The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-14
HEPW0RTHAND Ills CHURCH.
THE ODD EDIFICE AND THE HiNDSOhE
PASTOR PHOTOGRaPHED.
A Pesto- who E.-iIy Makes himself uenvd
In all Parts OF au Enormous A uditsry-His
sermon On DR. swirs Near 60 Ged-Consrc-
gatiessi singing OF ~ Very Pleasing Kind


In all Parts OF an Enormous A uditsry-His
Sermon DR. swirs Near 60 aed-ConRre-
gatienai singing Of ~ Very Pleasing Kind
The rectangular edlfcc at Madison avenue
and Forty nth street might pass for n circus. n
garden n colosseum. or n skating rink-but II IL
the Church Of the Disciples. Looking ut II close
w. one will discover TINT It's secular proportions
and sduntty dimensions are the result Of prnc-
tlcal endeavor to secure in n temple all the ad-
vantagcs OF space. lghtness. comfort. convcn-
fence. and durability which are usually gained
in theatre. Anything like ecclesiastic prcten-
sion Is undiscoverabe In its fashion. Its cor
rugatcd iron walls lift themselves with the airy
disdan which the nineteenth century had for
massiveness. You may be sure that tho con-
greRation worshipping here leans TO the practi-
cal and dutiful. and not to the aesthetic side Of
religion. Marrow doorways at either extreme Of
the low facade admit you to tho vcstibule. An
usher opens the inner door noiselessly. and
you look down upon an immense cirque
whose axis must be Mt least $50 feet. II Is cx-
actly like looking In upon some vast playhouse.
The amphitheatre Is an enormous parquet.
with pews instead Of chairs. And for stage
thoio ia a narrow carpoted platform. with
tables and chairs and an arcade behind. through
the openings OF which the back Of the orgunist
Galleries there are none. Decoration is almost
entirely absent. The gray and drab walls and
fiat blus roof will not catch the eye. Save the
conventional gliding and prismatic touches on
the organ pipes no color is visible. The con-
gregation. seated In the great slopinR parterre.
seems enormous. The first impression that the
visitor receives is that Of space. and he wonders
whether an ordinary speaker can make himself
heard In such an audience room. and II the
utilitarian architect has not violated the modern
rule in building public halls which rule is TO
get the listeners and spectators rs near US pos
sible to the speaker and actor.
The instant the Rev. George u. Hepworth ap-
In prayer. all wonder at the architects mistake
ceases. for the pastors voice. IN all its softcst
artculations. is distinctly heard IN every part
Tho preliminary services are according to the
usual Congregational formula. Tho music Is
simple. unisonous. and cheerful A robust
tenor acts ~ chorster. but his choir Is the pco-
ple In the pews. He is assisted 10y pure
voiced soprano. who. when the great anthem
rolls up from the multitude IN unhcard. and
who, with her associate, disappears from the
platform into the arcade when the singing Is
over-a proceeding which always makes strnn-
gers at the Church of the Disciples smile dis
cre,tly. for. as the service Of song ia somewhat
extensive, the coming and going Of the pair
very regular. and the beating time Of the leader
very automatic. It reminds them vaguely of one
OF those wonderful German clocks, into whose
vestibules are forever coming and into whose
mute manikins who seem to make all the noise
But Il this action is ut first sight amusing by
such as TO leave no room for trivial compari-
sons. When CONGREGATION OF 800 or 1000
sou,s lifts up its voice in the hearty use 81 one
ing heart shakes as ut great event
The Rey. George II. Hepworth is handsome
man. in the prime Of life, His lace is marked
orous qualities. The tones Of his voice betray
the man Of feeling, His prayer is addressed 20
the dear Father" and his enuncation OF the
two words trembles with its weight Of affection
His voice is clear sonorous and musical with
large tonal scope. But he never forces its
sub-bass for effect. While he is speaking he
ANONYMOUSLY emphasizes his feelings by mo-
lions Of his head. But his thoughts are always
enforced by directness aud inclsen ness Of man
ner and utterance. As a pastor. one feels that
ne Is loved with strong personal attachment
is impossible to avoid feeling this. because his
personal and pastoral relations are. cont inually
quality OF human kindness in him which gives
~ ms discQurses personal applicability.
Judged thus by what Is exhibited OF his nature
IN public. he seems to be man full OF the
healthy vital force. an eminently social man.
a sympathetic. friend. a genial companion. a
warm relig zionist. whose piety consecratcs but
does not despise. the wholesome cnjoyments OF
life.
on Sunday Mr.. Hepworth selected for text
the words from the 73d Psalm But II Ia good
for me to draw near 10 God" The discourse
tina, was made uponthis foundation he delivered
erence to its pages As Mr.. Hepworths Ger
mons are all printed in pamphlet form and dis
trihuted at the door Of the church as the con
EregMion goes out. there was n suspicion In the
reporters mind that he had the printed page
before him. still II is only Just 70 say that his
uveness and warmth Of spontaneous feeling
and cNtcmporaneous expression. and II may
have been only copious notes to which he re-
porter busy Mt "A table In front Of the platform
ana the pamphlet given on, at the door was that
of 4 sermon delivered two sundays previous
The necessity In human nature for commun-
ION with God WAS the theme. Ii was only pos
sihlo to draw near Ia God through holiness.
Objection was made at the outset to Mr.. HuX-
l"y's statement that God and mans relation to
him We're things that belonged TO the unknowa-
pc. That eminent scientist was quoted rs hay
Ing said. in n lecture nj Edinburgh. that II he
were asked who the people in the moon were
goingtQ vote for, he would reply that II was
something he could not know and did notthink
II worth while inquiring about that In short
all hese things were matters of lunar politics.
MIR. Hepworth then undertook 10 show. not
by syllogisnl or logic. but 10y familiar illustra-
lions. that the fate of mans soul could never
ns 10 man a mere question OF lunar politics.
His eternal destiny was to him Of paramount
son could not fathom Gods plan. must he ig-
more the benignity and intelligence OF God?
TO the house tina, was not builded with hands.
must ne dlsbelieye the positive assurance Of
Gnd and his own heart that 1t existed
1hls sermon was In no sense dOctrinal or
even exigetical 1t presented the speaker in
the attitude OF a counsellor rather than OF a
priest. He spoke like sincere and deN out Op-
tmlst, who believed in the divine order Of the
nature Of things. The penalties Of the law the
shadows OF sin, the anguish of a world lying In
darkness. are positive facts to Mr.. Hepworth
undoubtedly, but the bcnevolence of the Deity
To such n nature as is his floods the universe
with ample hope and JOY. 1t is not 10 such a
teacher that We shall look for the openinR OF
new paths out OF the lAbyrnths Of unbelief and
the mysteries OF our own doubts for he mas not
ielt them. Some reflection of his eflluent faith
reaches us while we listen to his confident
words. He lays the warm and ductile finger OF
sympathy on our hearts, and they beat respon-
sivey II Is the touch Of kindly friend, not
the, grasp OF master.
Mr.. Hepworth Is always earnest sometimes
eloquent His language is pure but little gar
nished with rhetorical flowers and well adapted
70 the capacities OF a popular assemblage He
does not " print well which Is n sure sign that
his sermons owe much OF their effect to the per
sonality OF the speaker. For the same reason
y Is said by members of his congregation that
the better you know him the more you like
what he says. He IL great reader. That he
sklns the surface of modern thought in all
fields and keeps abreast of current events every
where Is made constantly evident by his allu-
sons. But he either has not the time or the in
cination to track modern materiaism through
al It's wndings in physics. and his sermons
dealing with scientific objections to religious
dogma lack the thOroughness and the knowl-
edge in detail which would make him u cham
pion III the polemical arena.