Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-09

VIII COII10 BnOSLS Ol the past, SlfdH6c
weird figures, who will once more people
the wide halls and the tenantless rooms
You whisper good night to the mists that
are lifting from the lakes and hooks,
feeling that they are wraiths that beck
on you to stay. You hurry back to the
busy, struggling, bustling world and
leave the dream city to the elfs, the
fairies and the moonlight.
But there is one unmistakable evidence
of vitality just on the left of the hand
some feudal gateway, and that is the
beautiful, picturesque quarters of the
Piedmont Driving club, where the fash
ion and swelldom of Atlanta has fancy
for congregating. There is the quaint
stone house, with its rock terraces, on
which are placed huge palms and foliage
plants, and where small tables are set
for the accommodation of the members
of the club who desire refreshments.
Near by is the New York building, pre-
sented to the Piedmont Driving club by
New York and now fitted up as the club
quarters in a lavish and elegant way.
Under the wide-spreading oaks are carts
and victorias awaiting their owners, who
are enjoying various ices upon the bright,
ornate terraces. AS you pass near the
gay place 1t is like returning to life after
a sweet and tender dream. You are Won
dering which is best, the dream or the
awakening, as the old gatekeeper cheer
fully bids you good night" and closes
the heaVy gates behind you.
The churches of Atlanta are not com
mensurate with the wealth and opulence
of the people. There is a striking incon-
gruity between the majority of beautiful
homes, furnished with all the Injuries
and ornate adornment of modern taste,
and the temples where the inmates of
these homes worship their creator. With
the exception of the Second Baptist
church and the Roman Catholic church
there is not an especially handsome one
In this big city, which boasts of it's finan-
cial success. l attended st. Luke's Epis-
copal church last Sunday and was sur
prised at its inferiority. 1t is simply
genteel, nothing more, nothing less
There is little attempt at ecclesiastical
decoration, and 1t is thoroughly common
place and inartistic, yet 1t is one of the
most fashionable churches of the city,
and it's congregation Is made up of men
and women whose names constantly fig
ure In the social columns of the Atlanta
papers.
st. Luke's cannot be compared with
St. Mary s-on-the-Highlands, nor with
the Church of the Advent in any partic-
ular save that of music. And st. Phil
lips the other Episcopal church, Is an
ordinary, unfinished, large, red brick
building. very inferior, judging from the
exterior view, to both the Advent and
st. Mary's of Birmingham. The music
Sunday. Professor Toy directed the
choir, and will soon be succeeded by
Prof. j. Morton Boyce, formerly of Biz
mingham. If Professor Boyce will inn
prove Professor Toys choir work he will
accomplish much more than he did in
Birmingham. The choir of st. Lukes Is
composed of twenty-five or thirty men
and boys, who sing with fine effect the
beautiful music of the Episcopal church.
They are wonderfully well trained, and
n aotA nj fna1 ftr6t
ment in rendering the service. There
are no women or girls in the choir. and
the entire congregation sings with fervor
and spirit, led by the deep, rich voices of
the men and boys The altar CLOTH pull
pit and lectern drapemes were unusually
ly free from the coppery shades of the
ordinary olive tints They were go sub
dued and artistic in coloring that they
seemed the product Of an eastern loom.
broidered In pink silks, and the fringe
was made by the two colors. hight, soft,
olive green and pink, the shade of Ouch
ess de Brabant roses.
There Is not a church in Atlanta that
even approaches remotely our splendid
First Methodist church, except the Sec
ond Baptist church, which is built of yell
low, greyish stone, and Is a very elegant
and Impressive structure. On the SUI
burbs are a number of pretty, quaint
churches, winch apparently nave peSH
recently built.
While these facts are absolutely true
regarding the church buildings OF At
lanta, many of the denominations have
a glorious record as active and untirfng
workers The Methodists have twenty
eight churches and missions In Atlanta
and on It's suburbs. the Baptists have
twenty and the Presbyterians have
twelve. These figures are correct, and
were furnished by a Baptist minister,
and from them we learn that three de-
nominations, Methodist, Baptist and
Presbyterians, have sixty churches and
missions In this ordinary-sized city-as
cfties 20. 1t Is claimed that many con-
gregations spend money freely for the
establishment and maintenance Of new
churches and, therefore, have nothing
left for adjournment. do not know
whether st. Phillips and st. Lukes con-
gregations can plead this excuse or not.
Sunday afternoon we drove out to Nc
Pherson's barracks, the military post
near Atlanta 1t Is a lovely place, where
the generous hand Of the national gov
eminent has supplemented the work of
nature. The parade ground Is as smooth
as q floor, and covered with velvety
turf. and on either side of 1t are the ofh-
cer6 homes and the barracks. These
houses are substantial red brick build
i,gs, and the homes OF the commissioned
oficers and their families are two stories