The Windows of Steventon

Posts about our England trip were scarce during the time without my computer, but I started going through my pictures again yesterday.  Below are the stained glass windows from the Church of St. Nicholas at Steventon.  I'm including what's written on them in case you can't quite make it out.  It helps in deciphering the pictures as well.

Suffer the little children to come unto Me and forbid them not

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Given to the glory of God and in most loving memory of

Henry Christian David Chandler by his sorrowing wife.

The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away,

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

 It makes me feel sad to read, "his sorrowing wife."  There were a lot of things given in memory of lost spouses in this church. There were many lost children, as well.  I'm thankful we live in a place where we don't lose our loved ones so early in life as often as these people were used to doing.

Top:  Emmanuel, God with us

Middle:  Wist ye not that I must be in My Father's House

Bottom:  This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased

I can't quite make out who this window was given in memory of, but it looks like he might have been one of their rectors, because the name "Revd" is visible, and I can see that the year is 1889.

This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God.

I can't make out all the words at the bottom, but here's what I can see:

To the glory of God and as a memorial of deep thankfulness for life preserved...

a long and dangerous illness this window is erected by... Chandler,
Rector 1887.

Oh, that makes me sad.  I bet that's the man the first window was erected in memory of.  He must have been really sick and recovered but then died a few years later.

the big window at the back of the church with the table in front

As I was going through these pictures yesterday I was imagining Jane Austen in this church as a little girl, but this morning I thought of her as a young woman, sitting through her father's sermons with her mind wandering to thoughts of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.  She created those beloved characters while living in the rectory of this church, you know.