The New York herald., 1921-08-09
WHO'S who CARVED
ALL over Church
Little Stone Images Oh st.
ThOmas'S Door the Least
Interesting of the Lot.
LLOYD GEORGE THERE
So Is Leon Trotzky, the Red
Leader. and There's a Re-
minder Of Prohibition.
u. P. NJ ON MONEY BAGS
Decorative Scheme includes
Leading Episcopalian Lay
man of His Time.
u. p. NJ ON MONEY BAGS

above the door awoke yesterday morn
ing TO find themselves famous. The
Fifth avenue types whom they are
have stared down upon for ten years
unheeded stared back at them -
stared and pointed and made per-
sonal remarks
According TO the traffic cop at the
corner Of Fifty-third street, there was
a crowd in front OF the church all
day. Many brought cameras, and one
man came with a moving picture out
described-the alcoholic old sport. the
youth with a monocle, the girl with
the dropping lips. who looks more like
Broadway than Fifth avenue; the mil
iionaire, the college boy. the dowager
and the rest.
Some OF the curious went inside the
church to look for more surprises. They
were not disappointed. Around the
altar. under the choir seats and on the
rercdos were more types. And they
Robb the architects craftsman who
designed the exterior OF the church. de-
scribed as 'the fora and fauna OF Fifth
avenue"
Money Bags Marked -. +. NJ"
The interior Ia like a who's Who"
of the world. Everybody with any claim
& fame from Lloyd George to TrotZky.
seems TO have been remembered The
League OF Nations Is there. and. which
Is even more extra ordinary, America Is
ir the League of Nations. One carving
represents prohibition. Another displays
three money bags bearing the initials
y. p. NJ"
Eertram G. Goodhue. the architect. IS
IN California. The Rev. DR.. Ernest NJ.
Stires, rector OF st. Thomas's. is at Lake
George He telegrsphed to THE New
YORK HERALD yesterday that II was inn
possible to discuss the matter by wire.
and referred inquirers to Mr.. Goodhue.
"Hc will explain that there is nothing
startling in the desails" DR.. Stires wrote
A member OF Mr.. Goodhues Arm ex-
planned that the carvings were not un-
usual. but. on the contrary. quite ordi.
rary in Gothic church architecture. Mr.
Rcbb. the draftsman. has left the firm
and is now in Boston with Frohman
Rcbb & Little. He wrote yesterday in
explanation OF the little stone figures
and the dollar mark over the brides
door that the decorations in 81. Thomas's
show the Gothic idea ,nodernized.
While undoubtedly there is humor-
Gus side to the question: Mr.. Robb said
there is also a serious one. As you
know. the cathedrals Of the Middle Ages
frequently used the virtues and vices in
decoration as a means of instruction
Surely 1t Is proper to-day to use the
symbols of true and false marriage love
as motifs for the decoration Of a church,
and this is why we did it
The money bags" decoration Is one
OF the most difficult to find. II Is on
the rail in front OF the choir seats and
Is one Of a group representing modern
Industry and invention. 1t shows three
small money sacks, and below them the
initials. which are those OF ]. p. Nor
gan, as representative OF banking and at
the time the church was built the
wealthiest and most Influential layman
o. the Episcopal Church in New York.
Like History in stone.
Lenne and Trotzky appear in a carv-
ing which. according to the architect
list, is entitled The Russian Bear Be
ing Doped." Their faces are attached
- apelike bodies and Lenine Is holding
the bear by the ear. while Trotzky pours
into spoon the contents Of q bottle.
explained.
The League OF Nations group Is de-
picted by reproduction OF the Tree OF
the Kingdom OF Heaven. and stands in
the reredos at the back OF the altar.
In the tree are carved figures OF birds
representing the principal nations. and
conspicuous among them IL the Ameri-
can eagle. 1t was explained that at the
time this piece was made President Will
SON had just returned from Paris with
the treaty. and 1t seemed to the drafts
man certain that the United States
would join the league.
Prohibition" is carved on the back Of
one OF the last row choir seats which
are known as the miserere seats A
cherubic Bacchus Is being stabbed By a
woman, who no doubt typifies the Anti
Saloon League. IL was the intention OF
the wood carver to cut bunch Of grapes
on each side OF the two figures, the
architect said, but one OF the woman
members OF St Thomas's persuaded DR.
Stires TO have one bunch OF grapes and
one life sized lemon. The lemon evil
IDENTIFY is symbolic or lemonade
Another interesting group shows cap.
ital and labor struggling, with figure
representing consumer caught between
them. Capital is backing into a like
ness Of the Woolworth Building which
81 toppling. and labor IL knocking over
a factory chimney.
In still another modern group Is a SAL
vation Army lasse with a tray OF
doughnuts. a doughboy and a poilu
stand on either side OF her.
The individual figures carved above
the choir seats are about eighteen inches
high. Among them are King George
King Albert. Clcmenceau. Poincare
Lloyd George, Marshal Haig. Admiral
Beatty. Marshall Jofrre. Edith Caveil Or.
Noble torganlst OF st. Thomass)
Charles II. Steel tof the congregation)
Mr.. Goodhue (the architect). DR. Stires
Carlinal Mercier. Burgomaster Max,
Bishop Brent, Bishop Burcn, Gen. All
lenby. Herbert Hoover. Gen March
Marshal Foch. Cen Pershing. Paderew-
ski and Woodrow Wilson.
Although II Is common for churches
10 display the statues OF saints. ST.
Thomas's appears 10 be the only large
church In the city that has included
moderns as we'll as sncients in Its scheme
of decoration. At the Cathedral OF st.
John the Divine the figures are saints
and apostles. with one exception. In
the door of the Synod House one figure,
representing architecture. is a likeness
of Ralph Adams Cram. the architect Of
the Cathedral. and The former partner
of Mr. Goodhue. architect OF So
Thopss's