Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-02-20
THREE GREAT CHURCHES.
Description of Prominent New York
and BROOKLYN Ediaces.

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
ganization, the income from its real
estate being considerable over half a
million dollars per year. II is situated
at the head of Wall street, within a
stones throw of the stock exchange.
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 il. The land on
which Trinity stands, once the site of
a Jesuit mission, was decided together
with farm extending about 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-
sisting in praying for the success OF
the king of England. The present
gothic structure was erected in 1916.
1t is built of brown sandstone, the
steeple being 1S4 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 b. Aston. As the church was
constructed to accommodate the beau
tiful ritual of the Protestant Episcopal
church, the space taken up by the
chancel ans allowed for aisles reduces
the portion allotted to the pews, so
that the seating capacity is not as
great IS the size of the interior would
warrant.
Plymouth church, in Brooklyn,
'the City of Churches, has long been
famous as possessing in its pastor one
of the greatest orators of the country.
1t Is great attraction for both straug-
ers and residents. The usual direc
tons of 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 implicitly. 1t was built
in 1S49, two years after Mr.. Beecher's
association with its congregation The
building is los feet in length, so feet
in width, and AZ feet in height from
floor to ceiling. 1t has seating ca
pacity OF $500. In anti-slavery days
and during the Kansas troubles it was
the scene of many historically inter
esting meetings. In marked contrast
with ITS otherwise plain interior Is the
immense organ, the largest of its kind,
which cost S27, 060 In the rear of
the church is a building that will ac-
eommoaate over 1000 Sunday school
children.
Not far from Plymouth church is |
the Tabernacle, where the Rev. 7. 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 3 600 |
persons, the gallery has a seating ca
pacity of 1,S00, aud 500 more can be |
accommodated on the steps in the |
aisles. The building was built in 1873 |
at cost of $l47, 600 and contains a |
$24, 900 organ. The popularity of Mr..
Talmage is so great that an enlarge
ment of the Tabernacle is contem-
plated, possibly by the addition of !