UNIQUE STAINED WINDOW

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3783, 17 July 1936, Page 6

UNIQUE STAINED WINDOW

IN ST. JOHN’S CHURCH. In the course of a chat yesterday with a Courier representative, Rev. S. R. Wareing, vicar of Te Awamutu, said he was actively interesting himself in promoting a fund intended for the purpose of repairing the east window of St. John’s Church. He had as his objective about £5O. Mr Wareing explained that the window is declared by authorities to be an example- of early English mediaeval stained glass work, and that the secret of the manufacture of that Special glass has now -been lost. The modem stained glass windows are made by an entirely different process, the colour being burned in. The story goes—and there is really some truth in it—lihat the window in St. John s was a gift from the late Queen Victoria, and it was placed in position about the year 1854—some time after the building was erected and consecrated. At that time Archdeacon Abraham offered to sponsor a fund to meet the cost, a condition being that the people of Te Awamutu should raise its quota. Just what happened to that fundi, if it ever was raised, said the vicar, is not known nowadays; but the window, was placed in position. At that time St. John’s was the universal place of worship, all denominations using it, so that its restoration or repair should not be merely an Anglican obligation. Mr Wareing went on to say thaft the window frame nowadays shows signs of disintegration, and as the glass is so valuable —indeed he could not suggest a value, so rare is it—that it would be a m’atter for great regret if delay occurred in repairing it; hence his action in appealing for funds. “I have just accepted an offer by Mb J. F. Montague, the wellknown elocutionist,” said the vicar, “to come to Te Awamutu and give a recital, the proceeds of which may be dqvioted to any worthy Church endeavour. The proceeds will accordingly be devoted to the fund for repairing the east window. This recital I hope will in addition to giving pleasure and profit to the large audience expected, afford opportunity for all interested to contribute in some way towards a very worthy endeavour.”