The Portland daily press., 1894-04-10
CONGREGATIONAL CLUB.
The Regular Monthly Meeting
Architecture Spoken of by Rev Dr. 4. II.
Clark, of Boston.

:The regular monthly meeting of the
Congregational Club was held at the
Preble house last evening, Rev. DR..
Jenkins, the president, presiding.
Among those who sat at the tables were:
Rev. J. l.. Jenkins, Fred v Matthews,
7. E. Thompson, Rev. S. n. Adams, FL.
Dana, r. H. Hinkley, Rev. Edward u.
Clark, Rev. Edwin E. Wilson, H. w.
Shaylor, Dwight N. Pratt, A. H. Wright.
j W. Garter, Osman Adams, Clinton A.
Woodbury., MA. Weston, G. A. Wes-
on, &C. Edwards, VIM. W. Mitchell.
John H. Card, Daniel +. Nash. Bryce M.
Edwards, Charles A. Brown, EN-. Lath-
am, G. H. Pease, George Libby. BE.
Dunn, S.Peters, A. Il. Burbank, H. H..
Kicker, W.R. Evans, George W.Simonton,
Newell Lyon, L.W. Cousens, j. II. True,
CIV. Pic kard, VIM. Marks. J.G. Merrill.
Rev.J. E. A iken of Windhann, was
elected to mem bership.
There was appointed this committee
of reference, Revs. W. H. Fem, E.. Will
son, D. M. Pratt and Messrs. Charles A..
Brown. II. Fl. Kicker. IL. Blake and
John S. Warren.
DR.. Clark being introduced to speak OF
church architecture said that III the
first place the church should not be
theatre; but something which tends
to bring into closer relation with Him :;
an ediflce that is apart from all other
euifices. There should be three doors in
stead of one, for one is meagre and
inhospitable, while three gives well
come to all. The vestibule should in
tervene between the door and the interf-
or, not only as a place for laying aside
the wraps, but as preparatory room,
where in moment worldly matters
may he laid aside before entering the
meeting place with God.
In the pulpit it might be we'll to have on
one side reading desk where the Word
alone should be read, on the other a
desk for preaching, and between them.
the most glorious and ornate furniture
of all. the communion table. 1t should
not be piled up with books, or half hid
den, but the conspicuous centre of all
the church life Sometimes the com
munion tables were bought outright
The speaker remem bersd one which had
carved upon one side the bust of
Ceres, and oril the other Bacchus.
Church architecture should be simple,
unobtrusiye. hbns j sn bstantial There
should be nothing that should suggest
effort and strain. The columns should
be substantial, the arches solid.
There should be in clear wall spaces
artistic traceries. Then the glass
should be reformed. Instead Of painted
glass, with the colors burnt in, aathere
shout be pure glass, covered if need be
with hyaeinthe,. glorious red, sombre
green, little judicious blue, or amber
tints, but such as will lei in light and
not make the church som Der as do the
painted windows
Circular pews always reminded the
speaker of the theatre, and he preferred
the straight lines OF the old tabernacles
Also the descending floor seemed to
suggest a descent of the old religious
feeling.
The Parthenon was suggestive of the
external beauty and grace Of pride;
bu. we rather should copy the old
Gothic idea, which made the clover leaf,
symbolic of faith and trust, the typical
ornament of these houses Of worship.
The personality of Christ should be
symbolized in the unity of the church
edifce.
Brief remarks were then made by Mr..
Jenkins and v.Dr. J. g. Merrill.