The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-09-12
GRACE CHURCH.

Opening of the Religious Senson-Scxton
Browns Opinions ON Church Arc.,it eciure--
The Eail Fashions.
The diminutive cathedral ut the corner OF Broad.
way and Tenth street, known as Grace church, has
almost national reputation and the stranger
who lands upon the wharves OF this pious and God
fearing city or New York has heard In his own land
OF the lights and gores OF this Episcopalian temple
OF worship. structure OF rare beauty and archl-
tectura grace, II stands upon costly and env1able
. site, with view from Broadway's Grecian bend up
to the Fifth Avenue Hotel and down to Bowling
Green The worshppers who enter Its chaste and
classic portals pour forth their gushing souls In
we.l-bred forms of prayer and kneel in proud hu.
ml,iy
TO PATRONIZE THE LORD
once week half the year round, form the elite and
fashion OF our home-rased and imported Christi
anity. Nobody can be pious when the mercury
dances up among the ninetles. The broiling, melt
Ing heat vi summer months Is provocative rather
OF profanity and petuancy and all modifying I'M
plety or thought and speech than OF devout ejacu.
lat.ons and sou-saving songs of saintness; and
thus Il that the over-proof Intensity of the
carly summer sultrness generates Incorporate mo-
tlons OF blood and brain In the delicate or.
CARNATIONS OF apprehension, the select con-
gregation OF Grace church nee far away from
temple OF worship, and gracefully yield to
The temptations OF "love III the country scan-
dal at the seaside, and cards and the springs,
all at respectful distance from the scene OF their
devotions. Now that the fierce heat OF sin and sum-
mer is on the wane, and the mercury in the moral
thermometer comes down TO the degree marked
'moderaton,N the city swallows OF fashion begin TO
leave the cooling atmosphere OF the seashore and
mountain side, and return to their town haunts and
the regular routine Of worka-day worldliness and
Sabbath plety. Tie earliest returns OF Grace church
have just begun TO come H. and BY the end OF the
month IL Is expected that It's sombre pillars and
stained glass windows VIII be able to look down on
Its whole congregation, who, refreshed with long
and hearty
RELAXATION OF THEIR MORALS,
viii have returned with renewed vlgor to open
season OF luxurious devotion.
The HERALD reporter, detailed for duty at Grace
church yesterday there at halfpast ten, the
hour at Which the regular Sabbath services COM
mence al ali the other Christian places OF worship In
the city; but here ne only found a small choir on
the organ lot, going through rehearsal He
learned THAT at this extremely fashionable abode Of
O'Clock, and having thus q spare half hour on his
hands the reporter spent 1t in conversation with the
SEXTON II the church itself and everything In ana
around il, from the sllk-covered cushions In the
pews tc The gorgeonsly appointed pulpit and CON-
the congregation. single glance at that sexton
would have been sufficient to convince even very
stupid stranger that the ediace In which he ON
clated was highly arlstocratlc concern. Mr.. J. H.
Brown, sexton OF Grace church, Is credit TO that
weli-to-do establishment, and seems to he as insepa
MILLIONAIRE sANCTITY
as the fifty dollar Bible lying open in 'front.' Of the
table, He Ia the largest, latest sleek
est, pleasantestIaced sexton imaginable. He IS
extremely polite, but uniorgetful OF the dignity
which well becomes his exalted position, and
there is q world OF wealth and weghty Importance
IN the massive gold watch chain that bangles over
his expansive waistcoat. lie knows everything and
everybody in ana around the blue.biooded and mil
Nonnalre world. lie has the names OF all the aristo.
cratic families at his fingers ends can tell where
and how they live III all the seasons better than the
City Directory; can point cut their houses and de-
scribe them all inside and oat from garnet 70
basement. In the out-ol-town season, when his
congregation are all gone and the church La closed,
Mr.. Brown also goes away, sometimes to the Amcri-
can summer resorts and sometimes TO Europe He
has thus travelled great deal, and has taken occa-
sion 10 visit every church and cathedral o. any pre-
tcnce to :espectabil:ty i'll the Christian world His
iavorites are the cathedrais OF me now agonized
S!rasbourg, OF York and OF St. Patricks in Dublin
with every stone and al! the histories OF which he is
thoroughly anlililr but the most beautiful church
lie ever saw stands in country town In Scotland,
some eight miles from Edinhurg lie looks upon his
own magnificent church darling pet and eyes
every pillr and c0rnice OF 1t with a KIND OF
PioUs PRIDE
that might lead one 70 think ne planned and built
every inch OF 1t himself OF his head and pocket
aud win his own hards. lie knows all its dimensions,
rom Tue beig1t OF che spIre 10 the length, breadth
aud thickness OF each pane of stained glass; u
constructed after ne model Of the York Cathedral
ut is not near 81 large" says Mr.. Brown with a
complete rs anything o. tie Kind in the wo-ld.n
ana SO !; Is. few minutes before eleven the men,
b0N OF the congregation began to drop In and the
reporter sau0ned himself tie door to .Dspec,
them az theJ flied past The ezternals or
THE WOhSHfPEkS
were In Keeping With the air OF luxury ana re-
DDemeut that pervaded tao church. The gentlemen
were dressed in !hc extreme or the fashion with
The latest style OF mats coat ard cane but thcre wag
a notcca bic absence OF thai 'oudi and SNOWY de.
sct1pton of nabiiiment winch hss come 10 be recog-
Eized az me uumisakable uniform OF tue ward
politician and tue daily ficquenter OF the City Hall
precincts. Nc huge diamond shrtpin 9iared upon
The Inspector, ana II handsome wa.ch guard or
Other piece or lewe.y attracted attention Il looked
SIS though iis exposure were caused 10y an acclden
.al disarrangewent Of the dress rather than BY any
effort at display on The part OF the wearer The
npparel o. the ladies ard children was invariably
Ycn and magnificent, Dut chaSe and in exquisite
taste, as far removed from the merely
respectable "a from flaming and costly yuigaitr.
Very few members OF It's regular congregation
ATTENDED Grace church yesterday. The great ma
lprity OF tie worshipperS we're rehned looking and
evidently wealthy strangers, who sought this FIRST
family resort OF the pious by tha: instinct which
always guides such people IN their search after ex-
CiusiyeneSs.
The splendid organ OF Grace church is ably pre-
sided over by Professor warren, and the choir Is
programme yeslerday was "Fehite" iNaresl "Is