The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-03
A PLEA FOR CHRIST CHURCH.
Art Dropping from Church buildings,
Says Mr.. Gibson.

'T know that many people applaud the
article in the New Years edition of the
Journal on The Christ Church Building !"
said Louis H. Gibson yesterday 1T is the
one bit Of clean, refined, expressive piece
of church architecture in this city. 1t may
appear remarkable that one of the earliest
bits of church architecture in community
should be its best. Yet this is generally
true of the most of the communities OF this
country. 1t is true of all cities, so far as
I know. There was a spirit Of seriousness,
struggle and religious dependence which
was a part of the history of our city and
the development of other cities which does
not belong to later prosperity. This has been
the general history of ecclesiastical archi-
lecture since the thirteenth century,
Christ Church, / believe, was built by
Mr.. Tinsley, an educated man and an edu-
Gated architect. L may be mistaken about
its having been Mr.. Tnsley, but it was
that kind of an architect. This church is
in the style of the early English Gothic,
and is pure and refined in it's detail-some-
thing which cannot be said of any other
piece Of church architecture in this CITY,
The Episcopalians were the last to drop
art from their church building. Witness
throughout this country Witness locally
what St PaulS congregation has done TO
it's building within recent months. 1t Is re-
markable that the Episcopalian denomina-
ton should have preserved the art instinct
longer than the Catholic church, Which, TO
within recent decades, has been the domi-
nant force in church architecture. The To-
cal work of the Catholic church is good
building, but not good architecture. VI
course. the people of Christ Church will say,
If we build again we will build better.
ESuff & ALWAYS ". thew
never do it. The spirit which will sacrifice
a beautiful building like this will not build
a better one A better building might be
built, but not by the spirit which would de-
stroy this. There is now clinging to the
choir end of one Of the churches of Hilder-
Sheim a roSebush which is over thousand
years old, In the twelfth century, when
the church was enlarged, bit of wall was
built around the bush to save it from de-
struction. Other ground was needed, but
the rosebush was not sacrificed. There can
be no question but that sentiment when
protected this vine and which Dullt ana
cared for this splendid ecclesiastical struc-
ture developed the artistic enthusiasm
found in these people throughout their his
tory. The spirit which would save Christ
Church building would furnish the means
to build another. Churches are built
through a high religious sentiment, and in
cidentally through the use OF money and
a knowledge of architecture.
'They are trying to build great cathe-
dral-St. John the Divine-in New York.
They have all the money necessary; they
ing; they have all the worlds great mediae-
val monuments before them, yet compare
the design of st. Johns with any of the
earlier work. They are finishing the Church
of the Sacred Heart in Paris on one of the
noblest sites in the World-on Montmartre,
overlooking Paris and Notre Dame-the
most artistic community in the world Yet
there is Notre Dame growing out of the
spirit OF the twelfth and thirteenth CEN
turies-the dawn of high religious emo
ton individual and intellectual freedom-a
great cathedral, q. beautiful structure. Yet,
with this splendid structure before us, with
the added freedom and greater knowledge,
but without the religious emotion, we have
Montmartre, the embodiment of ughness
and crudeness. This is the general history
of church architecture.
IF Christ Church be destroyed many Of
us will regret it. Few of us doubt, judge,
that it will be destroyed. There is nothing
personal about this; it is the spirit OF the
times tat is to be criticised. 1t was the
spirit of one time which developed beau
tiful church architecture; it is the spirit
of another time which destroys it. Occa-
sionally, in these modern times, an indi-
vidual like the architect of this church.
and few high-minded people meet and
build d beautiful building like Christ
Church. or like the greater structure, Trim
ity Church, in Boston. But the spirit OF
the times always does what has just been
done to Trinity Church-makes an addition
to it to ruin it, or tears it down. That is
what we expect, and that is what will hap