The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-09-28
Editorial Correspondence.

l have been to hear the Rev. Phillips
Brooks in Boston. Heseems TO be regarded
by the general public here as their leading
preacher. His church is one of the hand
soonest ever saw; 1 think it cost $780,
600. Of course this implies wealthy
set of pew-holders, and high prices for
the privilege of hearing the blessed mes
sage of mercy to perishing world. l
judge that very few of the poor of Boston
would ever hear of the salvation of Jesus
Christ if it had to reach them through
the rector of this splendid church; and I
greatly fear that there is powerful ten
dency in all our cities to make Religion
a sort of luxury only to be enjoyed by
those who are we'll to do. l say this
in no censorious spirit. The subject in
wolves one of the most difficult problems
of the day; namely, how to meet the ex-
penses of church and reach the miscel-
laneous public at the same time. 1t is
easy to see that there is something needed;
no one seems able to furnish the remedy.
The service commenced at half past
ten, and was the usual Episcopal service,
the sermon lasting thirty minutes. The
church is large one, and constructed
for architectural effect rather than as
public hall for reading and speaking 1t
has sort of dome, and is crowded with
pillars and recesses, and is of irregular
form. I could not hear half the services.
The company assembled filled the gal
leries as well as the main floor of the
building. Exactly at half past ten a
stout, heavy man, with head as round
as bullet, came forward in white sur
plice, and throwing his head back and to
one side, commenced, 1.-THE Lord is in
his holy temple" etc. He went off like
race-horse, and 1 soon had the sensa-
ton of being on the limited express from
Boston to Richmond The speaker S
voice is musical and sweet with Just a
little affectation, but it was simply i'm
possible to make the responses; never
heard any one speak so FAST it was a
flying train that touched at none of the
little stations. l have often been as
tonished in other Episcopal churches at
this style of rendering the services the
clergyman will resume his reading before
the congregation have had time to make
the response. But it was particularly
marked at DIR. Brooks church.
The music was thoroughly artistic, and
not especially elaborate. At the same
time, despite the thorough cultivation of
the voices, they lacked soul I doubt
very much if so practical and unsentimen-
tai a people as those of New England
can ever excel in music.
The sermon was from Psalm xxxvi: 9,
In thy light, o God, shall we see light "
I regretted very much that DIR. Brooks
spoke SO rapidly and indistinctly that I
could not follow him closely. 1t seemed
to me to be very fine discourse, and
was read with great animation and feel
ing. The language was beautiful, and
the general sentiment was the Importance
Of purity of life. He held the attention
of the audience to the close. He preached
in the black gown.
At night Gin the evening, as they say
in Boston-though it was not so in Eng
land in Shakespeare's time) I went to
the orthodox" church on Park street to
hear DIR. Withrow. found the Congre-
gationalists out in full force also; the
church was filed. It was curious SER
vice-a sort of mild ritualism grated on
a rugged Puritan trunk. DR.. Withrow
has in his modes Of thinking and in the
style of his composition about as little OF
the aesthetic element as any speaker /
ever heard He is the very opposite Of
DR.. Brooks-hard, abrupt, archaic in his
phrases as the primitive Hebrew. But
he is man of decided ability.
The service opened as at the Episcopal
church with the utterance, "The Lord ia
in his holy temple" the congregation
rising. The music again was artistic,
but lacking in feeling, and the service
consisted in part Of chants and solos such