Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-25
BY VICTORIA FABHR STEVENSON.

The dedication, on November 2, Of the
/ Incarnation Chapel as part OF st
Stephens Episcopal Church, at Newton
and Center streets, joins the fabric OF
q parish established IS years ago with
| one of the most modern church edifices
of Washington. Many persons now Nv
| ing in the Mount Pleasant neighbor-
! hood have seen ST. Stephens parish
I! grow from fields and woodlands into
one OF the most thickly populated Sec
tions of the city. 1t was to accommo-
date the needs of the locality that the
congregation, under the rectorship OF
! DR.. George Fiske Dudley, built the large
new church about three years ago.
Though architectural provision was
made for the Chapel of the Incarnation
at that time, its ecclesiastical furnish
ings and art treasures were not In
stalled until within the past few
months. The dedication OF the chapel
as a memorial to Rev. William Tayloe
SNYDER Is a tribute to the rector who
served the parish Of the Incarnation
for &c years.
The church which is today repre-
sented by the Chapel of the Incarna-
ton closed its doors after the Christ
mas day service, 1928. That was the
f1fty-eighth anniversary Of che first
service held in the graystone, ivy-cov-
cred church at Twelfth and N streets.
On Christmas, 1857, 1t had opened its
doors in a sparsely built-up locality,
where there were many commons and
occasional brickyardS. When 1t left
its old home it was because the neigh
borhood was becoming . downtown sec
ton and its membership had trans
ferred in great numbers to other parts
of the city.
Treasures Are Moved.
In moving 10 its new home 1t has
brought its stained-glaSS windows, altar
memorials and paintings and carvings
by the artist Johannes Adam Oertel,
whose painting, 1.-The Rock OF Ages" Is
considered the best known Of modern
art. Inasmuch as the chancel Of the
chapel is not nearly as wide nor rs
high as the chancel Of the Church OF
the Incarnation, many changes had TO
be made In the reredoS. Lynch Luquer,
a vestryman Of the former parish and
an authority on church architecture,
has. however, contributed his services
with pleasing results in designing the
present reredoS. Small new sections
have been added to parts OF the old
reredos with perfect harmony, and its
Gothic style of the church edif1ce.
Mr.. Oertel, who designed, carved and
painted the original Teredcs, devoted
his life to religious art rs teaching
art. Consequently the paintings and
carvings all represent teachings Of the
Christian religion. The large picture
In the center Of the reredos, which has
lately been restored, shows the risen
and assembled Lord as King OF Kings.
wearing a golden crown and holding Q
scepter in his right hand. He = seated
on 4 rainbow, the symbol Of Heaven, and
beneath His feet Is the globe or the
earth as his footstool. The same PIC
ture shows the Savior as the Great
high Priest, wearing the breastplate,
with its IL precious stones, signifying
the IL tribes Of Israel, and holding Q
censor in his left hand.
The carved wooden figure OF 81. Paul
with q two-edged sword OF righteous
ness on the right Of the reredos ana
the companion figure OF st. Peter on
the left represent the missionary work
ers Of the early church. The rich
carvings Of the altar commend them
selves as some Of Oerters finest work.
The two pillars supporting the altar
symbolic Christ's tw0-fold nature, d.
vine and human. while the Greek let
tiers on them, Alpha and Omega. sug-
gest His words IT and Alpha and Omega
bAiE bCSulIlAA18 NAA0 eAAS CAAN-
Attraction 70 Artists.
For many years the two adoring
angels just beneath the altar have at
tracted artists who have made their
carving a study. These cherubim and
serapliim kneel in worship Just under
the inscription Holy. Holy, Holy" The
large painting which now hangs on
the east wall of the chapel has lately
been restored, but is sttll in its original
setting made by the painter and sculp-
tor of all Of the art work Of the chapel.
That picture Of the Good Shepherd
portrays Christ tenderly bringing home
on his shoulders the lost sheep and
bears the quotation Rejoice with me
for have found my sheep which was
lost"
owing to the limited space in the
front Of the chapel the two large can
vases which were formerly at the sides
Of the reredos are now combined IN one
frame at the rear of the chapel. They
show life-sized full-length pictures Of
the four evangelists. The artist de-
picted st. Matthew, st. Mark, st. Luke
and st. John because they were wit
nesses Of the Incarnation.
As Rev. Johannes Adam OeFtel, who
was q clergyman as well as an Artist
was born November 3, 1923, the dedi-
cation of the chapel falls the day be-
fore his one hundred and seventh birth
day anniversary. From the age Of IS,
when he came 10 America from BA.
varia, until his death In his eighty
seventh year, he devoted his life to
sacred art. Though he had ready sale
for animal pictures and portraits which
he made only when necessity compelled
him, he had few patrons who could
afford to pay for religious art Never
theless, he chung to his principle that
no art was worthy to be made the life
work Of an artist unless It was q
teaching art and not merely the max