418 Christmas Lamp in Glencairn Chapel (1930s or 40s)

The chapel in Glencairn Museum, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, has a floor lamp with a unique handcrafted lampshade depicting the Christmas story (11.OP.02). The six-paneled shade was commissioned by Raymond Pitcairn in the late 1930s or early 1940s when Glencairn was being decorated, and was designed and painted by Francis (”Frank”) Eugene Snyder (1908-1995). It is made of plexiglas panels, which Synder painted with oils, using a variety of media to achieve the appearance and texture of stained glass when the light is turned on. All six panels are shown here with accompanying quotations. Continue reading » » » »

407 William Henry Benade as Moravian Teacher and Minister (1835-1844)

Bishop William Henry Benade, who was destined to become one of the most effective advocates for New Church education, did not grow up in a New Church family. Born in 1816 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, William came from a family that was prominent in the Moravian Church.

William’s father, Andrew Benade, had left Europe in 1795 to teach at Nazareth Hall, a prominent boarding school for boys in the Moravian community at Nazareth, Pennsylvania (see lithograph and photo, left and below). Andrew was later principal of the Moravian Seminary for Young Ladies in nearby Bethlehem, a position he held for twelve years. In 1822 he was consecrated a bishop in the Moravian Church. William, as the son of a Moravian teacher, school administrator, and bishop, was raised in a family that placed a high value on the concept of religious education. Continue reading » » » »