NEW CATHEDRAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 11

NEW CATHEDRAL

BUILDING AT NEIiSON FIRST services held OF DESIGN WORK NOT YET COMPLETED j B? TELEGRAPH— OWN CORRESPONDENT] NELS6N, Monday The opening services in the new cathedral at Nelson, designed by the late Mr. F. Peck, and constructed in Takaka marble, were held yesterday. At both gervices there were crowded congregations and many were unable to gain admission. The Bishop of Nelson, Dr. W. C. Sadlier, preached in the morning, and the Dean of Nelson, the Very Bev. C. F. Askew, ja the evening. "We are to-day beginning a new and possibly a long chapter in the history of the diocese, the parish and the city, the preparation of the building to fit it for the unbroken worship of God, a building erected exclusively for the purpose of worship," said Dr. Sadlier. "As we lookback only seven years we wonder how it vi-a s possible. Some of us, I know, look to a day in the future when Ave shall have a full opportunity of speaking our minds regarding those who have been responsible for the work. It is impossible just ■ yet. Patience in Transition "For everything that has been spent on the edifice we can glorify God with all our hearts. I am thankful that there has been 20 break in the services on this hill. A great deal depends on the period of transition. So much remains to be done and there is much that will try your patience and ours. "I remember that Bishop Selwyn on one occasion made some comment concerning the charm of Nelson City. No one ' he said, could live in Nelson and be superlatively cross, so that if in the transition period you are suffering from some inconvenience, as I know you are, I trust that you will not be superlatively cross. Let.us all be grateful and give all glory to God. "In this cathedral we have the beginning of a wonderful building, which will bear fruit after many of us have passed away," continued the bishop. "In its beginnings it is a demonstration of what we believe God to be. It is the best that we can give. The first motive of our offering must be our adoration of His greatness, of His manifestation and of His love. Adore Him, all who enter this building." Expenditure Justified At evensong Dean Askew said that, epeaking for the bishop, himself and the Erection Board, they had tried to plan .wisely, and it was hoped the building ■would be brought to a glorious completion in the days to come. If the building's simplicity of design, beauty of style, glorious lines and perfect form were now apparent, what would its finished glory be ? Some would say: In (this time, why spend so much on such a building ? Many answers could bo given. From a materialistic point of view, for seven years many men had been at work on it, local marble and considerable local material had been used in its construction, and a large sum of'money had been circulated in the neighbourhood, but he would direct their minds and thoughts to something higher and worthier and not to the materialistic. He hoped the building would.exercise an influence upon many despondent hearts, and that" it would be a House of God, in which many souls would find rest.

The Fourth Cathedral The present is the fourth cathedral erected on Church Hill, the building just vacated having been in use since 1886. The external length of the cathedral Trill be 188 ft. 6in., the external width of the nave at clerestory level 34ft. 6in., and, including its aisles, 62ft,., the external length of the transepts 90ft., the external width of the transepts at clerestory level 33ft. 3iu., the greatest width of the cathedral across the vestry and porch 110 ft., the height of the nave vault above the floor 57ft., the height of the parapet of the central tower above the floor 124 ft.. 3in., the height of the spire above the floor 210 ft. f J he Christchurch spire is 200 ft., which is considered rather short. The entire building, when completed end including the chapel and ambulatory, ■will scat a congregation of 1000, exclusive of accommodation for clergy and a large choir, but 200 more can be assembled under emergency arrangements. The plan is "the modern development of the tvpical English Gothic plan of the 12th" century at the completion of the triapsal period, when the English cathedrals ended in a circular apse (or "chevet"), flanked by two or more apsidal chapels. The portion of the nave completed includes the lower part of the south front as high as the top of the three gables above the great entrance, tftid the two side windows, including the pinnacled buttresses (reminiscent of Winchester Cathedral, England), the pinnacles being 50ft. high, above the floor line. It also includes the return bays on the east and vest fronts, as high as the tops of the parapets and as far as the northernmost buttress separating the bays from tlio aisles of the nave. Commemorative Masques The interior of the nave is faced with marblo up to the higher levels, the other parts being faced .with a surface made ot fine concreted marble chips, bush-ham-mered. ... i t High-class craftsmanship is shown at every turn in the building. Examples of splendid carving workmanship are the masques on the southern end of the nave. The masques at the terminals of the window labels represent, reading from the left side, His Majesty the King, bishop b'ehvvn, Bishop Patteson, and Archbishop Averill, the King representing the State and Archbishop Averill the Church. Other masques at the doorways in the central arch represent, on the left, bishop Suter, and, on the outside right, Bishop There are two as yet uncarved, which will represent Bishop Hobhouse and t e present bishop, Dr. Sadlier. 1 "s four Nelson bishops to date will be represented.