The Portland daily press., 1878-09-21
IFrom Sunday Afternoon.]
st. Matthew's and st.
Marks.
by REBEccA HARDING DAVIS.
A Story With q Moral.

BY REBEcCA HARDING DAVIS.
churches in an inland city, whose biogra-
pixies may interest some of the readers OF
Sunday afternoon. Why should not
churches have their biographies as well as in
dividualsf They have their characters, even
to idiosyncracies and hobbies; they diffuse an
influence about them, wholesome or un.
wholesome, precisely like an exaggerated
type of human being.
These two churches were born in the same
religious.family, at the same time; they held
the same creed and possessed about the same
resources of property and social influence and
culture. They should have been as alike as
twins.
But they were totally unlike.
st. Marks was an offshoot from the old
congregation of st. Peters. There was
really no reason in any difference between
and the seeding body for any separation.
The real reason lay in the merits of a certain
Rev. Jacob Supplee. who had won the young
er portion of the congregation to be his dis
ciples. He was young. warm. blOoded man,
with talent for assault. Every Sunday he
attacked some heresv or heterodoxy, from
the date of Kant to Strauss and Darwin, with
an airy dash and bravado that swept his
hearers along with him. On Friday he
s'crammed" with the dogmas of the infidel
selected, whether Gnostlc, Positivist or Scen-
list, on Saturday he demolished them in
thirty minutes sermon, and on Sunday
hurled it at them, while his disciples tri-
umphed VIGOROUSLY as one host of Pharaoh
after another went down beneath the waves
OF bis rushing eloquence.
Feeling themselves hampered by the old
conservative members of st. Peters they re-
solved on a separation. For six months they
stated, there was much wealth and culture in
the new church. The majority of them lived
in houses built and decorated in accordance
with what their owners considered artistic
truth. Many of them had been in Europe
and had brought back statues, pictures, Per-
sian carpets and bric.G-brdc for their homes.
Naturally when these people, on Sunday
mornings, went out of the beauty and soft
ness and color of their own houses into the
square hall of the church, with its white
washed walls, hemp carpeting and wooden
chairs, they were chilled and disguised.
Their consciences grew uneasy. What right
had they to lavish money on their own DWELL
ings and build no house for God? How did
this hired hall pay Him honor? Besides, the
new congregations Of the Presbyterians and
Baptists were each building magnificent
tCupCo w utS StOIys 1uC OISdu III LILO Dap
tist church cost double the price of the whole
building in which they worshipped; and the
Baptist brethren had not one half the solid
wealth of which they could boast. There
was Dove, the Baptist banker, who had put
down round ten thousand-Dove was very
shaky indeed, etc., etc.
The matter was talked about in private at
first among the members; the ladies were all,
without a dissenting voice, vehemently In
favor nf hntldinO tufc
dropped in reference to it by Mr.. Supplee in
sermons. A good deal was said by those in
favor Of it about carnal-minded devotion to
worldly things (meaning pictures, Persian
rugs, etc. at home) and neglect of the service
and glory of God meaning new church,
organ, etc.,. Some visiting clergymen openly
expressed their surprise at the lack of energy
In spiritual affairs in so young and vigorous
church.
At last the st. Marks people found It i'm.
possible to worship in their plain hall with
out sharp compunctions, and when they
knelt on the hemp carpet felt one moment
that their Maker was nsulted by it, and the
next wondered whether the dissenters who
were in the back seats were laughing at it
secretly
Of course fire smouldering 80 holly as
this is soon kindled into flame. A meeting
OF the vestry was called on Monday. Sub
scription papers went round on Tuesday.
Without any difficulty thirty thousand dol
lars were raised. In the course of week,
dozen eligible lots were offered to the COM
mittee for sale. But wealthy grocer, (not
communicant) relieved them of all diff.
Guilty in decision by presenting them with a
corner lot in one Of the most fashionable
quarters of the city. The gift was received
with enthusiasm. But it insensibly altered
the plans of the committee and the ideas of
the congregation. The thirty thousand dol
lar house would look shabby in the neighbor-
hood of the most magnificent private DWELL
ings in the city; or, though they did not put
1t 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
at all on Franklin Avenue The arch
itect in offering his plans submitted first
one which would ''suit the location" and
afterwards one in accordance with the price
named. A most meager, paltry affair it
seemed. Both the committee and the con-
gregation felt themselves reused to generous
emulation. They were convinced that this
was the Lords work. The subscription
papers went round again, but only twenty
thousand were added.
"But am confident" said Mr.. Supplee to
the committee, s'that the church will do bet
ter than that when warmed up to the work.
will make appeals from time to time; stir
up their consciences. As the building pro-
crosses, 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, "woud be to make
the tangible object as worthy fervor as posi-
BILE. Take this plan," unrolling the costly
one upon the table, with an of-hand air,
Leave margin for their generosity. It's
like putting high ideal before man, and
bidding him look up to it. Besides, SIR"
turning to Mr.. Supplee, "the sermons
preached under such dome as this, must
elevate your people. Consider the effect
upon your imagination,-you breadth of
their money in that way if no other.''
"No, sir" said Mr.. SuppIee gravely, 'sNo
personal considerations move me in this mat.
ter. I look upon this temple simply as an Of
fering to Almighty God from my people.
Though" he added, 81 should be 10th to de-
ny the effect upon the religious emotions of
beauty in art. l hope you will illustrate it
nobly in the present instance. Well, gentle
men, what do you say? Shall we count up
on the generosity of the people or not?'
The master-builder interrupted the answer
by a suggestion that the estimate of cost for
the finer design was very liberal-thrown off
hastiy,-that, no doubt, by shaving in cor
ners, he could bring it down considerably.
That was decisive. The committee with
$50, 900 to build a church, began to build one
which would cost $150,000. Every man or
congregation that has built house knows
the result The edifice, when handed over
by the builder, had cost, in round numbers,
100000, with one tower left unfinished I'M
der wooden cap. To be sure it was consid-
cred 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 fin.
ish. For two or three months the congrega.
ton worshiped in the new temple with de-
lighted complacency, which, if not devotion,
was so close an imitation that it deceived
themselves. Every pew was crowded. The
floating religious population, which has as
keen palate for novelties as had the Athe-
mans, came to see the building and to hear