The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-04-11

] the plans Oh tne committee anu Tile luedS
Of the congregation. The thirty -thous-
and dollar house would look shabby in
the neighborhood of the most nagnifi-
/ cent private dwellings in the city; or,
though they did not put it into words,
/ they felt that the house which could be
/ built to the glory of God on Sixth Street
would not rebound to His glory ut all
on Franklin Avenue. The architect, in
offering his plans, submitted first one
which would "suit the location" and
/ afterward one in accordance with the
| price named. A most meager, paltry
affair il seemed. Both the committee
and the congregation felt themselves
reused to generous emulation. They
were convinced that this was the Lords
work. The subscription papers went
round again; but only 100000 were
added.
but / am confident said Mr.. Sup
pies to the committee, ''that the church
will do better than that when warmed
up to the work. l will make appeals
from time to time; stir up their con-
sciences. As the building progresses,
their zeal will increase. Nothing will
draw forth fervor in money or love like
a tangible object"
"My advice, then, gentlemen" said
the architect, with smile, "would be
to make the tangible object as worthy
of fervor as possible. Take this plan,''
unrolling the costly one upon the table,
with an off hand air. "Leave margin
for their generosity. It's like putting
high ideal before man and bidding
him live up to it. Beside, SIR" turning
to Mr.. Supplee, ''the sermons preached
under such a dome as this must elevate
your people. Consider the effect upon
your imagination-your Breadth of
thought. They will gather the interest
Of their money in that way, if no
other.'
"No, sir" said M. Supplee, gravely.
''No personal considerations move me
in this matter. look upon this temple
simply as an offering to Almighty God
from my people. Though" he added,
81 should be 10th to deny the effect upon
the religious emotions of beauty in art.
| hope you viii illustrate it neblT in the
the present instance. Well, gentlemen,
what do you say? Shall we count upon
the generosity of the people or not?"
The master builder interrupted the
answer by suggestion that the esti-
mate of Cost for the finer design was
very liberal-thrown off hastily-that,
no doubt, by shaving in corners, he
could bring it down considerably.
That was decisive. The committee
with $4,000 to build church, began
to build one which would cost S150,00e.
Every man or congregation that has
built house knows the result. The
edifice, when handed over by the build
er, had cost, II round numbers, $780,
600, with one tower left unfinished I'M
der wooden cap. To be sure, it was
considered perfect work of art by the
congregation; the carved gargoyles |
were the most hideous to be had for !
money. The wood even in the cellar
was genuine black walnut. The fres-
Going was bold in design and delicate
in finish. For two or three months, the !
congregation worshiped in the new tenn
pie with delighted complacency, which,
if not devotion, was so close an imita,
ton that it deceived themselves. Every
pew was crowded. The floating reli- |
gious population, which had as keen a
palate for novelties as had the Atheni- |
ans, came to see the building and hear |
the new organ. At first, nothing but |
applause was heard; then the visitors |
began to hint doubts and hesitate dis |
like.
"There was no ventilation. The air |
was like that from bake-oven."
1.-The air was good enough, but the
acoustic properties were bad. In GER
tain angles you could not hear Mr.. Sup
plee at all,''
"Tbe celoring was too gaudy. The
building lacked shadow. 1t looked like /
gilt bon-bon box. Why had they
trusted the painting to that fellow
Sproule? There was the great Italian"
etc., etc.
"The color was very nice, but what
mOngrel architecture was this? 1t was
a perfect pot-pourri of orders. Com
pare it with the severe simplicity of true
art in the Baptist Church." etc.
The congregation became individually
disheartened. They forgot to join in the
hymns, looking about from dome to
nave with critical eyes.
Besides, now that the church was
built, there was no enthusiasm in rails
ing moneyfor it. Subscriptions stopped,
sewing circles, fairs, charade parties,
tagged in zeal. When the time came to
pay the semi-annual interest on the
mortgage, it was dead weight which
they could scarcely lift. When the time
came for the second payment, the load
was well nigh intolerable. In the next
year, and, indeed, all succeeding years,
hn cd off Nf ha
ton have been needed to meet this obi
CATION. They declare this spring that
they stagger under it. They give little
or no money elsewhere, simply because
this building, like Aaron's serpent, de-
YOURS all other charities. Domestic or
foreign missions receive but scant sup
port from ST. Marks; their fund for the
poor is reduced to a meager pittance.
Mr.. Supplee has almost ceased to try to
rouse them to works of benevolence or
mercy.
"My people," he says to other minis
tiers, So are taxed as far as their strength
will bear, to be just; they can not afford
to be generous
Meanwhile, the contractor who holds
the mortgage has threatened again and
again 10 IOreclOSe. Inc man neeuS Ine
money which is justly his due. For the
lack of it he was forced last winter to
limit his work, and thus two or three
hundred laborers were thrown out of
employment. They cast black looks at
the stately pile as they 90 by, and call
it gigantic swindle. But the members
are certain that they built it to the glory
of God, and, doubtless, many of them
were sincere in that endeavor
st. Matthew's congregation has had
much shorter and simpler history. 1t
was in the beginning body of men and
women who gathered around a young
minister in the poorer part of the city.
George Patton was from the country; an
exceptionally clear-minded, downright
ELL