DETAIL OF THE SPIRAL STAIR IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE TOWER. ST. THOMAS' CHURCH.

Cram, Goodhue & Ferguscn, Architects.

able body composed of an architect, an engineer, a builder, the Chief of the Fire Department, and other heads of Departments.

Meanwhile the Building Department declared the appeal would be useless, as they had inside information that the Board of Examiners would agree with them in refusing the permit. Dr. Stires argued the case himself and, contrary to expectations, the Board of Examiners. consented to veto the Building Department, provided a fireproof temporary church were erected in the place of the old one. So short was the time left and so great the determination to have the church ready for service on October first that in the two weeks which intervened between the appeal and the official answer, in spite of the uncertainty as to what that answer would be, the temporary structure was erected. The congregation was peacefully received within its walls, utterly unconscious of the tireless efforts that had been made in their behalf..

In the third summer after the church

was begun the temporary structure was taken down for the last time, and the present church was opened last October.

The building fund for St. Thomas' Church, of about a million dollars, was raised in five of the hardest years financially that New York has ever known. This goes far to prove the real enthusiasm which is felt for the church in what we are accustomed to hear slightingly spoken of as our commercial city.

The total subscriptions of twelve hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars for the church and rectory were, of course, largely made by well-to-do people. but scores of contributions came from the very poor.

The stories of these contributions from very poor people throng before the mind full of interest and touching incident. It is to be regretted that space is too limited to give more than one such instance here, that of a bent old woman of over sixty, aged beyond her years by