Albuquerque morning journal., 1908-08-23
WILL SURPASS ALL
CATHEDRALS BUT
ST. PETERS
CHURCH OF ST, JOHN THE
DIVINE NEAR COMPLETION
Death of Founder Bishop Pot
ter Co-InCident With Finish
ing of First Stage of 'Monu-
mental Work. The Historic
Churches of America.


t5peclaI Correspondence Morning JournnI.I
New York. Aug 19.--It is remark
able coincidence that the death of
Bishop Potter, who, as head of the
diocese pf New York. was generally
regarded as the foremost representa-
tive of The Episcopal church IN Am
erica. should have occurred Just at
the san time when the crossing oi
the vast Cathedral of st. John the Di-
vine. IN greatest church cdifce ever
underta zen in America with the
buildins of which the bishop was so
closely ssociatcd was approaching
compile on, Although work on this
enormoys structure has been under
way fOi he past fifteen years the work
which i8 now approaching completion
marks only the first stage in its crcc-
ton. probably viii require another
fifty years TO finish this huge church
the pli aning and initial construction
of whi I was due to the late bishop
and wi .ch will always remain as the
creates material monument to his re-
lglous career 1t was his often-ex-
pressed ambition to see erected In New
York & temple of worship comparable
in size and beauty to the cathedrals
OF the old world and 1t is this dream
which sill be realized when the great
buildin now rising above the city on
Mornir side heights is finally COM
pleted.
II is sometimes said that America
has nc cathedrals. This Is an error
for although there are on this side Of
the Atlantic no churches that vie win
the famous edfices of Europe. there
has been long line OF cathedrals in
this continent from the first straw.
thatchcd building erected by the Mexi-
can bishop of Guadalajara, early In
the sixteenth Gentry. to this latest and
greatest OF American churches.
The Oldest and in many respects the
most interesting OF American cathcd-
rails Is that of the City Of Mexico. Its
first stone was laid In 1873 on the
site OF the ancient Aztec temple Of
Huitzllotochtli which was destroyed
when the Spaniards captured the city.
II was not until 1867 that the main
part OF the structure was finished and
the two towers. each 203 feet high.
were not completed until more than
a hundred years later. The building
cost about s2.000.O0O which is less
than has been expended already on
the Cathedral OF ST. John the Divine.
II Is 3s7 feet long and III feet wide
and It's interior which Is divided into
FIVE aisies by glded columns, Is gor-
geOusly decorated In accordance with
the aim Of the missionaries who su-
perintended It's erection to dazzle their
Indian converts.
Three or four miles outside Of the
City OF Mexico Is the Church OF our
Lady Of Guadalupe, which. although
now the seat Of a bishop, ranks az
a cathedral. According 10 the legend
believed by its Mexican and Indian
worshlppers this church stands on the
spot where the Virgin miraculously
appeared 10 n poor Indian named Juan
Diego and gave him roses pluckcd
from the absolutely barren hillside.
According TO the story this happened
In 1871 and the church. when finally
completed In 1913. had cost more than
a million dollars This church Is close
ly identified with Mexican history for
Our Lady Of Guadalupe was chosen
BY the native population az rs patron
saint and V was around her banner
that the revolutlonists rallied In the
night for Mexican Independence. When
this was achieved. December II. the