New-York tribune., 1884-03-09
PULPIT SKETCHES.
THE REV. DR. MARVIN r. VINCENT, Oh lhh
CHURCH OF THE COVENANT.


,,or churches the preliminary services which iesueu
IN IT, organization having heonheld IN the chalei ol '0
Home for the Frcudlc>S IN East IWent! hh'"-S' J"
1SGo In The following year the meetings Were u'iS
Cor,,,i 70 the studio Building at Ffth-ave ana lWcn!
.i,tb - where IN 1862, under the direction ol III
s,,;r ~ moderator the society organized uhder
it ,,cse,t corporate title. II was neither hamS nor
q aLpc at the outset. for eighty three persons COLI
,,itufcd its membership, largely persons oi influence
I'm ,,i ,,cial distinction. The cornerstone of the
church a The northwest corner OF Puk-aNc ana lrN-
nnh-st was laid n 1865. the building was competed
aud dedicated two years later. and the parsonage al
Joining the chapel added IN ls6'' Inc "ch'oc'
was Rcnwck and among hls numerous and elaborate
constructions Will be found nothing more picturesque OF
,ol can .iIcred than this homogeneous and command
ine np For church. chapel and parsonage ohler mo
uninterrupted architectural relations, are harmonious
,,ar of broad yet symmetrical design. The great mass
of the church is supplemented by the subordinate mem
ber of the group without sprc or tower feeble hand
would hardly have escaped tamcncSs or monotonN buI
Mr. Rcnwick has sufiused his structure with charming
suecestivencss and managed his elevations and per-
snoctiye with such independence and freshness that the
junrcsSyeness the whole j. not likely 10 die ont
stndcd from the lower of the street. the eyes
liuecr long and eagerly without safety for there is u
doubted fascination in the design the secret oI "i'" =
suhtl and elusive Elusive there Is absence o
any striking imperative feature; neither Is ihere e
illustration of any rca; period of arcecuIc nor any
conspicuous wealth of ou3mentatloh' inc SHI' -
llc-itscf feeble and eclecuc-feacHlus u'E-
nifty only under an ovcIhaugng dome ana under large
and stately proportions. There is neither scripture nor
symbolism Yet does not leave that lower street
corner Willingly nor easily lose the imprcssion OF Gle
cance rehnement and dignity which subsequent obei-
vaton j. sure strengthen. By fine use OF gable ele
VatolS al sides the architect has suggested cruel
form ground PLAN with its ansepts, while the FACADE on
the avenue. with its bold and graceful root
angle gains strength and Importance from the
stairway crcciions on either side, whose lesser
gables break gracefully the lines of the cornce and roof
The material beautifully toned sandstone, ana the
bodncss of the multiplied projections gives play Tor
lights and shadows.
THE DESIGN OF THE INTERIOR.
Entering the church from the avenue the nhe per
spectivc terminates in q great organ piled until II fills
the yaucd roof IS displayed with striking graceful
ness Stages Of metal pipes ranged in harmonious
color-scales OF polyclrome The casing Is in OAK ana
the lower stage IS devoted the quartetre which oc-
cupcs an alcove the pulpit level with laiiecd p7ss
arc behind IT, The pulpit, unhapldy, under tic com
pulsions OF this architectural eNpedient Sinks mo
comparative Obscurity viii be seen III all lhe ne"
churches where great is subordnated purely 10
architectural and decorative purpose, as IN d. PaNtons
DR. Taylors aud Dr. Halls churches. Such design re
duces the pulpit and preacher the obscurty Of panel
q final or any other ninpOrtant feature In this in
stance the prcttily carved pulpit would almost escape
observation but for the unmstakahe functonary who
occupies it.
M Give etier visible support TO what is technically the
chance arch extend along the gallery fronts sustaining
to-hcayy capitals upon which rest the rOuhd aches "i
the aisle or gallery vautings The Gothic arch IN shall
low plnel-WorR, strangely enough surlnOunts eSch o.
these round arches and cang of reTugnant ideas
constitutes with the meretrcl0us use OF iron pillars the
only incongruy noticeable in the execution of the de
sign There Is pleasant quality Of light and abundance
OF IT, sprnging from the windows oi tinted glass ana c
fected from the delcacly poychrOmed walls. surely
in snch richly appointed rcsfu luxurious sanctuary
one must feel that the former aUsteies OF the fresp!
terian Church have passed away.
THE CRUCIAL PERIOD OF THE SOCIETY.
Tho first pastor was the Rev. Or. George j. PrentiSs
brother of the famous Mississippi orator. Sargent = Prem
tiss He resigned his pasorote to accept theological
proessorship the Union Seminary in 1873 This washe
crucial period in the history OF the society seyerai
strong churches Of the faith established in the
vicig!y large debt brdencd the trustees and there
were times of strain and pressure and WEAKNESS. IL had
no proved thrifty neighboIhood for cihlIch enter
prIscs Bnt the crisis bravcly Weathtiol ana a. l
back as 1869 the church freed from all enc'ln-
lrancs II Is note worthy tha that year the Old and
New schools. which had long divided the Presby terrain
denomination. finally reached perfect Wicauon ~"
Old school holding it, convention III the Bnck 'h'rh'
while the New school delegates assembled IN thls ounce
All the early promises and expeditions OF the H"oh-
church have been generously realized ah jhe '"nr'h Z"
the Covenant in the statistics of the grca denomination
stands eli among the leading churches 1t, spiritual
Influences and bccyocnccs, we'll Tor lis social and
moral weight I'm the community. lis charity mas eN-
preston in large aul steady contributions III m'h!
directions a. well the founding ana odpoH oI d"
costly and fruitful mission in East Eorty-seeond ~ l
congresation exceptionally intelligent and cult' "'
numbering an unusual proportion o. men dlstnSu>hcih ID
Inc learned professions. Among them pare ioNh N'
name, OF Or. A. G. Post. Dr. Henry d. Noycs, and d.
ST. John Ioosa Among the elders, dracon> adii d-'r-
other we'll known names appear; Joseph H. PW on>,
lI NJ Aluil q rs
Batter, Theron q. strong. j. Cleveland Cady. Fobcl'
Hoe IT, william II. Osborne. Benjamin +. Butler and
many Other leading are seen among the peNA"le
But the finest interest eycy strong church should
centre N - pastor and that II docs lrgtmatt( III h
instance no one Will question. Dr Vincent W"N fl"d-
ated at Columbia Colcse in ISL He conducted e "id
AntnoD Grammar school with credit for four years, when
he was appointed 10 professor snip III the Troy Ih-
yersty 4 coce1tc institution founded about tAal une
under Methodist auspices while teaching III Troy h'
became "a licensed or oca! preacher anon- the Me'Ho0-
lists and in this capacity supplied Tie Pdclue street
Church in Brooklyn for Que year IN loG2 Tie IoI""
Ing wear he Wa, called succeed Dr. Beman as pastor
OF the First Pyc~ teran Church in Troy. Where lc lt-
manned ten years. Under the prestige Of deeply snc
cess u ministry he entered upon his dutIe III the ChuIch
of the Covenant succeeding Dr. Frents, III 1873, ana
now in his htieth year hc has by no means leaeheu ''
zenith Of hi growing reputation
A PREACHER FULLY EQUIPPED FOR HIS WORK.
ii j. f9Vorlte hhS il Inc HIo"-Io"' "'ii" 'i'''
thought and learning are forsaIiug Tic Churches and
seeking shelter ia deal sln anI aenosticsm If sucha~
these could afford shelter ybOdy any thing. d. YIN
cent Is another among Che muutudes Oi strongly i"fl-
fed. learned, effective ccrgymen who Yndicate TIE
worth s,ldity his order. lie would prove an IN
gons II assailod from any quarter For
he il sound aud fearless ana clean at the ncrt His
mind quck agile penetrating uHtiginS and strong.
Books and manysided culture have refined. enriched
aud polished these There II singular resO
lutenc>s and alertness mingled with his mOdcaty and
denc4cy of m01d. Naturally the beautiful arts have
helped forward this schooling Tor his sascephiliCs
ouck and sensitive and nothing graceful, Winning ed-