The New York herald., 1875-03-09
CHURCH Architecture.
PAPER READ BY REV. c. c. TIFFANY.

PAPER READ BY REV. c. c. TIFFANY.
The Church Conference, composed OF Episcopal
ministers, held sular meeting yesterday alter
noon in the chapel OF the Church or the Incarna-
ton, corner OF Madison avenue and Thirty.litn
street. Rcv. c. G. Tiffany read a paper OF con.
siderable interest the subject o. church archi.
lecture. Alter apprc cpriateiy introducing his
subject the speaker said differs
from building. in that It adds thought to
structure. Ii seeks to express IN It's
building the purpose for which IL builds.
Ruskln says Architecture impresses on building
certain characters, venerable or beautiful,
otherwise Unnecessary 1his Is true in so lar as
IL indicates that building to be architectural
must be characterized by something more tnan
convenience for the purpose designed. But while
the veneraoleDess or the beauty may be unneces-
sary ior the convenience o! q building they may
not, therefore, be supernuous or unnecessary for
the expression OF Its appropriate character, and
are not 10 be viewed, therefore. as useless
ornaments or the mere gratincatOn OF
taste, but rather as appropriate means 10
the just demands OF tnat which seeks
adequate expression. Architecture Is addressed
10 the mind as well as 10 the eye Its beauty
ceases TO De beautiful when 1t is out OF place, just
as the soil OF our garden BEDS, admirable and
pleasant 10 look on. becomes art when smeared
ON our Clothes because then 1t Is matter out Of
place II the purpose OF architecture Is TO lur-
nish buildings which sEalI express their many
uses to determine v hich ID true church archItec-
ture, we must FIRST decide what IDEAS
are 10 be expressed bv 1t and what uses
1T may appropriately serve. The churcn ouildlng
Is meant to serve the necessities OF the living
CDurcn-a BODY ol beiievers-as they are gathered
together In common assembly for their mutual
acus OF worship. lis appointments must there
lore, he nvenlent Ior the exercise OF all the
functions or worship, and the impression OF tue
building upon the eve and the mind must be sucn
as o harmoniZe wltn the spirit OF the worship
which Is to oe offered wltnin It. Otherwise 1t can
lay no claim to true cnurcn architecture. Apart,
then, lor the present. rom tue special acts vi
worship winch are 10 regulate the convenience or
arrangement. what are the spiritual elements or
worship which the appearance the churcn
should tend to awaken and impress? Christians
worship the one God and Fatner Of All, though
they worship Him through CHRIST, the revealed or
the Father Stl their affections are TO De liked
upon things above. They are TO looE,
but at the things which not
seen. The universal religious emotion or asprG-
am right Ia my indication OF the grand elements
OF Christian worship we see At once that many
styles OF architecture are OF necessity excluded
as wholly Inappropriate 10 churcn building, De-
cause they are meant to express such entirely
different sentiments rom those which Cbristi-
anlty incuicates. The Egyptian style could not
OF mlgnt chiefly. Ii e direct contra
| dlclon OF aspiration, being expressive OF
no aspiration IN pyramid or oDeisK. We
shall nave to reject tue Greclan $50 as an appro-
pirate style OF church architecture. Ii expresses
communion or Int. course but not communion
founded on aspiration. The Roman ada pta .Ion OF
Greek architecture is appropriate, perhaps. to u
church ike 81. Peters, II we are wiling To accept
as christianity the Ideas OF al inialhble Disaop or
the theory ol the temporal power and supreme
lurisdlction OF the Pope.
lecture whlch grow up out Of CAristian life. and
whose iorms are moulded In the atmosphere OF
building, because here alone Tho form expresses
the sentiment.