Dedicated on All Saints Day, 1926, the window was given by the
brothers of William Henry Laird, lmmanuel's second rector, who served
from 1913 to 1919. In the center, on the bottom behind the wood of the
altar, it reads "In loving memory of William Henry Laird, DD, during
whose rectorship the present church was built. This window is the gift
of his brothers." Right lancet: "He was born December 21, 1871 and
died August 18, 1919." Left lancet: "He was Rector of lmmanuel Church
from 1913 -1919." Mr. Schoonover recalled how
the concept of this window developed. One afternoon he and Dr. Laird
observed the afternoon sun shining through the old German glass
window. "How wonderful it would be," said Dr. Laird, "if a picture
could be worked out with such a golden light in the sky, perhaps the
clouds that would symbolize the joyous feeling of life over the Holy
City." In later years, when a memorial window to Dr. Laird was
considered, it was fitting to recall and enlarge upon this earlier
idea. The window is a combination of ideas of Dr. Laird, D'Ascenzo,
and Schoonover. Notice the dark green pine trees of Montchanin and the
golden highlights. One’s eyes travel upwards, drawn to the light.
One of the flowers is a lily (Famous artists depict the Angel Gabriel
at the Annunciation holding the scepter and the lily; through Mary, it
stands for the human nature of Christ.). Notice also the passion
flowers (purple) and dogwood (looks red), typical of this area. Mr.
Schoonover described the window in this way: "This was to be a window
of the Holy City, but with no figures which might centralize the idea.
No figures, so that each person, as he looked and studied the window
might form his own picture of what or who, might lead up to the City
and what was going on there. There is always the opportunity of
reading into this mosaic of glass your own interpretation, if you care
to make it a personal venture." (See Revelation 21:1-5.)
