Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-30
MEDIATOR CHAPEL
IS CONSECRATED
Bishop Garland Officiates at
$25o,oOo Edifice at 51st
and Spruce SITS.
SERMON BY BISHOP THOMAS

Ihe Chapel of the Mediator. Fifty
first and Spruce streets, memorial to
George G. Thomas, was consecratel
today by the Rt. Rev. Thomas y. Gar.
land, bishop suffragan of Penusylva-
mia, in the presence of two other bishops
and more than hundred clergy Of the
Episcopal Church.
Bishop Rhinelander. head Of the do
ccsc of Pennsylvania. who was to have
consecratcd the beautiful Gothic struc-
ture. was detained in New York by n
committee meeting.
\ procession of the clergy from the
parish house on Fifty first street above
Spruce preceded the impressive cere-
mony in the chapel. Bishop Garland
walked ut the head Of the procession,
followed by Bishop Nathaniel s.
Thomas, Of Wyoming. who preached
Carter Jett. of the diocese OF south
western Virginia; the Rev. DR.. George
II. Toop. rector Of the Church of the
Holy Apostles; the Rev. Phillips i.
Osgood. vicar Of the Chapel of the
Mediator the Rev. Samuel H. Wood,
vicar of the Chapel of the Holy Com
munion the Rev. John A. Logan, vicar
of the Chapel of st. Simon the Cyren-
ian; the Rev. Charles +. Bisphnm. as
sistant rector of the Church Of the Holy
Apostles. the choir Of the Mediator
Chapel and more than hundred clergy
men of the diocese.
Scene on Steps
AS Bishop Garland assembled the steps
of the chapel he was met by George W.
Jacobs. accounting warden Of the
Church of the Holy Apostles, the
mother church, of the chapel. Mr..
Jacobs presented to the bishop suffra-
gan the Instruments of donation and en-
dowment
Other vestrymen Of the Holy Apostles
parish stood in line near the church en-
trance. They we're William =. Chap
man, Sr,, William IIuey. William X.
Chapman, Jr.. jerome s. Cross. W. g.
Shick. Joseph l.. Bailey. Joseph Henry
and George II. Fisher.
In another line, facing the vcstry-
men, were the following prominent
communicates Of the Mediator Chapel ::
Councilman Francis +. Burch. !. II.
Taylor, J. p. Thompson, II. +. Stone
back, George +. Raymond, J. Wesley
Helms, II. J. Hicks, Robert Ellis.
Hurry Churchen, J. Perry Barndt.
Charles II. Buckalcw and f. II.
Bauzenberger.
The Rev. DR.. !. De Wolf Perry.
president of the standing committee of
the diocese, was honorary master of
ceremonies. He was assisted by the
Rev. Henry Medary. dean of the con-
vocation of North Philadelphia and
rector of the Church of the Advocate.
The Rev. Mr.. Osgood read the Epistle
and the Rev. DR.. TOop the gospel while
the Psalms were read by Mr.. Logan and
Mr.. Wood. Bishop Jett read the lesson.
Bishop Thomas, in his sermon. Il
graceful tribute to Mr.. Thomas. de-
clarcd: Whatsoever our House of
God shall be. it may not be less in
glory and magnificance than buildings
which we erect to worldly pride or per-
sonal gain
The bishop Of Wyoming. former
rector of the Church of the Holy Apos
ties. made a passing comparison be-
tween the church "dificcs and the
buildings erected for commercial pur
poses.
THE present war" he said. lis not
the only record of the indictment which
religious indifference brings against our
at one time vaunted civilization. now
shabbiness of our churches and the
magniticence Of our public buildings
record further accusation tentamount
to conviction. The very noblest faneS
Of our immediate civilization have been
erected to commerce and comfort. No
architectural achievements of the period
have eQualed our railroad stations. and
our hotels. What the Gothic cathedrals
were to an age of picty, the railroad
stations have become to this age of COM
merCC.
Beauty Given Mammon
1T is the failure of this age that
most of its beauty and sublimity have
been expended upon the service of
Mammon. Thanks be TO God, there are
signal exceptions to be cited. Among
them is this notable pile we gather here
to cOnSccrate today TO the service OF
| Almighty God. Nowhere will one find
majesty, beauty. proportion, use and
richness united in happier combination
and in more perfect taste. No parish
church in America built as a memorial
by the contribution of the many is in
any wise comparable to it.
at is of our best. We know not
wherein TO have built more worthily.
The architect, n nephew of the saint
memOrialiHed. SenSltively attuned to
beauty and well learned in the exquisite
form of ecclesiastical Gothic, has made
permanent the lovely vision he was priv
ileged to see in his night vigils Of pray
erful devotion. Skill reveals itself i'll
every soign and thrust from porch to
altar.
I'm very real sense we cannot con
sccrate it. even by the use Of the Divine
! Name. 1t Las been ConsCcrated already
! by the lives Of those associated with
/ its making, some of whom we tttingly