This position signified the truth that baptism is the outward form of admission into Christ's Kingdom.
         The font in Christ Church has stood in several places, since it was removed from the old State Street church, but it is now placed by the door leading from the South Transept aisle, into the Sacristy corridor. It is of stone composition and was the gift of John Bliss Stebbins. As it has never been piped so that the water used might escape directly into the ground, a removable brass lining was given by Mrs. W. W. Broga. The water can now be emptied in the piscina in the sacristry. This piscina has a pipe running into the ground and is not connected with the city pipes. It has a cover and is kept locked when not in use. Thus the water used for Holy Baptism and that used for washing the vessels of the Altar does directly into the earth.
         A baptismal ewer in memory of Maria Stebbins wife of John B. Stebbins was given in 1924 by the Misses Julia and Margaret Helen Emery and the Misses Annie and Louise Stebbins. In 1926, Miss Lillian Keith gave a beautiful silver baptismal shell in memory of her sister Ida Keith Richards.—L.M.

SACRISTRY

         During the rectorship of the Rev. Dr. Slattery the clergy robing room, east of the South Transept was enlarged and made into the present Sacristry, as a memorial to the former Senior Warden, John Bliss Stebbins. The inscription beautifully carved on the chest containing the Altar hangings tells us: "This sacristy is a Thanksgiving to God for the life of his loyal servant, John Bliss Stebbins, who as Senior Warden, for six and thirty years did here make ready the bread and the wine fore the Sacrament of our Blessed Lord and Saviour." This chest and the piscina and other furnishings in this room were the gifts of Miss Annie Stebbins and were designed by the Rev. Donald N. Alexander, for ten years the beloved assistant minister in this parish, and who at one period of his life had made a special study of architecture. The wood used is fumed oak which grows more beautiful with age, the long thin

196

These pages are © Laurel O'Donnell, 1999 - 2005, all rights reserved
Copying these pages without written permission for the purpose of republishing
in any format or posting to mailing lists is strictly forbidden
This page was last updated on 27 Jul 2005