The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-05

CORRESPONDENTS


DEAR ARGUS doubt If reporter
were to walk through the streets of New
York he would see a great deal more that
preacher could But even preacher,
after q few weeks vacation. gets the theo-
logical dust out of his eyes sufficiently TO
see men as trees walking In fact he
may become clear sighted enough to deter
mine the kind of trees and whether they are
hard or soft timber, rotten or sound He
certainly has an ample scope for observa-
ton. Some are dry and leafiess, some green
and juicy. To speak without figures-he
sees all classes of society in Shakespeare's
stages of life. There are men with souls
and men without souls. Every one seems
to have forgotten something and to be go
ing back after it. except newsboys, buck
ssers and those strange speeime n of hui
mainly that are sandwiched between signs
and stand like posts or move like machines.
All that appears of the specimen is the
head and feet and one is as expressive as
the other; both are often soulless. A
description, however of this street panora
ma cannot be crowded into letter But
there are other points of interest Anyone
passing through New York who can spare
the time ought to visit on Saturday morning
the Jewish Temple Emanuel on the corner
of 9th avenue and 43d street 1t is fine
building costing nearly million. The
interior is gloomily grand in the
dim daylight, but bright with red, blue
and gold under the gas light. The gas
jets are arranged after the pattern of the
golden candlestick with its seven branch
es. True to the Jewish individuality
even in their architecture they have re-
lected the Christian Gothic and adopted
the square and arch,-no ribbed roof, ne
fresco or pictured representation of any
thing in heaven above, or earth beneath,
save a starry armament on background of
deepest blue.
But it is not the building so much as
the music that will repay one. We re-
membered it as the finest to be heard in
the city, and although the choir is some
what depleted at this time of the year, we
were not disappointed.
The deep throbbing tones of the organ
like great heart striving to express the
harmoHies of Bach and Bethooyen-the
sublime melodies of Rossini that mount
higher and higher like bird soaring to
meet the morning-the mingling of rich
voices rising with the waves of melody
all seemed to lift and bear the soul up
ward.
There was no sermon. for the Rabbi had
gone to Europe. The service consisted
in the reading of the Hebrew Scriptures,
chanting and prayer. During the reading
the organ played so softly that it seemed
only as dream of sound or a lingering
memory. The contrast within and withs
out was great Within was a little
band worshipping the God of their
Fathers. Without, the great
world was engaged in business.
But the great architectural wonder of
New York is St. Patrick's cathedral 1t is
not only the pride of catholics but of all
those who are DESTROYS of seeing the new
world building like the old for the
centuries instead of the years. The corner
stone was laid by Archbishop Hughes in
1853. After his death it was carried on
by Archbishop McCloskey afterward
Cardinal The interior dimensions are
in length 332 feet. Breadth ia feet
Height of towers $50.
The interior is 306 feet in length, nave
and choir 120 feet in width, including
chapels. Length of transept 140 feet;
central aisle 4S feet wide and 112 feet
high. Side aisles "a feet wide and 81
feet high.
The foundations are large blocks of
blue gneiss up to the ground level. Above
the ground line the base course is New
England granite as also are the bases of
the building Above this rises its costly
marble walls in their native strength
and beauty unmarried by the fleeing time
corroding polish of mans hand. The ex-
terror is not yet completed. The interior
is complete except the untitled inches
awaiting statues of saints and martyrs.
But who can describe that interior with
It's massive columns of granite and marble
five feet in diameter and seventy seven
feet hight to the springing line of the
arched. and fretled ceiling rising
as with hands clasped in prayer
'thirty-five feet higher. It's foliage
crowned capitals. Its delicate
dreamy tracery, its rich decoration of vine,
morning glory and passion-hower, touched
with the aunealth-y beauty of the trans
figured light, falling through stored glass,
and its 10 wonderous windows.
All the beauty of sacred song and story
of legend and truth are pictured here from
the legendary life of its patron Saint to the
real life of him who is king of Saints.
But it would be useless to attempt des-
cription; like music or prayer, If must be
felt, for it is both music and prayer ex
pressed in stone.
The mind that planned it has gone to
its rest, but its work was well done.
1t marks new departure in the church
architecture of our country, for we may
say of it in the words of Holland SO far at
least as this land is concerned, 'sthere
lives no thought in marble, like to thee.
Sincerely YOURS