The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-01-14

VlSltorS as ' N. place easy to
 see and worth seeing. Thousands of busses pass it daily, and it is only a few min utes' walk from Washington Square. It is open day and night, all day and all night. Some of the finest and most fashionable churches in Manhattan are ex- tremely difficult to get into at odd hours, but anybody is welcome at the Church of the Ascension at any hour, if he wishes to pray, mediate, or rest.
 The Church of the Ascension was organized in 1927, and the first church building for the con- gregation was on Canal street. In 1899 it burned. The present church building was built in 1840. It was designed by Richard Up- john, the same architect who built Old Trinity, at the head of Wall street. In my humble opinion, Ascension is much more beauti- full church than Trinity. Both are under the governance of the Pro- testant Episcopal church.
 Exteriorily, the Church of the Ascension is staid, modest, digni- fled, and excellently proportioned. It is built of that reddish stone that was employed in so many public and ecclesiastical buildings in the early part of the 18th cen tury in New York. There is gra- cious patina over the whole struc- ture, indicating the passage of time without looking dirty. It's the kind of church building that attracts the notice of a person who has an eye for architectural beauty and tradition. There is a square tower in the center front, and three widely separated front entrances.
 The main auditorium of the church has an exceptionally high ceiling for a building of its size. This gives opportunity for some beautiful artistic work.
 The interior is easily dominated by one picture. This is an enorm- ous mural painting of the Ascen- sion of Christ into Heaven, done on the spot by John La Farge. in 1888. It is executed in the true classical spirit, and compels at tention by the beauty of its pro- portions and lines, rather than by any trick of color or situation.
 La Farge, generally considered one of the greatest artists who ever worked in this country, also did four of the memorial windows. They represent "The Good Shep- herd, "The Holy Women at the Sepulchre," Presentation of the Christ Child in the Temple" and "Nicodemus Coming to Jesus by Night" They are beautiful bits of ecclesiastical art.
 There is a wonderful painting by Sorolla, the noted Spanish painter, on wall of the south aisle. It represents the multitude of invalids and sick persons seek ing aid of Christ. It is loaned to the church by its owner, John E. Berwind.
 There are SO many other works of art, mostly by famous artists, that the Church of the Ascension might easily have been made to look like an art museum. This ef- feet has been avoided by the most meticulous attention to the first purpose of the church, its use as a place of worship. The art ob- jects contribute to the reverential atmosphere of the place, instead of detracting from it, as happens in so many wealthy churches.
 I should say that the Church of the Ascension would qualify as a wealthy church. Some of the lead- ing old families of New York have been its parishioners for more than a century, Rhinelander, Grosvenor, Leland, Lothrop and Reynolds are among the good New York names you find per- petuated in the softly glowing in- terior of this fine old place of worship.
 T, +t,a Dor;el rIo1J Jaa adi,,o off one wing of the church, is an heroic painting of "The Angel With the Flaming Sword", by Ed win H. Blashf1eld, done in 1890. It is in an altogether different style and spirit from the older paintings, and to me it is just bit on the poster or magazine cover order. The good taste exer- cised in placing this picture in the Parish Hall instead of within the church proper is evident.
 Rev. Donald B. Aldrich, present rector of Ascension, is the sixth minister to have charge of the congregation since the beginning. He is a native of Fall River, and has been at this church since 1925. His immediate predecessor was Rev. Percy Stickney Grant, who achieved much public notice dur ing his long pastorate.
 If you're visiting New York churches, don't pass up the Ascension.
 Copyright 1889, McNaught
 Syndicate)
 Current Comment