The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1919-04-26
ST. THOMAS CHURCH
COMPLETION OF REBUILDING
A CHURCH EDIFTCE NEARLY
DESTROYED BY FIRE.

church, located at the corner of Van
Epps avenue and Fourth street NV.
AS one enters the building a
causal glance over the beautiful in
terror reveals a pleasing harmony of
general design. Well lighted, spaci-
Gus, airy, convenient-this is the
ready conclusion arrived at after a
view of the edifice, which reflects
very careful, painstaking effort on
the part of the contractor, James
Robertson, and his skilled workmen.
On January 81, 1918, a disastrous
fire wholly burned out the interior.
leaving only the four walls stand
ing. This serious loss to the congre-
CATION only spurred them to the
greater effort. not OF duplicating,
but of planning for more elaborate
and more costly design, the result
being that st. Thomas Catholic
church has left the hands of the car
penters, painters and decorators a
practically new, modern place of
worship comparing favorably with
the churches of larger cities.
The side walls curve interiorly,
after several feet of ascent, merging
into groups of companion arches
whose apexes reveal Gothic design
and form the ceiling area. All the
grill and panel units of the altar
rail, pew ends, window co~nvergences,
ETC., conform to the basic Gothic idea
of design.
A central aisle of monolithic for
mation leads to the steps of the
sanctuary, the floor of which is SINH
larry constructed. This aisle DIVORCES
right and left, paralleling the altar
the baptismal fount, and on the left
to the solid oak pulpit. Aside from
this the main floor area is composed
of hardwood well laid and the whole
given an a~mpitheater incline of
eighteen inches. The stained oak
pews and accompanying prayer rests
form oblongs on either side of the
central aisle. The seating capacity
of the large, well furnished main
audience room is close to 500 and
that of the balcony seating upwards
of seventy-five.
st. Thomas altar is especially
beautiful. Its grouping of representa-
tive figures have a delightful balance
that rests the eye and appeals strong
ly to one of cultured, aesthetic taste.
1.-THE altar is constructed from regalico
material and here, as elsewhere
Throughout the interior, the classical
Gothic curve of beauty ~predominates
concurrent with the main design
S~uperposed and towering centrally
there faces the worshipper the cruel.
fixion group, including the sorrow
ing Savior, the two Marys and st
John. Mary Magdalene is incumbent
in %reverential ~kneeling posture at the
Savior's feet, and there stands the
other Mary, roman Of tears ant
grief. in a most striking supplicatinl
pose. Other groups of symbolic
statuary to right and left are those
of 1.-The Pleading Heart" st. Mar
garet and 1.-The Adoring Angels.
The altar and statuary. which arr
brilliantly illuminated by night will
electric lights, were furnished by thu
d. A. Prato company, of Chicago
The tabernacle consists of a stee
safe beautifully gilded and ornatel.
adorned. Pending from the wall a
one side of the altar is the church
service flag, containing the numbel
"76" and the star representing tn
single death in the ranks of thos,
. who went out of this congregation t.
battle the arch-enemy of freedom
There also are the stars that pro
claim the patriotism of two nurse
who went forth to bind up tn
wounded and minister to the sick
lon the north is suspended the fla
of our country, under which religion
Tolerance makes all men brothers.
The side affairs are also of regalic
material and bear, respectively, tn
figures representing the Holy Virgi
and st. Joseph. Just above tn
lsa%nctuary gate and slightly inside tn
railing Is located the pendant sanctu
larry lamp. whose flame burns an
burns uninteruptedly as the clock
tick records the passing of cycles !
the span OF human life.
The altar railing is constructed
solid oak. the grilled apertures spar
ming the spindles following the tast
Gothic style of design. All pew
and accessories, the altar rail, pulp
a and confessionals were supplied b
the Dubuque, Ia, Altar company.
q Two oak pedestals resting to th
{ fore, one on each side of the aud
ence room, r snrmounted, n
n spectively. by a representation of S
e Thomas. Aquinas. the revered patro
n saint of this congregation and III
10 one after whom the Madison edific
o was named. and by st. Anthony. tn
Is latter on the south.