The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-02-19
IA DAY IN TRINITY CHURCH.
OARING FoR SOU AND BODY IN n
SHADOW OF WALL STREET.

9Ae First Visit In the Gray Of Morn,nr-A
Congregation OF Two-Denth and Mar
riseo in T~rinity-Tho Chorister..
Old Trinity, the parish church of the richest
fepiscopal parish In America, is probably better
Known to moro persons than any other house
lsf worship on the continent. Standing at tho
head OF Wall street and occupying ono OF the
0hoicest blocks in one OF tho busiest spots In
New York, 1t is passed ard ropassed daily by
Hundreds OF thousands OF men. Every prom
hent foreigner who has visited this city within
ahe past forty years has admired tho beauty Of
M Gothic outlines. and the native adult Goth
amitep probably does not live who has not heard
The peal OF its chlmes. Hundreds OF brokers
land bankers 60 to and leave thoir daily voca-
ltions by the hands on its steeple dial, and ap-
bpointments are hourly made undor the shadow
sf its spire and byth striking Of its bells which
Ninyolye tho gain or loss OF millions Of dollars,
By hundreds OF men who have never been within
n walls.
To some its solemn and impressive Sunday
services are known by the perusal OF the daily
papers: a few have witnessed them; but to the
vast majority old Trinity Is merely q landmark,
~ great clock n regulator OF watches, and It's
services q myth, which neither their curiosity
nor their inclination has prompted them to in
vostigate. 10 these the gate Mt tho side OF tho
main entrance on Broadway and the open
y door beyond mean no more than tho marble
headstones OF tho long-forgotten do ad iu the
parish kirkyard-nor half so much.
"a It is early Friday morning-that Is. carly for
lower Broadway. whose day is always several
hours behind the dawn OF the uptown day
and the cold wind seems even colder than usual
o. It sweeps Mp from tho bay. unbroken by the
= crowd that throngs the thoroughfare during tho
busy MONDAY hours. The bell in the tall spire
has Just tolled out tho hour of q, when the
, faint glimmer of Il light is seen through tho
stained glass windows Of tho church. The
church day Is about to dawn. A few minutes
later one of Sexton Brownies sturdy assistants
unlocks the sido doors and proceeds to throw
open the gate In the iron fence which protects
Tho burial ground from the public tread.
What he is opening the church for at this nm
seemly hour appears to DO u puzzle to an I'M
kempt youth, rcd-laced with the cold. who
shuiles northward from his breezy lodging
place ina Washington street alloyway. He stops
and gazes with amazement at the open door.
When tho sections helper ~retires, the lad slides
into the vsstibule and seeks sIelter, warmth.
and repose in n pew in the darkeS 1t corner OF the
building. He Is the first visitor ofthe day. What
lever may be the cause Of this early opening, it
Amattcrs little to lin. 1t is enough for him to
know that it Is open and that he can find in the
scushloned nook he has crept into that comfort
: which the outer world has denied TO him.
The sections deputy soon reappears from the
clergy room carrying u long taper in his hand.
and the marble altar is dimly visible by the
light Of a few gus jetsi The statues in their
4 inches against the wall have almost q ghostly
Hook in the, flickering light, and the pulpit in the
ktra1 Tan. Our friend, the stOwaway, is not des-
Filmed to be the sole observer of this scene. a
Estep is heard on the threshold, and an old mar
Ipasses up the broad centre aisle and takes his
kplace In one Of the front pewS. He Is the Japi-
Frequently attends the z o'clock service. Be-
Ifore he Is seated the sound of another footstep
isShSss. through fr tine W Sm !t|r g 9aI'd strs.t and ioIr a
him In a neiGhboring pew.
II the morning, were not SO stormy the con-
Small tho service is invariably tho same. At 7
Eo'c!ook punctually the door OF tho clergy room
%kSsSsnoei and takes his pIaee ut the readins
edesk. The Rev. Joseph W; Hill is n slender,
keholarly locking man with a., 2 swest,.onedt
Pkhs scene as the opening sentences of tho
hnoyning service break the silence. The
20 faint are. the responses. is read with as much
tforvQrs and the prayers are recited with rs
u tie presence of the thousand worshippers
sfthe Sunday morning congregation; ~,
~f1eppsitsd the Host upon the altar md left the
setOn have hardly had time to raise their heads
EsHae,. the r Fey backs msn b sSfSre d their i nam = is $
issslasnoe and occupation on the water front,
fsre rapidly dmo making REt their To way not toward EnsSI II the q rIsr,
liz q a far different nature. Fheir. knock on
1.-THE closed door is quickly answered. MI. Hill
!s MishHie sH iii Ii az ys u plaze. sorr."
The clergyman stops in his occupation and
nShl good morning. Patrick. I missed Mrs.
ro4 e fvd is1T sdr1 ! an qSs so rs thet yoll miss her
WHAT'S the matter; Patrick Has anything
She's dead. sorr. She died this mornin' list
:. This is terrible: Tell me how 1t happened.
Now NosFe Sit to DOW SlShi here rnG and IS 0f tell me- n, i ali ABOUT %s IT, t.
Shs couldn't have been sick long, for saw her
Tits a short story the man tolls. His wife
was preparing some. medicine prescribed by
the parish physician for a sick child. The lamp
He, had been ut his work loading n vessel to
sail that morning, and rsached home at his
MI. Hill, with his visitors. is on his way to the
TOP floor OF 2 neigh6orinG tenement mouse TO
S SGsr suf Tbs si dan and w adTiGS as sb mHy be sy within aIrnd his
u Il lo 81 ssa sf3e ; oysiasE b stlSrs % Sn h hi Part rsturns,
In the meantime no has been to the clergy
house in the chqrchyard Of old 81. Papl's, on
OHuTcu eTeet, DelWetu NoSey ana fultOn
streets, where he and the other assistant min
itsters OF Trinity Church have. their meals and
lodgings. He has visited the house of the
Rileys. had his breaklast-a trihe later than
Tie Tesular O'clock service: The The CHURCH HSi0 has
pot been vacant during this time, Our home;
the, day, has been detected by tho sen
toms assistant, and forced to resume
his tramp in the cold, much against his
Will; 4 pictpresque string of immigrants.
fresh from Castle Garden. saunter up Broad
Wnv. and one lf Iha nIImhar mora tnnntGifiya
than the rest. slips into, the vestlbule, doftinG
DIS nat AT the church door and bending his
others wait for his rSsappearance, and their
Tine the outer edge Of the iron railing during
business hours are Just taking their places,
and they gaze wistfully at the warmly clad
sexton, who Leans against the. open
door, getting n Whit OF the morning mir
which so mercilessly cuts through their
fssnty coverings and bsnqmbs their fingers.
POSSIBLY, q score of adult worshippsrs are
6gathered together In the front pews whom Mr..
I'LL I'LL reappears within tho chancel and begins
arc business men whose Offices nre In the