New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-10-17
A PREACHING CROSS.
Restoration of a London Land.
mark-0pen Air PuIpits.
London. October 4

uaIly completed and will soon be m
yelled There IS a Doric column twen-
ty-three feet high. with raised plat
form from which outdoor preaching may
be conducted as in ancient times. Tn,
cross is surmounted by an impressive
bronze figure Of the apostle. about nina
feet in height. One arm is uplifted IN
gesture and the other bears aIoft a Ioux
cross
The general design by Mr.. Reginald
Bloomfield is simple. stately and effective
The figure on the summit Of the column
is an excellent example OF modern
sculpture by Mr.. Bertram MacKennaI.
the Australian artist, whose French
training is shown in the pediment Of tia
new government buildings in Westnin-
ster The cross stands in the church-
yard. to the north Of the choir. in ths
direction of Cheapside. II IS within a
few yards of the site OF the ancient
cross. which was at the northeast ANGLIA
of the north transept Of the old cathe-
draI. burned in the great fire
From remote antiquity there was a
preaching cross at St. PauTs. From IL
papaI bulls and royal proclamations were
read and around it town meetings were
held Notorious offenders were exposed
TO punishment there: witches and here
tics were condemned from the pulpit:
TyndalTs translation Of the Bible was
burned in front Of IT,; the Pope's sen
tence against Martin Luther was re-
hearsed there, and the polemics over the
divorce of Henry VIII were heard ~
excited crowds
1t was pulsating centre Of national
and religious life The destruction Of
the Armada was celebrated there with
peans of Thanksgiving. Protestants
and Roman Catholics were alternately
mathematical from the same pulpit
New reigns and royal marriages were
proclaimed: DEGREES Of exCOmmuniea-
ton were read; impOstures were ex-
posed: reCantatiOns were made; the
Reformation was defended and at
tackled: lord mayors and sovereigns at
tended services in solemn state. and de-
spised outlaws expiated their crimes by
humiliating penance under the shadow
of the cathedral Dean Milman &C.
scribed IL as the pulpit not only OF the
cathedral, but almost Of the Church q
England. 1t was almost as famous as
the spot where St. Paul himself preached
in the midst of Mars Hill.
What the original preaching cross was
like con only be vaguely cOnjectured.
II must have been rough hewn and prim-
tive. like those seen in English VIII
lagos, where an ancient column stands.
upon a stone base in front OF the parish
church, as at Great Brington. STOW. in
his Survey" has described the cross
as it was in his day. and there is a
drawing OF it in the possession Of tina
Society of Antiquaries-
This was Bishop Kemp's pulpit. which
replaced about the middle of the ff-
teenth century the ancient cross black
ened by lightning and reduced by storm
and rain to a ruinOus state. II was
timber frame or cage mounted on stone
steps and covered with a conical leaden
roof. There was cross at the apex
and there were turrets at the four cor
ners; and Gothic window frames and
perforated vases were crudely decorated
1t was not a structure possessing either
beauty or dignity. although the onse-
ouious chroniclers OF the Bishops handi-
work described il as more splendid than
the older cross. Three or four persons
could stand in it with the preacher. and
a low wall was built around it for pro-
lection from the crowd. The new cross
which has taken its place after the
| lapse of 267 years may not be more ser
viceable for outdoor worship. but II IS
a more graceful ornament for the his
| toric churchyard.
| Prints of the old cathedral disclose
/ gallery opposite the cross and divioea
| into compartments along the transept
/ wall These were the private boxes 9c-
cupied by royalties. ministers or ms
/ crown and civic dignitaries. Henry VIZ
Henry VIII. Elizabeth, James l ana
| Charles I attended these open air SER
vices on great occasions. and l9Ed
/ MAYORS and sherfffs were there in thetr
splendid robes with their sword bearers
and mobiles and courtiers were hanging
on the fringe of royalty. If pulsssn1
| cardinals like WoIsey did not preach
| from the pulpit they headed stately pro-
\ cessiOns To the Churchyard. and arch
bishops were not ashamed TO stand
under the Ieaden hood and address the
| sightseers in shrill tones like the SalN4-
! ton Army exhorters of the present day.
The theology and poIity of succeeding
| reigns could be sampled there Niien
Iatimer. Ridley Cranmer. Coverdale.
Laud. PiIkington. Gardiner. Sandys ana
Jewel were preachers 1t was a natIohAi
palpit. which was pulled down IN lois
| by a Puritan Lord Mayor IN accoroanes
with a statute OF Parliament That was
| a fantastic. uninteIigible act OF intoi-
erance, for the English Reformation had
been made hand over hand around that
historic landmark
| The cross has now been restored WIZ
| a Doric column as graceful as the Old
| time pulpit was common and ugly. ana
with statue of st. Paul as strong n
modelling as Durer's apostle Win 'l9
| splerdent white robe in the Old
akothek. in Munich Will n be any'.i
/ more than a bizarre ornament
/ there be a revival OF preaching TOT
| masses underneath Wren'S monutIeH
work? open air preaching has been y
tanned at ST. Mary's WhitechaPsi' W.
| there is a large section OF the ~"
| With the olVt~