Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-23
RELIGIOUS NOTES
AND COMMENTS

1.-THE first great trust Of monopoly formed
was the. Christian Church: Several genera
lions after the establishment of Christian
lily q sfnGfe organixa ton sought to gather
up the Independent congregations and con-
duct the affairs of Christianity In one body.
This organization claimed In time to own
and distribute all the benefits of Christi
religion. No other was admitted to have
right to any OF 1t. 1t claimed to represent
the only valid religion in the world and
tried to crush out oil competitors. 1t
claimed, In short, to have a monopoly of
Christianity. and with 1t monopoly of ali
religion. Its Ideal was a single corporation
embracing all the people. This corpora
ton was TO be exclusive in its dominion,
controlling all things moral and religious.
and covering the whole world 1t was to
have the sole right to teach, and nothing
hostile to Its doctrines might be incul-
Gated or practiced. No other worship was
to be allowed. 1t was a complete trust.
or monopoly. In religion, embracing all the
churches everywhere. and having its
field the whole EARTH
William Elliott Griffis gives brief de-
Scription in the Outlook of the missionary
work of the Russo-Greek Church within Its
own borders, asSwell as caring for her peo-
pie in the uttermost ends of the earth. Mr..
Griffis says:
mot only among her own neople, but
among the various races, there have been
parallels with western insta zices of re-
vived missionary spirit In this vast colo
NAL empire. Superb, indeed. are the lives
and works of many a missionary priest
archimandrite and bishop. Innocent, arch
bishop of kamchatka. travelling with sledge
and reindeer. did noble work in the long
chain of pagan Islands uniting the north
ern portion of the two continents of Amer
lea and Asia Who that knows anything
of scholarship in Chinese or Korean can
forget the work and writings of Palladius
In China? In the Caucasus In Turkestan
RUSSIA not only abolished man-steaifng.
bringing order in the quondam paradise of
the robber and ending the golden age of the
oppressor but the church has sent her mis-
sionaries and teachers wherever her chill
dren go. In every capital of Europe, in
the cities OF America, the Russian Church
cares for her people. while In Japan we be-
hold one of the brightest missionary rec
ords, l viii not say of modern times, but
OF all Christian history. Virtually the work
OF one man is that of Bishop Nicola, my
neighbor in Toxic, whose 1900 Christians
nave single Russian pastor and bishop.
the most imposing edffce in Japan Quilt
by private Muscovite subscription) and the
best vocal music in the japanese empire
After restudy Of the history. the
trlals, the policy and the creeds OF the
Russo-Greek Church Especially the longer
catechfsm of 1890. despite what Is phe-
nomenal in the newspapers. despotism or
bureaucracy. and the long hiding of spirit
ual power. am confirmed In the Judgment
formed thirty years ago, that while Russia
Is still In the middle ages the PRINCIPLES
of progress-most of all in the open Bible
ARE greater than the elements Of repres-
sion. and are ultimately to prevail. Indeed.
with increasing education making the scrip-
lures more real and potent, with science
dispellfng fictitious miracle. improved art
lessening superstition. the morning of Rus
sia's new day Is already dawning and
much Of this accomplishment Is due to
the influence of the Russo-Greek Church. -
The Presbyterian Church IN Madison
SQUARE New York city, which is now
nearing completion. is reported to be
an ingenious architectural triumph
over adverse conditions The plot
was unfortunately situated. backed by
fifteen-story skyscraper. with the pos
sibility of another in the near future: with
six hundred foot tower Just across the
street. Under these circumstances a Gothic
structure would have been dwarfed, and
the wfsest course was a departure from
the precedent and the building of an edifice
on semi-classic rather than medieval lines
Christian Brinton. in the September Cen
fury, describes these difficulties and the
structure Itself: "Crucfform in plan, with
the arms of the cross projecting but slightly
beyond the square mass, the structure main
tatns Its dignity owing to the dome and an
impressive. portico. the columns of which
outweigh In scale anything in the immedi-
ate vicinity The church is built upon a
white marble base of buff brick and glazed
terra Gotta. In order further to differenti-
ate the ediflce from its neighbours. 1t was
decided to use color more literally than
had been employed in any building hitherto
erected in this country. The six columns
of the portico. the shafts OF which measure
thirty feet. are of pale green granite The
capitals OF the columns are Corinthian. the
color scheme being blue. white and yellow,
and all other ornamental features reveal a
delicate and approximate use Of these same
shades. with the addition. of green AS in
m SVri md n1,,rrn %Ja
dome is tiled showing an alternating pat
fern of green and yellow, the green serv-
Ing as a background. To sustain and en-
rich this effect the dome Is surmounted by
a gold lantern.
within. without, manifest effort has
been made to escape the sombre rituals
tic atmosphere of the average sacred edi-
fee The auditorium, with It's ample yes
tibule and low galleries is In no sense
ornate. The prevailing 'olors, grading
downward from the dome. " u appear con-
sistent with the exterior, being iudicious
combination of mosaic. fresco and stained
glass effects. In almost every essential the
Madison Square Presbyterian Church marks
an innovation in church construction. In
belief that a church. In order to be eccles-
iastic, must be monastfc in aspect 1t is
an attempt. and a welcome one, to adapt
place of worship to modern conditions
and modern ideals. Though 1t vaguely re-
calls churches dating from the fifth, sixth
and seventh centuries, it seems appropri-
ate to the twentieth. There is no danger
of the skyscraper being able to crush this
little gold-and-green temple. It's frank
brightness and beauty are, happily. endur-
Ing qualities. They are qualities that have
survived the shadows of the middle ages
and which will not be lost sight of today"
Paul Sabatier, the French priest and au-
thor, in the course of an address delivered
in London and now printed in the Contem-
porary Review, makes the claim that the
present rupture between the church and the
state is an indication not of growing I'M
belief on the part of the French people,
but rather of a renewal of faith. He de-
scribes, in terms of enthusiastic optimism,
the evolution of a new religious spirit in
France-'a spiritual condition which the pa
pers can hardly describe. and of which the
reviews. alas! bound up rs they generally
are with schools and parties, scarcely tell
more" The characteristic feature of the
new orientation of mind which he indicates
is that I'VE have all become citizens" and
I'VE feel that we members one of an
other with such intensity that it would re-
quire the language of mysticism or of po-
etry to express our sentiments and our SEN
sations." Further. this orientation, he as
serts, is essentially religious. 1t is true NE
admits, that many will smile skeptically at
this assertion. But Ito enter into my
thought" he adds. "t Is necessary to avoid