New-York tribune., 1907-06-30
CATHEDRAL BUILDING.
In Whose Honor Are These Mighty
Piles Erected NOrC?

II IS not unlikely that a good many perJons OF q
certain temperament find It regrettabIe that this
country seriously TO have entered an
epoch OF cathedral building. and reflection We
incline 10 share their point OF view through rather
mixed considerations. In the first place. Il seems
to us that every modern cathedral church. whether
successful or unsuccessful architecturaly whether
built in this country or In Europe. IN very real
degree beittles the dignity and degrades the char
acter OF the churches that have come down 70 us
from the grand cathedral building epoch Those
masterpieces OF art universally Acknowledges
10 have been possibilities only through the self
sacrifice and reverent enthusiasm OF the men Who
designed and built them and IL is the knowledge OK
these conditions. legendary though they may %.
that lends TO ones impressions human poshansS
that blends with the higher emotions which 60 @
pie OF God. however modest and unbeautirul. aINASs
eVokes. AS II Is very generally known that very
ntte self-sacrifce and still less reverent snthusl-
aSm. is built INTO the walls of modern cathedral
those who have this understanding will &c likely 20
disbeieve that the old cathedrals were ouided IN
any other frame Of mind, and Will deny to them
of their most living and impressive character
istcS and this will be loss.
Further, the soul OF man. IN these times OF ours.
IS TO be reached mainly by the spoken word; II can
be affected. subdued. chastened perhaps. By tns
peasurabie sensations that reach the brain through
eye: but II cannot be informed In morals. ethics
and religion through the spoken word. and
word spoken unless IL can be heard is wasted Now
the new cathedral OF IS. Peter and Paul. at Wash
and Mr. Henry Vaughan has just been approved
by the chapter aud council OF the diocese, Is 10
seat "A congregation of five Thousand perSOnS-pro-
vided such numbers present themSelves-and
venture think that. In a church which meas
476 by 132 feet externally. while the interior
height of the nave Is SO feet. the spoken word VII.
be quite inaudible to large part OF the audience
seated in the double aisled nave Such a result OF
course. implies a great waste and, when one re-
fleets that for the five million dollars this caths-
dral is to cost five hundred mission chapelS could
be built. IL seems impossible to believe that the
churchmen are altogether right IN their under
taking.
AS nearly as We can make out. the cathedral pro-
nloters are carried away by sort OF post hoo
propter hoe belief, in very mistaken fashion IN
their desire TO stem the current of modern ma
tcrialsm and irreligion they seem suddenly 20
nave turned their eyes 20 the cathedrals OF lns
Old World. and then imagined that they reCus-
nZed In them not effect, but a cause tHoS
seem TO have understood that II was because -
thedrals existed that people fervent OF i1'u:
not that through and because OF the existence Ol
en- abiding and abounding faith the men OF t'Os'
times We're able TO create those impressive HoI1
We all may hope that a satisfying II not tar Isat
ing reformation may attend their efforts Mean
while Ii must be conceded that as part Vi -
municipal scenery, OF the items OF . 80
munity'S wealth. as landmark along the pa.,s :,
OF art, cathedral building may be fairy helu ~
be worth its cost, whether in fourteenth ce"ea ss
guise II seems to ape the work of the mei, w.
created the style whether, like the WeSttilss ~.
Cathedral, 1t seems to explain more clearly ~
then will be found pondertng the luesuaO-,,
Is the modern cathedral really erected 10 ths So
OF God. OF the bishop. OF the archi'70s'
American Architect