This ensemble receives stronger light than its sister opposite, but is greatly dimmed by pollutants. The photograph is vibrant thanks to photo editing rather than actual appearance, and shows the windows appearing closer to what they might look like if cleaned, though cleaning would allow for softer lighting with less hot spots. In reality, the windows have a darker, richer color scheme; their subtlety is striking.

These windows are less unified thematically than the Heinigke and Bowen windows on the opposite wall, but are unified via a similar color palette, which was employed by three separate studios.

The crown in the central medallion of this third massive Rose, above the trio, represents the Kingdom of God.

One can see perched to the right of this ensemble, a magnificent organ designed and built by the Roosevelt Organ Works for this specific site; it is fully attuned to the sanctuary’s impeccable acoustics. One cannot imagine the church without either its stained glass or its towering music; the two cannot be separated.

Old First views its sanctuary holistically, honoring all of the arts and senses. The 1890 Steinway grand piano was restored this year, already benefiting music groups and concert goers, and enlivening the services. As to the organ, restoration is ongoing. This great room already reverberates with its restored foundation tones; the base sounds rumble aloft to the spaces around and above these glorious windows, bringing the 1890s alive, the heyday of Brooklyn, when the instruments were new and the windows were bright.

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The Return of the Prodigal Son The well-known parable of the return of the Prodigal Son is depicted at the moment the Father welcomes his Son home after the dissipation of the inheritance. The Father’s robe is the outstanding feature of this window and is representative of Otto Heinigke's skill. If you look closely, you will see opalescent glass in three layers; detail shown at right. The donors claim descent from a knight of the Crusades; this is reflected in the medallion to the upper left, with its crown, wreath, and Star of Bethlehem. The cross and horns in the point of each star overlap to suggest the hull and mast of a crusader’s ship. The memorial inscription, amid white chrysanthemums below, reads, “I will arise and go to my father." —Luke 15:18.

If you are interested in learning more about the Suydam family of Old First, browse the History of the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Breuckelen, now known as The First Reformed Church of Brooklyn, 1654 to 1896, put out by the Consistory of Old First in 1896, which is searchable online through Google Books.

To read more about the designer, Otto Heinigke, see the North Transept page.

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The Parable of the Talents This unsigned window at the center of the ensemble has been ascribed to the Tiffany Studio in church lore. Thanks to research and correspondence by Wayne Boucher of Cambridge, UK, who has found the window listed in a 1972 version of Tiffany's 1910 list of windows (which is considered by experts as an accurate copy of the original) the evidence is very convincing. Mr. Boucher has also found this window and our Christ and the Woman of Samaria stained glass written about in the New York Times on September 25, 1891, at the time of the Sanctuary's dedication, and both windows were attributed in the Times to the Tiffany Studios. Thus we can more accurately credit the work as a Tiffany Studio piece. At the top is a truncated Celtic cross. The scene depicts the moment in the parable when two of the servants report their profit to their master. The inscription reads, “His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord." —Matthew 25:21. Cortelyou Family Memorial Window This window is given in memory of Jacques Cortelyou by his children, descendants of an old French Huguenot and Dutch families. Jacques resided in the 17th century Cortelyou homestead on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Third Street, known today as "The Old Stone House." The farmland and homestead (headquarters of George Washington) were the site of the first armed contest of the American Revolution, "The Battle of Brooklyn" and can be seen in various paintings of the encounter.

If you are interested in learning more about the Cortelyou family of Old First, browse the History of the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Breuckelen, now known as The First Reformed Church of Brooklyn, 1654 to 1896, put out by the Consistory of Old First in 1896, which is searchable online through Google Books.

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The Empty Tomb

In the lancet on the right hand side we find the story of the Empty Tomb of the Resurrection. At the top of this window is an open Bible. The scene is of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene being greeted by an angel at the now empty tomb on Easter morning. This window follows the account of Matthew 28, while the great painting above the chancel by Virgilio Tojetti, follows Luke. The delicate shades of glass depict the sunrise. On the left side not visible in this photograph, are three small crosses on the hill of Calvary. The inscription in the panel below reads, “He is not here, he has risen,” Matthew 28:6, “And if Christ be not risen, your faith is in vain."
—I Corinthians 15:14.

Spence Family Memorial Window
Another angel, surrounding the inscription, gazes calmly and is conjectured to be a portrait of Margaret T. Spence, in whose memory the window was given. This small gem is a favorite of many who see it, but sadly, both the studio and the designer are unknown. There is no history given of Margaret or her family in the "History of the First Dutch Reformed Church of Breuckelen" but a little research discovers that she is likely the Margaret T. Spence married to William Spence, listed in the 1800s census for Kings County. If so, she was born about 1838 in New York to Scottish parents. William was a coal dealer with parents also born in Scotland.



North Transept
The Great Rose
Single Lancets
The Samaritan Woman
Restoration: The Samaritan Woman

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