The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-27
CHURCH OF THE EPIPHANY.

REV. DIR. BURTsELL ON THE PEW RENTS OF
HIS CHURcH-No ADULTS WANTED AT THE
NINE O'CLOCK MAss-FATHER RYAN ON GOLD
EN- SILENCE.
At the Church Of the Epiphany, Second avenue.
between Twenty-frst and Twenty-second streets,
yesterday morning, especial attention was paid to
the subject Of the revenues of the church. The
pastor Rev. Dr. Burtsell, addressed his congregation
at the nine o'clock mass and ut the high mass at
past ten o'clock. being followed at the latter
vice by the Rev. Father Ryan, of the Pauist Church.
in Ffty.ninth street, who spoke Of the golden rule
of silence.
At the nine o'clock mass. which is especially for
the children of the Sunday school, DIR. Burtsell
spoke the necessity there for punctual attend
ance and threatened that in future he would the
names taken of those who were late and would pub
lsh them from tho pulpit. Yesterday a
mder method Of bringing the children to
church in time adopted. and at the close of
the pastors remarks some twenty girls and as many
boys marched up the centre aisle to the sanctu
airy ratings. where they filed off either side
in presence Of the congregation then retreating to
such vacant seats they could find. During tho
course of Dr. Burtselps remarks he spoke of the ne
ccssiy there to sustain the church, and explained
how anxiously he had cared for those who were
able TO pay tho admission fee by setting pcws apart
their at every mass except the nine O'Clock
mass. At the six, and eight o'clock masses
the northern gallery entirely tree. he said, and
at the high mass half that gallery entirely free
to persons unable or unwilling TO pay entering.
At all these earlier masses only Ave was asked
for seat in the body of the church. and at the half
past ten O'Clock mass only ten cents for a seat
in any part of the edhce. the free seats
the northern gallery. of course, being excepted.
At the nine O'Clock mass. the Sunday
School chidren's mass, fifteen cents expected
for seat in either gallery this being the only
vice where there were no free seats. And he now
again requested all adults not to to this
For years past he said he had been making this
quest and urging IL, and the simply this
That he desired the grown people Of the parish to at
tend the high mass, at which instruction
always given. The fifteen cents asked for at this
especially put at that figure to keep crowds
from coming and for the free seats
were set apart in the church.
After the first gospel of the high mass beginning ut
halfpast ten o'clock, Dr. Burse again addressed the
congregation in similar strain to that given above,
presenting to them the annual report receipts and
expenditures and making this the occasion OF COM
about the pew rents and the price of at
the different masses. Though Dr. Burtsell did not
state explicitly that he was referring TO the
spondence pay ing to hear mass, which the HERALD
has been publishing, IL was plain to everybody the
church that he meant his remarks to be explanatory
of the position of his church III this matter. He
spoke very earnestly about the misconception
which had arisen and reiterated his assertion
that the rules of the church, often had
they been announced, should be known to
every member OF tho congregation except