New-York tribune., 1908-12-21
LETTERS TO THEEDIT0R
MOVE ST. JOHNS.
Svooestion That Chapel Building
Re Transferred to Upto7cH SITE.
-n,..- of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune
s,r. one need not be a churcnrnal-in '1s sensS
to which the term is restricted Dy No. 90.
81 the Anglican communicate syIhpa'Hi@9 ~4-u
tboso Who face rnuIta gemens. the Impending OsS
~ their accustomed place OF worship, nor H7s1
ona he an architect to regret the oelloi1od- u7
moIished it must be-of 81 Johl ,s, SHey-, 80 %
,ha rnost beautiful examples IN this Whois eouh-
80 of the admirable adaptation inauguF@'sd ~
Sir Christopher Wren Of "reminiscences N''''I -
archaeological USE -. - -
Nor is there any one familiar IOi ms y =
,rs with this city and building operauonS Nh'
$50 +ba+ tbos,ph the absence Of St Jonn 3 Irorn
its present sit. may not, as Bisnop uTe7a . -. -
as saying in your issue OF to-day OS -
ouestion"-ss there any such one "A' 49,.
tbat site will sooner or later, be occupleo a9 -
-Isa1ts the whole Of a beautiful park vas
generation ago, by building devoted % COil
o. tba other hand. il seems unreasoraols %
question the experience. IN thelr sp7oi@ -. =
+ba authorities OF the mother church AIlH4'S. OF
their Judgment in their decisions as 10 tHs oest
methods for meeting the religious hesuS ~ -
cburch's fold scattered around its various "0'i'
ing chapels OF ease. The primary
paramount duties of the rector. Waroens ana .s,-y
~ trinity Church and concurrently OF the B-sh'P
of their diocese, are concerned with IeLs-' 80 -
snfrit,1aI functions Their guardianship OF '-.7
houses of worship in their trust IS essential o- =
involves Inferior functions The nalaE s'ii--' =
raa1 estate IL a quite secular affair. anC no ois
can doubt their legal right to sell tnelr el-l-1ss q
their convenience TO the highest bidder, OF % ii
standing empty and u1uSrtl- I@- 31--
tive however. for the structure deprived OF nu,an
occnpancy. and thus INTENDED. can only end n
ruin. -
But Christopher street IS not 50 very far Ironl
varfcL street and do not a good many OF tn7 AZ
tendauts at the services in St johns i've a. n5aE
ST IsIke's IS to the forzner7 Moreover mas ITllOS
no site IN the close vicinity OF ST Luxe unoo
cuDied or covered only by old and not wen paying
buildings which could afford suitable site IOr =
parish house so attractive in its appointments as 70
win those attendants at St Johns who are 50 oIS
confted for the nonce n contemplation OF ths PIo
oosed changes7 For. mutatis mutandts. they VIII
most Of them probably soon be reconcIed 70 tns
new conditions particularly II they learn that tner
favortte fane is not to be abolished but only trans
lated
In the old cities OF Europe enter houses OF
worship vyhere-even IL the congregation be oue
two or three gathered together'-Prayers are Of
fered and canticIes are sung as for hundreds ana
hundreds of years past But that IS not "I-l 70
expect here Nevertheless. the instinct IoT an ao-
fne house Of prayer for generation aIIer an
o4ber "a not altogether ouenched aprOpOs 70 Wnlcn
let me now suggest another point for the consldera
ton Of those averse not only from sentlll7'-1 %
for higher reasons TO the passing OF 81 Jonn
Chanel WHY not remove the edihce bodily 70 son7
central posftfon uptown. where It would oe the
nucleus for another Trinity parish. with al Us Up
lifting tendencies and charities, and "here Us
reau+Jr would be manifest to the EayTarins multi
+ude and not hidden away in a now unfreqlented
etrest7 There would be difficulty in this Ior
either the architect the mechanic me aoi-s u
the like IS an old story
Before the present writer's time the seat OF ln7
rniustrations Of prominent divine OF rs day N
New york Dr. Mason. was removed, stone oy
stone from Murray street q think 10 E-ga'n
street between Broadway and Fourth avenue. o1I
II disappeared several years ago by reason O tnS
march OF commerce. well remember. too. as
how when the First Presby ytertan Church stood on
the north side OF Wall street, between Broadway
and Nassau street It taken down Wnen 10
congregation moved TO Fifth avenue ana In
and far ! know
remains standing there, just as It did 50 many
years ago among the bankers and brokers' MUCH
mora recently q church stood on the southeast cor
ner of Fifth avenue and 18th street me Iate Leo
pod Eidlitz was the architect Its first inc1Dens
vas = DR. Alexander. and after him. think. was
DR. John Hall. It taken down and reoullf z
west 57th estreet. between Seventh avenue ana
Broadway. and there It stands to-day Why sho1I1
not St Johns Chapel, with all the uPLftins
| memories clingfng TO f. be as worthily dealt oy
So 49, T,so 1s 1eCs A = BLOOR