New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-13
PULPIT SKETCHES.
THE REV DIR. c. DEW BRIDGMAN. or THE
MADISON AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH.


II a commonplace monotonous story Of bard, III
promising work and the earlier pastors little
known beyond the archives Of the church Dr Hague,
formerly of the old Pearl Street Church in Albany and
once among the abest representative Of the Baptist
ministry entered in charge and laid the foundations If
thrift and success which, after turbulent experience
of nearly enty years. the ministry Of an
other Under Dr.. Hague the removal IA, effected IN
1852 70 the present At the southeast corner Of
Madi-on-ave and Thirty-fr-t-st twenty-five years
ago the new edice counted among the costie-s
and most interesting of the pioneer uptown chnrches
and until II was so heavily overshadowed hy the nam
moth apartment building lately erected on the corner
below it, generous and symmetrical proportions Tor
many wears we're the chief architectural attraction II
the neighborh0od In this lamentabic lndi htal
collision between architectural elegance aud monsirons
bulkness the grandrst churches are being crushed M"
nsigndcance. Even old Trinity Church Which -plsn-
didly seutinelled the lower part Of the island i now
haltbured among the surrounding upheaval. Of 'truc-
| tural ugtness. The great cathedral IN Fitn aLe.
! stands upapproachable and uu'i--ai!s1le ~ the
| soleunitv OF it, nthroned majesty. The Madison
Avenue Church l. of brick win baDdihgs ana ftoel
| shments ia brown stone. he style l. northern
Italian. Both corners of the facade rise IN bold en-
gagged towers IF unequal height, The southern ana oN'r
being finished open CamptnIie. snail central
norch In stone j. sirmounted BIZ heavy stone cross,
while the apex of the roof bears another of mach larger
| proportions boldly tOriated.
The interior is generally effective. Narrow round
headed windows rise from the nooS almost to the ea'e
serving as a choir filed with grand organ, II apes
and castings richly Illuminated The only eccesiaSuca
! embiens or symbol, di-cemble are two unobtr1sivs
crosses, placed above the centre OF the organ A. an
architectural ornament, other adjoining the crimson
| book-mark which hangs over the open bl1e on ths
pulpit Slender pillars support the gtlerle- ana cell
ing finished in rOundarched waiting which - colofed
ceeau blue sprinlicd with golden starr III" ehancei
is finished in graceful senllcircular ase r'ing
into balfdome ceiling somewhat lower than the nave.
The flooring i raised little above the level of the
pews occupied by slight pulpit and underneath
| 4, the halu-teT}.
| LAVISH But SECULAR INTERIOR DECORATIONS.
There is lavish decoration, and both color- aud gid
Ing are employed. Unhappiy, however 1t has little or
exceedingly relation with the religious uses and
OF the place. Indeed wide sweep Of elsb-
orate design u renaissance which hll the lower stays
Of the chance wall, with is garsb gliding fret- and
teaze. the eve nor only because n l. secular and ie.tN0
in suggestion but because n blurs and almost phtH
out the sober sombye presence II the preacher fos-
.blv the time uav come when cLurches shall be built
and cmheshod IA harmony with The supreme purposes
of rel gous stratlons when the priest and preacher
together shah find thcm-elyes reinforced and M .gor-
ated br tine harmonic many-voiced uterancc Of Tins
tian arr l. will that day be- realized that quartet
choir the best huical, trivial rNehleuf where Pc
| -ious voueru-3n and ecstasy seek expression. and
that sacred mule must De rel-i -} sung ny Us
people FIR tic that the sermon AMI minis
trait rs VI the sanctuary demaie % tegi'u- minister
The burden IL depressing debt h14 discourage me
society and seemed to open tie way FOL GIl'n VIII
the old and wealthy Oliver Street Church, which htd
been driven ONT .i IT, old home ir the crush g trade
and forced o. seek one elsewhere The conjunction,
however .,gl- iJdged and di-l..rou- and thr civil
tribunals at last called rlan o. adjust thr idrr-
cuee- which distracted the c'u2ie- IA i.r nearly "a
teen wears. In ISIS there -al remnant which
had survived The battle. tAd handful &C mtn--'llr
twenty a tlld-uuifed n calling d. b-i1--fu o. ilr
3a-ol1ted pulpit lie w's then te cInentrd 'nl prose
rerf.. pastor II 'lt Pe'r Street tlurch in Albany
rDuDrAHY of THE PASTOR.
I. does nor require o. prptr.etfd analyst, q Dr.
Brl-aa's individuality 70 re.ch certain constant
element # cht1ltir daring under tle auc 'r-rins
prc,s.r. e which De- would experience 1901 Irresistible
fascination .A the presence of ir..u hope OBJ ICES
! rcr.t. 1art.lu-lp. Not thar his career hl- been
N Fash ufea-cu In hi- fortye' yth year h@ i- bon h'
| fourth passionate. first IA M'ui-t'WI N-" jersey
then in Jamaica Plains. part II Boston then ia
the Albany church for sixteen year, tict which oY
t-cIf stamps the quality and dignity of h., ministry
! and since 1915 pastor 0i his prc-eut cure.
The Doctor Is alUmuu- u Rochester J1iter'ty,
that vigorous Of sr3lwart strain 'i btpu-t
-,i,f ten md a liberal culture II book. and travel
with the stringent polish Of the be,, social opp'riuii",
have generously filled tine measure Of M accomplish
meut. But accomplishments axe the best part III IT.
tie man. while they become the ln.nn-ldeltn.e 1ec.-
dents Of % strong man. The pieNde OF ihe b',"Is
o iiyilullity or the arahe-lur 0t u. A. Ahbe llsN
would put IT, winning as II IT, J. By no meals mo best
OF him. and h superficial admirers mig1i MS ihr --
piicty and depth Of hi- re gou life II often d' We
encounter E'luauy tenderness and ne certain i--
i.iUn- with such athletic, admirable ..la.le-t.
There +. fueuc-- of perception and deiicacr IS en-i
blirv with celebrity Of logic and solid uli'n' l-'red
ipdop.nt W. encounter often enough minister, who
ye0pmeut Will. the brain Is ia0'g and 81 p. '...S
and Jtlclsl-l with sweep & mastery ..f trhrs
while thc elections sluggish and torpid J. D.. not
unlikely that we shall lind the secret Of orr preacher
hold on the people 20 go rsre aud exceptional epn
po-e IN his emotional and intellectual lfr -' that We
are drawn oy geateue-s ~li'h D. neither weak nor
ncou.egge!r while we feel the tonic Il pclrt itl-
mte gcnce Lich .s at ouce helpful and admirable
CHARACTERISTIC. a, A PREAcHER.
a. preacher d. Budsman illn-trate- the iad.yIu-
atty We have ideaized II is NOT scholastic seq the
preacher B, thoroughly scholar, neither b. % pro-
t.-i5ual preaching although Dee Eli1e- aad mag
nide. h. Office Z, is, above ALL sincerely and anime
taxa .y To- I.,1s in qualify and motive Willie Ai, ii-
eraiy form 3, ripe. definite aad clrg.at Ae r in uI
seu-e a merely literary preacher and tu'rr D. u' -ls
picln If ped entry smell ot tAr shop because De
talk "a, he preachc, and one ulom serves ~ h. prf
poses His "ay-.ur conversation would icld crhDf
and need touching Hp Yet there i- no oppressive
SENSE of Uti1ce - ADot-u d'N'fit' lli ineih'c Is
and lac works from the centre Z" the clicnic
eucr 0f h8 subject tAcI h.- intellectual methods
iarc AZ synthetic, constructive and positive lAtS
i- ln sphcre II breadth and ropalc- Do Ais cl
tlrr while there D. no Lack f de:cr.a atcues- and CO..
| hcreucv and We apprchend uo danger 1f dlN or dee
manure from solid dogmato foundations. There n
tenderness that pibrates through DIS delivery 1ud tlce
is the strong steady rhythm Of an orderly ana agrees
! i've purpose -,
tbetic intonatiog confined % n narrow range of Tho
middle register: every word gets h. due. me.Ofilu no
! ierance aud finished articulation, wfh beautiful
shadiug- Of accent aud emphasis SID a7 sli fles1
traces reappcar hs conversation they have ceased I'd
be accomplishments aud have upeurd nio character
.ties lie possessed OF deep and permanent rutI,i-
asm- When be takes his subject iu h1nd. his gsp -
sure and tenacious. At times there IS unmsttklbe
suggestion Of twilight and shadows here and there me
lowing the sunshine q his Joyous. hearty temperament,
but II Is not easy O. conceive ~ hln as long over
cloudcd or mi,anhrop.c. His weapons not readily
dued planted but Of such hnoncss Of grain aud
temper wear brighter and sharper with much using
80 that those who know the Doctor closest ana longest
are sure 60 get the best from him ~ the last
His ministry therefore Is fruitful and there i no
1 va Or AZ
Of twenty with their daal heritage ofdisaster and
crosspurp0ses has grown under his hands into homo
geneous membership of go, welhlled church, and
aggregation euterprsng, intelligent, influential and
/ ~. hanalcann. hnLun