The New York herald., 1879-03-16
IS CHRISTIANITY A FAILURE :
Wounded in the House of
It's Friends.
CHURCH MILLINERY CONDEMNED.
A So-Called Finality in a
Moving World.
SOME STRANGE TESTS PROPOSED

CHURCH MILLINERY, ADoRNMENTs AND PRO-
cEssIoNs CONDEMNED BY LADY BLANCHE
MURPHY.
One of the best things written during this contro-
versy on the failure of Christianity is communica-
tion from North Conway. N. H., written by Lady
Blanche Murphy for Catholic paper but which the
editor feared publish after having put it in type.
She therefore sends it to the HERALD. 1t discusses
"church millinery" and adornments with pointed
pen. She denies the plea of poverty so frequently
put forth by Catholics and by others for them when
they want to shirk some duty and responsibility.
and shows that Catholics spend more money gaudy
adornments PROFESSIONS &C.. than would be needed
to carry the legitimate work of the Church at any
time in any place
In most Episcopaian churches ecclesiastical taste
has well cultivated by those in charge of the
details of ornamentaton that these churches present
almost the ideal OF Catholic church. very few
additions would be needed to fit them for Catholic
worship With Catholics. the contrary. in ninety
nine churches out of a hundred there is difference
between the flower vases the candlesticks, the car
pets used in the sanctuary and those with which they
are familiar in the parlor. The statues and images
used the majority of their churches hardly one
step removed from toys on large scale. The trap
pings of the altar are like those of ladys toilet
table those Of the Blessed Virgins altar in May the
"eepulchre on Holy InurSuay, ana tne nlSc alCar
during the Forty Hours Devotion especially. There
is painful irreverence ana unntness IN such dis
plays.
more solemn and grave than Catholic ceremonial.
and nothing is more easy to dwarf and travesty by
fancy decoration and fancy music. The very means
ignorantly to enhance the beauty of their
monies those that rob them of their significance
and of their impressiveness. What, for instance
be less ecclesiastical than the in pro-
cession of number of girls dressed in ballroom
fashion, with wreaths of artificial flowers and colored
ribbons? The ceremony becomes a show. There
some churches in England where no female is
allowed to take part in procession and no lay
man. unless wearing cassock and surplice 1t may
be argued that these canons of taste arbitrary
these distinctions too subte that the object of
the Church is to attract outsiders &c. Even on such
low ground this, there is much to be said against
the particular mode of attraction used. To attract
is not to pander and these professional shows. and
many similar devices, are mere pandering to SEN
sationai and unhealthy public taste.
The Church should draw people to her by the
gravity of her doctrine the firm moral support she
gives in time of temptation the trust iu God and
freedom from earthly solicitude which should mark
her children, not by theatrical tricks ard snowy de-
vices Above all there should be Hhams. If the
church is of wood do not paint it to look like stone.
And do not make candesticks of wood on the altar
simulate metal put inferior candles in the place of
pure wax Most altars are OF wood, painted to imi-
tate white marble, and stuck with moulded pro-
ections and bosses to represent carving IT altar
has be made wood, for lack of money to make 1t
of stone marble, why not put the sum squandered
on the subsequent painting ana himsy ornamental
tion into solid walnut oak even chestnut cherry
pne-anything that is real? Wood Is quite as beau
tiful IN its way as stone alabaster or marble.
table shaped altar is very beautiful and involves
less material than the ordinary panelled kind.
Our correspondent gives some prices of vest
ments hero and in England, showing that priests
in America pay for these things at least three times
much paid in England for them. The
style of church millinery correspondent
says is dangerous, we'll inappropriate. Every
one knows how often church is III danger of Are,
especially the festival days, when extra display
of muslin and tnsel is made. The preventive ar
rangements imperfect in churches
than they in theatres that the risk to the
gregation in of fire and the inevitable conse-
Quence a panicl is very serious,