New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-25


Ooe ~ IL, costlir-t religious buildings in the
United state. is now rapidly approach ng compile
ton This is Tic Cathedral of the rdrn"tlon IL 'ar
den city, familiarly known a the stewart Memorial
Church Torscycral yeas 10 has been the The most
consp.cuous object to bee deserted from tie car d.
dows of the Long Island Railway trains. and every
s.aEo OF its construction has been wal. hed 'S
thrones Of Interested visitors. The architect has
endcayorcd to give expression in this structure 60
tNomlin IDEAS. The Cathedral is a weuorlaLand the
lines OF architecture in tho sp're, the baptstly and
the ediice As whole ore designed Go convey to the
spectators mind the impress ion OF monument
The second idea is the pracJ cal adaptation OF Gothic
types To modern needs For example. IN RS cror or
uameutation simple designs ana broni-dayight
effects hive been substituted for tire rro' sue
shapes and weird faucics Characteristic OF Tie 'id-
World cathclrl.s; and in place OF a dimiy IehteI
cavern fr,upht with In, stery, where tho wow
5stluctcd oy heavy coiumns aud irregular walls
md preaching can only be heard close at hand, here
is a spacious Interior br.2ht AMI cheerful a. ile
modern woIsndaY world, where eyes and ears are
NOT dcpfiyeI of their functions Opinion IS divided
in reference to the dichc GETS success i'm en- b0dyng
these conccptions. 7 be Cathedral is considered by
some visitors rs cry bad, by others us very good ana
bv still others as utterly commonplace architecture
There are many no cannot sec even In tine ople the
slightest resemblance 70 a monument and others
again who are captyatel by the mortu7ry idea and
immediately tran~porte to cypress shade and con-
secrated ground. II like manner stern critics haze
condemned the attempt 30 adapt the architectural
conceptions of one age 20 the usc and convenience
Of very different axe rs incongruous aud imprac-
tcobie. while more lcuent Observers have been
willing to suspend Judgment until the structure
,houla be- completed. But while there have been
serious divisions of opinion IN regard to the archi
tcctnral merits of the Cathedral, public interest IN
tins novel religious enterprise has been well
sustained.
Unqrestiouably the interior OF the Cathedral has
disappointed many who ser, well pleased with the
exterior Except IN th" mausolcum the richness o.
tie material and tie dclcacy OF tho carving have
been unpcri,ctl; revealed. Visitors have com
pi,lncd Of lack OF color. IaonOtOuy Of tone and in
orlinate quetues, OF elect. In this respect n
marned change has been wrought WltA.a Tort
night The English glass which is being rapidly in
serted in the windows of tbs chlncel. TRANSCRIPTS.
baptistry and the main body Of the Cathedral proves
to b, lch IN color aud exceedingly beautiful IN de
sign. 1t ilum'ncs and tran,iglres an interior
which has been lfcicss cololiess. and duh. The
effect will be heightened. If the orig nal
plau of Lrunzi.., the light ZION columns
De eventually carried ont notwithstanding tho ~
cent daillauce with paint, plaster and cheap gid
INK. Color will ais. Lo added when the chancel
furniture and organ eases in placo, SO that IN
the end the admirers OF the structure may he as well
satisfied with tho interior with the exterior. At
the sane time the architect cannot hope to escape
hostile criticism IN many quarters where his work
will he considered equally faulty, inside and out
Garden City has become the solo memorial Of the
merchant prince whose enterprise thrift and power
of organization were once a OF metropolitan
pride The wcrting-r onen's homo mas been CON
yerted into an ordinary hotel and the great mer-
camille bu.ness which gave employ mcnt to 50 many
clerks aId operatives has boon virtually alan-
doncd The rural city which lac planned in the
ceitre of "a barren and de,olate PLAIN ~ the only
project with which ms fame now be associated.
The collapse OF the other interests Identified nth
his name mas undoubtedly excited suspicion lest
there might be somo failure some fresh disap-
| pointmcnt These apprehensionS have been in-
creased by the enlarged scope of tho undertaking.
| Mr. Stewart planned suburb with church.
| q rden City is low .rea-ostate venture. OF ex-
traOrdinarY magnitude. Here costly Cathedral AZ
spacious as TRINITY Church, New-York. in village
of seyenty.iyc dwellings with a population of
| perhaps four hundred souls. Close at hand is an
episcopal residence and in another quarter ris a
| huge pile of masonry which is to DO used as
| Cathedral school for five hundred boys.
I Even II the companion school for girls
| is never built. ami If the other enterprises.
on which the imaeination OF the oldest inhabitants