by a cresting of haw-
thorn leaves. At each side Of the CEN
tral panel, slightly lower in height, are
two vaulted inches, whose heads are
similarly ornamented, in which are
placed the figures Of the four -evange-
lists. Between the heads OF each pair of
inches is a small shield bearing the
monogram I. H. S"
Above the canopies rises the nodded
tracery, through the openings in which |
glimpses of the annunclation window
may be gained. the whole Of the reredos |
above the altar being surrounded by a |
border bearing the leaves. flowers. and |
fruit Of the Holy Thorn of Glaston-
bury" delicately carved between the re-
redos and the ribs Of the groined vault |
ing Of the roof. Below the central panel |
is a panel of Tudor roses. To the south |
Of the altar and against the column |
Is stone credsnce table canopied after |
the pattern Of the inches. Beneath the |
cTedence table the carving represents |
lilies Of the field. The capitals of the |
pillars OF the sanctuary, the corbels |
whence spring the ribs OF the vaulting |
Of the sanctuary and the bosses at the |
Intersection Of the ribs of the groined |
vaulting Of the chapel and vestries are |
all beautifully carved.
Services Are Announced.
To mark the opening Of this first por-
ton OF the national cathedral and the
beginning OF the full round 10 cathedral
worship series OF services is announced
by the bishop and chapter for the octave
from May to May 5. Beginning with holy
communion at 1880. followed by morning
prayer at g. there will be services at
various hours, the last usually at s
p m. At the II o'clock festival service
on the first day OF the octave. the feast
Of St. Philip and st. James, the presiding
bishop viii preach. and at choral even
song that afternon the sermon will be
by the Rev. W. 7. Manning, d. D., rec
tor of Trinity, New York Thursday.
May ?, is devoted to the Daughters OF
the King, then in convention in Wash
ington. At the IL o'clock service the
celebrant win be the Bishop of Pitts
burg, and at the evening service one
OF the addresses will be made by the