New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-04
PULPIT SKETCHES.
THE REV. JESSE Is. THOMAS, d. d. flltSI
BAPTIST CHURCH, BROOKLYN.


Witt Clinton was Governor Of Ncw-YoFk, and james
Monroe President There a single newspaper,
The Long Island Star" with its feeble glhnmcr of
weekly gossip During this year John Ellis Baptist
preacher advertised in that paper that he had engaged
honsc in Fultonst for the purpose Of holding divine
ser-ice On Lords DAYS also a lecture on Thursday eve
ninesp In the summer Of 1872 this enterprise was
unexpectedly reinforced by the presence OF yellow
fever IN New-Yorl which among other refugees sent
over the river to the village two Baptist laymen lila
kim Raymond father of DR.. John II. Raymond, the
first president Of the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute
and subsequently of Nassar College, and Elijah Lewis
who became identified with the commercial enterprise
of the growing suburb, and an efficient promoter oil
Baptist extension 90 o.,
brrship of eleven persons, the te church stlll ne
holden to the nurture of the NcwIOrk brethren VINO
read continued their attendance after the pcStehce
had subsidized: Crossing the river m an oesD"'i III M
kinds of weather and at considerable cost 9 money:
The church cdicc finally completed in Pearst. IN
1927. Ii then stood in the open fields. Converts were
baptiscd nj the river bank Ii the day OF Eyangel-
istic fcrvor and small salaries The Rev Mr. Ilawlcy
the first pastor, entered upon his charge receiving
FL % month for his services. subsequently tins
stipend raised to the munItce1t sum Of T3OO per
aunum. The First Society after many WaHderncs
MANY combinations and certain combinations united
wnh the iicrepOnt street Society IN 1873.
SOLVING A NEW ARCHITECTURAL PROBLEM.
In 1877 the old church in brick Gothic by Lefevre
torn uOMu anu Ttpldfci ny lut present Ch'H'tf
which was opened for service in 1880 1t occupies lot
100 feet square on the northeast of Fierrcp0nt
and Clinton sts Within a few squares may be found
the Church of the Holy Trinity st. AIMS, the Hstor
zeal Society Building and the Academy OF Music. In
these DAYS of architectural feebleness and pagarisns
there is something positively nvigorating in the frank,
fearless intelligence of this eccentric structure The
architect attacks and solves untred problem SO m
~ we know. He effects entrance resoutely on the
corner treating his interior diagonaly from corner to
corner and not from the parallel sides so these waste
spaces are turned into practical use the street corner
providing graceful entrance and vcstlbule while ITS
opposite makes place for the pulpit bapstry aud over
hanging organ
Tic first story of the edice given up to the various
rooms required for lectures, Sunday school and society
work Overhead is the auditorium. 1t Is easily
reached by a double stairway aud from senlclrcuaf
vestbue several entrances open into the great chnI
bold circle slightly clptical marks out the ground
floor which slopes rapidly toward the pulpit from
which the pews are swept in c0nvcrgng arcs. single
narrow gallery engirdles the entire building III the
lower section holding the brilliantly illuminated organ
,trucurally Ms key stone. The gallery follows the
grading Of the main floor and the pews complete the
lines of curvature, that every sitting has direct
radius from the pulpit The roof Is mgenonSy treated
as the diagonal intersections within give ample play
for the invention of the architect 1t Is worked in high
gables prnging from the centres OF the two street sides
while gracefully fashioned lantern rl7cs chcci'ciE
above the intersection
"a THE INTERIOR EFFECT VARIED AND ORIGINAL.
The interior ceiling is worked in corrugated iron
Two long transverse vaungs follow the corner Inter-
sections forming unique of grand proportions
overhead The effect is varied and original and Ger
tainly quite rs admirable as the lah and plaster gothic
interiors Of maHy more pretensive churches The
ceilings are in delicate blue. The windows are
filled with decorative glass of agreeable tones The only
flush Of color is found in the organ which stands sup
rorted on two solid columns at the front corners,
directly over the pulpit platform, and baptisry The
~, for HE in
sufficiently supported and it is impossible to accept
ANYTHING like a canopy effect above the nperlled
preacher who is left in half shadows In the sptleas
chamber underneath. Besides II seems darker III CON
trast with pronounced coors OF the dapa50n ranks
overhead There is an unfortunate simmer from the
nojshed facade of smaller pipes that MI the front oil
The organ which j. suggestive OF Oyersiraned nerves
and headache Tor sensitive people. But a. meeting
house frankly standing outside ecclesiaSllGal aT.oe
tions with it, sacrament sci forth IN the polished
granite coping Of It's hapl~try, its Hutrlve orduance
preaching. with its perfect acouStque, us l,ZoO
eligible stngs and church appliances at an outlay OF
$4,000, it satisfactory uiilHatonor Gotme motives
and outlines m it, exterior elevations, nothing more III
tercstig admirable will be found III the two cities
There j. no choir. 4 coruetI,t delivers the melody
Of the simple tunes from the pulpit platform with
wclltempercd organ accompaniment the performer oc-
cupvinp n little enclosure ON level and among the
foremost pews where the board of the Resonant IN
strumcnt j. adjusted numerous couS~@ ail"h
largely of the family type gradually find their tinGs
which free throughout the church, before the lnl-
lister reaches the main prayer Of the bare, qnlitqrge
worship. The singing Is not eNhIlmatns and lacks III
volume and cntlusatIl
PEN PORTRAIT OF TIE PREACHER.
Dr. Thomas, the pastor. * strongly built, muscular
man. tall stands well proportional in his Su OF black,
with buttonpd frock coat The head is cuineutly
noticeable for it, bold outlines Of suggestive height,
breadth and depth. There is fine symmetry wihal.
50 that there is at oncc promise of incisiye and
handing personality, without great subtlcty and re-
fnemcut There is tranquil thoroughly collected
bearing as if halfuunindfll Of any public occasion
There is no grace articc of voice reading, but the
voice instantly penetrating concrete and hbrous III
quality on a very deep pitch, but within constant com
mand of the speaker Without the mastery Of the
spiritual manhood such voice would indicate an en-
ergy Of portcnt"us OF formidable type The reading
j. al a quick pace sometimes rapid and sententlous,
always logically distributed, and quick with flashing
intelligence. The words Of prayer have an indoor
quality Of sOliloquy, faceoface talking with the
Unseen if q very cognizable interview wa~ going for
ward in the innermOt c,ycry di cct and very touch
Ing from this element of actually
The text, j. given out and then the preacher leaves
his Bible the pulpit and steps quietly aside into the
open without note OF memorandum for the work OF the
hour. At with an accurate, exact. thor
oughly disciplined mind trained not only III processes
Of consecutive reasoning. bort in the1 resources and
economies of deliyerya The idom ID precise. suited TO
fencings. skirnshngs. delicate distinctions, and
scboastc statement elaborate and farrcachng com
| hinatons of inierential anaagcal argument, or
brilliant dazzling scnteIni0usness, or passioned en-
treaty and eXhOrttiOD or picturesque and dramatic
delpeatian There ~ exceeding quickness, and even
swiftncss Of procedure from steady pressure Of
ideas aud notions which materialize into words little
ary the comfort of the preacher But it is always
the best word and there are no rough edges or ragged
constructions Oyer-stTamed, OvcrcOlOfed passages
There is stimulating interplay between the re- crent,
loving veInactlar of scripture diTn which qcbens has
speech and a fine adolescence Gf multiplied learning
and deeply distilled philosophy which kindles and
brightens his rapidly growing argument
HAPPY UNION or FAITH AND PHILOSOPHY
Faith and Philosophy have casped hands aud bear
on the glowing discourse with steady, equal pinOns.
The sch lar is stirred and spured Ivy perpetual havors
and reminders Of ripe sound learning in all ranges of
science and research by quick spontaneous fseities OF
dlcon of fautlcss, fswless type. The pdetist feels
the steady loving pressure of great christian manhood,