The San Francisco call., 1903-01-26

IN SPANNING continent. IL Is 70 find the
nation which fronts Both the Atlantic and
u the Pacific oceans busted on each shore IN
The sacred task Cf church building
What Americans are doing now, all men IN
every land have refoiced 10 dO-triumphing In
sHe vision seen above this stately pile to-day,
-le vision Of God and of Immortality
The majestic church which We dedicate this
day 10 the worship of God and 10 the blessed
hope ~ eternal life stands the latest in d
long line Of the E0odly fellowship OF temples
In The far-back beginnings ot CIVILIZATION man
reared his first churches. Through the whole
story Of civilization be- has continued 10 rear
@ ..-z - -5c.s - ,,e - r,.--,,ee T',e '0r1x
architectural works which have survived the
raVages 0f time. lu many a land are the ruins
of the buildings man has lifted in worship
Through successive generations and centuries
ana Inll-enlll ullla Iilan mas c9iunued - pe a
church builder And to-day We, the heir
wealth c0usecrates itself 10 the rearing OF
structure which shall stand through ages yet
10 come. a splendid symbol IN stone of the
which he dies braYely and peacefully
What chain OF impressive buildings the
churches Of humanity form. binding the whole
world round the feet OF God How they lit
-l- s,-e--s--io-l or mans trusts ana aenirs-
ff0ns, We think Of The monster Durnt-brck
pyramids 0f Chaldea. d the rock-hewn tenn
~ of EUora and Of the great pagoGa at
II - 1---,--- rlo most irnnrtsssi,-e NUNS in
the world. of the Parthenon, lifted high upon
fs stern rock above Athens. Of the golden
domed Wmte-Walled Temple az Jerusalem, OK
rhe vast Mosque OF ST Sophia in CONSTANT
napie. or the mighty Cologne cat1edrai, oL the
charming DuomO at Florence. OF stately 81
Marks I'M Venice OF the beautiful cathedral
at Amieus. 0f the august mausoieum " the
Elglish-srealling race, " Westminster ApDey.
churches know II. forms one oi the
most fascinating pages of history. Ihere nave
been periods 0f a yeritable passion for church
building. ages in which mankind seemed pos
-essed win an enthusiasm for the heroic tasAs @
pefiols pi church-5Elldlng was the Dawn OF
ihe modern era ln Europe. When the tnOu-
scndth gear ri Chr.stendCm had passed in safe-y
and the horrible nightmare Of superstiticus
fear haunting mems mind. ~ they looked FOR
ward ~ me coming - the end OF the world;
disarpearel. new life Of Joyous hope filled
the soul ol man. and in glad gratitude be
turned to me pi1ls labors of restoring and re-
neUing thc churches ~ Europe In France and
more lovely IMAM amy ever before seen in those
lanes. sprang up as f by magic. AS a monk
ol ClUny wrote lt was AS 81 the earth. rous-
ing itself ana casting away its Old robes.
clothed itset with the white garment OF
10 more inspiring tale Cf impassioned en-
thusiasm and unselhsh conservation Of wealth
has ever been told than is found in the rec
ords of the church builders. Kings poured
their fortunes into the Golfers of the churches.
and queens etnpiied their treasure boxes at
the feet of BISHOPS and anDcfts. I'rincely men
and c0Drty women l0umeyed from afar 10 the
scenes ~ these arfuous lah0rs and fofle1 in
the unWonleu laArf oI me fnasons. that God S
house might be reared speedily in sr,Ieudor
free cities Ct Germany ana France and T+a..-
girded themselves 10 these tasks with civic
u-ide and "A communal sacrifice which 10 our
modern cities. given over 10 the building ~
temples to The Goddess OF Getting-on. must
seem "a Vcrftab bic deliriunl OF sentiment
Into the building of these churches the er
fhuslasm of whole peoples has poured In a
beautiful and lofty devotion which alone A.
worthy Of rcdeeming the story Of man from
the shame Of sordidness and rnateriality. A.
ran the decree OF Of the congrnunes ~
Italy preparing fer such church NO ,vortC
of fhe commune shall BE- undertaken uniess
the design be- 10 make it correspond with 2
heart which is ~ the greatest nature. because
composed Of the spirit OF many citizens. con-
cordaut in single Will"
How touching the stories OF the way In
which the communes Of Italy undertook the