Featured Window

Our Lady of Grace, Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Click any image to enlarge.

MSGC : Collections : Window

Window

Building Name: St. John's Episcopal Church

Studio Name: Willet Hauser Architectural Glass

City: Royal Oak

Window Shape: 2 (rectangle)

Date of Window: 1942

Subject/Title of Window: Christ and the Children, Panels 2 and 3

Brief Description of Subject: This window was designed for this parish's Gothic styled Church which opened in 1926. Subsequently the congregation needed a larger church and replaced it with a modern styled church which opened in 1957, moving the stained glass to the new Church. This window is now located on the second level of the Gospel side transept.

The "Christ and the Children Window," in the old Church, was a four panel window. At the top of each panel is a picture of a youth from Scriptures. The scene below is usually called "Suffer Little Children" from the King James Version of the text in Matthew 19:13 - 15, (inscription at bottom of this panel is capitalized), " Then they brought unto him little children, that he would put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, AND FORBID THEN NOT, TO COME UNTO ME: FOR OF SUCH is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence." The borders of each panel are made up of geometrical patterns alternating with miniature scenes of children at play, school, or in prayer.

The new Church was simply not designed to accommodate the "Christ and the Children Window," and it was split up into three parts. This window comprises panels two and three of the original four paneled window.

Panel 2:
At the top level of this panel is pictured David as a shepherd boy and player of the lyre.

The scene pictures a mother holding her baby and a kneeling mother and child, looking at the Lord. Above them is a crown, lilies and the inscription "A good mother." In the right border is a note that says, "My mother guided me," most likely put there at the request of the donor or possibly the artist.

The memorial inscription at the bottom is not entirely visible. Church records indicate that panel 1 and panel 2 were given as a tribute to Reverend Charles C. Jatho by Mr. and Mrs. A. William Esslinger and dedicated on December 20, 1942.

Panel 3:
At the top level of this panel is pictured a boy with a five loaves of bread and a basket holding two fish, and around him a banner that reads, "Boy with loaves and fishes." This is John 6:9 from the story of "Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand," --- "Here is a BOY WITH five barley LOAVES AND two small FISHES, but how far will they go among so many?" (Douay - Rheims).

The scene pictures Christ laying his hands on the head of a child, the gesture of conferring a blessing . In the arch above Christ's head is the right hand of God the Father.

The memorial inscription at the bottom is not entirely visible. Church records indicate Panel 3 and Panel 4 were given in memory of Clinton and Katherine Edwards and their son, Donald Henry Edwards by their daughter and sister, Mrs Robert V. Vincent and dedicated on December 20, 1942.

Inscriptions: David
Boy with loaves and fishes
A Good Mother
To come unto me and forbid them not for of such


Condition of Window: Good

Type of Glass and Technique: Lead Came

The MSGC is a constantly evolving database. Not all the data that has been collected by volunteers has been sorted and entered. Not every building has been completely documented.

All images in the Index are either born-digital photographs of windows or buildings or are scans of slides, prints, or other published sources. These images have been provided by volunteers and the quality of the material varies widely.

If you have any questions, additions or corrections, or think you can provide better images and are willing to share them, please contact donald20@msu.edu