John Darwin Shepard Cook & Roaslie Cook Stain Glass Window Dedication
Pg 08a L9
These Two Windows, "Annunciation and Nativity", have Been Placed By His Children In Loving Memory of John Darwin Shepard Cook,
Born 21Nov1834 + Died 16July1909. These excerpts were taken from "The Glorious Masterworks of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral,
Kansas City, Missouri, by Randal J. Loy, Copyright 2017 Randal J. Loy and Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral."
The first window is dedicated to JDS Cook.
All the windows in the Chancel are eleven feet above the floor. These two windows
measure seven feet tall and five feet wide.
"Hail, thou that are highly favored" Luke 1:28
In the Annunciation window, the Virgin Mary's blue robe symbolizes heavenly
contemplation and her crossed hands symbolize submission. The angle Gabriel is
clothed in red, symbolizing Devine Love. In his left hand he holds a large stem of
lilies, the flower of both Christ and Mary. (Lilies are also grown in the ground to
the left of Mary.) Gabriel's right hand is raised in benediction. His bare feet show
that he is of the Heavenly Choir and is not an angel who ministers to humanity. In
the medallion of cherubs above the figures of Mary and Gabriel is the dove,
symbol of the Holy Spirit. Rays of divine grace emanate from the dove to Mary.
Doves also hover near the legs of Gabriel. Symbols of the Annunciation are found
in the eight shields in the border surrounding the window, in all six Chancel
windows the shield itself is a symbol of Faith. Beginning in the lower left corner
and moving clockwise around the window are: 1) an enclosed garden that
represents Virginity; 2) The rose, symbol of Christ; 3) the Greek letters Alpha and
Omega that represent Christ as the Word Incarnate; 4) the Lily which is the flower
of both Mary and Christ; 5) the crowned monogram of the Virgin that
incorporates the letters M-A-R-I-A; 6) the fleur-de-lis that represents Mary's
virtue and spirituality and a sign of the Trinity; 7) the heart pierced by the sword the "sword
of sorrows" predicted the Simeon that is Mary's grief that Christ must
sacrifice himself for the salvation of all people and 8) the serpent encircling the
globe that represents the tempter of Adam and Eve, and thus human sinfulness
that will be vanquished by the Son of God and Man (and Mary), Jesus Christ.
The Resurrection Window
Dedicated to the memory of Rosalie Elvira Barlow Cook (1838-1887), mother of
Bishop Cook, the original stained glass window is this opening was the gift of her
husband, John Darwin Shepard Cook( 1834-1909). The Heingke & Bowen
glasswork in this opening was the second stained glass window placed in Grace
Church. The subject of this window was the Angle of the Agony also listed as
Angle of Gethsemane (Luke 22:43) It was dedicated on Sunday April 22 1896
during the communion service at 7:30 a.m.
In this window Christ is depicted at His resurrection, stepping from the tomb.
He wears green symbolizing life and the tri-radiant nimbus surrounding His head
identifies Him as a member of the Trinity. In his left hand He carries the Easter
banner on a cruciform standard, symbolic of his death on the cross. Radiance
surrounding the nail wounds in His hands and feet depicts his suffering. At either
side of the Tomb is a sleeping guard while two angles wearing red that symbolizes
Devine Love, hover above Christ. Symbols of the Resurrection are found in the
eight shields in the border surrounding the window. Beginning in the lower left
corner and moving clockwise around the window, they are 1)a winged lion,
symbolic of Christ; 2)the phoenix, an ancient symbol of resurrection rebirth and
new life; 3) a peacock, the symbol of immortality; 4) a crown symbolic of majesty
and authority; 5) a rising sun representing Christ, the light of the world;
6) crossed palms, representing victory over the grave; 7) a radiant cross,
the symbol of the Triumphant Christ and; 8) a trumpet, the symbol of resurrection.
The stained glass artist was James Humphries Hogan (1883-1948), considered the greatest British
stained glass artist of the Twentieth Century. . James Powell & Sons (Whitefriars), Ltd, was a unique glass
firm in Britain who employed James H. Hogan
for his entire life, from the time he was 14 years old until he died in
1948. It was based in London, and had been since the Seventeenth Century. They designed and manufactured tableware; decorative
glass objects; glass tubing, beakers, and vials for scientific purposes and uses, as well as
thermometers; and stained glass windows. The firm began producing stained glass in about 1850.
James Powell & Sons went out of business in 1980. The stained glass department closed in
1973. However, the records of the firm were divided between the Museum of London and the Victoria
and Albert Museum in London. The museum has artwork displayed there.
There is also a satellite research facility where you can view James H. Hogan travel diaries.
He visited Grace and Holy Trinity Church in December of 1929.(Courtesy of Randal J. Loy Historian Grace and
Holy Trinity Cathedral (2020))
(From "The Glorious Masterworks of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kansas City MI 2017 by Randal J. Loy)
|
|
|