The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-05
PULPIT AND PEW.
NEWS EXTRaCTS OF INTEREST TO
CUURCH PEOPLE.

n IL stands To-day Other Items.
Il is announced that the much talked about
competitive DESIGNS for The proposed Protest
Ant Fpisconal Cathedral Of st. John viii be
shown az TIE annual exhibition Of the Aoad-
envy Of Design which opens on April 9Th.
Doubtless this excellent chance 10 inspect the
pictures VIII bee welcomed widely. Whether
tie comments they may call forth will be
very helpful q the committee IN charge IS
moro uncertain. Every observer Will. Of
course. be able % say which Of the designs
best Suits his taste. but knowledge az well rs
taste D. needed in deciding upon matters OF
this sort personal preference, o. carry
voiclf mast have clear reasons 10 give IN lts
own behalf. and O. reason clearly upon these
designs the critic must know IN advance upon
what general lines he thinks cathedral III
our DAY and land should be built.
The chief question involved IS not queS-
ton of style" as style Is commonly under
stood. but a question of plan. In looking
50 any work OF architecture, whether on
tsper or in solid brick or stone, many
ne uie ignore this fundamental question.
4 hes dwell upon the rival merits OF different
forms Of windows and doorways and on
f.-at kinds of detail, they discuss whether
"a dome IS more beautiful than spre. ana
weigh the intrinsic beauties OF carved as
o.nfrsted with those of painted Decoration.
Vhov forget that the merit Of building
les first Of all IN ITS shape and proportions
ana She relation Oi ITS mann parts anu
flat "a decision with regard t. these involves.
t,uclusiderable degree az least, q decision
,,fh regard to STYLE 40 building ought TO be
built ia accordance with the needs OF some
arbitrarily chosen style. That style should De
followed which under the actually existing
conditions. is best adapted 10 the construction
Of the best kind IF church. styles are gar
mcuts developed M former ages for the eK-
preston of architectural conceptions. hat
we want 10 discover is not which garment
pleaees us most. but which conception Will
give Us the most useful and appr9 pirate. anu
therefore the most beautiful iulilng.
More than two hundred years ago, when SIT
Christopher Wren was hidden % design
cathedral for the Protestant form of worship,
Ie boldly refused 10 perpe.uate the scheme
,...r which the old st. Pau s. had been built
It's scheme consisted simply OF vast open
central area with four very short arms Of
equal length and similar form. O. the western
arm. d. further space was indeed attached, but
neither iu length nor IN design could II pro-
p.ry called a nave it was rather a great
1e-li.e or place Of entrance which upon
...... r could be used hv the overflow OF
c.r.- alton too large 20 bee accommodates in
t.rnaiu portion ~ the church. Ia WORKING
illus Wren was not guided chiefly by "a love
for Renaissance art or "A dislike II medieval
prt a. such The desire OF the builders
o; ST. pauls, as Dean Sancroit ex-
lMuel was 90 procure something not only
"unds.me and noble but suitable 10 all
,'. ..l. of In and wears before when il
,..- nr.posod that Wren should repair and
alter tie ola church. not yet wholly ruined
D., the great FIRE Dee had himself explained
g. 49,. mode sflttaIle for present needs
=, i.nll Ie rendered spacious IN the mid
IN. .L-E ,.e, h. a very proper place for
,lt.-g~ In c1Inrroutlnt ON these
,.rr. I..- tlilnou i'm our own time has re-
,..-l.l fat W-.u seemed 90 have had
..'r.,.I.ti. vision of the many thousands
DO, ,t~ ~i-lo.. EVENING services meet
,-l,. ni. dome 81 PAUL. AS we see 10
t.-l.- rs rorv mike the ST. Paul's as Wren
...rt. d d.. I.rfIl d. WHY was his scheme so
r-.atlv altered> lu the first place. the Chap
f.r.rI -.nr.f The other clergy Thought the
model n.t enough off % cathedral fashion, %
,-..,... f...ti..ll.r'v in THAI the 0uire was
..si,.,l ,rruIsrn and that there
,,.rs ro a.Ja.. and in the second
,1.co f.. Duke of York insisted
runr certain CHANEL. because. saws Spence IN
his Auecl.t.- b, and hi-party wished tOhaye
tl,.r5 r..i, f,r his iutend'd revival oil the Ro-
-..r Catholic service Every change thus
g...ia f- .fl th. ORIGINAL design which Is pre-
served ,r. drsu.ir-a as voN as in "A model AT
~.gtL keu.Iuptou. WAS as regards the interior
If St. Pauls in every way a distinct change
fl the worse. And had Wren gone further
ms enforced effort 10 'ftconflle as near as
possible the Gothick 20 q better manner of
srchitecturen had he built his new ST. Paul's
On the lines of the old one. there can be no
Question that the result would have been still
,.-.rse from the practical point of view.
Nh.t "a modern Protestant congregation
,.,rte ie "a cburch where. from ever, part all
-t,',,'s - t1a services can be followed with
i.sorl EAR Inferior AS il is t. what II might
l.y, been St pauls is still far the best lar-c
c.rr.h Inn England tor this purpose. How
v.-y bad for ms purpose IS the old. trad.-
n.-l MEDIEVAL cathedral fashion," every
End. knows who has tried e. take part in
.-.,,l.l service al Westminster or in any of
f.,,~Iv Fnqlish cathodrals The Protestant
T.,,..,nql jen0rninationiss small in this city
tl.titrlu hardly be expected u furnish forth
.road- a- treat AS those which gather under
C1ri-t1pher's dome. but to show this fact
lvtIr DESIGN of the cathedral would simply
f.t. confess that "a Protestant cathedral Is
Lee Hess thing in New York Tobuild long
drawn nave and aisles and a choir of vast eX-
,e,f would bee % express very plainly the be
'...,lr7 desirable 10 use only part OF No. as
10 line in many English cathedrals built for
Ian Catholic services. but now turned over
'.e younger communion.
r. the builders OF 81 Johh cathedral
f.y believe that II is 10 oe "a meeting place
I'D Iroi s'aht CHRISTIANS n centre loI ,ie
"i'lc Protestant ielslouS me OF Yui Guy