New-York tribune., 1885-10-23
ESTHETICISM IN WORSHIP.
DISCUSSED BY THE CHURCH CONGRESS.
A LITTLE USPLEAsANrNEss-sPEEcH OF g. k'
VAN DE- wAIER-AgGUINGA ABOUT FREE SEATS.

|
Fstheticism In Worship" litc unpleasanthess pe-
| tween Charles Heber Clark OF Philadelphia ana Ut
Courtney OF Boston, the subject OF general cohVer
sation previous the opening of tho morning soSsoh
aud the dispute generally deprecated IL was co'n
monty conceded that the affair was renarkaDie ohe III
church congress. The two men met last evening anu
came to an understanding. Bishop Williams taKed
with tbem and today as result, when the
congress came order no announced that permission
! had been granted to Dr. Courtney to say Few
| words
In graceful manner the Doctor admitted that hc had
transgressed the limits of debate and he expressed MS
regret at the occurrence In concluding he saiu' l
rnst you aud he will accept my disclaimer OF any rehec
tion upon the character OF the individual referred
to-"
As soon as the applause had subsidized, Mr. Clark OBJ
famed the floor expressed his regret that anything
he had SAID should have hurt gentemans feelings.
or in any way tended to the pleasanness OF the
congress-" MI. Clark was also applauded-
The Rev. DIR. W. A. sniyely, OF Brooklyn
was the first speaker tho morning topic lie said
that the term "estheticsm" Is used to express III s
evident sense of beauty in nature In tera'
| ture ana In art. In speaking OF the adOrnment OF
churches be maintained that the furniture should be
best and cosest that the worshppers can aforu Inc
sacred vessels should be of the metal and II pra
cable adorned with jewels and precious stones; 'he
yestment the priest should be of the finest texture
enriched with fine needlework; the books OF service
boud be OF the cearest type and OF the richest border
or frest pages the altar linen should be finer and bet
ter than found in domestic USE true aesthetic
spirit will seek offer to God Its richest and best
gifts.
Tho Rev. Percy Browne Of Boston. argued
against excessive or elaborate decoration He said:
Consider how few OF clergy people have suh-
cient artistic to make them authorities on the sud
Iect of aesthetic worship IL the word must be use1.
consider that low order OF churehmanship which re-
CARDS our churchs beauty without recognizing her
deep spirit The pet theology OF any sect never seems
so betty as when It seeks advertise itself at the
sacred hour worship Upon our church rests he re-
and grander renaissance OF the symbolisms
OF the party ritual which VIII be artistic because true
= Joseph Packard. Jr., of Baltimore, maintained
that NJ. tine tho c1TFgn average GnUu house Of its
members 1t need he no better. am reminded OF the
him To build them church that the people who couldn't
build themselves church did not need one very ucD
crete No congregation has right to spend large
amounts in beautifyng the church wheh ~ strNes al s
ministers negects the poor 1t Is not rght 10 Do con
tnuay asking for money deray Hecorathg pen @
The Kew George r. Van De Water OF ofBrookyn.w the
next speaker Ills remarks attracted much attention lie
! began with the statement that ism whether etymo
logically or not. has sgnhcatiOn Implying the extreme
OF the idea expressed IN the word u wch his ermnh
ton aixe and illustrated his meaning by contrasting
rational with rauonAlisn. spiritual with spiritual
he DID not like the word ~gstheticism.
b~amf Psml9G ho applied the idea to Christian worship To
what extent ne asked can TINS science he used IN tie
]
courni n finding proofs OF design We learn
to believe IN the existence Of God we also hnd nature
evidences OF beauty and therein discover wnat are te
eleucnt. pure aud holy worship. Beauty Is spirit
ual impression; uglness attaches to sl". worship on
cn-th can he the full expression Of tho being but
anything which can at al even lmperiecty answer To
the inward emotion. express sut me thoughts can De'
Office II IL itself the expression OF GOds perfection
An the countless beauties o the lower world often over
powering senses. inspire us uplift u.s. make us
Worship In the measure In which they brokeny reflect
the beauties Of the eternal world. Beautiful objects
| inspire worship because beauty suggests the Infinite
rhe power OF the aesthetic Is 10 lft u quite ABOVE the
earth aud To reveal higher truths than Ia other ways we
can grasr beauty thus possess the power OF hnpart
Ing spiritual revelation then aesthetics are so npnr ant
part OF worship that no worship can DO perfect without
| them
with these ideas; that wor-hr offered to devils crimes
or principles usually surr 'unis Itself with forms OF
hdeous ard rrpusyo uglness, while the pure worship
OF God mas ever sough to express user by ioms OF
and perfect beauty; that The only worship the
Almighty ever enjoiued IN drtail "a one with precise
ritual denands dominated by the beautiful that beauty
WAS the prominent feature Of the synagogue and the
temple that there nothing In The words or deeds OF
Leans Christ to warrant the conclusion that II part
! Of the new dispensation teachings TO pronounce ad
and tiat nowhere I'm the New Testament or in the Old
is there authority the idea that indifference to the
sny art' the Excellence o which orns an epoch
"y e,ry f,br.stt,n art n mas never been held
I'm any age except by the voarcs OF unimpOrtan sects
that for busy themselves about the beautiful IN
church architecture aud church service striving to
make each perfect to overlook the great essentials
~ worship either devout hear or iervent spirit.
Wbot i. fiierr i'm our ag peculiar that principle
shin. expressed I'm nature commented by God, con
s"unnt win our taste should be abrugated The beauty
OF worship the perfection Of devotion Worship the
| Lord therefore. in the beauty or holiness"
believe. continued tho speaker. that we would all
herein be agreed not that some honestly fear the
OF aesthetics In worship believing thnt either fOrrs
oval.sh spirit that aesthetics teach too oten erroneous
doctrines. never got any comiort from rear EVery
good thing mas Its dangers We IL st avoid tie dangers,
not renqush the good thing Because Rome has
macralzed divine worship land Rltuall'ts some OF us
think are In great danger o doag the same thing 1t s
not for to the badness OF PuriiaDism or u
believe In the heresles oi Lwingl me wlsosl wisdom Is
that which avoids abuse, and gets .he best use or any
thing I'm itself good aud true. Becausc the Ropanst
signs with ths cross IA no ea.oh WHY ths Ohcu shou
take back she has said: "She knows no scruplc why
tho sign should not he made because Kitnali'ts
In Judgment, too much deprcclae the pulpits place
aud power In dispensing salvation. need not shun to
oe- before To this idea Of avoiding abuse we as
a Church are fast approarhng We are beginning to see
good I'm rcvlvals frequent celebrations. choral
services offices other than those In the book OF Common
Prayer eucnaristc vestmcns and altar lights and
of us believe ,that have all theso and them
diligently. aud stil be Protestant against Roman
Tsnetics in worship we tee can encourage up the
MONT where doctrine Ia insecure. As ourselves we
can the East. following ancient custom beau
Il and Significant and have no view Of the sacrament
different from WaterlLnds We can use yestments and
lights have choral celebrations and make the Of the
in absoluon aud benediotlon; we can march to
and from tho ohancel following the sign of our faith OF
when we are uot a9namSn1 we otn nave Tue Po,y
crOmed church. the spacious sanctuary, the marble
altar the tho crnclN or the reredos and whal
old fashioned and orthodox in our doctrine
Mr Van Do Water closed his address by demonstrating
that the legitimate use of aesthetics In worship 6ecom
ing moro appreciated by Christians OF every
name: that evangelical srongholds Ike St Georzes in
New-York and 1t. ~ Johns in Brooklyn
have introduced srpced ch0irs ana accessories
OF beauty t. make worship what II should be; that
mana churchm manshp does depend any longer upon
ANYTHING but his uttcranccs and that any aesthetics
ful III public worship Ia To he accepted )r It's worth.
Out OF Zion hath God appeared III perfect beauty.
The Rev. Charles W. Ward, Of EnglewoOd n. j.,
too sick to speak but his paper which read pro-
voked much merriment. He pointed out the danger OF
over decoration into which church people drifting
Is there" ho said "either gon in thlsl No;
and were it not for the recent fashion for Queen Anne
| and 'old gold some salvation might spill over from
our homes to our churches know where the
| ell brush might lead Forgive mo II | touch the
| quick. but ceremonial repeats the artistic
| error"
The Rev. Arthur c. A. Hall. Of Boston. appeared
one OF volunteer speakers Clad in his conspicuous
long black aSselled sash about hi5 waist
| he chnmpioncd the High Church cause and what IL