Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-03-20
CATHEDRAL PLANS
NOTABLE SERVICES
Choir to Be Opened May 5,
Marking 10th Anniversary
of Bethlehem Chapel.

Twenty years to the day since the
beginning Of services in the first chapel
Of Washington Cathedral, the great
choir and sanctuary of that inspiring
edince on Mount Saint Alban will be
opened for public worship on Ascension
day morning, May S.
To mark the Inauguration of these
completed portions of the Cathedral's
main floor, Bishop James E. Free
man has extended special invitations to
President and Mrs. Hoover, Vice Presi-
dent Curtis and his sister, Mrs. Edward
Everett Gam, and members Of the
cabinet, Supreme Court, Congress and
diplomatic corps to attend 10 O'Clock
service on Ascension day.
All the bishops of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States
also have been invited to attend the
notable service as well as the Primates
Of the Anglican Church in England and
Canada, leaders of other denominations
in Washington, heads Of the principal
universities and schools in the District
of Columbia, clergy OF the Washington
diocese and members of the National
Committee for Washington Cathedral.
Bishop Freeman to Preach.
The services, occurring on the twen-
tieth anniversary Of the opening of
Bethlehem Chapel, will consist of cele-
bration Of the holy communion and a
sermon by Bishop Freeman. After
worship, the annual meeting of the
National Cathedral Association will be
held. At o'clock another great servI
ice will be held in the choir at which
Bishop william T. Manning Of New
York, honorary canon of the Cathedral,
will preach.
The choir and its chapels, and the
east aisle of the north tranSept, which
are to be opened for regular worship,
will accommodate congregations Of /, 200
or more persons. In addition, more than
1000 other worshipers could attend
simultaneous overflow services in the
three crypt chapels.
For notable services of national sig
nificance to be held during the pres
ent George Washington Bicentennial
celebration, the choir and sanctuary
will provide an inspiring setting.
The ribbed stone vaulting of the cell
ing is SO feet overhead and Is studded
with delicately carved bosses, symbolic
ing the afirmations of the Apostles
NACCd Oe1lC1 od(A GU RAAcoCo VA Vii 10
tianity. The choir aisle chapelS which
will be used at the services include the
Chapel Of St. Mary, built through an
anonymous gift of $500 900; the Chapel
Of St. John, given by his parents in
memory Of Norman Prince, Boston
aviator who was one of the founders of
the Lafayette Escadrille in the World
War, and the Children's Chapel, the
gift of Mr.. and Mrs. Roland S. Taylor
OF Philadelphia, of which there is only
one other similar chapel in any cathe-
dTsl in the world.
VIII Use Historic Altar.
The historic Jerusalem altar, the gift
Of all the Episcopal dioceses and which
was built of stones from the quarry
that furnished the materials for the
Temple Of Jerusalem, will be used in
the Ascension day services.
Temporary partitions have been
erected TO inclose the choir and east
aisle of the north transept as a protec-
ton against wind and rain. They have
been so built that they may be moved
to other portions of the cathedral as
construction advances. 1t is planned
to use the choir for services on Sundays
and important feast days from Assem-
sion day until Michaelmas, September
g. II funds are available later it is
hoped that heating and lighting facili- |
ties can be installed SO this impressive |
portion of the cathedral may be used |
Tor services next Winter.
Arrangements for the Ascension day |
services are In charge of Rev. DR.. G. |
Freeland Peter, chancellor OF the cathe- !
dral, as general chairman, with Canon |
Raymond L. Wolven, chaplain to the |
Bishop Of Washington, as general sec
rotary.
Other members of the committee in
clude Corcoran Thorn, treasurer Of the
Cathedral Chapter; Undersecretary of
State William R. Castle, jr., G. F. r.
Ogilby and Comdr. John w. Morse,
proctor of the cathedral. DR.. William
L. DeVries, precentor Of the cathedral,
is chairman of the Committee on Serv-
ices and Program and Canon Arson
Phelps Stokes heads the Committee on
Invitations and Seating, which includes
Undersecretary Castle, Coleman Jen-
nings, Canon John w. Gummere and
Edwin N. Lewis, editor of The Cathe-
dral Age.