The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-14
A Boston Cathedral.

Since the election Of the Rev. PHILLIPS
BROOKS to be Bishop OF Massachusetts, it
has been suggested in Boston that Trinity
Church, the church OF which he Is the IA
nous rector. be transformed into a cathe-
dral. To that end ono OF the parishioners
has offered to relinQuish the ownership of
his pew and give sum equal to its original
cost toward the endowment OF the cathedral.
If all the pew owners follow his example, he
believes that the project could be carried
out ut once.
How much money would be raised under
that plan we can only guess. but undoubted-
ly 1t would not be enough to endow q
cathedral system deserving of the name.
1t would barely be sufficient to convert the
Boston Trinity into free church supporting
clerical force adequate to the care OF q
great town parish. Tho nucleus Of the
necessary endowment might be secured, but
tho lberality Of Boston churchmen would
have to be taxed heavily to obtain a far
greater additional amount II tho change to
a cathedral is to be more than nominal. tits
true that certain expensive features OF the
English cathedral system would be discarded
here. rs having no reason for existence
other than the antiquity OF their origin but
to justify tho Transformation, and to make
1t more than mere show, the cathedral
would have to be n great centre OF religious
aud intellectual activity. with dean dis
tinguished In the Church. q largo body OF
canons, and clerical assistants engaged in
the labors OF evangelization. OF study, and
OF teaching.
The Churchman OF this city looks forward
TO the proposed cathedral as a sort of uni
versity, in which will 10 concentrated the
highest and profoundest learning to shed its
light through the mists OF the intellectual at
mosphere OF Boston and Cambridge. 1t pic
lures an earnest body Of clerical missionaries
proceeding thence TO carry forward practical
Christianity, men Of eminence In the Church
engaged In preaching during limited perlods
and lecturers OF erudition addressing on re.
ligious questions the skeptical philosophers
Of Harvard and tho Puritan capital. Trinity
Cathedral, to It's Imagination. becomes a
beacon whence will be diffused light O! truth
penetrating every part Of the Union. 1t
seems to think that the diocese OF Bishop
BROOKS Is especially the place in which to
set it up; for undoubtedly he has the car OF
the Boston!ans md commands their respect
moro than any other clergyman Of the
IpiScopdl SHttTcH. lHe OulCarlanB near him
gladly. and even the Asnostics do not turn
away. They are religiously disposed people,
though they are without the anchor of any
definite faith. Very many OF them would
like to believe II they could. and Bishop
BROOKS understands them thoroughly. II
anybody can draw them into the Church, he
Is the man to do 1t.
Whether the Bishop is In favor OF the
cathedral project, however, does not yet APP
pear. He has not been distinguished for his
devotion 10 the traditions aud long .time
methods aud usages Of ecclesiasticism. The
mere organization OF tho Church has not
seemed to him SO important as the general
spirit OF Christianity. Ho has never been
teacher OF dogma or the defender OF theology
as system. but has sought rather to slim
ulate In men enthusiasm for the ideal OF life
presentedby JESUS OF Nazareth. caring more
for their spiritual improvement than for the
precise quality OF their Guardianship 1t
is hardly possible, therefore. TO conceive Of
PHILLIPS BROOKS as the animadng force OF
cathedral university such as tho Church