The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-16

Music IN THE FASHIONABLE CHURCHES.-One
of The most remarkable features in the progress
of the metropolis is the increase Of the number
of edices for religious worship. Nor is this all.
Considering our youth as a nation, we may
safely challenge comparison in the matter Of
religious architecture with the leading European
cities, if we except ST. Peters at Rome, the
Madelaine and Notre Dame in Paris, and the
grand old cathedral at Rouen. Archbishop
Hughes new church in the Fifth avenue will
probably compete with either of them, if he
does not become involved financially, like the
builders of the cathedral at Cologne, which has
been almost at a stand still, in an unfinished
condition, during several centuries In the
essential points of securing the comfort, and we
might almost say luxurious ease of the worship-
pers, our churches exceed anything except the
royal chapels. Our republican sinners are Ger
tainly taken to grace by macadamized road.
instead of the rough and thorny way which the
Scriptures tell us Of The carpets are of the
softest and thickest material, the cushions in
vite to sweet repose, the sermons are frequently
of an equally soothing nature, the prayer and
hymn books glow and glitter with all the wealth
Of the printers and bookbinders arts, and in fact
no means is left untried to secure every proper
attraction for the conservation Of the fashionable
soul, which, like other delicate articles, must be
handled with care and kept right side up.
The competition among the Weather churches
for first class pulpit talent has often been COM
mented upon by the journals. As in literature,
or law, OF medicine or any other special
pursuit requiring more than the usual
modicum Of brains, we End the metropo-
lis bringing from the provinces the best
parsons, without the slightest regard to
expense. They are paid and lodged and .fsted
like princes, while all the ladies, young and
old, vie with each other in testifying, by appro-
pirate cadea,H, their devotion to the guardian Of
their souls.
The music, too, is most interesting feature Of
the metropolitan church, as may be seen by the
sketches of our reporters in another part of to-
days impression. Here we see that some dozen
or more churches employ the best must
col talent vocal and instrumental, reinforced
on special occasions by volunteers from the
ranks Of the principal operatic artists, and that
In quiet way there is as much rivalry and COM
petition in the choirs as in the coulisses. Not
only do the Opera artists sing, but the Opera
composers write for the church, as they have al
ways done in Europe; so that Lorenzo Dow's
motthat if Satan did get nearly all the souls thai
was no reason why he should monopolise all the
best tunes-has come to be generally acted
upon.
We have given ON account Of the religious
music of the metropolis as one Of the current
topics of the day. and in the belief that it will be
found generally interesting. 1t proves beyond
doubt aic rapid progress of our churches in one
f the most important aids to the propagation of
he Gospel. Where, few years ago q few dis
cordant instruments, shrill soprano, weak
tenor and growing bass would lead off an in-
harmonious congregation, whose voices fell over
each other like sheep scralnbling ont of gate,
we find now well trained choirs, highly educated
directors and splendid organs-the musical stair
Of a fashionable church costing almost as much
as the sensation preacher himself, Including HIS
occasional bronchitis, which no medicament shoxs
OF foreign travel will cure.