New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
In THE CHURCH PORCH.
QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS.


that fart It's stately and dignided ceremonial mas
attracted large numbers Of people from other de-
nominations, who like that sort OF ting' NO" u
the spectacular Is legitimate element In religious
worshp-and most people VIII ADMIT that
iswhy not make 1t even more striking
- q. il, have often wondered why
rtualstic churches do not realize the importance OF
buding their church edifces in the form OF theatrical
auditorium. This would make the chancel ana altar
tho central point OF interest aud vision for everyone
in the church. aud thus add very much 70 the I'M
pressiyeness OF the service. The IDEA mat Gothc
architecture and ceremonial worship go together Is
only a tradition. Gothic architecture Is Itself merely
a survival of the dead past. and has little connection
with the world Of to-day. As matter OF fact, II
often results in an edifce in which large number
OF worshippers can neither see nor near why DID
not some bold architect break away RON its
limitations In the competition for the Episcopal
| Cathedral. and give US something more In harmony
! with modern ideasa Why, indeed. should not
| have a magnificent cathedral In this metropolis Of
| the New World built on the lines Of the ancient
| amphitheatrc3
| And this leads me to ask why the pew Is so slav
| shy retained in all modern churches. II has not
even the merit of antiquity In its favor, for as we
know the old cathedrals do not have pews. The so
called orchestra-char would answer the needs OF our
churches much better than the pew. 1t would mako
| unpleasant crowding impossible and would meet the
case Of large numbers of small families who do not
REQUIRE a whole pew and who are not obliged to rent
a certain number Of stings in pew, practice which
| leads to q great deal Of confusion and friction In
my opinion, II only needs some church to set the
fashion in this matter for 1t to become generally pop
| ular And while l am the topic Of seats let me
say word in favor OF more comfortable seats. The
| average new is an abomination from hygenc point
Of view II not only uncomfortable, but unhealthy
The back Of q seat should be curved to fit the back
of the SITTER and at the same time high enough to
support him with comfort. When look at the pews
Of our churches don't wonder that so many people
stay away from worship. Let some ecclesiastical fur
nisher introduce a thoroughly sensible hygenc chair
| instead OF the rectangular bench now In use, and
| am confident 1t will be generally adopted within ten
| years.
"The Boston Herald" notice on us that there
are In that city great many pulpit orators. Phil
llps BroolSs of course. who has been lkened to an
| emery wheel constantly whirlng and throwing OIL
a dazzling stream Of sparks. To be sure he Is much
more than that but he is well known here that no
| description of him is necessary. Edward Everett
Hale Is perhaps as well known Phillips Brooks
| big man. with dome-like head crowned with bushy
hair, voice deep, delivery rapid style conversational
| and Iupid as a stream, movement easy and grace
| full matter practical and eminently helpful. Then
| there is Minot J. Savage, the radical Unitarian
preacher polished in manner, moderate in tone clear
in expression, and II. Bernard Carpenter, the hide
| pendent Unitarian who may be called the poet
preacher Good old DR.. Barol Is now retired, but he
| has long been a shining light Of the Boston pulpit
| Brooke Herford is the business mans preacher Ed
1 ward A.. Horton is as dramatic as John b. Cough
| Philip S. Moxom is rising Broad Church preacher
Of the BAPTIST Church, while hereabouts needs
to be told that Emory J. Haynes formerly Of Brook
Ign, is one Of the great preachers Of the country
could 60 on II had the space. But from what have
said IL is quite evident that Boston sinners have every
possible inducement to go to church. / see have
omitted the title Rev." in this paragraph. My ex-
is that really big doesn't need to walk on
| any such stills You him plainly as he is.
| You don't speak Of "Lord" Tennyson's last poem
| At least, hope you don't.
Last May the Society of Christian Socialists
ganzed In Boston, and already ii has branches in many
| other cities Briefly, its platform emphasizes the
Fathcrhood of God and the brotherhood Of man, con-
dennis our present social system because 1t dscrimi
In favor of the few and against the many thus
| fostering "mammOnism overcrowdlng, intemperance,
prostitution and crime, and declares that the teach
| ings Of Christ lead directly to some
| form Of Socialism. The leaders Of the
movement say that it differs from Nationallsm
in putting less emphasis National and State gov
| eminent, and moro on municipal and local govern
ment. and I'm making religion It's foundationsone. They
believe in evolution and not revolution, and they would
| apply the cooperative system to all industries by
making each municipality and township carry on all
|
not believe that political economy without religion can
solve the social problem. IL asserts with Professor
Laveleye that every Christian who understands and
socialist, and every Socialist whatever be his hatred
against all religion, bears within himself an uncon.
sciOus Christianity Among its leaders are Heber
Newton, Father Huntington Miss Frances Z. Willard,
BS Sv vci p 5 mary Of @Ro IS Dr PRESIDENT
q the society Edward CE1d,r Everett w. Hale
Inc mother of 0' General Lew Wallace Pro-
lessor Ely. and the Rev. w. ID. p. Bliss. OF Boston:
II publishes monthly organ called "The Dawn and
has organized an active lecture prOpagandsm. II
also aims to organize classes on socialism in churches
disscmnates books and tracts advocating its principles,
and has begun the publication of White List con
tanning the names OF employers who treat their EN-
c Th de sqRe these fH ne %s Whole
movement /, certainly an interesting sign OF the
times. and is at least proof that Christianity today
is not concentrating all It's thought on patching up
its creeds and dogmas
"ouiet Days. so.called for the clergy, are bccom
ing popular in the Episcopal Church. The idea Is
for number of clergymen to get together for few
days religious meditation and conference In order
T SI Ic rSeat IS to be held in Trinity Church. New
Rochelle, on February IL and IL as preparation
Iarochlal Missions society.
@weua said one eminent Presbyterian clergyman
Of this city the other day after listening to brilliant
debate in the Presbytery, our Church is to-day
making history more rapidly than II ever made II
before" "oh, no." retorted the clergyman to whom
| he addressed inc fclIHfk VINO was SoHsersauEc
1t Is on the contrary unmaking history" And these
two statements may be taken as very far expires
sion OF the two opposing currents OF thought In the
Presbyterian Church at the present momont. The
discussion over revision is tremendous dual between
the past and the present. And at the bottom OF /
all the moOted question is. What Is creed Is II
the expression OF truths universal and rs binding
on the intelligence Of man as the multiplication table
or is It. as DR.. Vincent said the other day. DECLARE
ton of belief largely shaped by the times and the
controversies which produced it, and therefore not for
| all finest
Mr. Moody Is in Chicago preaching the second
coming Of Christ and the literal resurrection OF the
body with his usual power 1t is OF course Impossible
10 invest these speculative themes with any realty
In tho present condition Of religious Thought But 5
Moody comes doing than any ono else could
There was something childish, to use no harshei
| word in the refusal Of the Archbishop Of York to
| AZ for