Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-11-16
gLORY OF ST. PAUL'S.
rscts About the Famous Old Cathe-
dral of London.
hOut ScaffOIdfnE for the First
ime in Many Yenrs-Has Best
Choir in the World-Its
Services.


Services.
Though so much of old London is
.hepg torn away, St. PauPs cathedraI
stiI stands immovable, Incompatible
Tn rs style of architecture, the greatest
work of Sir Christopher Wren, who
was paid a salary of 81 900 a year for de-
Signing it and experimenting its con-
sfyietion. 1t is a common statement
tha the whole building was completed
Ipy me architect and one master mason
t2l mas Strong) under one bishop (Dr.
ICjUpton); but that is incorrect, al
ho oh it is true that Sir Christopher
Gcs med it in 1875 and was able to at
teGl divine service within its walls on
lSrnday, December 5, 1897, writes Will
't.aJl E. Curtis, in special correspond
enc to the Chicago Record-Herald The
ldorie was not completed until 10 years
at,r', nor the decorations until two
ago. st. Paul's was paid Tor
cble1y by a tax on coal, although there
lwetc some large contributions by rlch
people toward its construction, and the
Ca1hedral has received many legacies
During the last 200 years. The old pri-
lory. which originally stood upon the
ground, and is believed to have been
ihuIe by Ethelbert, king of Kent, about
ths year 610, held considerable real
os, .e, including a large farm in Essex,
wh',h has been owned by and worked
for the benefit Of the church since the
So nteenth century, and doubtless rep
be nts the most venerable land tenure
s." treat Britain.
Or the first time in many years the
81 edral has been without scaffolding
g. e the coronation, and the decoration
T. practically completed. Ninety per
Z. of the population of London, who
9 never seen it without %scaffo1ding
r re, can now realize its full beauty
a. splendid proportions. Although st.
Z Is is not nearly so large as St.
3r's, it is simpler, mor symmetrical
a3c satisfying to the soul. There is less
4oLDr and lore carving; the scheme Of
910rnment is limited to marbles and
r. jaics, but you cannot compare the
i've any more than you can compare
.Ee's Peak with Mount Shasta. st.
peHl's is not the second church in chris
d. ION, as is generally supposed, but
fifth, being surpassed in size by St.
RS and the cathedrals of Milan,
renee and Seville. The trunk of the
3 is 500 feet long and 118 feet broad,
r the arms are 250feet long. The dome
ga feet high and 112 feet in diameter,
Get less than that of st. Peters.
Aowhere on this earth car you hear
sch heavenly music as at the vesper
s vices at ST - where co boys,
e~1ter care, perhaps, than any OTHER
,ir in the world, sing as you imagine
Che angels may sing in paradise. 1t is
.4e to contend that nowhere are sweet
and nobler sounds produced by hu-
/ m voices. The monks at the monas-
~ of st. Alexander Navsky, just out
e. of st. Petersburg, have what is con-
cred the finest choir in the world, and
tf3 foods of harmony that pour from
tl9ir threats can scarcely be surpassed
the music at ST. Paul's is very diff
'ent. The childish tones Of the boys
afe lighter, sweeter and more angelic,
: we can use that term, than the ma
rer tones of the monks. The great
c DIR at st. Peters, in Rome, does not
elmpare with the boy choir of st. Paul's,
aid the ford Italian music was never
tended for purposes of worship.
The service at st. Paul's is tntoned like
lose of the Roman Catholic churches.
u recent Sunday a sweet-voiced priest
lciated and chanted in the same key
the choir, which harmoniZed beauti-
lily, but you couldn't understand a
ord he uttered. You can seldom IN
srstand an English parson. Elocution
as not taught in the divinity schools over
here, and the clergy of the estab-
shed church are the poorest readers |
ave ever heard in a pulpit. During the
nan-Episcopal conclave that was held
London several years ago. when bish-
c1s from all the English-speaking coun-
les assembled here, the Americans
ade a distinct impression by the elo-
-ltionary effect of their reading the
FNlC6S, anu Inc uS4lNSIg VI LASAl SUI
IONS. The Englishmen thought it was
onderful, and quite a reform move
ent was started at that time. The
Dung and ambitious curates throughout
lie country undertook to improve their
fading. They dropped the dearly be
ioved brethren" monotone to which they
are accustomed, and undertook to read
ne service with ac~centuation and intiec-
Ions, so as to bring out its meaning.
ut the reform did not go very far. and
3)es not appear to have been success
Il. There is a dean, four canons, 10
IIinor canons, three prebendaries and
x choral Wears connected with ST.
aul's, but not one of them can read
ne service d%ecently. There have been
lot of deans of st. Paul's since it was
established, and upon the walls are brass
blets giving their names In order from