Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-06-25
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ARcH1TECTURE.

According to Ruskin's definition of 1t,
architecture sis the art which so dis
poses and adorns the edifices raised by
man for whatsoever use, that the sight
OF them contributes to his mental
health, power and pleasure" He tells
us that architecture naturally ar
ranges itself under five heads,
devotional, memorial, civil, mill
tary and domestic.
Devotional architecture, of course,
relates to buildings erected and dedi-
Gated to the worship of God, and that
it is an important factor in the relig-
ious life of the world is clearly mani
fest. 1t is true if one is possessed of
the spirit of worship he can see every
where evidences Of the handiwork Of
God that will beget deeper reverence
within him while If he is not possessed
of that spirit the most imposing devo-
tional structure possible, will, as far as
its original design is concerned, be to
him but little more than a huge pile
of brick or stone. But granting the
spirit of worship, architecture can
deepen and enoble it, The great ca
thedrals and magnificent houses of
worship characteristic of the middle
ages were the embodiment of real re-
llgious convictions, and we can best
conceive their effect upon the people
by recalling the effect the building it
self has upon us when we visit place
of public worship.
Although nationalist in religion,
used to go often and sit for a time in
great Catholic church because the
building itself with its long aisles, high
arches and magnificent finish never
failed to deepen the spirit of worship
within me. The massiveness and har-
mony OF the structure suggested the
presence and power of God. 1t always
seemd to me to be in perfect accord
with the fitness of things for people on
entering that church to bow their
heads reverently and spend a few mo-
ments in silent prayer While there
may be some compensations, there can
be no doubt that much of our present
day church architecture, seeking as it
does to subserve the intellectual and
social interests of men, is greatly
weakened on the devotional side
here is little or nothing about many
modern church buildings to suggest
the real purpose for which they were
built. Looking at them from the out
side, the uninformed might guess that
they were intended for any one of a
half dozen purposes, and in some cases
IL they were to enter the buildings and
study them in detail they would be at
loss to know whether they were in a
lyceum hall, a restaurant or a house
dedicated to the worship of God. That
mans intellectual and social nature
should be cultivated, no one doubts;
but in this age, in which the name of
schools and social clubs is legion, it is
blind leadership that advises such
modification of architectural designs
as will weaken rather than strengthen
the devotional element in human life.
Their is a sense in which the church
stands for universal interest. In its
own place and way 1t should inspire
the workers in every department of
the worlds work with that spirit that
glveth life. And one of these ways in
which it can do this is to give more
heed to architecture that is in keeping
with the grea. work it is called upon
to do.
Any loyal American who has stood
upon Bunker Hill and noted its tower
ing shaft. or visited the old battle
ground at Concord and looked upon
the statute of the Minute Man who
with one hand grasps his gun and with
the other his plow, can realize the val
ue of memorial architecture as a con-
servator of the spirit of loyalty to ones
native land. And the modest tomb OF
Washington somehow fires every heart
that visits quiet Mt. Vernon with a
new zeal for the land for which
Washington fought and the instltu-
tions he helped to found. Should the
architect cease designing fitting monu-
ments and tombs to commemorate the
great crises in our national life and the
heroic deeds of our brave men, pat
riotism would suffer irreparable loss.
He who can, in the form of memor-
ial architecture, endow marble with
an impressive though silent eloquence
deserves a place beside him who
writes the national song.
Civil architecture includes all edi-
fees erected for purposes of common
business or pleasure. That such build
ings should be so disposed and adorn-
ed that the sight of them would contri-
butte to mans mental health and pleas
ure Is fact too often overlooked. In
the struggle for bread there are many
who seem to forget that man does
not live by bread alone"
Because they are much frequented
public buildings and business blocks
should receive the very best the ar,
chitect can give. One of our mos
noted specimens OF civil architecture
is our capitol building in Washington
No man, American born and witt
quickened sensibllitles. can look upoI
that great dome or traverse the hall
and chambers of his country's capito