New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-11
THE TRIBUNE.
Conservation of Grace Church.


mat Of the Messiah, and Grace Church.
His Impressions are, probably al first OF pleasan,
character He looks upon these edifces as express
,ons which. however inferior in grandeur 10 the
ooenas in stone which adorn the older world,
s,rev indicate that man cannot rest content with
MS short earthly span, but prizes relations 10 eter
,i,y. The house, in which he pays Difference TO
slams which death will not cancel, seems 10 be no
less important in his eyes than those In which the
affairs which press nearest are attended to-
So far so good That is expressed which gives
man his superiority over the other orders OF the ma
tural world that consciousness of spiritual atiniues
(which we see no unequivocal signs elsewhere
But il this be something great when compared
with the rest of the animal creation yet how little
seens il when compared with the ideal that has been
offered TO him, as to the means of signifyIng such
feelings. These temples how far do they cores
pond with the idea of that religious sentiment from
which they originally sprung
In the old world the history OF such editices thou gh
no, without its shadow, had many bright lines
Kings and Emperors paid oftentimes tor the male
rails and labor price of blood and plumber, and
many a wre,ched sinner sought by contributions oil
stone for their walls to roll off that he had laid on his
conscience Still the community amid which they
rose, knew little of these drawbacks. Pous legends
attest the purity Of feeling associated with each cir
cumsapce Of their building. Mysterious orders, OF
which we know only that they were consecrated 10
brotherly love and the development OF mind pro
duced the genius which animated the architecture,
Init the casting of the bells and suspending them in
the tower was an in which all orders OF the com
munty took part for when those cathedrals were
consecrated itw for the of all Rich and poor
knelt together upon their marble pavements, and the
imperial altar welcomed the obscurest artisan
This grace our Churches want the grace which
belongs to all religions butts peculiarly ana solemn
~ enforced upon the followers of Jesus. The poor
,owhom he came to preach can have no sharein the
grace Of Grace Church In St Peters, if only as
an empty form, the soiled feet of travelworn disci
pies are washed but such feet never intrude on
,be fame of the holy trinity here n republican Anne
rca and the Messiah may be supposed still to give
excuse for delay The poor you always have with
you
We must confess this circumstance IS to us quite
destructive of reverence and value for these build
ings
We are told that al the late conservation the
claims Of the poor were eloquenty urged, and that
an effort is to be made, by giving side chapel to
atone for the luxury which shuts them out from Inc
reflection of sunshine through those brilliant WIN
dows II is certainly better that they should be oil
hred the crumbs from the rich mans table than no.
thing at ALL Yet it is surely not the way that Jesus
would have taught to provide for The poor
Would you net then have these splendid edihces
e,ected2 We certainly feel that the educaiiohai
influence OF good specimens OF architecture, lana we
know no other argument in their iavor) is lar from
being coun,erpoise 10 the abstraction OF so much
money from PURPOSES that would be more IN fulfil
mont of that Christian idea which these assume TO
represent
Were the rich to build such church, and, dis
pensing with pews and all exclusive advantages
invite all who would 10 come in 10 the banquet that
were. indeed, noble and Christian. And, though
wa believe more for our nation and time IN intellect
ual monuments than those of wood and stone, and
n opposition even to our admired Powers, thlnk
that Michael Angelo himself could have advised ne
more suitable monument TO W Washington thah
house devoted TO the instruction OF the people and
believe that that great master and the Greeks nc
less would agree with us If they lived now TO sur
vev all the bearings of the subject yet we wou!c
not obec, 10 these splendid churches, II the idea
Him they call Master were represented IN Them
But till it s, they can do no good, Tor the means are
not in harmony with the end. The rich man SITS IL
state while near Two hundred thousand Lazaruse'
tinser unprovided for. without the gate. w hllt
this is So they must not talk much within OF Jesu'
OF Nazareth, who called 10 him fishermen aoorer'
and artisans for his companions and disciples
We find some excellent remarks on this subject
from Rev. STEPHEN OLlS, President OF the Yves
syan University. They are appended as a note It
sdscourse addressed 10 Young Men, on the text;
Put We on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not pro
vision for the flesh, 10 fulfil the lusts thereof.
This discourse though it discloses formal and ex'
erpal views OF religious ties and obligations is dig
uhed BY icrvent generous love for men, and a
more than commonly catholic lberali,y, and though
these remarks are made and meant 10 bear upon
the interests OF his own Sect yet they antsecta-
risn in their tendency and worthy the consdera-
uon of all anxious understand the call Of duty in
these matters Earnest attention of this sort will
letter avail than fifteen hundred dollars, or more,
paid for pos, Of exhibition in fashionable Church.
where if piey be provided with one chance, world
!lness has twenty 10 stare il out Of countenance
The strong tendency in our religious operations To
gather the Rich and the Poor into separate folds and
TO generate and establish in the Church distinctions
utterly variance with the spirit Of political ins
'ucus is the very worst result of the multiplication Of
'ec,s and fear i, be admitted that the
ev ia greatly aggravated by the otherwise oenignant
working OF the voluntary system Without insisting
farther upon the probable possible injury which may
oefall our free country from this conflict OF agencies
ever the most powerful In the formation OF national and
individual Character one, can fail 70 re
eognize 10 this development influence utterly and
Treconcisby hostile TO the genius and cherished 90
jects of Christianity. Il Is the peculiar glory of the
Gospel that, under the rnost arbitrary Govern
ments 1t has usually been able 10 yndics;e and prsc
acaly exemplfy the essential equality OF Man Il has
had one doctrine and hope for all its children and
Tue highest and the lowest have been constrained to
knowledge one holy law of brotherhood In tie common
is'h OF which they made parsakers Nowhere else
oeheve but In the Un!,cd Sls,es-certsniy where
else TO the ex,ent-does this anti Christian seps
ration OF classes prevail in the Christian Church The
oeggsr In his tattered vestments walks the splendid
Courts OF ST. Peters and knces its costly etars By
1oe side OF Dukes aud Cardinals The peasant in his
wooden shoes Ia welcomed in gorgeous Churches OF
trra md, 4