The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-07-10
A PROTEST
 FROM PULPIT .Dr. Rice Speaks on Capitol
 Blundcr. WOULD MAR BEAUTY Scripture Quoted on Act of Supreme Court. Methodist Minister Declares That the State omcers Should Net Per- petrate Such . Thing Upon Postefity.

So erbelltous IS the popuiaf the selection of plans for the extension of the Capitol of Alabama by the Cap itol RuildinR Commission that the sup feet. first on the tongues of the masses found its way yesterday to the domaih of the church when Rev. J. A. Hice' D. D., pastor of the Court Street Meth- odist Church, arraigned the action oi the Commission severely in a torceiui sermon at the morning services.
 The enduring element Of beauty; ooin in every breast to a greater or a lesser extent, was what moved pr. Rice 10 disapprove of the decision of the Build ing Commission which was made Weo- nesday at the last meeting, calling TOT two-story, wings connecting wi.n nressnt snt north and south ends % or she paeS1i pcon,hi. nation received the hearty disaPpIoHa. of all who have seen the photoS rapnio reproduction of the drawings Tn The Advertiser and took occasion to CA press themselves.
 pr. Rice issued an eloquent warning to the members of the Commission Tn the name of the old Iestamen. nr nur not cbtD io dren any such thing that IS not peau- tiful. whatever the cost. ,r.s
 The speaker had evidently recelVeu the same impression from study or the competitive designs for the Capltol improvements that naturally came to the minds of others, both laymen ana arehi.ecss The arehItecfarai saS 6saSs WSsuId be sacrificed to the convenience or tne Justices of the Supreme court who are to occupy the entire interior with tne clerk and other attaches. There would be no symmetry in the exterior view except by adopting plans for three story wings.
 mon to excuse himself for reference in the pulpit to this frenzied topic or Ihe day with the people of Alabama. The continuity of thought which character. ized his sermon was so convincing that to the congregation there seemed to be no need for apologies. The civil obli- gations of the members or the puiiulns Commission to observe the beautifai m making the Capitol extension were sup. posed to be appreciated by the Supreme Court Justices who alone of the com mission made the two-story plan pre-. vail. The scriptural obligations had rather been lost sight of until they were revealed by Dr. Rice yesterday.
 The text of the preacher was found in the eleventh verse of the third chap ter of Ecclesiastes: He made every thing beautiful.
 The speaker traced the element of beauty that lies in all the universe, In things both great anS % small, aa,s me ie Saf, the bosom of the earth. the blend Of the landscape. the refraction of the dew drop, all combine to exalt the beauty of creation. It was declared that God has never created anything that could not be made beautiful by man. Man Is therefore, divinely enjoined to bring symmetrical in all the vacations Of life, both of a material nature ana or spiritual nature.
 Even so common a sight as sign board sas tc should .he es corrected in such a way as to adorn the highway. People hunger for the beauty of everything that meets thelr Ir of beauty should be emphasized for the food. Those responsible for the condition of streets, including trees make them as beautiful as possible. It | Is a debt of man to his fellow crea- ture. whose soul yearning for slightly creation.
 The next conception of the sermon | was the duty of man to public build, the blunder of the Capitol Commission was recalled to the minds of the con gregation and was about to form the most current part of the sermon: o,oa' o'' houses. court houses and the Capitol oi State there should not be such short comings as are committed nowadays with limited income cannot lay stress on the beautiful of architectpre 2. 5. we'll" said pr; Rise, but o r tners ', ', government making a sacrifice of arch. | itectural beauty on account or cost ol on other accounts; It would be ar ttol or make extensive improvement; SO as to impair the beauty thereof | when the resources Of great anc prosperous commonwealth are back ol 1t. 1t would be far better to delay the
 years rather than hand down to pos