Twenty-five years passed between the time the Balcony Window was reserved and a memorial window was installed and dedicated in that space. In January 1939, Vestry was asked “to approve of, and order the reservation of the space at the South end of the church above the Front doors, for the erection, at some time in the future, of a memorial window.” The donor desired “The Ascension of our Blessed Lord in Heaven to be the subject depicted in stained glass.”

At Vestry in January 1963, the Rector reported on the bequest from the estate of Mrs. Christian, which allowed for the commission and installation of that memorial window over the front doors. The window was dedicated on March 8th, 1964.

The scene falls naturally into two zones, an upper heavenly part and a lower earthly part. The circular window above depicts an angel holding the golden crown of life. The main panels show Christ ascending, flanked by angels, one with a banner reading “Praise the Lord,” the other with a banner reading “For the Lord is Good.” The lower earthbound scene features the Virgin Mary, who is traditionally placed at the centre of the grouping, with her head bowed. She is surrounded by the upward-looking apostles.

“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.        

To the glory of God and in loving memory of  Arthur Edward Christian who died July 4, 1931.

And his wife Clarissa Elmina Christian who died July 6, 1962.”

 

The two windows on the east side of the church and closest to the chancel are memorials to Daniel Betts and his wife Eliza Almond Betts.

The Daniel Betts window depicts seven Christian symbols. Above all is the Pentecost dove of the Holy Spirit. Below that are (on the left) the intertwined Greek letters, alpha (Α) and omega (Ω), the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet and the Revelation identification of Christ. Opposite this is the Christogram, “IHS” which are the first three letters of the Greek name of Jesus, IHΣΟΥΣ, iota–eta–sigma, or ΙΗΣ. Centrally, on bright red backgrounds, are a golden cross ribboned with the words “Take up thy cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24), and a golden crown and lilies with the words “I will give thee a Crown of Life” (Rev. 2:10). At the bottom are the three interconnected loops of the trefoil (the three-lobed shape) superimposed on the triangle denoting the Holy Trinity. Together they emphasize the eternity or unifying love of the Trinity. Opposite this is the crown of thorns and three nails of the Crucifixion.

The Eliza Betts window is an elegantly understated, pale-toned window with two nearly mirror-image panels (noting the differences in the angels makes for nice game to pass the time with little ones in church).

Although Mrs. Betts lived into the 20th century, and she herself, in her will, gave instructions for the installation of the window, the archaic term “relict” is used instead of “widow” to describe her relationship to Daniel, her husband. Notable also, is how precisely her age at death is measured.

Winter sleigh rides were a common Christmas pastime at All Saints, with horse-drawn sleighs  carrying 25 or so children at a time, north on Cochrane as far as Taunton and back again.

 

 

I’ve been thinking a lot about windows lately as I prepare the write ups and lead the children’s talks on some of our memorial windows. In January and February we celebrated the Town and Channen families for their  contribution to the fabric of our church building and the life of our parish. In March we took a closer looker at the paired Betts windows. And so it will go throughout the anniversary year.

Someone remarked to me how the children will always remember the details of the windows that we have examined. It’s a nice thought, and I do like to imagine them in their own churches in the future or coming back to All Saints’ as adults and looking at a particular window and saying, “I know a story about that…”

I also think about the grown children of the former Incumbents who have visited us already this year and I imagine how it must be for them to return to the church where they spent many youthful years. Were there features of the church building that were comfortingly familiar to them or has it all changed too much? Are there spaces and places they would have liked to explore to bring back more memories? Do they find themselves reliving a memory of a Sunday School lesson, a certain hymn, or a church furnishing and saying, “I know a story about that…”?

We share these stories about the stained glass windows to inspire the present and future members of our parish. The messages found in the memorials of one generation are an invitation to the next, an invitation to focus on our mission, to look to the ways and spaces where God’s light gets in and to the places where we, as a church, can still dispel darkness.

There is still much to come in this sesquicentennial year. I am hopeful old friends, former members, newcomers, and seekers will peek in our windows – both real and digital – and that they will see something that speaks to them and inspires them with a sense of Spirit. And that in years ahead, we’ll all be saying, “I know a story about that…”

~ Arleane Ralph