Evening star., 1936-12-20
Bethlehem Chapel Artistry
RecOu1,ts Christmas Story
Stained Glass and Sculptured Stone IL,
CathedraPs "Cradle" Enable WOr-
shippers to Recapture Symbolism.

st. Matthew and st. Mark are to the
left, st. Luke and st. John to the right.
st. Matthew Is shown with the little
human angel, typifying the human side
OF Christ's life. st. Mark appears with
the lions head, indicative Of the royal
or kingly nature OF our Savior. The
sacrificial OK, calling attention to the
Paschal or sacrificial role which was
the last, great supreme act of Christs
life, signaliZes the figure of st. Luke,
the first disciple in the place Of honor
to the right of the holy family. The
eagle associated with the figure Of st.
John, is significant Of the divine or
spiritual nature of the Christ. which
scared beyond all human limitations.
Continuity Of Faith SymbOlized.
As il setting the reredos apart from
all else in the chapel, is lovely carved
banding typifying the leaf. seed pod
and blossom of the Glastonbury Thorn
as a reminder of the continuity of the
Christian faith from the time of its
inception. The originals for this sculp-
turing were taken from that off-shoot
of the Glastonbury Thorn in England
which f1ourishes in front of the st.
Adams School for Boys within the
Cathedral close.
Above the altar itself these designa-
tions from the Holy Scriptures are in
scribed, with their significance en-
hanced for us through their being set
to music in Handel's Messiah
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God.
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace"
Fittingly dedicated to Bishop Sat-
terlee, the first Bishop of Warrington
who selected the site for the cathe-
dral and motivated its design and con-
struction, the Bethlehem Chapel ap-
propriately enshrines his remains and
those Of his wife in vault behind the
altar.
With like fitness, the four columns
surrounding the altar and Bishop Sat-
terlee's alabaster tomb rest upon the
foundation stone of the chapel and
the cathedral. They now also sup
port the high altar of the cathedral
proper, which is designated as the
Jerusalem altar.
1t is difficult to envision windows in
more harmonious coloring than the
five which illumine the passage around
the altar of the Bethlehem Chapel.
The gift of George B. Cluett of Troy,
N. Y, they were designed by Walter
Tower of London, England, to repre-
sent the chief scenes in the infancy
of our Lord. Dramatic effect and
glowing color blend in a never to be
forgotten way.
Ancestry Traced.
The first to the north is the genoa
logical window tracing the human an |
cestry of Jesus and establishing him !
from the line of Adam and Eve |
through those of Ruth and David.
To its left, the Gloria in Excelsis |
window shows the angel announcing to |
the shepherds in the fields the birth of /
our Savior while the heavenly choir |
above sings Glory to God in the |
Highest"
Directly behind the altar is the .
AnnunciatiCn window. Groups of an |
gels hold curtain behind the mother !
of Christ and the Angel Gabriel, in .
representation of the Incarnation as
one Of the mysteries of the Christian /
faith. known to the church. but with |
held from general knowledge.
The fourth, or the Epiphany WIN
dow, illustrates the significance of gift .
giving at Christmas time in its repro |
duction of the scene wherein the Wise |
Men having followed the Star arrive |
at Bethlehem bringing gifts of gold, |
frankincense and myrrh in acknow-
ledgment of Gods gift to the world in
His son Jesus.
The fifth and last window, called |
the Nunc Dimmittis window, leaves
one with sense of divine fulfillment
as we'll as of benediction. In it old
man Simeon is shown holding the
young Christ aloft in the temple as
the glory of Israel and the light of the /
Gentiles, while he sings Now lettest /.
thou thy servant depart in peace"
in recognition of the promise revealed /
unto him that he should live to see
the coming of the Savior.
Ruth, David, John, Anna.
In inches on the side walls, UNDER |
meath which are the hymn boards, are |
four sculptured representations. Ruth |
is shown with her sheaf of wheat, |
David with his harp as the sweet |
singer of Israel, John the Baptist |
clothed in skins as the cousin of |
Christ who went before him to pre-
pare the way. and Anna the prophecies
who proclaimed the Infant Jesus as
her Savior at the time that he was
presented in the temple.
Inscribed over the pipe organ at
the rear of the chapel are the words |
of the first Christian hymn ever sung, |
GLORY to God in the Highest and on
earth. peace. goodwill toward men,"
Near the organ is the baptiSmal font |
from which Bishop Saterlee was bap-
tized in the Calvary Episcopal Church |
of New York City, from whose vestrv |