Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-01
PLANS FOR CATHEDRAL
ARCHITECTS HERE TO INSPECT
THE SITE.
Protestant Episcopal Edifice Of Large
Dimensions to Be Erected
in This City.

G. F. Bodley, r. A. A. F., Of London and
Henry Vaughn Of Boston, both architects,
have arrived in Washington at the invita-
ton Of Bishop Satterlee to arrange the
plans for the new cathedral which is to be
erected in this city. Mr.. Bodley says that
the old English Gothic design will be adopt
ed and that the cathedral will be one Of
the finest In the world. The ediice will
cost more than 100000.
The architects state that they cannot de-
eide upon the plans for the edifice until they
have seen the ground. because it Is the site
that dictates the characteristics Of we'll
constructed building. The visit to the
grounds will be made probably this after
noon, If the weather is favorable.
In talking on the subject Mr.. Bodley said
the designs for the cathedral will be made
with the spirit of old English Gothic archi-
lecture and will be made. of course, to suit
the architects and the members Of the
Episcopal diocese, is to be beautiful and
dignified building, Of large dimensions fully
as large as any English cathedral.
Mr.. Bodley said that even II the plans are
begun at once, it will be fully six months
before they are completed. He will return
to England Tuesday and Mr.. Vaughn will
shortly go back to Boston. Mr.. Bodley has
studied under the famous architect, Sir
Gilbert Scott. and is joint architect with the
latter's grandson, G. Gilbert Scott. He was
the architect for the churches Of the Duke
Of Newcastle, at Clumber, and of the late
Duke of Westminster, near Eaton Hall.
Mr.. Vaughn was pupil Of Mr.. Bodley.
Former Views Reversed.
When the matter of selecting style Of
architecture. for the cathedral was before
the board at meeting held in this city in
1896 there were but two voted in favor Of
the Gothic. All the others voted for the
cided to have the edif1ce plans arranged on
the style last mentioned. Now, however,
after eleven years, it has been unanimously
decided by the board to have the Gothic
STYLE for which reason Mr.. Bodley and Mr..
Vaughn were invited over to see the site
and make the plans.
In connection with the subject it is noted
that in an article which appeared in The
Churchman Of May %. 1895, Rev. DR.. r. H.
McKim, a member of the board and resi-
dent Of this city, said:
After twenty-three years of observation
and reflection l make the statement with
some confidence that of all styles it (the
Gothic is the most suggestive of religious
feeling. 1t uplifts the soul to God as none
other does. 1t inspires reverence and devo-
ton in the worshiper, in manner unap-
preached by any other. Let anyone compare
his religious feeling in walking beneath the
dome of stately st. PauPs, or even st.
Peters, with that which he has experience
in pacing the aisles of Salisbury or of Lin
coin, or of Westminster Abbey. We cannot
hope to rival the magnificence of either the.
great London cathedral or of that of the
Eternal City; yet in neither of those stupen-
dous piles are the religious emotions so
stirred; in neither is there the same impress
sion created Of the presence of the Unseen
and the Eternal, as in any good Gothic
church or abbey taken at random from
among the twenty-eight cathedrals and
numerous abbeys of old England.
Statement Challenged.
Even more emphatically must the state
ment be challenged that from the time of
the reformation to the present day. the
renaissance style has maintained its SUI
premacy in all civilized countries II eccle-
siastical architecture be considered, and
any other is in question here, the statement
above is wide Of the facts. Certainly in the
pale of the Anglican church during the last
fifty years it is the Gothic not the renais-
sance, which has dominated in the construc-
ton OF churches. Examples in England are
too numerous to quote. In our own land
witness the beautiful Gothic cathedral in
Montreal. the proposed cathedral in New
York, while outside our communion the
new Roman Catholic cathedral in the same
city Is a notable example"