A visitor entering the new Review and Herald Memorial Church in Hyattsville, Maryland, need not remain long in doubt as to the beliefs of those who worship there. In fact, he has only to lift his eyes to the beautiful stained-glass windows to see pictured in the twenty-three decorative medallions the distinctive doctrines of Seventh-day Adventists.
The church, built of stone in modern Gothic design, had been in process of construction for several months when the idea for this unique window treatment was conceived. A representative of a firm of stained-glass artists was exhibiting stock designs to members of the church building committee when the thought was expressed, How appropriate real Seventh-day Adventist pictures would be in a Seventh-day Adventist church. The thought grew into a possibility when it was learned that arrangements could be made to this end. The church is fortunate in having as one of its members, Terence K. Martin, head of the art department of the Review and Herald Publishing Association, and he agreed to design the medallions.
The pastor of the church and Mr. Martin selected what they felt to be the distinctive denominational doctrines, with a terse Bible text to fit each one. Mr. Martin then drew the designs the required size—one foot in diameter—and colored them with tempera paints. The glass worker reproduced these on circular pieces of glass, using a special paint composed of powdered glass and pigment. The three firings which the glass thus prepared must undergo fuse this paint into the glass, making a permanent finish which cannot be scraped off and which is not affected by light or by the passage of time.
These medallions form the center of the completed windows and are surrounded by light-colored stained glass, antiqued with brighter shades. The windows are stone arches. Ventilators of rich-hued blue and lavender glass form the lower part of the windows. The left-hand medallion in each double window on the side walls of the church is a picture representing some doctrine, and the right-hand one, with a single exception, bears an appropriate quotation from the Bible. The lettering is done in Gothic style on scrolls, and of the twelve scrolls no two are exactly alike. The background of the medallions which bear the inscriptions is colored to harmonize with the pictures with which they are paired.
The themes of the windows might be compared with the subjects presented in a series of evangelistic meetings. The window nearest the rear on the left side of the church represents the law—two tables of stone—and the inscription on the adjoining medallion admonishes, "Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Next, a little church in the wildwood reminds us that "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." The sanctuary question, referred to by Mrs. White as the foundation and pillar of our faith, is called to mind by the ark of the covenant, accompanied by the text, "Unto 2300 days ; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." "God only hath immortality," and, "This mortal must put on immortality," are the words inscribed beside a resurrection scene, portraying the doctrine of the state of the dead. The instruction of the Lord, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse," forms the basis for the picture of a man seated before a table upon which lie nine coins, inserting a tenth coin into a tithe envelope.
The three sets of windows on the right-hand church wall portray the prophecies. The great prophetic messages of Daniel are brought to mind by the image of Daniel 2, with a huge stone about to smite the image and break it in pieces. "In the days of these kings," the quotation reads, "shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom." The visions of the seer of Patmos are represented by three angels, flying in the midst of heaven, and the message is, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come." The third group contains two pictures, illustrative of two of the signs of the soon return of Christ foretold in Matthew 24: "The sun shall be darkened," and, "The stars shall fall from heaven."
In the large triple window at the rear of the church are medallions portraying three outstanding events in the life of Christ. The picture of the birth of Jesus, on the left, is a copy of a famous painting by an Italian artist. The touching scene of the crucifixion, on the right, is taken from the world-renowned picture by Hofmann. In the center is depicted the culmination of the Adventist's hope—Christ's glorious return to earth, to gather the redeemed unto the kingdom He has prepared for them. The picture is one drawn by Mr. Martin for the cover-design of a recently published World's Crisis Series book, "The End Draws Near."
On the windows in the . pastor's study are fittingly inscribed the names of six pioneers of the advent movement—William Miller, Ellen G. White, James White, Joseph Bates, John N. Andrews, and Uriah Smith. In the choirroom are two appropriate quotations: "The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with inging unto Zion," and, "Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." In the exquisite rose window, high over the pulpit, all the colors in the other windows are set like jewels into an intricate mosaic design. It glows in the sunlight like a multicolored star—a star which adds its radiant loveliness to the atmosphere of beauty and holiness which pervades the church.
God in olden times instructed His people, ancient Israel, to write His precepts on the posts of their houses and on their gates. What more fitting place is there to inscribe His law in our time than on the windows of the churches to which His remnant people, modern Israel, come from week to week to worship Him?
