New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-07-20
PULPIT SKETCHES
THE REV c. r. BAKER, RECTOR OF Tn.
CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH BROOK ", 'nE

ton from tho Heights, when the Hill va. itee
rather a land of promise than promising field f,.V
church enterprise The mission was plan,sd
nurturcd under the fostering hands Of those Co.,
and much lo ed leaders in the old Evangelical -
Drs. Stone and Cutler, who likely to thrive T. ~
tenacious memory of the Church long after the 80
Of orthodoxy" which they feryently illustrated M
out Of sight. The beginnings we're admiris.
scvcrally by the Rev. Me-srs. II. A. Newman
Walker, o. Perinchef George +. Thrall and Rieh.',
B. Duane, most of them exceptionally clever ana -
voted men. Yet the growth was gnary and ,ons.I,'
Ill-savored "a might be easily surmscd from IN, -
riicant fact that thrty-sx years were shared hv -
successive rcctors these gentlemen evidently I'M
their rapidly shifting pastorates chiefly proGta. c
the lively aud spirited discipline that they eucountn
Il il interesting to look even hurredly back "
those first years. The normal impulse IN the deys,
mcnt OF the mission may be identified IN the sharn
tolerance, then at white heat, between the Hqb,sI
Low Churchmcn. The rector Of ~. Marys va. an
the earliest to discard the academic gown and p-es
in his surpice This tnfing question Of clo;he. 49,,
which the author of " Sart0r Rcsartus" would b.,
chucklcd. grew into a portentous shibboeth for ~
times. and Christian charity and fellowship were ma.
hang the color of a vcstmeGt go ~ Of tgesf,
yindlcatcd the temper Of their Pr0te-tantsm hv
vigotous remembrance, finally leaving the rector al
Mary's with his white surplice and hnned 1oek III,
meanwhile bent new and more excellent ~.
lures under a black-gownod shepherd On thi. ealo.
line them the resoutc twenty went forth 10 sork 80
during the following thirty six years. already Do-sI
the progress was rather htiu and mharmonous At6nI
ground broken m Adclphlsi. The sun he'd
necessary for the lille wooden sanctuary 500
1his was raised ia - shares
I'm 1863 the unfinished buildings Of the Gree,
Avenue Presbyterian Church came into markst
through the failure of the society. The present alS
ton I'M then the popular arena tor pigeon shooting
and the whole property was IN n disconragng Goa
dtou. The young parish purchased and began "a
work Strangely enough, hr Baker records in n,
tenth anniversary sermon, preached In felmHt
1888 that within the last ten years about 200 prs
byterians have joined orr communion "-meannt q
COURSE the Church Of the Messiah IL was the old ri.
tory nf suspense, discord and hscal peril until the A.
cession of Dr Duane who u IL interesting to record "a,
n lineal descendant Of Benjamin Franklin The puish
had literally Como to pieces from s internal troubles
and no common man could rcunito the shattered dlI
momberrd body Under his brioi but fruitful ainnla
iration the divisions were closed mp. and place VA
made ready for the true artibcer OF what now 'isfds
IA The Church of the Messiah who IN tho person " he
present rector took mp the work IN 1871
REALIZING Az AMBITIOUS POSSIBILITY.
The church buildings occupy broad corner 1sa
the rear of tho Roman Catholic Cathedral. long N
process " erection and clo'e nv tho episcopal fe
donco Nj iiakor iaa composite pcfaon. aud ran 70
many things thoroughly and wHcly. Steadily al
sntcy ho has laid hands tho crippled structure yss
after year uuul IL Ia realizing "a really impressive
rcnuis,nncc, Spacious audi attractive nhhpel hnfdlJ
school aud parish rooms occupy ne rear mth' IN
communicating with the Church both from loof sld
galleries. The rector found an ambitious possibhyd
a Bascan interior, aud with cOnsumnaie tact AAd
artinaIght has brought the idea To an admirable eah
zation. The roof In high and the interior dlmenshi
are favorable to good effects ia prrspecyes There Ia
moresque ceiling with its 81 Elaborate circular vaannp
marking out the nave ana galleries, "uieh are sae
ported by high sleIner pillars the capitals OF Nha
are in fine bronze gliding. Color has been used via
careful consideration. The ceilings are IN deloas
bun OF fawn color, while the pillars are IKE oaeA AZ
nut well oiled supporting their effective capitals The
walls are wrought in bold panels Of warm maroon Or
garnet picked out in dead gold bits OF quiet ornament
ton.
which is only superficial structure in fact appropn-
ating the final bay of the edihce yet II is treated .
udicously that little OF the true sanctuary enect
wanting The unbrOkcn wall rises without window
unless il be little treiOl the top. that the altar
spaces lie in FULL mellow quiet light from the side nave
windows, which rise to great height are rather aai
row and divided by the galleries The upper ehahcei
wall is filed by large panel border IN fiat setng
of oak ash. and lovely fresco after Bougueread
The subject Is in union with the tile OF the chuIe aa
represents the Virgin Mother seated holding ING
Divine infant while winged angels adore with strmged
instrumentsall deeply in feeling with the Era Az
gelico treatment of such sacred themes.
Above the altar table in uiptych reiauon' under
simply carved reredos in mahogany. u an ELECTIVE
memorial repouss6 translation OF lubenss " Descel'
from the Cross with pendants in the same work syn
bnIiziuu the Resurrection These. in excellent artistic
bronze are AZ admirable in execution a. they are edf
ing to the deyout The rector l. slowly replacing TIC
odd gcOmctrical, unmcaning glass WIN pictured VIII
dows in the best schools Of modern European ART
THE son OF A MINISTERIAL FAMILY
Tho black gown remains but there is no trace ofts
pitif.I tyranny Of old times in the who now wears
il i'm his pulpit Let inquire into his heredi'y social
and theological Mr. Baker is forty-two years old
not vet ripe or touching his prime. He is Of good
New England stock was born in Ncdford. Mass and
completed his education at Berlin Four ont Of n's
brothers sons Of clergyman, Episcopal clergymen
Indeed il Is ministerial family for several generations
Ills grandfather was the celebrated Dr. LfonhH
Woods of Andovcr. three of whose sons became
clrrgymen and Of them president OF boNdoh
ColleVe Ina this lineage many daughters maTF'
c,creyiuen. DR.. John Cotton smith was thus n1s
man This is Mr.. Bakers only parish. 1hcre !. nosa
great. rapidly growing community 81 nearly 7Uvtts,
dent communicates, and the church Is tlll ana ihhg
ready tar 70 fresh enlargement bv extending the chpea
through to the rear wall of the chapel imncdateyN
hind while the elevations already drawn by the rem
tcct Mr. Robertson, show fresh aud agreeable 4ufsss
in Stone in exterior changes, elective terracoi ph
and tile work all helping to carry out the dohnHhs
plans Of the rector The congregation "a nov ~ ooe
and has longer list 81 COMMITMENTS tpah a'' '"
church in the diocese 80.
Mr. Baker il a deeply, finely cultured man ply
clincnty intellectual and scli-ctnred yrt OF ''sn
religious cast Clearly dis'lp.' OF .n' ", IIs,s
school he il not n destructive or revolnonst hf.
no wonld stand much In the same relation WIN az
Church a. did DR. Washburn. He boldly gfep. ~
Two members Of hitherto irteconcable antago iitl
,nndern critical scholarship and positive historic
tauity-insista upon the integrity of earh sh' l""I
takes Ia show their ultimate lnieidelsnai, n.a
uece seary correlation. 80 that ~ hl- lof'' ,,si
r,pion shall not pine and dwarf for want oi "a
meridian light nor shall the patient re'enehe,
r.s,,lts of modern Christian scholarship be 49,
away and swallOwcd mp ~ mai'i'aH'm snr ,l,,J
-, C, ,vapt of the sure anchorage NJ sulfi huI,,
J,,,cb and revelation, lie il uncons'ionsN nv. ny.
balnfnalIy critical. but his ground OF leYe,at "A
within the Christian faith 80 ~ - 'un -I IaL
IN ,tas be,Iway agant ~ dcteriofaiing ann mu s
ni,ng drfts others unhappily pitch Their vo' p. "
.,Io and go. working on negative lines, ahtH w'pps
SUI, H. ~ ~, o,,t "a ptntrci and hclp i0fwafd VIZ
~ IL ia
uiiry lie inud ia qmcLcnod wih m,ni imo., a.
d e,rlv ,cmpsrrd rncrpioa. and gifted wilh"e' 49,,
spd n1g'y ., ,oa,ctr disturbances lila Nols W"
l. an adding poiul ol polarity
ms NA,srRiV nv rutrlt "a.
f., reading ST. Bakers late volume 81 lectures
A,o.,irs' Creed tost,d by Experience Que ''''~
!, el,nco the pfodiga store Of historic A"a ,.sa
m ,trn,l which lies ready for bis purpose ~ go,
seem o. quote, bat picture memories '"'' .ol, ana
.fLi. ,,rid condensed rrasonngs 50 deny ~
WV - d., .,,,er6citl souls viii ha e'".