THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE WORLD OF NATURE The Heavens declare the glory of God. — Psalm 19: 1
The first window to the left as you enter the nave depicts the Glory of God in the world of Nature. In the upper panel is a representation of St. Francis of Assisi, that delightful Christian of the Thirteenth Century. He is known especially for the lovely manner in which he sang of (he glory of God throughout (he universe. The quotation, "Be praised my Lord for all thy creatures," is from his famous Canticum A Fratris Solis (Canticle to our Brother, the Sun).
The artist has given us the famous legend of St. Francis preaching to the birds. Pictured are the forces of Nature: the sun, moon, stars, trees, fishes, fire, water, and all the elements. From above, the creative hand of God reaches down.
In the lower panel, a scientist with telescope looks up into the heavens and sees the glory of God. Symbols include the intricacies of a leaf, a flying insect, a cell, and an atom; even a representation of atomic energy brings this symbolic window down to the present age. The names of great scientists of all time appear in the window: Aristotle, Pvthagoras. Hippocrates, Curie, Euclid, Vesalius, Newton. Galileo, Archimedes, Jenner, Pasteur, Lister, Mendel, Einstein, Gauss. Darwin, Freud, Russell, Whitehead, Poincare.
We rejoice in the glory of God as revealed to us throughout the world of Nature as well is in the minds of those who have searched out for us its hidden treasures.
THE WINDOW OF THE INCARNATION Glory to God in the highest — Luke 2: 14
Incarnatus Est. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. The dominant figure in the upper half of the window is that of the lovely Madonna and Child.
The lower half of the window shows a large figure of Jesus, the young carpenter, holding a book in his hand inscribed with the Latin word for truth: Veritas. This window speaks of the development of the mind in Christian education. Jesus is pictured standing before the doctors at the age of twelve. A teacher in a public school classroom teaches children the truth, and a Sunday School teacher teaches the truth of God in Scripture.
All about are symbols of learning, especially the shields of the colleges of our Augustana Church: Augustana College and Seminary, Rock Island, Illinois; Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota; Upsala College, East Orange, New Jersey; Bethany College, Lindsborg, Kansas; and the University of Minnesota. There is also the symbol of the Luther League, and that of the Boy Scout Pro Deo et Patria award. In short, this window represents the way in which the Light of Christ is still the guiding star in the development of education in the life of the Christian Church.
THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL For thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory. — Matthew 6:13
Luther insisted that we can best understand Scripture when we divide it into Law and Gospel. The law of God is the stern demand which tells us what we must do and what we shall not do. Notice the austere figure of Moses holding the tablets of the Law with their word: "Thou Shall Not." Human governments are meant by God to be custodians of the law. The significant inscriptions are from the constitution of our country, the Gettysburg Address, and the sentence from Luther: "Civil ordinances us are lawful are good works of God."
Moses, Solon, Justinian, Coke, Blackstone, Holmes are great names in the succession of great lawgivers.
In the upper panel is the Christ who in the Gospel leaches the higher law of love. To Christians the Law is "our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ." — Galatians 3:24. In Him, forgiveness and the blessing of a pure heart are ours when we do His will. Notice the symbols of the tree and its fruits, the birds and the lilies, the house on the sand, the rock, and the narrow gate.
THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE CHRIST OF THE MIRACLES AND THE PARABLES Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.—I Cor. 10:31
The New Testament Christ showed an unusual power over all life by the way His ministry reveals Him healing and helping people. We call these events miracles because they reveal His control over the forces of Nature. Pictured in the upper panel is our Lord healing the blind man, raising Lazarus from the dead, and giving new health and strength to the woman who touched the border of His garment and was healed.
As a teacher, our Lord used the simple parable to illustrate the greatest truths of our faith. Pictured in the lower panel are the parable of the prodigal son; the parable of the Good Samaritan; and the parable of the sower. The ten lamps represent the parable of the wise and foolish virgins.
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