New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-24
Concerning the Anglican Gothic.

Concerning The Anglican Gothic.
There is an acknowledged desire TO alter
all this the present committee belnG IN
favor. so far as / am given 70 understand.
( OF what may be called Anglican GOtuiC.
. II architectural expression goes for any
I thing. this cannot be interpreted as mean
! Ing anything other than that the greatest
! cathedral 4 the Episcopal Church in TINS
I country specifically represents the accepted
theory that that Church, while the direct
I offspring of the Church of England, Is re-
/ stricted in ifs religious attitude not Only
TO that body. but to that portion or fac.
1 tion OF il which the architecture desired
/ OF NJ Cram would appear 10 typify
/ That the function Of the cathedral when
completed was intended % be so narrow
reading Of what Bishop Potter once said
/ about il. Ills words were as follows
/ I'm New York to-day. the Episcopal
] Church provides services I'm nine different
I languages. In the cathedral the seven
/ Chapeis OF tongues will stand for seven on
= them- German. Spanish. French. swedish.
h Italian Armenian and Chinese with SER
; vices IN heSe langu ges on every Lord
day These CIapelS of tongues VIII open
directly iutO the cathedral, and as they be-
/ come familiar with the tongue Of their
adopted country those who have Wor-
shipped in them viii pass from the ser
/ vices iu tine chape's 10 that OF the great
mother church itself Ones mind turns
/ back a. such n picture and recalls. with a
1 strange seuse Of its new and wider mean
ne that cry that broke from the lips OF the
multitude i'm Jerusalem on the DAY of Pen
tecost. How hear We every mar N cur
own language. wherein We were born,
tie mighty worns Of Cod
Under tho direction Of Mr.. Ia Fargo has
I been spent about two and onc-tnird mlilon
7 dollars in an earnest and single minded en-
/ 5eavOr 10 produce the type ~ nuIp'nG
/ which was morally contracted for not
I only with the members or the Episcopal
! Church. but with the people OF this cry
The precedent that will be established nv
/ the proposed disruption OF the design OF
Jh S1dns .i is ~ n ny oS S, 81 ~ INN
time. 1t must De understood that Mr.. a
FaTg las esr zen r,Sa{ 10 p pGcg -, conn, e
J plv herewith. so far MS ho could consist
/ entity do So. and yer fuliil hls OBLIGATIONS
to the original and general hene an
, sure that he cannot be blamed because no
has not permitted himself 70 be- undIiv
I -Werved thercfrOm by the personal taste or
/ idiosyncrasv Of anT one.
! II may be said that the inherent charm
/ Of the Cathedral Of Chartres Is due 10 the
DISPARITY IN IFS towers. The faCt that sur
rounding the choir and within a Roman
J eS1ue exterior l. contained some or me
: most charming details II Renaissance or
nament that this world Is possessed or.
m eht BE- considered an illustration ~ prec-
ed ~ and an important. cOnsldera non IN
support Of the new programme u rs from
such faulty premises that illogical conclu-
~oue arc frequently drawn. Tine beauty
D. ~ Chsrtre~ IS NOT primarily due -
tho dIsna~itv I'm towers and tho ~oufusjon
Of STYLE 0ut 20 tine fact t0at - Dis the
product Of lsbOrS OF love IF artists and
master vorkmen during me iei-e or cen,
turtles 40 such condition can ne rNcf'ated
/ i'm the construction Of the Cathedral ~ 81
/ John the Divine, which M us 'opc'ui"n
is widely known - being FREE" from mo
cold and formal limitations ~ single
periCd Of style Of architecture.
Mr. La Fargo left New York on tine even
ms Of Nav 81 on June Z Mr.. Cram S let,
and contained tho information that ne had
been fra negotiation with the trustees since
Mav o. ON June J wrote IN Mr. Cram
notifying him Of Mr. Ia Fargo absence
and the date of mis- probable return. and
b rec,IeSted MIN az matter Of ordinary pro-
/ foSsional courtesv to refrain from any fur
thor negotiations with tho trustees until
I M Ia Farges return
Correspondence with Cram.
Nr Grams reply 10 This letter was not
received until f0o morning Cf June IT,.
ana was such that informed him that
am attempt on mis- part 20 dsplace Mr..
Ia Fargo or TO enter mo REGULATIONS
, with The trustees during his absence would
auuesr 10 me to De An unllolesslon9l pro-
ce4ding and tnat ms aIemehi tnal l.Is
/ FIRST proposition 10 the trustees provided
I exnlicitiV for tho assoc ALTON Of AR "a
~arze with the cathedral work did not
rerr1it him. with .pfopriotV. TO- enter into
sr,. neeotiafious whatever with them with
ON dr.t consulting with Mr. "a Fargo
that such was my idea OF one 9i mo car
diral principles OF n'"lNS~'''7l i'" tI'
and that ID appeared 20 pe so considered
h, such DISTINGUISHED members oI the pro
fossion 8s J had consulted.
/ uointed ont that Mr. IA Fargo did not
leave NeW YORK. unui atieI Dusiles7 ,'oD. :
on MAY oL aud mat between N3E = ano
the limo 1- hts departure there bad been
annie time 80 commitment" WIN him. aS
boz mad been regularly ~ niN ONO" anu
J. rClld b. cached bN any ordinary means
SIR Cram as quoted OF on" oi Oh, pa
/ rcre hsz stated that fe pul Pm" idtts ne
c4r Institute 40 Washington and consulted
friends I'M the profession RE said theN
ali told 1'im hi- posi- '"o. W ~ luf ,aiIap l'
and ne vii. accept the offer with tho res
t,,,,,he, 'e -tates that legally and pro-
/ f.seiouaIly there was no reason TOT H\
refusing 90 accept Oh" poSlFh fnf'Ne''
/ "fr reply % letter came from MT. MOTIFS,
i.s ,artuar saving inat he lad sailed
tl-aa ,avV before for Europe. Furthrr'
I II have iaid an those Facts before me
American institute of Archtecl.: as wen
80 several prominent arc iI'J "'''
an told mo 1 was JIsuhtu. e.,
. penardirg rhe alleged statement from
me- I would say mat olu no. ni9' re -
a. before for Europe. As a matter or
fact when ! first wrote 10 Mr.. ram I'
had been gone slN H"4 =. - 80 ~ o..
4 mont Tba, Inc mad laid thc iacts before sfE
IN ,,o,,in4f,f architecte, who 3ll iold
ti,n he Vas justified. Mr. cram must nave
f..raotfcn certain correspondence winch ne
I.s Ffu NuiN recent. n 't" M,
+ chitects 10 this CITY and ir boat'n' NAi.u
I curre~uonaence could in 200 manner hc IN
t,.,.f,raied as EXPRESSING approval IRON Il
professional point of view IN lacI ~, I4e
4 meaning intended 10 bc conveyed was ""'''
THE unsolicited comments when nav nav
-, r,.,.,. D.. me couccru.uE tni+ SITUATION
bv fellow members Of my prol. s.,on "'''
lot in commentator OF ne "otlo' i,,,.,,. 90
I ,,itici.e adrerseiy tire motives Of the board
: t.',stees or The committee on the fabrlG
or the cathedral. but in Justice 10 MN =
. fsel that fhey should nave the "'he".
tbc STATEMENTS herein contained, agn I'M
thev may have the opportunity oil NOR re-
I fullv considering the propo~en ch"l5S -
.. .rrbitacturaI aspect OF the calhrdIai
''' GENJAMIN WlSTAR MOiIi~