Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-02-19
THREE GREAT CHURCHES.
Desc ription of Prominent New York
and Brooklyn Edifices.
Cincinnati Times Star.

The three most notable church edi-
fees IN the United States are probably
Trinity church in New York city, and
Plymouth and the Tabernacle in
Brooklyn. The first, besides being
one of the most cathedral-like and
elegant structures in the country, is
the property of the richest church or
ganlzaton, the income from its real
estate being considerable over half a
million dollars per year. It is situated
at the head of Wall street, within a
stones throw Of the stock exchaL ge.
The Offices Of Mr.. Jay Gould, the late
firm OF Grant & Ward, Russell Sage,
and the principal notabilities of Wall
street look upon the spacious grave
yard surrounding it. The land on
which Trinity stands, once the site of
a Jesuit mission, was decided together
with farm extending about a mile
along the Hudson, to it by the British
government about 1900. During the
Revolution the church was closed for
time on account of its clergy per-
slsting in praying for the success of
the king of England. The present
1t is built of brown sandstone, the
steeple being 184 feet above the side
walk. The principal feature of the
grand interior is the altar, which was
built to the memory of the late Will
liam 3. Astor. AS the church was
constructed TO accommodate the beau
tiful ritual of the Protestant Episcopal
church, the space taken up by the
chancel ana allowed for aisles reduces
the portion allotted to the pews, so
that the seating capacity is not as
great as the size of the interior would
warrant.
Plymouth church, in Brooklyn,
"the City of Churches, has long been
famous as possessing in it's pastor one
of the greatest orators of the country.
1t is a great attraction for both strang-
ers and residents. The usual direc-
tons of a visiting stranger going
from New York to Plymouth church
on Sunday is, ''go over to Brooklyn
and follow the crowd" The church
Is huge brick building of great
architectural simplicity. It was built
in 1849, two years after Mr.. Beecher's
association with its congregation The
bnild.Ng is 105 feet in length, 80 feet
in width, and 40 feet in height from
floor to ceiling. It has a seating ca
pacity Of 1890. In anti-slavery days
and during the Kansas troubles it was
the scene Of many historically inter
esting meetings. In marked contrast
with It's otherwise plain interior Is the
immense organ, the largest of it's kind,
which cost $4,000. In the rear of
the church is building that will &C
commodate over 1000 Sunday-school
children.
Not far from Plymouth church is
the Tabernacle, where the Rev. T. De
Witt Talmage frequently gathers on
Sunday an audience of nearly five
thousand people. The building is
constructed after the plan of an
half amphitheater, the speakers plat
form being in the center, with the
pews rising in semi circles around it.
The peWs on the floor will seat 2, 900
persons, the gallery has a seating ca
pacity of 1900, aud 600 more can be
accommodated on the steps in the
aisles. The building was built ia 1873
at cost of $147, 900 and contains a
$24, 900 organ. The popularity of Mr..
Talmage is SO great that an enlarge
ment of the Tabernacle is csntem-
plated, possibly by the addition of a
second gallery, which will complete
the theater-like appearance of the in
terror.