The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-08-27
CHURCH FORMS CHANGED
Some New Styles Now Conn
ing Into Vogue in
the Services.
THE UNITARIAN IDEA
Disappearance Of Pew Rents
--Ritualism on the In
crease--Among the
Churches.

Changes that are noticeable in forms OF
nnblie Worship are rot the outcome OF
canrine, All of them, or at least all that
are making any Roadway. have reasons
behind them. For example, many
churches are doing away with the oia
practice OF giving the benedictlon to a
standing congregation, and substituting
the practive of giving it TO a kneeilng
one. The new form does not initiate any
body who may have followed this prac-
tice in the past. It is a change BROUGHT
about by the belief that greater reyer-
enee on the part Of the congregation IS
thus secured, together with a lessea1ed IN
clination to start conversation immedl-
atelv the minister has ceased speaking.
a decrease is found in a number of men
who annoy those about them by putting
en- their wraps II perhaps overshoes IN
advance of the benediction. The memory
Of the service last a little longer; is made
more impressive, and there is opportunity
for silent PRAYER not afforded in the old
way.
The use of robes by ministers is m
8creasing. This growing practice is most
marked among the Presbyterians, COR
greSationalists and Baptisfs. So lar as
can be ascertained no Methodist minister
has donned a robe of any sort in the pull
pit. The pulpit habit growing most rap
idly In favor consists of a wide-collared
cassock that reaches to within a rev
inches of the floor. It is rarely but
toned in front, but when it is it is run IN
front. sometimes plated and something
white is worn at the neck. There is usu-
ally a wide collar. The material IS Bed-
ford cord. The color Is black. The IN
creased number who wear this hapl1
in the pulpit comes mainly not from min
isters suddenly putting them on, but
from seminarians just entering pastorates.
But the increase in this way is marked.
A few years ago may churches lifted
collections. Now they take up offer
tories. A few years ago plush bags on
the ends of long handles. the whole gam
ing the title of "-cornpoppers," because OF
their marked similarity to the same, were
very generally seen. Now wood, brass
or silver plates are employed. The plush
bags at the ends of long handles are still
occasionally seen. but they grow steadliy
fewer in number year by ear
The practice of bowling the head in 81
lent PRAYER upon first entering the pew
IS increasing. So 10 lhN "
ing PRAYERS. Some years ago even we'll
bred congregations stalked into thelf
pews, closed the door to keep tranger
out. and sat down to gaze about the
church. During the prayers those VINO
were members of the church, or known
to be pronounced religious people, bowed
their heads slightly, a hand meantime
partly shading the eyes. Now an increas-
ing number kneel upon entering their
pews. n also during the prayers Ine
general introduction of kneellng benches
has helped both these customs, and now
during prayers it is not to see
every person present with head W.
all the way Onward The Improvement
is marked, and it is not cause for Won
der tina it is spreading.
New designs for churches are following
the unitarian idea. There are heard at
intervals complaints that new churches
are not Gothic in architecture, and there
are a few new edifices, built chiefly from
endowment funds, that follow closely the
old classic lines. But the tendency is
toward the church best adapted to mod
ern needs. The time is not far distant
when downtown churches, or some of
them, will be business blocks, part of
which will be devoted to church and in
stitutional work, and the rest rented to
bring in a revenue Churches, like vehi-
Giles. must meet modern demands in form.
Perhaps fewer c~orner-pulpit churches are
erecting this year thar formerly, but so
are the cathedral pattern, with its poor
light and worse acoustics Spires and
bells are vanishing, especially in cities,
and as far as financial considerations will
allow. the kitchen, as a part of the
church building proper, is vanishing, too.
Fewer churches are used for purposes of
entertainment than formerly, and more
detached houses for church parlors are
building. The changes, as in other re-
spects already noted, are along economic,
ethical and advanced lines.
Churches in which pews are rented are
passing away. The so-called free church
is not free, because somebody has to sup
port it, but it is without some of the OBJ
jectionable features of the rented pew sys-
TEN. In New York City only two promi-
nent Methodist Churches rent their pews.
In the East, E-piscopalians still have many
rented pews, Trinity in New York. being
still a conspicuous example of he old
style. But in the West their churches
are for the most part free, their total for
the whole country being eighty-fve per
cent. free. Presbyterians, on the other
hand, cling to pew rents, in New York
there being bur one conspicuous church
having free pews, and that has recently
been offered for sale, and an Oakland
pastor has declined to leave the Pacific
coast to take its pastorate on the ground
that ii has not the financial backing to
make it successful. Congregationalists
also cling to the rented Jews. But on the
whole, the rented .pews are giving way
to the free ones. Voluntary offerings are
| supporting more and more churches every
year. The new plan sometimes proves
inadequate, and leaves somebody to make
up deficits. but so does the rented pew
plan.
Not a few churches maintain in their
vestihules medicine chests of not small
proportions. Many new churches build
closets in the vestibule wall to hold these
| chests. Some go so far as to provide q
physician In call during services. But
the latter is rarely found necessary, it
| generally being the rule thai physicians
Will be found in the congregation If need
ed. Still confusion is sometimes ocea-
stoned in getting cans to them, and 50
some trustees arrange with physicians
| one at a time and often under a salary
| to sit near the rear doors ana be on hand
always in case Of need. Churches large
ly attended by strangers, especially If