New-York tribune., 1885-01-26
AGREATC TCHURCH DEDICATED
THE PAULIsr FATHERS BUILDING.
ITS SIMPLICITY, GRANDEUR AND SIGNIFICANCE
IMPRESSIVE CEREMoNIALs.
Tho DouI;St Eofborc uora at the outset COL

ITS SIMPLICITY, GRANDEUR AND sIGNiflCAN0H
IMPRESSIVE CEREMoNIALs.
The Paulist Fathers were at the outset col
ony of priests from the Society Redemporiss IN
1888. They four in number Father llecRer' 'ht
ually the founder Of the order, who began LIE lro
very different quarter having been In early e an a
ciae at the famous Brook Farm with George Rpeya me
long friend George william Curtis, I. W. HiSShso"'
Hawthorne and the rest Father Deshon, west UNIV
man. until middle age in the Corps OF Engineers anu w
accomplished officer Father Hewitt son OF Dr' "o
the old time Congregational pastor In bruHcpo' -
Father Baker, who educated In the bP's'op
Church and entered its ministry. About twenty .No
wears ago they made home in Nnth-ave. on tho "i'
between Fifty-ninh and Sixtieth sts, ana yes'oi''
they celebrated their silver wedding In tue ue"o
of their newly completed church a.,
These Fathers devote themselves chiefly to preachs'
holding missions and such parochiai WORK "' y
be assigned them. They direct and popu'"i
in their methods, and do not SHRINK ~
the closest engagement with the soci''
philosophical and religious problems OF the day. = ney
are not retrospective, but merge themselves IL w.
struggle and duty Of the present. They nave 'no"
foremost place the literary activities OF ther eh
have published several volumes or sermohS' ""
established and yet conduct The Cdtt0ho hoT'd ie'
ing monthly
This church is second only the Cathedral In size au
seating capacity, and IS easily tine largest cnhrcu
America after the Cathedral Yet 1t cost one eigh.n "
the expended on the Cathcdrai-uh"e i' go
s26OOOo 1t an original conception. It's ust suen
n church as the Fathers wanted and not pei pan VI uo
architect IL is the deliberate growth of their @s'hec
and religious conclusions. Father Hecker said: uu
not mean have imitation, scrviie copy vi '' VI
that but a church that should tell In its own way so'"o
thing OF the life and spirit Of our work 10 coming genera
tions" II is vast, plain fortresskc In s.sodity-ai
most repeng the ascetc cast without ana Wlthihi
yet is the most august, unworthy interior on TINS con-
tnent
Father Hecker set down the general d.
mensions and Mr. ORourke, the architect developed
them into plan with working drawings, while rather
Dshon brushing up his sceutihc and engineering eSpe
rence has, literally built the vast edhce from tho hrst
breaking OF ground up to this day. The church has
frontage OF I32 feet the avenue. hsnked at
each by two towers thirty eight feet square,
which rest without their spires for the future work
men. The interier length is almost two hundred ana
sixty feet and is mainly thrown into vast unbroken
nave with very narrow side aslcs within which VIII be
series OF chapels The aisle columns massive, al
ternaely cylinders ana ocagon worked blue limestone
polished the clcresory There are no sue
windows the ases anywhere beneath the cerestory
line. There is, however an Opaque light above each
vaulted chapel roof in the ases The chance Is wei
raised the by flight of steps, and Is sixty
feet the piers the opposite corners and sixty
feet from the the wall 1t is oagonal apsc
and virtually terminal OF the great
nave. The ceiling Is nearly hundred
feet high, is concayc. plain. and without
yaulting or visible timber work II is colored In deep
ceruean blue and OF the Fathers, astronomer
arranged the constellation just they stood overhead
last night in golden stars preserving their relative POSI-
tions and magnitudes.
A Dorfc severity and simplicity mark every interior
detail construction and little detail Interrupts and
challenges attention that the higher spiritual fascination
OF perfect forms harmonious symmetrics. measureess
spaciousness and holy soudes almost captivate the
frfn tnrvfnO nj
eloquent windows in co'iest glass being made ready
for the upper chnnce lights. and ait"rward they viii
the whole circuit OF the cerestory Ihe grand wall
spaces will put tho "bcautiful garments
kings daughter" shall Indeed become AL
glorious within" There is n Lower Church, waiting
the upper as in 81 Francis XAVIER. The meaning OF
ST. Pauls to-day, architecturaIy. lies In vehement
vailingfn IA ,honable churrh buildings.
The dedication service thoroughly organized and
Probably 5000 person. assisted Ahout 10 o'clock the
cruciI bearer In white cassock with two candle boar
er heading the stood at the doorway at the
head the southern aisle. Iho old chufch was coming
20 claim her She came slowly. Tor ae s never IN
haste More than in couples crept down the aisle
led by boy and chorsters vested then the visit
ing clergy OF all grades and dgnllc, ana oiet'' lne
bearded Franciscan, the Dominican IN hts picturesque
white. solitary monk In black rir With white coid'
heads Of other orders Jesuts Christian Broihri Non
sgnor.. Bishops aud Archhishops. and at the last
Archbishop torgan IN cope and mitre Win MS attend
ant dcGcons Here the Dominican WIN ny hunp't 80
years. aud the Jesuit with his 400 met this infant
OF today the Hduit-. the oulg"-t ~ the
Church. II would he impossible to suggest ~" Sp''u
nifty spcuduT Of this august Amer tue pre-
minary ceremonies outside ana 10 the door when were
accompanied by chanting Of the 5uth f-dm. "Mi7'cfo
Mel Deus" the procession erntcTed at the north door
singing nny of the Saints. Two splendid baritone
chaHters gave out the and the whole choral pro
cc.siOn followed with Response Ia full harmony. Here
the Grcgorian music came out in Its uuapprOachahc
grandeur sscrrdness The choir niled the rows ut
two three deep both sides of the chancel
walls meeting the temporary organ standing behind
The pageant the more gorgeous and I'M
posing. perhaps, because Of the gray baroness
Of the interior and the absC Of all color and sculpture"
The yrc and Gloria having been given with profound
imprcssivenc. Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia, a.
cended the pulpit and delivered sermon Of rare ro'
ducfre and power II based upon the liic eNper-
fence aud example of the Apostle Panl. The argument
close aud cOgen the illustration frcsh ana -kctcbcd
in mastery way, the DEVELOPMENT OF the whole dis
course fluent and effective. IL was fun Of lire and
glowing with feryOr. Tho vast congregation was
visbly impressed with the splendid effort 1hc acoustic
properties Of the church faltless The silent per
mutations Of the pOntinca mass with Its cyeTshfting
tabcas Its picturesque and significant groupings the
glow and OF vcstmcnts with the de-
vOuuess Of the people and priests, the appealing and
unworldy anthems, CredO Sanctu-. Aigus Del and
MendelssOhns " How Lovely are the Messages" win
Latin words wonderfully executed, succeeded by the
TIE Deum IN the grand old Plain Song aud the Rcces
sOual English hymn. with the iniermnabe chorus
prOcessiOn completed service perhaps unique IN the
annals of even Catholic ceremonial IA America